Visiting Prague will provide you with huge positive experiences. Prague is the most visited touristic site of the Czech Republic. We have been there several times and never were bored.
Visiting Prague and Czech Republic
Czech Republic, also called Czechia, is a country in the Central Europe, although, due to its 20th century history it is classified here rather as belonging to Eastern Europe. Czechia has borders with Slovakia, Austria, Germany and Poland and its land territory is 77 thousand square kilometres (almost 30 thousand square miles).
This is a very similar size to their neighbouring country Austria (slightly smaller) and central American country Panama (Czechia is slightly bigger). In Czechia live more than 1ten million people; majority of them are Czechs.
Prague
Prague is the largest city in the Czech Republic and the 13th biggest city in the European Union. Total number of the people living there is around 1.3 million (over 2.5 million in the metropolitan area).
Getting there
By car
If you are in Czechia’s neighbouring country, it may be a good idea visiting Prague by car. Motorways in Czechia are excellent and driving on those is a joy. However, there are a couple things to keep in mind.
Firstly, buy highway vignette; if they catch you without it, fines may be huge. Also, follow speed limits; according to my personal experience, police officers use to hide to stop you with a surprise if you are speeding.
By airplane
If you go by plane, you’ll most probably arrive at Vaclav Havel Prague Airport. Options to get from the airport to the city centre cheap are not huge; there are no metro connection between Prague airport and the city centre, and it is not planned for a foreseeable future as far as I know. The best option, in my opinion (we used it a few times), is departing from airport by bus 119.
After 8 stops (this might be the destination of 119, although I am not quite sure about it; sign next to 119 says ‘Dejvicka’), leave bus and look for Prague Metro Green Line station Nadrazi Veleslavin and board a train going in direction of Depo Hostivar – after six stops you’ll arrive in the city centre (Mustek).
It’s not hard to find metro station because it’s close and just follow the crowd as majority of people will go the same route usually. All journey from boarding the bus to arrival at Mustek will take around 30 minutes. Using private pick-up, shuttle or taxi would not save that much money, however, would cost much more – 10 to 25 euros or even more in some cases.
Roofs of Prague
People say there is also Airport Express bus service (costs about a double of bus/metro transfer, which is still cheap), however I have not been using it and cannot comment for that reason.
There are more options, and you can explore those visiting Prague airport webpage dedicated to transportation to Prague city centre – information is really detailed and useful there.
Getting around
I already mentioned Prague metro – apart of busses and trams, this is convenient way to travel across the city. There are three metro lines – Green (A), Yellow (B) and Red (C). They have plans to open the fourth underground line (Blue line) in 2027 to connect southern parts of the city to the city centre.
Once we lived quite far away from the city centre, however, were able quickly to reach central parts of the city, where vast majority of the best touristic sites are located, by using metro.
Charles Bridge
After you arrive at one of metro stations in the city centre, we usually prefer to walk, occasionally popping into tram. Metro may be useful to commute between sites located in opposite sides of the river.
More information, including prices, you may find on different websites. You can also explore where to go, where to stay, where to eat and drink in Prague.
As I mentioned in my previous blog post about our 2024 trip to Bulgaria, we returned to our hotel around midnight after a relaxing walk through Plovdiv centre and went to sleep. We had booked a room without breakfast, so in the morning, first thing after waking and dressing up, we headed straight into the city. Before continuing our journey to the Black Sea, we wanted to experience the city’s historical and cultural heritage in daylight.
Sightseeing
Plovdiv is like a living museum. As we walked through the pedestrian-friendly centre, we were immediately captivated by the city’s relaxed atmosphere. One of the sights we were determined to visit was the ancient Roman amphitheatre, one of the best-preserved in Europe. Built in the 2nd century AD during Emperor Trajan’s reign, the amphitheatre could seat up to 6,000 spectators.
View from Plovdiv old town
Although finding the amphitheatre wasn’t easy due to the narrow maze of small streets, the effort was well worth it—the view from the top was impressive, offering a panoramic view of Plovdiv and the surrounding mountains.
