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Mesmerising Monaco

January 27, 2014

Monaco was country #28 that I visited, the last one of my Europe travels. Getting here wasn’t an easy process for me; I flew from Cluj-Napoca to Milan airport, then took a train from Milan Centrale to Ventimiglia. However, there were some problems on the Italian train tracks along the coast, so I had to …
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Skopje, Macedonia

January 19, 2014

along the river on a cloudy day Skopje’s airport “Alexander the Great” connects the city to several European countries (Netherlands, Italy, Austria, UK, Germany…). I flew on Wizzair from Stockholm to Skopje. From the terminal there are buses running into Skopje centre (Cost one-way from airport to Skopje is 150MKD). Explore Matka Canyon, (twenty minutes …
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wonderful Copenhagen

January 17, 2014

Historic, small and compact, low-rise, eminently polite and civilised, filled with light and water, Copenhagen is ranked as one of the most attractive capital cities in the world, and one of the world’s best cities to live in. ‘Fairytale’ is an adjective that is often used to describe this city, especially used by the famous …
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Italy rail adventure (traveling on a budget)

January 7, 2014

For those who are planning to travel to Italy, here is a compilation of tips from myself and my friends who have been to Italy. On this recent trip, I visited Rome, Venice, Pisa, La Spezia (Cinque Terre) and Turin, all travel done by rail. It was worth it because we fully made use of …
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wild in Amsterdam

January 3, 2014

Amsterdam shouldn’t really exist. The city was dragged out of marshy bogs, dried and carved into the place that we know today. It was an unconventional start and one that seems to have set the tone for things to come. Today, despite something of a conservative Dutch backlash, Amsterdam remains Europe’s most nonconformist city. Locals …
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chasing the lights in Iceland

December 31, 2013

Our expedition to chase the northern lights (aurora borealis) in Iceland failed because the elusive lights were playing hard to get with us despite four nights spent here, camping in the dark every night hoping to catch a glimpse of them. Nevertheless, in my opinion, it was my best Christmas in my life ever, thanks …
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Tips for visiting Prague

December 24, 2013

Since a few friends have been asking me about traveling within Eastern Europe, I decided to write some tips for them, such as the places to visit, the food to try and the place where I stayed. Usually to save money, I would try to find couchsurfing. If I can’t, then I would stay in …
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Czeching out Prague

December 22, 2013

The first time that I was in Prague 2 months ago wasn’t a good experience because I have such a hard time hitchhiking and I did not have time to explore the city. This weekend was dedicated to Prague and although the old town, Charles bridge, Prague castle were swarming with tourists, I liked the …
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Gaudi’s Barcelona

December 3, 2013

Los tres días en Barcelona pasaron muy rápido. Viví en un albergue muy maravilloso y conoce la gente simpática. Ahora yo sé cocinar la paella y una comida de Israel gracias a mis nuevos amigos allá. Aunque los atractivos en Barcelona son demasiado caros paro mi (24€ para ver un estadio, 13€ para ver una …
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top 5 Porto

November 28, 2013

Here are my top 5 things to do in Porto… 1. Port tasting Port wine or Vinho do Porto is named after the city and a trip to Porto would not be complete without a visit to one of the port wine cellars. Port is a sweet wine usually red but also made in other …
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Picturesque Portugal

November 26, 2013

 Portugal is one of the more neglected Western European countries, but during my short 3 days there, I discovered its affordability and beautiful scenery along the Atlantic Ocean. While it was cold and snowing in France, the weather was the exact opposite in Portugal – warm and sunny. I regretted choosing 2 cities to visit …
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Magical Morocco

November 18, 2013

 mosque Koutoubia  getting lost in the souk  pinkish-red buildings common in Marrakech  beautiful Atlas mountain range  the main square Djemaa El Fna comes alive at night  the waterfall at Ourika  makeshift restaurants set up along the river  the numerous orange juice drink stalls at the square  the grand King Hassan II mosque in Casablanaca the …
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Croatia and the craveat

