Autumn in Bulgaria – the second day

Posted on 02/04/2025 by ainarsbl

Morning in Plovdiv

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 — 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.

zagreaus winery in bulgaria — 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 — 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.

A video of this journey is also available on my YouTube channel.

Autumn in Bulgaria – 2024

Posted on 30/03/2025 by ainarsbl

Autumn Adventure in Bulgaria

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 — 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.

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.

Capital of Croatia Zagreb

Posted on 14/02/2025 by ainarsbl

This is one of blogs concluding our experiences of traveling to Croatia in the summer of 2022. There is also something else to write about. I have written this year about such wonderful places in Dalmatia as Split, Omis, Grebastica, Sevid, Rogiznica and Primosten. Some time ago I also wrote about Dubrovnik and Dalmatia.

Before that, we were in Zagreb quite a long time ago, but it is the place where our great interest in Croatia began, when we drove there with our car from Riga. So this is very good reason to end where it all began. In addition, the city has many places for tourists to see and exciting entertainment opportunities can also be found.

About Zagreb

Zagreb is the capital of Croatia with a population of less than 800 thousand people. Zagreb is the largest city in Croatia. City’s surroundings have been inhabited since the time of the Romans, but the city was founded in 1242, when the Tatars arrived in the region. The king took refuge in the city from the invaders and in gratitude allowed it to maintain its judicial system and granted other benefits.

Some numbers about Croatia purely for information, so that it is clear what we are talking about. Croatia has a total of around four million inhabitants, of which around 90% are Croats. The population has decreased significantly over the last 10 years, mostly due to emigration (many are looking for a better life in European Union countries or Switzerland).

About Croatia

The territory of Croatia is 56.5 thousand square kilometres, comparable to Latvia or Lithuania. Interestingly, in terms of GDP per capita, Croatia ranks around no. 70 in the world, but around no. 50 in purchasing power, which means that prices there are still not insanely high (thanks to the tourism industry, Croatia has never been at cheapest end).
Zagreb has an interesting climate in some ways. Something between sea climate (it rains a lot, foggy in autumn) and continental (there are four real seasons). For a couple of weeks in summer, the temperature can be above +30 degrees, but in winter, it will snow for a month and low temperatures in minus degrees will not surprise anyone.

Getting there

Zagreb is one of the European cities worth flying to just to spend a weekend. Zagreb airport is only about 15 kilometres from the city and there are different options for getting from the airport to the city and back – a special airport transfer bus (a ticket costs less than 5 euros), a regular shuttle bus (it’s slower, but cheaper – it takes about 40 minutes to get to the city) and taxi (prices are relatively not high). The airport is also not overcrowded, as it handles well under 5 million passengers a year.

As in a big city, Zagreb is the centre of the country’s economy and finances, and it is also a significant transport hub. From Zagreb you can easily get to other places both in Croatia and beyond. It should be noted that Zagreb is relatively far from the sea (it is at least 150 kilometres by road), so many Croatians have summer houses near the Adriatic Sea, where they go to spend their summer vacation.

I just realized that I intended to write a story about something completely different – Zagreb as a gateway to the rest of Croatia and especially to the Adriatic coast.

If you arrive in Zagreb by car or fly in, the city has a wide range of accommodation options. Of course, if you drive your own car, it is possible to find something located on the outskirts of the city, but at a lower price. On the Internet, you can choose from nearly 500 different types of accommodation during the winter season, the prices of which vary between 30 and 600 euros per night for two persons. If you’re lucky, you can even find a simple two-bed apartment in the city centre for as little as 40 euros.

One thing must be noted – as I have already written about Croatia, hotels must be booked well in advance for a stay during the summer season. Otherwise, you may simply not get an accommodation.

Grebastica in Croatia

Posted on 15/12/2024 by ainarsbl

Dalmatian town Grebastica

Grebastica is a small town or more precisely a town-type village by the sea some 15 kilometres from Croatian town Sibenik.