Wine Tasting
The first part of our day in the city passed quickly, and by noon, we had to head further along our journey. On our way to the Black Sea coast, we had booked a wine tasting at the Zagreus Winery, located a bit outside the city. Bulgaria has a long history of winemaking, and Zagreus Winery is a testament to that tradition. The winery is situated in a picturesque location and offers excellent high-quality Bulgarian wines.
Zagreus winery in Bulgaria
Upon arrival, we were greeted by a guide who shared insights into Bulgaria’s wine history and the local grape varieties grown in their vineyards. An interesting fact was that our guide’s name, when translated from Bulgarian, means “grape.”
Bulgarian wines
The most popular variety they grow is Mavrud. We were given a tour of the wine production and storage facilities, during which we learned more about the winemaking process at this estate.
Of course, the highlight of our visit was the wine tasting, where we sampled four different wines. The tasting was accompanied by local delicacies, creating a very pleasant, relaxed, and informal atmosphere. Before leaving, we bought a few bottles to take with us.
Journey Towards the East of Bulgaria
After the wine tasting, we continued our drive eastward toward the Black Sea coast. After a brief detour through local roads, we joined the A1 motorway, where the dynamics of the drive were completely different.
Not far from the Black Sea lies the port city of Burgas, though we didn’t enter the city centre, as we turned southward. The Burgas region is known for its fertile agricultural land and proximity to the Black Sea, but even before reaching the city, we passed many vineyards and other agricultural plots.
A little after Burgas, we stopped at a Lukoil gas station to refuel and take a short break after the long drive. We also grabbed some snacks and relaxed before the next, significantly shorter leg of our journey.
The Mountains of Bulgaria
As I mentioned earlier, we were driving on the A1 motorway, which runs from Sofia to Burgas. Throughout the journey, it felt as if we were winding through a valley surrounded by mountains from at least three sides. The mountain ranges are one of Bulgaria’s most striking features, so here’s a brief overview of them.
Bulgaria is often called the Balkan country, but in addition to the Balkans, the country also has other mountain ranges that contribute to its impressive landscapes. Bulgaria boasts four major mountain ranges: the Balkan Mountains, the Rila Mountains, the Pirin Mountains, and the Rhodope Mountains.
Balkan mountains
The Balkan Mountains, also known as Stara Planina (the Old Mountain), stretch across the country from the Serbian border in the west to the Black Sea in the east. This mountain range divides the country into northern and southern parts. The highest peak in the Balkan range is Mount Botev, which reaches an altitude of 7,795 feet (2,376 metres), although it’s not the tallest peak in Bulgaria.
Rila mountains
South of the Balkan Mountains lies the Rila mountain range, home to Bulgaria’s highest peak, Musala, which rises to 9,596 feet (2,925 metres). Rila is renowned for its dramatic landscapes, including high-altitude lakes, the most famous being the Seven Rila Lakes, which are a popular hiking destination. The Rila Mountains also host the famous Rila Monastery, a UNESCO World Heritage Site and one of Bulgaria’s most significant cultural landmarks (I’ll write a separate post about our trip to the Rila Monastery).
Pirin mountains
The Pirin Mountains are located in the southwestern part of Bulgaria and are known for their rugged terrain and striking granite peaks. The highest peak is Vihren, which stands at 9,560 feet (2,914 metres). The Pirin Mountains are also listed as a UNESCO World Heritage Site due to their exceptional biodiversity and unique landscapes. Popular activities in Pirin include skiing and mountaineering.
Rhodope mountains
The Rhodope Mountains are situated in southern Bulgaria near the Greek border. The highest peak here is Golyam Perelik, which reaches 7,188 feet (2,191 metres). Hiking and rural tourism are the most common activities in the Rhodopes.
First Evening in Primorsko Resort
We arrived in Primorsko in the evening, just before sunset, right in time for dinner. We had booked rooms at the Park Hotel & SPA Les Magnolias in Primorsko seaside resort, located on the Black Sea coast, just a few minutes’ walk from the beach. The peaceful atmosphere of the hotel, surrounded by trees and greenery, was the perfect place to relax, especially after a long drive.
Hotel decorations in Bulgaria
After settling into our rooms, we headed to dinner, which was very generous. Although we don’t usually opt for all-inclusive holidays, this time we chose this option for the convenience so we wouldn’t have to waste time and energy searching for food. During our whole stay at the resort, the food was consistently excellent and quite varied. There were seafood dishes and, of course, various types of meat, which are definitely the most popular products in Bulgaria. Perhaps there could have been more variety of fruits and vegetables, which we had hoped for.
