Traveler Stories — page 5

richword Explorer

Italy · September 25, 2026

Florence Trip

After the first days in Rome, we went further north. Our itinerary was designed for several weeks - from the end of January to February 9, 2026, and the main purpose of the trip was the Carnival of Venice. But there were several more cities I wanted to see before Venice, so Florence was the next stop. The road from Rome to Florence In the morning we packed up and went to Roma Termini train station. After the hustle and bustle of Rome, the train seemed like an almost ideal way to continue the journey: I sat down, put my suitcase away, looked out the window - and after a while the urban landscape began to gradually change. The trip from Rome to Florence took about an hour and a half. We decided not to take a car in advance, because in the historical centers of Italian cities it hinders rather than helps. In addition, the Firenze Santa Maria Novella train station is located almost in the center, so after arrival you did not have to waste time on a long journey. First impression of Florence When we left the station, we immediately felt a completely different atmosphere. After the large-scale Rome, Florence seemed more compact and calm. There is no need to constantly use transport here - many of the main places are within walking distance of each other. It was cool, as it should be at the end of January, but the weather turned out to be quite comfortable for a walk. We left our things and almost immediately went to the historical center. I didn't want to build a detailed route, but just to get a little comfortable in the city. The first evening in the city The first thing we did was go to the Cathedral of Santa Maria del Fiore. Even after the Colosseum and other impressive places in Rome, the Florence Duomo was able to surprise. Brunelleschi's huge dome towered over the surrounding buildings, and the square itself was filled with people, despite the winter season. Interior From the cathedral, we continued along the narrow streets to the Piazza della Signoria, and then to the Arno. By evening, the city had become even more interesting - there were fewer tourists, the buildings were illuminated, and dusk was gradually falling over the river. I found myself thinking that this is the format of travel that I like the most: not trying to see everything in one day, but leaving time just to take a walk and feel the city. We had a few days ahead in Florence, followed by Bologna and Verona. And with each passing city, we had to get closer to the main goal of this trip - Venice and its carnival.

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richword Explorer

Italy · September 25, 2026

Rome. Which started my journey in Italy

I decided not to try to see Rome all in one day. This is simply impossible here - the historical center is so full of monuments, squares and ancient streets that sometimes it is enough to walk a few hundred meters to stop again and realize that you are looking at another place with a centuries-old history. That's why I made the first day as simple as possible: no transportation and a complicated plan, just a walk through the center of Rome. I just wanted to walk from one historical place to another and gradually get to know the city. Colosseum - the beginning of the route In the morning, I started walking by the Colosseum. Even if you've seen him dozens of times in photographs, he makes a completely different impression in person. Especially when you approach it on foot and gradually understand the scale of the structure. Nearby is the Triumphal Arch of Constantine, and then the huge archaeological zone of the Roman Forum begins. I didn't try to go through it all quickly, but just lingered a bit, looking at the columns, ruins of temples and the remains of ancient buildings. It's especially easy to imagine how massive ancient Rome was. Rome Colosseum From ancient Rome to Venice Square After the Colosseum, I walked towards Venice Square. The road itself became part of the walk here - old buildings, churches, small squares and fragments of ancient structures were literally constantly encountered. I made my first big stop at Venice Square. The huge white monument to Victor Emmanuel II immediately stands out from the surrounding architecture. After the ancient ruins of the Colosseum and the Forum, a completely different Rome is before our eyes - a later, large-scale and solemn one. The Pantheon Then I turned off the main streets and walked through the small alleys of the historical center to the Pantheon. This is where the walk became especially interesting. In Rome, sometimes you don't even need to specifically look for a landmark. You're just walking down an ordinary street, turning a corner, and suddenly a huge ancient column, fountain, or ancient square appears in front of you. The Pantheon turned out to be just such a place. It looks majestic from the outside, but it is especially interesting to go inside and look at the huge circular space and the dome with a large hole in the center. You stand inside and try to imagine how many generations of people have already seen this place before you. Trevi Fountain I continued my walk from the Pantheon to the Trevi Fountain. The distance is short, so I didn't use public transport again. The closer you get to the fountain, the more people there are. And then the street suddenly opens up, and Trevi appears in front of you. I stayed here longer than I had planned. Even if you don't attach much importance to the tradition of throwing a coin into a fountain, you still want to stand near it for a while and look at the details. It is especially impressive how large-scale the composition is hidden among the ordinary streets of the historical center. Navona Square The last point of my walk was Piazza Navona. After the narrow streets, the square seems huge. An ancient stadium once stood in its place, and the modern square has retained its characteristic elongated shape. In the center is the famous Bernini Fountain of the Four Rivers. I wasn't in a hurry here anymore - I just sat down nearby and rested for a while after a few hours of walking. Navona Square First day in Rome The result was a route of about 6-7 kilometers, but the distance was practically not felt. Every few minutes I wanted to stop, look at the building, go into the courtyard or take a photo. I liked the fact that all the main points of this route are quite close to each other. You don't have to constantly take the subway or look for a taxi - you can safely walk most of the way. By the evening, I already felt Rome much better than if I had just driven through it on a tour bus. The Colosseum, the Roman Forum, Venice Square, the Pantheon, the Trevi Fountain and Piazza Navona gradually formed into one big walk through the history of the city. That's how our trip to Italy began. Rome became the first point of the route, and then we went north to Florence.