When it comes to Croatia, in general, especially about Dalmatia, most of the seaside settlements are villages, but the impression that it could be a city. It’s because the houses are very close to each other and these villages have relatively good infrastructure to serve tourists. They usually have several small shops and a lot of bars, restaurants and cafes located along the seaside. They also have many private hotels, some larger but a lot of small ones.

Grebastica is quite well-known tourist destination because of the sunny weather, the clean sea, which is actually a bay, and its beaches. The beaches, of course, as in most of Croatia, are with small stones but not rocky in Grebastica.

It should also be noted that this place is especially attractive to Germans, Swiss and Austrians and you will hear a lot of German language around.

Our final destination for this trip was even more remote seaside village of Sevid, but for all the above reasons we decided to spend a couple of nights in Grebastica. It is located on the way to Sevid as we arrived at Zadar airport. Grebastica is located about 60 kilometres from Zadar, so we were able to see many beautiful scenes on the way.

Getting there

Getting there is very easy. There is practically only one main road D8 along the coast and the main thing is not to miss the right turn. Actually, driving on the D8 is very slow. In rare parts you can drive at 80-90 kilometres per hour, but mostly all the time there are speed limits of 50, 40 and even 30 kilometres per hour, even in places where there is no apparent reason for it. In addition, speed limits tend to change every half a kilometre, so it requires additional attention all the time.

Speed cameras are often installed on the roadside, which makes driving even more nervous. In addition, Croatians have a habit of driving very close to the next car, no matter what speed you drive, and you can’t really enjoy the surrounding views without stopping. It must be said that there are quite a few places to stop on the side of the road and the uncomfortable driving is forgotten practically at the moment you reach your destination by the sea.

We had already booked apartments at Apartments Holidays Roko many months in advance. If you ever think of driving to this hotel, be aware that the hotel is marked in the wrong place on Google maps. This is not uncommon in Croatia, but the owners are usually very responsive and give all directions on how to get to their place.

Arrival

Our arrival coincided with the very beginning of the hot season, so if you want to find a good accommodation, it is practically impossible to do it a month in advance. Regardless of how much you are willing to pay for it – there are simply no vacancies.

Just being curious, we checked when this hotel would have free rooms and it turned out that it is only in November (we were in Grebastica in the middle of June). That’s a reason you need to plan all these things very early. We do it usually before or at least around New Year.

Accommodation in Grebastica

The owner welcomed us with white wine. He immediately understood that we needed wine after the exhausting journey (he didn’t ask to pay for it, it was complementary, although it’s a common thing in Croatia). When we had finished with the wine, we went to our apartments, the host showed around everything we needed.

The apartment was very good. Clean, renovated to the best standards (the house didn’t look new from the outside, but the interiors, including the staircase and corridors, were posh). Spacious bathroom, bedroom, large dining room with kitchenette and a terrace with sea view.

Food and joy

Since we liked everything very much, we also decided to go to the owner’s small restaurant for dinner; the restaurant is located on the other side of the street by the water. That’s another common thing in Croatia. We were not disappointed with our choice at all. Menu was with huge choice national dishes, fried and grilled seafood and many other things. The prices were good for what we ate.

Before our arrival, the weather was windy with thunderstorms, so the water in the sea was quite cold, even though we went there for a swim on the first day. For the next day we had originally planned to drive around the nearby area, but when the host showed us the pool on the roof terrace of the hotel, we quickly made the decision to stay. To relax on the roof terrace, sunbathing and soaking in the pool. It was planned to go to Sevid on the next day.

Split in Croatia

Posted on 08/12/2024 by ainarsbl

Dalmatian city Split

Split is the second largest city in Croatia and you can see it from far away as you approach the city. It is also the largest city in Dalmatia and the largest Croatian city on the Adriatic coast.

