Places to Visit
Europe
Austria
Wien
- Hofburg (both the palace and the museum)
- Stephansdom
- Kapuzinekirche (and the crypt with the bodies of Absburg’s royals)
- Opera House
- Karntnerstrasse (shopping artery of the old city)
- Prater Park
- Belvedere (the palace and the gardens)
- Karlskirche
- Hudertwasserhaus
- Rathaus
- Schonbrunn (palace and gardens)
Cyprus
Ayia Napa beaches
- Nissi
- Makronisos
- Grecian Bay
Protaras beaches
- Fig Tree Bay
- Cape Greco
Croatia
Best beaches
- Baska - on Krk
- Girandella - Rabac
- Brela - north of Makarska
- Supetar - on Brac
- Zlatni Rat - on Brac
- Plat - south of Dubrovnik, near Brasina
Vis
A set of suggestions from /r/travel:
Blue caves. Do it once, amazing experience, but once you've seen it you've seen it. The green caves are not as good.
Restaurant Villa Kaliopa - a little more expensive but the best restaurant I have ever been to anywhere. Palm tree setting, fresh fish, cappaccio, just fantastic. Save this for your special treat.
Bistro Frutarija - fantastic little cafe bar on the water. Coffee is cheap and very good, we go here every single morning. Beer is cheap, food is very limited and cocktails are expensive, So I would stick to coffee or beer.
Steniva beach - I'm sure you've seen this one. Bit of a hike from the road but absolutely worth it. Go first thing to avoid crowds, starts to get busy after 11 am. Still worth it if busy though.
Srebna beach, may have spelt it wrong. Silver beach. I maybe prefer this to staniva, the pebbles are white and the water is crystal clear.
You'll need a car or taxi, or scooter for these. I recommend scooter as way to get around if you can.
Accomodation: stay clear of the hotels. Outdated and not great. Get a hostel or Airbnb, the hosts are usually local and can give good information and sometimes rent or offer lifts.
Komiza is lovely and you should definitely visit, I don't know too much, there is sometimes a fisherman's festival on, and some restaurants do local catch of the day for 70 kuna, about 10 quid. I heard boka (?) lobster restaurant is good but never been.
Fort George is very nice, but a little fancy and not as traditional as the rest of vis. It used to be a ruin and has now been converted into an up market bar venue. Definitely go for one drink during the day, but I wouldn't go for a party at night. You might like it but for me, I prefer bejbis bar for drinking late. Lots of locals, gets busy after 11 pm or midnight. Sometimes live music, and the same owner for over 20 years.
Just past fort George are some abandoned tunnels from the military. Walk or cycle. Very cool to check out, and some old lookouts over the water sticking out of the cliff. There are millatry tours of the island but I've never done one. Just hired a bicycle or scooter and toured myself. There are some other tunnels that were used to hide submarines soo, pretty cool.
If you can, go up Mount hum, there is a great lookout over komiza and a tiny little church that is beautiful.
There is stand up paddle boarding in vis, or stand up paddle boarding and windsurfing in milna. I haven't been but heard both are very good from friends. Some places also offer sea kayaking, we wanted to go but the weather was too windy.
Charlys is a cheap and good pizza place.
Vatricia is expensive but very good. If you can only do one expensive meal, do the palm tree restaurant. If you can do two, do Vatricia. I must admit, we decided not to go there this year, but we have been many times in the past and it is very good. Expensive is also relative, 30 or 40 pounds each for lots of good sea food and drinks.
Croatian tour agencies
France
French Riviera
A good set of suggestions taken from /r/travel:
Wasn’t a big fan of Antibes. Yachts and shopping basically.
In Nice the beaches are pebbles which is interesting. There is a nice forested area and waterfall (man made) and nice boardwalk. Really easy to get around lots of restaurants. Good jumping off point. Stays are well priced when I went.
Cannes has sand beaches with beach clubs along the board walk everywhere. A little pricey. There is public beach as well.
The train along the coast was very picturesque and cheap. Monaco was beautiful go into the casino Monte Carlo in Monaco gamble and have a drink in one of the hidden rooms. I think it’s $27 euros to go in which includes a drink and a couple chips to gamble. The casino is stunning.
Menton was a cute pit stop. A couple well priced restaurants along the board wall.
Eze is a nice view once you get up there. Give yourself some time to get up to the top from the train.
St. Tropez beaches were great. Tahiti beach was the best. It is hard to get around without a car in St Tropez and there are drinking and driving road blocks frequently at night on weekends and for events.
Any and all wineries. They are free in St Tropez. Some you have to buy one bottle.
