On the historic Island of Sardinia, there are many towns and cities that contribute to the beauty, culture, and life of the land. The island as a whole is known for its beauty, natural landscapes, and history. Below are five of the best places to visit in Sardinia along with well-known resorts, restaurants, and attractions.

Cagliari – The Capital at the Bay of the Angels

Cagliari Panorama libarium

As the capital of Sardinia, Cagliari is located on the Bay of the Angels and is the most populated town area in the province. While much of the island is known for history and nature, the capital is more of a tourist area with nightlife, bars, restaurants, music, and other entertainment. There are many hotels and resorts in the province like the resort called Forte Village as well as must-see beaches and even the ruins of the oldest town in Sardinia.

Cagliari

Nuoro – A place of Tradition

With a variety of landscapes like mountains, valleys, plateaus, and beaches, Nuoro is a beautiful area for anyone that loves the outdoors. The province is located on the eastern side of the middle of the island and has everything from caves to museums of culture as well as exclusive beaches for relaxation with resorts within a close distance.

Sassari – A blend of Nature and History

If you love to see Mother Nature in the huge variety of her manifestations, then head to the north-west side of the island to a province called Sassari. There are some great lodging choices in and lots of hotels in Alghero near the Castle of Doria. There are many ways to enjoy the area with national parks, castles, an archaeological museum, and even a rock that is shaped like an elephant trunk.

Oristano – A place of Simplicity and Beauty

As a beach lover’s paradise, Oristano has a different beach for every day and is a great place to visit if you want to get away from the noise of tourism in the more populated cities. With a relaxing and charming bed and breakfast, you can start your day off right. The province is located near the ancient city of Tharros, on the western side of the island, which was the origin of the Phoenicians. The ruins are mysterious with two solitary large columns that stand alone with no roof or anything to support.

Olbia-Tempio – Archeological Paradise

Olbia, also known as the “happy city” by the Greeks, houses the most famous carnival parade on the island called “Carrasciali Timpiesu.” With many different archeological sites, the area is one of the biggest tourist centres in Sardinia. The province is located on the north side of the island.

There are so many sites to see in Sardinia that it would be hard to visit them all in one trip. The island offers modern tourism with bars and restaurants as well as ancient and natural sites for the history and environment lover.

photo credits

About Giulia: Giulia is an Italian travel lover living in Sardinia. She works in tourism field for CharmingSardinia.com and runs the blog CharmingItaly.com, where she shares information about Italy.

Guest post by Boyana Peeva

You are bored out of your mind and you can’t remember the last time you actually did something that took your breath away. The challenges in your life have been cut down to zero as you’ve been tightly stuck into your comfort zone. This same comfort zone once gave you a feeling of safety and comfort, but it has now turned into a trap keeping you away from the joy of living.

What you need is a real shake-up to wake your senses and trigger your desire to live. Go backpacking and you will you face the biggest challenge of your life – to be free.

Backpacking

Actually, a little courage is all you need, and backpacking will become your life-changer in a good way. What’s more, as this activity is growing in popularity, it is also becoming more affordable than ever. So, if you are really tired of the boredom and monotony of your life, get a backpack and hit the road. The best thing about backpacking is that you can never be ready for it, and will never know what to expect.

Where to Backpack

Two of the most popular destinations for backpackers undoubtedly are Australia and New Zealand, especially among first-timers. Here’s why:

• Language: As language is usually not an obstacle for backpackers, it makes it a lot easier for those planning to stay in a particular country for a longer period of time. Backpackers survive on the lowest budget possible which is part of the challenge (to see more on the less), and if they wish to explore a country to the bottom of it, they will have to find temporary employment and the language barrier could be a problem. Since the language in Australia and New Zealand is English, that makes it quite easy to find a temporary job and to simply communicate with locals.
• Culture: The backpacker has a thirst to see the world from all possible sides. The more the culture differs from his, the bigger the challenge. However, sometimes the cultural differences may affect the overall experience and prevent travelers from seeing major sights. That happens when backpackers are unaware of the place they are going to. They may get into trouble for doing things that are prohibited in that part of the world. In contrast, OZ and NZ cultures are easy to understand, which enables the travelers to relax and focus on exploring the beauties of these countries.
• Backpacker industry: The backpacker industry in Australia and New Zealand is one of the best developed in the world, as there are plenty of amenities related to accommodation, employment, entertainment and more. This way, the backpackers are predisposed to mix with the locals, get to know them and their lives better. This experience usually ends with great friendships and unforgettable moments. A new market for used cars specifically for backpackers has even opened recently in Sydney, to help them sell their used cars, and to help the newcomers find cheap automobiles for their trips. There are also convenient Australian Work and Holiday programs specifically for US citizens, or Working Holiday for other nationalities. As far as employment, backpackers are wanted for temporary jobs especially in the outbacks. Some popular jobs include fruit picking, working in diners and hostels, clerical and admin work, nursing, harvesting, and more.
• Nature: The OZ and NZ natures are simply breathtaking. The wide beaches, green landscapes, rare animals, national parks are worth crossing half the world for. Where else playing with a kangaroo on the beach is part of the everyday lives of the natives?

