Travel

Top 10 Must-See Attractions in Barcelona, Spain

Are you planning a vacation to Barcelona? There are so many things to see and do in the city, here are the top 10 things to do and see in the capital of Catalonia.

La Sagrada Família

This magnificent Cathedral designed by the famous architect Antonio Gaudi is the third most visited monument in Spain so expect long queues when visiting.

Las Ramblas

Las Ramblas is another attraction designed by Gaudi. Here you will find the most famous boulevards in the city and probably in Spain. These boulevards are packed with street artists, musicians, and lots of tourists. This is a favorite area for pickpocketers and bag Snatchers so be alert.

Barcelona Football Club Stadium

The next attraction is the Barcelona Football Club Stadium and museum. This is a must-see attraction no matter if you are a football fan or just a tourist passing by. By the way, children just love this place.

Place la Barceloneta Beach

Once the sun is out in this amazing Beach is where you can find tourists and locals as one. Take a walk, have a delightful paella on the boardwalk, or just bring your own wine and glasses. Relax and immerse yourself in the Barcelona way of life.

Gothic Quarter

This place is packed with notable landmarks and lots of eye candy. The fashionable quarter is full of antique shops, boutiques, art galleries, and fine dining bars and restaurants that will blow your mind.

Parc Guell

This is a unique natural park designed by architect Antonio Gaudi, it is absolutely splendid. Kids love spending time here and one could get amazing panoramic views of the city. Don’t miss the dragon fountain or the supported terrace and remember to wear comfortable shoes.

Passeig de Gracia

Whether you are on a shopping trip or not, Passeig de Gracia is the one street you do not want to miss. You will find unique boutiques, restaurants, and two of Gaudi’s most famous houses – Casa Milà known as La Pedrera and Casa Badou here. All of this makes this street a must visit hot spot.

La Boqueria Market

Located at Las Ramblas, this market has anything you could ever imagine from traditional Spanish meats to exotic fruits from all over the world.

Mont Juic

Climb the hill to visit the National Art Museum of Catalunya as well as a Joan Miró foundation with its permanent exhibition of his great masterpieces. Do not miss the magical fountain show which takes place in the evening.

Tibidabo

Tibidabo is one of the newest and largest churches in Barcelona. You could climb up the church and get to the sculpture of the Sacred Heart on top of it. Nearby on the Tibidabo mountain, you could find an amusement park and my best bit phenomenal views of Barcelona.

Travel

Lake Tahoe Travel Guide

Filled with more than thirty-nine trillion gallons of Sierra snow melt and pushed a mile into the Nevada and Californian skies, Lake Tahoe is the largest alpine lake in the US. It is also one of the oldest vacation playgrounds in the country. For many years, Lake Tahoe has been drawing travelers to its shores from the Native Americans to the timber cutters and trappers. Today you will find casinos, taverns, and lodges all around this lake’s shoreline catering to different visitors and locals alike. Here are the top must-see attractions in Lake Tahoe.

Kings Beach
Take a 4-hour drive to the shores of Kings Beach when you are ready for alpine magic. This beach was named after Joe King, a local card shark who developed some of the lodgings in the lake with his winnings.

Pope Beach
Pope Beach is another beach located on Lake Tahoe’s southern shore. At the historic Camp Richardson, you can create life long vacation memories under the towering pines.

Taylor Creek Visitor Center
Taylor Creek Visitor Center is a great open-air classroom for the family. It features interpretative walks like the Rainbow Trail and an underground chamber that gives its visitors a unique view of the environment. Once you have warmed up your legs at this center, take in the majesty of the nearby state parks. Follow the spectacular Rubicon Trail at DL Bliss State Park. It runs high above Lake Tahoe’s deepest water and dips down to selected coves. It is a 6 ½ mile trail that twists through forests of mountain dogwood, cedar, and aspen. Another park is the Emerald Bay State Park which is home to the Eagle Falls Trail – a 2-mile hike where you can take in some of the country’s finest views.

Vikingsholm
Vikingsholm is Tahoe’s hidden castle and was inspired by the architecture and legends of Scandinavia. This 38 room summer room was built from the Lake’s stone and timber by Lora J knight who brought in about 200 craftsmen. Today Vikingsholm operates as a fairy tale of indie and museum into this lake’s past.

