I believe that traveling widens your horizons and I am attracted to each new place, culture or experience as you can see from my posts. The life isn’t long enough to see all the world.

visit italian part of switzerland, my ascona locarno, bloggers trip in switzerland

In May, I had the privilege of spending a 3 days bloggers trip in the Italian part of Switzerland at Parkhotel Brenscino ( I will give you more details about our staying in the next post) together with incredibly talented and hard working people thanks to Ascona-Locarno tourism agency.  I will include their Instagram accounts at the end of this post, so you can convince yourself.

We all know that Switzerland is covered in mountains and lakes but surprisingly there are regions in the Italian part of Switzerland rich in waterfalls such as Bavona Valley, at the top of the Maggia Valley.

The waterfall is a spectacular sight, rushing down an 80 meter high rock and right next to it there is a lovely picturesque village named Swiss Machu Picchu. The round hike takes about 90 minutes, without taking photos and videos, but of course you won’t resist without capturing the beauty of the nature. After a demanding hike, you must spoil your tummy with Ticinese specialties ( e.g. pizzoccheri ) at  La Froda Ristorante, right by the waterfall, a typical Ticinese grotto, which has been in operation since 1928.

visit italian part of switzerland, my ascona locarno, bloggers trip in switzerlandvisit italian part of switzerland, my ascona locarno, bloggers trip in switzerland, waterfalls in switzerland

foroglio waterfall hikewhere to eat in ascona locarno, pizzoccheri

How to get there

Starting from Locarno drive in the direction of Vallemaggia. Once you are in the Vallemaggia Valley, you can continue via Avegno- Maggia – Cevio – Bignasco to San Carlo/Val Bavona.

visit italian part of switzerland, my ascona locarno, bloggers trip in switzerlandvisit italian part of switzerland, Puntid in the Calnègia Valley, my ascona locarno, bloggers trip in switzerland

People:

@borisbaldinger

@diaryofseya

@michelleahunziker the one who invited me and to whom I am very thankful for  wakes up at 5 a.m

@visitswitzerland

@yingxingdelia

@christofs70  the one who took some breathtaking photos of me

@itsgiahanle

@quintner

We did it! It takes a dose of spontaneity, strong friendship and some money to organize such a city break. When I think about it, I realize it’s more than that: trying to plan days ahead but not succeeding because you turn out gossiping.

My second time in Berlin was far from the first one when I was with dad and his friends. I got to know a different slant of Berlin: very colorful, apparently unsafe and very diverse.

I had hard time packing, that’s why when I got there I realized I didn’t like any of my clothes but luckily my girls borrowed me some. I mean.. that’s what friends are for, right? Not really I’d say..they are there for you when:

-you sleep in an Airbnb flat and they make you paranoid that you might wake up next morning left with nothing

-you get exhausted, frustrated of not being able to find a place to eat

-you start crying because your hair get stuck in the hair dryer and you can’t save much

-you take 3 hours to get ready and get lost in an industrial neighborhood with Mercedes and other kind of dealers around because you wanted to party  ( NOT ANYMORE) in the most famous techno club, Berghain

-you want some silence and you find no better way to tell than being direct, but the other person gets hurt and cries

–  you all travel few stops without a ticket  even if you were asked before leaving the house about it ( NOT ME )

– you convince them to go shopping, you all fill the shopping cart but then you give up because you are too tired to try on everything, but they end up emptying their wallets and next day they need to wait for you and find new jeans.

– you WEAR UNFASHIONABLE PINK SOCKS ( YES, that’s me) and they think you might not be able to go through security because of them.

-you are willing to wait for the one who needs 2 hours to get ready (NOT ME)

-there are 4 hours left to sleep but you have 3 in the morning talks about a corny joke for the 3rd time that day

BUT of course we had a blast while discovering more than enough of Berlin as you can see in the photos.

