Lanzarote - Spain

Lanzarote – Spain

Post published:7 December 2014
Post category:Europe Southern Europe Spain

Share it with the world

Tyterogaka: One that is all Ochre

Again that time of the year, completing a last weekend trip of the year right before the big winter holidays starting in merely 3 weeks time without first counting the Christmas days spent in Madrid. Almost a year ago it was the turn of Ibiza, this time is Lanzarote in the Canary Islands. The trend is clearly the same: travelling to the islands in the lowest peak of the low season as otherwise this would be impossible to get here for the ridiculous small fare we paid for the flights and hotel. If you are therefore looking to enjoy some nature and landscapes without the hordes of tourists, this is the best trick anyone can do.

It was not long ago since we went to Tenerife, although we kept returning there more often through the years. Again, it was during the low season, and honestly, it is unbelievable how different these islands are from each other. Two very different worlds. From the lush Atlantic forests that cover most of Tenerife and its huge volcano to the emptiness of Lanzarote, more appropriate nicknamed “landscapes of Mars”. The entire island is dotted with many small volcanoes, all of which formed after the last eruptions in the 1700s and responsible for the current look of the island. An incredible time capsule, nowadays a Reserve of the Biosphere and UNESCO World Heritage Site for obvious reasons.

Don’t be misjudged by the fact that Lanzarote does not really have nice beaches if that’s the kind of holidays you are looking for. If that’s the case, then this island is not the best for you. Gran Canaria or La Palma would be the ideal ones then. Instead, if what you are looking for is either a weekend break or a mix of sightseeing plus a bit of a nice resting then this place is ideal, not to mention if you are in search of nature as explained before, then this place is truly unique in Europe, with the only close example being Iceland or the Faroe Islands.

(more…)

Share it with the world

Vitoria - Spain

Vitoria Gasteiz – Spain

Post published:28 September 2014
Post category:Europe Southern Europe Spain

Share it with the world

The automobile capital of Spain

Vitoria is located in the province of Alava, which was never part of the Basque Country autonomous region until it was added on May 20, 1980, by decision of the Basque Parliament, naming the city of Vitoria-Gasteiz as the capital city of the Basque Country region due to its favourable transport connections to the surrounding major and important cities and due to its favourable rather flat location, something that Bilbao or San Sebastian for example differ from being in the middle of mountainous valleys.

Erroneously overlooked by tourists who only aim for Bilbao, San Sebastian and the coastal villages around, Vitoria has a great medieval old town with plenty of sights and museums, huge choice for food, shopping and a thriving nightlife. I cannot believe I did never come here before, especially that since part of my family is from Bilbao and the many years I’ve been going to Bilbao, but never made it here until now.

Not only the city will make a great day for visiting, but its location will also give you the chance to visit some of the nearby beautiful cities and villages, wineries, natural parks, landscapes and nature. To mention a few, you are near La Rioja where obviously if you are a wine person, will know how to even further appreciate the region yet still if not into wine, the chance to visit some of the wineries are a good idea specially for their incredible architecture of many of them, where world renown architects have created 21st century masterpieces blended with the ancient buildings. Then you have Burgos, San Sebastian, Bilbao or Biarritz, all at little over 100km away. (more…)

Share it with the world

Alicante - Spain

Alicante – Spain

Post published:21 September 2014
Post category:Europe Southern Europe Spain

Share it with the world

Roman Lucentum, Arab Medina Laqant

The city that saw me growing every summer for almost 20 years as my parents used to have a flat there; is always nice to return. Would not matter if I would return even every year as it is actually the current trend or even more than once; I do still enjoy it a lot, obviously for the beaches and for the memories that I have for so many years. To my personal opinion, the beaches here are by all means the best ones in Spain and even rank higher than many other beaches with a much more fancier name or location as Ipanema or Copacabana in Rio de Janeiro, which are almost one to one to those you see in Alicante, or Boracay in the Philippines and Belize. Only missing are more palms, as for buildings and architecture, it is the same.

