The Catalan capital of Barcelona is a melting pot of culture, art, architecture and energy that sets it apart from almost all European cities. Barcelona has a different feel to other Spanish cities and it makes for a fantastic destination for a weekend break. If you are planning on a trip to this beautiful part of the World any time soon for a little getaway then here are some of the best things to do in this wonderful city.

Picasso Museum

The city of Barcelona meant a great deal to Spanish artist Pablo Picasso and the city returned the love by opening a museum dedicated to his art. This museum was opened whilst Picasso was still alive and he contributed many works during his life exclusively to the museum including many practice pieces and drafts. The museum features Picasso’s most famous pieces including paintings, drawings and sculptures and art lovers will adore this place.

Take a Trip to Monsteraat

Just outside the city of Barcelona is the incredible mountain of Monsteraat a huge peak with a rugged outline that is filled with caves, stairs, chapels and offers incredible views. To truly experience the Monsteraat mountain you should take a tour from Barcelona and let a guide teach you all about the history of the peak which is in itself a national park. Tours are well priced and regular and I recommend that you spend some time on the mountain during your stay in Barcelona.

Visit La Sagrada Familia

This impressive cathedral in the centre of Barcelona was designed by the Spanish architect Antoni Gaudi, it was his masterpiece design and it is a must see on your visit to Barcelona. The cathedral is actually still in the process of being completed and work has been underway on the cathedral for 134 years and isn’t expected to be completed until 2026. The reason for the length of time it has taken to complete is due to the incredibly intricate design of the building. Despite the fact that it is yet to be finished it still looks outstanding and you can walk throughout the building to fully appreciate it.

Camp Nou

The Camp Nou is the home of Barcelona’s incredible football team, one of Europe’s most successful and famous clubs and their stadium is equally as incredible. The stadium holds over 100,000 people and if you are lucky enough to be in town when there is a game on then I would strongly encourage you to get some tickets to experience the phenomenal atmosphere in the stadium. If you aren’t lucky enough to catch a game then you should take the opportunity to do the stadium tour that takes you throughout the stadium and teaches the history of this club. At the end of the tour you can visit the museum dedicated to all things football from art, videos and artefacts from football history, a perfect day out for any football fan.

For a traveller backpacking is all about seeing as much as possible on a budget. While touring any country it is important to experience and absorb everything that interests you but that can’t be possible without spending a particular amount, so you need to smart while booking your flight tickets, searching an accommodation and spending on various activities.

You need to save those Euros to be spent on precious experiences rather than on materialistic luxury. Being little clever and trying few smart ways like a savvy spender, you can save a lot. Here are few tips how you can be a smart backpacker in Paris.

Get Your Metro Pass

You can save money right after arriving at Gare du Nord by opting for a 1, 2, 3 and 5-day pass as per your requirement. Usually if you don’t do so it can a daunting experience for you if you are visiting Paris for the first time. Knowing which ticket to get is not an easy task and being in hurry many backpackers tend to buy a single ticket straight to their destination while figuring out the rest of the journey cost later. But, purchase passes, which cover either zones 1-3 (excellent for central Paris) or zones 1-6 (if you want to visit Versailles, the airports, or Disneyland).

Understand and work out which pass or passes you need before you arrive. This way you’ll surely avoid over spending and get hold of the only pass you need.

Big Lunch and Small accommodation

When eating out, always opt for a good lunch than dinner, since dinners are quite expensive in Parisian restaurants as compared to lunches. You can choose from some set menu lunches and then eat a lighter dinner. Ask for plain tap water rather than paying for a bottle.

Staying is hotel is very expensive in Paris, hence it is good option to look for a flatshare or holiday rental serviced apartments. For backpackers staying in these rental units will surely cut down on travel budget since we spend a huge chunk of our travel budget on accommodation than anything else. Thesquare.re is great way to look for rented serviced apartments in Paris neighbourhoods like Eiffel Tower, Champs-Élysées, Marais, Montmartre, Opera and Saint-Germain.

Time Your Visit Well

Plan your visit to Paris early and try to make on the first Sunday of the week if you are keen on exploring popular sites at extremely lower cost. First Sunday is the golden opportunity to see all the major Museums and other attractions at free of cost. Some of the sights where you will enjoy various arts for free are the Centre Pompidou, , Musee D’Orsay, Rodin Museum, and even the most visited Louvre. If you want a free entry to Louvre, visit the Museum on Friday nights ( free for aged 25 and younger.)

If you are touring Paris in between the month of October and March, this first Sunday deal will also include free visit to the Towers of the Notre Dame, and the Pantheon.

So, fix your visit well, start the day early and you can save a bundle.

Let the Paris Greeters Guide You

To see a different side of Paris, making Paris Greeters your tour guide will be more authentic as compared to looking for a guide at any of the major tourist sites. These volunteers will offer a free walking tour of picturesque Paris, which is difficult to tour otherwise. Paris Greeters are so passionate about their city that they won’t charge anything for their service. They like to meet new people and share their love for Paris and knowledge of intimate Paris secrets absolutely free of cost.

