​     Choosing what to do when Barcelona is bustling with options that range from going to the beach to seeing all of Gaudi’s masterpieces. It is a difficult decision to make. You obviously should go to the beach if you are a sink your toes in the sand vacationer and you must see the Picasso exhibition because when else will you see that many Picasso works collectively in one place, but how do you choose what else to partake in? These are 10 must see/experiences besides the beach and browsing Picasso’s masterpieces that you have to experience when in Barcelona. Luckily, I had the pleasure of doing all of these things while on our trip with Explore Europe Travel and I can share my travels with you. If you are travelling with EET I would suggest going on the guided tour to get a feel of the city. If you are not huge into mapping out your itinerary, this will prove to be very beneficial to you. The guided tour is led by a local to the city and will swing by many of the popular attractions.

10. Casa Vicens and/or Casa Mila
     You can’t go to Barcelona without a stop to see Gaudi’s work. Casa Mila has an interesting exterior that looks like wavy bones and has a terrace with a few views of the city. It does get crowded so grab a ticket online to skip the lines. If you don’t have time to book a ticket online, skip Casa Mila and go to Casa Vicens without having to wait in a line. Tucked away in a less touristy area, Casa Vicens, Gaudi’s first house that he worked on, is waiting to be explored. I actually preferred Vicens over Mila. I found the architecture to have more details of interest to me so you may choose one over the other.

9.  Parc Guell
     Head to Parc Guell around sunrise for a less crowded experience & for some killer views of the buildings and city. We arrived at 8am so the crowds of Instagrammers were already present so I suggest getting there around 6:30 if possible. Grab breakfast on the go and enjoy the views with a little picnic. After taking in the views you can walk the park, enjoying the architecture and wide range of colorful flowers.

​8. Tapa’s at La Tasqueta de Blai
     We did a bit of tapa hopping on the street where La Tasqueta de Blai is located and this tapa joint was by far our favorite. The one thing you need to know about tapa joints is that they count your toothpicks at the end and that is the total price. Some tapa’s cost more than others and you can tell by the toothpick design. The tapa’s here were the most unique, freshest, and had the largest variety. The service was also the best out of the 5-6 places we stopped at as well. Grab a strawberry mojito with your tapas and ask for light ice. The mojito’s were also very delicious!

​7. Casa Batllo
     Out of all of Gaudi’s houses, Batllo was my favorite. We purchased the sunrise tickets online which allowed us to enter one hour prior to standard opening time. I am extremely glad that we got these tickets because that meant we could get to the next place on our itinerary early in the day to avoid crowds. We were the first to enter the house, but there were still about 20 others who had the same idea as us. The staff staggered the entrance in by about 3 minutes which allowed for less crowing in the rooms. I cannot guarantee that they do that as the day goes on. Casa Batllo has the most ornate exterior and the interior has a movement in the architecture that gives the appearance of ocean waves washing over. The building is truly innovative in the architecture world.

6. La Sagrada Familia
     La Sagrada Familia is the most popular attraction in Barcelona. You must buy tickets online in order to go inside. I didn’t want to lock us into a specific time since majority of our tickets were during a specified time. Due to this, I wanted to wait until after our first day of visiting Barcelona before purchasing tickets. Upon our arrival in Barcelona I realized I left my debit card at home so we were unable to order tickets online. That didn’t stop us from admiring the church though. We made our way to a hidden terrace at the top of the Ayre Hotel Rosellon where we ordered pineapple & strawberry mojitos. We sat under an umbrella and enjoyed a direct view of the church from there while chatting about our day thus far. This is a great alternative if you cannot make it inside of the church or if you are one to avoid crowds.

5. Recinte Modernista de Sant Pau
     Another option, if you want to get away from the crowds and heat that I suggest is a stop at the Recinte Modernista de Sant Pau. You can purchase a ticket online for a specific day and not be locked into a time. Recinte Mondernista de Sant Pau is made up of many buildings that once were used as a hospital for the sick. The splendor of these buildings is marvelous because they are decorated in an art noveau style. It is the largest art noveau complex in the world! I am amazed at how overshadowed this place truly is and by the lack of visitors it receives.

