Category: Destinations

We got a chance to visit Rome, few months ago.

3 days is a perfect itinerary for Rome. It will give you ample time to get a essence of this eternal city and to see some important sights. Please note that 1 day out of the 3, was dedicated solely for visiting Vatican city.

As you already know, Rome is one of the most visited cities in the world and this fame comes with a price. Sometimes you can expect to wait several hours to to get your entrance ticket to the city’s top tourist attractions.

We took an Aer Lingus flight from Dublin, Ireland to Rome, Italy.

We could see the Alps mountains from the flight and it was a spectacular view. It’s always a treat to fly across the European Alps on a clear day. It would be good to get a window seat (left preferred), while doing the booking, in case if you wish to get an aerial view of the Alps.

After landing at Leonardo da Vinci–Fiumicino Airport, we took a taxi (normally most of the taxi here are white) to the hotel Novotel Roma Eur (approximately 30+ minutes). Remember that there is a monorail facility available to move between the terminals. It was a bit strange to notice that the tourist office were not open after 8PM.

Rome has two major international airports that you might fly into – Rome Fiumicino (FCO) and Rome Ciampino (FCO). Flights from the North America usually arrive at Fiumicino, whilst flights from Europe may arrive at either. You can also find lot of Train tickets vending machines within the teminals.

Novotel Roma Eur is away from the city centre. Eveytime getting a taxi from this hotel to city center is going to be costly. 

Metro would be the best option to get into the city from this hotel. You willl have to walk around 1.7Kms to the Metro station ‘EUR Palasport’ (B Line) (EUR Palasport is a station on Line B of the Rome Metro, in the EUR district of Rome between Viale America and Piazza Umberto Elia Terracini).
You can also wait for a bus (bust stop is just opposite to the hotel) to reach the metro station. The frequency of buses are not great. From the Metro station palasport, you can get a metro to the city (6 stops to the Colosseo, the stop that takes you just next to colosseum). Always keep this distance in mind while booking this hotel. This hotel is a good choice if your don’t mind using the metro everyday to get anywhere.

If you are staying here in this hotel, don’t forget to visit the nearby EUR lake and EUROMA Mall.

The Metro comprises of three lines – A (orange), B (blue) and C (green). You have several options for buying tickets at the ticket machines. It is important to know that the same ticket is valid for all public transport (ATAC) including metro, trams, buses (with the exception of the tourist buses) and even a number of regional trains.

Some important ticket types are:

• BIT Metro Ticket: This ticket costs 1.50 € and allows you to use public transport for 100 minutes after you stamp it. You are only allowed to make one trip by metro or train.
• Roma 24H Ticket: This 7 € ticket allows you to travel for 24 hours after activation

Other Travel Card options:

One option to save a lot of time and money during your 3-day stay in Rome is to get the “Rome Tourist Card”, also called “Rome City Pass”.  You’ll bypass the queues and have priority entrances to the most famous tourist attractions of the city. The pass includes:

• Colosseum entrance ticket with audio guide + Roman Forum + Palatine Hill (1st day of my itinerary)
• St. Peter’s Basilica: entrance + audio guide (2nd day)
• Vatican Museum and Sistine Chapel (optional – Day 2 of this itinerary)
• 10% discount for museums and tourist attractions such as the Castel Sant’Angelo or the Galleria Borghese

Another option will be to take ‘Omnia Card’.   This card is also called the “Rome and Vatican Pass”.

The Omnia Card includes the following:

• Priority admission to the Vatican Museums and the Sistine Chapel (scheduled for the second day of your trip)
• Skip-the-line ticket to St. Peter’s Basilica + audio guide (2nd day too)
• Visit to St. Peter’s Prison + audio guide
• Lateran Basilica and Cloisters: entrance + audioguide
• Free tickets for 2 tourist attractions from the list below:
  • Colosseum (1st day of this itinerary)
  • Palatine and Roman Forum (1st day too)
  • Castel Sant’Angelo (2nd day)
  • Borghese Gallery
  • Capitoline Museums
• Free access to public transportation during your 3 days in Rome – Perfect to get around quickly if you don’t want to do everything on foot!
• Discounts for museums and activities
• Hop-On Hop-Off bus ticket (tourist bus)
• A map of Rome

While thinking about Rome, somehow we get a feeling that its a huge city, and in many ways it is. However, it’s actually smaller in population than other European cities like London, Paris, and so on.

Day 1:

Start off your 3 days in Rome by exploring the historic city centre. This area is filled with some of the most famous sights. You’ll learn tons of history, take stunning pictures and eat some incredible food along the way.

One thing Rome is not short of is, fountains. There are around 300 monumental fountains as well as many small public drinking fountains.

When in Rome, you can’t miss the street performers.

We decided to do a walking tour and a sight seeing tour in bus on Day 1.

In the walking tour, we covered 3 main attractions:

1. Spanish Steps (PIAZZA DI SPAGNA)
2. Trevi Fountain
3. Monument to Victor Emmanuel II

a) Spanish Steps:

A frequent stop on any Rome walking tour, the Spanish Steps are a lovely way to start the day.

Admire the fountain at the square below before heading up the stairs. Climb the 135 steps to the top for a stunning view of the city.

The area surrounding the Spanish Steps is known for its luxury shopping and designer boutiques.

In 2019, a new law was put in place to crack down on “bad behavior” in Rome. If you are caught sitting on the Spanish Steps, you risk paying a €400 fine.

b) Trevi Fountain:

One of the most famous places to visit in Rome, the Trevi Fountain is indeed stunning. The problem is that everyone else seems to think so and it’s one of the most chaotic and touristy places in the city.

If you want to really experience this place, it better to go there around 6:30-7 AM or late evening, as the crowd will be very less.

Don’t forget to toss a coin into the fountain to ensure your return to the Eternal City! These go to a good cause – each night the coins are removed from the fountain and used by a charity that helps those in need of food.

Standing 26.3 metres high and 49.15 metres wide, it is the largest Baroque fountain in the city and one of the most famous fountains in the world.

c) Monument to Victor Emmanuel II:

Dedicated to the first king of Italy (who is buried in the Pantheon), the Monument of Victor Emmanuel II is located between Piazza Venezia and Capitoline Hill. It’s hard to miss this monument, with its two bronze statues and white exterior perched high over Rome.

After the sighseeing,  We did the Greenline Tour (Bus trip) aswell on Day 1.

We decided to proceed with Greenline Tours. Based on my experience, the tour tickets were cheaper through the agents rather than booking online. You will encounter a large number of agents on the road (mainly near the attractions).

Greenline provides 3 Routes (Green, Orange and Blue). We covered the Green route. It is a highly recommended tour, as you get an oportunity to explore the main places in a short span of time and that too with a Guide.

Bus Stops in Green Line (Eternal City Tour, Circular):

1A TERMINAL
Piazza dei Cinquecento (corner Via Cavour)

2 Santa Maria Maggiore
Piazza dell’Esquilino, 12

3 COLOSSEUM
Via di San Gregorio

4 Circus Maximus
Via del Circo Massimo, Belvedere di Romolo e Remo

5 PIAZZA VENEZIA
Via del Teatro Marcello (in front of civic numbers 32-34)

6 VATICAN CITY
Lungotevere Tor di Nona, n. 7

7 VILLA BORGHESE
Via Ludovisi, n. 48

8 BARBERINI SQUARE
Via Barberini, n. 14

Please use the link to explore more à https://www.greenlinetours.com/en/tours/rome-bus-tours/hop-on-hop-off

Day 2:

We took the combination tickets for Colosseum, Roman Forum, Palatine Hill & Mamertine Prison: Reserved Entrance from Tiqets (Non Guided Tour).

https://www.tiqets.com/en/rome-attractions-c71631/tickets-for-mamertine-prison-colosseum-roman-forum-palatine-hill-p974875

Duration: Mamertine Prison: approx. 30 minutes,

Colosseum, Roman Forum & Palatine Hill: approx 2.5-3 hours

Colosseum and Roman Forum might be the main highlights of your trip to Rome.

Starting point of the tour was Mamertine Prison. At the Mamertine Prison, receive your ticket with a specific timeslot for the Colosseum (about 1.5 hours later on the same day).

Please make sure to be at the Colosseum, 15 minutes before the timeslot that was given to you at the Mamertine Prison.

In our case, we got the Mamertine Prison ticket for 9:40AM and we got the Colosseum ticket only for 3:40PM. So be ready with flexible schedule, while planning for this day trip.

a) Mamertine Prison:

According to the history, the apostles Peter and Paul were also imprisoned in this prison, although there is no real evidence for this. Keep in mind that the attraction as a building itself is not much, but that it is mainly the dark history that attracts the visitors.

Expect some rush/delay in getting the tickets.

b) Explore the Roman Forum and Paletine Hill:

Roman Forum & Palatine Hill are in the same compound.

Roman Forum – This sprawling complex was once the center of political, social, and religious life in ancient Rome.

The Roman Forum is the old town where the Romans lived thousands of years ago. Some of these buildings still stand today and the rubble for the others are there too. There is so much to learn here and it shows a lot about what life was like back then.