About the Author-

I am Krishna, a traveller by heart and blogger by profession. I like to dream, meet new people, explore places and share my experiences. Currently, I am working with London-based travel company-thesqua.re that offers premium serviced apartments on rent to business and leisure travellers. The company has its presence in cities like London, Paris and New York.

England’s Lake District is a huge national park in the North of the country that offers some of the most picturesque landscape in the country. Within the park is a vast and sprawling mountain range and several large lakes that sit in ancient volcanic craters. The Lake District provides visitors a whole range of things to do regardless of what you enjoy doing on your vacations. For some unknown reason, the Lakes are often overlooked by tourists when they are searching for an English destination so here are some reasons why you should buck the trend and head to the Lakes this year.

Activities

If you are seeking some adventure then the Lake District is the perfect location for you as there are countless adventures and activities on offer. On-land you can go on several beautiful walks through the hills and around the lakes, you can climb some of the Lake District’s largest peaks like Hellvellen and Scafell Pike or you can go on a cycling tour through this wonderful landscape. Activities are not exclusively on-land and the lakes themselves are a hot-bed of sporting activity offering kayaking, wind-surfing, sailing, boating, swimming, catamaran tours and powerboat rides. If you are the active type then this this part of England will provide you with plenty to keep you busy.

Relaxation

The Lakes has some of the greatest settings in the country for you to relax in tranquility with one of the finest backdrops that nature has to offer. Around the Windermere and Grasmere areas are some beautiful hidden away cottages and inns that sit on the peaceful lakes, the areas remain quiet as there is only one road running through them and noise pollution is at an absolute minimum. Alternatively you can relax in a traditional bed and breakfast in one of the nearby towns such as Cockermouth or stay in a cottage in Keswick, one of the busier towns in the area but still one with a very relaxed atmosphere. If you are looking for some time away from the fast-paced World then the Lake District will be perfect for you.

Sheer Beauty

Everyone can appreciate a beautiful natural landscape and one of the reasons that I believe the Lake District to be so grossly underrated is for this reason, there is nowhere in England that can compare to the Lakes when it comes to natural beauty. The view from the Skiddaw massif is one of the finest in the park, overlooking a huge portion of the Lake District and taking in over 4 lakes and 3 mountains, at sunset and sunrise is the best time to take this view. Whilst viewpoints such as these provide great snapshots of the region, simply walking and driving around this area is perfect if you want to be surrounded by the best of nature, the roads and pathways meander through the hillside and around the lakes and you will never be far from a photo opportunity.  The weather may not always be perfect in the Lake District, but the landscape always is.

Skiing is no longer a sport for those with bags of cash and with so many new places popping up that offer skiing holidays the prices now vary to suit peoples budgets. There are several places in the World to ski but Europe has by far the best range of slopes and ski resorts to spend your vacation. Here we run down the top 4 places in Europe for your skiing vacation.

France

For many years France has been the pinnacle fro European skiing, the Alps mountain range offers some of the greatest and most varied slopes in the World and it houses some beautiful towns and villages to enjoy your holiday. If you want to enjoy a ski holiday in France then the places that you should be looking at are; Chamonix, varied slopes and adventures on the side of Mont Blanc; Tignes, a resort that offers glaciers and lakes as well as great pistes, and Courchevel, a lively resort with a whole range of winter sports on offer. French ski holidays are generally a little pricier but with good reason, great snow quality and an industry that has operated for years at high standards.

Italy

On the other side of the Alps, Italy has certainly gained it’s place amongst the best places to ski in the World, the apes-ski scene in Italy is fantastic and combines beautiful Italian culture with great options for skiers of all abilities. Italy’s resorts are generally a little  cheaper than in France but the quality is just as high in terms of the snow, the service and the standard of resorts. The top places to head to in Italy right now are; Courmayeur, Livigno and Andalo, 3 resorts that offer a wide range of slopes and beautiful landscapes with excellent accommodation options and lively atmospheres.

Croatia

Not always known for it’s ski resorts, Croatia has grown rapidly in popularity over recent years as people look further afield for their skiing holidays. One of the main draws of Croatia is that compared to it’s European counterparts it is incredibly cheap, from ski and clothing hire to food and drink, a ski holiday in Croatia will cost you significantly less than in places like France, Italy and Austria. The ski resorts in Croatia are easily accesible and often near big cities which means you can combine your ski holiday with a city break. The slopes in Croatia are not equal in standard to the Alps but they offer more than enough quality for a great ski holiday. The best resorts right now are Delnice, Mrkopalj and Cavle, all of them are great budget options for your next holiday.

Switzerland

The Swiss possess arguably the best side of the Alps mountain range and with that some of the best ski slopes in the World. The resorts around the base and side of the Matterhorn mountain are widely considered to be the best in the World and the slopes vary in range but have an emphasis on the black slopes for advanced skiers. The Swiss attitude to apres-ski is somewhat more relaxed to the French and Italians with less parties and more chilling out. Switzerland can be expensive for a ski holiday but this is due to the high quality of snow and accommodation on offer coupled with the fact that in general Switzerland is an expensive country to stay in. Zermatt and Verbier are two of Switzerland’s most prestigious and renowned resorts.