Or swimming with sharks and dolphins? The Ningaloo Reef, where this is possible in Australia, is a fringing coral reef and one of the most beautiful marine spots in the country. And, speaking of reefs, let’s not forget the world-famous Great Barrier Reef – this spectacularly diverse underwater area of marine life is long 2,600 kilometers with colors so bright that it can be even seen from space.

While on the road, you will see what “to be free” really means. Once this is over, you will never be the same person again as your mind and spirit could never be tamed again.

If you still have doubts whether to hit the road, I suggest watching the movie Into the Wild J, or listening to what others have to say about backpacking in Australia and New Zealand.

About Boyana Peeva: My name is Boyana Peeva and I am originally from Bulgaria. My biggest passions are traveling and music – I discovered the first in 2004 when I went to the United States to do my bachelor’s degree in Journalism. After 6 years living abroad and traveling, I can say – traveling opened my eyes and made me love my sweet home even more.

I am now working in Bulgaria, at an Irish company that provides visa and travel support services – Visa First. A huge number of our clients are young people from Ireland and UK who go backpacking in Australia and New Zealand. Based on their travel stories and feedback I can say that OZ and NZ really are a magnet for backpackers. Also, based on their needs and queries, we created the Visa First blog where we share tips and travel stories for the travel junkie and prospect emigrant.

I already mentioned how much I like Schoenbrunn Palace. So, I was looking through old photos, and I saw this photo from the palace’s garden – the back view.

I hope you’ll like it I admit I like the sky too! I was afraid rain will start – but we were lucky and had a wonderful time there!

Schoenbrunn Palace, Vienna, back

Hamburg – the official name being official name is the Free and Hanseatic City of Hamburg – is the second-largest city in Germany, after Berlin, and the seventh-largest city in the European Union. Situated on the river Elbe, the port of Hamburg is the third-largest port in Europe.

I’m inviting you to see the city in 3 lovely videos.

Hamburg

Sightseeing Hamburg

Hamburg meine Stadt

In an international survey released on Thursday, Australia beat United States and Singapore and is now considered as the ideal place for the expats due to quality of life and career prospects.
The Expat Explorer Survey – now in it’s fourth year – was made by HSBC Bank Australia. In an article on Reuters, we find out that “more than 3,000 expatriates in over 100 countries rated nations on a range of criteria from accommodations to food, healthcare and the quality of the commute to work”. The result? “The report suggests expats are putting lifestyle and well-being ahead of money and Australia wins hands down on this front,” said Graham Heunis, head of retail banking and wealth management for HSBC Bank Australia.

The final top 7 ideal countries for expats is:

1. Australia
2. United States
3. Singapore
4. Hong Kong
5. Canada
6. United Kingdom
7. France

“Respondents said they were attracted to the higher salaries in Hong Kong and the United Kingdom, while Canada’s lifestyle won it points.”

I’ve told you some days ago about Ramnicu Valcea city from Romania, but now you really have to see the City Hall by night. It turns blue and red, pink and yellow, green and white Pretty unusual for a city hall, isn’t it?

Ramnicu Valcea City Hall blue

Ramnicu Valcea City Hall green

Ramnicu Valcea City Hall pink

Ramnicu Valcea City Hall yellow

Ramnicu Valcea City Hall statue

At about an hour outside of Vienna, in Herrnbaumgarten, Austria was opened this month The Museum of Nonsense. Fritz Gall is an Austrian inventor who, however, didn’t manage to invent something special. But he obtained some money in order to fund the opening of a museum dedicated to weird, unuseful objects. And it seems the museum is quite a success.

I remember reading a while ago an article on most strange and stupid gadgets ever invented. I admit I laughed at some. So this Museum of Nonsense sounds like a good idea. I am sure there are many inventions that can be catalogued as strange, unnecessary or unuseful.

The museum, as I already mentioned, is localized in Herrnbaumgarten – the hometown of the inventor – and it is only one hour from Vienna.

I didn’t find – unfortunately – an official website of the museum – but I really want to go visit it next time I’ll be in Vienna.

I saw some photos here and below is a video that appears also on an article on Huffington Post dedicated to the museum. I found out about the museum via Slashdot.