Palentien Hill – Discover the birthplace of Rome on Palatine Hill. According to legend, this is where Romulus founded the city in 753 BC. Explore the ruins of imperial palaces, gardens, and stadiums that once housed Rome’s elite. Enjoy breathtaking views of the Colosseum and the Roman Forum from the hilltop.

c) Colosseum:

Its better to book your tickets in advance.

You can book tickets directly or through some guided tours. We did not book a guided tour and we still regret that. We would have understood a lot, if we had a guide with us.

We tried the online audio guide (Voxcity), but it was a big flop. So we always suggest to proceed with a travel guide instead of online or audio guide.

Take as many photos and videos when you are at Colosseum, afterall you are stading in one of the wonder of the world.
Since the 6th century, the Colosseum suffered damages from earthquakes, lootings, and World war II bombings. That’s why only part of it is still standing today. Thanks to its extensive history, it is listed as one of the Seven Wonders of the Modern World and is one of Rome’s most popular tourist attractions.

This colossal amphitheater is a testament to the grandeur of ancient Rome. Undoubtedly it is a symbol of Rome that every tourist should see. Colosseum is most famous for being the home of gladiators, who would battle it out in front of audiences that could number as many as 80,000 people.

At 157 feet, the Colosseum was also the tallest amphitheatre ever built, falling only 26 feet short of the Leaning Tower of Pisa. The Colosseum has a fascinating architectural design, featuring three levels of arches and a complex network of tunnels and chambers beneath the arena.

As we had enough time between Mamertine Prison and  Colosseum,  We did an additional walking tour to see:

1. Piazza del Popolo
2. The Twin churches of Rome
3. Piazza Navona
4. Pantheon

a) Piazza del Popolo:

Piazza del Popolo is a large urban square in Rome. This was the location of the northern gate of Rome, and is where, for countless years before trains, planes and cars, travelers would actually arrive into Rome.

On the south side of the Piazza are the twin churches of Santa Maria in Montesanto, and Santa Maria del Miracoli, sitting either side of Via Corso.

b) The Twin churches of Rome:

Santa Maria dei Miracoli and Santa Maria di Montesanto are two churches in Rome. They are located on the Piazza del Popolo, facing the northern gate of the Aurelian Walls, at the entrance of Via del Corso on the square.

c) Piazza Navona:

This is one of the most beautiful squares in Rome. It’s very long with a central fountain called La Fontana dei Quattro Fiumi (The Fountain of the Four Rivers, with four statues representing the Donau, Ganges, Nile, and Rio de la Plata). This is a great spot for people-watching and enjoying free street performances.

d) Pantheon:

We couldn’t get inside as we missed to do a pre booking. So ensure that you do a booking before reaching here. As of July 2023, entrance is no longer free and costs €5 (during weekends + holidays, as far as I know). The Pantheon is one of the best preserved buildings from ancient Rome (alomost 2000 years). Its an ancient Roman temple turned church.

Day 3:

The day 3 was dedicated for Vatican city. You can find more details in my travel blog :

1 Day in Vatican City

In case if you have more days in your plan, there are many more interesting places to explore.

A few of them are listed below:

Rome to Pompeii (historial places)

Appian Way

Catacombs of Rome

Pyramid of Caius Cestius

Baths of Caracalla

St. John in the Lateran

Borghese Gallery & Borghese Gardens

Tiber River Walk

Capitoline Hill

Galleria Doria Pamphilj

Galleria Sciarra

Terrazza Del Pincio – Sunset View

Hop on the fast train that takes only 1 hour 15 minutes from Rome to Naples 

Rome Travel Tips:

• Rome is a popular tourist destination, so it’s best to plan ahead.

• You will do so much walking during your 3 days in Rome, so wear comfortable shoes!

• Rome has a great public transportation system including buses, trams, and the metro. These can be convenient when exploring Rome in 3 days.

• As you explore the ancient wonders, take moments to appreciate the rich history and culture that surround you. Rome’s streets are filled with hidden gems and stories waiting to be discovered. Embrace the city’s vibrant energy and let yourself be transported back in time.

• To get the most out of your trip and to be sure you see all the major attractions, you will need to do a bit of forward planning and even reserve your entry time to the key attractions – otherwise you’ll waste your time standing in lines unnecessarily and even miss out on being able to visit.

• Rome is really easy to get around, with much of it very walkable.

• Some of the museums and attractions are closed on Mondays.

• Rome is relatively a Tourist safe place.

• The water in the taps is safe to drink, although many locals prefer the taste of bottled water. You can also drink the water that comes out of the taps in the fountains, so just carry a drinking water bottle with you and hydrate as you go.

• Many of the attractions in Rome are holy places, and you need to be dressed appropriately.

• Avoid the tourist traps directly outside the main tourist attractions. Instead, walk a few minutes in any direction, and you’ll come across much more affordable and authentic options.

• It is good to choose a accomodation near to the Metro line.

• And last but not the least, don’t forget to try Galeto (and/or other sweets) and Pizza.

Summary:

Rome is such a fascinating city and we are glad that we got an opportunity to visit this beautiful city.

Certainly, 3 days in Rome is not enough to see absolutely everything that the city has to offer, but it’s definitely enough to see all the highlights if you manage your time effectively.

We visited Dalaman in April 2024.

Whenever someone says about the country “Turkey”, we usually think of Istanbul or Cappadocia & its hot air balloons.

People usually relate Dalaman and the surrounding towns like Fethiye with package / beach holidays but I will have to say that it’s a completely wrong understanding. Along with some beautiful beaches, there are many more places to visit and see here in this part of Turkey. Lots of Historical sites aswell.

Dalaman is a municipality and district of Muğla Province, Turkey. Its area is 608 km², and its population is around 50000. I still feel that this part of Turkey is still an unexplored destination. The Dalaman region of Turkey is generally considered safe for tourists.

As am holding my Indian Visa, I had to go with a E-Visa. Its super easy. You just get into this website and provide the requested documents. The visa will come back to your registered email address in few minutes. (NOTE: Single Entry charge is 44 USD)

Please also note that there are few other websites like this one, which are mostly managed by the private parties. Ofcourse, their processing charges will be more.

We took the RyanAir flight from Dublin to Dalaman. The flight reached there at 9:45PM (flight time was around 4 hours 15 min or so).

When you prepare a plan for Dalaman, I would suggest to book a ‘All Inclusive’ Stay. Patiently wait for a good deal. Believe me, you can get some really good deals.

We had booked our stay at ‘Sundia Exclusive By Liberty Fethiye‘, which is around 50 minutes from the Dalaman Airport. It’s a all inclusive resort. All Inclusive, so buffet breakfast, lunch and dinner will be included as part of your package, as well as snacks at set times and selected local-brand alcohol, soft drinks, tea and coffee. The staff were very helpful and the services were excellent. I would definitely suggest this resort without a second thought. One other good thing with this resort is that they serve food almost 24 hours. So even if you reach Dalaman airport late evening or night, dont bother much about taking parcels to the hotel. Instead, you can have your late dinner at the hotel itself.

Please check out my detailed blog on Sundia Exclusive By Liberty Fethiye.

Dalaman Airport is the main gateway. Taxis, shuttle buses, and rental cars are available for transportation. Public transport includes buses, dolmuş (shared minibuses), and taxis. A number of airlines fly into Dalaman including budget-friendly options like EasyJet , Jet2 and Ryanair. Ofcourse Turkish airlines aswell.

If you don’t want to hire a guide / taxi or if you don’t want to use a public transport, you can also hire a car from the Dalaman Airport. You can book in advance with companies like Eurocar.

Package holidays in Dalaman, Turkey  offer a convenient and hassle-free way to explore the destination and give you an extra layer of security. These carefully curated holiday packages provide travellers with a comprehensive experience that includes flights, accommodations, transfers, and sometimes even guided tours or excursions. While package holidays provide a pre-planned itinerary, there is often flexibility to tailor the package to your preferences.

In case if you would like to plan the trip with a customised itinerary, this blog can be used as a reference. In this blog, I have tried to cover a 3 nights / 4 days itinerary which would certainly cover most of the important attractions.

The main advantage that we got in this trip was that we were able to get a great contact in Fethiye, His name is Tunca. He is a part time Tourist guide (very local to Fethiye). He helped us to finalise the whole itinerary and was with us almost all days throughout this trip.

Without a second thought, I can gurantee that he can be a great support if you are planning a itinenary from your side. He has got some real good rating from his customers. Please see the link for more details: https://www.airbnb.ie/experiences/1074953

DAY 1 : 6 hours Fethiye Day trip including 1 hour Boat ride

Fethiye is best for beach lovers. Situated right on the Mediterranean coast, Fethiye has plenty of beaches nearby including the famous Blue Lagoon. Sightseers will also love Fethiye, whose long history has left it with plenty of sights to see, including the breath taking Tomb of Amyntas.

There are different companies that do the city tour. If you couldn’t book one prior, sometimes you will be able to do it from your hotel itself. Different agencies visit the reception/lobby area and you can check with them for trips. We covered the following on the day 1:

1 Hour Boat Trip

Fethiye view point

Butterfly Valley View Point

Lycian Rock Tombs (Tomb of Amyntas)

Akvaryum Bay

Kayaköy Ghost Town

Aquarium Cove Fethiye

Blue Lagoon (Oludeniz)

Fethiye Market

Tunca came with a convertible car and that made the day 1 road trip an exciting one.

