 |
| Musee d'Orsay, Paris, France |
We (often) skip museums
Don't get this wrong. We love and adore good museums but let's be frank, there aren't that many museums in every city actually worth spending several hours in, especially when you're short on time. Popularity doesn't always equal quality, therefore do your research before filling your calendar.
A few great museums not to miss:
The BMW Museum in Munich, Germany
Romano-Germanic Museum, Cologne, Germany
Musee d'Orsay, Paris France
 |
| Alcatraz, San Francisco |
We also skip churches
In some cities, the list of sights mainly consists of churches, churches and more churches. True, they have historical value and are often worth viewing but we almost always walk around the most interesting ones to view the architecture but often don't enter them. Or, like in Duomo di Milano we went to the roof which was so magnificent we went there twice.
A few great churches not to miss:
Geghard Monastery in Armenia
Helsinki Cathedral in Helsinki, Finland
Igreja de São Francisco & Catacombs, Porto, Portugal
 |
| Geghard Monastery, Armenia |
 |
| On the roof of Duomo di Milano |
Travel with hold luggage
This goes against pretty much every second travel article you find online but we have gone the other way and taken along about 40+ kg's of luggage on extended weekend trips to make it more versatile. You can easily combine a city trip with a hiking or a shopping holiday, or even all of them.
A few multi-purpose destinations:
Zurich, Switzerland with surrounding towns and mountains
Thessaloniki, Greece. Shopping, beach, mountains to hike nearby.
Verona, Parma and Modena are not only good for fashion but also for shopping for food! You can easily fill your luggage with a new wardrobe, some Parma ham, Parmesan cheese and high quality balsamic vinegar after visiting these cities.
 |
| Parma, Italy |
Only have a couple of days in your destination? It's still a great idea to rent a car for a day! Choose a smaller destination and drive to a nearby town to get a better overview of the country. Worth it every time!
A few great towns to visit:
Munich in Germany is only a short drive away form both Garmish-Partenkirchen and Salzburg but choose carefully because they're in different directions but both absolutely wonderful!
Chinchon near Madrid is a fantastic destination for a day. The small town is absolutely delightful and so full of history. It's also only 30min from Madrid!
The small town of Haapsalu is located about an hour and a half from Tallinn, the capital of Estonia. It's located near the sea, has a beautiful castle and even the drive there is pretty! Take the small roads to see how beautiful it can get!
 |
| In the mountains of Montenegro |
Don't skimp on transportation
Airport buses and trains are often affordable but sometimes also unreliable. Skip the lines and stress by either having shuttle service from your hotel (mostly for extra charge) or take a taxi. It does depend on location and traffic but if traffic jams are not an issue, you'll save your nerves and have a moment to rest before hitting the sights!
A few locations with superb airport transportation options
Amsterdam, Netherlands, a train from Schiphol airport to city center in only 15 minutes.
Milan, Italy, a bus or a train only takes about half an hour!
Vienna, Austria, a bus or train will only take you 15 minutes!
 |
| Portugal is always a good idea! Faro, Portugal. |
No comments:
Post a Comment