 


 


Where to EAT:

UNESCO World Heritage Site Bern

I thought it’s time for a new post, because some complained about my silence on the blog, especially that I have awaiting material.  So, let’s get a taste of Bern, which is the federal capital of Switzerland since 1848.  The old town of Bern is a UNESCO World Heritage Site, and the city worths a stroll  due to the medieval treasure.

Bern is surrounded by Switzerland’s longest river, the Aare, which has a beautiful turquoise color and  is taking you on a scenic float trip from the medieval city of Thun to Bern.  I expected Bern to be more more full of life, considering that is the capital, but rather Zurich or Basel is like that, but of course it is always nice to explore new places.

what to to in bern blog        what to do in bern blog


what to do in basel blog

How to visit 3 countries at once?

Head to the northwestern part of Switzerland to Basel, the “Dreiländereck” of Switzerland, Germany and FranceBasel is the cultural capital of Switzerland having 40 museums and many events such as Baselworld, which is a Watch and Jewellery trade show of the international industry.

Most of the city’s sights are concentrated in the Old Town with narrow medieval of friendly and approachable locals.

A big attraction for tourists is the Rathaus, an impressive 500 year old sandstone building painted in…RED! Also, the modern architecture worth a wonder.

There are numerous restaurants serving most common types of ethnic cuisine (Indian, Thai, Chinese, Italian, Mexican, Japanese, etc.). We had a mouth-watering pizza at Molino Pizza, which is located on Steinenvorstadt, a street with various dinning opportunities. The prices are similar to  Zurich: a pizza can vary from 18-25 euros and a beer 7-10 euros.

We simply loved the Basel vibes as we participated to Fashnacht by mistake, sun was shining and parking was cheaper on Sunday.

3 countries at once switzerland


fashnacht in basel   

 

discover palma capital

The capital of Palma de Mallorca is the largest city of the Balearic Island and it attracts millions of tourists, mainly from UK (Magaluf) and Germany (S’Arenal). The south part is more commercial with lively nightlife, while the north one brings picturesque landscapes. Even if you prefer the north part, it is a must to discover Palma capital, as the island is relatively small.

From Can Pastilla to Palma you can either go by bus for 1,50 euro, 50 minutes or take a cab like we firstly did,  but paying 20 times more and yeah, lasting 15 minutes. The capital has everything from many old narrow streets winding towards Bellver Castle (14th century) and Royal Palace of La Almudaina to the fancy street Passeig des Born (very similar to Las Ramblas in Barcelona) which is now known as the Golden Mile hosting shops such as: Louis Vuitton, Mulbery, Hugo Boss, etc. The most famous landmark of the city today is  one of one of Europe’s tallest Gothic structure the Cathedral La Seu,  located to one side of the harbour and overlooks the seaside promenade.

Palma has the benefits of both a cosmopolitan city and an amazing seafront location, with a wide choice of fine property types and prices.

discover palma capital, travel guide in europe blog
dsc_0138  travel guide in europe blog  discover palma capital  what to do in palma de Mallorca capital of palma de mallorca, discover Palma capital

couple-travelling-in-europe-discover-more-of-palma-blog

dsc_0208  discover spanish architecture

what-to-do-in-palma-discover-more-about-palma-blog  what to do in palma de Mallorca capital of palma de mallorca, discover Palma capital  dsc_0151  spanish architecture photos  spanish architecture photos  ravel guide in europe blog  what to visit in palma de mallorca blog, travel guide in europe blog

royal-palace-of-almudaina-photos-how-to-wear-stripped-pants-discover-more-of-palma-blog

Turkey, Cyprus, Malta, Portugal, Greece, Tunisia and Spain are the European countries with a perfect beach climate even in October. This time, we risked and chose Palma de Mallorca in the wettest month- October as we were dreaming for a long time to visit the Balearic Island. Palma de Mallorca is the largest island in Spain and it’s full of…PALMS!