South Lake Tahoe
South Lake Tahoe is the Lake’s largest town. Here you will enjoy the creature comforts or hang out on the beaches. The heavenly mountain is an adventure playground in the summer months and a ski resort in winter.

Lake Tahoe is also a place of shifting moods. Drive up the eastern shoreline when you are ready to explore this lake’s raw beauty. Whether you are looking for crystal clear coves or snow-capped peaks, pockets of pure solitude or places to bond with loved ones, Lake Tahoe has it all.

Travel

Travel around Belfast, Northern Ireland

Belfast is a beautiful city that’s rich in historic culture and surrounded by stunning nature. With the causeway coastal route being so nearby it’s an absolute must that you are staying for more than a day. You can hire your own car to drive or book a tour where you’ll be given more in-depth information as you take in the incredible views along the coast.

Carrick-A-Rede
This road trip has a lot of highlights but some of the most memorable include walking across the narrow rope bridge at Carrick-a-rede. It’s a 20-meter bridge over a 30-meter drop with colorful blue waters below. You can also see Sheep Island from here which is heavily featured in Game of Thrones. Not to mention the spectacular trail along the cliff side with great views all around.

Cushendun Caves
Then there’s Cushendun Caves to explore and the unmissable dark hedges better known as the king’s road. Walking through the natural beauty of the dark hedges feels like you have stepped right through your television and into Westeros. We recommend stopping for lunch at a local Irish pub along the way and there are many that take advantage of the running theme.

The Giant’s Causeway
If you are in it for the scenery more than the popular culture, then there are plenty of places that don’t feature an Iron Throne. After winding your way through the idyllic Irish countryside, you’ll find yourself at the main attraction of the Giant’s Causeway. This natural occurrence is often called the eighth wonder of the world. It was formed 50 to 60 million years ago by volcanic activity and features around 40,000 perfectly placed hexagonal rocks. It’s hard to believe the feature isn’t man-made. In fact, locals will tell you that a giant named Finn McCool who was building a bridge to fight his Scottish nemesis built the causeway. It’s up to you what you choose to believe but you’ll feel like you are on another planet standing on top of this unbelievable natural feature.

Crumlin Road Prison
If you really want to get into the heart of the city’s history, then take a tour around Crumlin Road Prison. They’ll tell you all about the troubles and the conditions inmates faced during their time in this literal hellhole. During its time in operation, it was home to executions, escapes, hunger strikes, and riots. Many of the people imprisoned here were innocent because you could even be held on suspicion alone and the laws at the time were so unregulated that mistakes were often made.

Cathedral Quarter
There are plenty of incredible places to lose yourself in Belfast streets. Check out the iconic Cathedral Quarter for some of the best bars in town. These picturesque streets are filled with everything from modern bars to good old-fashioned pubs.

St. George’s Market
St. George’s Market is a great place to sample some local street food and the crown liquor saloon is one of the most authentic Irish pub experiences you can have. It’s a great place to stop for a rest when you are exploring some city’s best sights. With the average price of a beer in Belfast being around 3 pounds or 4 dollars, you might end up having a few more than intended.

City Hall
Speaking of sights, the City Hall is a stunning building to explore with marble pillars, beautiful clay work, and colorful stained glass windows all around. You can pop in for a quick look or take one of the regular tours around the building. So if you have some free time on your hands that might be something to consider.

Titanic Museum
Then there’s the Titanic Museum where you can learn all about the construction operation and voyage of the renowned ship. The detail here is incredible; it’s a real eye-opening experience that shows there’s so much more to this story than you may have seen in Hollywood movies. You can even step on board the SS Nomadic, the last remaining boat that was used to ferry people out so they could board the Titanic.

Black Cab Tour
There are many ways to see Belfast but to really see it through a local’s eyes take a Black Cab Tour. You’ll be driven around residential areas and taught all about the politics and religious conflicts that still burn strong today. There are murals all over these streets hailing local heroes and marking important events in history. The peace wall still stands today and divides different communities to help stop the ongoing conflict. Unlike the Berlin wall, Belfast peace wall still stands by choice. Many people in Belfast still want the wall in place because it makes them feel protected. However, others disagree and want it to come down. To this day, its gates are still locked at night to keep people safe.

