europe Archives - ResponsiBo Travel

Malta: places to go using public transport

February 5, 2020

by Bo with No Comment Malta

Malta, known for its crystal clear waters was a real surprise to me. As we chose to stay in one hotel the entire stay, we used the public transport to get around the island. Malta island is the biggest of the three (Gozo and Comino) but a lot of parts are well accessible by public transport like busses. In this blog I will share my favourite places on Malta island that are accessible by using only public transport!

1. Marsaxlokk & St. Peter’s Pool

All the way to the Southeast of the island you can find a small fishers village called Marsaxlokk. This cute place is mostly famous for its colourful boats and the sand coloured buildings in the back. For the fish lovers, this is the place to be to enjoy a fresh fish dish. I just liked to wander around and take in all the colours (and smells) of this town.

When you are done wandering around, you can hop in a little boat and head to a popular swimming spot called ‘St. Peter’s Pool’. A big cove creates a beautiful natural swimming pool and for the dare devils there are multiple spots for ‘cliff’ jumping. Bring a towel and relax on the rocks after your dip in the ocean. There is a small path leading upwards and all the way to the top you can find a small facility where you can buy some drinks / food. Do not expect anything fancy!

2. Valletta

Even though I was a bit disappointed by this capital city, I still think it is a must-see during your time in Malta. Because we stayed in Sliema, we took the ferry from here to the other side of the water. This was already one of the highlights as this will give you the well known view on Valletta, with its skyline.

Valletta itself has some nice terraces where you can enjoy lunch and cute streets (some very steep!) where you can wander around. I really liked the view over the big harbour at the Upper Barrakka Gardens. In my opinion, this place is good for a daytrip to walk around and sense the feeling of the capital of Malta, but there are more nice places on Malta.

3. Mdina

This old city in the middle of the island once was the capital of Malta. Most of its buildings date back to the Medieval times and it is fully surrounded by city walls. Seeing horse carriages riding through the narrow streets take you back in time. As it lays on a hill, there are some nice places to eat and have a great view over the island. Go early so you can spend some time in this city before you head to your stop for watching the sunset: Dingli Cliffs.

4. Dingli Cliffs

At the South coast of Malta there are cliffs called ‘Dingli Cliffs’. These cliffs are 220 meters high and are 12 kilometres long. From here you have a spectacular view over the Mediterranean sea. This is the perfect spot to watch a beautiful sunset where you will see the sun disappear in the sea.

5. Kalkara

Before we went to our hotel in Sliema, we decided to stay the first night in a small village called Kalkara. We were lucky as this night were the celebrations of Saint Joseph and there were festivities and fireworks everywhere. We could not have wished for a better start of our holiday here. Kalkara has a small bay with colourful fishing boats floating in the water. There is not much else to see, but it is nice to spend some time.

Do you have a question or other remarks, please leave a comment or contact me!

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Picturesque Termoli, Italy

January 31, 2020

by Bo with No Comment Italy

Even though I love to write and explain places with a loooot of words, in this blog I am going to try to use less words and show you with pictures why I loved Termoli. During my research in Italy, I stayed a few nights in this harbour town as it was the place from where the ferries depart. I did not expect much of this village, but I was positively surprised! It turns out to be a very cute and colourful town with pastel coloured houses, beautiful sunsets and good food!

In the evening there is some music on the squares in the town and a lot of people go out for food or a drink. Even though I did not always have the best weather (got a lot of rain), this town had a particular atmosphere which I really liked! So now I am going to sh*t up and leave the work to the pictures! I recommend staying a night here before you go to the beautiful Tremiti Islands!

I mean.. Look at these houses!

How cute is this little house?!!

Perfect for the Gram right…?

To me this view looks like a painting.. Believe me, it’s not!

So now that the pictures caught your attention, I would like to share some general information on where to stay, where to eat and how to get there.

Dependance Ludovica

I found this apartment on Booking.com and is the in the middle of the centre! You will have your own full apartment, with bedroom, bathroom and living room with a small kitchen! For me this was perfect as I was able to go out for dinner but also cook something cheap at home. The apartment is very clean and cute and it has breakfast included which you can get a few streets away at a local coffee bar.