#Rome#FountainTrevi

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Gilyana Discoverer

France · September 25, 2026

The most beautiful sunset of my life on the Seine embankment

Sometimes the most beautiful moments in travel happen quite unexpectedly, when you don't plan anything special and don't even suspect that you will remember this particular evening years later. This happened to me in Paris, when I calmly went for a walk along the Seine and did not even think that on that day I would see the sunset, which I still consider the most beautiful in my life. I just wanted to take a walk after a busy day, look at Paris in the evening, sit by the water and maybe buy a coffee somewhere on the way, because without coffee, I'm generally able to turn even a romantic walk into a search and rescue operation. Paris was especially beautiful that day, although, to be honest, I still didn't realize that something unusual was happening, because the city was just gradually shifting from daytime to evening mode. There were more and more people on the embankment, some sitting right by the water, some talking with friends, some taking pictures of bridges, and others, like me, just walking without a specific route and pretending that they knew exactly where they were going. The Seine was surprisingly calm, pleasure boats were slowly passing through it, and the light was getting softer by the minute, as if someone had deliberately started to dim Paris a little before the most beautiful moment of the evening. I stopped by the Seine by accident. I reached a place with a particularly beautiful view of the river, and decided to stay a little longer, although I had originally intended to go further. This is probably one of the most pleasant features of Paris: here you can just go for a walk and suddenly find yourself standing in the middle of a completely cinematic scene, and no one even warns that something beautiful is about to begin. I sat down by the water, looked at the opposite shore, and suddenly noticed that the sun was already starting to sink lower, turning the buildings a warm golden hue. At first, the changes were almost imperceptible, but just a few minutes later Paris began to look completely different, and I found myself not wanting to go anywhere anymore. The light gradually turned golden, the water reflected the sky, long luminous paths appeared on the surface of the Seine, and the old buildings on the shore seemed to become a little warmer and softer. At such moments, I absolutely don't want to think about how many more places to see, how many photos to take, and whether I'll have time to see everything I've planned today, because it feels like the most important thing is already happening right in front of you. Paris, which turned golden for a few minutes. The sun was sinking lower and lower, and I literally watched the color of the city change, and it happened so gradually that it was impossible to determine the exact moment when an ordinary evening suddenly turned into an incredibly beautiful one. The buildings turned golden, the sky turned shades of pink and peach, and that soft light appeared over the Seine, which is impossible to convey properly in any photograph, although, of course, I tried to do it about every thirty seconds. As a result, the phone turned out to have a huge number of pictures that differ from each other by just a few minutes, but now I can officially claim that I have documentary evidence of how Paris changed color. It was especially beautiful to look at the water, because at that moment the Seine reflected everything at once – the sky, bridges, buildings, lights and the last rays of the sun. A boat sailing along the river left a small wave behind it, which broke the golden reflection into hundreds of small highlights, and I caught myself thinking that if someone had told me right now that this was a movie set, I wouldn't even have argued. Paris sometimes turns on the "too beautiful" mode without warning, and all that remains is to stand by and hope that the memory will retain at least some of what the eyes see. The most beautiful was the sky But it was the sky that struck me the most, because it was literally changing before my eyes, and each new shade seemed even more beautiful than the previous one. The gold gradually turned into pink, then a delicate peach color appeared, and a little higher, a cold blue was already emerging, and it all looked so harmonious that for the first time in a long time I just stopped photographing anything and looked in front of me. This is probably the moment when you realize that sometimes the camera only gets in the way, because you try to capture a beautiful shot and forget that the most important thing is not happening on the phone screen, but right in front of you. I was sitting by the Seine and thinking about how strangely memories work, because we rarely remember the whole day, but years later we can quite clearly remember one evening, the smell of the air, the color of the sky, or the feeling of the place we were in. I don't remember all the details of that day anymore, I can't reconstruct my route by the minute, and I'm not even sure where exactly I drank the coffee I was going to buy at the beginning of the walk, but I remember that light over the Seine perfectly. And that's probably why I call this sunset the most beautiful in my life. When the city started turning on the lights. Gradually, the sun disappeared below the horizon, but the evening did not end there at all, because Paris began to turn on its lights, and the city changed again. It got a little darker on the embankment, warm lights appeared in the windows, boats continued to sail along the Seine, and the people around were still in no hurry to disperse, as if no one wanted to be the first to admit that this beautiful moment was over. I also sat for a while longer, although I already knew perfectly well that it was time to return, because there was a road ahead, and tired legs after a day of walking began to hint quite transparently that romance was romance, but tomorrow they would demand compensation. I still got up and walked further along the Seine, but now I was constantly looking back, because Paris looked completely different after sunset. I liked walking slowly, listening to the noise of the city, looking at the reflections of lights in the water and realizing that this evening turned out to be much more beautiful than any pre-planned one. Sometimes we try too hard to organize the perfect trip, schedule every hour and decide in advance where we will meet the sunset, and then it is a random walk that becomes the memory for which we want to buy a ticket to this city again one day. Why do I remember this particular sunset? It probably wasn't just the color of the sky or how beautiful the Seine was that evening, because similar sunsets probably exist in many parts of the world. For me, it became special because of everything that was happening around me: Paris in the evening, a leisurely walk, the sound of water, people on the embankment, old buildings that gradually changed color, and that absolutely rare condition when you don't want to rush anywhere and don't need to prove anything. I was just sitting by the Seine and felt amazingly happy that I was here at this particular moment. Now I sometimes think that maybe in a few years I won't be able to remember exactly the date of that walk, the name of the street, or even what I was wearing, but I'm pretty sure I'll recognize that sunset again if I ever see something like it. It remained with me not as a photograph, but as some kind of inner memory of Paris, which one evening turned out to be especially quiet, warm and beautiful. And that's why, if I'm ever asked to name the most beautiful sunset of my life, I probably won't even think for long, because the Seine will appear before my eyes again, the golden light on the water and Paris, which slowly faded into the evening. I want to see this Paris again. I know that one day I will walk along the Seine embankment again, and most likely I will look for exactly the place where I once stopped to watch the sunset. Perhaps the weather will be completely different, there will be more people nearby, some buildings will look different, and the sky will decide to arrange an ordinary gray Parisian evening for me, because the weather, as you know, does not have to cooperate with my memories at all. But even if that sunset never happens again, I still want to go back there, sit by the water and watch Paris gradually change under the evening sky again. Because some moments cannot be planned, repeated, or specially purchased along with a plane ticket, and that's why they become so valuable. The most beautiful sunset of my life happened when I just went for a walk along the Seine and had absolutely no idea that in a few hours I would have a memory that I would come back to again and again. It's probably for such casual gifts that I love traveling, because you never know what an ordinary day will suddenly become the one that you'll remember with a smile all your life.