As I am unemployed, everyday feels like holiday to me (a more stressful one,though) but my boyfriend and I needed to break the distance for a while and relax in a warm place.  Summer never dies, as long as you have money and the willingness to travel. We got used to book our holidays on off season as there are numerous advantages:

-lower prices: You are able to enjoy super fine hotels and save between 30-40% on your accommodation costs. For example, we chose Java Hotel where we paid 102 euros/ night for half board instead of 150 euros during on season.  Everything met and exceeded our expectations there: friendly staff, delicious & various food,perfect location, modern furniture. The hotel is situated close by a wide promenade of 10 km to the resort of Arenal in the east.  If you don’t fancy to walk between the 2 resorts, there’s a popular mini train which runs along the promenade.

-fewer crowds

-pleasant weather

– local tourist industry still ready to please and entertain.

Along with few disadvantages :

-seniors everywhere

-few places closed

-uncertain weather

Anyway, stay tuned to discover more of the island in the next posts!

what-to-see-in-palma-what-to-do-in-palma-holiday-in-late-october

late autumn holiday in spain, summer in late october, what to do in palma

where to stay in palma de mallorca, summer in late october
sarenal-beach-photos-best-beaches-in-palma-summer-in-late-october  palma-de-mallorca-blog-best-beaches-in-palma-summer-in-late-october  pubs-and-bars-in-palma-summer-in-late-october

best hotel in palma de mallorca, which hotel has the best food, summer in late october how was in palma de mallorca, summer in late october, hotel java reviews

interlaken, best places to visit in switzerland

Mount Pilatus, the swiss escape

The Swiss escape or… the sweet escape

The true beauty of Switzerland stands in its nature, but also delicious chocolate, high quality watches and banks.

However, there are so many incredible places to go in Switzerland, but my boyfriend and I selected only 2:Interlaken and Mount Pilatus, because were the closest ones.

Mount Pilatus The views are spectacular because the mount towers above the region with its 2,132 meters in height and it gives and is a mountain overlooking Lucerne. Unfortunately, we didn’t make our homework and manage to get up there. We stopped on the halfway at Krienseregg and the trip costed 10 CHF per person.


Interlaken is one of the most popular towns for adventurous, hikers and energy hunters. It is located at the base of the great ALPS and surrounded by mesmerising blue lakes, but… EXPENSIVE. I don’t know why I am still surprised of this aspect. There are 120 km from Zurich and it’s easily accessible by bus,train or car, but expect traffic jam if you are travelling on weekends. The trip until you get there is also very ‘tasty’, because The Brienz Lake accompanies you on the way.

We have many other places on the list such as: Rhine Falls, Kandersteg, Grimselpass, Grindelwald, but also the French part: Vallais, Lavaux, etc.

Anyway, for a better travel guide in Switzerland you must follow switzerland.vacations on Instagram.

Taken at Mount Pilatus

lake brienz, on the way to interlaken

Yes, the colour of the lake is REAL!!!

Interlaken,the swiss escape  interlaken photos, lakes in switzerland, lake brienz photos  Brienzersee, best lakes in switzerland   dsc_0724  dsc_0721  nature in switzerland, the swiss escape  dsc_0757  dsc_0759  The swiss escape, lake brienz  the swiss escape  dsc_0764
the swiss escape, swiss alps photos  best places in switzerland, interlaken about

what to visit in switzerland, hotel jungfrau switzerland, the swiss escape

 

what to do in zurich, visit zurich blog, lifestyle blogger,glamthug blog

opera zurich

The top spot is taken by Singapore followed by Zurich and Hong Kong.

To begin with, let me get this straight: Zurich IS NOT the capital of Switzerland, BUT it’s the largest city in Switzerland ,and obviously, one of the most expensive cities in the world.

Zurich is a great city either to visit either to earn pretty good money and then run far away from it or even Switzerland.

Anyway, I was impressed by the shops, streets,trams, CARS, boutiques, chocolate, watches and every Swiss touch you can think of is sophisticated and well-designed. The town itself is very accessible and you can easily walk everywhere.Despite of what others say about Swiss people, I found them friendly and willing to help. I expected that Swiss will look in a certain way, like Danes- tall, blonde with blue eyes, but surprisingly they are very diverse: from Asian to Germany roots.

