Sofia – Bulgaria

Sofia in Bulgaria is located inland by about 200 miles from the coastline in the centre of the Balkan Peninsula, which is surrounded by the Adriatic, Black and Aegean Seas. It is surrounded by beautiful mountains and as you would expect for the region has a climate that is a welcome change from that in the UK.

One of the main tourist attractions is the Natural History Museum which was first opened in 1973. It is now located on the edge of Vitosha Mountain. It has a vast range of visits with most recent counts estimating more than 650,000 artifacts. It’s collection contains some of the oldest gold treasures in the world with some dating back more than 6,000 years.

There are a significant number of churches and monasteries in Bulgaria, this is mainly because during the years of foreign rule these areas were used as centres of learning and culture. The most famous of these are: Alexander Nevsky Cathedral, which is easily recognisable due to it’s gold dome. This relic was built between 1882 and 1912, and is definitely one of main landmarks of downtown Sofia.

St George Church is one of the oldest buildings in Sofia, it is closely located to the Sheraton Hotel. It is estimated that the Church was built in the 4^th century, with the Chuch currently operating as a museum.

Sofia has a wide range of parks which offer a respite from the noise and the crowds. The largest of these are the South Park which is located near to the Palace of Culture and the Boris Gardens, which are located near to the Sofia university buildings.

Due to the climate of Sofia, depending on the time of year that you visit will present you with different activities to take part in. If you are looking to ski, the best time to visit is between early December and the end of April.

During the Winter and Spring the weather in Sofia is warm and comfortable, although there is a reasonable amount of rain. Generally there are cool evenings and dewy mornings.

The summer brings heat and dry weather, most Summer days are pleasant with the mountains providing cool and refreshing evenings.

Sofia provides a wide range of restaurants and bars. The most popular of these include Etno, Pod Lipite (which provides organic food), and Tambuktu (a fish restaurant). When eating out in Sofia it is recommended that you tip in cash and a usual tip is considered to be around 15-20% of the meal price.

As you would expect there are wide number of night spots, with a number providing modern dance music with more traditional venues available as well.

Due to the nature of the location it is a tourist hotspot and is definitely worth a visit!

Going to Prague

Prague is generally perceived to be one of the most beautiful of the eastern European cities. You can easily walk around the whole of the town, so it is definitely suggested that you bring some comfortable shoes. It is possible to make it round all of the major sites in around 3-4 days.

Prague is separated by a river, the Vltava River, with Jewish Quarter, the Old Town and the New Town on one side, with Lesser Town and Prague Castle on the other. Crossing the river is made possible by the Charles Bridge which is an attraction in it’s own right.

There are number of tours which you can take to help you to get your bearings, as with most major cities there is the bus tour which whisks you around in the comfort of a bus, or alternatively there are variety of walking tours that you can sign up to.

The best place to start your visit is the Old Town Square, where you will find the Astronomical Clock placed on the Old Town Hall, and also the Tyn Church and incredible spires that it boasts. I would recommend a climb up the old Town Hall tower, which has an incredible view from it’s summit.

The Jewish Quarter is located close to the Old Town Square, and has a variety of attractions including the Spanish Synagogue, the Maisel Synagogue and the Ceremonial Hall.

There are several ways to get to Prague Castle, but we have found the easiest to be taking a tram (no 22 or 23) to Pohorelec. This takes you to above the castle and you can then walk downhill to the Lesser Town area.

One of the advantages of visiting Prague is the cost, as the Czech Republic is not currently part of the Euro, which compared to visiting France, Italy or Spain makes it extremely cheap. Drinks can typically be purchased for around a couple of pounds, with a meal costing around £15-£20. This has helped to make Prague to become a destination of choice for travellers looking for a cheap weekend break! Please be wary though as there are a huge number of hen and stag parties that attend the city at weekends, so it can become quite wild as you can imagine!

It has become more commercialised due to this influx of visitors, with several large nightclubs and a variety of bars and restaurants now opening. However if you visit during the week, this will give you the opportunity to experience the culture somewhat more.

All in all Prague is beautiful old city with lots to do, if you want to visit ancient remains or old nightclubs it can accommodate your needs. Definitely worth a visit!

Go to Paris!

Paris is internationally known as a place of romance, whether it is the most romantic city in the world is a matter of opinion. However whenever I have visited Paris it certainly has a certain air about it! There are many things to do in Paris outside of the standard tourist attractions, being the Eiffel Tower, Notre Dame Catherdral and the Louvre. Here are some tips and advice for further things that you have to check out if you considering visiting Paris, and to enable you to have the best possible trip.

Paris is very similar to London or New York, with a constant stream of busy people hurrying around on their way to important meetings. From a tourists perspective, this can be interpreted as arrogance, but Paris is a very big city and the stress of city life can drive anybody to be snappy!

Paris is an extremely polits city. Courtesy is extremely important in day to day transactions and dealings. Even if you can just use one word, this will generally demonstrate that you are making an effort and then Parisians are likely to be more considerate.

Central Paris is divvied up into 20 areas or districts which are known as arrondissements. These are arranged in a spiral shape from the centre of the city (clockwise!). Every district has it’s own attractions, in the first for example you find the Louvre, the 2^nd the Paris Stock Exchange.

Paris offers a wide variety of tourist attractions. The most famous of these are The Eiffel Tower (located on the 7^th arrondissement), The Notre Dame Cathedral (located in the 4^th), additionally the Picasso Museum containing Picasso’s own work is located in the 3^rd.

One thing worth investingating is on every Friday night and Sunday afternoon, a mass troop of roller skaters, all skate around the city on a pre-planned route for several hours. I stumbled across this by co-incidence and it was certainly an interesting spectacle!