End of the day
The day had been filled with so many impressions that we lingered in the hotel’s restaurant for quite a while as we had many emotions to share. The following day, nothing was planned except for a lazy rest by the hotel pool.
Plovdiv had impressed us with its historical charm, kindness, and daily calm, while the Zagreus Winery had captivated us with its high-quality wines. Everywhere we went, we felt welcomed and experienced positive attitudes. Even though it was mid-September, the evening was warm and peaceful.
This was our second adventure to Bulgaria, a destination that had piqued our interest since our first visit in 2007. Back then, we drove through the country in early spring, admiring the stunning Belogradchik cliffs, the serene Bachkovo Monastery, and exploring the picturesque Black Sea coast. The memories remained, but we were eager to return for a deeper exploration in the fall of 2024.
There is also a video about this trip on my YouTube channel.
A different way to explore Bulgaria
Unlike our previous journey, this time we flew from London to Sofia, ready for a weeklong adventure. No more long drives from Riga to Bulgaria, we were here to savour every moment. After landing in Sofia, we rented a car from CarRent Bulgaria, a local company we booked through DiscoverCars. Having used DiscoverCars for car rentals in Riga and Greece, we knew we’d get a great deal. Their service was reliable, and the pricing was better than other platforms like Booking.com.
View around Plovdiv
It should be noted that we do not receive any money or other benefits from any of the companies mentioned here for referring to their websites. The references we give, good or not so good (we usually try to avoid publishing bad reviews), is based on our own experiences.
Car rental
Local car rental companies may have some drawbacks – their offices are often located outside the airport area. This was the case on this occasion too, but we had our own person in Sofia who took me to the car rental office in just a few minutes, so there was no inconvenience at all. The walk would have taken about forty minutes (about two and a half kilometres to walk from the airport).
We had made the right choice, the car was practically new, the car rental company employee took care of everything quickly both when we picked it up and when we returned the car. When we returned the car, we had washed it thoroughly (it was in the terms of the contract), so we even earned praise for it.
A look at Bulgaria’s past and present
Bulgaria has long been a favourite vacation spot, especially during the Soviet era, attracting vacationers to the Black Sea coast with its affordable prices and sandy beach resorts. However, in recent decades, other destinations, such as Turkey and Spain, have overshadowed the Bulgarian tourism industry. Despite these changes, Bulgaria remains a very good choice for those looking for an authentic experience and hospitality.
Bulgaria borders Greece, Turkey, Serbia, North Macedonia and Romania. It ranks 103rd in the world and 16th in Europe by area, with a land area of 108,489 square kilometres. Bulgaria is about half the size of its neighbour Romania, Cuba, the largest island in the Caribbean, is a similar size.
Bulgaria has a population of almost six and a half million, similar to neighbouring Serbia, although Serbia is about a quarter smaller. The population density in Bulgaria is about the same as the world average (61 inhabitants per square kilometre, the European average is 72).
The country’s capital is Sofia, with a population of almost 1.2 million. Other major cities are Plovdiv (321,000 inhabitants), Varna (311,000) and Burgas (188,000), these data are from 2021. It should be noted that the population of Bulgaria continues to decline quite rapidly. It peaked in 1985, when the country had over 8.9 million people. Since then, the population has been declining, falling to less than almost two and a half million between 1985 and 2021, although this is a fairly well-known and not too surprising story for Eastern Europe.
Bulgaria today
After 17 years, we were eager to see how Bulgaria had changed. Our goals for the trip were simple: explore more of Plovdiv and enjoy some downtime at a Black Sea resort.
Let me start by saying that the overall impression of the country was positive from the very first moment. We were greeted by a warm and welcoming atmosphere, the food was excellent – high-quality, tasty and reasonably priced. Regardless of whether we dined in roadside taverns or elegant restaurants, each meal was special and it seemed that each next one surpassed the previous one. Although the prices of the restaurants were higher, the quality of the food and the size of the portions were definitely adequate for the price. I can’t say anything about the offer and prices of the grocery shops, because we didn’t cook anything ourselves during this trip.
