LemmeGo

Although I am a lazy ass, I travel quite a bit. Currently in Sarajevo, Bosnia and Herzegovina. https://www.instagram.com/lemmeg0/

[lemmeg0]

Iceland road trip: Day 2, April 24,2017

Driving route: North west to North

Attractions: Kirkjufell mountain and Eiríksstaðir farmhouse

Campsite for night: Hamrar in Akureyri

On day 2 of our Iceland road trip, we woke up to this in our camper car at the campsite Olafsvik.

We stepped outside and it was chilly and beautiful. Everything was covered with a thin sheet of snow and it seemed white mountains are calling me. But before that, we had to have our breakfast. We had some water in our bottles. We brushed quickly and took out our small stove and a frying pan. We wanted to fix ourselves some eggs. It turned out our stove was not working. We tried looking for some youtube videos but it did not help. We decided to get out from that place and eat at a gas station or something and try fixing the stove later. We stopped at many places since everything was just so beautiful.

Looking at this mailbox, I kept on wondering if postmen come here to drop mail. It did not even look anyone even lived there. Everything was so deserted. Later, we did see a postman. That answered my question.

We came across some wild horses again and since they were still new for us, we had to take their pictures.

2 Cutie pies

On our way, we stopped at the most photographed mountain of Iceland, Kirkjufell, which means “church mountain”. It is a 463m high mountain on the north coast of Iceland's Snæfellsnes peninsula, near the town of Grundarfjörður, which has about 900 residents. 

Though we did not climb up this mountain, it is possible to do so. It is a 3 hour round trip and challenging, especially if you have vertigo. It is highly recommended to hike with a guide. You can find more information here. 

That’s our camper car aka our home and everything in Iceland :)

This is one of the most beautiful mountains I have ever seen.

Next to the Kirkjufell mountain, there is also a waterfall called Kirkjufellsfoss. Foss means waterfall in Iceland. The whole thing looks so scenic and heavenly.

Kirkjufellsfoss  

From there, we kept on driving further up to the north, stopping again at several locations. 

We did not come across many other cars and there were times, we were the only people on the road. It was a strange and eerie feeling. We were only surrounded by big mountains which were wholly or partially covered with snow.

 Leifur Eiriksson,  the first known European to have discovered North America (excluding Greenland), before Christopher Columbus.

A conjectural replica of the farmhouse at Eiríksstaðir

Eiríksstaðir was the farm of Eiríkur rauði (Erik the red), who later settled Greenland. The re-construction is based on the ruins located a short distance away, further up the hill.

For the night, we ended up in a town called Akureyri, nicknamed as the Capital of North Iceland. Akureyri is a big town with its own international airport. We found a campsite here called Hamrar. It was open and there were a good amount of camper cars. The price was 1400 Icelandic Kronas per person. The campsite was equipped with hot showers, restrooms, a kitchen, and a common dining area, which is huge. 

The campsite of Hamrar in Akureyri

We met two girls there, one from France and other from Sweden. i slept like a baby in our camper car that night. And that’s how day 2 in Iceland ended.

Driving in the north in Iceland

[lemmeg0]

Iceland road trip: Day 1, April 23,2017

We had our flight to Iceland Keflavik International airport at 8 AM from Copenhagen International airport. It was a 3.5 hour flight. The flight was 40% empty. We reached Keflavik around 9:30 AM. Yes, it is 2 hour behind the Central European time zone. 

Flying away to my dream destination

We had scheduled a pickup from our camper car company, which is Kuku Campers (read more about them here) at 10:00 AM. In that half an hour window, we claimed our baggage. We did not have to go through any custom as we flew from another Schengen zone. Right after picking our backpack, we decided to get a sim for our phone. In Iceland, you really need it, especially, if you are going on a road trip. It’s lot better than getting a GPS as you are always connected to the internet and also you can call the company you rented your car from in case there is any emergency. There is a convenient store situated in the arrival section of the airport. We got a Vodafone starter kit, which included unlimited talk & text and 1 GB of data. 1 GB was just enough for us for 9 days. I did not use snapchat and instagram as much as I wanted. Lol. You may get a starter kit with more data. 

A young lady came to pick us up. She was originally from Slovakia settled in Iceland. Nice woman. Gave us a lot of tips for our stay in Iceland. Kuku campers office is located in a city called Hafnarfjörður. After getting all the paperwork done, we set off to get inspired by Iceland. 

So, this beauty was our home in Iceland for 7 nights

But first stop was a supermarket, called Kronan.

Kronan and Bonus are the two supermarkets which are relatively cheaper in Iceland

I don’t have to tell you how expensive Iceland is. So, it’s important you cook as much as possible on your tour. Our camper car, which was just a 2 wheeler, was equipped with a small stove and some cooking utensils. Therefore, we bought noodles, soups, eggs, bread, jam, and oil. Our goal was to cover as much of the ring road or route 1 as possible. If you don’t know already, route 1 or ring road is where you should be driving most of the time. This is where most of the attractions and gems of Iceland are located. It is called a Ring road as it makes a circle covering east, west, north, and south. Keflavik airport is situated in the southwest part of Iceland and most of the people go to the south first (south is most touristy), meaning they go in a counterclockwise direction, going south to east to north to west and back to the south. We started with the west part and ending up in one of the north west campsites called Olafsvik. Why did we take this route? Well, it is less crowded for starter. Also, there was a big wind storm in south approaching that night. Going clockwise made more sense. 

Driving from the south west to the north west, we saw a lot of interesting things. There were no famous attractions, but whatever we saw were pretty scenic for us. This was the first time we came across the wild horses and oh my god, what a moment. I think spotting a wild horse for the first time in Iceland is a historical moment for everyone. Like for real. 

Hello, cutie!

There was a spot for us to park. There was one horse close to the fence. And after seeing me, another horse came, and then another. They were so friendly. But don’t try to pet them or anything. I later read that these horses are being trained for horse riding and when tourists try to pet them, it affects their training. What I did was WRONG. 

We kept on driving further north and stopping here and there if something catches our eye. 

Sweet and simple church in Iceland

Icelandic sheep

Our objective was to reach the Ólafsvik campsite. Another objective was catch the Northern lights. We checked the website for the Northern Lights forecast and it was pretty high for that night. But after mid-April, northern lights are not easy to be seen as there is not much darkness left out there. So, we reached the campsite and guess what?It was closed. We did not see anyone there. We parked our car and honestly, we had everything we needed. So, we did not really need to use anything at the campsite anyway. We checked the weather again and it said it would be party cloudy where we were staying, meaning less chances of experiencing the northern lights. After debating for a while, we decided to stay at this campsite. We saw a couple of cars stopping by, but left finding out the site is closed. And there we were, on our first night in Iceland, all alone, with no one around, sleeping in a car to the sound of snow kissing the ground. 

All set to sleep

We set the alarm for 12 AM to look our for the northern lights. We woke up at the scheduled time and saw nothing. Ah! A disappointment. I thought if we had slept somewhere it was less cloudy, we might have been lucky. We woke up again at 3 AM, and it was still dark except for one section and I saw something, which appeared to me the northern lights or maybe I am forcing myself to think they’re northern lights. We went back to the sleep.

So, that was day 1 of my Iceland ring road trip. Pretty adventurous and fun. 

[lemmeg0]

Sighisoara, day trip from Brasov

Ever since coming to Romania, everybody kept talking about how we have to visit Sighisoara, the only living citadel in Europe. When we were in Sibiu, our guide suggested us to take us there, but we thought we would do this as a day trip from Brasov as we had more days there. In Brasov, one of the first things our Airbnb host told us was to go get lost in Sighisoara. So, we were really pumped up to see what this place holds. 

How to reach Sighisoara from Brasov

Sighisoara is more close to Sibiu than Brasov. If you wanna do it and can do it from Sibiu, you definitely should. Getting there from Brasov is pretty easy but it takes about 2.5-3 hours and sometimes more if your train is running late. We took a train at 8:51 AM from the Brasov train station. Yes, it is pretty early, but there is not much option either. The next train is at 2:30 PM. Buses don’t help either as their schedule is pretty much the same as trains’. We bought our tickets from the counter. Make sure you have cash. They don’t accept credit card. There is an ATM right next to the ticket counters though. So, you should be fine. Romanian trains are super slow. At times, we felt we could just walk and would reach before this train does. Lol. But the scenery is pretty good, which helped us with our ride. 

