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Visit Transylvania
Three recommendations with love, from the heart of Transylvania and one cliché, as usual. The historic region is synonym with mystery, but travelers must look past Dracula to discover it properly. It has much to offer, from nature, adventure, mountains, fortified cities, Saxon villages and yes, appropriately spooky castles.
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Moments in Vienna
Revisited a dear place. The Old meets the New in Vienna. Always a pleasure to return to this wonderful city, with something new to discover.
Vienna Museum Quarter has a new rooftop bar and platform, Libelle MQ, at the top of the Leopold Museum.
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Journey to Firenze, Toscana
Tuscany is so beautiful, it has to be seen to be believed. The city of Florence is famous for its overwhelming art galleries and Michelangelo Renaissance sculptures in marble, but still, I was struck by the colors of vineyards, or sounds of the cypresses and of streets. Or the scented air with notes of leather, olive oil and amber perfume.
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Taste of Bologna
Best things to do in Italy all involve food. Bologna is at the center of Emilia-Romagna region, famous for Parmigiano-Reggiano, Mortadella and Prosciutto di Palma, but also aceto balsamico di Modena and much more. And to think I associated in the past the city only with pasta sauce and the Bologna university system, home of Europe oldest university.
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Enjoy Berlin
Berlin is not short of ways to enjoy the warmer months, in both Spring and Summer. Oldest beer garden and open air cinema. Museum and galleries, lakes and rooftops, bookshops and icecream.
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Bonsoir Printemps, Strasbourg
Voilà. I went last time to vibrant Strasbourg in a very warm weekend in February that made me think Spring is on its way. I remember I walked on a street called Rue de Printemp (Spring street) near the European Parliament. There is something romantic walking in any French city, but especially one with the name of a season.
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Potsdam – Palaces & Parks
Potsdam is a one day trip from Berlin, and is a city that invited exploration as it has 17 palaces spread across 3 parks from a Prussian royal heritage. The parks and palaces complex are today an UNESCO World site and a mix of styles with gardens inspired from many parts of the world – Greece, Italy, France or ancient Asia.
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A day in Salzburg
City of Mozart, Marzipan combined with pistachio, covered in dark chocolate, or Sound of Music? Besides Vienna, Austria has more beautiful cities, and Salzburg is one hidden treasure. Dream now, visit later.
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Kreuzkölln in Berlin
Kreuzberg and Neukölln neighborhoods were like a puzzle. Unconventional, different, yet still Berlin. Contrasting parts of the city, most tolerant, and in the same time, surprisingly traditional, both part of former West Berlin.
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Antwerpen Central Station
There is something about train stations and time. The most beautiful train station I ever saw with magnificent details was in Antwerp. The classic central station was first used in 1905 (yes, really). The city, known as Anvers by French speakers, must be the third most visited Belgian city in the years I lived in this country, after Brussels and Bruges, and one I feel connected by many memories.
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Brâncuși Week & The Endless Column
Art inspired from Romanian mythology and traditions and carved in wood, stone and later bronze. From Târgu-Jiu and Bucharest to Paris, via Munich until New York. Every year, on the 19th of February, a tribute is paid to honor the memory of genius artist Constantin Brâncuși, pioneer of modern sculpture. But the Brâncuși Week starts today.
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Berlin Friedrichshain
Going East to start the party. Friedrichshain is an eclectic mix of alternative places, vibrant street art, pieces of Berlin history and lively squares. Is the place of the iconic East Side Gallery, the destination for techno club culture, but also the home to many Berliners and filming location for the Queen’s Gambit.
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West Berlin & Charlottenburg
Exploring the old Berlin with Charlottenburg, from Sophia Charlotte of Hanover. In this part of former West Berlin located near Tiergarden park, you can combine (soon) Palace or museum visits with shopping and alternative places.
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A year in the life
We measure something so abstract as time in days, months and years as is easier for us to shape it. 2020 was no ordinary “year”, not in perception or in facts. So I was reflecting and looked back. Winter had lights and music in Berlin. After that, Spring was marked by uncertainty. Summer was sunnier and bohemian in Hamburg, Prague and Munich, and Fall was emotional.
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Amazing Timișoara in 24 hours
Heading West today to Timișoara, the 3rd largest city of Romania. Still left to explore in this part of the country. Near the borders with Serbia and Hungary, Timisoara is beautiful and full of surprises. For generations, Romanians have lives here alongside Serbs, Germans, Croats or Hungarians. The city was chosen as the 2023 European Capital of culture and is truly a touristic destination.
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Helsinki White Night Moment
Once upon a time, I acknowledged the beauty of the European continent. When in Estonia for a summer school, we took the ferry from Tallinn to Helsinki with “Viking line”, because is “only two hours away”. Yes! I learned a Finish untranslatable word – “sisu”, that might be the definition of happiness. And the Scandinavian habit “friluftsliv”, useful now, in pandemic times.
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4 things to do in Düsseldorf
While sitting in the train from Berlin to Potsdam, I started writing about my last trip to Düsseldorf. Even though “dorf” means village in German, and the word is in the name, Düsseldorf is such an interesting dinamic city today. I visited it in summer and autumn. And two time in winter, for the Christmas market, as we have to admit the holidays are the only best part during the cold months.
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Vilnius goes Berlin
In a rainy October weekend, I attended the Lithuanian Film festival in Berlin, while mixing it with memories from a trip in the heart of Vilnius years ago. I started thinking of special friendships and remembered the Constitution of the “Republic” of Užupis, that claims “everyone has the right to make mistakes”.
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Chopin’s Warsaw
In Warsaw I traveled only for work many times. And the memories are a puzzle, while the seasons are changing. Summer after work on the main street Novi Świat or an autumn night, accidentally attending a Chopin piano concert in a bookstore. A winter morning, in a taxi seeing the city covered with snow or in spring at food market Hala Koszyki. Warszawa reminded me of Bucharest, that made me a bit melancholic. Polish language is also very different, but some sounds are familiar. I felt as I traveled in time.
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