If you want to visit local wine producers, in Bulgaria you can taste and buy high-quality wine for a very good price. Wine tastings are organized at a fairly high level and snacks are also offered. What was especially surprising was the fact that a lot of local Bulgarian grape varieties are grown widely and producers who specialize in them were able to offer excellent products. If you’re a wine enthusiast, Bulgaria is still an undiscovered treasure.
Plovdiv – the heart of Bulgaria
After arriving in Sofia, we took a private car and headed towards Plovdiv, but on the way we had planned to visit the Chateau Copsa winery. It is located near the road that leads from west to east along one of the northern Bulgarian mountain ranges.
Wine tasting in the afternoon
Since Chateau Copsa is literally in the middle of a field, there is no point in mentioning the address. You can see the location on the map or simply Google Chateau Copsa Bulgaria. They offer both wine tastings and accommodations, hotel is located in a stylish old fortress-like building, which was actually built recently, but looks quite impressive.
The wine tasting took place in a charming cellar beneath the fortress, where we enjoyed a selection of high-quality local wines. The Bulgarian guide who led the tasting added to the experience with fascinating stories and a warm, welcoming atmosphere. If you plan to visit, we highly recommend booking in advance, as Chateau Copsa can get quite busy.
Evening walk in the city
In the evening we arrived in Plovdiv, where we quickly checked into the hotel and went to explore the city. We had booked the Hotel Ego, which is located a few minutes walk from the central city pedestrian street, so in a very good location.
The hotel itself was also very good for the price (about 45 euros) we paid, so I can definitely recommend it to other travellers. The hotel address is 2 Eliezer Kalev Str., Plovdiv Center, 4000 Plovdiv, their website is here. Although the number of places is limited, the hotel also offers free parking. We were lucky with parking too, because we got the last free space. We had booked a more expensive and larger option, the Deluxe Studio, just in case we wanted to use the kitchen, which was in one corner of the room. Since we wanted to have dinner in the city, we didn’t use the kitchen to cook though.
Food in Plovdiv
The charm of the city is undeniable, with cobblestone streets, lots of squares, fountains and ancient buildings. The most important thing was to have dinner, so we went to a restaurant with good reviews we had spotted while preparing for trip (Restaurant Diana-1, address Plovdiv Center, ul. Knyaz Al. Dondukov-Korsakov 2, 4000 Plovdiv Bulgaria), which is located within walking distance of the city centre.
Bulgarian salad
As you can see from the photo, the portions in the restaurant are large and the variety of dishes is fantastic.
After a hearty dinner, we went to explore the city centre. Surprisingly, even though the tourist season was already over, there were quite a few people on the streets. Mostly they were local young people who were walking around the city, chatting, enjoying life and the nice evening. And all this was done in a very polite manner. This is one thing that surprised us in Bulgaria – people are in a good mood and know how to relax, having fun and not disturbing others. This was the case not only in Plovdiv, but also in other places we visited.
Only around midnight, tired but having enjoyed the night-time Plovdiv, we returned to the hotel. I will write about the next day in the next blog about this Bulgarian trip. Click on the link to read about our second day in Bulgaria.
We can travel long distances quickly and relatively cheaply, especially if it is possible to get to the destination with one of the low-cost airlines. However, sometimes, for one reason or another, you must travel by land.
The easiest way, of course, is to get into your car and drive. But not always there is such an option. Then we need to look at the opportunities offered by other means of commercial transport, for example, to travel by coach or train.
So, after spending about a month in Latvia, we boarded a coach in Riga to go to Berlin in Germany. Our final destination was London, this was only the first leg of the trip.
Inside Ecolines bus
It must be mentioned that we were planning the trip a while in advance and had purchased tickets for all sections of the trip several months before the trip itself. This is mainly because train prices in Europe become more expensive as the departure date approaches. In the end, this helped us to save a considerable amount of money.
Fortunately, we were able to plan the trip in a way that our waiting times between getting from one transport to another were quite short – just enough to change stations or departure gates.