We were supposed to reach around 11:30 AM and got there a little after 12. The old town/citadel is about 15 minutes walk from the train station in Sighisoara. You can find the schedule of trains here. 

Sighisoara train station

History of Sighisoara

Sighisoara is one of the seven Saxon walled citadels in Transylvania. Brasov and Sibiu being the other two, where we have been. Sighisoara was first inhabited by the the Dacians, who were like Native Americans of Romania. They buit a fortification called Sandava Then came the Romans, and under their administration, it was called  Castrum Stenarum, and finally in the 12th century, Saxons built a new citadel called Schäßburg. Also, if you are looking for Dracula, this is the place you should be because he was born here. You can even visit the house he used to live in. Designated as a World Heritage Site by UNESCO, it is considered one of the most beautiful and best-preserved medieval towns in Europe. It’s another thing my husband and I have a different opinion.

What to do and see in Sighisoara

I have to say this Sighisoara is not worth so much hype. Maybe I was expecting a lot or something. To both of us, it did not look something extraordinary. We visited in April and there was nothing special going on. That could be one of the reasons. 

We started with visiting the clock tower, the highlight of Sighisoara. The entrance fee is 15 Lei and I think it’s worth it. As you climb the stairs, there is the history museum, with exhibits on each level. It has many cultural items of Romanian history, but it is skippable if you don’t have a lot of time. 

You can see the inner workings of the clock as well on the way up, which is cool. The climb to the top is fairly easy and the view from the top is beautiful. You could see the whole town from here. 

It also indicates the distance from it to some big city around the world.

Rome, only 1096 Km away and I still didn’t visit it. :(

Also Istanbul. :(

One thing pretty unique about this city was the Scara Acoperita-Covered Stairway. Yes, a stairway. We took this stair to get on the hill. It is like a short hike with 176 steps. Wear comfortable shoes.

Scara Acoperita-Covered Stairway to go up on the hill

The stairs lead to the Church on the hill, where you can have a nice view of the city from above. The stairway, also known as the Schoolboys' Stairs, was built in the 1642 to help students go to the school located near the Church on the Hill during snow or rain.

After climbing up the stairs, we reached the church on the hill. It is a beautiful gothic church, but kinda similar to other church we have seen in Romania. We did not go inside. The entrance fee is 8 Lei. 

The church on the hill

After covering these attractions, all we did was wander around. The center is a charming little place.

Visit the room where Dracula was born

The architecture, winding cobbled alleys, colorful streets were a delight, but honestly, there is nothing much to do here and you can cover most of the things in about 2 hours or even less. 

Dracula’s house turned into a restaurant

Our train back to Brasov was at 3:30 PM. We had enough time to grab lunch. There are many restaurants and cafes around. We chose Gasthaus Altepost Pension. It was big and almost empty. Our host was friendly and English speaking. We had grilled chicken with fries, crepes and juices. 

We reached the train station around 3:15. This time our train was right on time and we reached Brasov at 6:40 PM. 

If you have a car, Sighisoara should be on your day trip list as it takes only about a hour and half from Brasov, but with train/bus, it is not worth it to go all the trouble of a total of 6 hours commute to see something which does not have a lot to do. Things might be different in summer. So, maybe it’s worth it then or if you happen to have an extra day in Brasov/Sibiu. 

[lemmeg0]

Brasov, a medieval city surrounded by the Carpathian Mountains

Brasov pronounced as Bra-Shov is one of the most visited cities of Romania. Located in the center of Romania, it makes a perfect base for exploring the surrounding regions and trust me, you do wanna go see those surrounding regions. Why? Well, I am sure your trip to Romania is incomplete without visiting the Bran Castle and Bran castle is only a 40 minute bus ride from Brasov. Similarly, there are many other cool things to see around Brasov, which I would mention later. We stayed a total of 9 nights in Brasov and we found everyday something to do. 

The old town of Brasov

Brasov was founded by the Teutonic Knights in 1211 by order of king Andrew II of Hungary. On the site of the village of Brașov, the Teutonic Knights built Kronstadt – the city of the crown, and thus the coat of arms of the city is a crown with oak roots. "The location of the city at the intersection of trade routes linking the Ottoman Empire and Western Europe, together with certain tax exemptions, allowed Saxon merchants to obtain considerable wealth and exert a strong political influence.” Saxons played a major rule in the architecture of Brasov.

Things to do and see in Brasov

1. Free walking tour of Brasov with a local guide

The first thing we did in Brasov was to take a free walking tour of Brasov with a local guide. It is a perfect opportunity to get to know the city from someone local. From April to September, the tour starts at 6 PM everyday from Piata Sfatului (Town Council Square), next to the fountain, and from October to March, the tour is at 3 PM everyday. Look for a girl with an orange umbrella.

Our guide, Kinga with her orange umbrella

We took this tour in April and there were a good amount of people mostly from England. Our guide was a well informed girl, named Kinga. She took us to some of the major landmarks including the Black Church, the Town Council Square and the city's 14th Century fortifications. You can find more information here. 

2. The Council Square aka Piata Sfatului 

I have been to many squares to a point it’s getting a little repetitive, but this square impressed me. It is big, like really big, surrounded with beautiful red-roofed merchant houses. 

The Council Square aka Piata Sfatului 

It has a beautiful waterfall in center of the square. There are restaurants and cafes throughout the square with people sitting outside. 

The Council Tower which is now a museum

Tons of restaurants, cafes, and pubs around the square

This square shows how medieval towns were built and organized by population originating from the germanic states of the time. Back in the day, Saxon population called it as the Marktplatz. 

3. The Black Church (Biserica Neagra)

The Black Church is the largest Gothic church in Romania. It was built between 1385 and 1477 on the site of an earlier church, whcih was destroyed by Mongol invasions in 1242.

Black Church, the symbol of Brasov

It used to be called Marienkirche by Germans, but it got destroyed during the fire in 1689 including the rest of Brasov. The church got almost black and hence, it got the name Black Church.

4. Black Tower (Turnul Negru)

The black tower was built in 1494 to prevent the enemies from approaching the city walls. You must have guessed it by now how it got its name. Yes, thanks to the devastating fire of 1689, but it looks white due to the recent renovation.

The Black Tower, which looks white

The tower happens to be closed on Monday and that’s when we visited. What a luck! Nevertheless, this tower is situated on a hill and even without going inside the tower, the views are awesome once you hike up the hill. It only takes few minutes. 

5. White Tower (Turnul Alb)

Right next to the Black Tower, there is a White Tower, which you can’t go inside at all. It is always closed, but the views from the entrance are amazing, but similar to the Black Tower’s view.

The White Tower which looks white alright.

View from the White Tower

6. Mount Tampa

Whatever means of transportation you are taking to come to Brasov, you would see Hollywood style “Brasov’ sign written up on the mountain, and I am sure you wanna go up there.

Brasov style

Well, it is pretty easy. We hiked up the Mount Tampa and it took us about 2 hours total to reach the top. There are several trails and the easiest one if the Crocky trail marked with red triangle. The trail starts from the old town along the southeastern side of the fortress walls, next to Billa supermarket.

The trail starts from here, close to Billa supermarket in the Old Town

If you are not up for hiking, you can also take a cable car, which costs 16 Lei round trip. In winter, the last cable car going up is at 4:30 PM and the last one coming down is at 5:00 PM. 

7. Seven Ladders Canyon

If you enjoy hiking and looking for some change from sightseeing in Brasov, say no more. Seven Ladders Canyon was a unique experience for us. 

“The canyon has been carved in Jurassic limestone and is composed by seven waterfalls, the tallest being 35 metres (115 ft) high. The trail within the canyon is arranged with metal stairs and platforms.” You can read more about the 7 ladders canyon here.