#Seine#River#France#sunset#Paris

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Anna Traveler

Türkiye · September 25, 2026

Topkapi in Turkey: a place I want to return to

There are places that you visit, take pictures of, tick off your mental list, and after a while you can't remember what color the walls were or exactly how you felt that day. But there are places that for some reason do not let go, and the Topkapi Palace in Istanbul has become for me exactly the kind of place where I return to mentally much more often than I expected after the trip. It seems that I have already seen everything, walked through the palace courtyards, looked into the luxurious rooms, admired the views of the Bosphorus, and even got so tired that at some point my legs began to hint at the need to stop the historical marathon, but the impression remained so strong that now I want to return there in a completely different way. When I first found myself at the entrance to the palace, for some reason it immediately seemed to me that I was not just in a museum, but in a separate small world that exists according to its own rules and is in no hurry to adapt to modern Istanbul. Outside the walls of Topkapi, a huge city is buzzing, cars are driving, people are in a hurry, phones are ringing, tourists are trying to look at the map at the same time and not lose each other, but inside the palace it all seems to remain somewhere far away. Probably, it was this contrast that hooked me the most, because just a few minutes ago you were in a modern city, and then you walk through the gates and find yourself among the palace courtyards, gardens, old walls and incredible views of the Bosphorus. I didn't expect Topkapi to be so big at all. Before the trip, of course, I imagined a palace, but in my head it was something much more compact, where you can safely walk for an hour, see everything, take beautiful photos and go on about your Istanbul business. I was so wrong, because Topkapi turned out to be a huge complex that you can walk around for quite a long time, gradually discovering new courtyards, buildings, terraces and rooms, and at some point I stopped realizing exactly how much I had seen. The funny thing is that the further I went, the more I wanted to see more, although an inner voice was already quite reasonably suggesting that I find a bench and at least sit for a while. I especially liked the feeling of space that arises in the palace courtyards, because here you don't feel like you're just being led from one museum hall to another. You move from one place to another, go out into an open area, see greenery, old walls, a piece of the sea, and then suddenly discover an absolutely stunning view of the Bosphorus, and all this makes you stay longer than you planned. I've generally noticed a strange habit when traveling: if I really like a place, I start photographing it from all possible angles, and then at home I find about twenty identical photos of the same tree on my phone, but not a single photo of how I looked at that moment. A harem that is impossible not to think about I was particularly impressed by the part of the palace associated with the harem, because it is here that history begins to be perceived in a completely different way. Before that, you can look at the palace premises as beautiful interiors, consider tiles, ornaments, doors and details, but gradually you begin to think about the people who once really lived behind these walls, and then Topkapi ceases to be just a beautiful historical place. The thought of how many destinies, intrigues, conversations, hopes and disappointments have remained here is especially strong on the imagination, although almost nothing remains of the people who once walked along these corridors today. Of course, after getting acquainted with the history of the Ottoman Empire, it is impossible not to remember Hurrem Sultan, and I also couldn't get past this topic, especially after I once watched a popular TV series about Sultan Suleiman. But in Topkapi, everything is perceived a little differently, because you no longer look at the screen and do not see the actors, but stand among real walls that are several centuries old, and this suddenly makes the story much closer and more real. I found myself thinking that one day I would like to return here without haste, walk through these rooms once more and no longer just look at the beauty of the interiors, but try to imagine what life was like for people for whom this place was once not a tourist attraction, but an ordinary home. View of the Bosphorus, for which you want to stop But if you ask me what moment in Topkapi I remember most often, I will most likely answer – views of the Bosphorus. There is something very special about this: you stand on the territory of the palace, the history of the Ottoman Empire, old walls and luxurious buildings surround you, and the water opens before your eyes, along which ferries run, and modern Istanbul lives its usual life. At this moment, you realize especially well how amazing the city itself is, because the past and present here do not just exist side by side, but literally overlap each other. I could have stood there and stared at the water for a long time if I hadn't remembered that I still have a whole program ahead of me and actually I didn't come to Istanbul to spend the whole day at one point overlooking the Bosphorus. But these are the moments I love most when traveling, when you suddenly stop keeping track of time and no longer think about how many attractions are left before the end of the day. You just stand there, look into the distance, and realize that this is exactly the feeling you'll remember at home much more often than the names of all the halls you've visited. Why do I want to go back That's probably why Topkapi has become a place for me to return to, and I'd really like to do it not on the first day of the trip, when I still have a huge list of required places in my head, but when I can afford to slow down a little. I would go through the gates again, walk through the palace courtyards, look into the Harem once more, and then I would definitely find a place with a view of the Bosphorus and just sit there without taking out my phone every two minutes. I think I could see the Topcaps much more deeply the second time, because the first visit is always a bit like trying to embrace the whole city at once – I want to see everything, remember everything and not miss anything. And, of course, I'm pretty sure that on my second visit I'll be walking around the palace again with the expression of someone who knows exactly where he's going, and ten minutes later I'll take out the map again and start figuring out exactly where I am. I guess this is already my personal travel tradition, because no matter how detailed the route is, sooner or later I still go somewhere wrong, but that's how the most interesting places are sometimes located. After all, a trip without small adventures would be too suspiciously ideal, and I prefer to return home not only with beautiful photos, but also with stories that are pleasant to remember later. Topkapi is not only a palace Now, when I think about Topkapi, I realize that I remember it not only because of the luxurious interiors, historical stories or famous names associated with the Ottoman Empire. For me, it became a place where history, architecture, nature and Istanbul met in an amazing way, which cannot be confused with any other city, especially when the Bosphorus opens in front of you and ferries continue to run somewhere below. That's probably why I don't just want to say that I "visited Topkapi," because it sounds like I ticked off and moved on, but I'm much closer to the idea that I was there once and now I want to see it again. I want to go back there without feeling like I'm late for something, without a long list of attractions, and without wanting to photograph every door, because now I know exactly what I want to feel. I want to walk through the palace courtyards again, see the familiar walls, feel this special Istanbul air and stay by the Bosphorus a little longer than the usual tourist route allows. And if one day I find myself in Istanbul again, I know for sure.: Topkapi will be one of the first places I will go, because some places we visit once, and some we want to return to again and again, even if it is impossible to fully explain why. The place I haven't finished watching Perhaps this is the main secret of traveling: sometimes we return home not because we have seen everything, but precisely because we understand that we have not seen everything. Topkapi is one of those places for me, because it is impossible to feel it completely in one visit, especially when there is so much history hidden behind beautiful walls, and Istanbul opens up behind the palace terraces, which in itself can make you stay for a few more days. That's why my return ticket from Istanbul took me home once, but for some reason I didn't put an end to it. And maybe that's why I want to go back there.