4. Churros & Chocolate at Xurreria Laitana with a view down the street
     The best churros we had were freshly made at Xurreria Laitana . We ordered the chocolate with our churros. Ask for a dash of sugar on the churros and use the chocolate to dip them in. It is rich, but I promise you won’t want to share because it is that good! Our entire trip we continued to crave these bad boys. I suggest eating in, but if you’d like, you can take your churros and chocolate to go for a cheaper price. Before you leave this hole in the wall, make sure to cross the street. You will see the Barcelona Cathedral peeking out. Walk down the alley halfway & snap a show because it is hands down my favorite alley view in Barcelona.

3. Flaminco Show at Paula de Musica
      You can’t go to Spain without seeing a flamenco show! Although this show is pricier than most Flaminco shows in the city, this is definitely the top show. You can tell how passionate the performers truly are and the scenery of the art noveau interior is breathtaking! Most people book tours of this building by day, but we knocked out two birds with one stone by booking their flamenco show. Make sure to arrive early to take in the extravagance of the building. We enjoyed our spots in box 13, seats 2 and 3, and we loved that we could move our chairs around whereas many other seats you could not. The show lasted a little over an hour and a half, which is longer than many other shows so we got a bang for our bucks. Then, the following day we came back for drinks at noon to enjoy the stunning bar inside of the Paula de Musica.

2. Terrace views from the Barcelona Cathedral
    The Barcelona Cathedral is beautiful in its own right, but the thing that really seals the deal is between 1000 and 1200 you can see the best views of Barcelona’s city for only 3 euro on the terrace of the cathedral. The forefront to this view is the spires of the church itself, which is swoon worthy! After you grab all of the beautiful photos and videos you can from the terrace make sure to stroll around inside the church admiring the stained glass. On the way out, stop at the gift shop for a beaded bracelet or rosary. For a vintage treasure check out the antique market that is often directly in front of the church entrance for a unique find.

1.  Mercado de La Boqueria
     The Boqueria Market is colorful and bustling with activity that really draws you into the culture. Do not pass this market up and make sure to go on an empty stomach to really take it all in, literally! Grab yourself a fresh fruit smoothie and sip on it while walking around. Leave with a bowl of fresh fruit from the Boqueria Market and some fresh olives as well for grazing on later. You can also get the olives vacuum sealed like I did. In addition, you need to try the ice cream macarons. There are about 6 various flavors and each one is mouthwatering. They are difficult to find so make sure to look closely! You will not be disappointed.

     When visiting a large city like Bracelona it is difficult to decide where to spend your time and money. These top 10 are a helpful outline for your itinerary. I suggest 4-5 days in Barcelona or two weekend trips so that you do not get overwhelmed because this colorful city has so much to offer from the food, culture, architecture, and views that you don’t want to miss a beat.

​   If you haven’t experienced Lake Garda or Verona yet you are missing out on killer views and romantic experiences. Lake Garda is a popular destination for German tourists looking to get away in the summer in search of water sports. My husband and I joined Explore Europe Travel on their trip to Lake Garda & Verona and although I originally booked the trip with the intention primarily being to experience Verona, I soon unexpectedly also fell in love with Lake Garda.
   We started the day off at a breakfast buffet with a scenic view on the lake front, overlooking the mountains of Riva Del Garda. The breakfast was included in our ticket price along with a tour of every city we explored and our hotel booking. At breakfast, I drank a cappuccino and a glass of red wine. The group was very excited about unlimited wine! I ate a variety of breads and cheeses with salami and prosciutto while overlooking the lake from the wide open windows. Afterwards we joined our tour guide, a local to the area. The guide took us to the city center and to a quiet church named Chiasa di Santa Barbara. The ceilings and walls wore elaborately decorated in a baroque manner, adorned with hand painted scenes of cherubs outlined in gilded filigree.

After the tour our bus headed off to Malcesine. I had not known when I booked the trip that we would be stopping in this city. This stop was an emotional one for me, never dreaming that I would be able to go to the city where my great grandparents resided prior to arriving on Ellis Island. Relatives of mine, the Chincarini family, still own a hotel and reside in the city today. We spent an hour with our tour guide touring the city, with a special focus on the lake front castle. While there, over half of the group grabbed gelato from the shop right outside of the castle while we listened. I had a delicious scoop of amaretto. After the tour we were given an hour and half to dine for lunch. Since we were not yet that hungry, we stopped for a quick snack and some Coca-Cola before heading off to the market and the little shops that lined the streets. I found a wonderful shop that housed hand painted pottery of every kind. My husband bought me a cooking spoon rest with lavender hand painted on it along with a Malcesine castle magnet to add to our collection.