We started our journey with a Boat trip (1 Hour).  Tunca owns a small boat and we used his boat for this trip. It was indeed a great experience. Sometimes waves were a bit harsh but manageable.

Lycian Rock Tombs (Tomb of Amyntas):

Carved into the cliff sides above the town and looking out over the ocean, the Fethiye Lycian Rock Tombs offer a fascinating glimpse into the city’s ancient past, dating back to 350 BC.

The only way to reach the tombs is by climbing up the hillside (there is ticket price involved here) . It’s a short walk but leave yourself plenty of time to admire the ruins and take in the views along the way. You can see as far as the Greek island of Rhodes on a clear day. Please note that you will have to climb around 200 steps to reach the tomb.

If you are planning to visit a histrorical place, It is always advisable to go through the history of  that place before visiting. It will help to get more context of what you are going to see there or what the guide would be speaking about.

In this 1 day trip, you will see lot of view points enroute. Some of them are very good for drone photography.

Kayakoy (Ghost town):

Its been designated as a “World Friendship and Peace Village” by UNESCO. The town was abandoned after the Turkish Greek Population exchange that took place after the founding of the Turkish Republic in the 1920s.

The ghost town of Kayakoy is tragically all that is left of a once-thriving village in Turkey. It was built in the 1700s, but it has been completely deserted since the 1920s.

Kayakoy has around 3500 preserved houses and three churches. The largest of the churches is the beautiful and deserted Basilica of Panayia Pyrgiotissa. To get the most out of this area, I recommend booking a guided tour to Kayakoy with a knowledgeable tour guide who knows the town’s history. This way, you can get an accurate and informed insight into how the terrible events unfolded here.

We had lunch at a Traditional restaurant named ‘Antik’ in Ghost town.

We tried the local food ‘Gozleme’ and ‘Ayran’. Food was tasty. It was also a nice experience to watch the preparation of ‘Gozleme’.

Butterfly valley View Point & Beach

The name comes from more than 90 species of butterflies that can be observed at a certain time of year at an inner point of the valley. There are 2 opions to see this place. Many tourists take the boat trip which has this place as one of the destination and the other way is by road. Please note that you will have to walk a short distance to reach the view point fom the main road. That short distance is not a proper walkway, instead you will have to do a short hike to reach the point. The walking path is a bit tough and uneven. If you have any walking difficulties, it might be challenging. Definitely, this is a must seee place.

There was a person taking Drone photography. Charges was around 500 TL. The Drone video came out really nice.

After almost 6 hours (including 1 hour boat trip) , now it was time to reach back the hotel. Its indeed a scenic roadtrip.

Day 2 : Olüdeniz Paragliding and Saklikent Gorge

Olüdeniz Paraglyding:

This was the most exciting day in the whole trip.

I started off the day with Olüdeniz Paragliding. There are ‘N’ number of companies offering the Paragliding experience. Most reputable paragliding companies will offer transfers, full insurance, and professional instructors. So always ensure to go with a reputed (or one with great reviews), evenif the cost is slightly high.

There are different options like Tandem (for beginners), extended thermal flight and acrobatic flights.

I had booked an tour with Gravity Paragliding. I was extermely happy with their service. The overall flight time was around 30 minutes or so.

Scared of heights? Fear not; you’ll be securely strapped to a trained pilot who will control the paraglider while you sit back and admire the views.

You will get an opportunity to leap 1800 metres off Babadeg Mount and land on the beach on a thrilling paragliding experience. Paragliding off Babadag Mountain is typically done in tandem with a qualified instructor, so you do not need any prior experience to paraglide in Dalaman.

I selected the 9AM slot and they picked me up from hotel at 7:50 AM. It is almost a 45 minutes drive from hotel to the mountain bed.

As I had travelled during a shoulder season, they had clubbed their travel van with another company. It took another 25-30 minutes to reach the top of the mountain which is at 1800 meters. The company had arranged a very experienced Pilot who has been flying since last 11 years.

The wind was harsh. And my pilot did not take any risk. He asked me to wait until the wind condition was manageble. I had seen some other companies coming and do the paragliding even in the adverse wind conditions which I felt was very risky.

The company representative asked me to keep the valuables in a locker in their shop. I did that and later I realised that it was a mistake. If you leave your phone, you are really missing the beautiful photography options at the moutain top. So I would suggest to take the phone with you. Anyway the Pilot will collect all your valuables before the flight and will keep it in a very safe bag with him. It will be handed over to you once you complete the flight.

Another mistake that I have seen many people doing was that they book back to back tours with the travel companies with very limted time gap. Like 9AM paragliding, 10:30AM Boat trip and so on. We had some people in our van who have done something similar. Please don’t go with an assumption that paragliding will start at the exact time. There are some very important external conditions like wind which will be play a key role. On our flight day, the wind was very harsh and the flight could not not start at the designated time. Many of the co-travellers had to leave for the boat trip without doing the paragliding. They had to go for the boat trip and come back later in the afternoon or evening to do the paragliding. So my suggestion is that its always better to leave a half day excusively for paragliding. (Ex: If 9AM is your flight time, it better to leave your day free until 1PM, so that you have enough time to adjust with the time that is lapsed). Also remember that this is happening slightly outside the main city and you might need atleast a hour or so for commuting back to the hotel.

Olüdeniz is one of Turkey’s best places for tandem paragliding. It offers incredible views of the beach and Blue Lagoon below.

The take-off was smooth, and the pilot talked to me throughout the flight and took photos and video on a GoPro (you usually have the option to buy these at extra cost later, but it’s worth checking the details beforehand). Definetely take a copy of those photos and videos as it is a memory to cherish for ever.

I stayed calm and focused on everything that my paragliding instructor was telling me. We ran down the slope, the wind caught our parachute, and suddenly, we were floating in the air.

I realised that paragliding was one of the greatest things I have ever done . It’s terrifying, but ridiculously rewarding.

Ölüdeniz is one of the most photographed beaches in the world for paragliding.

I felt completely safe during the experience, but it is important to choose an Oludeniz paragliding company that is well-established, licensed and has a good reputation for safety. Licensed operators undergo regular inspections and adhere to safety regulations set by local authorities.

You will be able to get an excellent top view of the The Blue Lagoon in Ölüdeniz (natural marvel, one of Turkey’s most iconic coastal destinations). Please note that this Blue Lagoon is one of the most visited places in Turkey. People visit here for swimming, snorkelling and so on. You will find a range of bars and restaurants where you can relax. As far as I know, there is a National park nearby this Blue Lagoon, which has a small entrance fee.

Saklikent Gorge:

Around an hour away from Fethiye, you’ll find the second-largest gorge in Europe – Saklikent. This place is a real natural beauty.

Seems like, a shepherd from the area was on a quest to locate his missing goat when he stumbled upon it near the gorge’s entrance.

Aside from being huge, it’s also extremely deep, and the shade from the sun is very welcoming. As you move futher, look up at the huge limestone cliffs on either side. As you reach the water crossing point, you’ll feel how cold the water is when it flows directly from the mountains!

In Summer, nomally the authorities tie a rope for few meters (some 500metres or so). Tourists can hold the rope (if required) for walking through the water body. As we had gone during the off season, the tourists were very minimal (almost nil) and no such ropes were seen. So we did not venture much into the water body.

This is a very intersteing destination worth visiting. You need to purchase tickets at the entrance of the Gorge. This awe-inspiring gorge was formed millions of years ago by the natural forces of water erosion, creating the deep canyon and steep slopes that we see today.

DAY 3 : Just Relax in your hotel room

This was a day for complete rest. As mentioned earlier, Sundia Exclusive By Liberty Fethiye is a All Inclusive hotel and its close to the beach. We spend most of our time at the hotel room, pool and beach.

As the Calis Beach is near by, we spend some time walking in the beautiful pathway near to the beach. You can also rent a electric bike or scooter and roam around.

If you don’t want to take rest and want to make a effective use of this day, I would suggest 1 day trip to Pamukkale and Hierapolis.

DAY 4 : Dalyan Boat trip

You don’t have to book any tour company for doing this tour. You can do it all by yourself.

Arrange a taxi or rent a car or a Public transport to reach Dalyan. It took us around 50 minutes to reach from our hotel. We saw a lot of orange trees enroute in both sides of the road.

From the Pier/Jetty, you can direcly take a boat (250 TL / person). During the season trime, boats will be starting every 10 minutes or so. There are lots of boats for service. This rate is for public tours and the only disadvantage is that you will have to wait until 15-20 people onboard the boat. But I was told that these boats will be able to fill their capacity in 10 minutes during the regular season / peak time. Many of the boats used for Dalyan River tours are typically traditional Turkish wooden boats called “piyade” or “kayik.” These boats are well-suited for navigating the river’s shallow waters and narrow channels.

If you don’t want to wait long and if you are ok in paying more, you can directly take a private hire (might be around 2000 TL). Please note that these are all shoulder season rates and might vary based on seasons.