If you get a chance to go into Provence for the Rosé and chateau tours. Beautiful. Chateau D’esclans (make a reservation).
ChateauNeuf du pape if you like red wine and some actually really good whites as well. Cute town on a hill with wine cave tasting rooms everywhere.
Cassis has amazing boat tours or you can hike into the beautiful beaches with turquoise water. Some swimming caves as well.
Avignon if you want some history.
I really liked the medieval towns. We stayed in Biot and loved it. The town of Biot once inside the medieval walls is very cool, and not many tourists.
St. Paul de Vance, was another medieval town, bigger, but very touristy.
The beaches around Montpellier are beautiful if you end up that far.
Pont du guard was a great half day, cliff jumping in front of an old massive Roman aqueduct.
Iceland
Main spots to visits when doing a ring tour all around the island:
- Fjaðrárgljúfur (a canyon)
- Kirkjufell (mountain peak on the north coast)
- Hellnar (fishing village on a spectacular coastline)
- Skogafoss (waterfall)
- Seljalandsfoss (waterfall)
- Reynisfjara Black Sand Beach
- Diamond Beach (beach where chunks of ice drift ashore)
- Klifbrekku Waterfall
- Gufu waterfall
- Stuðlagil (canyon)
- Dettifoss (waterfall)
- Goðafoss (waterfall)
- Búðakirkja (black church on a scenic lava field)
- Bjarnarfoss (waterfall)
- Kerid Crater (volcanic crater with a lake)
- Geysir (geysers)
- Gullfoss (waterfall)
- Thingvellir (national park)
- Blue Lagoon (hot baths)
Italy
North Italy
- Palmanova del Friuli (a star fort city, perfectly preserved)
Venice
- Palazzo Ducale
- Piazza S.Marco
- Ponte Rialto
- Scala Contarini del Bovolo (a gothic stairwell)
- Basilica S.Marco
- Libreria Acqua Alta (famous bookshop that gets regularly inundated)
Malta
Maltese best beaches
- Armier Bay
- Balluta/St.Julian’s Bay
- Pretty Bay
- Dwejra Bay
- Ghajn Tuffieha
- Golden Bay
- Blue Lagoon
- Mellieha Bay
- Qbajjar Bay
- Ramla Bay
- St. George’s Bay
Portugal
- Arrifana - beach and cliffs on the western coast of Aljezur. Bus from Lagos available
- Faro - the historical centre, Igreja do Carmo, Praia de Faro
- Lagos - the historical centre, Praia da Batata. Nearby there’s Ponta da Piedade with the lighthouse
- Loulé - fortified town. Saturday morning there’s the gypsy market
- Portimao - Praia da Rocha, mostly
- Silves - old Algarve capital. Arab Castle (09:00-17:30 everyday)
- Tavira - historical centre and town park
Portugal beaches
- Ilha da Barreta - deserted island, reachable by boat from Faro
- Praia do Beliche - west of Sagres
- Praia da Bordeira - north of Carrapeteira, on the Alentejo coast
- Praia de Burgau - west of Lagos
- Praia da Falesia - east of Olhos de Agua (Albufeira)
- Praia da Galé - west part of Albufeira
- Praia da Ilha de Tavira - in front of Tavira. Needs a boat trip to be reached
- Praia da Marinha - east of Portimao
- Praia de Alvor - south of Alvor, just west of Portimao
- Praia do Martinhal - east of Sagres
Sweden
Stockholm
Various costs (updated as of 2021)
-
Bus from airport = 99SEK one way
-
Suburban train from airport = 158SEK one way
-
Public transportation tickets
- One ride (75min) - 39SEK
- Travel Card (24hrs) - 165SEK
- Travel Card (72hrs) - 330SEK
Africa
Egypt
A second trip to mainly visit what I missed in the first and return on the best places (north to south):
- Cairo: Museum of Islamic Art, Mosque of Ibn Tulun
- Gizah Pyramids
- Saqqara: Red, Black and Djoser Pyramids. The Serapeum
- Obydos: Osireion and Temple of Seti I
- Abu Simbel
Americas
Mexico
- Chichen Itza
- Sian Ka’an Biosphere
- Bacalar with the Cenote Azul
- Muyil (archeological area plus the lagoon)
- Ek Balam
- Banco Chinchorro (excursion possible with a tour from Mahahual)
Cenotes
- Zaci
- Tza-ujun-kat
- Ik Kil
- Sac Actun
- Suytun
- Calavera
Best beaches
- Xcacel
- Mahahual
- Las Coloradas
- Maroma
- El Cielo (on Cozumel)
- Punta Cocos (on Holbox, nearby there’s the bay where bioluminescence is possible at night)
Caribbeans
See Caribbeans’ page.
