a travel blog by renata green
Vinales, a couple of hours west of Havana, is Cuba ‘s rural paradise: Still dreamy, but not sleepy anymore. Since from Havana, most travellers pay also Viñales a visit.
And most travellers are right to do so because it’s truly beautiful. Coffee and tobacco, mysterious caves, endless fields, and mist-covered mogotes. Vamonos, hop on your bike and let’s explore pastoral Vinales!
This Way to the Whole Story ->Let me guide you to Cienfuegos, a surprisingly French city right in the heart of Cuba. There is good infrastructure, charming places, strong drinks, and cool waters. Basically the fancy side of Cuba.
Also, it’s a great gateway for many day trips to the beautiful surroundings.
This Way to the Whole Story ->In the city of Trinidad, Cuba’s colonial fantasy comes alive. Walking the cobblestones of this architectural jewel will wrap you in a tropical reverie.
However, besides Havana, Trinidad is synonymous with a Cuban vacation and therefore its own cliché. The traveller will find in an almost caricaturish way exactly what he expects. Consequently, Trinidad is a touristy epicenter and deems a bit void’n’shallow.
This Way to the Whole Story ->On the way from Santa Clara to the beaches of Isla Santa Lucia, a stopover at Camaguey came in handy, so here I share my little guide with you.
If Viazul’s itinerary hadn’t forced me to spend the night, I probably wouldn’t have visited Camagüey. After all, I had already so many idyllic midsized cities on my list. But actually, I would have missed out on a really pleasant place. Although – one day was sufficient.
This Way to the Whole Story ->Santiago in the island’s eastern part is the capital of Afro-Cuban culture. This alluring home to the country’s largest Afro-Cuban population was actually the birthplace of the Revolution.
Since Santiago is cheaper and more relaxed than Havana and full of tropical vibes, I really don’t understand why so many visitors simply skip this underrated treasure.
This Way to the Whole Story ->Let me guide you all the way east where Cuba keeps a hidden gem called Baracoa.
I was very glad that Baracoa was my last stop in Cuba – since it was definitely the highlight. Wrapping me in its relaxed, homey atmosphere, Baracoa would have spoiled me for the rest of Cuba.
This Way to the Whole Story ->Going on day trips from Brussels to the other Flemish medieval jewels such as Antwerp, Bruges, and Ghent is fun, easy, and surprisingly affordable. Just hop on the next train that will take you to each of them in less than one hour and for under 10 €uros.
I’m a busybody with a chronic case of FOMO.
But Belgium got the cure.
It is relatively small, in fact, the fifth smallest country in the European Union. It slumbers there nestled between Germany, the Netherlands, France, and Luxembourg, pretty much undisturbed in the middle of the continent, not bragging about its beauty.
And beauty it has all right!
During my stay in Brussels, Belgium’s and secretly also Europe’s capital, I actually managed to visit three other beautiful cities, one more intriguing than the other, so that I list them here fair and square in alphabetical order: Antwerp, Bruges, and Ghent.
This Way to the Whole Story ->In this guide, I’m taking you to the small town of Potsdam, which King Frederick II made great. Although it sounds like a cute, drowsy hamlet, everyone is amazed by the rich cultural and political heritage of this place, where Europe’s history was written and rewritten again.
A day trip from Rome took me to Tivoli where I found mesmerizing villas and playful waters. In short, the remnants of Antique Roman wealth.
Mind you, already Mr. Hadrian used to spend relaxing weekends at Tivoli almost 2,000 years ago.
This Way to the Whole Story ->Yes, I’ve travelled the seven seas – at least metaphorically – but only recently I visited Athens for the first time. This is ironic since basically all of Greece is located on the seaside. With 13,676 kilometers of coastline – that’s roughly the little something of 8,498 miles – and 3054 islands and islets, Poseidon definitely is boss.
Not the only amazing facts. Next to Golgota and the Capitol, the Acropolis is one of the hills on which Europe was founded. So there is no excuse that I haven’t visited the cradle of our civilization before.
So as we got nearer to Christmas and the holy days became holidays, the question of where I would spend them was quickly answered. Athens – for the first time.
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