Tag: eastern europe
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Historic Centre of Prague – A UNESCO World Heritage Site – Exploring the Czech Republic
The city of Prague has been on the radar of travelers since the fall of communism in the Czech Republic thirty years ago. This city is unlike any other in the world with its unique culture, centuries of history, renowned Czech restaurants, and of course its fairy-tale architecture. I do love Prague, I have been…
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Welcome to Albania! | Traveling Solo in Tirana – A Memoir
“Nice lady, think. You need to ask yourself, why do people not come to Albania?” I was sitting in a loud outdoor cafe with a lit American Spirit cigarette in hand, while looking directly into the eyes of my server. He had just set down a silver bowl of ice cream and a glass of…
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Historic Centre of Riga, Latvia – A UNESCO World Heritage Site
There are so many reasons to love Riga, and every place I visited within the city just added to my “Love List”. The restaurant scene, Bastejklana Park, the Art Nouveau neighborhoods, the markets, the city’s vibe, and its historic centre- just to name a few. ‘Old Town’ in Riga is a charmer, and is the…
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Riga’s Bastejkalna Park & Canal Cruise | Discovering Latvia
There is so much to love about Riga, and spending as much time as possible in this enchanting city is a must. I had visited Riga during the summertime in June, when the weather was at its best. The sun was shining, the temperature was quite warm, and everything was in bloom at Bastejkalns Park.…
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Riga’s Astounding Art Nouveau Scene | Discovering Latvia
Ever since I could remember, I have always found interest in art history, architecture, and design. Even during my school days I looked into becoming an interior designer when I graduated high school, but my life went in a totally different direction. That did not stop me from educating myself; not only through what I…
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Beautiful Old Town Budva | Exploring Montenegro
While I was exploring Montenegro, I was fortunate enough to spend time in the enchanting town of Budva. I was staying in the capital city of Kotor, and I made it a point to visit Budva. It is a magical seaside town in Montenegro that is bursting with a relaxing atmosphere, charm, and a fascinating…
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Kutna Hora and the Church of St Barbara, Czech Republic | A UNESCO World Heritage Site
“Kutna Hora”, I just love the way that name sounds when I say it aloud. The town itself is just as wonderful, as the way its name sounds. This lovely town in Central Bohemia, Czech Republic is less than an hour away by train from the capital city, Prague. Kutna Hora has a long history…
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Karlovy Vary – A UNESCO World Heritage Site | Discovering the Czech Republic
Exploring West Bohemia in the Czech Republic brought me into the charming spa town of Karlovy Vary, and it was stunning. The town is nestled within a valley, which is built along the Tepla with beautiful art deco, art nouveau, and secessionist buildings. Karlovy Vary, also known as Karlsbad (German name), is most famous for…
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Prague’s Castle District | Discovering the Czech Republic
Visiting a European castle has been one my travel obsessions for awhile, and I have been to my fair share of them. I have found that there are good castles and there are great ones, and Prague Castle is one of the great ones. I enjoyed it so much that I have been twice, but…
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Plzeň – Home of Pilsner Urquell | Discovering Czech Republic
There are plenty of intriguing Czech Republic towns, and cities to explore outside of its capital, Prague. The city of Plzeň in one of those intriguing locations that is colorful, low key, and home to the country’s most popular beer- Pilsner Urquell. I had stayed in Plzeň to visit its famous brewery, but was charmed…
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Pilsner Urquell Brewery | Discovering Czech Republic
Although I am not a beer drinker, I have always appreciated it for what it was, and how beer has been historically important in societies. I have been to several breweries in my time including Pilsner Urquell in Czech Republic, which was a pretty cool place to visit. That is pretty high regards coming from…
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Visiting Dresden – ‘The Jewel Box’ | Discovering Germany
Dresden came as a surprise to me when I first visited the city in 2015. I have since returned, and with each visit I have grown to love this city even more. Dresden is one of the nicest cities to visit in eastern Germany- the restaurants are excellent, the architecture is stunning, and the art…
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Visiting Zagreb | The Capital of Croatia
Zagreb is the vibrant capital of Croatia, and is an absolute charmer. Most people head to the country’s most talked about locations of Split, Dubrovnik, or the Plitvace National Parks, which I did go to on this visit. On my future visits to Croatia, I plan to explore more of the country, but I wanted…
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Visiting Minsk – A Memoir | Discovering Belarus
Due to the conflict with Russia, Ukraine and Belarus, I was debating on posting this blog. The country is currently in the red zone of Travel Advisory, of do not travel. I am doing it anyways, in the hopes that Belarus soon will be once more be free to travel in. I was standing at…
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The Abandoned 1984 Sarajevo Olympic Bobsleigh & Luge Track | Bosnia and Herzegovina
Finding myself standing alone on the abandoned 1984 Sarajevo Olympic Bobsleigh & Luge track, was in the simplest and most overused American adjectives- Amazing! I had just learned about it hours before while I was on a free walking tour of Sarajevo. I overheard another traveler talking about it and my wanderlust mind took over,…
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Berat – A UNESCO World Heritage Site | Discovering Albania
The Ottomaon-era town of Berat, a UNESCO World Heritage Site, is an exceptional location in Albania with centuries of historical and cultural significance. This is a town that is known for its religious tolerance, unique architecture, and is famously called the “Town of a thousand windows.” When I explored Berat, I was on my own…
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Historic Centre of “Old Town” Tallinn, Estonia- A UNESCO World Heritage Site
Crossing into Estonia was a big travelers milestone for me. Four years prior I had visited Krakow, Poland and fell in love with Eastern Europe. I promised myself that I would visit every country in East Europe, which included the Balkans and Baltic States. It took me four years of solo traveling back to Europe…
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Beautiful Budapest – A UNESCO World Heritage Site | Exploring Hungary
The Queen of the Danube, the beautiful city of Budapest lives up to that noble title. Once upon a time this city was two separate towns, Buda and Pest, with Buda being the royal capital and Pest the commercial side. Both sides being divided by the grand Danube River. It was not until 1837 when…
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Raeapteek – Europe’s Oldest Pharmacy | Discovering Tallinn, Estonia
I have been to many of “the oldest” places during my travels- the oldest in the city, the oldest in a country or the oldest in world. You can simply call it a fond fascination for places that are the original, the first or the oldest. So when I was in Tallinn, Estonia and came…
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Krakow’s Wawel Royal Castle – A UNESCO World Heritage Site | Discovering Poland
Being a UNESCO World Heritage Site junkie, visiting the Wawel Royal Castle was pure joy for me. The castle complex is part of The Historic Centre of Krakow, which was designated as a UNESCO site in 1978, and is one of the first 10 sites ever listed. I always get a thrill when visiting prestigious…
Trixie Navarre 