When in Riga.

1. Old Town (Vecriga) - cobbled lanes and pastel-painted houses, Town hall square and Blackheads, Opera House, Monument of Freedom and Laima (happiness in Latvian) clock next to the monument, St.Mary’s Cathedral, Dome Cathedral (and it’s Christmas markets, around it), St. Peter’s church. 

2. Art Nouveau - Alberta street (World UNESCO heritage) also known as Jugendstil in Germany, amazingly beautiful buildings with little cafe’s in them. 

3. For Panoramic view - Panorama Observation Deck (around 3€) or SkyLine bar at Radisson’s (27th floor) with the transparent elevator, can grab a coffee or mulled wine while looking at the beautiful scenery. 

4. Central Market (HUGE) with all the local deliciousness. 

5. Cat House (look up and search for the black cat of the roof - it brings luck) in Old Riga at Livu square 

FOOD: 

1. Lido (our national cuisine) - better to go to Krastmala Lido (with Taxify, around 5€) because its huge, with the Christmas tree and feeling, like a little Christmas wonderland or...there are plenty of tiny Lido’s at the city centre 

2. BakeBerry - amazing eclairs and all, mega delicious 

3. Innocent Cafe (Illy coffe) on Blaumana street - the most delicious coffee and hipsterish, super friendly cafe with snacks and all 

4. Tokyo sushi - cheap and mega delicious hot sushi’s (try Asama - 2x for 14€), totally worth it, huge portion). 

5. Rozengrals - in Old Town - authentic restaurant, even with the ancient, authentic water well from 1293, like....veryyy authentic, haha 

6. Fat Cat cafe - BEST eclairs EVER 

7. EASY wine - you just go, take a wine glass and pour yourself a wines of the huge variety, to taste them all, you can snooze 50g, 100g, 200g, haha 

8. 1221 - authentic, mega beautiful restaurant - could even take a picture of it from the outside, since it’s really from 1221, from 13th century 

Riga is amazingly delicious. Like really delicious. 

So you can’t get wrong. Mostly. 

And pizzas... pizzas ar divine. Even better than in NYC or Naples, honestly. 

Everything’s on TripAdvisor is honest as well, like ratings, so you can simply choose one of those places, cafe’s, too. 

When in Tel Aviv.

TEL AVIV is one of those cities that’s very much a city but it’s also very much like a village. The city is walkable (when it’s not sweltering hot outside), and it’s certainly not very hard to get around. It’s one of those small cities with a big city heart—where you just might run into your friends at the same cafe or patio bar. Or if you don’t, you’ll just make some new ones. A small city with a big city feeling, so there’s always a lot of things happening in different areas of the city. It’s just a matter of knowing where the coolest neighborhoods are located and finding out where to go and when.

SO WHY DO I LOVE TEL AVIV?

1. FOOD.

Oh, my GOD! THAT FOOD!!! Everything is so damn healthy, delicious, juicy, om-nom-nom. I've become vegetarian in Tel Aviv (in summer 2016), but that's a different story.

One thing you have to try in Tel Aviv is the iced coffee. The Israeli style is more like a frappe and it’s pretty much the best way to survive a Tel Aviv summer. 

Humus, falafel, dates are to die for, too, of course. Try:

Suzanna Restaurant - Located on Shabazi Street, they serve good food and nice coffee - all with the pleasure of sitting under a gigantic fig tree. There rooftop also offers up a nice atmosphere in a lovely corner of Tel Aviv.

CafeLix - This coffee shop is at the helm of the slow-roast coffee movement in Tel Aviv, with a flagship cafe in the Noga complex (Old Jaffa).

Levinsky 41 - Stop by Levinsky 41 café for an organic take on the popular Israeli beverage gazoz (soda). Spark up a conversation with the affable “Benny Soda,” a former chef, as he prepares homemade organic fruit syrups made from peach, strawberry, roses, almond and apricots, that when combined with sparking water, offers a subtly sweet, refreshing beverage..