The first day – Riga – Warsaw
To get from Riga to Berlin, we booked the Ecolines (Estonian carrier) coach, which departs from the Riga bus station. We hadn’t travelled by bus for a long time, and we also had such a long journey by coach for the first time. The ticket price from Riga to Berlin was about 70 euros per person. Departure from Riga was scheduled for 11 am and arrival in Berlin at seven the next morning, a bit more than 21 hours with a few rather short stops on the way.
As there were not many stops planned during the trip, we took a couple of bottles of water and some food for a couple of meals. The carrier offered the opportunity to buy sandwiches, but only a few travellers used this option, most passengers had taken their food with them.
Bus station in Lithuania
The first stop was Panevezys in Lithuania. The coach stopped there for just a few minutes. We got an opportunity to get out and stretch our legs in Vilnius, where we stopped for about fifteen to 20 minutes. There also was a similar a bit longer stop for stretching legs in Kaunas. After departing Kaunas, we went to Mariampol, a town near Lithuanian – Polish border.
When we arrived in Mariampol, it was already around sunset time. I wanted to buy something to eat, and a bottle of water, however, I only got a bottle of water. Unfortunately, there was not any takeaway option for food to buy in the bus station buffet. We stood at this stop for at least about twenty minutes, as it was possible to stretch our legs after the seven-hour journey.
The next stop was in the Polish city of Białystok after a few hours after departing Mariampol. In general, the journey at this stage was the most difficult, because it was raining outside, it was dark, but I didn’t want to sleep yet. Fortunately, each seat on the bus has its TV screen and you can watch movies, the selection of those was surprisingly good.
From Białystok we headed west and arrived in Warsaw shortly after eleven in the evening. The road was much better after we left Białystok, mostly a motorway.
Warsaw
I must mention that when we left Riga, the war in Ukraine had started a few days before that, but we did not notice any specific changes along the way, although at some point we were less than 200 kilometres from the Ukrainian border. However, arriving at the Warsaw bus station, the feeling of the war was somewhere around.
There were police cars near the station with the emergency lights on. There was a bus serving as a mobile information point for refugees from Ukraine. Free food and other things were available at the station. All this made the feelings quite unpleasant, for the first time we felt that there was a war somewhere nearby.
Bus station in Poland
This time, the bus stopped at the station for quite a while, and we left the station only around midnight while the baggage was loaded and all those who wanted to travel got on the bus. Some people even did not get tickets because the coach was full at that point. It seemed that some of the riders may have been those fleeing from Ukraine to continue their escape trip to Germany.
Then the journey by coach continued through the rest of Poland and the most sensible thing to do at this time was to sleep. The next stop was planned to only be in Berlin after about seven more hours of driving. From Berlin, we planned to immediately go to Brussels by train.
Poland is a big country, one of the largest in the European Union. Usually, we have been crossing it as a transit country, however, there are many places in Poland worth visiting. One day, we decided to see how people celebrate Easter in Poland.
Here are notes of our trip made during the Easter Holidays in 2010. This time for the trip was chosen because the majority of Polish people as very active Catholics and visit churches and celebrate Easter according to their traditions every year. Some sites we visited for that reason were of religious character.
City of Krakow
We went to Krakow which is one of the oldest cities in Poland and is located in the Lesser Poland region famous for its architecture, and religious and cultural heritage. Since 1978, the old town of Krakow has been on the list of UNESCO World Cultural Heritage Sites.
Also, Krakow is the second largest city in Poland with many beautiful sites for visitors. For example, Old Town (Stare Miasto), Wawel Castle, St. Andrew’s Church and the district of Kazimierz. Kraków has also been the royal capital of Poland for many centuries.
Although Easter is a very busy time in Krakow, we managed to get an apartment for short-term rent in the heart of the old town, just two hundred metres from the Main Market Square.
To book our apartment, we used the services of booking.com as usual. I am mentioning this here because shortly before arrival, we found out that our booked apartment was already occupied.
I immediately contacted customer services at booking.com and after a few hours this incident was solved – we got even better rooms and conditions than initially! This was the first incident of such kind with this company and I am really satisfied with how quickly it was handled.
Easter Celebration
Our main goal was to see how they celebrate Easter. On Saturday afternoon we went to a church. There were lots of local people. It was interesting to see that, according to the local traditions, people carried to the church small baskets with eggs and other components of breakfast (they call it a “blessing basket”). The basket was put down on the table in the church and consecrated by a pastor.