November 1, 2013

Did you know that the necktie and ballpoint pen originated from Croatia? Or that Dalmatian dogs are named after the coastal region in the south of the country? I decided to do a road trip around Croatia with my friends Yong Qian and Abbas since it was our one week vacation in France. We rented …
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sLOVEnia surprises

October 31, 2013

Ljubljana, which roughly translates to ‘beloved’ in Slovene, may be one of Europe’s smallest capital cities (population 280 000), but its rich cultural scene, youthful vibrancy, offbeat hangouts and impressive baroque buildings more than make up for any shortcoming. Ljubljana castle which sits atop a hill offers panoramic views of the city and there was …
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Bosnia and Herzegovina

October 29, 2013

Only recently having suffered the effects of the Balkans war, Bosnia and Herzegovina is a country with a long war history. In the old town, the cobbled streets, mosques and Oriental style shops at the heart the city are a world away from Europe, and when the call-to-prayer starts, one could be forgiven for thinking …
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Walking tour of Dubrovnik

October 28, 2013

When you are in Dubrovnik, do sign up for the daily walking tour of the city because it is very informative and the local guides can offer insights about their city. There are various timings during the day, but the regular ones are 10am and 12pm for the free walking tour. Meeting point is in …
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Chocolates, Fries and Everything Nice in Belgium

October 21, 2013

Belgium may be much smaller than France, but it is an interesting country that has a long history of being at the crossroads of conflicts such as the world wars, with several former battlegrounds in the country.  Brussels is the capital of Europe as claimed because it is home to the EU parliament and many …
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Tips for Budapest

October 16, 2013

HUNGARY stay: Big Fish Hostel.  1st floor/door 1 (Doorbell 11), Erzsebet krt. 33, Budapest, Hungary Eat Goulash soup of course! Újházi chicken soupfor example is a rich soup packed with all kinds of vegetables, small slices of chicken and noodles. kürtőskalács(chimney cake) fills the air of every Christmas fair – it’s a favourite among the …
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two sides of the city – Buda and Pest

October 14, 2013

I was supposed to reach Hungary on Friday night but only arrived on Saturday morning as I missed my train. What’s worse is that the metro line M2 in Budapest was closed for the weekend, and replaced by buses.  I went over to omer’s appartment to deposit my backpack. Then I took the train to Szekesfehervar, about an hour …
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Hitchhiking from Prague to Bratislava

October 11, 2013

Hitchhiking is not as easy as it seems, though my Polish friends told me they do it all the time so I gave it a try today because you only live once and to save some money.  Actually it was such a screwed up day because I ran into many problems. I had one more …
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Tips for Poland – Krakow, Warsaw

October 10, 2013

gosh I’m missing Poland so much as I write this! I will definitely want to visit Poland again! In Poland you should try the honey beer (Ciechan Miodowe in polish)! It is damn nice! I Along the backpacker alley in the old town of Krakow there are several bars offering affordable prices for flavoured vodka …
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Poland packs a punch

October 8, 2013

My first experience taking the night train with a couchette. While in Germany, I always took the seat even for night travels because that was the cheapest. However, the trains in Poland are cheap, 23€ for a sleeping cabin so I booked it. It’s like staying in a hostel dormitory and it’s quite comfortable actually. …
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European capital of culture Marseille

October 6, 2013

Marseille, European capital of culture for 2013 is the second largest city in France. It is located along the Mediterranean Sea, thus enjoying 300 days of sunshine every year.  Marseille had the feel of a melange of northern African and French culture. There are many immigrants from Spain and North Africa, which contribute to the …
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Rostock and the Baltic Sea

October 2, 2013

Rostock is not a place on the tourist map for those visiting Germany, but thanks to my penpal who stays there, I decided to give her a visit and see what this city in northern Germany has got to offer.  I took an 8h45min ‘express’ train from Munich to Rostock, stopping by many cities such …
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