TIPS:

  1. If you are travelling on a low budget in Switzerland and you’re clueless about where to eat, I will strongly recommend you to try Migros or Coop restaurants. However, with the money spent there you could spoil yourself with a à la carte restaurant in Spain, for ex. Read more
nyhavn,best places in copenhagen,student in denmark, life in denmark blog, glamthug

 

Every time I spell the word ‘ Copenhagen’ I think about a famous Danish song -Copenhagen girls by Christopher. Listen it here because it’s really catchy. However, I know you expected to see photos of beautiful Danish girls, but no it will be only with me and my cousin. We finally met after 2 years of not seeing each other in beautiful vibrant Copenhagen.

cousins meeting

I fall in love more and more every time I go to Copenhagen. There’s something that attracts me like a magnet. Mostly the beautiful people, events, good weather-sometimes, shops, pubs, men are part of this spell.  Otherwise, just think about specific places such as: colourful Nyhavn, crowded Strøget, Christiania, Amalienborg Palace with the park, Royal Library Garden, Islands Brygge, etc. Another place which I recently discovered and fell in love with  is Papirøen , the city’s first and only genuine street food market.  You must go there and elso enjoy having brunch somewhere. Outdoor life is everything in Copenhagen, especially on sunny days.

The easiest way to get around is by bike,  as there are over 390 kilometres of designated bike lanes.  In this way you will experience the city as a local. The capital is world famous for its biking culture and for two years running, Copenhagen has been voted the best cycle city in the World by US sustainability experts Treehugger.

copenhagen from the top, church of our saviour, what to visit in copenhagen, life in denmark blog, glamthug

view from the top copenhagen, church of our saviour, panorama view copenhagen, life in denmark blog, glamthug, lifestyle blogger denmark

DSC_0077 christianshavn, what to visit in copenhagen, life in denmark blog, glamthug

the little mermaid, what to see in copenhagen, life in denmark blog, glamthug

visit copenhagen, amelienborg palace,life in denmark blog,glamthug  nyhavn copenhagen  rosenborg palace  royal library copenhagen

streetstyle copenhagen, life in denmark, glamthug, what to visit in Copenhagen  the little mermaid copenhagen

 

TO BE CONTINUED…

I am not done with travelling. In fact, I will never be as long as there are unexplored places. When my parents and I decided to go to Belgium, my boyfriend asked: ‘ Aren’t you sick of old buildings and getting lost?’ You probably know my answer already. Besides Bruxelles, Antwerp and Bruges are 2 must visit cities with impressive histories and beautiful places.

I can tell you more about Antwerp or the photos will talk by themselves: renaissance & modern buildings, vibrant nightlife,crazy bike riders, cosy cafes and gorgeous clothes shops.

Where to stay: Scheldezicht Hotel is situated in the heart of Antwerp,1 minute from Read more

the atomium in brussels, what to visit in brussels, glamthug blog, trip in brussels blog, 10 reasons to love Brussels

 

It was love at first sight: Brussels and I. You will surely feel the same as me once you get there, so that’s why I will enumerate 10 reasons to love Brussels.

  1. Architecture. It was hard to decide what should be the on 1st place, but I guess this aspect amazed me the most since the Town Hall  was completed in 1420 . The architecture in Brussels varies from the clashing combination of Gothic, Baroque and Louis XIV styles on the Grand Place to the postmodern buildings of the EU Institutions. The must-sees are: Mont des Arts, Musical Instruments MuseumGrand Place, The AtomiumPlace Poelaert near Palace of JusticeArcades du Cinquantenaire,which was built between 1904 and 1905 by the architect Charles Girault. The triple arcade commemorates the fiftieth anniversary of Belgian independence).

 

2. Gaufres. Notable specialities include gaufres/waffles, therefore we ordered 2 different ones, Brussels and Liege with some delicious toppings over.
gaufre de brussels,gaufre de liege,where to eat in brussels, 10 reasons to love brussels,glamthug blog

3. Chocolate. Shame on me! I didn’t try it but I know it well from the ice creams with Belgian chocolate. Did you know that Belgium and Switzerland are the most important producers of chocolate in Europe?