     Once back on the bus we headed to our last city of the day, Sirmione. We didn’t know what to expect because we hadn’t heard of the city. Upon our arrival our group’s eyes were drawn to a castle where we found our tour guide for the boat trip. I am not a huge fan of boat tours so I feared I would be put to sleep, but I was in for a surprise! We circled around the island and I instantly perked up when he pointed to a house and told us about a famous opera singer named Maria Calls that had lived there. He proceeded to tell us about the love triangle that she and Jackie Kennedy had with Onassis. I had been reading a biography on Jackie Kennedy so I found this to be very interesting and instantly became a tour guide to my husband on the story behind this love triangle. Just as I finished the story we started to pass castle ruins. With the water glistening and other boats floating by the view was mesmerizing. The guide then told others that were standing to take a seat as he cranked up his music and begin speeding very quickly. The group laughed as the water splashed, the boat speeding toward the original castle of which we had seen on arrival. We went through the moat around the castle and under the foot bridges, getting a view unlike any other. It was hands down the best boat tour I’ve ever experienced.

​  After we arrived in Verona, we let our trip leader know that we were going to skip the guided walking tour so that we could beat some of the crowds. We went to Juliette’s House and were very lucky that only 4 people were taking photographs with the famous statue of Juliet and the balcony in the courtyard. We grabbed tickets afterwards. Since we were the first people inside for the day, we were able to spend about 15 minutes admiring the view from the well-known balcony and taking photographs and videos on it. We strolled through the house admiring the inside of the museum. It housed prints & artwork from various Romeo & Juliet films along with a bed, pottery, and costumes. 

     Next, we headed to the Verona Arena. The outside view of the building was lovely, but the inside was undergoing renovation. Having been to the Coliseum, we felt we could have passed on our visit inside. However, we would have loved seeing a show at this arena. If you can grab tickets to a concert, I highly recommend it because as a venue it is very unique. Our last destination was to Castelvecchio where we spent 2 hours wondering the old stone walls and admiring the views of Verona. This is another place that we were very glad we chose to visit. We worked up an appetite after walking the castle grounds so we ended the day people watching at a restaurant overlooking the arena. It was sprinkling as people bustled by with a rainbow of umbrellas in hand on the cobblestone streets. Here, we ordered drinks and a late lunch before we embarked on our journey home. 

In eye sight of Capitoline Hill you can visit the Mamertine Prison. It is a wonderful place to get away in the heat of summertime in Rome and to escape the crowds, but that is not all it is good for. Although the prison is small, it contains a significant piece of history. It was at this prison that held Saint Peter and Saint Paul. For a christian this is a wonderful historical building to see for yourself. Look closely at the cross on the altar because it is upside down, since Saint Peter was crucified this manner. It is said that Saint Peter performed baptisms on his cell mates in the prison.

The prison dates back to the 7th BC and was built as the only prison in Rome originally. One would not want to spend more than a few hours here because you can really feel how gloomy and horrible the conditions of being imprisoned in these confined walls must have been. The prison is also a small museum with Roman pieces on display there. 

One of my absolute favorite things that my bestie from college and I did in Florence was go to Basilica of Santa Croce. We booked our tickets in advance and although not necessary I do suggest doing so. The basilica was a calm place with only a handful of people exploring. Want to know the famous people who rest here? Read more below.

Not only is the architecture inside of this Basilica stunning, but the famous Rossini, Galileo Galilei, and Machiavelli now rest here. There is also a memorial for Dante, but his sarcophagus is empty because he was exiled from Florence. According to the Visit Florence official website linked above, the memorial to the right of the entrance is said to the be the inspiration for the Statue of Liberty. Instead of rambling on about just how great the basilica is I will let the photos I took show you just how lovely it really is.

