Author: Alex Kallimanis

Alex Kallimanis is an award winning travel journalist who has visited 67+ different countries, including all 27 European Union countries, across all continents except Antarctica. He has resided around the world, living in countries like Australia, the Netherlands and Ireland for over 7 years combined. Currently residing in the Tampa, Florida, area with his wife Bell, he still spends much of his time in Europe as he also holds Greek citizenship, thanks to his father. Alex is a graduate of the University of Central Florida with a bachelor of arts degree in history, and was the president of Phi Alpha Theta (Honors History Society) during his senior year there. He was working on an MBA at UCF, before leaving it to reside in Australia on a one year working holiday visa, many moons ago. Alex enjoys covering wellness, gastronomy, outdoor adventures, craft beverages, history, sports and culture during his travels.

5 Great things to do in Belfast

Posted 6th May, 2013
By Alex Kallimanis
2 Comments

Belfast is the capital of Northern Ireland, which is part of the United Kingdom. It’s home to around 350,000 people. Visitors can reach Belfast by train from Dublin, which takes around two hours. It’s a great destination for culture, history, pubs, universities and more.

Belfast was the birthplace of the RMS Titanic, which famously struck an iceberg and sunk into the Atlantic Ocean in 1912. Titanic Belfast, an aluminium-clad museum reminiscent of a ship’s hull explores the history of the ship in the renovated dockyards’ Titantic Quarter.

Here are 5 more great things to do in Belfast!

Posted in Europe, Northern Ireland. Tagged , , , , , , , , , , , ,

Getting Passport Stamps Are Not All Fun and Games

Posted 15th April, 2013
By Alex Kallimanis
8 Comments

This article was published in 2013 about an experience that happened in 2011 on the border of Croatia and Slovenia on a train from Zagreb to Ljubljana. As of January 1st, 2023, Croatia is now part of the Schengen area with Slovenia. So there is no border control on the train between Croatia and Slovenia. Travelers from outside the European Union should insure that they do not stay past 90 days in the Schengen area.

Ljubljana is a charming town, with beautiful architecture. The emerald green Ljubljanica River runs through the center of town, with lovely terraces to enjoy a meal and drinks with picturesque views.

Posted in Europe, Slovenia. Tagged , , ,

Navigating Currency Exchanges for the Best Deal

Posted 18th January, 2013
By Alex Kallimanis
4 Comments

Last updated on November 7th, 2024 at 04:38 pmOne of the most annoying parts of traveling is navigating currency exchanges. You’ve just gotten used to converting Korean wons and now you’re jetting off to Thailand to deal with bahts. Even in Europe, where many countries use the euro, you still might find yourself having to…

Posted in Travel Hacks. Tagged , , , , ,

The Most Unique Pubs in Amsterdam

Posted 11th January, 2013
By Alex Kallimanis
2 Comments

Amsterdam is a touristy city, so many pubs serve only mass produced beers. We spent 3 and 1/2 years living in the historic center of Amsterdam, which spawned a deep appreciation for Dutch and Belgian craft beers. Our list of unique Amsterdam pubs offers a recommendation for beer enthusiasts of varying tastes. Some of the pubs listed here draw quite a few tourists because they’re popular, but none are tourist traps because you’ll also find a solid mix of locals at each!

Posted in the Netherlands. Tagged , , , , , , , , ,

Belgrade, Serbia: Tips for Travel

Posted 2nd January, 2013
By Alex Kallimanis
4 Comments

Belgrade offers a unique Balkan city experience, void of mass tourism. It’s not for every type of traveler, and that’s part of what makes Belgrade unique. Fantastic food, hopping nightlife, history and hospitable locals are noteworthy highlights of the Serbian capital. Don’t miss the Skadarlija and Kalemegdan districts.

Posted in Europe, Serbia. Tagged , , , , , , , , , , ,