travel

10+1 Tips on how to book the cheapest flight

I usually spend hours and hours before deciding and booking a flight. I search on various search engines, I watch the prices go up as the days pass by in order to book the cheapest flight, but usually, I end up booking a higher price (compared to the price I first found). Below I'm listing some tips you need to have in mind if you want to get the cheapest flight. 1. If you find a cheap fare just book it, don't think about it. If you think of it over and over again the fare will most likely go up when you decide to finally book it. The best time to book your flight is today, now. 2. Try to search and compare prices Skyscanner as far as I know if one of the most popular flight search engines.  Try to search for the same flight on travel search engines but also make sure to check the airline's website too, it might be cheaper. 3. Book 6 weeks in advance Prices drop below the average fare 6 weeks before you travel. 4. Book last-minute flights When an airline hasn't filled a flight, they will cut down their prices. So if you are flexible you should try this. 5. Travel on Tuesday or Wednesday According to FareCompare Tuesdays and Wednesdays are generally the least expensive days to take a flight while Friday and Sunday are the most expensive. 6.Combine two flights You might find it much cheaper to combine two low-cost airline tickets compared to one direct. Make sure to check all the available options. 7. Become a frequent flier Sign up for the frequent flier schemes so you can gather miles and spend them later by getting cheaper/free tickets. 8. Fly early in the morning Early morning flights are the cheapest. 9. Fly off-peak Avoid flying during half term/school holidays, high summer season, bank holiday breaks. 10. Fly to the secondary airport Most destinations have two airports. The primary one is more expensive compared to the second one (low-cost airlines fly there). 11. Join airline mailing lists By signing up on airline mailing lists you'll [...]

2023-06-22T12:36:25+03:00April 20th, 2020|

Best in Travel 2018 by Lonely Planet

The annual bestseller, Lonely Planet's Best in Travel 2018, ranks the hottest, must-visit countries, regions and cities for the year ahead. Drawing on the knowledge and passion of Lonely Planet's staff, authors, and online community, it presents a year's worth of inspiration to take travellers out of the ordinary and into the unforgettable - firmly setting the travel agenda for 2018. As self-confessed travel geeks, from Lonely Planet collectively rack up hundreds of thousands of miles each year, exploring almost every destination on the planet. And every year, we ask ourselves: Where are the best places in the world to visit right now? It's a very hotly contested topic at Lonely Planet and dominates more discussion than any other. Best in Travel 2018 is our definitive answer. Inside, you'll discover : Top ten countries, regions and cities Best value destinations Best culture trips for families Best new openings and experiences Best new places to stay Top destination races, from walks and marathons to cycles and swims Top vegetarian and vegan destinations Top small-ship expedition cruises Best places for cross-generational family trips Best private islands that everyone can use

2018-02-23T09:14:21+03:00December 27th, 2017|

Best Winter Travel Destinations

You might see winter travel destinations and what will come to you mind is snow right?  But this post its not only about cold freezing places. This is a collaboration post with other travel bloggers who are recommending a city for winter either because crowds are smaller compared to other seasons and this is the best way to explore the city. Off season also means that its cheaper because the city is not that popular compared to higher seasons. Some others cities in this post have been recommended just because they are very popular for Christmas time and some other places are just great to travel too just because its summer! Stockholm, Sweden Stockholm for winter? Yeh, its pretty cold but why not? A recommendation from me after visiting this city in winter. The city is covered with snow and looks beautiful. There are less tourists which makes it easier to see the famous attractions without having to wait in long queues. I encourage you to take a look at my post: Stockholm Highlights & Facts and see how many things you can do in Stockholm during winter time. When I visited it was February and it was cold however we enjoyed everything about it. Paris, France Katie from Creative Travel Guide is recommending us Paris the beautiful and romantic city of France as a winter destination. Paris is the perfect place to visit in the Winter. The crowds are a lot smaller than the Summer and the city is full of lights and Christmas decorations. The early evening sees the Eiffel Tower light up, illuminating the sky perfectly. This is my top city to travel to in Winter, it still holds all the beauty and romance you can expect from Paris but has that extra magic only colder weather can bring. You can find more about Paris at Katie's travel blog.  Sarajevo, Bosnia and Herzegovina Kristine from Pretty, Wild World is recommending us Sarajevo the capital city of Bosnia and Herzegovina as a winter destination. Sarajevo is the capital city of Bosnia [...]