8. Catherine's Gate (Poarta Ecaterinei)

Catherine’s Gate is a Lovely gate, well worth taking a walk from the square. Erected in 1559 by the Tailors' Guild, it looks like a fairy tale tower. It is the only original gate to have survived from medieval times.

It has four small corner turrets (as seen in other Saxon citadels), which means the town council is capable of death penalty.

9. The Schei District

Romanians were forbidden to own properties inside the citadel walls during the time of Saxons. They were even charged just to enter the walls. Well, they needed somewhere to settle and they chose the Schei district.

We walked around the Piata Unirii, which is a small square with some monuments. The major attraction of this neighborhood is is Saint Nicholas Orthodox Church or Biserica Sfantul Nicolae.

Even though it is an orthodox church, it doesn’t look like one. It is beautiful from both inside and outside.

Saint Nicholas Orthodox Church or Biserica Sfantul Nicolae

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10. Day Trips from Brasov

That’s all I can think of attractions in Brasov, but there are a lot of places to see outside Brasov in its surrounding. I am listing down the names below:

Rasnov Fortress and Bran Castle - I know if you wanna see the Dracula, but please go visit the Rasnov Fortress as well. It falls between Brasov and Bran and can easily be combined with your day trip to Bran. 

Peles Castle and Pelisor Castle - Peles Castle is a real castle and Bran is nothing in front of it, honestly. Pelisor castle right next to Peles is worth checking out. 

Poiana Brasov - A mountaintop ski and summer resort. Did not get a chance to visit it, but heard great stuff about it especially if you are into skiing. Bus ride from Brasov is only about half an hour. Take bus 20 from Livada Postei bus station.

Sighisoara - A medieval town, which is listed as a World Heritage Site by UNESCO. It takes about 2.5-3 hours by train to get there. It’s citadel still got people living here, which is one of a kind. 

[lemmeg0]

Hiking to the Seven Ladders Canyon, a unique experience near Brasov in Romania

Our Airbnb host suggested us to hike to the Seven Ladders Canyon also known Canionul Sapte Scari in Romania. 7 Laderrs Canyon lies in Piatra Mare Mountains and if you enjoy hiking and some adrenaline rush, this is the place you need to be. Many people visiting Brasov don’t know about it, but it is pretty popular with locals. We were staying for a total of 10 days in Brasov and we thought why not, let’s do some hiking, which would be a good change from all the sightseeings we’d been doing. And I am so glad we did this because it truly was a unique experience for me and my husband. 

How to reach the trailhead of the Seven Ladders canyon from Brasov

In winter (October-April), they are open only during weekends, but in summer, they are open everyday.  We didn’t have a car. So, obviously we opted for the public transport. We took bus number 17 B from Brasov train station. Just outside the train station, you would see a lot of buses leaving. Just find bus 17b and get off at Dambul Morii. You can buy bus tickets from a small counter just where you see all the buses lined up. Don’t get on any bus without your ticket. Tickets are checked frequently. So, be careful. Bus 17b is not super frequent and during weekends, it runs every 2 hours or so. Therefore, you gotta plan accordingly. You can find the schedule of buses here. We got on the bus at 11:00 AM an reached Dambul Morii around 11:30 AM. Go to the other side of the highway where you get off the bus and make a right. You wanna go to Piatra Mare street because that’s where the trail starts from. 

Hiking to the Seven Ladders Canyon

It took us about an hour to go to the beginning of the canyon. There are two trails marks: yellow and red. You must choose yellow if you wanna reach the canyon. Red one will take you somewhere else and is super challenging and time consuming. 

Yellow trail mark is what you have to take to reach the canyon

The hike up to the canyon is pleasant. Nothing difficult. Many people just hike up to the canyon but don’t really climb the ladders and experience the canyon. I guess those are locals who have been to the canyon many times already. 

After an hour hike, we reached a cabin where we had to pay 10 Lei in order to climb the ladders. So worth it. From the cabin, we walked to the canyon, which took us about 5 minutes, and then the real fun started.

We bought our tickets to access the canyon from the above cabin

“The canyon has been carved in Jurassic limestone and is composed by seven waterfalls, the tallest being 35 metres (115 ft) high. The trail within the canyon is arranged with metal stairs and platforms.” 

One of the 7 ladders. This one was pretty easy compared to others.

This one was the scariest one, and also the longest one.

Climbing those stairs is not easy especially when you have a big waterfall running next to you. The longest one was 12 meters in length. 

I was holding the sides of the stairs and then one of the men from the cabin came and recommended me to hold the steps of the stairs and not the sides. That helped a lot. Please wear shoes with good grips.

As much as those ladders were scary, I enjoyed all of them. It was something I had never done before. Crazy and beautiful experience for me. It took us about 20 minutes to get done with the ladders. 

We did not come back from the same route. I can’t imagine climbing down those steps. It would have been too difficult I assume. We followed the red dot mark (it has to be a dot and not a stripe) like shown in the picture below until we reached the ticket cabin and from there it was the same trail as going up, meaning the yellow one. 

Going down was not easy for us. There was a lot of snow and it had rained a day before. So, it was really slippery. I felt i am gonna roll down many times, but luckily I was able to make it back to the cabin. 

The hike from the cabin to the start of the trail is easy. We made it back at 2:15 PM. It took us a little less than 3 hours altogether.

Our bus back to Brasov wasn’t until 3:43 PM. We tried calling a cab but it didn’t work out. We were hungry and decided to eat at one of the restaurants close by, called 3 STARS. Amazing food and great service but real slow. We almost missed our bus waiting for the food. Had to rush a little to catch our bus, but made it.

I feel 7 ladders canyon should definitely be on your list if you are going to be in Brasov or around. Before coming to Romania, I had no idea Romania had so many cool things to do. And thank you, Bianca, if you are reading this. We wouldn’t have done this had you not told us about the 7 Ladders Canyon. :-)

[lemmeg0]

Exploring the villages of Romania, not far from Sibiu ( Marginimea Sibiului)

Marginimea Sibiului which means “ Borders of Sibiu” is an area which is made up of 18 villages. Set at the foothills of the Cindrel Mountains, the villages are known for preserving the ethnological, cultural, architectural, and historical heritage of Romania. Even now, people wear traditional Romanian costumes, and their occupation is shepherding. They take the sheep to the mountains in summer and bring them back to the village in winter. Our guide, Dumitru had suggested us to visit the Corvin Castle in Hunedoara, but I was craving for some village lifestyle. 

I wanted to take a picture with her, but she wasn’t able to hear me. :(

Dumitru from Sibiu Transylvania Tour guide was our guide. He was also our Airbnb host. He took us to the Balea Lake first, which is amazing, by the way, and then he drove us to the villages. Obviously, we did not cover all the 18 villages as it was impossible, but whatever we were able to visit gave us a good idea about the Romanian villages and their people. 

We first started with the Fortified Church in Cisnădie. Even though Cisnadie is not one of the 18 villages, it is close by, and should definitely be in your list.

The fortified church in Cisnădie

The church was built in the 12th -13th century in a Romanesque style. The fortification surrounding it was erected between 1460-1530 and made up of two concentric curtain walls strengthened with towers, bastions and ditches which could be filled with water. 

The fortification

In order to go inside the church, you have to pay 7 Lei and make sure you ring the bell so that someone can come and open the church door for you. The most interesting thing for me to climb up the tower. 

Do it at your own risk, but once done, you would appreciate the architecture of a Saxon village. You can even take a bus from sibiu to go to Cisnădie. It takes about 25 minutes. 

The stairs to go to the tower. Scary as shit but fun.

The view from the tower

Inside the church

We made another detour and Dumitru took us to the Castelul de Lut Valea Zanelor, located in Porumbacu de Sus. It is an interesting castle newly built and not entirely finished. 

Castelul de Lut Valea Zanelor

It is made only from clay and straw and its roof is made of wood. It kind of reminded me of the movie of the Shire from the Lord of the Rings movie. It is beautiful and I would like to come back once it’s complete. The entrance fee is only 5 Lei.

