Helsinki, Finland is a picturesque and tranquil capital city, home to around 630,000 residents. Finnish people enjoy a high standard of living, as the country is clean, well organized and there is not a massive disparity in wealth across residents. There are many great reasons to visit Helsinki, including its famous spa culture. This article will dive into some Helsinki highlights, tips for visiting, as well as the best Helsinki saunas.
yon, France is frequently regarded as the gastronomic epicenter of France. The Foodie haven is the capital of France’s Auvergne-Rhône-Alpes region. Nestled at the confluence of the Rhône and Saône rivers, rich farmlands dot the region. These farms provide superior ingredients to Lyon’s markets and chefs, which offers a culinary wonderland to residents and visitors alike. Here are tips for visiting Lyon to be sure you leave with the fondest of memories on your palate.
Prague, Czechia is among the world’s most beautiful cities. Nicknamed “the City of a Hundred Spires,” the medieval wonderland of colorful baroque architecture is bisected by the Vltava River. Highlights include Prague Castle, Old Town Square, towering Gothic churches and the medieval Astronomical Clock. Pedestrian only Charles Bridge dates to 1402 and is lined with grand statues of Catholic saints. The bridge offers majestic vistas of the city while strolling along its cobblestone path.
For those looking to get off the busy tourist trail, Vršovice is a laid-back district dotted with art nouveau buildings. It’s home to many boutique shops, inventive restaurants and quality craft beer bars.
While the Czech Republic is known for good beer, I found the best brews outside the touristy establishments, which typically have exclusive arrangements to only serve beer by Czechia’s largest beer producers like Pilsner Urquell.
Batam Island, Indonesia is just an hour by ferry from bustling Singapore. It is the biggest city in the Riau Islands province of Indonesia. Across the Singapore Strait, the island is popular with Singaporean tourists for shopping and beach getaways.
Australia and New Zealand are both fantastic countries located in Oceania. Time permitting, it’s a great idea to visit both nations on the same trip due to their close proxmity. But for many people, time and budgetary constraints may force a choice. Both countries are well suited for a vacation so the Australia or New Zealand debate comes down to your interests and preferences. Upon careful comparison, one is likely better suited over the other for your vacation.
In a nutshell, Australia wins for lovers of city getaways as both Sydney and Melbourne are bigger than New Zealand’s largest city of Auckland. New Zealand wins for landscapes, with higher mountains compared to Australia. Australia wins for wildlife, with more diversity compared to New Zealand (but that also has pros and cons since New Zealand does not have poisons snakes). New Zealand wins for culture in my opinion, because Maori culture is more incorporated into New Zealand than aboriginal culture is located into Australia.
