Ring of Kerry, Ireland - Beautiful Beaches And Idyllic Scenery

Ring of Kerry, Ireland - Beautiful Beaches And Idyllic Scenery

Ring of Kerry is a nearly 200 km (125 mile) long loop route in county Kerry among Ireland's most stunning landscapes - little, cozy villages, green hills and fields, castles, bare mountains and hundreds of lakes in Killarney National Park. Moreover, along the Atlantic Coast, as a part of "Wild Atlantic Way" - you can enjoy breathtaking views over dramatic cliffs, sandy beaches with surprisingly clear blue water and amazing and off the beaten path Skellig Islands (sometimes called Irish Machu Picchu) which are the home for thousands of colorful puffins that seemingly love to pose for photographs. Most of what Ireland is famous for can be seen concentrated within this little piece of land.

Konye Urgench, Turkmenistan - A Silent Reminder of The Great Silk Road

Konye Urgench, Turkmenistan - A Silent Reminder of The Great Silk Road

Konye Urgench (Old Urgench) which joined UNESCO list in 2005, is one of the most important archaeological locations in Turkmenistan (the other being Merv). It lies in the site of the ancient Persian Empire and was inhabited since 4th century BC. It rose to a powerful city during the middle ages - as an important center on the famous Silk Road. In the 13th century, Urgench was invaded by the Mongols who leveled the city to the ground. Nevertheless, it regained its previous, strong position and remained that way until the 16th century when the people slowly started to abandon it. The new settlement (New Urgench) was founded some 160 km (100 miles) to the south (which is now Uzbekistan).

800 km (500 miles) Through Morocco By A Local Taxi - From Sahara To The Sea

800 km (500 miles) Through Morocco By A Local Taxi - From Sahara To The Sea

When you think about Morocco - most probably, one of the first things that come to mind are endless, golden sand dunes of Sahara Desert, oriental cities and picturesque Berber towns that consist of houses built with clay and mud. I'd had similar assumptions before traveling to this northern African country. In this article, however, I want to show that there's so much more to Morocco - how much this exciting country surprised me. Besides the barren, desert-like landscapes, you can admire red rock formations, lush green cedar forests, beautiful lakes, snowy peaks of Atlas Mountains and villages with temperate climate and European architecture. That's the beauty of travel - you always encounter something unexpected!

Gjirokaster - Albania's Most Beautiful UNESCO Town

Gjirokaster - Albania's Most Beautiful UNESCO Town

Traveling along the southern coast of Albania literally made my jaw drop. I had not expected at all what I was going to see. Paradise, completely unspoiled beaches, clearest sea possible, superb food and accommodation at ridiculously low prices, friendliest locals I'd ever met... I thought nothing else was able to surprise me. Then, we reached Gjirokaster - a little Ottoman town which turned out to be breathtakingly unique not only in Albania but in the whole Europe. It could easily compete with the French or Italian equivalents - in Gjirokaster you'll see the most beautifully decorated houses covered with original stone roof tiles, authentic, perfectly well maintained old town with cobblestone, winding little streets and... literally zero tourists!

Lake Kaindy, Kazakhstan - One Of The Most Unique Lakes In The World

Lake Kaindy, Kazakhstan - One Of The Most Unique Lakes In The World

Lake Kaindy in southern Kazakhstan is one of the newest and most unique natural wonders on our planet. Although literally unknown in the West, if it was located in any European country, it would be its best tourist attraction. Especially beautiful in the fall (autumn), Lake Kaindy boasts not only exceptionally attractive blue color of water and snowy rocky mountains surrounding it but also the unique, silver trunks of dead spruce sticking out of the lake's surface. The "flooded forest" is indeed one of the natural landmarks of Kazakhstan. It all creates a fairy-tale like scenery, not seen anywhere else.

Discover Rural England

Discover Rural England

England is without a doubt an eclectic mix of beautiful patchwork hills, stunning coastlines, historic buildings and ruins, quaint market towns and national parks. As a result there are plenty of things to keep you occupied. Here are some top places that you just might want to visit for the perfect rural escape

Tirana, Albania - A Visit In The Most Peculiar European Capital

Tirana, Albania - A Visit In The Most Peculiar European Capital

Tirana - the capital of Albania. Despite the nearby Adriatic coast and super popular countries like Italy, Croatia and Greece among which Albania is sandwiched, this little Balkan country receives very few foreign visitors. Those who end up in Tirana, usually claim that it is unattractive and give up any attempts to explore Albania further. What a mistake this is! Paradise beaches, unique, cozy little towns of Berat and Gjirokaster, crystar clear turquoise lakes and spectacular mountains are waiting for those who stray from the beaten path. I must agree, though, that Tirana indeed pales in comparison with those wonderful sites mentioned above. However, if you look closer and make a little effort to understand its history, the city's overall image changes in a positive way.

Ko Phi Phi Islands, Thailand - All The Pros And Cons Of This "Lost Paradise"

Ko Phi Phi Islands, Thailand - All The Pros And Cons Of This "Lost Paradise"

Ko Phi Phi Islands are the main landmark and the most popular tourist destination in Thailand. It's just a piece of heaven on Earth - it's exactly the way you can see it on the postcards or wallpapers featuring exotic beaches. And it really is that idyllic and full of colors - the water is perfectly turquoise and crystal clear, the sand is soft and immaculately white and the surrounding limestone cliffs create "the gate" to paradise. Nature is always flawlessly beautiful - but it couldn't be all so perfect, could it? There are, obviously, some faults in this must-see Thailand's attraction. And they are all caused by us - humans. Read on about my experience in Ko Phi Phi, find out how to avoid the scams and what's the best way to visit the islands.

Petra in Jordan - Part 2 - The Roman Center And The Trail To The Monastery (Ad-Deir)

Petra in Jordan - Part 2 - The Roman Center And The Trail To The Monastery (Ad-Deir)

As I mentioned in the first part, the ancient rock city of Petra has so much more to offer than the most popular monument - the Treasury. Around the Treasury, you can admire other, unique to the Nabataean style enormous structures carved in the rose rock and the short but steep trail to the High Place of Sacrifice. In this part I will describe all the rest - The Roman part of Petra with its impressive Colonnaded Street, the most important Nabataean Temple Qasr al-Bint and the extraordinarily attractive trail to the carved from the rock wall Monastery (Ad-Deir) located on top of the nearby hill. Besides the spectacular Monastery, the whole site also boasts unreal views over the Martian mountainous desert.

Why Belgrade, Serbia Is The Least Attractive Capital In The Balkans

Why Belgrade, Serbia Is The Least Attractive Capital In The Balkans

As you know from my earlier posts, the Balkans is my favorite region in Europe and maybe in the entire world. It's cultural diversity, interesting, unique architecture, cozy towns, spectacular mountains, unspoiled paradise beaches and superb food speak for themselves. And with all that to offer - very few typical foreign tourists come here. Thanks to this, the area is kept authentic - in contrast to some other "plastic" destinations filled with tonnes of cheap souvenirs made in China to attract the masses. However, the capital cities of the Balkans seem to be not that appealing. This is probably because of the turbulent history and damage the region suffered in recent times. Nevertheless, some cities, like Tirana, Pristina, Skopje or Ljubljana - although definitely less attractive than the rest of the countries they are in - are at least interesting, different, with a nice vibe. Belgrade, in turn, seemed cold, concrete and soulless to me. But that doesn't mean that there's nothing to see there.