After the service, people took their baskets and went home waiting for Easter morning to consume the content of the “blessing basket”; the family breakfast is an important part of the Easter celebration in Poland. To be honest, I never saw this kind of action before and it was really amazing to experience. Just to add that the taste of our breakfast basket eggs was excellent.
During those two amazing days in Krakow, we enjoyed the festive atmosphere on the Main Market Square, booked a horse cart for sightseeing, tasted many different sweets, and local beer (for sure, it was better than fermented grape juice known as wine which is offered in local pubs), visited Wawel Castle and other sites of historical centre of Krakow.
This is one of the episodes of our travel around Poland during the Easter celebrations, although we have visited this country many times. On Saturday, after a night spent in Krakow, we visited Wieliczka salt mine which is one of the world’s oldest operating salt mines – it is in operation since the Middle Ages. The salt mine is also on the list of UNESCO World Cultural Heritage Sites since 1978. This site represents the progress of mining technology, the development of work organization and management. Over more than 700 years, 7.5 million m³ of post-excavation voids were drilled in Wieliczka.
Raps field in Poland
The mine is normally open for visitors from 9am to 5pm, adult ticket costs approximately 22 Euro per person. Visitors should be aware that the route includes approximately 800 stairs the temperature underground in the mine is about 17–18ºC. During one of the stops, it is even possible to buy cold and hot drinks and snacks. Town Wieliczka is located in the Krakow metropolitan area and can be reached easily; cheap parking spaces are available all around mine close to its entrance.
Area around Krakow
Before coming back home, we continued our travel around Poland and wandered around another surrounding area of Krakow. That’s how we found a small town decorated with “palms” made from pussy willow twigs during Palm Sunday. Palm Sunday is a commemoration of Christ’s entry into Jerusalem and people in Poland follow these traditions every year. Some of these creations were really tall, even up to 35 meters high!
Easter decorations in Poland
Near Krakow there also is a famous religious object listed as UNESCO World Cultural Heritage Site since 1999 – a monastery, landscape and pilgrimage park in Kalwaria Zebrzydowska. We went there for a moment to see how the monastery looks both from inside and from outside. If you are somewhere near there, this place is worth visiting.
Jasna Gora monastery
On the way home we booked a hotel in the Polish city Czestochowa. It was a good reason to visit the famous Pauline Monastery of Jasna Gora. Millions of pilgrims every year visit the monastery to see a painting of Black Madonna. This is the only available icon of Black Madonna in Poland; there are about 21 paintings of Black Madonna in France, although this one in Czestochowa is also well known abroad.
The monastery itself looks fantastic on the top of the Jasna Gora hill, especially in the evening during the golden hour before the sunset.
Monument in Poland
It is possible to park the car near to entrance of the monastery. If you are passing Czestochowa, visiting the monastery may be a very good idea. The whole complex is really visitor-friendly. You can spend a few hours relaxing and, even if you are an atheist, enjoying the creations of humans made to praise God.
Other great Polish sites
According to my experience, I would also recommend visiting other interesting sites in Poland, for example, the capital city of Poland Warsaw, the old town of Poznan, medieval castle in Malbork, which has been UNESCO World Cultural Heritage Site since 1997. Southern and south-western parts of Poland are known as ski resorts. Especially nice is the area around Zakopane located in the Tatra mountains.
This was a corporate trip by bus together with work colleagues to the Estonian islands. It was a short weekend sightseeing tour to western Estonia to relax, have some fun and look around. Our destination was Saaremaa island, with a short stop in the summer capital of Estonia – town Parnu.
The border between Latvia and Estonia
You may cross the border between Latvia and Estonia using main road E67. However, there is an interesting alternative – turn left just before the Estonian border to the small town Latvian town of Ainazi. Driving through the town you may be surprised that after a short period, you will see a road sign showing that you are passing the state border.
Just before the border, there is a small parking place. If you stop there, you can go for a short walk to the old mole (located in Latvia just a few hundred metres from the Estonian border) and enjoy the beautiful landscape.
Seaside resort Parnu
The next stop we made was in Parnu (to be honest, nothing was interesting before that point except some recreation areas near the beach of Riga Gulf, still far away from E67). It was the end of the weekend as well as the end of the summer; the town was very quiet. Most cafes and restaurants are closed or without visitors.