Il Mosto Selvatico

In this little restaurant with very kind staff, you can have a full Italian dinner. I loved this place because of the options for veggies including bruschetta and veggie salads. Combine this with some Italian wine.. Yummm..

How to get there?

Termoli has a train station that connects with big parts of Italy. When I arrived in Bari, I took a direct train to Termoli. During my time there, I also went twice to Rimini, which is also a direct train with the most beautiful scenery along the way! Check daily schedules and prices on: https://www.trenitalia.com/

Do you have a question or other remark? Leave a comment or contact me!

What to do on Isole Tremiti, Italy

January 17, 2020

by Bo with 2 Comments Italy

Besides doing research on this beautiful island archipelago, I also went around the islands of San Domino and San Nicola. In this blog I will tell you my favourite spots of these two islands and some general information on this destination

First off I would like to say that these islands are very VERY small, so you will not need too much time to discover them. However, they are definitely worth visiting as they are amazingly beautiful. With forests on San Domino and bright blue waters surrounding the islands, this destination is perfect for relaxation and activities like hiking and swimming.

I went around the island by foot and explored it in a few days, but I think if you have a full day, you can walk the whole island in one day! I just liked to cut it in a few parts and explore something else every day.

San Domino

Cala delle arene

This beach is located near the harbour and really looks like a tropical paradise. The sand is white and the water is blue and the trees are green, sounds like paradise to me right? The plus side of Isole Tremiti is that it is not that popular by the masses (yet) which is why this beach is nice and quiet! Unfortunately, when I was here there was a lot of rain and it was too cold to swim.

Cala Spido

When you are on top of the island of San Domino you will probably see a place with benches and tables where people eat their own snacks. From here, you will have a gorgeous view over Cala Spido. A path will lead you down to the water and will give you great opportunities to swim and snorkel!

Scoglio dell’Elefante

A bit further down the path you will encounter signs saying ‘Scoglio dell’Elefante’. This immediately made me happy as I loveee elephants and I wanted to see this place that is promising an elephant shaped rock. Once you get there, you will immediately see the rock and understand why they named it like this!

Il Faro di San Domino

All the way at the end of the island is the old lighthouse. It is mostly the walk towards the lighthouse that is beautiful with different kinds of scenery. I felt like the landscape changed once you got closer to the light house, or is that weird on a small island like San Domino haha?

Colle dell’Eremita

This spot is quite the walk but worth the view! It is a bit of a search but just try to follow the signs saying ‘Eremita’ and you will get there. From here you can spot three islands in one picture! Quite cool huh?

Cala dei Benedettini

This was one of my favourite places because there was literally no one around me and the place was insanely beautiful. I do not understand how an island like this can be so quiet in May? Anyway.. no real tips here, just climb over some rocks and enjoy the views! And if you are here in summer, enjoy a swim!

Viewpoint Grotta dei Pagliai

From this point near Grotta dei Pagliai you will have a beautiful view over the sea and the other islands. Take a moment to take in the beauty of this spot:

Where to eat and drink?

Of course, during your holiday in Italy you have to eat! As any other place in Italy, this island is perfect for a great pizza or another Italian dish! In May some restaurants were closed, but if you are here in summer, they will probably be open! Still I got a nice place to eat delicious pizza and a place to drink your cocktails!

La Fenice

Like I already said: PIZZA! For non-veggies there are some other good options (of what I heard of other people) but I just liked the pizzas here. At one point I found myself eating pizza for 5 days in a row… whoops.. (think the restaurant was very happy I did my research on this island haha)

Cocktail bar

I do not know the name of this place anymore (I am not sure if it even has a name), but here you can find the cocktails on the island! The bar is close to the restaurant called l’Altro Faro, you will find it! It is owned by a local couple with hearts for Isole Tremiti. Besides the good cocktails, I liked their solution to banning single use plastics: using pasta as straws!

Where to stay?

