Mošćenice: a dreamy hilltop village above the Kvarner bay

To drive up the road to the village of Mošćenice after the busy seaside resorts of Opatija, Medveja, Lovran or Volosko, is to enter an entirely different world. Not only that you rise above the murmur and traffic of these tourist-oriented towns, up to the hill where the air is fresher, the atmosphere quieter and the views of the Kvarner bay drop-dead gorgeous, but you also enter a place that feels almost enchanted. Continue reading “Mošćenice: a dreamy hilltop village above the Kvarner bay”

Spain, Travel stories

Wandering around Barcelona

My first visit to Barcelona (and Spain in general) was in 2010, and the impression I got after 4 days of wandering around town in all types of weather was that it was a fascinating city I had to return to, sooner or later. It was not the Spain I expected and that I later on learned to know, but there was something about the city that urged me to return and rediscover it. Continue reading “Wandering around Barcelona”

Travel inspiration

Why you should travel independently at least once in your life

I have been an independent traveler for 12 years now. My first self-planned travel endeavor was a three-day trip to Ravenna, Rimini and San Marino in Italy, where I went with my family: I remember thinking what a big achievement it was to individually contact a hotel, successfully arrange and complete the trip – it was the time when, at least in my part of the world, we still used road maps, didn’t have smartphones and were afraid of telephoning abroad because of extravagant roaming costs. Ever since those simpler (and in a way, nicer) days, I have been independently organizing trips I take on my own, with my family and friends and have been strongly advocating this type of travel to anyone who wants to listen. Continue reading “Why you should travel independently at least once in your life”

Spain, Travel stories

The magic of Alhambra in 25 images

It has inspired novels and poems; it featured in movies, shows and even video games. Its fortress-like exterior elevated above Granada, with the backdrop of Sierra Nevada’s snowy hilltops, its rich decorations, splendid rooms and inner patios – these are all truly iconic images. Alhambra is a palace woven in myth, history, supreme artistic value and wealth, telling a story of another time and life. Continue reading “The magic of Alhambra in 25 images”

Spain, Travel stories

A day in charming Córdoba

Córdoba was the first town we visited during our trip to Andalucia, but for some reason, it ended up being one of the last ones I’m writing about. I don’t know why: it’s definitely not because the town disappointed us or because of its lack of beauty, for it just might be the loveliest of all Andalucian towns we got the chance to visit during our journey. Córdoba is extremely photogenic, unobtrusive and just plain lovely, a town where beautiful scenes and photo opportunities lie in every single corner. It is more peaceful and introverted than its famous Andalucian neighbors such as Sevilla or Granada, but well worth visiting for its fascinating history and some of the most important and spectacular monuments in the country. Continue reading “A day in charming Córdoba”

Portugal, Travel stories

Palácio da Pena, Sintra: a photo diary

Sintra is one of the most popular tourist destinations in Portugal, a town well known for its many architectural monuments. It is located in the hills of Serra de Sintra, part of Parque Natural de Sintra-Cascais, and surrounded by woods, giving it a cool, fresh climate and a somewhat mysterious atmosphere. Continue reading “Palácio da Pena, Sintra: a photo diary”

Portugal, Travel stories

Seafaring, resistance and music: three museums of Lisbon

Lisbon has many museums, befitting a capital of a great country with rich history and heritage. Without having a specific plan, we explored three “smaller”, but nonetheless very interesting museums, each of them telling one part of a complex story of Lisbon and, by extension, Portugal. Continue reading “Seafaring, resistance and music: three museums of Lisbon”

Portugal, Travel inspiration, Travel stories

10 unmissable Lisbon experiences

Lisbon is a large city with many attractions that allow you to get to know it, very affordably, in all … Continue reading 10 unmissable Lisbon experiences

Travel inspiration

Wise words to inspire your travels

There are many beautiful thoughts and quotes about traveling that make you feel, upon reading them, as if someone turned into words your own feelings, ones you often find so difficult to verbalize and explain. They often describe traveling as a way of learning, changing, taking chances and getting outside of your comfort zone, letting every traveler know that their feelings and beliefs are universal, shared between all of us. Continue reading “Wise words to inspire your travels”

Portugal, Travel stories

Óbidos: the real gem of central Portugal

This picture-perfect example of a traditional Portuguese town was once owned by the queen of Portugal, and remains today one of the best-preserved medieval towns in the country.