2. STREET ART. 

I'm a graffiti addict. So my most favourite district is Florentin – it’s a lot like Brooklyn, except everything is in Hebrew and there are way less Orthodox Jews. A bit grungy, you can find some of the best bars in Tel Aviv on Florentin street and down by the intersection with Vidal Street. Lots of cafés, too. And the bartenders there are NOTORIOUSLY good-looking. A cool neighbourhood with a lot of graffiti, bars and nightlife.

3. PEOPLE-WATCH. 
 

People in Tel Aviv are super, super FIT, HEALTHY, FIT (yes, again), BEAUTIFUL. Everyone's (literary everyone) running, cycling, skating, dancing, swimming, paddle boarding, surfing, you name it. And everyone's so tanned, so toned and just with the right attitude and posture. 

Here are some of my favorite spots to lounge around (preferably with an iced coffee and veggies+humus) for some quality people-watching:

Mezizim Beach - bit of a walk as it’s further north than the other beaches, but has a cool atmosphere because of that fact

Gordon Beach - this is the 20-somethings’ beach, so the people are SO, SO, SO ATTRACTIVE.

Rabin Square - nice plaza, grab some food at one of the nearby places and just hang out

Kikar Magen David - busy intersection where King George, Allenby, Nahalat Binyamin and the Carmel market meet. Grab a 10 Shekel falafel from across the street and just watch. Especially nice late at night to sit on a park bench and chill out while you wait to catch the sunrise down the street at the beach. There once was a Jesus look-a-like who camped out here for an eternity.

Some extra information.

Places to stay:

Abraham Hostel - a 10-minute walk to the beach, 10 minutes to Florentin and right in the center of Tel Aviv’s nightlife scene. The bar attracts not just the tourists staying at the hostel, but also many locals, making it a great place to make new friends in a social atmosphere (and with cheap drinks, too!).

Hayarkon 48 - This backpacker-friendly hostel is right in the heart of Tel Aviv, convenient to the Shuk, the beach, Rothschild and centrally located between North Tel Aviv and the more hip neighborhoods further south.

Florentin Hostel - This is a true backpacker hostel located in the hip neighborhood of Florentine and walking distance to Jaffa and the southern Tel Aviv beaches. Staff is super friendly and the rooftop terrace is one of the best places to hang out on a summer night. 

Brown Hotel - a beautiful property with a great rooftop bar (open to the public most nights).

Artplus Hotel - every floor, room and suite in the Artplus features site-specific artwork, all of it designed by local Israeli artists.

I'll follow you.

When in Chicago.

When in Bali.

Coming to Bali for the first time and trying to figure out a list what you should see during your visit? Let me share my 10 tips what are absolutely must do + see things on this beautiful island. 

It’s definitely not all the amazing stuff you can do here but those are definitely the ones to consider first!

#1 Stay in Ubud for 2 or 3 days.

Ubud is a little town in the centre of the island. So yes, it’s rather far from the ocean but it is definitely worth visiting. Most of the tourists would visit Ubud for few hours during their daily trip around the island, but I suggest you go to Ubud for at least two days! Whatever you can see there in a short 2-3 hours stay is not the Ubud that is worth visiting! This place has really awesome hidden gems that require some more time and more relaxed schedule. What exactly is Ubud famous for? Yoga classes, awesome spa & massages and healing centers, vegetarian/raw food/ healthy food spots, enormous amount of galleries and artists living in one place, beautiful sceneries, rice fields trekking routes and lots of other stuff. To know more about Ubud and what to do there please read this blog post. 

#2 Spend a day exploring white-sand beaches of Bukit Peninsula.

The most beautiful beaches of Bali are definitely located in Bukit Peninsula which is the most southern tip of Bali. Bukit has slightly different nature and landscapes than the rest of Bali, this unique place is home to a very beautiful coastline with cliffs, hidden white sand beaches, great reef breaks with clear blue water. If you are not staying in Bukit you should definitely plan a day that you can spend on one of the beaches there. My favorite spots in Bukit: Balangan beach with its simple local beach shack cafes and beautiful viewpoint from the cliff; Bingin beach with it’s surfers vibe and little warungs and homestays nestling on the cliffs; Padang Padang beach as almost the only place where you can swim in a still water (waves are breaking far in the ocean); Greenbowl beach with it’s 300 hundred stairs you have to climb to get there; or Nyang Nyang beach as the most deserted place with almost no people ever because of its more than 500 stairs down from the cliff! Or if you have any reasons to splurge you should spend a day in Finn’s beach club on the private beach. 