Cuba
- Havana
- Pinar del Rio
- One or more of the many cayos:
- Cayo Santa Maria
- Cayo Coco
- Cayo Largo
- Isla de la Juventud
Peru
Not to miss (some are in Bolivia but easy to visit in the same trip)
- Chavin de Huantar
- Vinicunca (the Rainbow Mountain)
- Saqsaywaman
- Machu Picchu
- Cuzco
- Lima
- Caral
- Colca Canyon
- Huacachina (a large oasis in the middle of high sandy dunes, next to Ica)
- Nazca
- Tiahuanaco
- Salar de Uyuni
- Potosi
- Titicaca
Asia
China
Some suggested places collected from /r/travel:
- Hong Kong: Victoria Harbour from the TST promenade, the view from the Peak, the Big Buddha, Chi Lin Nunnery and Nan Lian Gardens, Kowloon by night
- Beijing: Forbidden City, Tiananmen Square, National Museum, Summer Palace, Temple of Heaven, Great Wall
- Chengdu: Wuhou Temple, Pandas, Face changers, Du Fu’s Thatched Cottage, Leshan Giant Buddha, Emeishan Golden Summit
- Chongqing: Hongya Caves, river cruise, Liziba Station, Wulong Karst
- Xi’An: city walls, bell and drum towers, Great Mosque, Muslim St., Big Wild Goose Pagoda, Terracotta Army, Huashan Plank Road
- Shanghai: Shanghai Tower, the Bund, Former French Concession, Yu Gardens, Oriental Pearl Towe
- Luoyang: Longmen Caves
Indonesia
Bali
See Bali’s page.
Raja Ampat
How to get there
The trip to Raja Ampat is not the easiest one. Sorong, on West Papua, is the main hub for ferries going to the Raja Ampat region. You can reach Sorong by plane (from Jakarta, Makassar, Bali and others within Indonesia) or by ship (Pelni has a ferry that takes 4 days from Jakarta).
Once in Sorong, it is necessary to take a ferry to Waisai, the main town of the Raja Ampat region. The ferry runs twice daily, at 09:00 and 14:00.
Usually the hotel you are staying in will offer a transfer from Waisai to the dock of the hotel. If not, you can take a local boat, usually bartering exhorbitant prices, or, if staying on Kri, use a semi-regular line of local boats, sharing them with locals. Kri is the most popular island of the region but unless you are staying on it, it makes more sense to arrange a transfer with your hotel from Waisai.
Moving around islands in the region is left to the traveller to arrange. No regular lines exist, as of 2024.
Iran
- Teheran
- Isfahan
- Susa (Shush)
- Chogha Zanbil, the ziggurat
- Persepolis
- Shiraz
- Yazd
- Pasargad (Madarsoleyman), with the tomb of Cyrus the Great
Japan
Castles:
- Hirosaki Castle
- Matsuyama Castle
Gardens:
- Kairakuen
- Kenrokuen
- Korakuen
Temples:
- Nanzenji Temple
- Eiheiji Temple
Thailand
Bangkok
- Anantasamakhom Throne Hall
- Bodhi Court
- Dusit Palace/Vimanek Museum - Website
- Grand Palace - Website
- King Rama III Memorial
- Lumphini Park - Info
- Mae Toranee Statue
- Wat Arun - Website
- Wat Bowonniwet - Info
- Wat Intharawihan - Info
- Wat Pho - Website
- Wat Prayoon
- Wat Rakhang
- Wat Ratchabophit
- Wat Ratchapradit
- Wat Saket - Info
- Wat Suthat - Info
- Wat Thepthidaram
Day or 2-days excursions from Bangkok:
- Ayutthaya
- Bang Pa-In
Pattaya
- Buddha Hill
- Jomtien Beach
- Sanctuary of Truth - Website
- Boonkanjanaram Meditation Centre - Website
- Wat Yansangwararam - Google Maps
Day excursion from Pattaya:
- Koh Larn island - both ferry and motorboats available
- Koh Krok island
- Koh Sak island
- Koh Phai - small group of islands. 2hrs ferry
- Koh Si Chang island
Turkey
- Göreme
- Hattusas (ancient Hittite capital)
- Konya (for its mosques and madrasas)
- Mount Nemrut
Istanbul
Map of the public transportation network of Istanbul(PDF)
- Blue Mosque
- Hagia Sophia
- Basilica Cistern Museum
- Hagia Irene
- Topkapi Palace and Museum
- Great Palace Mosaics Museum
- Galata Tower
- Dolmabahçe Palace