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A short half-day hike along the Ruta del Cantábrico gave me a lasting impression of Galicia’s rocky northern coast.
The city where Vicky and Cristina are flown to by Javier Bardem…
As gritty as the guidebooks make it out to be, Naples turned out to be incredibly exciting city, and the closest in feeling to the energy of a thriving Chinatown.
The super curvy Amalfi Coast Drive and the gusts of wind following in between bouts of rain made for a dramatic day out on this famous road. Thank goodness I left the driving to the professionals, and at a cost of just a few euros!
The first day of my solo tour took me to Herculaneum and Pompeii, both cities preserved by the eruption of Vesuvius, and finally to the charming town of Sorrento.
How to plan a whirlwind trip through the archaeological sites of Herculaneum and Pompeii, a stop in the quaint Sorrento, and then a breathtaking drive along the Amalfi Coast - all in just two days and by public transportation!
An overnight jaunt to Gibraltar, a few steps yet a world apart from Southern Spain
Great experiences come in small packages.
Strasbourg is fairy tale charming. It's probably one of the things that compelled me to visit - it just seemed so "European!"
You imagine Beauty and the Beast taking place in a town like this; in fact, it's said that the town from which the Disney animators drew inspiration is just south of Strasbourg.
I think there are probably a few American apartment developments or subdivisions inspired by the Alsace region!
Formentera is an island quite close to Ibiza, and popular for day-trippers. Here's an outline for an itinerary to get a taste of Formentera in one day.
First, there are a couple different ferry companies that go between Ibiza and Formentera. They're comparable in cost and all advertise a 30-minute "fast ferry" ride. Our trip time was more like 45-50 minutes! I can't imagine how long the 1-hour "slow ferry" would take...
Our first stop was Ses Illetes, a narrow spit of land going into the sea. I just couldn't get over how clear and blue the waters were here!
Before visiting Ibiza, I used to think of beaches and partying when I thought of the island.
I'm sure the partying is quite spectacular - the road from the airport to town was plastered with billboards promoting parties and clubs - and the beaches for sure are among the most picturesque in the world.
But I was surprised by what a charming the old town Ibiza was.
There are some cities where I've not even gotten out of the taxi from the bus/train station/airport and already feel stressed and hectic (Rio de Janeiro). Others where I feel refreshed and alive (Oslo). Others were I only think of how soon I can get to air conditioning (any city in Asia in summertime).
Modena is a city where, just by walking a few minutes from the train station to my Airbnb in the city center, I felt calm, relaxed, and immersed in a sensation of refinement.
The colonnaded walkways, the streets gently curving about. It's such an elegant city.
These features are also distinctive. Watching the second season of Master of None with no context or background, I knew it was Modena where Aziz Ansari went to study pasta making before they even said it.
At the top of Montgo outside of Denía, sliding down a dusty opening into an otherworldly cave, the Cova Ampla...
As with many "exotic" cities around the world, Marrakech has a side that looks like any other city in the world...
I felt lucky that I happened to visit Marrakech during its Biennale...
Marrakech lived up to the magical image I had in my mind...
I've heard people say that Semana Santa in Sevilla is a must-see in Spain, similar to las Fallas in Valencia...
The people of Sevilla and Andalucia are well known through Spain for their fashion...
My first trip after moving to Spain was to Andalucia - to Granada and Córdoba which I both loved. Then I went a couple times to Basque Country, a couple times to Barcelona, and several times to Madrid. But somehow I'd not yet been to Sevilla, the capital of Andalucia...
I decided to make the most of an overnight layover and make a small trip to Cologne. At this time of year the city has its famous Christmas markets!