#3 Climb one of the Bali’s volcanos.

One of the best adventures that you will definitely remember is volcano trekking. There are two volcanos that have hiking trails in Bali: Batur and Agung. Batur volcano is the easiest hike with something like 1.5hrs climb; it’s considered a relatively easy hike and everyone can attempt it. Agung volcano is a 4hr hike and requires good physical form. All the hikes are usually done right before sunrise (which basically means at night using a flashlight) so when you reach the summit you can see beautiful sunrise from there. You will require a guide to hike a volcano but it’s easy to find when you are in Bali. 

#4 Visit one of the hindu temples.

I would suggest visiting more than one temple, but if you are not into that kind of things, visit at least one of the biggest temples. What I like about temples in Bali that they are usually located in a very beautiful scenery, they have very unique architecture you won’t see anywhere else and visiting them it’s just a very beautiful experience. My top suggestions for temples will be: Tanah lot temple, Uluwatu temple, Pura Besakih temple, Pura Lempuyang temple. Tanah Lot & Uluwatu are the most visited by tourists and it’s definitely will be very crowded there, nonetheless they are beautiful places to visit. The best time is just before sunset (5pm). Pura Besakih is also touristic but it’s different from the first two ones, first of all because it’s located at the slopes of Agung volcano and second, because it’s considered the Mother Temple of Bali. Pura Lempuyang is much less touristic and it offers beauitful views and it’s actually my favorite one now because it’s a place where you can do some trekking and explore several temples at the same time with no tourist crowds around. 

#5 Enjoy watching sunset at the beach.

Every day in Bali at around 5pm you start developing a routine of heading to the beach to enjoy the sunset. The touristic south of Bali is blessed with beautiful sunsets and sometimes you can even see the sun diving into the ocean. Balangan or Bingin, beach in Seminyak or Kuta or even in Canggu – everywhere is good for sunset. But few favorite spots of mine are: Single Fin bar at Uluwatu, La Plancha beach cafe in Seminyak, little beach bar Sandbar in Pererenan beach or another one in Berawa beach. On the fancier side you should consider El Kabron beach club in Dreamland cliffs or KuDeTa or Potato Head clubs in Seminyak. In Ubud one of my favorite spots to watch sunsets is Sari Organic cafe in the middle of the rice fields. 

#6 Smimming in a waterfall.

Bali has enormous amount of waterfalls. And they are really worth visiting. I am not suggesting visiting all of them but to visit one or two is a great adventure. Most waterfalls are located in the rain forest and require short 20-30 minutes hike through the jungle. In some of the waterfalls you can swim (or just get wet;) and in some you can even jump! My favorite waterfalls are: Sekumpul, Yeh Mempeh, Aling-Aling. To know more about waterfalls in Bali read here! 

#7 Rice fields trekking.

Rice fields, rice paddies and rice terraces are definitely one of the top things that come to my mind when I am thinking of Bali. When you go on the day trip around the island the tour guide will probably bring you to some view point where you can see rice fields. The most famous ones are Jati Luwih, Tegalalang and Sidemen. But my suggestion is to go rice fields trekking! Take your time and spend half an hour or even an hour just randomly walking through the rice fields (Jati Luwih has a designated trail for that). 

#8 Snorkeling & diving in Amed.

One of the areas to explore is definitely the east of Bali with its black sand volcanic beaches and it’s scenic beauty of sleepy fishing villages. In Amed you can also go for swimming / diving or snorkelling since the sea is more calm there compare to the south of Bali. Amed is definitely a getaway spot, so don’t expect crazy nightlife or a lot of happenings there. But all the basic tourist amenities are there! 

#9 Eat seafood in Jimbaran.

