Category: City-trips Europe

Even though I grew up close to the German border it was not until last week that I decided to visit Berlin. Even though my expectations were high, the capital of Germany did not disappoint. Berlin sightseeing means visiting old Habsburgean buildings but also learning about the second world war and coming eye to eye with its street art scene.

But a visit to Berlin isn’t limited to the things to see in Berlin, it is also a great destination to enjoy life. The city is filled with green parks and places to chill out, and on top of that it is uber hip. Berlin has uncountable good restaurants, cafe’s and hip bars and eateries. And I haven’t even started to talk about the world class underground clubbing scene that Berlin is famous for. I think it is save to say that if you visit Berlin you do not have to worry about running out of things to see. To help you focus on the things worth to visit I distilled the things worth visiting on your first trip.

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Even though I visited many times, every new visit makes me like the city more. There are just so many things to do in Antwerp that you can keep on coming back. Charming crooked 17th century merchant houses determine the face of the old city centre with hip eateries and bars dotting the area. A bit further out red lights seduce lonely men to enter the brothels in the raunchy red light district. The contrast couldn’t be bigger. And this city is two-faced in many ways.

The architecture in the heart of town is beautifully polished while sharp and modern in the new harbor. Ultra trendy boutique shops make this a shopping Valhalla but in the same street you will probably also be able to find an old brown cafe that serves beer with sliced sausage and beer nuts.

Antwerp is called the city of diamonds because it owns much of its riches to the diamond industry. It’s the capital of the Flemish part of Belgium. If you would ask a random Belgian which city in its country you would have to visit if you could only visit one, the answer will almost certainly be Antwerp. Not only because of its beauty but also because there are just so many things to do in Antwerp, the second largest city of Belgium. I couldn’t agree more. 

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One of the best ways to explore the outdoors in a high-paced adrenaline-fueled way is by going mountain biking. Europe’s got many great mountain bike tracks that allow you to cover more miles than hiking in the same amount of time. As mountain biking is gaining in popularity many new single tracks are being explored that were previously only accessible to hikers. The same is happening to mountain biking in Scotland. In the last decade, people started experimenting with mountain biking on the West Highland Way. Most people that attempt it are very experienced bikers. I am not, but attempted it anyway. Admittedly, it is tough but if I knew upfront what I know now I could have made it a lot easier and a lot more enjoyable. So if the West Highland Way is on your list and the idea of doing it in only 4 days while crossing up and down the paths sound appealing, read on. This guide will explain exactly how to go at it. Which route to take, where to stop, sleep and eat and what to take on your mountain biking adventure in Scotland. Continue reading “Mountain biking in Scotland: doing the West Highland Way by mountain bike”

Vienna, the capital of Austria, will probably come to mind as a beautiful old city full of historical baroque buildings, but otherwise an utterly boring place. This is where you go when your retired and have committed yourself to solely travel by organized bus tours. Vienna is like Prague but then without the huge cheap beers and without the underground bar scene. Right? Well, not quite. While Vienna’s got all the beautiful historic baroque buildings dating back to the 17th and 18th century it also got a hip coffeehouse scene and some excellent trendy restaurants and bars to have a bite or a few drinks. It is a way less boring place then I thought it would be, so if you are planning a city-trip to Vienna and want to see both faces of the city, you have clicked on the right article.

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Perfectly preserved 18th-century architecture, uncountable sunny terraces, great wines and all sights within walking distance.. welcome to Bordeaux! Lonely Planet ranked this French city nr. 1 on its ‘best in travel 2017’ -list. And for good reason. At the moment it receives little tourism but this is rapidly changing, so don’t push off your Bordeaux-plans for too long!

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