The boat takes around 40 minutes one side and there is a stopping at Iztuzu Beach (Turtle Beach) for almost an hour. So, please be prepared by taking some eatables/water with you. Some boats might have snacks/drinks/beer and so on, whcih you can purchase directly.

This area is now a protected breeding ground for the ‘Caretta caretta (Loggerhead) Sea Turtle, and you might get a chance to see them. Unfortunately, we didn’t see even one turtle. We were told that its very tough / rare to see turtles during the day time. So keep your expecatations minimal. But this 5-6 kms stretch of the golden sand beach is really beautful.

On a typical Dalyan boat trip, you will sail through pretty reeds and also pass the Lycian rock tombs.

These cliff-carved tombs, dating back to 400 BC, are the final resting place of the kings of Kaunos. They are so imposing and beautiful that they almost don’t look real.

In this blog, I just tried to cover some of the very interesting destinations that we visited in Dalaman. However there are many places (and experience) which is missed out in this blog. Please find a short list below:

Mud Bath experience in Dalyan

Dalyan 12 island tour

Paddle boarding in Selimiye

Fethiye Fish Market

Fethiye Market

Marmaris day trip (Night life, Dancing Fountain and so on)

Jeep Safari in Dalaman area

Exploring The Aegean Islands Near Dalaman (Boat trip)

Akyaka & The Azmak River (River Cruise)

Letoon

Kaunos

Selimiye

Island Hopping in Göcek

Selale Waterfalls in Turgut

Saint Nicholas Island Kayaking Tour

Babadağ Teleferik (Cable Car)

Sarsala Cove

Sarıgerme

Yuvarlak Cay Cold Springs

Village of Kalkan

Akkaya Valley

Blue Logoon

Dalaman is also famous for the beaches. Please see a small list below:

Sarigerme Beach

Patara Beach

Kaputaş Beach

Carette Beach

Summary:

• This is indeed a great destination, definitely recommended.
• If you want to avoid a rush period, I would suggest to avoid May/June/July, as the resorts gets pretty booked up throughout thsose months. July might be the hottest and busiest month, attracting sun-seekers and holidaymakers.
• Weather in Dalaman is warm 365 days of the year. Shoulder months like April or August will be better time to visit as the rush will be relatively lesser.
• Turkish Lira (TRY) is the official currency. Credit cards are widely accepted, but carrying some cash for smaller purchases is advisable.
• If you like fresh fish and fresh food, Fethiye is an ideal location.
• English is widely spoken in tourist areas.

Vatican City is the smallest country in the world both by area and population, covering an area of 49 hectares (121 acres). This place (religious superpower) have guided millions of people across the globe.

Home of the Roman Catholic Church and its spiritual leader – the Pope, Vatican City was granted a country status to enable the pope to exercise his universal authority.

The euro is the official currency of the Vatican City, although Vatican City is not a member of the Eurozone or the European Union. The euro has been the official currency of Vatican City since 2002.

This country have a population of around 764 (as of 2023) residents, and has its own flag. For many travellers, visiting this religious hub is a bucket list item. Visiting the Vatican is an unforgettable experience not only for lovers of art but also of history, culture, and architecture. 

There are multiple ways to reach here:

• Metro –> Line A (There are two metro stops located near the Vatican Museums entrance: Ottaviano and Cipro)
• Bus –>  Numbers 492, 990 (Via Degli scipioni); 32, 81, 982 (Risorgimento stop)
• 49 (Viale Vaticano / Musei Vaticani stop)
• Tram –> Number 19 (Risorgimento / San Pietro stop)
• Taxi –> Taxi Station Viale Vaticano (in front of the Museum)
• Car –> Payment Parks in Viale Vaticano

Vatican city Trip planning:

Entry to the Vatican City and St. Peter’s Square is free, but to enter the Vatican Museums and the Sistine Chapel you need to take tickets, except on certain occasions.

Vatican Museum:

Keep in mind, that the best time to visit the Vatican Museums is in the morning, as queues begin to form as early as 07:30 am despite the museums opening at 09:00 am. Do not leave this for later in the day as museums close at 6:30 pm hrs and visitors are obligated to leave the premises thirty minutes before closing time.

Book your tours and tickets for Vatican Museum, well in advance as the lines get very very long and it can take hours to get in. Without a skip-the-entrance-line ticket expect the line to be up to 1 to 2 km long (even starting well before 8:30 am)

We did the following to book our tickets:
1) Link : https://www.museivaticani.va/content/museivaticani/en.html#lnav_shop
2) Once you click the link, you will have to book the tour (We had selected ‘Museums and Vatican collections’).
3) Select the date of your choice and click confirm (you will have to give number of Visitors).
4) The next screen will show all the available ticket types. We had selected
‘Guided Tours for Individuals – Vatican Museums and Sistine Chapel’.
5) Select the ticket type of your choice and click ‘Book’.
6) The next screen will show you the price distribution (like Full Ticket, Reduced Ticket (6-18 years including 18 years and students). You also have a option to select ‘Visit Language’ (This is for the earphones, as we had selected Guided Tours).
7) In the same screen, you will get to see the different timings and the corresponding availability. Select your convinient time.
8) If you are happy with all the provided details, click to proceed.
NOTE: In the tour that we seleted, the Guide fees is also included when you see the final ticket price.
9) In the next screen, you can provide your personal details (like name and so on) and proceed to Buy for Payments.
10) You will get the confirmation ticket / voucher in your email. You will have to show that ticket (better to keep a hard copy handy in case if somebody says softcopy is not allowed), when you reach the entrance. NOTE: Good to scroll through the Q&A : https://tickets.museivaticani.va/support

Steps to follow on the day of your visit:

There is a line reserved for the visitors with the booking. Visitors are asked to present themselves 15 minutes before the tour start time. The voucher is Non Transfereble and is valid only for the date / time that is reserved. Online booking allows you to skip the museum entrance line. Simply proceed to the entrance gate to scan your ticket. (NOTE: We somehow reached the entrance gate 15 minutes late, but still they allowed us to join the group tour that we booked online, but try to reach early). There are multiple security checks before entering the Museum.

This Museum is the home to some of the most priceless art collections (around 70,000+) accumulated by the Pope over the centuries.

The Vatican Museums are made up of 26 museums (about 5 miles of wall space) in all and display some dazzling exhibits.

The one thing that can’t be avoided is the crowds. You will be moving as one large mass, from museum to museum spread over two floors to get to the Sistine Chapel.

NOTE: Please note that Museum is not open on all Sundays. Please check the below link for the timings: https://www.thevaticantickets.com/timings/

Sistine Chapel:

This is one of the most famous and beautiful chapels in the world. The most famous part of the Sistine Chapel is, of course, the ceiling, which was painted by Michelangelo between 1508 and 1512. One of the most interesting things about the Sistine Chapel is that it’s still in use today. The chapel is used for important religious ceremonies and events, including the election of new popes.

Don’t forget that it’s forbidden to film and/or photograph inside the Sistine Chapel (with or without flash)!  I managed a sneaky one (no flash) on my iPhone (OK, am not such a bad guy who breaks rules and regluations all the time, but somehow I couldn’t resist taking a picture)

The Sistine Chapel is located right on the other end of the Vatican Museums and you will have to walk through all the museums and exhibitions before you get to see the masterpiece.

Spiral Staircase:

Every photographer will want to capture the famous and most beautiful spiral staircase. You can find this famous staircase at the very end of the visit as you exit the Vatican Museums. It’s one of the most photographed staircases in the world.

St. Peters Square:

The square is also known as Piazza San Pietro and is located right in front of the basilica.

The square has hundreds of statues. One of the first things you’ll notice about St. Peter’s Square is its size. It’s one of the largest public squares in the world, spanning over 5 hectares (12.5 acres) and capable of holding over 300,000 people.

There are 2 fountains in the square. Located in front of St Peter’s Basilica and the charming Bernini colonnade, the Vatican Obelisk is one of the 13 antique obelisks of Rome.

It is free to visit but the lines might be veeeeery verrrrrrry long, so a skip-the-line ticket is worth getting (there are few different options like guided tours, small group tours and so on).

When the Pope is at home in Vatican City, he gives an audience each Wednesday morning in St. Peter’s Square that is open to anyone who would like to join.

More details here: https://www.vatican.va/various/prefettura/index_en.html

St. Peter’s Basilica:

St Peter’s Basilica is one of the largest amd most famous churches in the world.  It is not a part of the Vatican Museums.  Entry is free but you will have to get through the security, which can take hours. You’ll pass through a metal detector and will have your bags checked when you reach the front.

NOTE: There are some skip the line tickets available in ‘Get Your Guide’, ‘Viator’ and  other websites.

One of the most striking features of St. Paul’s Basilica is the massive 80-metre-long nave, which is one of the largest in the world. The nave is lined with marble columns and features beautiful mosaics and frescoes on the ceiling.

St. Peter’s Basilica was completed after 120+ years of construction.

St. Peters Dome is the tallest in the world and the entrance to the dome is on the right side of the basilica, above the visitor center. Climb the steps for a view of Vatican City (as it was very crowded, we did not do that and hence I don’t have a photo of how it will look like). Please note that you need to take a ticket to get to the top of Basilica. However, it is highly recommended to visit the Dome.

