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Santorini. One of the most romantic places on earth.

The great caldera, the volcano, the small towns in the heights of the island, the donkeys, the blue sea, the blue and white building, the cats, the Greek food, the churches, the sunsets… those are the ingredients that make Santorini island an unforgettable experience. And this is the secret of its charm – the combination of all.

About the Island, In a Nutshell

Santorini is a small archipelagos of islands which are a result of volcanic eruptions. The caldera is still involved in volcanic activities which cause very particular climate (natural humidity, lack of rain) on the islands.

Most inhabitable is the biggest island, on which the towns of Fira (Thira) and Oia are located. There are also some beaches (Perissa and Kamari), the small airport as well as two harbors. There is another island which is covered with private houses inhabited by sailors and, of course, the volcano island itself which is uninhabited.

The architecture on the entire island is similar – white houses with blue roofs on different levels, crooked stairs, with decorations – chairs and flowers. This is one of the things that make Santorini special. Another is the use of donkeys and the abundance of cats. The number of churches on the island is quite magnificent too – more than 250. All in the well known white-and-blue style.

Practical Information

• Fira (or Thira) is the most visited town. There are as well the most hotels. Tip: As Oia is the more beautiful town, if possible, get a hotel there.
• To Santorini, you can go by plane and ferry. In both cases you have to take the transport from Athens.
• At Santorini, as in all Greece the used currency is euro.
• In order to transport yourself on the island, you can hire a buggy or use the bus. There are regular buses between the towns. The bus schedule is printed on the bus stops. There is a major bus stop both in Fira and Oia. You can also take a taxi.
• If you wat to go to or from the harbors you can get a donkey ride for around 10 euro. The distance in the heat is quite big, and also, just for the adventure, I advice you to try it at least once. At the Fira harbor there is also a lift.
• A must-see is the sunset from Oia. This is an unbelievably beautiful sunset. Don’t miss it.

The Other Side

As there is nothing perfect in this world, Santorini too, has its drawbacks. Here is what we found missing:

• The prices on the island are as in a normal well known resort – quite high
• The Greek people are a bit reserved with foreigners
• On Fira, except walking or being in a restaurant, there are not much other options. Public places where you can just sit and enjoy are totally missing.

Conclusion

The overall experience of Santorini is lovely. There are some inconveniences because of the listed minuses above, but the charm and beauty of the island is overwhelming. There are enough things to explore and experience.

Basel Rathaus

Basel is truly a unique city. To prove that I have collected some interesting facts about it:

• It is located at the border of Switzerland, France and Germany which makes it tri-national.
• It is the second largest urban area in Switzerland
• It has the oldest university in the country
• The most spoken language there is a Basel German dialect
• The name “Basel” comes from the word “pie” in Latin
• The Zoo of Basel is the first zoo built in Switzerland
• Basel is one of the most important cultural cities in Europe

Basel

Basel is really a charming city. All those old but well kept buildings, narrow streets, romantic shops and magnificent Rhine river. Yes, it is lovely!

And if you decide to go there, here is a small list of things to be seen:

• Basel Munster – an early Gothic red sandstone church
• Basel Town Hall (Rathaus) – again, a very red and magnificent building, used by the government
• Rhine river
• Basel Zoo

But above seeing all sights, enjoy yourself in the unique atmosphere of the Basel city.

Here is a mind map showing our plan when we traveled to Vienna. The main sights and things to be seen and experienced are marked there. Of course, Vienna is such a magnificent city, that you will for sure find a lot more things worth seeing. Still, below is a backbone you can use. Enjoy!

In case you go to Vienna at December, be sure also to check out the Christmas market which is right in front of the Town Hall (Rathaus). There is a lot to be seen!

Here is an article with some of the nicest Bulgarian resorts at sea, mountain or city. Let me know if you want to know more!

Here is an article about that topic, check it out!

Chateau de Chillon

If you are fond of medieval castles consider seeing Chateau de Chillon.

The castle is build on a small island in Lake Geneva and has been there for over 1000 years. It is situated very beautifully facing the great Alpes on the other shore of the lake. The castle is very preserved and accessible. You can walk trough it, from dungeons and courtyards, trough great halls and chambers, finally to the chapel and defenses. And if you want to learn the stories that the walls and halls have seen, don’t forget to take an audio guide at the entrance and learn a lot more about this lovely castle.

One of the stories of Chateau de Chillon tells about the famous English writer Lord Byron, and his enprisonment in the dungeons of the castle. You can still see his name carved in the pillar, down in the castles dungeons.

