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Travel Guides

View of Athens from Leocharous 8
Greece

Exploring hidden Athens Vol.2

April 2, 2018

Another edition of me exploring unknown buildings in Athens is here. It all started when I came across Atenistas’ Hidden Athens open walk two years ago. Since then I’ve explored the neighborhood of Pagrati and hidden courtyards in Plaka. Last November it was time for the second edition of hidden Athens. This time I explored buildings around Syntagma and Monastiraki areas. Let’s see what was on the menu this time around! We started the walk from the Lyceum club of Greek women. Kalliroi Parren founded the club in 1911 as a volunteer organization. It plays an active role in the…

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Kalamata Railway park, Peloponnese, Greece
Greece

The Essential guide to Kalamata

November 7, 2017

Kalamata is a coastal town in the regional unit of Messenia, in the Peloponnese. It is known for its olives (Kalamata olives) and olive oil. Messenia is literally covered with olive trees! Last year during our Peloponnese road trip my husband and I spent an evening in Kalamata. We returned this year as we wanted to explore the city further. Things to See in Kalamata As I mentioned last year, I enjoyed Kalamata’s central square (on Aristomenous street) which is full of cafes. It does have a lot of free space as well and was full of people when we…

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Greece

Postcards from Kardamyli

September 19, 2017

Last year during my Peloponnese road trip I missed the opportunity to visit Karadmyli. Well, we did stop and walk towards Old Karadmyli. It was rainy; the signs were inadequate so we didn’t see much. So this year we returned to the area to spend more time in Kalamata and stop in Kardamyli. Related: Peloponnese Road Trip: Elafonisos & Mani peninsula   We started our day in Kalamata with a hearty breakfast at Elektra Hotel & Spa. After an hour of equal scenic and mountainous ride, we reached Kardamyli. We found somewhere to park and started to explore the village….

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View from Kohtuotsa viewing platform, Tallinn, Estonia
Europe

The essential guide to Tallinn, Estonia

August 23, 2017

Last month I visited Tallinn for a conference. It was my first time in the city (and Estonia) and needless to say I was excited. Visiting in the summertime meant that I had plenty of daylight to explore the city. The sun set at 10.30pm (whereas in Athens it sets at 8.40pm). Tallinn is a charming town and the old city surrounded by walls, towers, and all that jazz remained intact throughout the years. Another thing that amazed me was the kindness and friendliness of Estonians. From the conference organizers to the waiters in the restaurants, I visited everyone was…

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Fontana di Trevi Rome
Europe

5 Days in Rome: Itinerary & Budget

July 5, 2017

Travel planning is my jam! I love crafting out itineraries and maximizing my time when visiting a city. I also love to share those itineraries with my friends and here on the blog. Today I’m sharing a 5 day in Rome itinerary and budget from my trip back in March. I’m also sharing our expenses for those days. Let’s get started! 5 Days in Rome Itinerary Day 1: Arrival at Rome, St. Peters Basilica, Pantheon, Piazza Navona We arrived in Rome at around midday. Our flight landed at Leonardo Da Vinci airport and we took the Leonardo Express to the…

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Alice Inn Athens
Greece

Exploring the hidden courtyards of Athens

June 26, 2017

Back in May, I embarked on yet another Open Walk by Atenistas. This time I explored the hidden courtyards of Athens located in Plaka. It was sweltering hot that day, but equipped with a wide brimmed hat and water I explored as many as I could. Courtyards are typical in the old houses and especially in Plaka. They are not gardens though, but many of them had some trees and flowers. The first stop is the mansion of Benizelos family. It is the older house in Athens dating to the 16th century AD. It is the family home of Saint…

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View from Gianicolo park, Trastevere Rome
Europe

Sunday walk in Trastevere, Rome

June 12, 2017

I’ve heard about Trastevere back in 1999 during my first visit to Rome. It was a bohemian neighborhood with bars and restaurants ideal for nightlife. Or so it was depicted. Back in 2011, I visited Trastevere for dinner and I admit that I wasn’t impressed. It was during my last visit in March that I got to explore Trastevere. I realized that there is more to it than “bars and restaurants”. We explored Trastevere’s parks, cobblestones streets, and medieval churches! Before I get on with our walk I’d like to let you know that I started a Youtube channel! The…

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