The city has become popular with tourists, especially in recent years after episodes of the well-known TV series ‘Game of Thrones’ were filmed in the city.
Split was founded by the Greeks several centuries before Christ, but a Roman imperial palace was built in the city already a few centuries AD. Around the middle of the first millennium AD, Split became the capital of the Roman province of Dalmatia.

In the following period, the city passed from the Byzantines to Venetians, but also existed as an independent city-state, so its cultural heritage is impressive.

Today, more than 160 thousand inhabitants live in Split, but together with the suburbs, the number of inhabitants reaches almost 350 thousand.

Places to see

Most of the sights are located in the old town near the seashore. The most important objects are Diocletian’s Palace, Cathedral of Saint Domnius, Fruit square, Temple of Jupiter, Golden gate (Porta Aurea) and of course the harbour promenade with a view to many passengers ferries and cruise ships.

It should be taken into account that there are strange smells near the sea – something like hydrogen sulphide. I don’t know if they occur naturally or as a result of human activity. However, these smells can only be felt near the water at the beginning of the promenade.

If you are traveling by car, there are parking lots in the old town, although finding free spaces during the tourist season may not be easy.

We were in Split in the middle of June, which is the very beginning of the tourist season in Croatia. We were lucky because we could drive up to the promenade and leave the car in the small parking lot of the promenade (Parkiralište Sveti Frane, Riva Solurat ul. 5, 21000). After a couple of hours of walking around the old town, there were no more free spaces in the parking lot and cars were queuing up to enter (it was around nine in the evening). A parking space costs a few euros per hour and payment can be made without problems with a bank card right there at the exit.

What else to see around?

As it is common in various tourist destinations, people are able to figure out surprising things. For example, while walking around the old town, we saw a Christmas shop that offers Christmas tree decorations and other related things even in the middle of summer.

I already mentioned the Games of Thrones; a whole museum is dedicated to them – the Game of Thrones Split Museum.

It should be noted that the city is active both day and night. This is due to both tourists and the fact that Croatians have this way of lifestyle. As in the hot southern countries, people become more active around sunset, when the air temperature is much more pleasant – around and slightly above +20 degrees Celsius.

The old town has a large number of cafes and the food on offer, especially seafood, is tasty and of good quality. Also, the ice cream is similar to real Italian ice cream.

Another interesting thing – if you are staying in the city and have to wait until the plane departure in the evening, or you have just arrived there with your suitcases, there are many luggage storage facilities in the city where you can leave your belongings for a small fee. It makes life much easier as you do not have to carry your luggage through the narrow streets of the old town. A little thing, but make life more enjoyable.

My favourite place was probably Fruit Square, because there is enough space, even though there are many people. Musicians often perform there, you can buy delicious ice cream and you can find a place to sit down. It is also located practically on the promenade – you don’t have to wander anywhere far to find it.

The second most interesting object for me was the Temple of Jupiter. Relatively, a very small but very old building and a restaurant is hidden on its side down the stairs serving food in a special atmosphere.

Sevid in Dalmatia

Posted on 01/12/2024 by ainarsbl

Sevid was our destination for a summer vacation on the Adriatic coast in Croatia. I already wrote before that we arrived at Zadar airport and spent a couple of days in a small town Grebastica and on the way to Sevid we stopped in Dalmatian town Primosten.

Sevid is great place for quiet vacation, the nearest town with an active tourist life is Trogir, which is about 20 kilometres away. The beaches of Sevid, of course, have many people like everywhere else in Croatia, but they are not overcrowded. People go there with their private cars, because the village is located a short but not walking distance from the D8 road, there is no motorway nearby, and it is difficult or even impossible for tourist buses to pass through narrow local roads.