4. Royal Greenhouses of Laeken. Every spring, the Royal Greenhouses of Laeken are open to the public for 3
weeks. Mom and I were very keen to see the gorgeous flowers and architecture  of Alphonse Balat, but the 4 hours queue told us to come back other time. Read more

glamthug blog, travel in europe blog, photos taken with nikon d3200, life of a student abroad, where to go this summer blog,student in horsens, daily style blogger, look of the day, cerasela bortos blog

glamthug blog, travel in europe blog, photos taken with nikon d3200, life of a student abroad, where to go this summer blog,student in horsens, daily style blogger, look of the day, cerasela bortos blog

Are you looking for pumping up your adrenaline? Heide Park is the right place for you, but if you are not a fan of roller coasters  then the area of over 850,000 m² is perfect to walk or cycle in. However, you will feel like a kid again!

The normal ticket costs 37 euros, guaranteeing  good weather, which means that if it rains for more than 1 hour, you have the chance to come back for free.The parking fee is 6 euros for all day. Once you get there, you have to queue  between 10-40 minutes for each attraction. You can check more on Heide Park website.

However, we had the perfect weather and very little people, so we didn’t have to wait on any queues, and inclusively had the chance to ride some attractions more than once. It was the first time in my life in an amusement park and I will definitely go once again! You need to overcome your fears once in a while. I will list what I tried there:

  1. Colosos is the biggest wooden roller coaster: 60 m height and 110 km/h speed blows you away. I can’t express the intense feeling you get. You just have to try it!
  2.  Scream.  This will take your breath away! On top of the gyro-tower (71 metres) you can see the hole city in front of you for few seconds and then you  fall with a speed of over 100 km.
  3. Desert Race. The ride through hell and back, but beware: In 2.4 seconds you will go from 0 to 100 km / h speeds, this will absolutely thrill you, unless you are a Formula 1 driver!
  4.  Krake or Octupus in English. Yes, it does look and feel like an 90-degree drop! That’s how steep it is. You fall into the mouth of the Krake and do a loop and then a twist and it ends. Sounds simple, doesn’ t it?
  5. Big Loop The roller coaster takes you on a wild journey for 706 m length with a maximum speed of 67 km/h through two breakneck loops and a double corkscrew.
  6. Grottenblitz Train drives with up to 45 km/ h through steep turns, switchbacks and the interior of a mountain range.
  7.  Mountain Rafting. Do you need to refresh or rather get soaked wet?  Then try this one, because it’s of the largest of this kind in Germany and you will relax.

fan of roller coasters, biggest wooden roller coaster, my first experience in a roller coaster, driving roller coaster, germany's best theme parks, heide park soltau, how big is heide park, Maximum adrenaline at Heide Park,glamthug blog, travel in europe blog, photos taken with nikon d3200, life of a student abroad, where to go this summer blog,student in horsens, daily style blogger, look of the day, cerasela bortos blog, biggest fan park in germany, fan parks in europe

colossos roller coaster,biggest wooden roller coaster, cerasela bortos blog, heide park soltau, Maximum adrenaline at Heide Park,glamthug blog, photos taken with nikon d3200, where to go this summer blog, cerasela bortos blog, biggest fan park in germany, parcuri de amuzament in Europa, big loop

fan of roller coasters, biggest wooden roller coaster, my first experience in a roller coaster, driving roller coaster, germany's best theme parks, heide park soltau, how big is heide park, Maximum adrenaline at Heide Park,glamthug blog, travel in europe blog, photos taken with nikon d3200, life of a student abroad, where to go this summer blog,student in horsens, daily style blogger, look of the day, cerasela bortos blog, biggest fan park in germany, fan parks in europe  colossos roller coaster, fan of roller coasters, biggest wooden roller coaster, my first experience in a roller coaster, driving roller coaster, germany's best theme parks, heide park soltau, how big is heide park, Maximum adrenaline at Heide Park,glamthug blog, travel in europe blog, photos taken with nikon d3200, life of a student abroad, where to go this summer blog,student in horsens, daily style blogger, look of the day, cerasela bortos blog, biggest fan park in germany, fan parks in europe, parcuri de amuzament in Europa  DSC_0507