This is one of my personal favourite things to do in Bali. Yeah, Jimbaran got really touristic in past years but it’s still a great food experience everyone should try at least once. So around the sunset time or just right after sunset head to Jimbaran beach cafes for dinner. They serve fresh seafood prepared on grill using local sauces (not spicy). The tables are set right at the beach, at the sand actually, so don’t wear high heals lol. It’s not a cheap place (since it’s really touristic), but I guess 15$ for one kilo of grilled shrimp is still a price worth paying. So you order all your food by weight and you get complimentary plain rice, local sauces and local salad kangung (water spinach) and a small fruit plate as a dessert. Fish, shrimps, clams and grilled squid are the best thing to order. (Don’t order sets, order everything by weight). There are several beach cafes along Jimbaran beach, but my favourite ones are the ones close to Four Seasons hotel, that area is either called Four Seasons beach or Muaya beach. 

#10 Souvenirs and handicrafts from Bali.

Last but not least! Buying souvenirs in Bali is an unique experience. There are so many handicrafts and so many truly awesome things you can bring from Bali to decorate your home. Ranging from cheap souvenirs you can buy in the streets of Kuta or Legian and to real masterpieces in painting or wood carving you can get from galleries in Ubud. Great places to look for souvenirs are usually Ubud Art Market and Sukawati market (this one is cheaper). Things for home decoration you can buy in all the small street shops in Kerobokan street or in villages around Ubud.




See also:
How traveling in Southeast Asia changed me forever.
My Bali adventure, where to begin?
How to cope with the girl, who loves to travel?

Why all women should travel solo.

One of the biggest challenges of traveling solo is actually making the decision to book your flight and pack your bag. There are so many preconceptions that people hold about solo travel but, the reality is very different to what most people imagine.

This is particularly true for women. I can’t tell you how many times people ask me, “But aren’t you afraid?” or “Is it safe?”

The truth is, traveling solo changed my life and is the single greatest gift I’ve ever given myself. Like me, many women will find solo travel to be empowering, enjoyable and a wonderful experience.

Here are just a few reasons why all women should travel solo!

#The Freedom Is Wonderful.

What you eat, the activities you do and how you spend your day are all some of the options that solo travel will give you, and this sense of freedom is a great thing to embrace.

Traveling with friends or family will often cause people adapt to suit others in terms of what they do and where they visit. With solo travel, the ability to be selfish and do what you really want to do is wonderfully liberating.

The counter to this coin is that it does mean that there is no one else to blame if you end up on the wrong train or your find yourself struggling with a menu in an unfamiliar restaurant!

Those moments are when we learn most about ourselves and rise up to overcome hurdles.

#Meeting New People Is Easier When Traveling Solo.

The thought of solo travel may seem like a lonely one to many people but, it is amazing how often travelers will start conversations with solo female travelers.

There’s a curiosity around it and people are usually more inclined to lend a helping hand and play a part in your adventure. It’s happened to me time and time again around the world despite language barriers and cultural differences.

There are also many people who will want to find out more about you and will want to make sure you feel welcomed in their city. This is the kind of experience that can really enrich your travels and restore your faith in people.

#Solo Travel Will Boost Your Confidence.

The hardest decision you will make with solo travel is to book a flight and pack a bag. Even that very first step of your solo trip is empowering. From there, the more you travel solo the more your confidence will grow.

While all of the organizing and hard work will fall on your shoulders, all of the pleasure that comes from a job well done when you have organized a life changing trip will be yours to savour.

#You Become The Master Of Your Destiny.

Being able to do what you like when you like is something that is often underrated. When it comes to solo travel, you can choose whether you want to to sleep in, fill your day with activities or treat yourself to a day of getting lost in a beautiful city.

Solo travel is often associated with longer term travel and, if this is an option, being able to amend your route simply because you want to go somewhere on a whim is a great experience.

#You Will Learn How Resourceful You Really Are.

Until you are in over your head and desperately trying to figure out what to do next, you won’t really know how resourceful you really can be.

This is something that will sometimes happen when you travel, whether you miss a connection in a city you weren’t expecting to visit or you find yourself trying to arrange an activity that isn’t usually offered to tourists in an unusual destination.