Another peculiarity, why there are no bigger hotels in Sevid is that the village does not have a central water supply. Houses use their own boreholes for water, but in many places water is even supplied by vehicles in water tanks. We lived in a villa that had its own well, but the landlady suggested that it is better to buy drinking water in a store – just in case to be on safe side.
In the part of the village located by the sea, there is one shop, one pizzeria and one (expensive) restaurant. It is not much, but it is quite enough if you have your own transport to go to the city when necessary. We had already bought everything important on the way to Sevid stopping in Šibenik, where there are large shopping centres and you can buy practically everything you need.

Sibenik is located 45 kilometres from Sevid, the journey takes less than an hour. The city is interesting with a rich cultural heritage, episodes of the Game of Thrones series were also filmed there. If you’re around, Sibenik is worth a stop.

The small villages have another good thing – every morning, local bakery products are delivered near to your doorstep, so we could eat freshly baked croissants and other similar products for breakfast.

Roadside restaurants

From time to time we also went to explore the surrounding area. One of the most interesting things seemed to be the large grill ovens at the roadside restaurants.

Every morning a lamb, piglet, or goat is impaled on one or more skewers, well-roasted for lunch, and offered to passing riders. During holiday season it is better to book a table in advance, because there are a lot of people who want to eat. It is interesting that meat is not sold in portions but in kilograms. For example, order a kilogram for three people and in addition order portions of side dishes.

It is also possible to order meat to take away, what we also did, so that we did not have to prepare lunch ourselves.

On weekdays, only pork is usually offered, but lamb is roasted on weekends. It must be said that all kinds of meets were very tasty – they really know how to roast it. The chefs said that they do not raise livestock themselves, but buy from farmers in nearby mountain villages.

Boat hire

If you are at the sea, one of the options difficult and even unwise to give up is a trip to the sea by hired boat.

We found a phone number right on the beach board advertising where you can rent a boat and called that number. We agreed that we will take the boat for half a day, which also means half the price. The deal was agreed and the next morning around ten we were already sitting in our motorboat.

Traveling by boat has one major benefit – you can drop anchor almost anywhere near the shore and swim. No need to worry about the sea urchins that are common on the rocky beaches of Croatia (for this reason, we always used the water slippers we brought, which protect quite well from accidental injuries).

We also decided to go out into the open sea and went to the nearby island. We found a nice beach there and had a great time before heading back.

Looking at the map, we travelled only about six kilometres all together, but it felt much more. Swaying in the waves of the sea and humming from the cargo ship, whose path we would had to cross was fun.

It should also be mentioned that the locals left a very pleasant impression. Returning home I noticed that I had left a pair of sunglasses with a relatively large amount of money on the boat. When we slowly went back to the villa, the guy with the scooter caught us up and returned the left property – many thanks to him for that!

Croatian towns Rogoznica and Primosten

Posted on 24/11/2024 by ainarsbl

The city beach is considered one of the ten best beaches (depending on source) in Croatia and even has stationary sun umbrellas for holidaymakers (such thing is not very common in Croatia). The surrounding region is famous for its wine, and there is a vineyard right near the town. which is even included in the UNESCO world cultural heritage list.

Just outside the city on the other side of the bay is another interesting sight, the statue of Our Lady of Loreto, which can be seen from the city if you have climbed to a higher place. We did climb on the hill of St. George’s Church and saw the statue from there.
Walking around the town was nice, especially the part of it that is on the island. There are many cafes, restaurants and small shops – as usual in a real resort town.

Statue of Our Lady of Loreto

Lady Loreto is associated with Catholicism, it is a statue of the Virgin Mary that was found in a holy house, but not about religion here. The drive to the statue on a rocky road was interesting, the statue itself was quite impressive, but the best view around was from the very top of the hill where the statue is located.

The weather was brutally hot when we got there, but fortunately there is also a bar with shady space and you can buy ice cream there (I find the name a bit funny – Madonna’s bar and shop). It is really up to you how much time to spend there and observe the surrounding landscape. There is a good (asphalted) free parking lot next to the object. From there there are a couple of hundreds of metres to climb to the statue.

