It is the golden age of travel. It has never been this easy to wander, especially for solo female travelers. It is also becoming an increasingly inspiring pursuit with a lot of female social media influencers sharing their own adventures online.
[Read more…] about 10 Top Destinations in South America for Solo Female Travelers
Barcelona is a megacity with endless attractions to explore, from architecture to food markets. Sure, you could design your own self-guided walking tour of Barcelona. But I would strongly recommend you go on at least one guided tour led by a local to complete your experience.
In this post, I’ll show you the best tours to take in Barcelona in 2020. You can book all the tours I recommend post through Get Your Guide, my number one choice for guided tours in Europe. I’ve gone on many tours with Get Your Guide Tours and love how professional and informative they are. I always leave with a brand new perspective and a ton of notes on my phone.
With Get Your Guide tours, you can skip the notoriously-long lines at Barcelona’s top sites. Also, if something comes up, you can cancel your reservation up to 24 hours and still get a full refund.
La Sagrada Familia is arguably the most famous building in all of Barcelona. This 200-year cathedral is the work of Antoni Gaudi, a Catalan architect. Even if architecture isn’t your thing, you need to take a tour of this iconic cathedral. To experience La Sagrada Familia in all its glory, I would recommend the Sagrada Familia Tour with Tower Access. I toured only the inside of the cathedral without a guide, which is one of the mistakes to avoid at La Sagrada Familia. To truly experience La Sagrada Familia, it’s best to tour both the inside and then take an elevator up to the towers outside.
Park Guell, another work by Gaudi, is like something out of a Dr. Seuss book. It’s colorful, quirky, and just plain fun to tour. Through the Park Guell Guided Walking Tour, your guide will walk you around the vast grounds, hallways, and ginger-bread looking houses. You’ll learn the history of the park and tons of interesting facts.
If you want to tour Barcelona’s historic neighborhoods while trying the best tapas and wine, this tour is for you. As part of the Tapas and Wine Tour, a guide will give you a tour of the El Born neighborhood and the Gothic Quarter. Along the way, you’ll stop at local tapas bars to try the food and wine. The restaurants selected will give a taste of traditional Catalan cuisine and tapas.
Casa Battlo is probably my favorite of the Gaudi buildings. The wealthy Batllo family commissioned Gaudi to demolish their existing home and build a new one. Instead, Gaudi simply refurbished it and added his signature waves on the exterior. The best way to see Casa Batllo is to do a guided tour with an interactive video guide.
Palau de Musica Catalana is a concert venue in Barcelona an awe-inspiring decor. Through this 45-minute tour, you’ll get to admire the extravagant hallways and areas not normally available to the public while learning about Barcelona’s modernist period. The concert hall is a UNESCO World Heritage site and hosts a variety of performances throughout the year.
Just down the street from Casa Battlo is Casa Mila, also known as ‘La Pedrera.’ Just like Casa Battlo, Gaudi built this house for a wealthy couple. At the time, neighbors thought the house was hideous, but now its one of the most famous landmarks in Barcelona. The best way to experience Casa Mila is to do a tour with an audio guide. With this tour, you get to skip the line and also view the house from the rooftop. The vantage point from the rooftop is really amazing!
Photo credit: Get Your GuideHop on hop off buses are a fun way to see the top sites of a city. The Barcelona hop on hop off tour transports you in an air-conditioned coach to the city’s top attractions, like La Sagrada Familia, Camp Nou (the FC Barcelona stadium), Port Olimpic (the 1992 Olympic park), and dozens of more sites. The route has designated routes where you can hop off, explore, and then hop back on at a designated time.
The Gothic Quarter is, in my humble opinion, the most interesting neighborhood in Barcelona. Home to 2000-year old buildings, it is one of the oldest neighborhoods in Barcelona. It’s fun to meander through the narrow streets with grand arches. With a guided walking tour of the Gothic Quarter, you’ll explore some of the most important monuments and learn about the history of the neighborhood.
Photo credit: Get Your Guide Barcelona is a very walkable city so you won’t see many people on bikes. Still, a bike tour is a great way to see the highlights of the city. Through a the 3-Hour Historical Bike Tour, you’ll ride through some of the most iconic neighborhoods, like the Gracia and the Gothic Quarter. You’ll make stops at places La Sagrada Familia and Parc de Ciutadella, and your tour guide will tell you about the history and significance of those sites. This is a fun way to see Barcelona and a great choice for those who would rather not walk.
If you’re looking for a break from the city, then head to the mountains of Montserrat. This is one of the best day trips from Barcelona. Montserrat is a stunning natural landscape that’s home to a famous monastery – the Montserrat Monastery. Christians flock there to see the Black Madonna, a wooden sculpture with important historical significance. Through a guided day trip to Montserrat, you can visit the Montserrat Monastery and experience the beauty of the Catalunya countryside.
