Oslo is one of the weirdest Nordic cities that I have visited. It is dull compared to Copenhagen or even Stockholm. Just like Zurich, the Baumol effect of the oil-funded economy makes it a really expensive place to visit as well. Infact, it is one of the few cities that feel more expensive than San Francisco. To get from the airport to Oslo city, just take a 124NOK train ride. There is a faster 240NOK train ride as well, which isn’t worth it. ...
Dublin is a small city. Despite its high per-capita GDP, unlike Singapore or Tokyo, the city feels fairly low-key and more of a middle-affluent country. The official languages are Gaelic and English. To preserve Gaelic, all laws are officially passed in Gaelic! Day 1 The city of Dublin is not huge. You can walk everywhere and even skip public transport. I would recommend starting with a walking tour that gives you a great idea of the city. Rick Steve has great guides as well. ...
Day 1 - West Minster Start the day with a walking tour that gives you a nice history & geography of the city of London. Many of the royal palaces and crown-related buildings are in the city of “Westminster” which is next door to the City of London. Then head to the British Museum. Like most government-owned museums, it is free to access. However, I would recommend booking a reservation in advance. Rick Steves has a nice audio guide on touring the British Museum that I would recommend. ...
Day 1 We started the trip with the Nobel Prize Museum, which comes with access to an interactive Audio Guide. It takes 2-3 hours to fully check it out. Then, we headed to the Swedish History Museum. It has free entry. And is good if you like checking out 1000-year gold jewelry. However, the Danish museum is superior to Nordic history. ...
Day 1 Start the day with a free walking tour to get an idea of the important places and the history of the city. Then, we decided to check out the Gefion Fountain and one of the most disappointing tourist attractions, The Little Mermaid. ...
We visited Malta in winter. Water activities are not possible in winter, so, this post will tell you what else there is to do in Malta. If you have only one day then go to Mdina. If you have two days, then do Gozo as well. If you have three days, then do the old temples. And if you have four days then do Valletta as well. The island has excellent public transport that you can count on. 1.5 Euro one-way ticket valid for a 2-hours journey in any direction. I would recommend staying in Sliema or St. Julian’s for maximum comfort. If you want a Mediterranean-style stay then go to Valletta or Mdina instead. The Tallinja app gives better suggestions than Google Maps regarding intra-island public transport. Day 1 - Mdina Visit the old capital of Mdina. It has a classy Mediterranean look to it. ...
Málaga, a port city in the south of Spain is known for its beautiful beaches. We went there in December, so, this blog post will tell you what to do if you can’t or won’t do water activities. Day 1 - Museums Málaga is the birthplace of Picasso. So, a visit would be incomplete without a visit to the Picasso museum. The entrance fee is 9 euros. And do take the free audio tour along with it. ...
Lisbon has a quintessential old European city charm to it. Compared to Madrid, it is more rundown though. Day 1 - Baixa-Chiado area Check out the main square (Baixa-Chiado), see the oldest running bookstore, and learn the history of the various parts by doing a walking tour. A big earthquake came in 1755 in Lisbon. Apart from the red-light district, most of the city was destroyed and that made people start questioning God. One Church, Convento De Carmo, has some last ruins to indicate the impact of the earthquake. ...
Barcelona Public transport is good, get a Metro card with ten tickets, it can even be shared simultaneously. Beware of pickpockets. Credit card acceptance is high, but not 100%. Paella, a rice dish, is famous in Barcelona Day 1 Start your day with a walking tour. I would recommend Sandeman’s walking tours. In the afternoon, check out the History Museum. It is pretty detailed and has remains of the historic Roman city of Baracine. ...
Madrid, originally Myrit, was set up by Moors in about 700 AD, to fight against the Catholic Spanish stronghold of Toledo which used to be the old capital of the Castile kingdom. Public transport is good, get a Metro card with ten tickets, and it can even be shared simultaneously. Beware of pickpockets. Credit card acceptance is high, but not 100%. Churros + hot chocolate are famous in Madrid. The city has pedestrianized itself over time, so the city center is entirely car-free. Day 1 Start your day with a walking tour. I would recommend history-focused Sandeman’s walking tour and tourism-focused Rick Steve’s self-guided audio tour. After the tour, check out Puerta Del Sol, the Sun Gate. There are quite a few small interesting spots here, for example, the bear climbing the tree which is on the city’s Coat of Arms, and the 0 KM sign. ...