2023-07-06T10:11:35+03:00December 5th, 2016|

Women Traveling Solo Realities

I’ve previously posted about why you should travel solo, at least once in your life, and also provided some tips in another post for traveling alone.  This time I decided to post about Women Traveling Solo realities by asking some ladies who often travel alone regarding the realities they face and combined this great collaboration post. There's a variety of advantages and disadvantages for female travelers who travel solo. I've read a lot of stories which have raised a lot of interest to the related subject, like the one of Alyssa Ramos who posted about 'How Traveling Solo Destroyed My Dating Life'  which has changed here life. Sadly travelling alone might also end up in a bad way, like the recent story of Maria Coni and Marina Menegazzo, the two girls, who although weren't travelling alone they had a sad ending.  It's always good to make a small research before travelling alone somewhere. There are a lot of places which are not consideres as a safe place for a woman to travel on her own. As  TravellerAU reports, India, Brazil, Turkey, Colombia, Guatemala, Mexico and Kenya are some of the countries considered dangerous for women travellers. I've gone through situations where I had to deal with aggressive men who came up to asking me where I'm from and why I'm alone but I've managed to take care of this without getting in to trouble. Just by being nice and eventually walked away by ignoring them. Also walking in the Brussels tourist area I once had someone shouting at me and following me but I ignored them. He continued to follow me up to the metro station where I eventually got lost in a packed tube station. I was once walking in Palermo and there was a fight with 2 men throwing empty glass beer bottles to each other and shouting. So I turned back and got a different route for my way back to the centre. I've never thought of couchsurfing just because I prefer to avoid surprises. You need to be extra careful if you decide to stay in a stranger's house so I always [...]

2018-02-23T09:14:23+03:00May 17th, 2016|

Travel Destinations by other travel bloggers

With so many options on the world map its sometimes good asking the question, where should I travel and why, and see what other travelers have to say about a place they have been and loved it.  This post is thanks to some amazing travel bloggers out there who provided me some input for this collaboration post when I asked the question on a travel bloggers group: where should I travel and why and they recommended me a few travel destinations to consider.  From the places below I surely haven't heard of Whitehaven Beach in Australia or Marrakech which is located in Marocco or Lubra in Nepal. Although I've been to Madrid twice, it's still remains an amazing place I would also recommend to anyone to visit. I would like to thank the following travel bloggers for their travel destination recommendation and wish them the best experiences in their travels. Enjoy. Hannah Galpin from Nomad'er How Far recommends Whitehaven Beach, the Whitsunday's, Australia. The place I am recommending is Whitehaven Beach, the Whitsunday's, Australia. Why? Because it is an unspoilt dessert island, surrounded by the clearest ocean I have ever seen, with the whitest silica sands underfoot. There are many beautiful places in the world, but this spot made me feel special; it was almost a spiritual experience, standing in the gentle shallows, staring out to a sea of the purest blue. I felt like Leo Dicaprio in 'The Beach', wowed at the existence of a true paradise and my existence within it. The best thing about it, is that it isn't hard to get there, at all. We camped overnight, and used Scamper water taxi, who also supplied our water, cooking equipment and camp permits. Hannah Galpin from Nomad'er How Far recommends Whitehaven Beach Akriti Sharma from La Travel Chica  recommends Lubra Lubra is the place to be! This little lesser-known gem is a few miles of hiking away from Jomsom (Mustang) region of Nepal. The place is the last Bon village in Nepal with a handful of houses and an old monastery. Located approx. at [...]