Tep Wireless Pocket WIFI Device – With portable WiFi, you can say goodbye to ridiculous roaming charges and SIM cards for good. I’ve been using the Tep Wireless Pocket WIFI device, called a Teppy, for a while and love the peace of mind it gives me. The Teppy provides 3G-4G WiFi for at least 6 hours and works in 100+ countries. In my experience, it lasts 9 hours. It also works in a variety of landscapes and terrains. I even filmed a Facebook Live from a boat in the Atlantic Ocean using my Teppy. I can also use Google Maps, request an Uber, call my mom, and do tons of other things I couldn’t do before. Quick tip: turn off the device when you’re not using it so that the battery can last longer. Use code SOMTOSEEKS to get 10% off your order.
Booking.com – Booking.com is my go-to website for booking discounted accommodations around the world. What I love most about Booking.com is the variety of properties you can find, from luxury apartments to treehouses to university housing. It’s hard to beat the insanely low prices. The website also has a flexible cancellation policy, which is great if things come up or you change your mind.
Skyscanner – Skyscanner.com is my go-to website to search for flights. It’s hard to beat the prices! I’ve snagged a $24 direct flight to Milan, a $30 flight to Berlin, a $400 roundtrip ticket to Colombia, and a $500 roundtrip ticket to Japan. I’ve been using Skyscanner since I studied abroad in Spain back in 2012. I check the website along with the Hopper app to determine the best time to buy tickets.
For more travel product recommendations, check out my travel essentials page.
When it comes to gorgeous destinations for an Italian holiday, we often think of Rome, Venice, and Florence. These destinations are on everyone’s bucket list. However, beyond Rome “the Eternal City,” Florence “the city of art,” and Venice “the city of love,” there are beautiful hidden gems in Italy that will steal your heart. These places boast breathtaking, narrow alleyways, mysterious beauty, magical scenery, and remarkable history. Visiting these less-known places on your trip to Italy will enable you to truly experience the diversity of the country. Here are 11 hidden gems to add to your Italian bucket list.
Located in northern Italy, the Lake District is a spectacularly beautiful site surrounded by breathtaking mountains, sapphire blue lakes, picturesque little towns, and colorful villas shining with beautiful gardens.
This region is home to many great lakes, including Como, Garda, Maggiore, and Lugano. It is not only ideal not only for lovers of natural beauty but also for people looking for an opportunity to learn about history. There are some ancient Roman ruins you can visit here.
Procida is the smallest island and the best-kept secret in the Bay of Naples. It is the ideal place for tourists to explore on foot. Although this island does not have plenty of beaches, it offers the sun-bleached narrow streets, lively bars, famous restaurants, and luxury hotels. August and Lido di Procida are two must-see beaches on the island. Besides the beaches, Procida is home to picturesque ports and boardwalks where you can have a drink while admiring the scenery. These include Marina Corricella, Marina Grande, and Marina di Chiaiolella.
Rapallo, located in Liguria about half an hour away from Genoa, has an iconic historic center that is best-known for its landmark Castle and free beaches. There are a lot of things to do in Rapallo, such as walking on pedestrian shopping streets, swimming, and trying fresh seafood.
Hidden along the cliffs of the Basilicata region is Matera, known as a magical city of stone. Built over 30,000 years ago during the Paleolithic period, Matera is the oldest inhabited place, followed by Petra, Jordan.
Matera’s tourism got a boost when it was recognized as A UNESCO World Heritage Site in 1993. If you have a chance to visit this place, you will find that this unique city is like nowhere else in the world. All of the structures and homes of Matera are carved out of limestone rocks. Sasso Barisano and Sasso Caveoso are two districts built on natural over millennia-old caves.
You can spend hours meandering through limestone churches, palaces, monasteries, and houses balanced on the ravine’s edge. Matera is also a capital of culture as there are several museums that are worth a stop.
Alberobello became a UNESCO World Heritage Site in 1996. As one of the best-hidden gems in Italy, Alberobello is truly unique due to its remarkable drywall construction, conical-roofed homes, and ancient buildings. These features give this small town in Puglia, Italy a magical, fairytale vibe.
If you have an opportunity to discover this quirky town, don’t forget to stop at the Trullo Sovrano museum, Sant’Antonio Church, and Casa d’amore historical site. Also, be sure to enjoy a local lunch of classic traditional Southern Italian food at one of the famous family-owned restaurants.
Civita di Bagnoregio was once a dying town perched on volcanic rocks in Italy’s Lazio region. However, tourism is thriving in this tiny town nowadays thanks to smart initiatives by the town’s mayor. Civita di Bagnoregio is a well-preserved medieval village where you can enjoy uninterrupted silence, peace, and awe-inspiring surroundings.