Truth is that the city itself is not very pretty as most Spanish cities tend to be. Instead the architecture is severely influence by the holiday boom which started from the 1960’s and in fact, many monstrosities were built occupying the place of beautiful 19th and 20th century buildings that once stood. Fortunately not all was lost and yet small, the old town still retains the old flair and beautiful blend of Moorish with Spanish architecture. After all, Alicante was one of the major Moorish cities back in the invasion times.

But something that won’t change is the weather. Humid and hot during the long summer, mild during the short winter months. If heading more to the north direction to Catalonia, the sea water turns colder; heading southwards direction of Andalusia, and the weather gets warmer. Alicante lies just in the middle, and benefits from this. (more…)

Share it with the world

Vatican City - Vatican

Vatican City – Vatican

Post published:22 June 2014
Post category:Europe Italy Southern Europe Vatican

Share it with the world

The smallest country in the World

Since The Vatican is a separate country and to follow with the way I do create the travel guides in my blog, here is a standalone guide for it. Although pretty much the same is self-explained in the guide for Rome. Basically, this guide is based upon an older visit and not the most recent, since all the next times we’ve done a trip to Rome we did not return to The Vatican again. Fair enough one will always walk past it and around it, but to be honest having already been twice in the Basilica and gigantic museums, spending countless hours and making the way through the hordes of tourists, I think I have enough for quite some time until I feel the need for repeating in the future.

It takes at least half a day to visit, therefore plan ahead and know the times in advance, trying to avoid the rush hours where the queues build up exponentially. For instance, I would never recommend you to get there by the time they open and the following 2 hours, but coming towards the midday is already a good choice. You can admire the incredible architecture from the outside in the morning, and consider accessing inside after an early lunch. Remember once you enter all you have are some cafes and pricey restaurants, a limited choice.

Two of it’s highlights are why every visitor to Rome come, as otherwise, it’s like you have not visited Rome to be honest: Saint Paul’s Basilica and the Vatican Museums, all of which listed by the UNESCO as World Heritage Sites. Both lie within the Vatican City, also known ad the Holy Sea, the smallest internationally recognized independent state in the world by both area and population. The only such exception to be found in the world where a micro state is within the boundaries of a city of another state. An ecclesiastical monarchical state, ruled by the Bishop of Rome, the Pope. It’s also one of the last seven remaining absolute monarchies in the world, being the others as matter of curiosity and information Qatar, Oman, UAE, Saudi Arabia, Brunei and Swaziland. (more…)

Share it with the world

Rome - Italy

Rome – Italy

Post published:22 June 2014
Post category:Europe Italy Southern Europe

Share it with the world

The Eternal City; Caput Mundi: Capital of the World

Although it is already several times I visit this city, it’s also good time to finally create a proper travel guide for it. I know that a weekend as I have just been is extremely short time not permitting me to see even a quarter of what the city has to offer, but in combination with the previous trips to this awesome capital, it makes a good background of thoroughly sightseeing everything when combining them all. I’m happy to be able to provide you with this very complete guide, easy and ready for anyone to use. And to myself, looking forward to the next time I return which for sure it won’t be that long.

Although we all have a first thing in mind, the Romans and one of the greatest civilization the earth have known in antiquity, the city goes back much more in time to around 14000 years BC as many archaeological finds have proven. In any case, the worldwide importance of the city resides in having been the capital of the Roman Empire, the birthplace of the western civilization.

With such countless richness in architecture and arts it is no wonder that it is the 3rd most visited city in Europe and the 11th in the world (at the time of writing this guide). Of course the 1st by excellence in Italy, therefore expect the hordes of tourists everywhere at any time of the year, being most acute during high season months. Prices for everything, specially accommodation, are of course based on such demand and therefore much higher than anywhere else in Italy.

(more…)

Share it with the world

Madrid - Spain

Madrid – Spain

Post published:15 June 2014
Post category:Europe Southern Europe Spain

Share it with the world

Moorish Mayrit, Mozarabic Matrit

It’s finally time I set myself to create the travel guide for my home town. I know it won’t be easy but rather a challenge in order to try to compile the best through my own experience and eyes, and if creating the guide for Barcelona was already a difficult task where of course, there is much more to see and do than what I shared, here I am still even deciding on how I am actually going to structure and divide the sections and areas within the city for the sightseeing list.