Rogoznica and fish

We drove to Rogoznica next day after arriving to Sevid. That is another small town by the sea, however the purpose of our trip was very practical this time – to buy some seafood for lunch and dinner.

In the centre of the city there is a market where both agricultural products and seafood are sold. We were unlucky because the seafood season had not started in mid-June, so all the fish stalls were completely empty.

Locals told that something might arrive in the market in a week’s or two time.

We didn’t bother much and took the opportunity to at least buy local tomatoes, potatoes, strawberries and other tasty things.

We had researched before that there must be a fish farm in the nearby area where seabass and similar fish are grown. Without thinking much, we went to the other side of the peninsula to ‘catch fish’ ourselves. The farm is called Klismar ribogojilište Zečevo, I can only guess that it is something about catching fish.

The ride was quite extreme. One lane that can be used in both directions, the road is rocky and unpaved, not to mention the bends, serpentines and steep slopes. And all this within just a few kilometres drive. However, this event turned out to be a complete success.

When we arrived, we found a shed where a couple of local individuals were staying with some fish boxes in the stall. The fish were very fresh, kept in boxes on ice. I don’t remember the price, but it was really fair deal, so we paid, collected our purchase and headed back to the place of residence with a small detour through the outskirts of the already mentioned Rogoznica town.

I should add that we decided to grill fish for dinner and it turned out very tasty!

Croatian town Omis

Posted on 17/11/2024 by ainarsbl

Seaside town Omis

Omis is a small town in Croatia at the estuary of the Cetina River into the sea, about 25 kilometres (30 minutes) south of Split.

Omis is known for being used by pirates around the fourteenth century. The river is surrounded by mountains and was a good place to hide to rob the sea-going merchant ships that operated between Dubrovnik, Venice and Naples in Italy.

Not only the ability to hide played a role, but also the fact that sea vessels could not navigate the river. The pirates had even built a fortress and concluded an agreement with the surrounding villages on non-aggression and ‘cooperation’.

There isn’t much to do in the town itself, although it has its own charm and a large parking lot, which is essential when traveling by car. However, we did not go to Omis to look for pirates – the purpose of the trip was to ride one of the longest zipline tracks in Europe. The track consists of seven descents of different lengths with a total cableway length of more than two kilometres.

Zipline

The cableways are divided into eight sections, the longest of which is 700 meters, while the others are much shorter. The good news is that each run is different – one steeper and faster, another flatter, but with better views around. The whole event takes place at an average height of 150 metres above sea level.

The price of the attraction is 400 Croatian Kuna (about 45 euros) per person, but children under the age of six are not allowed to participate. It should be noted that it is not possible to leave children nearby, as you will be taken to the starting point in the mountains and later collected to go back to the town from another location.

It all starts in the town centre, where Zipline Omis Croatia has an office. Before that we left the car in the parking lot about a five-minute walk from the office. When we arrived, we had to sign documents and pay (payment can only be made in cash in local currency, but from January 2023, according to the latest news in the summer of 2022, Croatia will join the euro zone, so the inconvenience of currency exchange will also disappear).

After a short wait, while all those who wanted to go to zipline gathered (about 12 people), we went to the parking lot nearby, where two buses with instructors and equipment were waiting for us. Each group is accompanied by two instructors, the first of whom goes to the destination and the second as the last of the group joins everyone else for the next ride.

When we went up the hill, everyone was given equipment and about half an hour was spent on briefing and test drives on a 20-meter-long training track. Those who failed the short practice run the first time were given the opportunity to repeat until they did succeed. After all that, we went further up the mountain to the first real ride.

The first ride was the longest and the view was spectacular. The good news is that it is relatively flat section and the speed is not high. It’s a bit nerve-wracking that the wind moves the riders while riding across the canyon, but the view around is fantastic!