Parnu town itself is quite nice, especially the old part of it – worth wandering around a bit. If you go from Riga (Latvia) to Tallinn (Estonia), this is a good place to take a short break and enjoy some coffee before driving another 130 kilometres (80 miles) to reach Tallinn. We did the same before continuing our trip to the Estonian islands.
Ferry to Estonian islands
Estonian islands
Saaremaa is the biggest Estonian island and there is regular ferry traffic between the mainland and the island. The ferry terminal is in the small village of Virtsu and arrives in Kuivastu on Muhu island (Muhu island is located between the mainland and Saaremaa island; to reach Saaremaa you should cross Muhu at first).
The journey lasts about 25 minutes – just enough to have some beer and snacks available on the board of the ferry. Here is the ferry timetable for this and another line connecting the Estonian mainland with the islands. In general, during business hours ferry departs every 35 minutes, two boats are operational on this route ships are about 97 metres long, 18 metres wide, draft of 4 m). Saaremaa island forms the main barrier between the Gulf of Riga and the Baltic Sea.
The highest point of the island is 54 metres above sea level. Old sagas talk about conflicts between islanders and Vikings. Saaremaa was among the wealthiest counties of ancient Estonia and the home of Estonian pirates sometimes called the Eastern Vikings. Nowadays Saaremaa is known as a good recreation place with unique nature and a lot of sights. It has retained its uniqueness due to its location and insulation.
The cultural heritage of Muhu island
Exposotion of Estonian heritage
After arrival in Kuivastu on Muhu island you can find Koguva village, which is located near Kuivastu – Kuressaare road. Koguva is the best-preserved village of the 19th century in Estonia. Some of the buildings date even from the 18th century. You can observe the traditional living style of Estonians as it was a long time ago – living and farmhouses, storehouses, saunas, barns and summer kitchens.
Saaremaa sightseeing
Saaremaa has an area of 2700 square kilometres (about 1050 square miles) and its population is about 35 thousand people. In the villages, there are still stone fences and houses with thatched roofs. The symbols of Saaremaa are windmills, junipers and home-brewed beer. An interesting site on the island is the Kaali meteorite craters formed after an accident approximately 650 – 700 BC (explored in 1937).
The largest of the craters measures 110 metres in diameter, the mass of meteorites was from 20 to 80 tonnes. The main crater has a depth of about 22 metres. If driving in the right direction you can easily find this site following road signs (it is located 18 kilometres from Kuressaare towards Kuivastu).
Capital of Saaremaa – Kuressaare
The last stop of our trip to the Estonian islands was Kuresaare. There is only one town on Saaremaa island, which is Kuressaare – the capital of the island. The most important, and I would say the most exciting sight of Kuressaare, is the bishop’s castle.
Capital town of Saaremaa Kuressaare
The castle was built in the late 14th century, the basic plan of the building is a square with the length of each side about 43 metres. Among the medieval castles in the Baltic countries, this is the one that has survived very well.
A few words about Saaremaa hotels. Most of them are comfortable Spa hotels built very recently. You can expect to have access to the pool, sauna, bar and other facilities. However, be aware that in early autumn there may not be heating operating in rooms and walls are extremely thin to both keep the rooms warm and silent.
At the very end of April, we went for a quick trip to the Czech Republic. Perhaps, the most famous destination of the Czech Republic is its capital Prague, however Nord-Eastern part of the country, the region of Bohemia, is very exciting and attractive because of the mountains and local traditions.
The whole Bohemian region covers about two-thirds of the Czech Republic. We had plans to visit a factory producing glass and crystal according to the old traditions, a local brewery (Czech beer has been always tasty and of high quality), spend some time hiking in the mountains near Adrspach and to find something else interesting in the area.
Camping near Trutnov
Before arrival, we found on the Internet and booked a camping Dolce Vita near the town of Trutnov (address: Dolce Vita, Oblanov 37, 54101 Trutnov, Czech Republic). Camping offers apartments in cottages located near a lake.