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Svetlana Photo Hunter

Switzerland · September 25, 2026

The most beautiful places I've seen in Switzerland

For me, Switzerland turned out to be the country where at some point you stop understanding exactly where to look, because literally everything around you seems beautiful. I went there with the usual tourist spirit: to see several famous places, take photos, walk around the cities, taste the local chocolate and finally see the very Alps that I have come across so many times in photographs. But in reality, it turned out that the photos did not convey the main thing at all – scale, silence, air and some absolutely incredible feeling, as if you accidentally got inside a very expensive screensaver on your computer. Zurich – the first acquaintance with Switzerland The first place that made a strong impression on me was Zurich, although for some reason I thought in advance that it would just be a beautiful and tidy city, without any special surprises. As a result, I walked around the Old Town for a long time, looked at the colorful facades, looked into the small streets and constantly stopped by the Limmat River, because each new turn opened up another beautiful view. I especially liked the Grossmunster and Fraumunster towers, and when I saw Lake Zurich, I finally realized that my plan to "quickly see the city and drive on" could safely be thrown away. Lucerne is a city that you want to photograph endlessly But my real feeling of Switzerland began in Lucerne, and here I was just walking around with my phone, like a person who urgently needed to fix absolutely every corner. The city itself is incredibly picturesque, and the famous wooden Kapellbrücke Clock Bridge over the Reuss River looks like it was specially built for tourist postcards, although it is completely real and has existed for many centuries. There is a water tower nearby, and mountains rise outside the city, so sometimes I found myself thinking that it would be impossible to come up with a more beautiful setting for a walk, even if I tried very hard. Mount Pilatus – when you want to see everything at once From Lucerne, I went to Mount Pilatus, and it was one of those trips when the road itself becomes part of the attraction. I was driving up, looking out the window and trying to figure out how people can live peacefully next to such landscapes and not take pictures of the mountains every five minutes. At the top, there are stunning views of Lake Lucerne and the Alps, and the weather in the mountains, as I've seen, can change my mood faster than I can get my phone out of my bag. Riga – "Queen of the Mountains" Another place I've wanted to see for a long time was Mount Riga, which is called the "Queen of Mountains." I especially liked the fact that you can climb there on a cogwheel railway, and the trip itself turns into a small adventure with constantly changing views outside the window. Upstairs, I found myself in a situation where I seemed to have come to see one particular landscape, but in the end I just stood and looked around, because the Alps were absolutely not going to fit into the frame of my phone screen. Interlaken – Alps, lakes and the feeling of being in a postcard ""After Lucerne, I went to Interlaken, and here Switzerland finally moved from the category of "very beautiful" to the category of "is it even legal to look like this?". Interlaken is located between the Thun and Brienz lakes, and the Alps rise around it, so wherever I went, there was always a mountain, lake or another valley on the horizon, which I immediately wanted to take a closer look at. The funny thing is that at some point I stopped understanding exactly where to go, because each subsequent view seemed better than the previous one, and the tourist route turned into an endless "oh, let's turn here again." Lauterbrunnen is a valley that cannot be forgotten A special place in my heart was occupied by the village of Lauterbrunnen, which looks so perfect that at first I even suspected some kind of tourist deception. Huge cliffs surround the valley, and waterfalls fall down from the slopes, among which the Staubach Waterfall is especially famous, which has become one of the region's business cards. I walked through the valley and tried to photograph the mountains, waterfall, green meadows and small houses at the same time, but I quickly realized that the camera still would not convey the feeling that arises when you really stand in the middle of this valley. Zermatt and Matterhorn – the very view from the advertisement And then there was Zermatt, a place for which I was ready to forgive Switzerland almost everything, including the prices, after which I wanted to look at my bank account and cry quietly. The main reason for coming here was obvious to me: the Matterhorn, one of the most recognizable mountains in the world, which I had seen countless times before in photographs. But when I saw it live, I realized why people come here again and again, because this mountain really makes a very special impression. I also really liked Zermatt itself, especially its wooden houses, narrow streets and a very special atmosphere of a mountain resort. However, I quickly realized that beautiful photos are suspiciously easy to take here, because no matter where you turn, there's already an Alpine peak behind you, and there's bound to be a pretty house with flowers in front of you. I even tried to just walk down the street calmly, but after a few minutes I took out my phone again because my brain was talking every time.: "Wait, we need to take a picture of this." Gornergrat – mountains in all their glory One of the most beautiful experiences was a trip to the Gornergrat, which offers a famous panorama of the Matterhorn and surrounding peaks. The road up is incredibly scenic in itself, and at the top there is a feeling that you are somewhere very far from the familiar world. I was standing there, looking at the mountains, and for the first time during the trip I was in no hurry at all, because in such places you don't even want to take pictures right away, but first just stand and see it all with your own eyes. St. Moritz and Engadine are a completely different Switzerland Another place that I would definitely include in the list of the most beautiful is the Engadine Valley and St. Moritz. Nature looks a little different here: high-altitude lakes, coniferous forests, mountains and very clean air create a very special atmosphere, and St. Moritz itself looks as if it was carefully placed among the Alps and asked not to spoil anything. I walked along Lake St. Moritz, looked at the mountains and thought that Switzerland is generally a master at creating places where you want to live, relax and for some reason immediately start drinking coffee with a view of the mountains. Glacier Express – when the road itself becomes an attraction One of the most vivid impressions was a trip along the Glacier Express route, which passes through incredibly picturesque Alpine landscapes between Zermatt and St. Moritz. You don't even need to look for a separate attraction here, because the road itself turns into a journey worth coming to Switzerland for: bridges, gorges, mountain villages, snow-capped peaks and endless landscapes outside the window replace each other while you sit in the carriage and try to decide whether to take pictures or just watch. Of course, I did both, and then I discovered that half of the photos were taken through glass with some completely mysterious reflection of my face. Geneva is a beauty of a completely different nature I couldn't miss Geneva either, especially the area around Lake Geneva and the famous Jet d'Eau fountain. After the mountain villages and alpine valleys, the city is perceived quite differently: there is more urban elegance, wide embankments, beautiful architecture and that very European atmosphere when you can just walk around without a specific goal and feel like a man from a good movie. I walked along the lake for a long time and looked at the water, the mountains in the distance and the huge fountain jet that soars high above the lake, and I thought that Switzerland knows how to be completely different and at the same time remain equally beautiful. Bern – medieval Switzerland But in Bern, I was captivated by a completely different kind of beauty. The historic city center is a UNESCO World Heritage Site, and its medieval streets, arcades, fountains and the famous Zittlogge Tower make me feel like I was inside an old European postcard for a few hours. I especially liked walking without a route, when you can just turn onto the next street, look at the facades of houses and suddenly come out to the Aare River, which offers a beautiful view of the city. Rhine Falls – when nature is not going to be quiet If we talk about places that I remember specifically by nature, then the Rhine Waterfall near Schaffhausen deserves special mention. It does not look at all like quiet Alpine lakes and green valleys, because here the water passes through the rocks with great force and creates a real natural spectacle. I got closer and realized pretty quickly that it's beautiful to be photographed near a waterfall, but it's advisable to think in advance about where to put wet hair and clothes later, because nature isn't particularly interested in your styling. What did I take with me from Switzerland? In Switzerland, I saw a huge number of beautiful places, but what struck me most was not even any particular lake, mountain or city, but how harmoniously everything here connects to each other. You can walk through the medieval streets of Bern in the morning, then drive through the mountains, find yourself by the lake in the evening, and the next day look at the Matterhorn and think that after such a journey, the usual landscape outside the car window already seems a little boring. I left Switzerland with the feeling that I had not seen everything, because this country is designed as an endless collection of beautiful places, where for some reason there is another reason to stop at every turn of the road. And that's probably why I can't name one of the most beautiful places in Switzerland that I liked the most. The Matterhorn impressed with its power, Lauterbrunnen with its incredible nature, Lucerne with its atmosphere, Bern with its architecture, and the Alpine roads just made me constantly grab my phone and say, "Well, this is definitely the last shot." Of course, it was never the last one, because after five minutes a new view appeared, which seemed even more beautiful, and I took out my phone again, forgetting that I had actually come to relax, and not to work as a personal photographer of the Swiss Alps.