Dressed in their iconic yellow, red and blue uniforms (outside the Basilica), the Vatican’s Swiss Guard might remind you of jesters from Renaissance times.

Other places to see:

• Vatican Gardens
• Castel Sant’Angelo
• Pont Sant’Angelo
• Send a postcard from Vatican City:
• If you want a memento of your travels, sending a postcard from the Vatican post office is not only fun but a cost-effective activity to enjoy. This unique opportunity of mailing a postcard from an independent country to yourself or even friends and families is a novel way to send greetings. The Vatican Post office lies at the exit gate of St Peter’s Basilica to the right.

Important point to note:

• The Vatican has an open-border policy with Italy, so if you have a visa or the right to enter Italy, you can enter the Vatican City too. We had used our Schengen visa to get into Vatican city. Even though it is a country, there’s no need to carry your passport when visiting the Vatican.
• When in Rome make sure to add Vatican City to your itinerary.
• Always budget an extra 20 to 30 minutes if you have a scheduled event like a Guided Tour. This way you don’t have to rush and it’ll give you time.
• The Vatican Museum is immense and full of so many incredible things that booking a tour guide or using an audio guide is strongly recommended. With just a day in Vatican City, you must budget the available time in such a manner to see the best attractions. A typical guided Vatican tour lasts only two to three hours which barely scratches the surface. 
• The Vatican has a strict dress code that requires shoulders and knees to be covered. Avoid shorts, skirts above the knee, and sleeveless tops.
• Like all great Italian museums, you can get coffee and food inside the Vatican Museums.
• Wear comfortable shoes. If you have any issues with walking for a sustained period of time, rent a wheelchair (for free). The Vatican Museums have very few benches where you can rest.
• Pack light, you will not be allowed to take bigger bags with you and have to go through security. The less you carry with you, the better. Food and metal tools (scissors and knives) are not allowed.
• With breaks, some stamina, and the right strategy, a one day visit to Vatican City can certainly be done and enjoyed. Don’t forget to schedule enough free time between sightseeing so you can get a bit of rest and have some food.
• If you know in advance that you are going to travel to both Rome & Vatican City, you should consider getting the Omnia Rome & Vatican Card. It will pay for itself in no time!                      More Details here  –> https://www.omniavaticanrome.org/en

Interesting facts about Vatican city:

• Smallest country in the world.
• One of the countries that is surrounded by a city (in this case, its Rome).
• You can just walk into Vatican City from Rome and you won’t even notice a major difference between when you’re in Rome or Vatican City.
• Latin and Italian are widely spoken.
• Vatican city has its own flag.
• One of the most visited tourist attractions in the world.
• Mondays, Wednesdays and weekends tends to be the busiest.
• Vatican Museums are the second oldest museum in the world.
• Vatican City doesn’t offer passport stamps.
• The Sistine Chapel is one of the final stops when touring the Vatican Museums and can’t be seen without visiting the museums.
• Vatican City ATM’s give you a choice of instructions in Latin.
• The Vatican city is NOT part of the European Union.
• Make sure to pack some snacks and water, especially when visiting with kids. You can easil spend the whole day here and it’s best to be prepared.

As a part of my business trip, I got a chance to visit Copenhagen, Denmark in October 2023 . I tried to sneak in some time to visit a couple of major attractions in Copenhagen.

Copenghagen constantly ranks one among the happiest cities in the world. There are many attractions to explore here in Copenhagen, ideal place for a 2-3 days itinerary.

Copenhagen Airport, Kastrup:

Its is an international airport serving Copenhagen, Denmark. The airport is the largest airport in the Nordic countries. I flew from Dublin to Copenhagen. The outside view from plane was really superb.  If you’re lucky you’ll get a fabulous view of Øresund Bridge (Architectural Masterpiece, bridge between Copenhagen and Sweden) as you fly into Copenhagen.

It’s a nice and modern airport, which is located just eight kilometres from the city centre.

The airport is well connected with lots of international destinations.

There are a few food outlets within the terminal building. ‘Burger King’ outlet is indeed a big one.

Its quite easy to find the Train, Metro, Taxi and Bus Terminals. There are lots of display boards available everywhere.

If you are looking for Train tickets, you will find the DSB ticket machine / Kiosks (quite near to the Burger King outlet). Please note that such tickets are available in 7/11 shops aswell.

DSB, an abbreviation of Danske Statsbaner (Danish State Railways), is the largest Danish train operating company, and the largest in Scandinavia.

NOTE: You can also use sites like OMIO, for booking trains.

You can also use mobile app Viggo, if you are looking for taxis.

The kiosk is quite easy to navigate. English display is also available. Normally, you will also find a DSB employee near the Kiosk to support you (in case if you are confused how to operate the Kiosk).

There are lots of trains (ex: To Lund, Malmo, Stockholm and so on) from the airport. You will see tracks / platforms clearly indicated.

If you are looking for metro, you will see that also, clearly indicated.

The Metro is well connected to different parts of Copenhagen.

By chance if you want to drop off your luggage in the Airport, there is a self service facility available just outside the terminal building (very easy to use).

If you plan to cover a lot of places within Copenhagen, I strongly suggest to take a City pass (I had personally taken a 24 hours city pass large) .

NOTE:

1) City pass is available in different variants like 24, 48, 72,120 hours. The city pass comes with 2 options Small and Large.
The City Pass Small gives you unlimited access to buses, trains, metro and harbour buses in zones 1 – 4, which includes the center of Copenhagen and to and from the airport.
Meanwhile, the City Pass Large let you travel unlimited in zones 1 – 99, which includes Roskilde, Elsinore and other destinations in Northern Zealand.
A more convenient way to buy the City Pass is by getting the “DOT Tickets” app.
Get more information here : https://www.publictransport.dk/tickets/city-pass

2) There is also a Copenhagen Card worth exploring. See the link : https://www.copenhagencard.com/
COPENHAGEN CARD – DISCOVER is a ‘all-inclusive’ card that covers admission to 80+ attractions, includes public transportation including to and from the Airport.
COPENHAGEN CARD – HOP covers admission to 40+ attractions in the city center and Hop-on Hop-off sightseeing buses in Copenhagen.

Central Station:

The first destination I wanted to cover was the ‘Central Station’. It  is quite a big one with lots of platforms.

Both the metro and normal trains run from Copenhagen Airport to the central station. There are direct trains from airport to the copennhagen Central Station (around 15+ minutes). If you are taking Metro, you will have to get down at Kongens Nytorv and connect another Blue/red lines metro to reach the central station. So its obvious that taking a train would be easy/faster, if your destination is central station.

I had taken a train to reach the central station. Cycles play a major role in the life of locals here. You will see dedicated space for cycles in trains and stations. You will also find a lot of bike lanes all over the city. So be careful, while walking and crossing in the roads. You are not expected to walk in the cycle lanes. Copenhagen was ranked as one of the top Bike-Friendly Cities on the Planet. Bycyklen is a good mobile app for the bikes.

In case of you wish to keep your luggage in the Central station, you have self servcie options available.

STROGET Shopping (Walking street)

Once you come out of the central station, walk straight till the main road and turn to right side. If you follow that road (you will pass in front of Tivoli gate), you will get into the walking street which will take you till the famous canals.

If you are going in the corerct direction, you will see Scandic palace hotel on your right.

It’s a very nice walking street (approx 1.1 Kms I guess, It is one of the world’s longest pedestrian street) with lots of shops in both sides. There are lot of souvenir shops (try to get a souvenir from this street) and eateries in both sides. The entire street is also packed with a number of interesting shops, restaurants, and street performers. One of the highlights is Lego’s flagship store which is an excellent place to browse for both the young and young at heart. It is nice to see how many cool Lego structures are available these days in the place where they were invented.

I had tried some Belgian Chips from a shop and it was really tasty.

You will also find lot of important buildings in that road.

After covering some distance, you will start seeing the glimps of Canal.

This Canal and the buildings nearby are famous photography spots, which you would have seen in many wallpapers. There are lots of bars and restaurants here, so it’s a great place to hang out.

Nyvahn Waterfront and Boat ride:

Copenhagen is a waterfront city, and there’s no argument that the most photogenic waterfront spot in the city is Nyhavn. It is the classic picture postcard view that helps everyone recognise Copenhagen. If you are in Copenhagen and would like to cover 1 or 2 main things here, this canal boat ride should be in the Top part of your priority list. I could see 2 companies operating the canal tour (not sure if there are any other companies).

You will find ticket counters in the end part.

The boat jouney is around 45min-1 hour. The boats can acccomodate lot of people and there is also adjustable roof (in case if want to save youself from getting wet during rains). Since the roofs are adjustable and transparent, don’t worry even if you failed to get a window seat.

Onboard, there will be a guide giving you the history and small bits of information about everything you pass by.  It’s a great way to get a feel for the city and to get a general overview. Its quite a relaxing journey and you will love every moment of that.

NOTE: You will get to see lot of important attractions / buildings like Frederik’s Church, Little Mermaid Statue, Church of Our Saviour in Christianshavn, the imposing Kastellet fortress, royal palace, Opera house and so on during this boat trip.