Paris has a broad range of festivals, with each catering to a different group of the diverse make up of Paris’ population. There is a techno parade in September with DJ’s and thousands of young party goers converging on the city. The Six Nations Rugby is held in the city in Feb, Paris Fashion Week, The French Open (Roland Garros) in May.

Having travelled to Paris on a number of occasions one of the most incredible experiences is the dining! This is to be expected! There are a huge range of restaurants in Paris, with both cheap and extremely expensive. There are number that have secured the coveted Michelin stars, with several within Paris currently holding 3, these include Le Bristol, L’Astrance, Les Ambassadeurs, Guy Savoy, L’Ambroisie and a host of others. If you are looking to visit establishments of this nature it is imperative that you book well in advance as they are extremely popular.

If you are looking for something that it not quite as expensive there is a vast range of cheaper alternatives serving high quality food in many locations in the city.

Additionally there are a wide range of bars and other drinking establishments, although the Parisians traditionally will normally have food with any alcohol that they consume.

Enjoy your trip!

Weekend break in Madrid

Madrid is a perfect location for a weekend break. Having travelled to Madrid on a number of occasions there is definitely plenty to do! It is one of the cultural centres in the whole of Europe, and is a major tourist destination with reason!

The city is primarily made up of three major districts, known as Retiro, Arganzuela and Salamance, most of the major tourist destinations are located within these three areas, however there are certainly some additional places worth visiting on the outskirts of the city.

Within the city one of the major attractions is the Golden Triangle of Art, which is made up of Thyssen-Bornemisza Museum, Reina Sofia Museum and The Prado National Museum. The art which is contained within these venues is significant, including masterpieces by Goya and Rubens. There are further examples of paintings and sculptures from differing periods, including Post-Modernism, Surrealism, Cubism and latterly Pop-Art.

In the city there are two major parks which are conveniently located nearby the museum, so providing some much needed light after being inside for a period of time. Retiro is the most central of the parks and has a boating lake in the centre, which provides a sedate way to spend an afternoon. In addition there are a variety of kiosks and stands providing ice creams and other snacks. As you can imagine, for the vegetarian’s reading this there is little or no choice with most sandwiches made up of meat, meat and more meat!

Additionally there is the Botanical garden which contains a huge variety of plants and trees, which is definitely worth visiting. There is a small charge for entry.

Another area to visit within the city is the main town square known as Plaza Mayor. This is a great place to find a wide variety of restaurants and cafes. In addition this is located nearby to the Palacio Real (Royal Palace) which is an impressive building and worth visiting.

For those sports fans who are considering a trip to Madrid, there is plenty to see. The Bernabeu stadium (Estatdio Santiago Bernabeu), is located relatively near to the city centre. As you will no doubt know this is the home of Real Madrid and is considered to be one of the best stadiums in the world, and as the locals will no doubt argue Real Madrid are considered to be one of the best football teams in the world! Tickets are relatively cheap compared to the UK, but it is recommended that if you wish to attend a game that you book prior to leaving.

Additionally the national sport of Spain is bullfighting. Probably the most famous bull fighting venue within Madrid is known as Las Ventas. This is a somewhat controversial sport outside of Spain, but inside Spain is considered to be their national sport, entrance for those wishing to visit is not expensive, and I’ve been informed that tickets can be purchased easily.

Food – A huge variety of restaurants make up the culinary flavours available within Madrid. Whilst there on my last visit I found a beautiful Argentine restaurant providing flame grilled food cooked to perfection! There is a wide range of choice and as you would expect with a capital city a number of establishments having earned the prestigious Michelin star, these include:  Santceloni, La Terraza del Casino and Sergi Arola Gastro holding 2 stars!

Madrid is a great city, that I would definitely recommend a visit to with a wide range of tourist based activities, coupled with great food and entertainment. Add to this the good weather, you have a winning combination!

Weekend break ideas – Venice

Venice is one of the most gorgeous towns in Europe. In my experience it is a completely astonishing destination and is definitely considered to be one of Italy’s riches. It has provided a stimulus for artists, poets, singers and writers for hundreds of years. The architecture including the churches and museums is outstanding, and the value of the treasures that these buildings contain is vast.

Add to this image a slight air of decay, brought on by some of the building subsiding into the water, and the romantic connotations of taking a gondola down the waterway, this has to be one of the most charismastic areas of the world. Plus the fact that there is continual concern about the rising levels of water and the potential impact that this could have on the buildings means that it is increasingly likely that this treasure trove will not remain through our lifetimes.

With Venice being portrayed in countless movies and television shows and this image being embedded into our brains it is still surprising that this City has further surprises in store. With water lapping at the feet of palaces, and lines of boats prepared to whisk you off around the canals, it is the sight over the water from the Palazzo Ducale that really captures the imagination, and a personal favourite of mine.

Venice is an area that is made up of 15 small districts, and was originally formed on a group of 177 islands. There are many walkways that cross the many canals, causing a zigzag effect, most of the walkways and canals are framed by architectural trinkets which serve as a reminder of the city’s former glory as a highly significant business hub connecting East and West.

Aside from the flocks of tourists that crowd around St Marks square and Basilica, the Palazzo Ducale and the Rialto Bridge it is surprisingly easy to quickly get away from the chaos that this creates, within minutes you can easily find a more sedate way of life with incredible examples of architecture in evidence almost constantly.

Venice is definitely a weekend destination, with a combination of windy streets and continual bridges and canals meaning that it is extremely easy to get lost! I’m speaking from experience here! But even whilst lost this is when you can stumble across some further gems in terms of the buildings and museums and the treasures that they hold.

It isn’t cheap, the shops have some fairly garish ornaments as to be expected in any tourist destination and the price of coffee will make you wince! However, for the perfect break in a rare gem it has to be worth a visit!