From Castelul de Lut Valea Zanelor,, we went to Rășinari, which is one of the wealthiest 18 villages. The main occupations of the people here are sheep farming and local carpentry. While passing through this village, we saw a lot of sheep. It has an ethnographic museum, which we did not visit, but we did see a painted Orthodox church built in 1752. 

We then visited Gura Râului village, famous for its dam. The Gura Raului Dam is 72 meters high, possesses a crowning of 330 meters in length and is located in Cindrel Mountains at 600 meters altitude. 

The Gura Raului Dam

Fishing at this dam is legal if you have a permit. Our guide told us it has a good amount of trouts. Only if i knew how to fish.

Dumitru next took us to Sibiel, which is famous for Painting on glass. This has been a tradition for 200 years in this village. It has a Painted Icons Museum, which is the largest existing exposition of icons on glass in Transylvania. We did not go inside the museum as the outside was too pleasant.

Village of Sibiel

Even now there are wells for each house. We pulled out water from the well and drank. We saw children playing outside. So nice to see kids not playing with their tablets. 

Cute little well, one for each house

Loot at this cutie

We were super hungry and since it was off season, nothing really was open. Our guide made some calls to his other travel guide buddies and luckily they told him one of the restaurants is open. We had soup and pancakes. They both were delicious and cheap. 

[lemmeg0]

Peles Castle, a day trip from Brasov

Bran castle is interesting and all thanks to Bram Stoker and Vlad the impaler, but honestly it is a rather simple castle and one not so impressive. Many people come out from there disappointed. If you really wanna see a castle at a grand level near Brasov, you should head to a town of Sinaia and walk to the Peles castle. It is one of the most picturesque and stylish castles in Europe, with extremely well-preserved architecture, details and furniture. It kind of reminded me of the Palace of Versailles in France from the inside, kind of like a mini Versailles. So, you can imagine how beautiful it is. 

Peles castle

History of Peles Castle

Peles castle is a German Neo-Renaissance castle at the foot of the Bucegi Mountains. Built between 1873 and 1914, it was commissioned by King Carol of Romania under whose reign the country gained its independence. The castle served as the summer residence of the royal family until 1947. 

How to reach Peles Castle from Brasov

The easiest way to reach Peles is by train from Brasov. We took a train from Brasov train station to Sinaia at 1:03 PM and reached Sinaia at 2:10 PM. From Sinaia train station, it is an uphill walk for about 25 minutes. You can get a taxi if you are not up for walking. You will see the sign for the castle everywhere. So, getting to the castle shouldn’t be a problem. During summer (May 15 to September 15), it is closed on Mondays, and in winter (16 September to 14 May), it is closed both Mondays and Tuesdays. We visited in April and it was not so crowded, but in summer time, you will have to wait a while to get inside. Yes, it is one of the top tourist destinations in Romania. 

Entrance fee

This castle costs 30 Lei for adults for the ground floor, which includes a guide in Romanian/English/ French/Spanish/Italian. We opted out just for ground floor. There is an option to visit the second floor as well and that costs 60 Lei. Also, you gotta pay for taking pictures, which is 35 Lei. And please don’t post those pictures anywhere. You will be punished by law in force. Therefore, I won’t be positing any inside pictures.

Inside the Peles Castle

The castle has about 170 rooms, many with dedicated themes from world cultures. We saw rooms designed in French, Moorish, Turkish, Florentine, etc. styles. Our guide was a well informed man who gave a brief history about some of the important rooms though it was kind of difficult to hear him as there were a lot of other people too in the same room. The castle has one of the finest art collections in Eastern and Central Europe including different glasswares, paintings, furnitures, musical instruments, weapons and armors, ceramics, stained glass, etc. 

The only thing which I did not like was there was no wandering around on your own in the castle. You have to follow your guide and hence 50 other people all the time and when the tour is over, you have to exit. I understand they are trying to preserve the castle, but come on. They can make the service a little better, I believe. But for the castle itself, it is 10/10. Truly mesmerizing. I am very tempted to post the interior pictures, but I would follow the rules. I am a good girl.

The garden of the Peles Castle with the Carpathian mountains in the background

Next to the Peles castle, there is another castle called Pelisor Castle. We did not go inside the castle. From the outside, it looked simple yet beautiful. It has 99 rooms and most of the rooms were decorated by the Queen Marie.

Pelisor Castle

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Alba Iulia, a day trip from Sibiu

We first came to know about Alba lulia from our Airbnb host, Diana, in Timisoara. We had to go to Sibiu from Timisoara and the bus ride was about 6 hours. Diana suggested we go to Alba lulia first, stay there for a night, and then go to Sibiu. It did not work out for us as we had already booked an Airbnb apartment in Sibiu. In Sibiu, our host also mentioned Alba lulia that we can easily do a day trip from Sibiu. It takes only 1.5 hours to get there and there are a lot of buses running back and forth. We finally went to Alba lulia a day before we were leaving Sibiu. Not sure why we waited so long. 

The citadel of Alba lulia

History of Alba lulia

Alba lulia is a city in Transylvania region of Romania, with a population of with a population of about 64,000. It is one of the oldest settlements in Romania and used to be called Apulum. It was an important city for the Romans, serving as the capital of the Roman Empire’s province of Dacia. It was the largest military and economic center during their time. In 1541, Alba Iulia became the capital of the Eastern Hungarian Kingdom reaching its peak, and It was here that on December 1st 1918, the province of Transylvania announced its unification with Romania. Romania used to be three separate regions until 1918: Transylvania, Walachia, and Moldova. In 1922, this is where the first king of Greater Romania, Prince Ferdinand, was crowned. So yea, Alba lulia may not be the capital of Romania, but it is one of the most important cities in Romania.

How to reach Alba lulia from Sibiu

The best way to reach Alba lulia from Sibiu is by bus. We took a bus at 10:43 AM from Autogara Q7 ( a small bus station) and reached Alba lulia by 12:30 PM. You can find the schedule of buses here. It is about a 20 minute walk to the old town/citadel from the bus station. 

Alba lulia Citadel

Alba lulia is famous for its star shaped citadel, which is the biggest in Romania. Designed by an Italian architect Giovanni Morando Visconti, it was built between 1716 and 1735, using the Vauban military architectural system. It has 7 gates and all of them are interesting, but in my opinion gate III is the most impressive one, decorated with intricate carvings on both facades. 

Gate III of the seven gates of the citadel

Gate III from the other side

Defense wall

There are a lot of cool statues we found while strolling around. Everyone was trying to get a picture or two with the statues. This citadel is really clean and full of cafes and stalls. If you decide to be here in summer (May to September) , it’s even better. There is a guard change ceremony every day at noon, taking place nearby the 3rd and 4th Citadel Gates. It’d definitely take you back to the old times. 

My two gentlemen 

Under my umbrella 

Look at that dress. Lovely woman

In the citadel, St. Michael’s catholic Cathedral is pretty outstanding. Built between 1247 and 1291, it is of romanesque style. The tomb of Prince Iancu de Hunedoara and of Polish-born Isabella Jagiełło, former Queen of Hungary. are located here. 

St. Michael’s Cathedral

St. Michael’s Cathedral from the other side

There is also an orthodox Cathedral of the Reunification at the western entrance. It was built between 1921 and 1923 to celebrate Transylvania's reunification with Romania. 

Orthodox Cathedral of the Reunification

Besides these two churches, you can also find the Union Hall with the National Honour Gallery, The National History Museum of Unification, the Voivodal Palace, the Batthyaneum Library, the Roman Catholic bishop's palace, the Apor Palace, and the University of Alba Iulia.

Strolling around this citadel is like a living history lesson about plenty of chapters of Romania history, containing Romanian nation birth and the three countries unions. A coup of hours should be enough for this place. There was a bus at 3:30 and we took that to go back to Sibiu. I am so glad we listened to our Airbnb hosts and saw this magnificent citadel.