Some of the most beautiful experiences come from the unexpected and even accidental. You will learn to loosen up and make the most of any situation.

#The Only Compromises Are The Ones You Want To Make.

Making compromises is a natural part of most trips, as you will have to choose a route to suit yourself and whoever you are traveling with. Finding experiences that suit everyone in your travel party means compromise is inevitable.

However, if you are traveling solo then these compromises are entirely up to you, whether you want a shorter holiday staying in hotels or if you prefer budget accommodation so that you can travel for longer.

Solo travel lets you prioritize what is most important for you.

When in Memphis.

While on my first - ever trip to the southern USA, I took a road trip so that I would be able to visit some of the most iconic sites in the region!

After spending a few days in Nashville, next stop was the Birthplace of Rock ‘n’ Roll! I only had three days to see and do all that I could, but I managed eat, see and explore the best of Memphis.

#1 Blues on Beale St.

One of the most iconic streets in America, Beale St is nationally recognized as the “Home of Blues” and is lined with bars singing the blues! Plan a night out on Beale for cocktails-to-go and a guaranteed good time.

#2 Stax Museum of American Soul Music.

This was the only activity on this list that I didn’t have time to tick off during my three days in Memphis. Countless locals recommended Stax Museum as a must-see in the city- so I’ll take their word for it!

Along with the incredible history of Stax Records, you’ll discover the history of soul in Memphis along with a great collection of music memorabilia.

#3 National Civil Rights Museum.

One of the most unique features of the National Civil Rights Museum is that it’s built around the former Lorraine Motel, where Rev. Martin Luther King, Jr. was assassinated on April 4, 1968. Honestly, this museum is reason to come to Memphis alone.

The exhibitions are incredible with everything from full size buses to dramatic depictions of historical Civil Rights moments and movements throughout history.

Helpful Tip: I definitely did not plan enough time to spend here so, as a tip, be sure to plan at least 3-4 hours for the museum.

#4 Lunch at The Beauty Shop.

Once a fully operating beauty parlor in the 1960s, The Beauty Shop Restaurant is now a trendy eatery and bar serving up delicious food in a “stylish” setting- complete with hair-dryer chairs!

Whether you stop in for brunch, lunch or a specialty cocktail, it will surely be a dining experience you won’t forget. I dined in for lunch and ordered the grilled romaine salad. No joke, it was the best salad I’ve ever had. Ever. I still dream about it.

#5 Jerry’s Sno Cones.

Save room for dessert and head to Jerry’s Sno Cones for a delicious blend of shaved ice and frozen yogurt. It’s a little ways out of the city, and you should expect to wait in line, but it’s definitely worth the wait.

I went for their most popular flavor, Wedding Cake, and it was love at first bite!

#6 Graceland.

No trip to Memphis would be complete without seeing the King’s castle - Graceland. Elvis Presley’s home features quirky rooms and incredible displays of the countless awards the he received in his lifetime.

You’ll see the famous “Jungle Room” and the rest of the mansion that feels frozen in time as if it were still the 1970s!

#7 Sun Studio Tour.

While Memphis may be the birthplace of Rock ‘n’ Roll, Sun Studio is where it all began. Countless musicians including Johnny Cash to Jerry Lee Lewis came to record at Sun Studio during the 1950’s and 60’s.

Step back in time on a studio tour and learn about the history of Memphis music legends. You can even see the original front office where young Elvis Presley was first discovered!

#8 Peabody Hotel Ducks.

One of the most iconic spots in Memphis is the Peabody Hotel located in the heart of downtown. Dating back to the 1930s, Mallard ducks live on the rooftop and take a daily trip down the hotel elevator to swim in the lobby fountain.

Whether you book your stay at the Peabody, come for afternoon tea or sip on a Mint Julep in the lobby, don’t miss this Memphis landmark!

Helpful Tip: To see the ducks march the red carpet on their way to and from the fountain, be sure to get there at 11 a.m. (when they arrive) or 5 p.m. (when they leave).