Campsite in Bohemia, Czech Republic
Camping is located about two kilometres away from the main road, however, it is easy to find it. The cottage itself was not very well maintained, however, the price was good for value and the surrounding area of camping is quiet and, as we found afterwards, very beautiful providing a relaxing atmosphere.
National Park Adrspach – Teplice Rocks
The next day after arrival, we went to the National Park Adrspach. Adrspach is a village in the Hradec Kralove region; the Giant and Eagle mountains of this region have been widely known from Roman times and even before. The village is divided into the administrative areas of Dolni Adrspach (Lower Adrspach) and Horni Adrspach (Upper Adrspach).
Adrspack nature park
National Park Adrspach and the area around it is well known for Adrspach-Teplice Rocks (also, Adrspach Rock Town or Adrspasske skaly in Czech language). We planned the whole day to spend there.
Bohemian Paradise
As we had our pet (dog) with us, it was nice to find out that it is allowed to visit this site taking pets with you (ticked, however, should be purchased for your small companion too). The rocks are really impressive! They are very popular for rock climbers; we saw some of them on the top of rocks. This area is among the most beautiful natural features of the Czech Republic, also called the Bohemian Paradise.
There is the main entrance near Teplice Rocks, although Rock Town in reality begins about two kilometres from the entrance. Before visiting Rock Town, we went to the nearby lake to enjoy the beautiful landscape around it. There are good trails everywhere in the park around the lake but in the rock town, most of the pathways are even covered with asphalt.
If you are not too lazy to climb up the hill using a steep rocky trail and wait a bit in a queue, there is a short but attractive boat trip available in the park (ticket should be purchased separately before boarding, although it is worth trying it).
Adrspach Rocks has the status of a national nature conservation area, and guided tours are available as well. An adult ticket for entrance costs about 2.5 euros, a child ticket half of it, and a family ticket (2+2) costs about 6 euros; entrance for a dog costs a bit more than 1 euro.
Dinner in a guesthouse
After a whole day spent in Adrspach, we went back to camping but before arrival enjoyed a nice supper in Trutnov. This was a very family-friendly restaurant in guesthouse Penzion Porici, which is located just outside of the town centre.
I can recommend this restaurant if you want to have a tasty meal without rushing in a quiet atmosphere. We even came back for the second time there and were completely satisfied again with their food and service delivery.
This is another part of our trip around Lithuania. On the morning of the second day of our trip, after a coffee and light breakfast, we went to Ignalina. Our destination was bakery Romnesa, where Lithuanian desert sakotis (šakotis, šakočiai or raguolis), what is a national delicacy, is produced.
Romnesa bakery
Sakotis is a special muffin in the shape of a tree with a hollow in the middle prepared by monks since the 15th century. A similar kind of muffin is also popular in Germany, Poland, Sweden, Hungary and Japan.
However, every country has its own specific traditions of preparing them. Variants of preparation may vary but just for an example here is one sakotis recipe (keep in mind that the same importance as ingredients also is a technology of sakotis preparation). In this case, sakotis was made on open fire. We were also told about the history of sakotis (there is a small museum inside the factory’s premises) as well as made our own.
The size of sakotis depends on the amount of eggs used for its preparation.
Components of Lithuanian desert sakotis
1/2 cup butter; 1/2 cup sugar; 1/2 teaspoon finely grated lemon peel; 1/2 teaspoon vanilla; 6 egg yolks; 2/3 cup flour; 1/3 cup cornstarch; 6 egg whites; 1/4 teaspoon salt; 1/4 cup sugar
Preparation of sakotis
Cream butter until light and gradually add 1/2 cup of sugar, lemon peel and 1/2 teaspoon of vanilla.
Add yolks, one at a time, beating well after each addition.
Mix flour with 1/3 cup of corn starch, and 1/4 teaspoon of salt and stir into butter mixture.
Beat egg whites until soft peaks form, gradually add 1/4 cup sugar, and beat till stiff peaks form.
Stir a small amount of egg white into the flour mixture, and fold the flour mixture into the egg whites.
Bake on a rotating cone.
Serving
Do not forget to remove your sakotis from the cone before serving – it looks so tasty that anyone would like to try it straight away.
Cooking Lithuanian sakotis
You can also read a blog about another delicacy of Lithuanian cuisine – Lithuanian dumplings Cepelinai.