Official website: http://www.visitalbaiulia.com/

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Bran castle and Rasnov citadel, a day trip from Brasov

When you are in Romania, and haven’t visited Bran castle aka Dracula’s castle, nobody would believe you have been to Romania. Romania is famous for its Dracula’s story and Vlad the impaler, who has been referred to as a vampire/Dracula due to his torture methods, but obviously, those are just legends, which became popular due to Bram Stoker’s novel, Dracula. Romania is famous for all the wrong reasons, it seems. This country has so much more to give and there are so many better things to see than Bran castle. Having said that, Bran castle should be on your list too. It’s just that don’t have high expectations from this castle. 

The Bran Castle

On the other hand, if you visit Rasnov citadel, which is in the way to the Bran castle, you would be surprised how lovely it is. 

The Rasnov Citadel/Fortress

How to get to Bran castle and Rasnov citadel from Brasov?

Bran castle is situated in Bran, 30 Km from Brasov. It is pretty easy to get there with a bus and it only takes about 40-45 minutes. It can be combined with a visit to Rasnov fortress, which is in between Brasov and Bran, and Rasnov is more impressive than Bran castle. So, in my opinion, you must stop at Rasnov, whether coming by bus or car. Buses to bran go through Rasnov. So, it is not even complicated. Buses/mini vans from Brasov are every half an hour or so. You can search the schedule here. You get the bus from Brasov autogara 2 (stadion). This bus station is half an hour walk from the city center or you can take bus 22/41 from the city center. We took a bus at 10:30 AM to Rasnov first. We bough the tickets from the driver. It took us half an hour to get there. It would be better if you ask someone to let you know when Rasnov comes, because you won’t really know when you are there. Once you get off, it is pretty simple. You can either walk to the fortress, which would take about 10-15 minutes or you can take a funicular, which runs frequently, and costs 12 lei round trip. We went with the second option. It took us just few minutes to reach the top. The view from the funicular is spectacular. 

The view from the funicular

The entrance to the fortress is 12 lei. After exploring the fortress for an hour, we took the funicular back. We were kinda confused how to reach Bran castle from there. The lady at the ticket counter gave us the directions. You get the bus to Bran near Penny market and in front of the bus stop, you see a sign of “Rasnov” written in Hollywood style, up in the mountains. We were still not sure if we’re at the right bus stop, but an old man who didn’t even speak English,helped us, saying bus would arrive in his own way. The bus to Bran finally arrived and we were relieved. From Rasnov, it only takes about 15 minutes to reach Bran castle. 

Rasnov citadel

Rasnov is located in the town of Rasnov on a rocky hilltop in the Carpathian Mountains. The fortress was first mentioned in the year 1331. The fortress was built by Teutonic Knights as part of the defense system against various invasions. This was basically a place of refuge for the people and therefore, it had many schools, a chapel and other buildings which made it look more like a village. 

We saw a well here at the citadel and found out it has an interesting story. The invaders managed to find out the source of water supply to the fortress and now the people needed a well for water in order to survive. According to legend, two Turkish prisoners were forced to dig a well through solid rock in the center of the fortress. They were promised their freedom once the well was finished. It took 17 years to finish this digging and God knows what happened to those prisoners. 

I really liked the citadel. Set beautifully among the Carpathian mountains, it has massive fortified walls, and plenty of perfect lookout spots. There is not a lot to do here except for admiring the views from the top, which I loved. You get to see the entire towns below as well the impressive forests that surround this amazing citadel. 

There are quite a few cheesy souvenir shops, but that’s alright. It's still fun to walk around and imagine what life was like back in the day. 

Bran castle

Bran castle made famous by the myth created around Bram Stocker's Dracula is rather a simple castle. I visited Peles castle today, and that’s what we call a luxurious elegant castle. Nevertheless, as I mentioned earlier, Bran castle is something you have to visit when in Romania. I have to say this it does look impressive from the outside. It gives you that eerie feeling maybe because of its location.

The first documented mentioning of Bran Castle is the letter written in 1377 by the Hungarian Ludovic I D’Anjou, giving the Saxon inhabitants of Brasov the privilege to build a stone castle at their own expenses. The castle was also used against the Ottomans and Tartars’ invasion, coming from Wallachia through Rucar Pass. From 1920 to 1957 Bran served as royal residence within the kingdom of Romania. 

The castle is now a museum open to tourists, displaying art and furniture collected by Queen Marie. 

Traditional Romanian attires being displayed at the Bran castle

The castle doesn’t have anything to do with Vlad the impaler. Vlad Tepes or Vlad Dracula was a son of Vlad II Dracul. He was a three-time Voivode of Wallachia, ruling mainly from 1456 to 1462. Dracul used to mean dragon at that time, but now even in Romania, it means devil. 

Hello Dracula!

Vlad Tepes is a national hero in Romania as he fought against Ottomans though he used some crazy brutal techniques to torture his enemies. He used to impale them. Hence, he is called the impaler or Tepes. There are legends that he even used to drink his enemies’ blood and hence he was a vampire. Bram Stoker, an Irish writer, whose book Dracula is mistakenly thought to be based on Vlad Tepes and Bran castle to as the home of the title character. 

It is a nice castle, but a little bit too touristy. Thanks to Vlad III Impaler, the ticket prices are higher than justified. We visited all rooms in about an hour. I am sure everyone knows there is no Dracula here, but it’s an interesting story and the souvenir markets outside the castle is beautiful.

We wanted to take the bus back back to Brasov at 2:40 PM, but it arrived early at 2:30 PM. There is a schedule posted but don’t rely a lot on it.

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Balea Lake in winter, a day trip from Sibiu

Balea lake is a glacier lake close to Sibiu. It takes about an hour to get there by car. Situated at the height of 2,034 m in the Fagaras mountains, it is covered with snow for most part. In summer, you can drive to it via the Transfăgărășan road. We really wanted to drive through the Transfăgărășan road, but it is open only from July to September, unfortunately, due to heavy snow. If you happen to be here during that time, it should be in your list. It was featured in the British TV show, Top Gear and the host Jeremy Clarkson said that it’s the best road in the world. 

If it is not accessible by car during the most part of the year, how can you reach it? Well, it’s easy. You take a cable car from the Bâlea Cascadă chalet. You can either drive to the Bâlea Cascadă chalet or take a bus, which is kinda expensive. We did not have a car in Sibiu and our Airbnb host, Dumitru, happened to be a certified guide too. We decided we will go on a day trip with him. We first started with the Balea Lake and then we visited some traditional Romanian villages of Marginimea Sibiului. Marginimea Sibiului is an area of 18 villages. We did not visit all the 18 villages obviously, but our guide showed us the interesting ones, which I would mention in my next post. Dumitru should be your number choice if you are looking for a guide in Sibiu. He is super friendly and it doesn’t feel you are with a guide. He made our trip to both Balea and the villages very meaningful. His rate is pretty decent too compared to other tours. He charged us 100 euros whereas other guides were asking for 160 euros for the same tour. You can contact him on his facebook page. If you decide to have a tour with him, do let me know. I have a 10% discount voucher which he gave us since we had a tour with him. 

We started our tour at 10 AM, with Dumitru picking us up from our apartment, which he owns. We drove to the Balea Cascada. It was a beautiful drive. We got to see the countryside of Romania. After getting there, we immediately went to the cable car office. Cable car costs 30 Lei one way, which is about 7 euros. Kinda expensive in terms of how things are not expensive in Romania, but it’s worth it. We had to wait a bit for the cable car as there were not 10 people. 

There were two more girls behind us. We got to know them while waiting. One of them was from California living in Israel, and the other one was from Malta. She was the first person from Malta I had ever met. Nice girl. We got on the cable car at 12 PM and OMG, what a spectacular view we had. The whole ground being covered with heavy snow and it felt we are approaching the white mountains. Our guide showed us the Transfăgărășan road below, which was layered with heavy snow, but we managed to see a small part of it. 

Transfăgărășan road visible from our cable car

It was about a 10 minute ride to the top. There was so much snow and obviously, we couldn’t see the Balea lake, but we have no regrets. It was just so beautiful. There is an ice hotel and an ice church. We did not go inside as it was April and ice was kinda melting. Our guide told us it might not be safe. We did have a look from the outside though, and they both looked interesting. Our guide also mentioned people come here in their fancy wedding dresses to get married. Crazy! 