Streets of Copenhagen:

After getting down the boat, I spend some time exploring the beautiful city of Copenhagen. It is considered to be an expensive city to visit but you can cover a lot of places on foot (the main sights of the city centre are all quite close to each other) . Also as discussed earlier, its good to grab a 24/48 hours ticket, so that you can hop-on and hop-off in public transport. Ofcourse you can also hire a bicycle aswell.

NOTE: Renting a car isn’t practical in Copenhagen, because parking is limited and might be expensive aswell.

Copenhagen’s public transportation system is efficient and clean and can take you just about anywhere you need to go in the city. Switching from one form of transport to another is very seamless.

Tivoli Gardens:

Later in the evening, I decided to explore Tivoli. It is an amusement park (Did you know that Walt Disney came to Tivoli to get inspiration for Disneyland?) and pleasure garden, operating since 1843. There are 30+ rides and open-air concerts in the summer.

If you’re visiting Copenhagen with kids, it’s a brilliant place to visit. They’ll love all the various rides and attractions. Everyone will enjoy it too, especially on a warm summer’s day. It’s the ideal place to relax or enjoy the rides.

If you visit in the evening, you’ll be treated to a dazzling light display. Thousands of lights adorn the various rides at night creating a sight that is fairytale-like!

Located in the centre of the city (one gate is opposite to Central Station), Tivoli Gardens is one of the top attractions in the city and it is the third-oldest amusement park in the world.

Tivoli Gardens is the fifth most visited amusement park in all of Europe. The 20-acre property is known for its rollercoasters. The most famous of which is the wooden Rollercoast Rutschebanen, which was built in 1914.

People say it takes 4-6 hours to cover full place. As I dint had much intention to explore all the rides, I was able to cover in 2+ hours.

But it’s a interesting place to visit. When I visisted, there were lot of Halloween decorations (additional lights and pumpkins) aswell.

NOTE: https://www.tivoli.dk/en –> Check website for opening date/time.

It opens in 3 seasons (Ex: 2024 timings below) :

1. 22 March – 22 September (Summer)
2. 10 October – 3 November (Halloween)
3. 15 November – 5 January (Christmas)

Worth Noting:

1. What I dicussed so far is just a 1 day itinenary for Copenhagen. It’s a place worth 3 days, for sure.
2. Copenhagen can be very cold in winter, so prepare yourself by packing a warm coat, hat, scarf and gloves.
3. Check opening times before visiting any attractions. In the winter it’s common for some venues to close a little earlier, so make sure to double check their websites so you don’t miss out.
4. If you want the highest chances of sunny weather, blue skies, and white clouds, aim for visiting in May-September.
5. Don’t foregt to try Danish hotdogs, Waffles and so on.
6. You can also find lot of LEGO stores which usually has a Denmark-specific set or two, since Denmark is where LEGO was created and is still headquartered.

Copenhagen has plenty to offer, you will not run out of idea.

Some other places/options worth exploring (in and around Copenhagen):

Amalienborg Palace (changing guards ceremony aswell)
Copenhagen Zoo
Botanical Gardens
Round Tower (climb the tower)
Aquarium (Den Bla Planet)
Frederiks Kirken – Marble Church
The Forest Tower – Camp Adventure
Kronborg Castle
Canal Tour
Christian’s Harbor (Painted Buildings)
Christiansborg Palace
Frederiksberg Palace
Statens Museum for Kunsk
Gefion Fountain
Walk up the Copenhill
Torvehallerne Market (food market)
Kastellet Fortress
Kronberg Slot (Hamlet’s castle)
Freetown Christiania
National Museum of Denmark
Louisiana Museum of Art
Church of Our Saviour
Reffen Market (street food)
Rosenborg Castle
Amager Strandpark
Roskilde
City Hall Square
Gråbrødretorv Square
Kultorvet Square
Illums Bolighus –Stylish Department Store
Free Walking Tours
Copenhagen Hop-On Hop-Off Tour
Malmo (Sweden) : Since you can actually see Sweden from Copenhagen, the temptation to visit a new country is hard to ignore. This is easy to do with a day trip over the Øresund Bridge to Malmö. This Swedish city is full of history and character, and you can see quite a bit of it in just a day. (2 countries in a single trip, who won’t love it). Please note that there are high chances (but not always) that id/passport might get verified.

Best time to visit:

Summer in Copenhagen (June to August) is the best season for good weather and endlessly long evenings, but prepare for the city to be busy with visitors. Spring is also fine.

We did this day tour during a trip to Italy in April 2022.

This was a day trip from Milan, Italy. This is one of the most popular day trips to Swiss alps from Milan. The fascinating journey takes you along the UNESCO World Heritage route of the RhB (Rhaetian Railway).”

We had booked this trip in advance (few weeks before), through Viator.

For 2 adults and 1child (10 years old), we paid 302.5 Euros. The Tour commentary was in English and Spanish.

This was one of the beautiful day trips that we had ever done.

Milan to St. Moritz in Air-conditioned coach:

The trip was conducted by Zani Group. The trip started from Milan Visitor Centre – Zani Viaggi (Largo Cairoli, 18, 20121) around 7.15 AM (we had not opted for Hotel pickup/drop option).

The Zani Group is a collection of multiple companies operating in the tourism and transport sector. It has 2 tourist centres in Milan. You can check out in their website to book directly aswell.

https://www.zaniviaggi.com/tour/swiss-alps-bernina-red-train-and-st-moritz-full-day-trip/

We were staying in Novotel Milano Linate Aeroporto which was a bit far from the pickup point. As the start time was 7.15 AM, we took a taxi from the hotel to Milan Visitor Centre and paid around 30 Euros.

As it was a fully packed day trip (almost 13 hours trip), the tour company started the trip on time. One family lost the bus as they reached the pickup point 5 minutes late. They had to ideally hire a taxi and chase the bus and managed to onboard the bus later after a few kilometres. So, ensure to reach on time.

Route plan: Milan Visitor Centre (Milan, Italy) to St. Moritz (Switzerland) in air-conditioned bus. Journey time is approximately 3 hours (around 170 kms)

St. Moritz to Tirano (Italy) in Bernina Express (the most thrilling part of the journey)

Tirano station to Milano in Bus (same bus in which we went to St. Moritz).

We had a tour guide who accompanied us throughout the trip. An audio unit was also provided during the start of the journey and the same had to be given back upon return.

Enroute, the bus to St. Moritz from Milan, the bus stopped at a cafeteria named ‘Moreschi’ (https://www.moreschichiavenna.it/) for some time in order for the tourists to have some refreshments. Clean restrooms were also available within the building complex.

The route towards St. Moritz is very scenic with lot of photography options. They don’t have any other stops before St. Moritz. There was no cross broder checking (immigration check) during the trip.

Enroute you can also see the St. Moritz lake.

Just as the mountains above St. Moritz draw skiers in the winter, the lake below is the focus of attention for many summer visitors.

After reaching St. Moritz, the guide gave clear instructions around:

1. Places to see
2. Restaurant options for having lunch
3. Return trip details like where and when to come back and so on.

Then, we were left alone to explore the beautiful city of St. Moritz at our own pace.

St. Moritz, Switzerland:

St. Moritz is a luxury resort town with a small lake in the middle of the Alps, with cableways to viewpoints and glaciers. It has hosted the Winter Olympics twice.

The magnificent view from St. Moritz embraces the mountains from Piz Languard in the east to Piz Julier in the west.

There are plenty of places to see and visit around St. Moritz.

In a day trip like this, you will get around 3-3.5 hours and that is more than enough time to stroll through the streets, have a lunch from some restaurant, take some beautiful photographs and grab some Swiss souvenirs and chocolates.

After seeing a few places within the city, we went to the following places:

a) Laderach to buy some chocolates:

b) Wega to buy some souvenirs

c) Galleria Caspar Badrutt to do some shopping

d) Coop to buy some snacks

Return Journey –> St. Moritz to Tirano in Bernina Express (Train Start time :13:48)

We were asked to be back at Railway station at 1:30 PM. The station is sightly at a lower elavation compared to city. There is a series of escalator that will help you to reach station easily.

The train took approximately 2 hrs 15 minutes to reach Tirano station.

(NOTE: The second-class train ticket was already booked by the tour agency, So we just had to follow the guide to the right coach (remember to reach back the station on time that is specified by the guide, else you will loose the train). There were no specific seat numbers. We could sit in any of the available seats in that coach)

Operated by Rhaetian Railway (launched in 1920), the Bernina Express, passes through the Bernina Alps of Switzerland and down into northern Italy. This is a narrow gauge train.

On the highest railway tracks in Europe and the steepest in the world, the Bernina Express takes its passengers on a unique journey through a large number of tunnels and bridges.  

(The actual train route is Chur (Swiss city) –> St. Moritz (Swiss city) –> Torino (Italian city). The overall journey is 4 hours (144 Kms) one way, which has 55 tunnels and 196 bridges)

The Bernina Express train winds up the mountain from an altitude of 2253 to 429. The views were very scenic. You will certainly love this train journey.

Between St. Moritz  and Tirano the train runs round the famous Brusio Spiral Viaduct (single track viaduct), where most of the classic Bernina Express publicity photos are taken. It consists of a 360-degree spiral that enables the train to change the elavation. However, the viaduct is not a feat of engineering only, but an object of beauty. Nine elegant arches with a span of 10 meters made using local stones blend in seamlessly with the surroundings.