But first, let’s start with some interesting facts. Remember that I do not describe in detail the history of the cities in my travel blog; for that you already have Wikipedia, Wikitravel and many other sites on the web, but I do always provide a good input and some notes quite appropriate to give you an idea. Madrid is the largest city in Spain; 3rd largest city after London and Berlin, 3rd largest metropolitan area after London and Paris and 3rd largest GDP in the European Union. Capital of Spain since 1561 when King Philip II moved it from Toledo. It’s the largest transportation and communications hub in the Iberian Peninsula; media, business, banking, commercial, education, fashion, political, arts, entertainment and cultural centre making it one of the world’s major global cities. It is the major financial centre of Southern Europe. Ranking among the most liveliest cities in the world, you will find one of the friendliest and more welcoming people in Europe.

It is quite surprising that most of the tourists Spain receives per year do not consider visiting Madrid and instead quickly go to the Mediterranean coast, Andalusia, the islands, and the most visited city in Spain, Barcelona. And shocking in the other hand, it is for many people in the UK to believe that the capital of Spain is Barcelona. I get into such comments quite frequently where I have to teach politely the people a little bit of geography and basic history. (more…)

Share it with the world

Verona - Italy

Verona – Italy

Post published:18 May 2014
Post category:Europe Italy Southern Europe

Share it with the world

Fictitious city of Shakespeare’s Romeo and Juliet

Too many years have passed after my first and only time in beautiful Verona, but finally returned, and not only once, but couple more times through the years. Of course much more knowledgeable and appreciative to the architecture and arts than how it was my first time, a rushy few hours stop-over along the way travelling between Venice and Milan on what was the end of high school trip. Nowadays, much more prepared and organised, and adding more notes revamping this guide after the latest trip, although with other plans in mind included: visiting the neighbouring cities of Vicenza, Padua, Mantua and Sabbioneta.

From the very first time I could perfectly still remember parts of the city like the Arena and Juliet’s House, but not much more, and what a surprise that was! The city is so pretty, with so much to see and do that definitely it won’t be long until I book another weekend city break here. There’s always so much more to discover along its large UNESCO World Heritage Site listed old town.

But even with so much history and sights, the city is actually more known for something that it is not even real. Juliet’s House. It has no connection whatsoever with Shakespeare’s fictional characters, furthermore to mention that the balcony was added in 1936 to further emphasise it as a tourist destination. Nevertheless this place will be of course a mandatory stop over along your sightseeing route and believe me, it will pretty much disappoint you. (more…)

Share it with the world

Ercolano - Italy

Ercolano – Italy

Post published:30 March 2014
Post category:Europe Italy Southern Europe

Share it with the world

Named after the Greek Hero Hercules

On our second part of this trip and in the same day after the Roman villas of Stabiae and Oplontis, we visit the major highlight, the ancient city of Ercolano. Second in size after Pompeii, but way different to this in the sense of how incredibly well preserved everything stood after the 79AD Mount Vesuvius eruption. Unfortunately only 1/4 of the total city has been excavated, while the remaining of the city might never been uncovered. The new city of Herculaneum was built on top of the ancient. Back then they even did not even know what was below ground, but the over construction covered most of the former city limits which lie well below the current street level.

I cannot say that I like one or the other more. Both compliment each other. While in Pompeii you do not have such great paintings and large villas, or so incredibly well preserved thermaes; you have in the other hand the complete area of the forum, theatre and coliseum, something that is completely buried under the new city in Herculaneum.

What is best on this place, the lack of mass tourism. In Pompeii expect hordes of tourists, but here in Ercolano you will be happy to enjoy the city mostly to yourself, but of course, mind that during the high season months there will be lots of people but nothing to compare with overcrowded Pompeii.

(more…)

Share it with the world