Blog - Top Travel Sights

Latvia

Top 9 Fun Things to Do in Cesis

By Ilona March 28, 2020

Cesis is one of Latvia’s most beautiful towns and one that you shouldn’t miss out on. Indeed, it’s so pretty that you should put it on your travel itinerary right away.

And you don’t even need to have a lot of time because it’s easy to visit Cesis as a day trip from Riga. Of course, it’s nicer to stay for the night, because then you’ll have enough time to explore the whole area. But if you’re short on time (or visiting in winter, when it’s cold and gloomy), just come for the day. It takes about two hours to come here and you have the choice between going by bus or by train.

While Cesis is small, it has enough attractions to keep you occupied for at least a day. …

Belize

Top 5 Things to Do on Caye Caulker

By Ilona March 21, 2020

I will be honest with you. I didn’t love Caye Caulker. I’m not saying that I disliked it but it wasn’t my favourite place in Belize either.

I think it all comes down to travelling to Caye Caulker with the right expectations – and my expectations were high. My whole trip to Central America had been inspired by a young adult novel called Wanderlove. I have read that book more often than any other book (even more often than Harry Potter), and a huge part of it takes place on a Caribbean island in Belize. While the island in the book is fictional, it was inspired by Caye Caulker.

So you can imagine my expectations when I got there. I had vivid images of tropical beaches and colourful houses in my head, the kind of place where you cycle through backstreets without seeing any other tourists.…

Guatemala

Top 9 Things to Do in Guatemala

By Ilona March 14, 2020

Guatemala has it all. From volcanoes to limestone pools, Mayan ruins and lakes full of manatees – whatever you are after, you will find it here. The country might be tiny, it has roughly the same size as the state of Tennesse, but it is so varied that you can easily spend weeks exploring every corner.

The main issue is that most of us don’t have weeks or even months to travel to every Guatemalan village. But even in a week or two, or maybe four, you can have a brilliant holiday here. To make sure you don’t go home without having missed any of the country’s highlights, we have put together this list that will help you decide what to do and what to see.…

Lithuania

Meet the Locals: Julijus, Border Control of the Republic of Uzupis

By Ilona March 7, 2020

Have you ever heard of the Republic of Uzupis? No? Welcome to the club! We didn’t know this tiny republic existed until we travelled to Vilnius. Uzupis declared its independence in 1998 and even though it is not officially recognised as a country by anyone, the republic has its own government, constitution and even currency.

And of course, to get there, you have to cross a border. Well, border. You have to cross a bridge with a sign that states that you’re entering Uzupis. Not very different from many other European borders, to be honest. If you want to, right after the bridge, you can have your passport stamped.…

Guatemala

Top 5 Villages to Visit at Lake Atitlan and what to do in each of them

By Ilona February 29, 2020

I absolutely loved Lake Atitlan. Imagine a very blue lake surrounded by mountains, with lots of cute villages dotting the shore. If you come to Guatemala, you should definitely stop here. Take as much time as you can because there are lots of things to do and see.

One of my favourite parts about Lake Atitlan was going to the many villages that surround the lake. We took a boat and just hopped from one place to another. Along the way, we admired street art, sat in cafes and tasted local chocolate. It was an amazing day. I just advise you to start early, because the weather tends to get more and more cloudy during the day.

If you’re heading to Lake Atitlan yourself, here are my five favourite villages that you should visit.…

Honduras

Top 9 Things to do on Utila for non-divers

By Ilona February 22, 2020

Utila is a Caribbean dream. Full of white beaches, sandy paths and colourful wooden houses, this is how I always imagined paradise to be like. The region reminded me a bit of Bocas del Toro in Panama and just like I had loved Bocas, I loved Utila.

We spent almost three days here, exploring the island, floating in crystal-clear water and chasing colourful fish. Utila is known for its reefs and most people come here to either learn to dive, to become a diving instructor or to just spend a few days exploring the underwater world. And while I had gotten my diving certification in Thailand, it had been more than six months since then and I didn’t want to do a refresher course.…

El Salvador

Guide to Hiking Volcan Santa Ana, El Salvador – Everything You Need to Know

By Ilona February 17, 2020

Volcan Santa Ana is one of El Salvador’s biggest tourist attractions. The light green lagoon that bubbles in its crater, with smoke rising up, is a spectacular sight.

I have to admit, this was the one destination I did not research properly. I love research, but by the time we had arrived in Santa Ana, I was tired and exhausted and figured I could just go without reading up on it. It led to a lot of confusion, us almost jumping off at the wrong bus stop and worrying for a while that we would not end up seeing the volcano at all.

But do not fear. To make sure that the same thing doesn’t happen to you, I have put together this guide.…

Ireland

Top 6 Things to Do in Northern Ireland on a Day Trip from Dublin

By Ilona February 1, 2020

Have you watched Game of Thrones? I haven’t, and it wasn’t until our guide kept making Game of Thrones references that I found out it was filmed in Northern Ireland. Apparently, the TV show is one of the reasons why this region has become more and more popular with tourists. But no matter whether you’re a huge fan or not, you’re going to love this region of the Irish Isle and should visit.

Northern Ireland has so much to offer! From brilliant shades of green to stormy coastlines and bustling Belfast, you’ll find lots of great things to do and see. If you’re short on time, you are in luck because it is possible to come here on a day trip from Dublin.…

Photo Stories

The Heart of the Silk Road

By Daniel Armesto February 1, 2020

The Heart of the Silk Road

A trip through the ancient trading hubs that connected East and West

The Silk Road has always fascinated travellers from all over the World. The ancient network of trading routes connected the East and the West for centuries, making possible the trade between lands like China and Europe. The Silk Road is certainly the biggest trading network from the ancient era, and its importance didn’t decline until just a few centuries ago. Even today countries like China want to revive it, with projects like the One Belt One Road Initiative.

Such a vast network attracted huge amounts of people. The major trade hubs soon became wealthy and known all over the globe, with modern-day Uzbekistan as the heart of the Silk Road.…

Kyrgyzstan

Top 5 Reasons Why Kyrgyzstan Should Be Next on Your Bucket List

By Daniel Armesto January 23, 2020

While I was travelling the Silk Road, one of the countries that surprised me the most was Kyrgyzstan. Central Asia is not exactly one of the most popular destinations, and Kyrgyzstan is, for most people, just one of those far away “-stan” countries. However, it has so much to offer! From its incredible natural beauty to the fascinating culture of the Kyrgyz people, these are the reasons why Kyrgyzstan should be next on your bucket list.…