Viator Travel Blog

The second part of the 18th century was marked by a new style which overtook the previously popular Baroque style from the first half of the century. The difference was so striking, it seemed that all the new buildings were stripped of all the elaborate moldings and fancy sculptural decorations which were so characteristic to era of Elizabethan baroque. My previous article about the Smolny cathedral helps to elucidate the psychology and manifestation of suppressed alter ego of Elisabeth, who was real party animal during her reign.

There is a certain type of traveler—we don’t have a name for them—who have a benevolent streak that co-exists quite happily with a hunger for travel and love for a bargain. This strange mix finds its expression when the opportunity arises to visit a place where some sort of calamity has struck, and they see the chance to do some good, while at the same time enjoying low prices, sparse crowds and grateful locals.

There is no better current example of a place matching this description than Athens.

For its price I think the Rome Hop-on Hop-off Double Decker Bus Tour is the best little tour of Rome you can get. Being on the top deck means you get a great perspective of some of the greatest monuments in the city. The audio commentary–despite not being recorded and not from a live guide–comes on at the right moment and is clear and very informative.

Despite being the biggest city in Istria, Pula feels like a secret. The city boasts a beautiful coastline, Mediterranean weather and a wealth of history to explore. Unlike more popular destinations in Croatia and the west coast of Italy, Pula remains wonderfully rough around the edges. There are signs that it has been touched by the tourism industry, but it still retains its charm. It wouldn’t be a surprise if it were a tourist hotspot in five year’s time, with large hotels on the coast and franchised restaurants, so it is worth visiting while you can still be served cocktails in a small beach-front bar or enjoy Istrian ham in a quaint café in the narrow roads of the city centre

Headed to Italy? These Rome travel tips will help you come prepared for the crazy traffic, how to buy tickets for public transport, where to find drinking water and more.

You can find Greek islands with more frenetic nightlife, more secluded getaways, resorts where the needle on the chi-chi-meter reaches further into the red. But few are as well-connected as Paros while offering such a great value for money and enough variety–beaches, churches, bars, classical ruins, restaurants–to satisfy everyone. Throw in plucky little neighbor Antiparos and you have two islands for the price of one. And who doesn’t like getting something for free?

Half and hour down the Autopista del Sol, you turn off to Malaga and have six hours to indulge yourself in Andalucia’s second most important city after Sevilla and one of its most atmospheric. Mention Malaga and most people think of the airport, a transit point to the Costa del Sol and beyond. Their memories are of queues of massed ranks of bright pink holidaymakers returning home, laden down with bottles of sangria, oversized sombreros and stuffed black bulls to put on their mantelpieces. What they miss is one of the jewels of southern Spain, a place steeped in history and the birthplace of one of the world’s most famous artists, Pablo Picasso himself.

The Naples and Pompeii Day Trip from Rome begins with an early start in Rome where the bus heads south on the autostrada del sole (the motorway of the sun), down past rolling green mountains, and finally arrives in Naples. After a brief informative tour of Naples from the bus, a stop on the seafront gives you a chance to get a bit of a feel for Naples and a great view of Capri in the distance.

Nothing is quite as exciting as exciting as familiarizing yourself with one of with one of civilization’s most historic and beautiful sites, and in Athens, Greece, you are at the pinnacle.

When people plan trips, they tend to opt for the big, well-known cities … the Parises, Madrids, and Venices of the world. But, while these places are packed with history, intrigue and beauty, there are other less popular cities offering beautiful and unique experiences, often a stone’s throw away.

For your next trip, keep the big city picks, but schedule in some day or overnight trips to other cities nearby.

Need some ideas?