Ice hotel

This is a perfect place for a lot of winter sports. We saw a lot of snowmobiling and skiing. 

They snowmobiling on top of the Balea lake, which is covered with snow and some ice

We wanted to up on the mountains, but it was not possible as we had no special gears, but it is possible to hike up if you proper shoes and hiking poles.

If you are in Sibiu, and looking for half a day trip, you should definitely check out the Balea Lake. 

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Sibiu, an idyllic medieval town in Romania

Sibiu was our second destination in Romania, first being Timisoara. Both the cities are so distinct from each other. Where Timisoara is a big city by the standard of Romania, Sibiu is more like a town, to be more precise, a German town, with a total population of 147,245. Sibiu is located in Transylvania region, which is the most interesting part of Romania. It was one of the seven cities in Transylvania with German settlers. It was only after World War 2 that ethnic Germans migrated to Germany and Austria, and the current President of Romania happens to be from a German family in Sibiu. Sibiu was designated as the European Cultural Capital in 2007 and it truly deserves it. In 2007, it hosted 2000 events, very diverse in type: performing arts, film, photo, architecture, visual arts, literature, music, heritage, conferences. Its historical center takes you back to the medieval times and makes you forget all about your busy boring city life.

Wondering why Romania is so underrated

Top things to see in Sibiu

1. Big Square (Piata Mare)

This is my favorite place in Sibiu, hands down. Big square is really big and wonderful and I loved strolling around here. Situated in the heart of the old town, your trip to Sibiu is incomplete without visiting this square. 

We stayed in Sibiu for 6 nights and we used to take a walk around this square almost everyday. All the important landmarks of Sibiu are situated here, and that’s what makes this place so beautiful. Also, you can do both bird and people watching while enjoying your ice cream or coffee.

This square is equally beautiful at night too

2. The Council Tower

The Council Tower is one of the most famous monuments in Sibiu situated in the old town close to the Big Square. The name comes from the fact that it is situated in the immediate close to the building which once hosted the City Hall of Sibiu. Even though it does not look something extraordinary from the outside, you have to climb up those crazy stairs to see what it stores.

The Council Tower

The entrance fee is only 2 Lei which is like 0.5 euros. You can find rooms on your way up with exhibitions and one of them has a clock working since 1494. The best time to visit is during the sunset when the old buildings are soaked in the orange glow of the sun. 

The view from the council tower at the sunset

3. Lutheran Evangelical Cathedral & Tower

Lutheran Evangelical Cathedral is one of the most impressive cathedrals in Romania, situated in the old town of Sibiu. It was raised in the 14th century on the location of an old Roman church dating from the 12th century. 

The building is dominated by the seven level tower with the four towers on the corners, a mark showing that the city had the right of condemnation. 

Climbing the tower is quite interesting and should be done only if you are fit enough, but once you do it, the view from the top is amazing. It costs 7 lei if i remember correctly. 

The view from the tower of the Evangelical cathedral

4. The Liar’s Bridge

Before visiting the Bridge of Lies, just beware that if you tell a lie on this bridge, it will collapse. Just kidding. It is one of the many legends associated with this small picturesque bridge made of iron, one of the first in Europe, and situated in the old town, connecting the upper town with the lower town. It was built in 1859.

A great spot to take some pictures as it is a symbol of Sibiu. 

5. Astra National Museum Complex

If you are interested in Romanian history and traditions, Astra National Museum Complex should definitely be on your list when visiting Sibiu. It is the largest open air museum in Romania exhibiting historic houses from the different regions in Romania. 

One of the many historic houses exhibited at the museum

The ASTRA Museum is situated in the Dumbrava Forest, at a distance of 4 kilometers from the city. You can take bus 13 (runs every half an hour) from the old town and get off at the last stop, which is the museum. You have to buy the bus ticket from a kiosk and the driver. 

Schedule of bus #13 for Astra museum

6. The “Holy Trinity” Metropolitan cathedral

The Holy Trinity Cathedral in Sibiu is a beautiful cathedral, which is the seat of the Romanian Orthodox Archbishop of Sibiu and Metropolitan of Transylvania. It was built in the style of a Byzantine basilica while also having some elements of Baroque and Transylvanian church architecture.

The Holy Trinity Cathedral in Sibiu

The idea of building an orthodox cathedral in Sibiu belonged to bishop Andrei Şaguna as early as 1857, the actual building starting only in 1902. 

Inside the cathedral

7. Biserica Romano Catholic Church

Situated in the big square, you can stop here for a few minutes to admire the facade and also the richly decorated interior. Though it is not something special from outside, it surely deserves a visit for its excellent stained glass windows and richly decorated ceiling paintings and oh, it’s absolutely free.

The Holy Trinity Roman Catholic Church

8. Black Wall by the National Theater

The Black Wall is a special project of artist Dan Perjovschi and if you like political satire, you must check this out. It reminded me of the East Side Gallery in Berlin. The drawings are centered on the ideas of freedom, civility, and democracy.

We spent a total of 6 nights in Sibiu, and some might say it was too much, but honestly, we felt it was too little. There are a lot of things to do in the surroundings of Sibiu too. We went to Balea lake and also visited some of the Romanian and Saxony villages close to Sibiu. You can also go to Paltinis resort, which is only 32 Km North-West from Sibiu. Paltinis is the highest (1440 m altitude), and the oldest resort in Romania. 

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Top things to do in Timisoara, Romania

We had heard and read a lot about Romania from the stories of Dracula to this country having one of the fastest internets in the world, and this was on our bucket list since a long time. The first city we decided to explore in Romania was Timisoara as it was only a 3 hour drive from Belgrade, where we stayed for 2 weeks. Timisoara is the third most populous country in Romania and being the European Cultural Capital for 2021, it offers a lot of things to do, and most of the important landmarks are situated in the city center or close to the city center. 

1. Stroll around the parks in Timisoara 

Timisoara used to be called the little Wien thanks to a number of parks in this city, and one of the best times to visit would be spring where you see beautiful flowers of different colors from yellow to pink to white. 

Cathedral Park

My favorite park in Timisoara was Cathedral park right next to the Timisoara Orthodox cathedral. I also loved Central Park, Justice Park, Botanic Park and one of the most popular Roses Park. There were no roses when I visited but in summer, it is a big deal and real pretty. 

Park Justice

If you happen to be here with your partner, Timisoara parks would be the best place to rekindle your romance. 

2. Pay your visit to the magnificent Timisoara Orthodox Cathedral

Timisoara Orthodox Cathedral looks like a Disney like cathedral. Built between 1936 and 1941, its architecture is Neo-Moldavian style, based on the elements of Roman orthodox, ottoman, byzantine and late Renaissance. The cathedral has 11 towers, the highest being of length 90.5 meters.  

Looks like a disney iconic castle right?

The cathedral is located in the city center surrounded by the central square or victory square on one side and a beautiful cathedral park on the other side. It is magnificent from the inside too.

The view of the cathedral from Liberty square

3. Feel the atmosphere of Timisoara at Victory Square also known as Piata Victoriei

Victory Square is the symbol of the Romanian revolution in December 1989. It is where the early protests occurred and spread to the other parts of Romania, and the people of Timisoara are really proud of it. This revolution resulted in the end of the communist era in Romania. The end was declared from the balcony of the opera house located at the Victory Square. Ironically, this was the same place longtime Communist leader Nicolae Ceaușescu used to give speeches from. He was executed at the end of the revolution. 

Situated in the center of the city, you can  find a lot of the main attractions, including Timișoara Orthodox Cathedral, Romanian National Opera House, Timisoara National Theatre and Politehnica University of Timișoara.

We really liked walking around this square. It is one of the best places to feel the atmosphere of the city. There were a lot of cafes and restaurants and also people selling stuff on carts. We had crepes and it was delicious.

There is a statue of a wolf with its pubs, which is a replica of the Lupa Capitolina, given to Timisoara by the city of Rome in 1926. There is also a famous fountain, known as “fountain of fish” built in 1957 in the form of a star with five corners. 

