Travelweekly

  Coffee in Bucharest is not just about the morning ritual, but an experience and a transition between the historical city and its present day dynamic. In this case the scent of freshly made espresso flows over cobblestone streets, Belle Epoque facades and each cafe is a story some of them are there to be told while some are just starting to be told. From Tradition to Trend   Years past, coffee in Bucharest was consumed in a discreet way and usually in small cafes run by families where the time appeared to stand still.   The residents would spend hours there, arguing about politics, poetry, and life over plain cups of strong and dark coffee. Most of these traditions are still there but the new generation of the city has made this coffee love creative and stylish.   Note: to begin your trip at a relaxed pace, always book  airport parking Heathrow   and travel in style.   The coffee culture of Bucharest is a combination of the past and the pres...

  I learnt this lesson the hard way — somewhere between Florence and regret. The photos online looked perfect: stone walls, breakfast in the courtyard, the word “luxury” scattered everywhere. But when I opened the bathroom door, it was the size of a wardrobe. The shower dribbled, the tiles were colder than reason, and the mirror was placed conveniently at shoulder height. I’m five foot nine. It’s funny now, but at the time, standing under that reluctant trickle of water, I promised myself one thing: always read the bathroom reviews . Because the bathroom tells the truth. You can fake good lighting in a bedroom photo, you can hide noise with clever captions — but bad plumbing? That’s a secret no hotel can keep for long. Think about it. A good bathroom means someone cared — about the details, the comfort, the way hot water actually reaches you before you lose hope. It’s the space where tired travellers reset after flights, where mornings begin and evenings exhale. Whether you’re on...

  Fika is one of the few things on which Swedish life is based. It is not merely a coffee break, a moment to have a rest, a moment to attach to each other, a moment to be, in no haste. The very initial time I did it was when I sat in a quiet cafe in Stockholm covered with my coat yet the snow was falling lightly outside. People were not that attached to their phones or hurrying through their beverages around me.   They were chatting, laughing or simply enjoying themselves in a comfortable silence, holding warm cups of coffee in their hands and the general feeling that everything was okay in the atmosphere. A fika may occur anywhere, whether in the home, the workplace or in some warmer section of a nearby bakery, however, the will with it is the key. No, it is not about caffeine, it is about connection.   Note: Always check  long stay parking Luton   before travelling and book according to your needs.   The fika usually consists of coffee and a pastry,...

  You can see something queer, when you are ever in Italy in mid-August, cities which in other times are busy quiet down. Stores are shut, plants are vacated and even the buzzing of the tourists reduces. It is Ferragosto, and to Italians it is not a holiday, but almost consecrated.   Its origin dates back in ancient Rome, when Emperor Augustus used to declare a day of rest following the lengthy period of harvest. It became a summer festivity that incorporates history and religion over the centuries as well as a mere relaxation of pace. August 15 th, Ferragosto, is today, it is the heart of the Italian summer because they are throwing away and going to the coast or the mountains or even to the center of their hometowns to have lunch together, laugh, and enjoy the sunshine.                            Note: If you are travelling and want to hav...

  It is somehow intimate to enter an art gallery in France. It is not only about the paintings or the sculptures, but about the fact that even the space itself appears to be telling you to have a chat. Contrary to the magnificent reverberating halls that one is apt to see in other regions of the world, many French galleries resemble the living room of someone rather than a museum.   I recall that one rainy afternoon I had found myself in a small gallery in Le Marais, Paris. A woman in her sixties with a scarf tied around her neck met me in a way that made me feel that we were old friends. No tickets, no ceremony, only the low tones of jazz and the faint odor of paint. She informed me that the majority of the artists were based locally and that most of them would show up frequently to discuss their work with visitors. In some way that made all the pieces on the wall appear to be alive.   Note: For a stress-free travel experience, I always choose meet and greet Stansted...

  Upon my arrival in Valencia I hoped to find a smaller and more peaceful Barcelona, lovely, seaside, and maybe in the shadow of the renowned neighbor. Instead, I discovered a city that has its rhythm, a city that perfectly mixes old-world appeal and new-world vigor in the most unobtrusive manner.   Note: Always  cheap Heathrow airport parking   before travelling and book according to your needs.   A stroll in the historic center was like you were in a storybook. Alleys led to sunlit plazas where people hung about and had coffee and the smell of oranges was in the air, not unexpectedly Valencia is known to produce them.   The Cathedral of Valencia was proudly Gothic and I was elevated by the tower of the bells where I was able to see the terracotta roofs all the way to the sea.   But Valencia is not all about history. A stroll took me to the futuristic City of Arts and Sciences, a glittering system of white curves and glass that resembled s...