colossos roller coaster, fan of roller coasters, biggest wooden roller coaster, my first experience in a roller coaster, driving roller coaster, germany's best theme parks, heide park soltau, how big is heide park, Maximum adrenaline at Heide Park,glamthug blog, travel in europe blog, photos taken with nikon d3200, life of a student abroad, where to go this summer blog,student in horsens, daily style blogger, look of the day, cerasela bortos blog, biggest fan park in germany, fan parks in europe, parcuri de amuzament in Europa
colossos roller coaster, fan of roller coasters, biggest wooden roller coaster, my first experience in a roller coaster, driving roller coaster, germany's best theme parks, heide park soltau, how big is heide park, Maximum adrenaline at Heide Park,glamthug blog, travel in europe blog, photos taken with nikon d3200, life of a student abroad, where to go this summer blog,student in horsens, daily style blogger, look of the day, cerasela bortos blog, biggest fan park in germany, fan parks in europe, parcuri de amuzament in Europa   colossos roller coaster,biggest wooden roller coaster, cerasela bortos blog, heide park soltau, Maximum adrenaline at Heide Park,glamthug blog, photos taken with nikon d3200, where to go this summer blog, cerasela bortos blog, biggest fan park in germany, parcuri de amuzament in Europa, mountain rafting

colossos roller coaster,biggest wooden roller coaster, cerasela bortos blog, heide park soltau, Maximum adrenaline at Heide Park,glamthug blog, photos taken with nikon d3200, where to go this summer blog, cerasela bortos blog, biggest fan park in germany, parcuri de amuzament in Europa  colossos roller coaster,biggest wooden roller coaster, cerasela bortos blog, heide park soltau, Maximum adrenaline at Heide Park,glamthug blog, photos taken with nikon d3200, where to go this summer blog, cerasela bortos blog, biggest fan park in germany, parcuri de amuzament in Europa

colossos roller coaster, fan of roller coasters, biggest wooden roller coaster, my first experience in a roller coaster, driving roller coaster, germany's best theme parks, heide park soltau, how big is heide park, Maximum adrenaline at Heide Park,glamthug blog, travel in europe blog, photos taken with nikon d3200, life of a student abroad, where to go this summer blog,student in horsens, daily style blogger, look of the day, cerasela bortos blog, biggest fan park in germany, fan parks in europe, parcuri de amuzament in Europa  colossos roller coaster, fan of roller coasters, biggest wooden roller coaster, my first experience in a roller coaster, driving roller coaster, germany's best theme parks, heide park soltau, how big is heide park, Maximum adrenaline at Heide Park,glamthug blog, travel in europe blog, photos taken with nikon d3200, life of a student abroad, where to go this summer blog,student in horsens, daily style blogger, look of the day, cerasela bortos blog, biggest fan park in germany, fan parks in europe, parcuri de amuzament in Europa  colossos roller coaster,biggest wooden roller coaster, cerasela bortos blog, heide park soltau, Maximum adrenaline at Heide Park,glamthug blog, photos taken with nikon d3200, where to go this summer blog, cerasela bortos blog, biggest fan park in germany, parcuri de amuzament in Europa  colossos roller coaster,biggest wooden roller coaster, cerasela bortos blog, heide park soltau, Maximum adrenaline at Heide Park,glamthug blog, photos taken with nikon d3200, where to go this summer blog, cerasela bortos blog, biggest fan park in germany, parcuri de amuzament in Europa  colossos roller coaster,biggest wooden roller coaster, cerasela bortos blog, heide park soltau, Maximum adrenaline at Heide Park,glamthug blog, photos taken with nikon d3200, where to go this summer blog, cerasela bortos blog, biggest fan park in germany, parcuri de amuzament in Europa