You can see everything else on the Zipline website. I can only add that the instructors were professionals and the whole event passed so quickly that one could only wonder where the time disappeared. After the ride, we all took pictures together and the buses took us back to the town centre.

Lunch near Omis

After a job well done, you need to also rest well. We asked the locals where we could eat and went to the recommended Restoran Radmanove Mlinice on the banks of the Cetina River, some five or six kilometres outside the town. In general, this place was something very similar to a recreation complex.

Rented boats with passengers and rafters with kayaks were going back and forth along the river. By the way, rafting is the second most popular form of entertainment in Omis area and agents offer rafting on the sides of the streets near their small shops.

The restaurant is impressive in size and the service is very fast. The prices are also very good; looking at what the actual demand is and the food offered, I even would expect being asked paying a little more.

After a good lunch, we went back to our home in Sevid using different route; we drove through the mountains. To sum up, the whole day was really successful!

The capital of Greece Athens

Posted on 10/11/2024 by ainarsbl

Greece

Greece is one of the countries I have been to many times, on business, leisure and in transit. However, I have never written about this country so far, so here not only about Athens, the capital of Greece, but also a little bit about Greece in general.

To be honest, there isn’t much that can be said about Greece that is unknown to everyone, so at least a few figures and a little bit of history.
Greece is located at the southern part of the Balkan Peninsula, covering an area of almost 132 thousand square kilometres. This is comparable to countries such as Bangladesh, Nepal, which are slightly larger than Greece and North Korea and Nicaragua, which are slightly smaller. Compared to the United States, Greece is two times smaller the size of the state of Colorado.

Greece owns 227 islands, of which at least 166 are inhabited. The largest Greek islands are Crete, Evia, Lesbos, Rhodes and Chios. The area of Crete is just over 8,000 square kilometres, larger than Palestine and slightly smaller than nearby Cyprus. Crete is 260 kilometres long and 12 to 60 kilometres wide.

According to 2020 data, a bit less than 11 million people live in Greece, of which more than half a million live in the central part of Athens.

The capital Athens

Athens is the capital of Greece and, like many other major cities, form a conglomerate of around three million people living in the area.

Athens is one of the oldest cities in the world, historians say it is about 3,400 years old. Names such as Plato and Aristotle are associated with Athens.

Athens is associated with such things as ancient temples, amphitheatres and, of course, the Acropolis. Athens has two UNESCO World Heritage Sites: the Acropolis of Athens and the Byzantine monastery of Daphne (Daphni or Daphne), which is much less well known than the Acropolis.

Acropolis

The Acropolis is a complex of buildings on the top of a cliff in the centre of Athens, the most famous object of the Acropolis is the Parthenon. The Parthenon is a temple (more precisely, its remains) that was built in honour of the Greek goddess Athena. The temple was completed more than 400 years BC.

Athena is the daughter of Zeus, one of the gods of Olympus, the goddess of wisdom and war. The Roman equivalent of Athens is Minerva, although Mars is more widely known as the god of Roman warfare.

The word acropolis means the highest point, as it actually is when you climb it. At the foot of the Acropolis you can find some parking lots if you are there with your own or rented car. We parked our car ate Rovertou Galli street 39 parking lot. And the climb is worth it – from above there is a fantastic view of the city.

Entrance to the Acropolis Museum is for fee. Tickets start at 12 euros and more, up to 80 euros for a of ancient Athens, both privately and in a group tours (I didn’t spent money on this, so cannot say if it’s worth it and any better than cheaper option).

Accommodation in Athens

We chose accommodation outside the city centre closer to the sea – Tropical Hotel, which is located a little more than ten kilometres southwest of the Acropolis.

In Google reviews I wrote about hotel that it is in a very convenient location, the rooms are clean and tidy, the staff is welcoming and breakfast is good. It should also be noted that we also were lucky to have a wonderful view towards the sea as our balcony was on that side of the hotel. Overall, a very good hotel at a reasonable price, especially when you need a place to stay for a short time.