2018-02-23T09:14:23+03:00March 15th, 2016|

Travel Investment: why it’s worth spending on travel

“I enjoyed a cruise in the Norwegian fjords, had a dinner 327 meters underground at Wieliczka salt mine in Krakow, felt sad at the Auschwitz concentration camps in Poland, waited for a delayed train in snowy Myrdal in Norway (altitude 866 m) at -15 degrees Celsius, got on the Flam Railway, one of the world’s steepest railway lines, went on a 7 hours road trip from Paris to Perros-Guirec (580 km) in one day, stepped on the Pink Granite Coast in France, walked from Germany to Poland (Slubice) by crossing the boarders in Frankfurt Oder, watched the Disney parade in Paris Disneyland, tasted a 50 years aged wine in Lisbon, felt amazed by seven million tulips in Keukenhof in Holland, I’ve almost fallen off a Yatch in Milos on a windy day, twisted my ankle in Milan, got the train from Newcastle to Liverpool and back on the same day (8 hours travelling), had a drink at an ice bar in Stockholm, tossed a coin in Fontana di Trevi, enjoyed the best sunset in Santorini, toured 3 Greek islands on a motorbike, experienced an opera in Verona.” I hear people saying they would love to travel and explore new cities and countries however money is an obstacle. We have money to spend on expensive clothes, shoes, handbags, hi-tech accessories; gadgets etc, but think, what’s more important? Investing in life experiences or having the latest designer stuff? Well my theory is: invest in life experiences, and more specifically, invest in travel. Travel investment will make you happier. If you don’t travel you won’t have the chance to see what’s out there. Just reading books, travel guides, watching videos, photos and listening to other’s travel stories has nothing to do with experiencing it yourself. In school, history was one of the most boring lessons. Now, I love learning about history of a place I’m travelling to. I remember they taught us about Rome history but I didn’t really care. However, when I visited Rome I was amazed by the history and architecture and the fact that it’s an ‘open air museum’. I visited the [...]

2018-02-23T09:14:23+03:00February 15th, 2016|

10 Tips for Travelling Alone

After my recent post, Why you should travel solo,  which explains a few reasons why to travel solo I decided to write a post providing  you some tips for travelling alone. 1. Arrive during daylight Plan your itinerary to arrive during daylight, especially if you are female. It’s good to get familiar with the place you’ll be staying at during daylight. 2. Read about the neighborhood you will be staying It’s very important to know where you are staying when travelling to a new destination on your own. Make sure to book your accommodation somewhere safe and avoid places which others have reported crime. 3. Get up Early Generally, waking up early makes a huge difference. The day is longer! Especially if you are a woman travelling solo it’s very important to head out early and do the things you want so you can enjoy your day and go back to your hotel before it gets dark. Wake up early, enjoy a leisurely breakfast (when all the good stuff is still available on the hotel buffet) and head out for parks, museums and other daytime-only activities. If you pack your day full enough, you’ll be ready for bed by 9pm. 4. Stay around busy places Make sure to walk around on your own during day time and stay around busy places. Avoid walking on your own through dark alleys, public spaces are always safer. 5. Ask Locals If at any time you get lost or want to find out something about the area don’t hesitate to ask a local. A local will give you the best advice and recommendations about the area. 6. Have a Book It’s good to have a book to read or something else to occupy your free time on the plane, train or bus. 7. Power Up Make sure to carry a power bank with you in order to charge your phone when you run out of battery. I’m the kind of person who uses Wi-Fi & GPS which drain my battery so I always have a power bank with me. It has saved me a million of times. [...]

2023-06-22T12:45:44+03:00January 19th, 2016|

Why You Should Travel Solo

I don't mean all the time, but you might try it at least once. I've done it quite a few times. It's much easier than you think and it's a life experience. Of course my post doesn't mean that I'm against travelling with friends or your other half, but alone it’s something different. Here I’m listing some reasons why you should travel solo, at least once in your life. 1. Travel Arrangements are easier Think about how many times you wished to travel with friends, family etc and had to organize everyone together so that your schedules, budget and interests matched with each others. When you plan to travel alone you just book your travel based on your own needs and budget anytime you want. 2. Enjoy time with YOU We all need some time to spend on our own and travelling is a good opportunity to reflect on your character and see that you can have fun without relying on others. Most of all you will discover that you are independent and this will boost your confidence. 3. You make your plans Travelling on your own will allow you to plan your trip according to your wishes and be spontaneous any time you wish. You don't have to rely on others to decide where to go or what you'll be having for lunch/dinner. Instead, you will do whatever you wish. You decide what you'll see, how much time you will spend at each place, what you are going to eat, when you're getting up and when you're going to sleep. 4. You meet new people With English being the universal language you won't have many issues communicating with people. Of course you don't have to make new friendships or talk to strangers if you don't wish to. But it's easier to meet new people, tourists or locals, and find out things about places which are not written down in the tourist guides. 5. You have time to document your experiences When travelling on your own you'll have more time to dedicate on things you like and document your experiences [...]