#Switzerland#Zurich#waterfall#mountains#journeys

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richword Explorer

September 24, 2026

How do I calculate my trip budget

I used to just look at the price of the tickets and the hotel, add them up and think I roughly understand the budget. I was almost always wrong. Now I count the trip as a percentage, so it's much easier to understand where the money really ends. My budget scheme For a typical 7-day trip, I'm focusing on about this proportion.: 35-40% - flights and accommodation; 20-25% - food; 10-15% - on-site transportation; 10-15% - entertainment, excursions and tickets; 10% is a reserve for unforeseen expenses. For example, if I'm willing to spend 1,500 euros for the entire trip, then I'll put about 550 euros on flights and accommodation, 330 euros on food, 180 euros on transport, another 290 euros on attractions and entertainment, and about 150 euros I try not to touch at all. How much is it per day? It's more convenient for me to count my daily expenses separately. If I have 800 euros left after paying for the tickets and the hotel, I don't just divide this amount by 7 days. First, I subtract the reserve. For example, I leave 100 € in case of unforeseen expenses. That leaves 700 €, which is about 100 € per day . Of these, I can focus on about 35-40 € for food, 15-20 € for transport and 30-40 € for entertainment. I leave the rest for coffee, small purchases, or just reschedule for the next day. The most important part is the reserve I used to think of the reserve as money that could be spent if I had any left. Now, on the contrary, at first I consider them inviolable. For a week-long trip, I try to have at least 10% of the total budget . If the trip costs 1,500 €, that's 150€. This money may be needed for an unplanned taxi, ticket change, extra night at the hotel or other situation that cannot be foreseen in advance. Where did I go wrong most often? The biggest mistake is to count only large expenses. A ticket for 300 €, a hotel for 500 € - everything is clear. And then there's coffee for 5 €, taxi for 20 €, entrance ticket for 15 €, dinner for 35 € and a few other little things. In a week, these "little things" easily turn into several hundred euros. So now, before traveling, I first determine the total limit , then categorize it, and only after that do I start booking. This way I understand in advance not only how much the trip itself costs, but also how much money I can safely spend every day without returning home with an unpleasant surprise.

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Alfred Donny Photo Hunter

Italy · September 24, 2026

One day in Rome

I came to Rome for just one day, and this morning I was sure that it was enough to get at least a little understanding of the city. By the evening, I realized how naive this thought was. Rome is not a city that you can "see" in a few hours. Rather, he's constantly giving you something new, forcing you to change your route. 8:00 - first coffee I started the morning with coffee and a regular walk without a clear plan. I just wanted to feel the city first, and not immediately run to the Colosseum. Rome is especially pleasant at this time. There are already a lot of people on the streets, but the tourist flow has not yet managed to completely capture the center. Small cafes are opening, someone is in a hurry to get to work, shopkeepers are raising the shutters. I took an espresso, looked at my watch and realized that I had already spent almost an hour of my only day. But for some reason, he wasn't upset at all. 9:30 a.m. - Colosseum I went to the Colosseum anyway. No matter how many times you see him in photographs, he makes a completely different impression in person. Probably because the brain does not perceive the age of such structures well. You stand next to it and realize that these stones are almost two thousand years old, and at the same time buses are driving around you, people are talking on phones and someone is trying to take the perfect selfie. Rome Colosseum I walked around the Colosseum, sat nearby for a while, and walked on. I wanted to see a lot more, but the day was already starting to end suspiciously quickly. 12:00 - the city instead of the sights Then I decided not to build a route and just walk towards the historical center. And that's when I liked Rome the most. Narrow streets, old buildings, small squares, laundry on balconies, scooters that somehow fit where it seems even a bicycle should not pass. Sometimes I stopped just because some courtyard looked more interesting than another landmark. At some point, I realized that I hadn't looked at the map for a long time. And that was a good sign. 14:00 - lunch I wasn't specifically looking for a high-rated restaurant for lunch. I just chose a small place where there were a lot of locals. I ordered pasta and for the first time that day I was in no hurry. It was probably one of the most enjoyable parts of the trip. I was sitting on the street, watching the passers-by and thinking that Rome doesn't really want to be examined according to the list. He rather suggests that you stay longer. Sit down. Watch. Take a wrong turn. Pasta 17:00 - The Pantheon and the Trevi Fountain After lunch, I walked to the Pantheon, and then went to the Trevi Fountain. The mood here was completely different. There are a lot of people, someone is taking pictures, someone is trying to squeeze closer to the water, someone is throwing a coin. The Pantheon Trevi Fountain I quit too. I don't know how well this tradition works, but I decided not to take any chances. If Rome really makes you come back, I wasn't going to argue. 20:00 - last evening By evening, I was so tired that I stopped trying to do anything. I just went where I wanted to go. As the sun began to set, the stone walls of the houses turned a warm golden color. Street musicians appeared in the squares, restaurants filled with people, and the city gradually moved into the evening rhythm. And that's when I realized the main thing. I didn't see Rome in one day. I've only seen a few pages of it. But that's probably why I wanted to come back. Because a good city is not one after which you put a check mark in front of all the attractions. This is the one that leaves you feeling like you haven't figured out a lot yet. So, there is a reason to come again.

