Jerusalem (Part 1): our first encounter with the Holy Land

August 31, 2017.Reading time 11 minutes.

Our first stop in Israel was Jerusalem, where we have spent three nights. One of the oldest cities in the world, claimed as their capital by both Israelis and Palestinians, and considered a holy city for three major religions (Christianity, Islam & Judaism), Jerusalem is rich with history, culture and religion. I don’t have to […]

10 things to know before visiting Israel

August 7, 2017.Reading time 14 minutes.

A small Middle Eastern country with a population of only 8 million people, bordering Egypt, Lebanon, Syria, Jordan and Palestinian Territories, the State of Israel is a very young country, established only in 1948. On the other side, the Land of Israel (part of the Holy Land) is an area with rich and complex history and […]

A layover in Istanbul is always a good idea

July 26, 2017.Reading time 6 minutes.

When booking our flight from Belgrade to Tel Aviv, we had several possibilities regarding the length of the layover in Istanbul (for the same price). We opted for an 18-hour overnight stay, which provided us just enough time for a quick tour. Our hotel of choice was the 5* Elite World Europe Hotel near the […]

Cinque Terre: a hidden gem along the Italian Riviera

July 17, 2017.Reading time 5 minutes.

Exactly three years ago, we chose the picturesque Cinque Terre for our summer vacation. The most famous part of the Ligurian Coast comprises five centuries-old small fishing villages (Cinque Terre translates to five lands) of Riomaggiore, Manarola, Corniglia, Vernazza and Monterosso al Mare. The wider area, known as Cinque Terre National Park (a UNESCO WHS […]

Azure Window, Malta

July 14, 2017.Reading time 1 minute.

Once a major tourist attraction in Malta, the Azure Window is now receiving one-star reviews on TripAdvisor. The Azure Window was a 28-metre-tall limestone natural arch, located in Dwejra Bay on the island of Gozo in Malta. Game of Thrones fans will also recognize it as a GoT landmark as it was featured in the […]

Maldives: paradise on Earth

July 9, 2017.Reading time 4 minutes.

White sandy beaches, aquamarine sea with billions of tropical fish and romantic sunsets make the Maldives one of the most popular honeymoon destinations. The Maldives are a chain of twenty-six atolls. There are more than 100 resorts to choose from, and more recently tourism has spread to the local islands (which are much more budget […]

Sri Lanka: an island of many contrasts (Part 2)

July 9, 2017.Reading time 3 minutes.

For the beach part of our stay in Sri Lanka, we chose to be stationed in Unawatuna and do day trips around the Southern Province. We booked a room at the Sea Front Villa (through Booking.com), which was p e r f e c t. It has a private beach and only three rooms, so […]

Sri Lanka: an island of many contrasts (Part 1)

June 28, 2017.Reading time 16 minutes.

I have to admit, after arriving to Sri Lanka (especially from Dubai) I experienced a bit of a cultural shock. This escalated when in the morning of Day 4 we discovered an uninvited “guest” (i.e. a huge cockroach) on the INSIDE of the mosquito net over our bed. We divided our 8-day itinerary into two […]