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Genoa and Portofino; jewels of the Italian Riviera
Wouldn’t it be nice if, after all the Corona chaos — fear, lockdowns, isolation — travel were officially prescribed as therapy? After five months within four walls, a trip to Genoa and Portofino felt like a cure for the soul. La vita è bella, in all its glory. Driving from Rijeka to Genoa takes about seven hours — unless, of course, you’re traveling with two dogs. The highway toll from Monfalcone to Genoa costs €38. A smarter option is the train from Trieste, with one change in Venice, costing around €102. You really don’t need a car in Genoa anyway. Narrow streets, almost impossible parking, and garages charging around €25…
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All you need to know before visiting Pompeii and Mount Vesuvius
There are so many reasons why you should visit Italy: food, wine, culture, natural beauty, people and my favourite – history. Nothing can beat Italian history. A must-see destination is definitely Pompeii. One of the reasons I love to travel and explore is that feeling of being humbled, amazed and changed forever. Pompeii does exactly that. Nature can be savage, and standing on the main square, the Foro, and looking up at Mount Vesuvius, you truly realise its power. Its most famous eruption took place in 79 A.D., when the volcano buried the ancient Roman city of Pompeii under a thick carpet of volcanic ash. In just one afternoon in…
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A day trip to Assisi
This was the first time I didn’t do any research on a place I was about to visit. It was simply a stop we wanted to check out on our way to Itri. We booked a hotel, got in the car, and drove almost seven hours to this charming, romantic town. There are eight parking lots around the city, three of which are close to the town gates and just a few minutes away from the main monuments of Assisi. Prices are around €12 per day. Check with your hotel as well, as some provide parking or have special deals with city parking. Do not try to park inside the…
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Firenze… my secret love affair
I fell in love again. Honey, I love you… but I have to be honest — I wasn’t expecting this. It swept me off my feet. It’s Firenze. That’s the perfect description of how this city makes you feel: in love. Butterflies included. Everything you see — architecture, art, cathedrals, museums, streets — pulls you straight back into Florence’s medieval and Renaissance soul. It’s overwhelming in the best possible way. If you can visit only one place in Italy, choose Florence. Not Rome, not Venice, not Naples. Florence. And honestly, once is never enough. Choosing the “right” time of year to visit is unnecessary — every season works. If you…
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Kyoto will steal your heart
If you want to experience the essence of Japan, go to Kyoto. This city truly has it all. I fell in love with it the moment I started reading about it. Temples, shrines, gardens, neon lights, crowds, shopping, fine dining, street food, inspirational walks, kabuki performances, geishas – everything you associate with Japan, you’ll find here. Rich in tradition and history, Kyoto is an absolute must when visiting Japan. We stayed in Kyoto for five days, and it still wasn’t enough. Seeing all 1,600 Buddhist temples and more than 400 shrines is simply impossible. Each one is unique, colorful, and full of history. For me, Kyoto was the highlight of…
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Rimini beach and San Marino
Being a Croatian (country of a thousand islands) I have huge standards when it comes to beaches and clean sea. We have some of the most beautiful beaches in the world. You name it and we have it: sandy, rocky, stone (big or small ones), ones that you can only get to by a boat, secluded …. Even more beautiful is our sea. Transparent, crystal clear and most important clean! So I have to say, on first sight, I wasn’t impressed with Rimini which is known for 15 km long and 200m wide sandy beach. We came late at night after a long 6 hour drive from Rijeka and decided…
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Hiroshima – a city with a huge message
When you think about Hiroshima what is the first thing that comes to your mind? First atomic bomb attack, right? Unfortunately that’s the introduction of Hiroshima. Yes, every year millions of visitors from all over the world come here to see the place where so many people were killed in this instant nuclear explosion. Hiroshima is so much more than its atomic legacy. It´s a modern city with lots of museums, parks, bridges, historical places and vibrant nightlife. Before describing Hiroshima, I’ve written some of the facts about bombing Hiroshima which I found very interested and might help you understand more of its history and recovery. First place we…
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Yokohama – a pleasant surprise
Did you know that Yokohama Chinatown is the biggest in Japan and one of the largest in the world? Or, did you know that The Landmark Tower has the fastest elevator in Japan (up to 750m/min)? Or, that Yokohama is Japan´s second-largest city ? Yes, Yokohama is amazing and I wish we spent more than a day here. To be honest Yokohama wasn´t even on my list to see when in Japan. I was looking to see more of a traditional Japan and I would always associate the name with tires . I was soooo wrong ! I hope I´ll be lucky enough to see it once again and give…
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Kamakura – city of shrines and temples
An hour south of Tokyo there is a small ancient city that was Japan´s administrative capital from 1185 until 1333, but it actually became famous for its numerous temples, shrines and wooded hills. I´ve read somewhere that it has 19 Shinto shrines and 65 Buddhist temples, including two of Japan´s oldest Zen monasteries (Kita Kamakura). To me, heaven. Being able to see something that I only saw in documentaries was a dream come true. Is there a better place to experience Zen? Just being surrounded by all this beautiful, peaceful temples makes you want to search your soul, and try to achieve togetherness of your body and mind. They told…
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Yokosuka, Japan – naval base city
If your spouse, better half, friend or member of your family is in US Navy at some point in there career they might end up in Yokosuka. If you have a chance to tag along do it. It´s Japan, that is the first reason ! The second one is; since it´s the headquarters of the US Navy’s Seventh Fleet, you won´t feel such a huge cultural or gastronomic shock. Here you will find some Japanese that do speak English. If you walk along the Dobuita street you´ll even feel the American influence on restaurants, bars, shops…. I have to mention that Japanese pronounce Yokosuka as “Yo-ko-ska“ or “Ya-kuu-ska” . Trying…