#Italy#Rome#TreviFountain

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Alfred Donny Photo Hunter

September 24, 2026

5 things that Tourists Most Often Lose Money on

During my travels, I realized one unpleasant thing: you usually notice large expenses right away, but small overpayments gradually turn into a decent amount. And sometimes it's not about fraud, but just carelessness. 1. Taxi from the airport The airport is one of the most convenient places to overpay for a trip. After a few hours on the plane, you just want to get to the hotel, so you don't really want to figure out local transport anymore. Now I check the cost of the trip in advance and see which taxi services are operating in the city. If I use a regular taxi, I specify the price or payment rules before the trip. The difference is sometimes quite noticeable. 2. Currency exchange I also got caught with exchangers once. There was a beautiful exchange rate on the sign, which looked profitable, but after the exchange it turned out that the commission and additional conditions significantly changed the total amount. Now I'm looking not only at the number in large letters, but also at how much money I'll actually get my hands on. I also try not to change a large amount in the first place near the airport. 3. Tourist restaurants A beautiful restaurant right next to the main attraction seems like a great idea until the bill arrives. Sometimes the price of a dish is higher than in an establishment a few blocks from the tourist center. It is especially unpleasant when fees, service interest or expensive drinks are added to the cost, which no one discussed separately. Now, before I sit down, I at least take a quick look at the menu and prices. It takes a minute, but sometimes it saves a decent amount. 4. Guided tours and additional services The very low price of an excursion often looks tempting. But then it turns out that the transfer is included in the price, and entrance fees, lunch, boat or other services are paid separately. As a result, the "cheap tour" becomes not cheap at all. Now I always look not only at the initial price, but also at what exactly is included in it . 5. Shopping "for memory" I've been caught here many times myself. At the beginning of the trip, it seems that you definitely need to buy a souvenir, a T-shirt, a magnet, local sweets and a few more things that will remind you of the trip at home. And then you open your suitcase and realize that half of these purchases were made just for the mood. Now I try not to buy anything right away. If you really like the item, I can come back for it later. The main thing is that I understood The biggest overpayments are often not due to one expensive purchase. They consist of dozens of little things: I overpaid a little for a taxi, a little for currency exchange, a little for dinner, a little for souvenirs. Individually, it seems that this is nonsense. And when you start counting expenses at the end of the trip, you get a completely different picture. Therefore, now, before any unfamiliar purchase, I try to spend one minute checking the price. On a journey, this minute is sometimes much cheaper than a mistake.