Fountain of fish

4. Feel hundreds of years of Romanian history at Unirii Square

Timisoara is one of the most cosmopolitan cities of Romania and you can find the evidence at Unirii Square, where the Roman Catholic and the Serbian Orthodox temples face each other. Though not as lively as Victory Square, its architecture of Baroque style is the most impressive one in Timisoara. 

The statue of the Holy Trinity at Unirii Square

There is also a fountain here, which was one of only two water sources in the city.

The fountain present at Unirii Square

Unirii Square is such a unique relaxing place at the heart of the city. You can just sit here with your drink and enjoy the people passing by. 

5. Taste the art collection at the Baroque Palace

We also visited the Baroque palace close to Unirii Square. The palace is beautiful from both outside and inside. It houses the work of many local artists and is one of important landmarks of Timisoara. 

Baroque Palace

6. Visit the oldest square of Timisoara, Libertatii Square

Libertatii Square is the oldest square in Timisoara. This is the nucleus of the city and this is where people of Timisoara first settled. Though not as famous as the other two squares, it makes the connection between Victory Square and Unirii Square, which means you will walk through this. 

The square hosts some of the oldest buildings existing in the today’s city: the Garrison Command (the former Generalate, a building existing in 1727), the former Chancellery of War (also existing in 1727, now forms the east wing of Old Town Hall), the Old Town Hall (1731 - 1734) and the Military Casino, built in 1744. 

I found some interesting statues here, especially of a boy appearing to call someone.

Call me maybe?

7. Pay your visit to the Cetate Synagogue

Though Cetate Synagogue is not situated in the city center, it is beautiful piece of architecture and should be visited. Located on Mărăşeşti Street in the Cetate district, it was built between 1863-1865 in Moorish style. 

8. Admire the Millennium Church

We stumble upon this church on our way to the Cetate Synagogue and boy, it is beautiful. Located in the Romanilor Square, close to the Traian Square, it is built in the Neo-Romanesque style by Lajos Ybl. 

9. Look out for the street art/graffiti

I was impressed by what I saw on the walls of Timisoara streets. Romanians are creative and artistic, visible from their random work on the walls.

That’s brutal

10. Have fun at Lulius mall

The first thing we did after reaching Timisoara was visiting this mall because we needed a phone connection and wanted to grab something to eat. It is a big mall with many international brands. It is well organized and we ended up shopping here too as we were running out of clothes having been traveling for 4 months. Prices are reasonable. If you have been traveling for a long time and kinda tired with sightseeings, this mall is a good place to chill out and they got some good food.

We spent 2 nights in Timisoara and this city is super clean and I found the people helpful too. We could have easily spent a day or two more here, but we had some other plans. 

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Diana and John, our Airbnb hosts

It’s been 4 months since we left our apartment in San Francisco to travel Europe. We have been to many places, seen a lot of wonderful things, met some really interesting people, but something which we would never forget is the hospitality of Diana and John. We stayed with them for 2 nights at their apartment located centrally in Timisoara via Airbnb. We came as strangers and left as friends. 

Both Diana and John are lovely people and they make such a cute couple. They happen to be a long term travelers too. They were on a 3 month trip to different places and having that in common with us, we had just so much to talk about. Both the nights we stayed, we had healthy long conversations about life, travel, culture, traditions and much more. 

Diana is one of the most helpful persons I have ever met. She suggested us some off beaten paths in her city and also recommended us some wonderful restaurants. Our next stop was Sibiu and we were not sure how to get there. She contacted the bus agency and also Blabla car service for us. We wanted to take the car and she figured out all the details with the driver and even came down to drop us off. It’s not everyday you come across some a warm hearted person who goes above and beyond to make sure you are comfortable. 

We wish we had stayed longer with this lovely couple, but there is always a next time. People like Diana and John revives your hope in humanity and the hope to encounter such people is one of the many reasons we love to travel. 

Just to add, the view of the sunset from their room we stayed at is splendid, and the room itself is spacious and super clean. 

Experiencing the sunset from Diana and John’s Airbnb room. No filter at all.

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Skadarlija/Bohemian quarter, Belgrade

Skadarlija is a vintage street close to the city center of Belgrade. It is also called Bohemian quarter similar to Paris’ Montmartre. Though it is not as bohemian in nature as it was once, it has still maintained its old atmosphere and spirit to some extent and you can find cobblestone pavements here.

Skadarlija street

This street is named after the old Serbian town Skadar, which is on the territory of Albania today. Skadarlija started transforming into a bohemian quarter when a famous kafana/tavern called Dardaneli on Republic Square was closed and Serbian poets, painters, artists moved to Skadarlija’s inns/kafanas. 

You can still visit some restaurants like Three Hats, My Hat, Two Deer and Golden Chalice where you can get authenrit Serbian food, from the old time where Serbian artists would sit down and discuss about life, arts, and politics.

My Hat restaurant

Strolling down the road, we saw the house of the famous Serbian poet Djuro Jaksic. We saw his statue at the Danube Park in Novi Sad too. He must be some hot shot. Today it has been converted into a gathering point for poets participating in the Skadarlija Evenings event and even you can go inside for free. 

Monument to Djuro Jaksic, one of the most famous poets of Serbia

There is a famous sibilj fountain at the end of the street, which is a replica of the fountain in Sarajevo’s Old Town. 

Skadarlija is a perfect place to go back to the old times and experience how Belgrade used to be 100-200 years ago. With its short cobblestones street, authentic Serb food serving restaurants, various monuments of famous people who used to visit this place, it makes a perfect getaway from all the modernization momentarily. 

Monument to traveling actor

               “My name is Skadarlija…or Skadarska street, however you like it. I am no boulevard....or avenue.…or highway. I am a common steep curved alley in the middle of Belgrade. And that would be everything meaningful to be told about me if it wouldn’t be for my bohemian history, my crumbling roofs, my shaking chairs…” - Zuko Dzumhur

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Novi Sad, Serbia

Novi Sad is the second largest city in Serbia after Belgrade, famous for its Exit festival. It is on the banks of the Danube River and is absolutely gorgeous to the point that if there were such competition as being the most beautiful city in Serbia, it would give a very healthy competition to Belgrade. Being only 58 miles/94 Km from Belgrade, it makes a perfect day trip from Belgrade, though spending a night or two would be good too.

The city center of Novi Sad

History of Novi Sad

Novi Sad was founded in 1694 by Serb merchants across the Danube from the Petrovaradin fortress, during the reign of Habsburg empire as people of Orthodox faith were forbidden in Petrovaradin. So, they had to come up with something to survive and hence they found Novi Sad. During 18th and 19th century, Novi Sad was the largest city with ethnic serbs population in the world. During the revolution of 1848-1849, Hungarian army destroyed Novi Sad to a great extent leading to decrease in the population of Serbs and increase in the population of Hungarians. After WW1, when Austro-Hungarian empire ended, the city was taken by the Serb National Board and the Serb Safeguard. There was destruction of the city during the WW2 and people lost their lives fighting the Axis power. More recently, due to the bombardment by NATO during the Kosovo war of 1999, once again the city had to suffer. Nevertheless, right now Novi Sad is a happening city which is also 2019’s European Youth Capital. 

How to reach Novi Sad from Belgrade

You can easily reach Novi Sad from Belgrade and vice versa. It takes about 1.5 hours by bus to reach. We took a bus leaving at 11 AM from Belgrade bus station, which is close to the city center. We bought our tickets from inside the bus station easily. Make sure you bring cash as they don’t accept credit card. There is an ATM on the other side of the bus station. You can find the schedule of buses leaving to and from Novi Sad here. You don’t have to worry if you miss your bus because there are buses every 15 minutes and it costs about 450-500 dinar one way. 

You can also reach Novi Sad by train (train station is close to bus station) though I have heard trains usually run late in Serbia, but one advantage is it would cost you almost half than bus. You can find the schedule of trains here. It takes 1.5-2 hours by train to reach if train is not late.

If you decide to drive, it would take you only about an hour to reach Novi Sad.

Novi Sad bus/railway station is not super close to the old town. We walked and it took us about half an hour to reach and since we love walking, we were fine. In case, you are not up for walking, you can take bus number 3/4/11. 