Venturing down to alleys, you can enjoy picturesque and breathtaking views and find plenty of opportunities for photos. This is one of those places where every turn is post-card worthy.
San Fruttuoso is a must-see spot on the Italian Riviera. With crystal clear waters and a dream-like beauty, this tiny beach town looks like a mix between Camogli and Portofino. After arriving by boat, you can take a stroll along the pebbled sand, visit the church, and enjoy the sight of wooden artifacts. Without a doubt, San Fruttuoso is one of the most beautiful towns in Italy.
Cinque Terre, located on the western coast of Italy, is a colorful group of towns on the Mediterranean Sea. This area comprises of a vast terraced agricultural land and five small beautiful towns that are home to about 4,000 inhabitants.
The laid-back lifestyle, dramatic scenery, and breathtaking but rugged landscape of Italy’s Cinque Terre have made this small attraction unique and outstanding. It is not surprising that it lures millions of tourists each year, many of whom return again and again.
If you have ever cried because of the tragedy of Romeo and Juliet in Shakespeare’s story, you should stop in the town of Verona. As the setting of the famous story, Verona is home to the balcony where Romeo kissed the beautiful girl named Juliet one fateful night.
Verona is also home to a famous 2,000-year-old Roman amphitheater where opera performances take place in the summer. After experiencing a performance of opera, be sure to head to is the historic center, Centro Storico, where you can explore the main sights of the city, like Juliette’s house, wide piazzas, and churches. Other points of interest in Verona include the Ponte Pietra Bridge, Piazzale Castel San Pietro, the Gothic church, and the Roman gate.
Ravello is an ideal destination for someone who is looking for a quiet and peaceful experience. This scenic seaside hilltop makes every tourist mesmerized with the sherbet-colored houses, colorful groves, dense vineyards, and magnificent view of the Salerno Bay. No wonder people called this place “a piece of the most beautiful paradise on earth” as it features a mix of Italian charm, great Mediterranean food, and seaside relaxation.
A visit to the medieval city of Siena will take you through a journey that mixes the past and present. It is also a place where you can enjoy the Palio horse race during the summer with beautiful bright colors, banners, and participants wearing ornate medieval costumes.
This walled hilltop city is also famous for magnificent Renaissance and Gothic palaces where you can discover well-preserved medieval history. Exploring the history and architecture of Siena will make your trip to Italy more meaningful and complete.
So do you have any ideas for your next visit to Italy? If you know any hidden gems in Italy beyond the list of attractions I have chosen, feel free to leave them in the comments.
About the author
Emily Pham was born in Vietnam – a country with many unknown beaches, historic sites, and tourist attractions. Understanding that Vietnam nowadays is a famous destination, she established the blog vina.com with the purpose of introducing the elegant beauty of Vietnam to friends around the world. If you are planning a trip to Vietnam, the blog will provide you with essential information on where to go and what to do in the country.
Visiting Rome is like stepping into a giant museum. The entire city is a marvelous display of art, ruins, and rich history – all laid out for you to see in between gelato tasting and pasta eating. But Rome is also a behemoth of a city – more like multiple cities in one. Case in point: it took me three visits to finally feel like I had experienced Rome!
You definitely need some careful planning to make the most of your visit to Rome, especially if it is short. In this guide, I’m going to break down how to see the best of Rome in 3 days. This itinerary is different in terms of pace. Normally, I like to spread activities out over the 3 days, but in this case, we’ll pack a lot into day one and then slow things down for the last two days.
The streets of Old San Juan were practically made to be strolled for hours. With colorful, Spanish colonial architecture, picture-perfect corners, and mesmerizing views of the Carribean Sea, you’re bound to have at least a few awe-inspiring moments during your tour. This post will show you how to put together your own walking tour of Old San Juan. It includes a map so that you can follow along on your phone.
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There are some cities that perfect for strolling aimlessly, marveling at beautiful architecture, and making keen observations. San Juan, Puerto Rico is one of them. Nestled in the north Carribean, Puerto Rico’s capital was everything I expected it to be – vibrant, picturesque, and brimming with culture.
Puerto Rico shot to the top of my bucket list after I watched the video for Despacito. I immediately thought “This is my kind of place!” It reminded me of Cuba and Colombia. I’m also a fan of many artists from Puerto Rico, like Marc Anthony, Daddy Yankee, Bad Bunny, and Ozuna. Naturally, I wanted to experience this place that has spawned all these musicians. The Spanish colonial architecture and African cultural influence were also right up my alley.
[Read more…] about 25 Photos To Inspire You To Visit San Juan, Puerto Rico
