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Lisbon, trams – a museum which turned out to be a workshop
While most European cities rely on modern transport facilities, Lisbon remained faithful to the old trams. What’s more, they have become a real tourist attraction there! Yellow trams are the symbol of Lisbon, just as yellow cabs in New York. The old trams are certainly one of the best tourist attractions in Lisbon, however the decision to use them had nothing to do with marketing. The reason was rather practical. Only these trams can deal with numerous bends and narrow streets in Lisbon. Trams which are called here remodelado (or remodeled) have been adjusted to modern technical requirements by modification of brakes or electrical system, however their appearance has remained…
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Kotor, Montenegro – an alternative to Dubrovnik?
Kotor was my next destination after overcrowded Dubrovnik. Kotor is the main tourist attraction in Montenegro, however I must admit that I hoped that it wouldn’t be besieged similarly to its Croatian counterpart. When I saw huge luxury ferries in the distance, I realized that I was on my way, straight to another “tourist hell”. Fortunately, to my surprise I found out that my concerns had been unfounded. Certainly no one was treading on my heels or attacking me with a selfie – stick, apparently the advantage of this place is that neither Game of Thrones nor Star Wars were filmed there. Kotor, probably due to the impressive defensive walls…
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Tavira, Algarve – simply Portugal!
Tavira is the most beautiful town in Algarve region – such opinions can be read on most websites, blogs or forums dedicated to Portugal. Personally, I won’t be original regarding this matter, as I fully agree with this. Tavira is halfway from Faro to Spanish border. It’s only 30 kilometres away from Faro and Spain. Despite a good location, Tavira is visited by far less tourists in comparison to the famous resorts located in western Algarve. This enables the town to preserve its authentic local character. The city has been under the reign of Moors for several centuries, which is reflected in an interesting architecture. The central point is the…
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Portugal, Lisbon – miraduro with a view of…
Lisbon is a unique city where nobody would complain about shortage of tourist attractions. However, the most beautiful ones are available completely free of charge or for a small fee. These’re viewpoints, called miraduro. The perfect location on the hills allows to see the capital of Portugal from many different perspectives. Moreover, miaraduros are also an interesting places to observe people or rest with a glass of wine, after intensive sightseeing. Miradouro das Portas do Sol – at the gates of the sun Riding the famous tram no 28 or visiting Alfama, it’s impossible to miss this most popular viewpoint in Lisbon. The name of this place arouses the imagination.…
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Alfama, Lisbon – how to describe something undescribable?
Alfama has been on my mind for a long time, however it has been very difficult for me to write a post about this Lisbon’s neighbourhood. It would have been easier to say that it was a matter of lack of time, but there was another reason. In fact, you can’t just write about Alfama. I could endlessly use many adjectives to describe my feelings or auditory, taste and visual impressions during visiting this part of the city. But the best description won’t convey my emotions and what’s left in my memories. Skipping Alfama while being in Lisbon is like not visiting this city at all. You can explore every…
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Algarve – the best beaches in Portugal
The ocean and beaches are an integral element of Portuguese life. The ocean is an inherent part of the history of Portugal and the era of great geographical discoveries, fado music or the exquisite cuisine of the country. Portuguese attachment to the ocean is reflected even in everyday sayings. The Portuguese equivalent of ” it’s not my cup of tea” is: ” não é a minha praia”- what means it’s not my beach. By the way, it is hard to be surprised by this, after all, the length of Portugal’s coastline amouts to over 800 kilometers. However, some part of it, reaching 160 kilometers, is unique. It’s Algarve region –…
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Dubrovnik – the Adriatic Star…
Dubrovnik, also known as the Adriatic Pearl, attracts millions of tourists every year. Some come here to see the famous King’s Landing from the Game of Thrones, others the city of gamblers – Canto Bight from the Star Wars, the last ones simply want to visit the historic old town. Regardless of the purpose, there are so many people that the term “tourist trap” seems to be a suitable synonym for the name Dubrovnik. So how to survive a visit to Dubrovnik without losing nerves and a lot of money? Transport: Public parking around the old town is usually located in the 2nd parking zone which is intended solely for…
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National Park Durmitor – far, far away in Montenegro…
The first day in Montenegro, actually in the village of Žabljak, located near the picturesque Durmitor National Park will remain unforgettable. The flat tire turned out to be the “perfect”beginning of my adventure on the Balkanian roads. The call for road assistance left no illusions: -“of course no problem assitance will be in 15 minutes, please give me the address” – ” thank you very much, I’m in Žabljak…” – ” where?!” – ” in Žabljak…” – ” Oh, I get it, I’ll call you back in an hour, I must check if anyone will be able to drive there…” As a result, there was no other option than to…
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Kosovo – Mitrvica and Prizren
Kosovo, though small, offers many tourist attractions, starting with beautiful mountain trails and ending with historic cities. After visiting Pristina I decided to see two other cities: Mitrovica and Prizren. They both are totally different places, but on the other hand they present contrasts which are typical for Kosovo and its current politic situation as well. Mitrovica Mitrovica is located in the northern part of Kosovo, close to the border with Serbia. The largest percentage of Serbs live in this city, and therefore there is a clear division between Serbian and Albanian part. Right after Kosovo declaration of independence, the biggest riots and even terrorist attacks took place here. We…