Attractions in Novi Sad

1. Trg Slobode (Liberty Square) or Old Town Square

If you are in Novi Sad for the first time, this is where you should start from. Trg Slobode is the Old Town square built in the 18th century This square is just so lovely and full of people. It is a common gathering point for locals, and concerts are held here too. You can always find someone taking pictures in the square because it is so goddamn beautiful.

Trg Slobode (Liberty Square) or Old Town Square

Right in the middle you see the statue of Svetozar Miletić in bronze by Ivan Meštrović, who was Croatia’s or you can say ex Yugoslavia’s most renowned sculptor. Svetozar Miletić was a lawyer and mayor of Novi Sad and one of the most influential Serbians. 

The monument to Svetozar Miletić. Sorry my picture is not clear as it was too much sun that day.

Behind the statue of Svetozar Miletić, there is a neo-Renaissance building of city hall built in 1894.Right now, it is the head office of the mayor and city council. 

The City Hall of Novi Sad

2. Old Town

In the vicinity of the Old Town Square, you find the vibrant Old Town of Novi Sad, beaming up with cafes, restaurants, clothing stores, souvenir shops, and of course tons of people talking, gossiping, laughing, taking pictures, eating, etc. 

Zmaj Jovina street, one of the oldest streets in Novi Sad

Zmaj Jovina street extends from Liberty Square to the bishop's palace. At the end of the street, there is a monument of Jovan Jovanovic Zmaj, who was famous for poems for children. 

Monument of Jovan Jovanovic Zmaj

Turning right at the statue of Jovan Zmaj, you reach the Dunavska Street, which is the oldest street in Novi Sad, which leads to the Dunavski/Danube Park.

3. Dunavski Park/Danube Park

Dunavski Park is the oldest and most beautiful park in Novi Sad. It was built on swamp which was always flooded by Danube river and that’s how it got its name.

Danube park

When we visited, which was in March, it was crowded with locals. We saw a lot of kids with their parents and also many young couples walking hands in hands or just sitting down. 

Monument of Đuri Jakšiću at Dunavski Park

Monument of Miroslav Antić at Dunavski Park

The star attraction of the old town of Novi Sad is a Roman catholic parish church called The Name of Mary Church. It is built in a typical Hungarian style. It is really tall and the architecture in neo-gothic. There are a lot of beautiful stained glasses depicting saints and holy fathers.

The Name of Mary Church

Interior of the church

4. Hotel Vojvodina

Hotel Vojvodina was built in 1854 for the owner Johan Eigler. It was earlier called Empress Elizabeth after the name of the wife of the Austrian emperor Franc Joseph. More than 60 meters in length, it has the longest facade in the old town.

Hotel Vojvodina

5. Petrovaradin Fortress

Petrovaradin Fortress,  which is inscribed on the UNESCO patrimony list is only half an hour walk from the city center of Novi Sad and let me tell you don’t let the distance prevent you from visiting it. On foot, you cross the bridge and the Danube river to reach. If you do not want to walk, you can take either bus # 3 or 9, which connects the centre and the Petrovaradin Fortress, on the right bank of the Danube.

Petrovaradin Fortress from one of the bridges in Novi Sad

Petrovaradin Fortress also known as the “Gibraltar of the Danube” is one of the most preserved fortresses. It was built by the Austrians. The construction started in 1692 and it took only 88 years to finish it. It extends to more than 110 hectares.

There are a lot of green areas in and around the fortress 

If you wanna explore the whole fortress leisurely, it will take you atleast 2 hours. There are some cafes and restaurants inside and we saw locals relaxing and eating. Heard food is good but pricey. 

The clock tower on balcony

The view of Novi Sad over the Danube river is excellent. It's also a place where the big Exit festival is held every year.

The view from the fortress

We took the bus back to Belgrade at 4 PM and made it by 5:30. Novi Sad should definitely be on your list if you visit Serbia. It is so convenient to reach from Belgrade and there are tons of things to do here and even if you don’t wanna do anything, you can just sit either at the Old Town Square or the Danube park or the fortress and have fun.

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Kosancicev venac, Belgrade

Kosancicev venac is the oldest urban neighborhood in Belgrade, where I am staying at present. Right now it is under construction, but that doesn’t take away its charm. Its Turkish cobblestones, cafes, galleries, and wineries give it the atmosphere of the 19th century. 

The neighborhood of Kosancicev venac

St. Michael's Cathedral/Saborna Crkva 

Though it is not the center of the city, it is close to many important landmarks like Kalemegdan park and fortress, Knez Mihailova Street, Republic Square in Belgrade, and this neighborhood boasts of one of the most beautiful Orthodox churches in the world, called St. Michael's Cathedral built from 1837-40 by order of prince Miloš Obrenović. I did not take any picture inside as it is forbidden to use your phone once in, I can tell you its ceilings have some really beautiful paintings.

St. Michael's Cathedral

Princess Ljubica residence

Another important landmark not to be missed in the neighborhood of Kosancicev vena is the Residence of Princess Ljubica. The Residence of Princess Ljubica was built by Hadzi Nikola Zivkovic, on orders from Prince Miloš Obrenović during the period from 1829 to 1830, as the private residence of his wife, the Princess Ljubica. 

The Residence of Princess Ljubica 

The residence has three levels – basement, 1st floor and 2nd floor. It is a classic example of city houses of Serbian-Balkan style.

The interior and exterior design are in accordance with the Ottoman architecture, where the central place is occupied by a spacious hall surrounded by smaller rooms.

Dinvanhane, a Conversation room

There is a conversation room called Divanhane whose windows are lined up against the walls to ensure air flow and lightening in the central hall. This is where families would gather to talk and sip their coffee.

Traditional dress during the ottoman empire rule. Beautiful

Hamam, which is a Roman version of a Turkish bath.

The Residence of Princess Ljubica also houses the permanent exhibit “Interiors of Belgrade City Houses of the 19thCentury” starting with the Oriental (Turkish), through the influence of Central (Biedermeier) and Western European (Neo-baroque, Neo-rococo, Napoleon III, Altdeutch) styles.

Living room inspired by the Western Europe

The Residence of Princess Ljubica is an interesting visit which shows the breaking point in architecture of Belgrade. You can see the elements of both oriental and western design and architecture.

Kafana Question Mark/?

Another interesting landmark in the neighborhood of Kosancicev venac is a kafana called “?.” Yes, ? is its name and i will tell you later why it is called so. It is s the oldest traditional tavern or kafana in Belgrade. Tavern is a place where people gather for alcohol and food and it also served as a lodging for travelers in the past. "?" was built in 1823 on the order of Miloš Obrenović I, Prince of Serbia. It was designed by an unnamed Greek architect. I still have to eat here, but I have heard food is good though prices are more than other restaurants in Serbia due to its history, probably. 

Kafana question mark or “?”

You must be wondering why it is called ?. Right? Well, the owner of this tavern wanted to name it Kod Saborne crkve, which is a church name. Obviously, the church authorities did not like this idea and the owner was not sure what to do next and call it ? and that’s how it got its name. 

Kosancicev venac is a beautiful neighborhood rich in history and close to all the important attractions in Belgrade. You must pay your visit to this neighborhood and even better stay here, if possible. 

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Republic Square, Belgrade

Republic Square is one of the most common meeting points for both locals and visitors. If you are going on a tour with a local tour company, they would ask you to meet them “Under the Horse” which is just another name for Republic Square. Why? Because of the Monument to Prince Mihailo Obrenovic.

Monument to Prince Mihailo Obrenovic. You can see why it’s called “Under the Horse”

Besides the statue of Prince Mihailo, you can also find the National Museum and the National Theatre at Republic Square. 

The building with a magnificent dome behind the horse is the National Museum of Serbia. There was some kind of construction going on when we visited.

There are 4 fountains present in the Square.

Republic Square is something  you can’t miss. It is considered as the center of Belgrade. If you are in Knez Mihailova Street, you would definitely stumble into the “Horse Statue” and in case you don’t, just ask someone. People in Belgrade speak pretty good English.