Bernina train is a voyage through nature;  from the palm trees and apple orchards of Tirano, passing chestnut trees and forests of fir and larch on the way.

Tirano Railway station to Milan in Air-conditioned coach:

The same bus in which we went to St. Moritz was waiting for us at the Tirano station to take us back to Milan.

The journey time was approximately 2 hrs 15 min (167 Kms).

Enroute, they stop at a restaurant ‘Bracere Tirano’ (https://www.labrace.it/en/)  for refreshments. Clean restrooms were also available within the building complex.

We reached back Milan city centre late evening (around 7PM).  Had our dinner from a restaurant in city centre and went back to our hotel Novotel Milano Linate Aeroporto in a cab (paid 30 Euros)

The trip mentioned above was operated by the tour company Zani Viaggi.

The service provided by Viator / Zani Group was excellent and well orgaized.

In some other companies itinerary, you might find them going from Tirano to St. Moritz in Bernina express and return back by air conditioned coach.

In case if you want to avoid all these tour companies and plan the trip by your own, that is also a possibility and might work out cheaper aswell.

How to book this entire trip by yourself.

(NOTE: You MUST confirm and obtain any visa requirements prior to border crossing. All visa requirements are the sole responsibility of the traveller)

It’s better to book the train tickets well in advance.

Always look out for the related railway websites to get a clarity on the timings and rates.

Onward Journey:

You can book Milan to Tirano train here –> https://www.trenord.it/

Book the 06:20 -09:05 Train

Have your breakfast at/near Tirano station

Leave the Tirano train station and walk across the square to the Bernina station.

And book the Tirano to St. Moritz here –> https://shop.rhb.ch/en/bernina-express

Book the 10:06-12:35 Train (33 Euros)

NOTES:

1) The Bernina express train coaches are designed in a way that you get great views, as they have large panoramic windows. So please feel free to book any seat.

2) You can plan for a second class ticket one direction and a first class ticket in the opposite direction.  (First class tickets are costlier).

In second class, there are 4 seats (2+2) in a row and in the first class, there are only 3 seats (1+2). The seats are more comfortable (leather) and bigger in first class and there are chances that the first class will be less crowded.

The first-class coach is at the last. So, you get to enjoy seeing the train itself traveling through the mountain.

3) There are rest rooms available within the coaches

4) Seat Reservation is mandatory in Bernina express.

5) Children under 6 can travel free. Children aged 6 to 16 pay half the fare.

6) There are special seats available on the Bernina Express for passengers with impaired mobility who cannot leave their wheelchair

7) Dogs are allowed on the Bernina Express and do not require a reservation. Depending on the size of the dog, a dog ticket is required. Please check their website for details.

8) On the Bernina Express, you can use the InfoT(r)ainment free of charge on your own smartphone.

9) There is also a Bernina express bus available from Tirano to Lugano. It’s a 3 hours / 90kms journey and does not operate in Winter. Please check the company website to know more details.

You can spend 3 – 3.5 hours in St. Moritz.

Have your lunch at St. Moritz. Multiple restaurants and café shops are available.

Return Journey:

You can book Tirano to St. Moritz here –> https://shop.rhb.ch/en/bernina-express

Book the 16:14 – 18:39 Train (33 Euros)

Have your dinner at/near Tirano station

And book the Tirano to Milan train here –> https://www.trenord.it/

Book the 19:56 – 22:40 Train (remember that there is another train at 18:56 aswell)

Total train ticket cost for one side per person is around  : 12 + 33 = 45 Euros

Both sides might come around 90 Euros (45+45)

Whereas tour operators might charge you around 139 Euros.

So, you can easily save around 49 Euros per person for the entire trip.

Other things that you might miss when you plan the above train trips are:

1. Commentary by the guide (& audio device)
2. One side journey in Bus (the route is also scenic)
3. Refreshment options (as Bus stops at proper restaurants in both journeys)

Summary:

Bernina Express is without doubt one of the most beautiful train journeys in the world. You can certainly include this 1-day trip into your itinerary, if your budget and time permits. Ofcourse this will be a time bound tight full day journey, but it is worth the money and time.

If you have more days in hand,  please try out the entire Chur to Tirano via St. Moritz and think about staying one night at St. Moritz.

There is also another popular route operated by Glacier express, which is a direct train connecting railway stations of the two major mountain resorts of Zermatt and St. Moritz via Andermatt in the central Swiss Alps.

The Dubai Frame is the largest photo frame (a golden frame) in the world. This was opened to public on 1^st January 2018.

Interesting Facts:

1)Dubai Frame measures 150 metres high and 95 metres wide.

2)Over 9,900 cubic metres of reinforced concrete, 2,000 tons of steel and 2,900 square metres of laminated glass were used in its construction.

3)More than 15,000 square metres of gold-coloured stainless steel covers Dubai Frame, which incorporates a ring design inspired by the Expo 2020 Dubai logo.

4)Dubai Frame’s rectangular design was inspired by the ‘golden ratio’ of 1.618, which many architects and artists believe forms an ideal structural balance.

5)The elevator to the Sky deck carries visitors 48 floors in 75 seconds.

The astonishing frame-shaped building (designed by Mexican Artist Fernando Donis) is near Zabeel Park Gate 4.

It is always better to book the tickets well in advance. You can look for tickets here :

https://www.dubaiframe.ae/en

There are 20+ time slots (each slot is 30 minutes) from 9 AM till 8:30 PM.

The ticket price for Adults is 50 AED (Above 12 years) and children is 20 AED(3—12 Years). Children below 3 years are free.

NOTE: . The staff told us that the ticket includes an entrance pass to the park, so we can stroll around if you want to.

As per the terms and conditions, the Booking Confirmation is valid only for the specific date and time mentioned in the ticket and shall automatically expire upon the lapse of this specific date and time.

We had booked the 8:30PM slot. From our personal experience it is not a good slot to book your tickets. You should try picking a slot just before sunset, so that you can see both day and night views.

There is a beautiful musical fountain near to the entrance. But you cannot really enjoy this fountain if you are picking up a late evening ticket of Dubai Frame.

Your journey starts with admiring the Frame from underneath.

With the admission ticket, visitors can experience “the past, present and future of Dubai.” (All inside the Dubai Frame)

The first experience to the frame is to a very small exhibit on Dubai’s past (no photos allowed) in the mezzanine floor. It consists of a mock-up of an old-style market street. 3D projections and special effects adds more originality.

The Second experience is the Sky deck level which represents Dubai at the present time. A glass elevator will take you to up to 48 floors in 75 seconds. The bridge or sky deck is made of both concrete and solid glass panels, allowing you to walk along the glass and see everything beneath the frame.

The Dubai Frame has been constructed in such a way that when you look through towards the South of the frame you can see the views of the modern metropolis & skyscrapers. When you look through towards the North of the frame you get to see the older Dubai, reminding those of simpler times and how far the city has come along from its humble beginnings as a fishing village that was popular for the pearl diving trade.

There are quotes from His Highness Sheikh Mohammed bin Rashid Al Maktoum displayed on the wall and changes from Arabic to English continuously.

Dubai Frame is 150 metres high and Burg Khalifa is 828 Metres high. If you don’t want to spend a lot of money for tickets @ Burg Khalifa, Dubai frame can be an economical option. Of Couse  spectacular city views are also guaranteed.

At the other end of the hall, we entered another elevator to descend back to ground level.

The last part of the experience is given by taking you to a room (again in the mezzanine floor) where we saw a glimpse of the future Dubai. Again photos/videos are not allowed at that place.  

There are Souvenir and gift shops available at the exit.

We went there in Taxi.

Nearest Metro stop is Al Jafaliya station. Do note there is no direct access to the Dubai Frame from here, it’s approximately a 25-minute walk around the outside of the park to get in.

Points to note:

1. It is worth vesting just before sunset, so that you can experience both day and night views.
2. Keep in mind that the staff are strict with the timings as they need to accommodate the incoming visitors. They allow only 250 Guests at a maximum on the bridge of the frame.
3. For Photographers (especially at night), please adjust your camera as there will be huge reflection of the glasses.
4. There is a very detailed security check before entering the frame.
5. The whole place can easily be covered in 1 hour.
6. Luggage and large bags are not allowed inside the Dubai Frame. 
7. Pets are prohibited here.
8. Sky deck has a nice chocolate-cum-coffee bar where you can buy your coffee and snacks.

Summary:

It’s definitely worth the visit at least once just for the sky bridge experience and the unhindered views of the city from the bridge.

Victor’s way is an Indian Sculpture Park located in County Wicklow, near Dublin, Ireland. It is a 22-acre park surrounded by lush green forest and typical Irish countryside. The park also has some open green fields, ponds and several small lakes.

We followed the below route:

The entire route is quite scenic.

We had spent some time at the Cloghleagh Bridge and at the Lough Tay Viewing point (and Guinness Lake) before reaching Victor’s way.

Cloghleagh Bridge:

This lovely Single arch bridge (over Shankill River) is surrounded by woodland and is adjacent to a quaint church. It’s a beautiful quiet place surrounded by shady trees, with small waterfalls and large flat rocks. There is also a Walking Trail available here.