One more thing I wanted to add about Athens. We tried to drive early in the morning and late in the evening, because driving around Athens during the day can be a nightmare, especially if you are in a busy populated area.

I remember that during another trip I was waiting for a bus quite long time, which did not arrive at all. In the end, I decided to walk on my own several kilometres and it paid off because traffic jams were heavy and many cars I left even behind.

Capital of Scotland Edinburgh

Posted on 03/11/2024 by ainarsbl

Edinburgh, the capital of Scotland

Edinburgh definitely is one of the most special places, at least for me personally. Not only because we have been living there for several years.

Although Edinburgh is the capital of Scotland, it is only the second largest city in Scotland, the largest being Glasgow. It is home to just over half a million people, although in summer the city’s population can even double during the touristic season.

The city hosts many different festivals throughout the summer, so tourists from all over the world come there to see those and even participate. In addition, Edinburgh’s Old Town is a UNESCO World Heritage Site.

Getting there

The Scots have done their best to make it easy to get to the city. At Edinburgh Airport, a variety of airlines live together in a friendly way. Prior to the pandemic, the airport handled almost 15 million passengers a year. For example, Riga, which is a city of similar size, accommodated only half of it (7.8 million passengers).

Getting from the airport to the city centre is very convenient. To get to the city centre, you can take a bus (airport shuttle) or a modern tram (Edinburgh has only one tram line operating from the city centre to the airport). The fastest is the AirLink bus (route No. 100), which has some other stops between the airport and the city centre.

Edinburgh can also be easily reached by flying to the nearby Glasgow Airport or the slightly more remote Aberdeen Airport (there are five much less important international airports in Scotland).

And of course, train and bus routes connect Edinburgh with many other British cities. I have also written separate blog about the road network in Scotland.

Places and things definitely worth seeing in Edinburgh

Even if you haven’t been to Scotland, you’ve probably heard words like Edinburgh Castle, the Old Town, the Royal Mile, Holyrood, Walter Scott and Arthur’s Seat. The good news is that most of Edinburgh’s attractions are relatively close together. In addition, there are many events in the city that are worth attending if you are lucky enough to be in the city at that time.

Royal Edinburgh Military Tattoo

Undoubtedly, the Edinburgh Military Tattoo, which takes place every summer in the courtyard of Edinburgh Castle (in 2022 from August 5 to 27). Military orchestras from different countries take part in the show and delight the audience with military marches, marching and other passionate performances.

Admission to the event is quite expensive, ranging from £ 60 to over £ 600. The cheapest tickets theoretically cost £ 30, but it’s a small sector on the very edge of the arena. Tickets must be purchased well in advance, preferably several months before you decide to go there. In any case, if you’ve given away £ 60 for the show, you won’t feel overpaid after the grand event – it’s really worth seeing!

The Edinburgh Castle

Edinburgh Castle is certainly the most famous tourist destination in the capital, if not the whole of Scotland (mysterious Lake Loch Ness could compete with it).

Edinburgh Castle is on an ancient volcano and can be seen from a distance before you even enter the city. The top of the volcano has been inhabited since the Iron Age, but the royal castle has been located there since the 12th century. Until 1633, the castle was a royal residence, but since then it has also played an important role in Scottish history.

The castle is the most visited tourist destination in Scotland (over 2 million visitors a year) and the second most visited in the UK. The entrance fee to the castle is quite expensive (in my opinion, compared to what you can see there), £ 18. However, to see the large courtyard of the castle and the city panorama from the top of the cliff, you do not have to pay at all – you can enter it for free and spend as much time as you want. However, it will not be possible during the military show period, because there are stands for spectators installed at the time.

This blog covers just a few things you can see in the Scottish capital, I will continue posting about something else soon. If you are elsewhere in Scotland, you can also read my blog about the Scottish Highlands, the Isle of Skye in the west of Scotland and Stirling.