2018-02-23T09:14:25+03:00January 17th, 2016|

20+1 Italy facts you need to know

Italy facts you need to know I just got back from an 8-day holiday trip, travelling in Northern Italy (Venice, Verona, Como and Milan) and made a list with some things you should know about Italy. So here’s a list of a some Italy facts you need to know. 1. You pay a city tax per night to stay in a hotel. The price is based on the star rating of the hotel. 2. Avoid eating or having coffee near touristic attractions. You’ll get ripped off. 3. Aperitivo is a tradition that you may find in some bars. You pay a fixed price e.g. €10, and you can get a drink and eat as much as you can from the buffet (Which includes chips, pizzas, potatoes, meatballs, desserts - it depends where you go). 4. As soon as you sit in a restaurant they will bring you bread-sticks and bread - no butter, no olive oil. See the next point.  5. You are obliged to pay for the service; this is called Coperto (they charge you to sit down and they bring the bread), which is around €1.50 - €3 (it depends where you go). 6. Order house wine since it’s much cheaper than bottled wine. 7. Pizza Margherita is the cheapest pizza you can eat. 8. Italians do not serve tap water, only bottled. 9. You are not required to leave tips at the restaurant. 10. You are not obliged to order all courses e.g. antipasti, first course, second course, and dessert. Even with the first (usually pasta, risotto) you will feel full. 11. Standing in a bar is cheaper than sitting down. 12. You have to pay to enter the toilet in public places. 13. Buy your public transportation tickets before, you cannot buy them on the bus or tram. 14. Validate your ticket before you board otherwise you’ll get in trouble. 15. You can't pay with a card if the total is less than €10 so always make sure you have cash with you. 16. Some stores and restaurants have a day off during the week (usually Monday) so [...]

2023-06-29T14:44:36+03:00August 17th, 2015|

Palermo, chaotic streets with magnificent buildings

I knew Palermo from the game ‘Night falls in Palermo’ but I never thought that I had the chance to go there. ‘Night falls in Palermo’ is game of Mafia were you have to lie a lot in order to convince that you are innocent.  The game must have taken its name from the Sicilian Mafia in Sicily. They say that it's a group which the public calls them as Mafioso’s who are involved in illegal activities and agreements. Palermo is the regional capital of Sicily. Actually if you conduct a little research online you’ll see that it’s described as the most cosmopolitan city of Sicily. So once again, I was in Palermo for work. Accommodation Although my meeting was hosted in Carini (a small town outside Palermo) I choose to stay in the city center in order to see the city. Carini is nicely located near the beach but it has nothing else. I stayed at the Grand Hotel Federico II which is located very centrally in a quiet street. From here you can access on foot the city's must see spots, shops and restaurants. The room was large, clean and provided all the important facilities such as stable free wifi, TV and a mini bar. The breakfast options were good. Exploring Palermo My personal advice is to see Palermo on foot. You will enjoy the streets and discover hidden buildings, churches that you are most likely to miss if you take the public transportation. I did the double-decker bus tour and had the chance to see all the main points of the city. You can start the tour from Teatro Politeama Garibaldi. You’ll njoy the ride since you’ll get to see many historical and magnificent buildings, main city points and pass from busy streets while you listen to the history of each attraction.   However when the tour ended I walked since I like walking and you can explore the city better on foot. I discovered La Cala, a small beautiful harbor near the port. As I was walking from La Cala towards Piazza Novanno Meli in about 2m in front of [...]

2018-02-23T09:14:27+03:00October 28th, 2014|
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