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Svetlana Photo Hunter

Türkiye · September 24, 2026

My trip to Istanbul: what's worth seeing

I've always associated Istanbul with a city where you can visit several worlds in one day.: in the morning, drink Turkish coffee on the European side, swim across the Bosphorus in the afternoon, and look at the lights of the Asian coast in the evening. So when I finally got ready to go there, I decided not to run a marathon around the sights, but just to live in this city for a few days and see what it would surprise me with. However, it became clear at the airport that Istanbul would do everything in its own way, and I would just have to keep up with it. The first acquaintance with the city I started the first morning with a walk through the historical center, because this is where Istanbul literally falls on you all at once: mosques, trams, the smell of fresh bread, the noise of the streets and a huge number of people who are walking very confidently somewhere. At first, I also tried to look like a person who knows the city perfectly, although in fact I checked the map every five minutes and pretended that I was just admiring the architecture. At some point, I realized that I had been standing in one place for about ten minutes and trying to figure out why the street I needed on the map was completely different from where it was in reality. But that's exactly what I liked about Istanbul: I don't want to keep following the route all the time. You can turn into an alley, see a small coffee shop, hear music from an open window, notice a beautiful balcony and completely forget where you were going to go at all. As a result, I realized that sometimes the best way to get to know Istanbul is just to put your phone in your bag and let the city show you the way. Hagia Sophia and the Blue Mosque The first big point of my walk was Hagia Sophia, and I thought in advance that after the photos on the Internet it would be difficult to surprise me with something. It turned out that the photos did not convey the feeling of this place at all: when you stand next to a huge building and see its dome, minarets and facade details with your own eyes, it becomes clear why people from all over the world come here. I just walked around inside for a long time, looking at everything around me, and trying to imagine how many stories these walls had seen. The Blue Mosque is very close by, and I really liked how these two places, which are completely different in mood, exist literally across the street from each other. It was especially beautiful to look at them in the evening, when the lanterns lit up around them, and the sky gradually turned dark blue. Of course, I also took a million photos, although later it turned out that most of them either had someone walking right in front of the camera, or I was looking at something completely wrong. Topkapi Palace and a bit of Oriental luxury After the noisy streets, I wanted some peace, so I went to Topkapi Palace. Here I felt like the heroine of a historical film, only without luxurious outfits and with a phone in my hand, because a modern woman of the 21st century, even in the sultan's palace, has to check how many steps she has already walked in a day. I was most impressed by the courtyards, ornate rooms and views of the Bosphorus. You can walk around the territory for a long time and always find some new details: tiles, ornaments, carved elements, antique objects. And there are places with such views of the water that you just want to sit down and not go anywhere else. Grand Bazaar: the place where my budget started to get nervous Of course, I couldn't come to Istanbul and not visit the Grand Bazaar. I told myself in advance that I would not buy anything, because I came only to see the city and enjoy the atmosphere. After a while, I was already holding in my hands some beautiful thing that I had absolutely no plans to buy, and I convinced myself that this was not a purchase, but a "small memory of Istanbul." It's easy to lose track of time in the bazaar, because everything happens here at the same time: vendors offer tea, spices are lying around, lamps are lit, carpets are hanging, leather and coffee smell, and from the next row comes another "madam, just look." I went in several times just to look, and each time I came out with the thought that next time I would definitely come with an empty suitcase. The Bosphorus: The Istanbul I wanted to see. If I were asked to name the moment of the trip that I remember the most, I would probably choose a walk along the Bosphorus. There is something amazing about sitting on a boat, looking at the water and realizing that Europe is on one side and Asia is on the other. At the same time, the city continues to live a completely ordinary life around you: other ships pass through the water, houses, mosques and modern buildings stand on the shore, and seagulls fly over all this. I sat on the deck for a long time and photographed literally everything in a row, until I realized that half of the photos would consist of water, sky and my own hand. But at that moment, I didn't care at all, because I just wanted to watch. It was probably on the Bosphorus that I finally understood why Istanbul is called the city of two continents: here it feels not like a beautiful phrase from a guidebook, but as a completely real part of urban life. Karakei and Galata Tower Tour The next point on my route was the Karakey area, which turned out to be a completely different mood. There are old facades, modern coffee shops, small shops, street art and endless staircases nearby, which at first you walk cheerfully, and then you start to wonder why you decided to walk at all. From here I went to the Galata Tower. I decided to go up there with complete confidence, because I had not yet known how much my body would protest after several days of walking through hilly Istanbul. But the view from above was worth all the effort: the roofs of the city, the Bosphorus, minarets, bridges and a huge number of houses that go far beyond the horizon. After that, I decided to have a well-deserved dinner and chose a restaurant where I ordered dishes whose names I almost did not understand. As a result, there was a huge tray of food in front of me, and I looked at it with the expression of a person who had just accidentally ordered dinner for the whole family. But everything was so delicious that that evening I finally decided that calories don't count in Istanbul. Eminem, fish sandwiches and tea A special pleasure for me is just walking around the Eminenyu area, especially near the Galata Bridge. Istanbul feels very alive here.: fishermen are standing along the bridge, ships are constantly crossing the bay, people are in a hurry about their business, and there is a smell of fish, spices and fresh pastries. I wanted to try everything, so I decided to start with the fish sandwich, which is often recommended to tourists. To be honest, I couldn't eat it beautifully at all. At first I tried to keep it neat, then the fish started to fall out, the sauce turned out to be completely different from where I expected, but in the end I just stopped fighting for dignity and ate everything as it turned out. But after that there was Turkish tea, and now I was drinking it quite calmly, watching the Bosphorus and thinking that such moments are sometimes much more pleasant than perfectly organized excursions. Balat: colored houses and a completely different Istanbul Another area that I wanted to see was Balat. The mood here is completely different: colorful houses, narrow streets, old buildings, small cafes and stairs that look like they were specially designed for photographs. I stopped several times simply because I saw a beautiful door or window, and then I discovered that I had walked much more than I had intended. In Balata, I particularly liked the lack of feeling that I had to get somewhere. You can just walk, look into the yards, drink coffee and look at the houses. However, one day I got so carried away photographing a beautiful building that I almost walked completely in the wrong direction, and then for another twenty minutes I tried to figure out where my street was. Apparently, Istanbul decided to remind me that the navigator was not invented in vain. Istanbul evening and my favorite moments In the evening, the city becomes even more beautiful, especially if you find yourself somewhere near the water. Lights are coming on, mosques are illuminated, light from ships is reflected on the Bosphorus, and there are gradually more and more people in cafes. At such moments, I didn't want to take pictures, check the route, or even think about how many sights I'd already seen, but just sit and look at the city. One day I bought coffee, found an empty place on the embankment and watched what was happening around for almost an hour. Someone was talking nearby, children were feeding seagulls nearby, ships were passing through the water, and the sky was slowly darkening over the city. And I thought that it was probably for the sake of such completely simple evenings that we were traveling. What I would definitely watch in Istanbul If I were re-planning my route, I would definitely leave time for Hagia Sophia, Blue Mosque, Topkapi Palace, Grand Bazaar, Galata Tower, Bosphorus, Karakey, Eminenyu and Balata. But I wouldn't try to see everything in one day, because Istanbul is a city where no less interesting things happen between the sights than inside the sights themselves. It seems to me that the main mistake is to come here with a huge list of places and turn the trip into a competition with yourself. At some point, I just stopped counting how many points were left and started paying attention to details: the smell of coffee in a small coffee shop, the sound of ferries, the old doors, the seagulls, the conversations at the next table and how the city was changing in the evening. My Istanbul Istanbul turned out to be a city for me that it is impossible to see in one visit, because it is too big, too different and too lively. You can come here for the famous mosques and palaces, and fall in love with a completely random street, a small coffee shop or a view of the Bosphorus, which was not planned in the itinerary at all. I left feeling like I'd seen a lot, but I still gave myself a reason to come back. Because Istanbul is like a good TV series: you seem to have finished one season, but you already realize that you want the next one. And if one day I find myself in this city again, the first thing I will do is just go outside, buy coffee and go wherever my eyes look – now with at least a little understanding of where they can lead me.