Lough Tay Viewing point (and Guinness Lake):

The lake is located along the Sally Gap drive and you’ll be treated to magnificent views of its inky black water. The Guinness Lake, as it’s known, is situated within a private estate, but it can be viewed from above from several viewing points along the Sally Gap.

Victor’s way:

You can either book online or pay as cash (10 Euros for Adults) for the tickets. I have not seen any ticket counter as such. There is a small slot where you deposit the money. When we visited, there was a person available near the car park to collect the cash. I don’t remember them giving us any printed tickets or so.

There is enough parking space available within the park.

The entry to the Victor’s Way is an unusual opening, with two ladies on either side. It is known as Victoria’s Gate and the opening represents the birth canal. The birth canal in other words is the one through which we came through into this world. It’s the first journey we ever make in life, and at this point our world becomes so much bigger.

The birth canal here represents being born again and entering into the park, with all the worries of the world left behind on the other side.

The park was known as Victoria’s Way until 2015, when it was closed by the owner who felt that too many day-trippers were coming into the park for fun activities (for parents & children). It was reopened in 2016 as Victor’s Way with new age restrictions as it was designed as a garden for over 28’s year old only.

Although the park won’t suit everyone’s taste, it’s one of the unique things to discover in Ireland. If you’re looking to escape from your busy daily life, then a trip to the peaceful Victor’s Way Park might just be what you need. In addition, it was created for those between the ages of 28 to 60 years old.

It is indeed a great place for a relaxing walk. You can easily spent a good hour or two, walking around the sculpture gardens and it’s best to follow the arrows to guide you through the different areas. There are lot of sculptures (lot of Indian/Hindu deities aswell) within the campus. Some statues appear stunningly beautiful in their black granite.

Seems that many of the sculptures here were directly carved in Mahabalipuram, India.

Please note that this place is not intended for Family Fun (like other parks). This is more of a meditation park.

There is a lot of walk around. So please plan accordingly if you have small kids or elderly people within your group.

Its always better to check their website for the opening season/timings. Please note that this is not open throughout the year. Also, I believe they don’t encourage pets.

Website: https://victorsway.eu/

The Irishman Victor Langheld designed and created the park. Victor also stays within the campus. So there are high chances that you might see him somewhere within in the park.

One of the most famous sculpture here is The Ferryman’s End.

The Ferryman’s End represents the icon of burnout, is set in algae covered waters.

     The ferryman ferries himself and others from ‘this shore’ to the ‘other shore’ (and where the grass is always greener). In other words, he/she ferries from here (meaning sameness) to there (meaning difference) and so from death to life. (Courtesy: https://victorsway.eu/sculptures/ferryman.htm)

(Note: One personal comment. Don’t underestimate the size of this sculpture after seeing the images in Internet. It is relatively small and is set in algae covered waters)

There is a craft shop onsite selling Indian made products. The interesting thing is that there is nobody available within the shop for selling the items. All items have the amount details mentioned in that. If you liked any item, just check the price, and deposit the money in a small box (Honesty Box) kept at the entrance.

We visited Howth in August 2021.

Howth is in the outer suburb of Dublin, Ireland. The district as a whole occupies the greater part of the peninsula of Howth Head, which forms the northern boundary of Dublin Bay, and includes the island of Ireland’s Eye.

Its stunning location surrounded on three sides by the Irish Sea makes it a favourite with tourists.

One of Dublin’s oldest working harbours, Howth has been a fishing village and port since at least the 14th century.

We took the Public transport (Luas) from Saggart to Connolly (Last stop of the red line)

Other Travel Options:

1. You can get the 31 number bus that will take you to the Howth Harbour. Or you can take the 31A number bus which goes through Howth Village to Howth Summit. Both buses leave from the same location, Eden Quay (just off O’Connell Street).
2. If you are coming from downtown Dublin, follow the R807 road along the coastline. This road will turn into R105 and this will lead you to downtown Howth. It is about 18km and might take about 30 minutes depending on traffic.

Connolly luas (Tram) and the dart (train) stations are quite near to each other.

The Dart station is in the first floor and you can take lift/escalator from the Luas Platform to reach there.

If you are interested, you can use Leap Travel Card. More detail about Leap Visitor card can be found here:

https://about.leapcard.ie/leap-visitor-card

If atall you don’t have leap cards, you can buy it from the shops within or nearby the Luas/Dart stations.

You can touch off your leap card in the machine provided at the entry. Don’t forget to do that at the exit aswell.

Connolly station:

There are around 7 platforms in Connolly (+ 2 Platform for Luas).

The train timing and Platforms are clearly marked in the boards. So you don’t have to panic and there are even sign boards clearly indicating the platform number.

The dart train from Connolly to Howth would take around 30 minutes. Trains are available at regular intervals.

If you are visiting Howth using you own car, there ae plenty of parking space available near to the dart station.

There are multiple trails available in Howth. It’s worth to note that many of these trails get busy over the Weekends / Public holidays.

In the beginning of the cliff paths, there are clear indications of the various paths like Green, Blue, Red, Purple and so on. But there are high chances that you miss the actual path (as colour codes are missing at many places, enroute)

All Trails website will give you a rough idea about the various options.

https://www.alltrails.com/ireland/county-dublin/howth

We had gone with the Cliff walk from the dart Station towards the Howth Summit (Howth head Cliff Walk-lower cliff walk). The distance is around 6 Kms (walking time of 1.5-2 Hours approx)

NOTE: If you have more time, you can try Black Linn Loop Walk that goes through Ben of Howth (highest peak of the peninsula). From the summit, you might get a full 360 degree view overlooking the entire peninsula, Howth Castle, Howth village and so on.

Another option is the Bog of Frogs Loop Walk, which follows the coastline for 12km.

If you are taking the Howth Summit route, the best way is to take Google search option to look for Howth summit (as the destination) . The good thing with that destination is that you can take a Return Bus either to Dublin city centre or back to the ‘Howth’ Dart station.

 The beginning of the cliff walk is relatively very steep.

But you have some parking space available at the end of the steep.

Enroute the way to  the cliff parking, you can also visit Balscadden Bay Beach.

NOTE: When you walk past the village towards Howth Head, walk up the hill until you reach a little gate, behind which there is a set of quite steep steps, that lead you down to this beach.

Please note that the path is quite narrow there is no fence available throughout the cliff walk. So please be careful if there are small children in your group.

The view throughout the cliff walk is excellent. There are tonnes of photography options throughout the walk.

Near to the Summit, you can also see a path going down to the Baily Lighthouse (the last lighthouse in Ireland to be automated). This cottage-style, 13-metre tall lighthouse sits out on the cliffs with a stunning view over the Irish Sea. Baily (built in 1917) is one of Ireland’s most photographed lighthouses on the eastern coastline.

In this trip, we did not go to the Lighthouse.

NOTE: If you really dont have the energy / time for a 6Km walk, you can drive till the Howth Summit and walk down the Baily lighthouse.

Just check out for sign bus board (near the summit) from where you can get the return bus (H3) back to Howth beach or the Dublin City Centre.

There is also enough Car parking space available near the summit.

Compared to the Main Howth City centre, the summit has relatively less number of restaurants/shops.

After the cliff walk, we took the bus back to the Howth beach (Bus H3, which goes to city center via Howth Beach), got down the bus at Howth beach stop and went to the Ferry / Bay area to take a boat service to Ireland’s Eye.

Currently uninhabited, Ireland’s Eye was once home to a monastery, established around 700 AD.

Ireland’s Eye can be visited every day during the summer months and on weekends / bank holidays only during the rest of the year.

There are different companies that are operating ferries here.

A 45 minutes TO and FRO trip to the Ireland’s eye will cost around 25 Euros/person.

We had taken the service of a company named ‘Howth Cliff Cruises’. (http://howthcliffcruises.ie/)

NOTE: I have read in many places that we can get down at the Ireland’s eye and walk around. You can visit the Martello Tower aswell. Landing on the island is at the discretion of the captain depending on weather conditions. Since we had take a evening ferry, such an option was not available for us.

This is a great boat trip, something that should not missed during your journey to Howth. You will see a lot of birds and probably seals, during this journey.

During the return journey in boat, you would also get a chance to see the Howth Harbour Lighthouse from different angles.

NOTE: There are options available to walk down the Howth Pier to see the Lighthouse at a closer distance.

After the boat trip, we returned back to the Howth Dart station and further to the Dublin city centre.

Howth is a very safe destination. Coast guard security is also present at important points.

If you are looking for some food options, there are multiple options available.

We had tried ‘The Bloody Stream’ and the service/food quality/menu items were really good.

Also there are a few Indian restaurants like ‘Okra Green’ in Howth. Due to a tight schedule with a limited time, Personally I did not try any items from Okra.

You need to spend around 6-7 hours to complete the itinerary/places , that I mentioned here.

NOTES:

1.Please note that there are many other places to see like Howth Castle, St. Mary’s Abbey, Howth Market, Howth Village, National Transport Museum, Hurdy Gurdy Vintage Radio Museum and so on.

2.There are some limited accomodation options available like ‘King Sitric’.