What kind of thing are you looking for with your vacations this year? Sun, city, adventure? Well if you’re struggling for ideas then fear not as we bring you the top 3 picks in Europe for your vacations this year. Even if you have an idea for what or where you want to go, perhaps this list might give you some further inspiration.

Dubrovnik

The Croatian city of Dubrovnik sits on the stunning coastline of the Adriatic Sea and the city boasts a perfect blend of sea and city. The beaches in Dubrovnik are massively underrated and the sea here is crystal clear, add to that the warm climate for a large part of the year and you have a perfect beach holiday. Dubrovnik doesn’t stop there and it’s walled medieval city is enchanting, with historical relics and buildings, a tranquil pedestrian-only ‘Old Town’ filled with bars, cafes and nightspots and locals that can’t wait to help you out. Each day in Dubrovnik is different and it will make a great location for your vacation this year.

Tenerife

For the perfect sunshine break Tenerife is the destination you should be looking at, this island in the Mediterranean Sea sits perfectly poised in-between Spain and West-Africa and is blessed with a hot climate all year. The island is famed for it’s beaches which offer a variety of sands from black, yellow and snow-white. The island is designed around tourism with several beautiful hotels and plenty of activities to do. The island is dominated by the huge volcano of Mount Teide which can be scaled to offer fantastic views of this beautiful island, Tenerife also houses the World’s largest water park which is a sight to behold, perfect for when you need to cool off. You can get discount holidays at Monster.Travel for many sunny destinations in Europe including the Canary Isle of Tenerife.

Berlin

For a perfect city getaway, look no further than the German capital Berlin, a relaxed city that is steeped in history and packed with entertainment. If you are a history buff then you will love Berlin’s museums and homages to it’s dark past, places such as the iconic Brandenburg Gate, still-standing fragments of the Berlin Wall and the Reichstag Building are great places to visit. Berlin has a vibrant art scene that can be seen throughout the city, from it’s architecture to it’s trendy bars and cafes which give the city a very cool edge. The Berlin way of life is relaxed and it is a beautiful city to wander through. The food and drinks options here are fantastic with a whole variety of restaurants, lounge bars and food stalls selling international and local cuisine. If you’re looking for a city break without the mayhem then Berlin is where you should be heading this year.

Europe has some of the best destinations for vacations and if you wish to travel a little then it is the perfect continent to do so with many countries being in such close proximity to one another. Wherever you end up, have a great vacation this year!

Rome is not only capital of Italy but home to the once all conquering Roman Empire, whilst it is considerably smaller than it once was, this city is packed with amazing attractions and fun things to see and do. This huge city is graced with thousands of years of art, culture and influence from some of the greatest minds that have ever existed and if you are visiting this phenomenal city any time soon then here are my top 4 things to do there.

Colosseum

Rome’s iconic amphitheatre is the largest ever built and to this day, whilst having suffered from slow decay, still stands tall as one of Rome’s greatest landmarks. The Colosseum used to be used for gladiator fights in times gone by where men were forced to fight with lions before thousands of screaming locals and the Caesar. The amphitheatre was also used for shows and public displays and today you are able to wander around the vast structure and get an experience of what it was like back then, this should be at the top of your list when visiting Rome.

Sistine Chapel

The Sistine Chapel is situated in Vatican City, the official home of the Pope and was designed around the middle of the 15th century. The fame of the Chapel is in it’s intricately designed paintings by the World-famous artist Michelangelo who’s depictions of Jesus and parables from the bible adorn many of it’s walls and it’s famous ceiling. The roof of the Sistine Chapel is surreal to see, the level of quality and perfect design in the paintings are simply breathtaking. The building itself is amazing to walk around, there are tiny conclaves and stairways leading to hidden away places within the chapel and the main hall is truly stunning. Well worth a visit if you’re hitting Rome.

Eat Pizza

A trip to Italy and especially Rome simply wouldn’t be complete without enjoying one of their greatest ever inventions, the Pizza. These days we are used to buying pizza in boxes or chain restaurants but in Rome, it is the real deal served up by locals who know best. Throughout this city you will find pizza restaurants and stalls that hand craft their own dough before stretching it out before your eyes and adding some of the freshest ingredients that you can think of before placing it into traditional pizza ovens and serving you one of the dreamiest pizzas that you’ve ever tasted. Pizza places here are like museums, tourist attractions and restaurants rolled into one and once you’ve had a taste you’ll be back in no time.

Galleria Borghesse

Rome is home to globally inspired art and is often considered the home of the renaissance movement, one should therefore hit an art museum and they don’t come better than the Borghesse Gallery. The museum is set in the beautiful Borghesse gardens and houses works from both Italian and International renaissance painters. The gallery also displays ancient religious texts and sculptures and the hours simply disappear in front of you when you visit this stunning building. There are several tours available in the museum that will give you the best understanding of the art in the museum and I recommend that if you hit any art museum, that it is this one.