Traditions

4 Strange New Year Traditions in the World

Everybody celebrates the start of a new year. Street parties and fireworks extravaganza are now the famous ways to say hello to the start of another 365 days. It usually is a happy day for everyone, regardless of country or religion. The New Year is an opportunity to say goodbye to the past year and enjoy a fresh beginning, and here are 4 strange traditions all over the world which is done every New Year.

RUSSIA

Russia has been under the communist reign for several years and has been deprived of extravagant celebrations. And that is maybe why they have unique New Year traditions like writing a personal wish on a piece of paper, burn it with a candle and mix the ashes with your champagne and drink it when the clock strikes midnight. This is done so because people’s wishes will be made true faster when you internalize (or shall I say, ingest) these dreams.

JAPAN

Most Japanese are Buddhist and they also celebrate New Year but not with loud party music and fireworks but with ringing of the bell, not just once or twice, but 108th times. This first ring is started late on New Year’s Eve in Buddhist temple, and the 108th ring is done exactly when the clock strikes 12. 108 is the number because according to Buddhist religion, this number signifies the human sins and sufferings, and when the bell is rung 108 times it said that you will be cleansed from your sins of the yesteryear.


DENMARK

Lovers, loved ones, friends and even acquaintances, kiss, hug and greet each other at the stroke of midnight. While this is true to most parts of the world, it is quite different in Denmark. Aside from the regular greetings, friends would like it better to see a big heap of broken china in their front steps because the larger the heap means there are also a lot of people liking you. So people grab their old crockery and smash in them on their beloved friends’ front door hoping to get a smashed plate on their front door, as well.

ECUADOR

In Ecuador, each house’s backyard is alighted not with fireworks but with burning scarecrows. The scarecrow represents all the bad things and memories of the previous year, ready to be burned and forgotten. So by midnight, each family light their scarecrow to ward off the bad luck and start the New Year with just good luck and positivity.

Travel

5 Most Unusual Churches in Europe

Cathedrals, churches and chapels, are always fascinating and has a certain mystery to it. In each village the will be not less than 5 chapels or churches within. Some maybe me simple structures but most of them are beautifully designed and engineered. But there is also a few that are more unique than the others. Read through the most unusual churches in Europe.

Chapelle Saint-Quirin, Luxembourg

This small medieval chapel is perched in a rocky wall of the Petrusse Valley hidden amongst the trees and vines. Built for the Patron Saint of Luxembourg Ville, Saint Quirin of Neuss, but was said to be an early sanctuary for Romans. Up to today there is a natural spring water that flows beneath the chapel and was said to be a cure for eye diseases.

Felsenkirche, Germany

This church nestled on the side of a rocky cliff is a landmark of the city of Idar-Oberstein. A legend once told of 2 princes who loved the same beautiful maiden and eventually one of them killed the other by throwing his brother 165 feet below the castle. As an atonement for his sin, a catholic priest told him to build a church in the spot where the prince died. Fact or fiction, this beautiful church is a 230 steps up and has a panoramic view of the little town below. It houses an extraordinary crucifix made of agate, a historic organ and a Gothic baptism stone.

Saint-Michel d’Aiguilhe Chapel, France

Saint-Michel d’Aiguilhe, which translates to St. Michael on a needle, is the starting point of the Via Podiensis pilgrimage route attracting thousands of pilgrims annually. To reach the top of this 269 feet extinct volcano you have to go up the 268 steps, which surprisingly is not hard to climb since there are benches for resting along the way. Impressive architecture, stained glass windows and a calming and peaceful atmosphere atop are just enough to make you meditate and reflect.

Santuario di San Besso, Italy

This solemn sanctuary in a not so famous part of Italy is built under the cliff called Monte Fautenio. Every 10th of August, pilgrims swarm this hidden chapel to join the procession wherein they carry the statue of their patron saint, Saint Besso around the monolith that has seen the martyrdom of the saint.

Meteora Monasteries, Greece

Built precipitously aloft giant rock formations, are not just one but six monasteries, two for nuns and four for monks. Meteora translates to “hovering in the air” and as the name of the place suggests, these spiritual place is high up in the air almost among the heavens.