#Istanbul#Turkey#dream#journey

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Anna Traveler

Indonesia · September 24, 2026

How we spent a week in Bali

My friend and I went to Bali with a very simple plan: to rest for a week, eat delicious food, swim, take pictures, and at least take our time for a few days. Everything looked perfect in my head: a villa with a pool, palm trees, sunsets, coconuts, and we were so beautiful, as if we had just come out of an advertisement for an expensive resort. Reality, of course, made its own adjustments in the first few hours, but that's why I remember this trip with a smile. The first day. We arrived and immediately realized that we were in Bali On the first day, we decided not to overload ourselves with excursions and just get used to it. After the trip, we checked into a guest house, dropped our suitcases and stood by the pool in silence for about ten minutes, because it was completely incomprehensible how one could live in such a place and why we hadn't done it sooner. However, half an hour later, the first household problem began: we couldn't figure out how the hot water in the shower turned on, and as a result, we stood in front of this mysterious device together, studying it as if it were a spaceship control panel. In the evening we went for a walk in Ubud. There were palm trees, small cafes, temples, the scent of incense, and endless mopeds that appeared literally out of nowhere. We tried to walk beautifully and relaxed, but after a few minutes we were already dodging traffic, laughing and saying to each other: "The main thing is not to lose each other." Day two. Ubud, rice fields and our great journey over breakfast The morning in Bali turned out to be exactly how I imagined it: the sun, the greenery, the humid air and the feeling that you're finally not late. We went to see the rice terraces and, of course, to take pictures literally every five minutes. At first, my friend patiently photographed me, then I photographed her, and then we both realized that half of the pictures were taken with our eyes closed because of the bright sun. After the walk, we decided to find a beautiful place for breakfast. Everything looked great in the photos: a tropical garden, wooden tables, fruits, coffee, and some incredibly beautiful bowls. We ordered about everything we saw on the menu, and then we found out that drinking coconut, which is so beautifully in the photo, is not as easy as it seems. In the end, breakfast ended with a small coconut shower, laughter, and a photo, which, of course, we won't show to anyone. Day three. A beach day that didn't go according to plan at all On the third day we decided to go to the ocean. We imagined ourselves lying on the beach with cocktails, but Bali quickly reminded us that nature lives by its own rules here. First there was the sun, then suddenly clouds came up, then it started to rain, and twenty minutes later the sun came out again. The funny thing was that we managed to hide from the rain, order drinks, discuss that the day was ruined, and go outside exactly at the moment when the rain stopped. In the end, we just took off our shoes and went for a walk along the ocean. Both of them had their hair blown out by the wind, and their dresses were a little wet, but the photos turned out to be much more vivid than all the perfect shots we tried to take this morning. In the evening we had dinner at a small restaurant near the beach. We tried local dishes, talked a lot, and at some point realized that we hadn't been in a hurry for hours. It was probably then that I felt a real vacation for the first time. Day four. A waterfall, wet sneakers, and a little heroism On the fourth day, we decided to add a little adventure to the program and went to the waterfall. When I saw the way to it, I immediately realized that the person who coined the word "easy walk" had obviously never been here. We went down cheerfully, but we were already climbing back up with the expression on the faces of people who suddenly rethought their love of nature. The waterfall was incredibly beautiful. The water was falling down among the greenery, everything was wet, noisy and somehow completely unreal. Of course, we took a closer look and ended up getting our shoes wet. They returned barefoot, carrying wet sneakers in their hands and laughing at how effectively this day began and what it turned into. But for some reason, it is precisely such moments that I remember best later. Day five. The day we decided to do nothing After four days of walking, we officially declared the fifth day a day of idleness. No waterfalls, temples, trails, or early climbs. Just a pool, fruits, coffee and lie down so that you can see a maximum of one palm tree. In the morning, we had a long breakfast, then moved to the pool and discussed everything for several hours. At one point, I said that I definitely needed to get up and go somewhere, because "we came to Bali," and my friend looked at me and replied: "We are already in Bali. Here he is. Stay down." And she was right. Then we went out for a walk nearby and bought fruits that I probably wouldn't even consider at home. For some reason, I want to try everything in Bali: mango, dragon fruit, passion fruit, coconuts and some other mysterious fruits whose names we don't even remember. Day six. Sunset, beautiful dresses and our last evening We decided to devote the sixth day to beautiful places and photos. We dressed up, took a long time choosing where to go, and then spent half the time trying to catch a good light. ""There's a special moment when traveling with a friend: one says, "Take a picture of me here," the other takes twenty pictures, after which the first one looks at them and says, "No, let's do it again." After ten minutes, the roles change. But in the evening we found ourselves in a beautiful place at sunset. The sky gradually turned golden, the palm trees darkened against the background of the sun, and for a few minutes it became surprisingly quiet around. We just stood next to each other and looked at the ocean, realizing that tomorrow we would have to pack our bags. In the evening we had our last dinner. We laughed a lot, recalled all our adventures during the week and came to the conclusion that half of the trip did not correspond to the original plan at all. And it seems that's why it turned out so good. Seventh day. Suitcases, the last coconuts, and "let's stay" The last morning is always kind of weird. It seems like you're still on vacation, but you're already mentally sorting through things, checking your passport and trying to figure out where all the free space in your suitcase has disappeared to. We were going for quite a long time, because for some reason there were a lot more things, although both swore that they hadn't bought anything extra. Before leaving, we went out to the pool again, had coffee and just sat in silence. Then, of course, the traditional phrase appeared: "Maybe we should stay another week?" We both understood that this was impossible, but for several minutes we discussed this wonderful, but completely unrealistic idea quite seriously. We were already going to the airport a little sad. In one week, we managed to get used to palm trees, the heat, the ocean, mopeds, rains, fruits and this strange feeling when no one is in a hurry. What I realized after this trip Bali for me turned out to be not only about beautiful beaches and Instagram photos. It turned out to be about the feeling of freedom, about the possibility of not knowing how the day will end in the morning, and about small adventures that cannot be planned in advance. And I also realized that traveling with a friend is a special pleasure. Because you can get lost together, get wet in the rain, ruin your perfect hairstyle with humidity, not deal with hot water and choose a restaurant for half an hour, and then say anyway: "God, it was so good." And if I were asked if I would go to Bali again, I wouldn't even think twice. But next time, we'll definitely take shoes that don't get wet, and we'll figure out the shower beforehand. And, of course, we'll leave a couple of days just to lie by the pool and do nothing. Because sometimes this is the most correct route.

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