The old pieces of furniture in the chambers reveal a lot about the daily life of the medieval people. You can sink in the old atmosphere. The overall experience is magnificent!

The Chateau is one of the most visited historical monuments in Switzerland. More information about prices and opening times, you can find in the official website of the castle. The easiest way to get to the castle from anywhere in Switzerland is by train and doesn’t that make the trip even more romantic?

What is common for a typical citizen of Sofia is that coffee is not just favorite drink, but daily necessity. And not just the coffee, but the good coffee.

What we did is to make a comparison between three famous coffee shops which are more or less in the same format – Starbucks, Costa Cafe and Onda Coffee Brake. None of this chains is typical Bulgarian but all of them are quite popular there.

Starbucks

This coffee chain is available in Sofia from a couple of months only, but is already quite popular. We all know the coffee there, it is good, atmosphere is modern and dynamic. What we don’t like there is that when the cafe is full it looks too stuffed with people and becomes too noisy. Also, at Starbucks (in Sofia specifically) the sweets are not always the best quality.

Addresses:

• at the corner of the Vasil Levski Blvd and the Fritjof Nansen Street.

• at the corner of the Vasil Levski Blvd and the Gurko Blvd

Costa Cafe

This is the least explored one. The quality of the coffee is not as good as on Starbucks or Onda Coffee Brake, but is good enough. As it seems Costa Cafe is actually more specialized in hot chocolate. They have several types. The atmosphere is quite nice but again too stuffed sometimes. What is really original there is the cups they give for outside consumption. They are thick and it is not easy to get your fingers burned with them.

Addresses:

• City Center Sofia (Aresenalski blv.)
• Kniaz Alexander I street
• at the corner of Sheinovo street and Krakra street

Onda Coffee Brake

This is our favourite coffee chain. It seems to be available in Sofia only, and if you go there we advice you to visit it. The atmosphere is very good, even if the cafe is full with customers. They always play non-commercial music and have happy paintings on the walls. What is more, the quality of coffee there is best of all other mentioned chains. The sandwiches they bake at morning are with very good taste quality and the sweets are very nice.

Addresses:

• Tsar Osvoboditel blv. just opposite the Russian Chuch
• Business Park Sofia
• Mall of Sofia
• Stamboliiski blv.
  

Marks

No coffee can be good in the mouth that does not first send a sweet offering of odor to the nostrils. ~Henry Ward Beecher

If you go to Bulgaria, the old town of Plovdiv is something that has to be seen. It contains remains of a lot of different past centuries and wonderful picturesque views.

Old house in Plovdiv

Plovdiv is one of the oldest cities in Europe. It is a contemporary of Troy and Mycenae, and older than Rome, Carthage or Constantinople. Therefor, there you can see a lot of monuments from previous years such as the ancient Roman amphitheater. Even nowadays, performances have been made there at summer.

Roman amphitheater in Plovdiv

The city of Plovdiv is a modern cultural center. There are a lot of events which take place there such as painting, photography and sculpture exhibitions, theatrical plays, opera spectacles, musicals, etc. However, most of those events are at summer. Summer is definitely the best time to visit Plovdiv.

A list of things to see in Plovdiv:

• Archaeological Museum
• Balabanov House
• Center for Contemporary Art
• Church of Sveta Bogoroditsa
• Church of Sveti Konstantin & Elena
• Ethnographical Museum
• Hindlian House
• Historical Museum
• Nedkovich House
• Night of the Galleries (On 28 September each year, Night of the Galleries sees every Plovdiv gallery open, for free, from 20:00 to 03:00)
• Roman Amphitheatre
• Roman Forum
• Roman Stadium
• Zlatyu Boyadjiev House

Interior in old house in Plovdiv

Besides the numerous events and entertainment in Plovdiv there is also the beautiful old town which presents the Bulgarian culture in the 18th and 19th centuries. The beautiful buildings typical for that time have been made to museums where everyone can see the manner of life in the past days. Going trough the little cobblestone pavement roads makes you feel part of those past centuries.

Street in old Plovdiv

The Sacher Torte is probably one of the most well kept secret recipes. The recipe is passed over the generations in one family since 1832. This is definitely one of the things that one must taste when visiting Vienna.

Scaher Torte from Vienna

The original Sacher Cake can be found in very few places in Vienna. But the place where it is most original is Hotel Sacher. As they say, the best way to eat that cake is with portion of unsweetened whipped cream and a cup of Original Sacher coffee or tea. Believe me, it is worth tying!

Beware of Fakes