Another great place just a stone throw away is a wooden shop. I bought a stunning musical box there. I only regret not purchasing a mirror and even more. We were able to see the owner carving items as we shopped. When looking at the Basilica, the shop is on your right along the shops and is one of the first on the strip of 10 or so shops. I have included photos below of this shop as well which I believe is called Giorgi Oggetti Artistici.

​   Through the eye of the average tourist one may think that Venice only thrives off of gondola rides & Venetian masks. Although the costumes and rides are magical in their own right, you should take the alleys and bridges less taken as well. If you take a chance on getting lost down cobble stone streets and ornate bridges, Venice has much more to offer than its well-known Carnival and gondoliers. We had the opportunity of experiencing both views of Venice in just one day on our recent Explore Europe trip. We started the day off with a lovely buffet breakfast at a hotel which was included in our ticket price for our trip. I had a cappuccino, croissant with honey, and a large bowl of yogurt with fresh berries and granola. We took the people mover afterward to the city and joined our tour guides. Although, we don’t usually join in on guided tours, along with the breakfast, the tour is included in the 99 euro ticket price. It was nice to have the knowledge of a local at our fingertips. The guide told us about where to find some of the best views of the city and historical information about Venice and we had an ear piece so if we fell behind we wouldn’t miss a beat. 

​     Since our bus arrived early it provided us the opportunity to stroll through small streets on the way to Basilica di San Marco and Doge’s Palace in San Marco’s Square after the tour. Before we arrived in the square we stumbled upon Ca’ Macana which was just opening for the day. Ca’ Macana is a mask shop known for creating the masks that were used in the film, Eyes Wide Shut, and also known for recently making a mask for Nicki Minaj. We considered doing their mask designing class which teaches you the technique of your choice so you can create your own mask, but with limited time we decided to purchase masks instead to join in on the festivity more quickly. With masks in tow we continued to the square. 

​     Once there we found a stage and thousands of people gazing upward at the remarkable architecture. Others were mesmerized by the hundreds of people dressed in elaborate costumes. They entertained the eyes of photographers, twirling in bejeweled Victorian dresses and matching feathered masks with the stunning Basilica as their backdrop. While wondering through the crowds we stopped to take a few photo of a gondolier sleepily rowing under the Bridge of Sigh and another on the waterfront. Stopping at the oldest café in Europe, Florian, we waited for a few minutes under twinkling lights for our host who was also dressed to the nines. My husband and I sat among other couples, who like us, were enamored by the gilded ceiling and filigree hanging mirrors. Enjoying a light meal and a nice view of the square from our window we ordered an iced coffee, Florian coffee, English scones, and toast Florian for lunch.

     ​After lunch, we departed the square for a quieter route. On occasion we would pass a couple or a rowdy group excited for the day making their way through the streets in their extravagant Carnival attire. We stopped at Scala Contarini del Boval which is a spiral staircase with arguably the best views of the city for only 7 euro. Like Florian, it is Instagram-worthy in my book. Libreria Acqua Alta is also a popular destination for photographs. Although crowded, underneath the tourists pushing their way through to get a photo posing on the staircase of books, I found gold adorned French antique cherub figurines and art which fit perfectly with my taste. If you too love old books, postcards, and wall art this is the place for you, but perhaps you can find a quieter time than late noon. 

Seeking to further fulfill my love for architecture we wondered over to Ca’ d’Oro which is called the Golden House because it was once embellished with gilt décor upon its walls. It is now a museum. We only crossed paths with 2-3 people for the hour we spent there. This is also where you will find my favorite views of the Grand Canal. From the balcony our view was of the sun shining brightly as we gazed upon gondoliers rowing by and people bustling down the street. After taking a moment to appreciate the Grand Canal, we headed to Ostaria dai zemei where we each ordered 6 cicchetti of various kinds for dinner along with two glasses of the popular aperol spritz. The cicchetti are to die for and are similar to tapas like in Spain. The restaurant was packed wall to wall with cheerful locals mingling with drinks and cicchetti in hand. People watching through the window, we ate and drank our way through Venice with the locals.
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     Deciding to get lost a little more, we found a place called Pasta Di Giacomo Rizzo A & R. There I purchased dry pasta to take back with us along with a pasta stand and a variety of pasta styling cutters all for under 30 euro. Dessert sounded like a good idea as the sun was setting and so we strolled over to the popular spot, Suso Gelatoteca. I got the most delicious gelato which was a vegan dark chocolate topped with a cherry amaretto gelato. The two complimented each other perfectly! We stood in an alleyway where we could see locals coming home from a long day and others were stepping out of the kitchen of bakeries and restaurants for a break. Standing there wondering what their apartments were like, we ate our gelato. The sun had gone down by the time we finished so we chose to take a gondola ride under the twinkling stars. Our gondolier took us by city hall, a 7 star hotel that George Clooney had his wedding in, and he stopped by the famous Rialto Bridge. With the water glistening from the lights of the bridge and the city sounds dying down, it was truly magical. As we approached the end of our ride we could hear someone playing music on an accordion which was the perfect ending to our time in Venice.