How do you find this museum? Would you visit it?

Guest post by Laura

Sometimes it’s better to here where to go from the locals. Here are four alternatives for tourist attractions in NYC.

1 – Instead of seeing the Empire State Building, go to the Top of the Rock

The line to go to the top of the Empire State Building is incredibly long (at times 2+ hours) whereas the wait to go to the Top of the Rock is significantly less. You also have an unobstructed view 360 degrees of the city and you can get a photo of the Empire State Building.
http://www.topoftherocknyc.com/

2 – Instead of the Museum of Modern Art (MoMA), go to P.S. 1 Contemporary Art Center

If you’d like to go to the MoMA, then go on a Friday afternoon when it’s free admission however, as are most attractions in NY it is packed and the line extends well around the block. Instead head to P.S. 1 Contemporary Art Center which is an affiliate of the MoMA and houses artwork of future artists. The admission cost is more affordable at $10 for adults, rather than the $25 for the MoMA and it is located in Queens which is a great borough to explore.
http://momaps1.org/visit/

photo credit

3 – Instead of taking a cruise around Manhattan, take the Staten Island Ferry

The main reason to take the Staten Island Ferry is it’s FREE. Just catch the ferry at Whitehall and Water St and you’ll have a beautiful view of the skyline. Once you get to Staten Island, you can either hop back on and turn back or check out a Yankee game – the Staten Island Yankees are a farm team for the New York Yankees so you may see the next Derek Jeter in action.

4 – Instead of going to FAO Schwarz, go to the Toys “R” Us in Times Square

FAO Schwarz has a long history and was shown in the movie “Big” which attracts plenty of tourists, however if you’re going to go to a toy store – go to the Toys “R” Us in Times Square. It’s unique in that there is a working ferris wheel in the middle of the store and among other interesting displays there is also a life size Barbie house that visitors can actually go in (adults included!).
http://www.toysrusinc.com/about-us/times-square/

About Laura: Laura is a travel enthusiast from New York currently living and working in Australia. Her spare time activities include reading, checking things off her bucket list and trying her hand in blogging at http://gogoodlife.com. You can also follow her on twitter at: @Tweeting_Laura.

Lisbon is the capital city and largest city of Portugal. According to visitlisboa.com, legend has it that Lisboa was founded by Ulysses. The name comes from “Olissipo”, which has its origins in the Phoenician words “Allis Ubbo”, meaning “enchanting port”.

photo source

Most likely it was founded by the Phoenicians and styled by the Moores which shows in the strong Arabic influences. It was, after all, ruled by the Moors for 450 years. In the 12th century  the Christians re conquered the city but it was not until the mid 13th century that Lisboa became the country’s capital.

Here are some videos I found online and I really liked about Lisbon, Portugal.

Visit Portugal

Travel Guide – Lisbon, Portugal

Lisbon by night

Lisbon Portugal in photos

The Romanian Traditional Costume Museum  is a new museum that I’ve discovered in Bucharest, with a rich collection of textiles, especially costumes  belonging to the Romanian peasants.

Located in the House of Parliament via The People’s House – one of the biggest buildings in the world –the museum falls under the patronage of “Dimitrie Gusti” National Village Museum. Its collection includes costumes of the women and men from different Romanian areas as: Muscel, Arges, Dambovita, Valcea and Teleorman, the best represented being Muscel, Arges.

Founded in 2004, the museum shows the evolution of Romanian traditional costumes in the last hundred years. I’ve discovered with pleasure ones sewn with silver and gold thread that belonged to the wealthiest people from the village.

Unfortunately, I’ve found out that the museum is under pressure to be evacuated and the lack of tourists  does not help the situation

Although the pictures speak for themselves, I must emphasize that the museum is very friendly and modern. The ticket price is 6 RON for adults or 3 RON for students. It is open from Tuesday to Sunday, 9.00 - 17.00, but I wanted to visit it in the weekend and it was closed. Perhaps you should call ahead (phone: 021.311.49.90/021.311.49.91. If you call from abroad, please insert the country code).

I simply can’t find a real reason for why you shouldn’t visit this beautiful piece of history if you come to Romania!

Romanian Traditional Costume Museum entrance

Romanian Traditional Costume Museum 01

Romanian Traditional Costume Museum 02

Romanian Traditional Costume Museum 03

Romanian Traditional Costume Museum 04

Romanian Traditional Costume Museum 05

Romanian Traditional Costume for bride and groom

Romanian Traditional Costume for bride - detail

Romanian Traditional Costume painting

Romanian Traditional tablecloth

Patrimony Romanian Carpets Album