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A Lübeck walkthrough
The Hanseatic city of Lübeck, situated in the north of Germany, was founded in the 12th century, but remained an important trading centre throughout the following centuries. In the 14th century, Lübeck became the “Queen of the Hanseatic League”, the most important city of this commercial and defensive confederation of merchant guilds in central/northern Europe. Lübeck was also involved in a number of conflicts that lead to the decline of its power in the 15th and 16th century. Even though the city was heavily bombed during the Second World War, its historical centre is still well-preserved (some buildings did need restoration though) and it is simply stunning. All the wealth that resulted from…
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Seven reasons why the coastal archipelago of Bohuslän (Sweden) should always be on your bucketlist…
Sweden is a country of many faces. It is much more diverse than most people think: naturally, scenically, culturally as well as gastronomically. In this post we would like to focus on the southwesterly region of Bohuslän, which made quite an impression on us because of its astonishing natural beauty and breathtaking panoramas, unexpected prehistoric culture and some of the most delicious seafood we’ve ever tasted! Lonely Planet calls it “one of Sweden’s natural treasures”, and we can only agree with that statement. We reckon that if you have explored the north of Sweden for a few weeks and are heading back south (to your European home for example), Bohuslän…
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A day in Jerusalem.
Jerusalem is a very popular travel destination, and for very different reasons. This is a holy city for all three monotheistic religions, which means it attracts quite a lot of pilgrims from all over the world. But there’s more. With its almost 5000 years of history and a plethora of cultural influences, Jerusalem has become a vibrant melting pot ànd an important tourist magnet. The combination of pilgrims and tourists naturally results in large crowds inside the city’s narrow streets, especially near the religious/touristic places of (P)interest. Some people would call it a pleasant atmosphere, others would say it is too much. Whatever your personal opinion, you will have to deal with…
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Exploring the coast north of Tel Aviv: a daytrip/weekend trip proposal.
To some, Israel is known as the promised land. But for travelers, this country has much more to offer than only promises. It is a small country, but there is a lot to see and there is a lot to do. There are deserts for nature lovers, ancient ruins and medieval cities for amateur historians, (Mediterranean and Red Sea) beaches for avid beach-goers, a multitude of interesting places for bible enthousiasts etc. Accommodation is also easy to come by and the use of Air BnB is pretty common. In case you still need some advice on where to stay, we can tell you that Tel Aviv is a popular place since it’s a modern,…
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Citytripping in Israel: Tel Aviv and Herzliya
During our travels in Israel, we used a quiet town not to far from Tel Aviv as our homebase. Ofcourse, Tel Aviv itself was on our to-do list as well! Tel Aviv Tel Aviv is a modern and lively city. You can easily spend multiple days there, but we decided to narrow it down to one day, since we had only 10 days in the whole country. Below you see our map with our own highlights. A good way to start your day in Tel Aviv is to head to the recently renovated old Tel Aviv Port Area, in the north of the city (#1 on the map). It’s a lovely…
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Lago di Garda
Italy has always been one of my favourite countries to travel in. It has it all: good food, a rich cultural history and stunning nature. One of my favourite areas are the lakes of Northern Italy. In this blogpost I’ll take you around the beautiful Lake Garda, or as the Italians say, Lago di Garda. It’s the biggest lake of Italy, with a good 80 km of lake length in between the town of Sirmione in the south and Riva del Garda in the north. The lake is situated somewhat in the middle between Milan and Venice, with a good 2 hours drive to each of those stunning Italian cities. Closerby…
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Santo Domingo
When we visited the Dominican Republic, we focussed mainly on beach life and snorkeling. However, we decided to take in some culture as well: we took a daytrip to the capital Santo Domingo. The drive there by bus took us about 2 hours and a half, so it’s quite a long trip to make. It is worth it though! When we arrived we first visited the area of Ciudad Colónial, the colonial area that was declared Unesco Worldheritage in 1990. The area is packed with historical buildings. La Fortaleza Ozama is the oldest European built military structure in the Americas. It is situated right next to the palace of Diego…
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Rice and Subak – Bali’s world heritage
Rice. Those of you who have ever traveled through Bali, know very well how important this plant and its seeds are in the local cuisine, religion and culture of this island. The cultivation, production, practical utilisation and consumption of rice has been deeply rooted in everyday life in Bali for more than 2000 years. Rice is a popular and even essential ingredient of Balinese cooking. It is used as a side dish with almost every meal, so if you’re (un)lucky, you can have it as breakfast, lunch ànd dinner. Rice is a starch-rich staple food that is the primary food source in many regions of the world, but to the Balinese people it is much more than a source of food and life.…
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Old houses and old stones: the Avebury/Cotswolds combo.
I admit: I have a fascination for old things. Even when I was young, I wanted to become a paleontologist or an archaeologist (I became a biologist instead, which was another of my childhood dreams). I once volunteered at a dinosaur dig in Russia and that was an unforgettable experience. I never practiced any archaeology, though, but it never ceases to fascinate me. When we are planning our travels, I’m the one always nagging about Viking burial mounds, prehistoric towers, Etruscan graves, Roman graveyards and the like. I know Febe (our 6-year-old daughter) is usually not so enthusiastic about these things, but with the proper approach we always find ways to make such visits…
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Why Bath deserves your attention
When I was 14, I went to Bath for a language course. I remember the city to be pretty… and since we headed out to Wales last fall, I thought I’d revisit it. Because, after all, the things that mostly caught my eye back then were the pretty English teacher and Dr. Martens boots in all sorts of colours 😉 As a family, we were pretty amazed by what a day in Bath could give us. Here’s why this city deserves your attention: 1. Charlotte Street Car Park Bath is a compact city, as you can see on the map above. Most of the highlights are within walking distance. When…