MORE INFORMATION
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PRICE:
40Kč adults
photography permit is an extra 30Kč

ADDRESS: 
Zamecká 127
Kutná Hora - Sedlec, 284 03
Tel. 728 125488

Would you dare to wonder in?

If you're looking for an eerie place to visit you should definitely check out The Ghost Church in the middle of nowhere in Czech that my husband & I went to visit. We literally drove through a field without a road to get to this place. We discovered there is a small road path but honestly it's not much better.  If you are interested in visiting make sure to email them through their website before going because they have very random hours in which someone unlocks the church for X amount of time.

There were a few professional photographers taking photographs, but not really anyone else. The church is very small and really gives off a sad and spooky feeling. I have included some information below  which I found on the main website of the church.

MORE INFORMATION
Address: 331 62 Lukova Manetin, Czech Republic

My husband and I stumbled upon this hill accidentally and once I found the name I looked it up to find out more information. We turned around a bit unprepared clothing wise to hike it but it was so worth it for the views. If you are looking for a good hike only about an hour and a half from Grafenwoehr Staffelberg Hill, also known as Witch Hill, is one of my favorite hikes besides the Bastei Bridge. It was very crowded as we went on a Sunday and it was the first warmer day of the year. There was easily 100 people walking around with their dogs, drinking beers, and even eating at the restaurant on top of the hill. Not only does a restaurant sit on top of the hill but so does a church.

The hill dates back to settlements during the Neolithic period. The Celtic Oppidum of Menosgada was later built a top. It is close to the town Bad Staffelstein. There is a German Folktale about witches on top of the hill. The story goes like this,"One evening three men who walked home late at night, came to the hill. To their great surprise they saw a beautiful, lit up inn there. The three looked at each other as if they feared they fooled themselves, but soon they were convinced that there really was a merry inn by the hill. They decided to go in, get something to eat and see what was happening there.
When the men came in, they found that those inside were dancing, playing and drinking as if it was a wedding. Two of the arriving men joined the others - danced and played and drank and won a lot of money. But the third man suspected it might all be magic at work at did not want to keep up with the others. Drinks were forced on him, but he secretly poured everything he got into his wide boots.
The revelry went on until early morning. At that time sounded an English greeting, and the tavern, dance, play and partying company were gone. The two men who had played and drunk so briskly, found themselves in a marsh. When they reached for their money, they found nothing but horse manure in their pockets. But the third, who had remained on guard all along, sat quite dry on a pine floor and laughed at his companions who were rolling and wallowing in the mire."
[Schöppner No. 1360. "Der Wiegen - oder Staffelberg".]

If you find yourself exhausted from overindulging on chocolates and fine cheeses and hiking up Lucerne's Towers I suggest grabbing a boat tour. You will be able to get some stunning shots of the mountains and sail boats on the tour. You may also meet some interesting people as I did while floating onward. I went to grab something to quench my thirst while I snacked on my gourmet chocolates from the chocolate store. (I highly suggest doing the same thing.) While waiting to order a drink I struck up a conversation with a friendly English woman that had recently moved to Zurich.

She suggested the drink that I ordered in the photograph below and she mentioned that Lucerne is very popular for those living in Zurich to get away. The heat was getting to me so the drink and the soft breeze really was a nice way to wrap up a long day. Some of the boat tours even have dinner & and a boat tour. Personally, I think my dessert and drink was good enough.