Hotel Tramontana

There are not that many hotels on the island (you can only sleep on San Domino), but I stayed at hotel Tramontana. Owned by a family from Tremiti, this hotel offers everything you need: comfortable rooms with nice bathrooms and a good location on the island. Here I met a local who helped me translating all my interviews and showing me around!

San Nicola

This island is smaller than San Domino, but is home to a nice fortress. I would suggest to take the boat from San Domino to San Nicola and just wander around for a few hours. There is not really much to do, besides some spots to eat. Still, the views were amazing and I really enjoyed this island! It is very pretty and also very quiet, so you will have everything to yourself.

How to get there?

This archipelago is rather unknown and not accessible from a lot of places. You can either reach the islands by ferry or by helicopter (which is in low season surprisingly affordable, unfortunately I could not do it..). The ferry leaves from multiple towns, but I decided to go from Termoli.

Termoli is a small harbour town from where ferries daily depart. The trips takes around 45 minutes with nice views of the coastline! In summer there are more ferries than in the low season and one of the companies operating between the islands and Termoli is called ‘Tirrenia’. For daily schedules and prices go to: https://www.tirrenia.it/

Harbour of Termoli

If you have some questions or other remarks, please leave a comment or contact me!

10 things to do in Barcelona

January 10, 2020

by Bo with No Comment Spain

Having a sister who loves to travel as much as I do has its benefits and downsides. Her love for Barcelona resulted in her moving to Spain. This means that I have to miss her most days of the year as we live far apart. However, now we appreciate the moments that we can be together even more AND I now have a nice address to stay when I want to go to Barcelona! As this blog is about What to do in Barcelona, I want to share you my favourite places and things to do in this city (lots of credits to my sister haha). Even though Barcelona is already a very known and touristic city, I hope I can share some new and fun information with you!

See the Sagrada Família from the inside

Yes, I know.. the Sagrada Família is probably the most famous site in Barcelona. Still I wanted to include it in here, just because it deserves its spot! I have been to Barcelona multiple times, but I never went inside the church. During my last visit I had some time to spare and I decided to finally go inside this impressive piece of architecture.

To skip the lines at the ticket office, you can buy a ticket online in advance and with some reduction! With this ticket you will have a particular timeslot, which reduces the amount of time that you need to wait to get in.

As beautiful the Sagrada is from the outside, as breath taking it is from the inside. Instead of using Biblical images for the windows, bright colours and patterns are used and in combination with the sun shining through the windows, this really creates a magical feeling. Besides the fact that this basilica is massive, the amount of details put into this piece of art is out of this world. Even though I can write about the Sagrada Família for pages, I think its best to leave it to the pictures!

Climb up the rooftop of the Barcelona Cathedral

From the outside this cathedral is pretty, but not something I haven’t seen before.. But wait until you reach the top! Inside the cathedral you can buy a ticket to take an elevator up to the roof. Here you have an amazing view of the cathedral itself, but mostly of the city..

Walk underneath the Arc de Triomf

No, I am not talking about the one in Paris! Barcelona has an Arc itself with a very nice orangey colour. Just admire this building as a piece of art and of course do not forget to take a picture!

¡Vamos a la playa!

What better place to go for a stroll or a dip in the ocean than La Barceloneta? The last time I visited Barcelona was in February and even though it was too cold to swim, it was so nice to stroll along this beach. Is it just me or do you also prefer a coastal city?

Get an overview of the city at Bunkers el Carmel viewpoint

For those who wish to see the city from another viewpoint, Bunkers el Carmel is the place to be. Unfortunately this place is getting more known by the larger public, which means it can get busy. However, I think it is still worth it to go as the view is priceless.

Hike to the Tibidabo theme park

For those who are looking for something different and outside the city, a hike to Tibidabo is an option. Tibidabo is a theme park on top of a hill with an amazing view of Barcelona.

The park is accessible for free but once you want to go in an attraction you will have to pay a ticket. Next to the park there is a big temple called ‘Temple of the Sacred Heart of Jesus’. This majestic building has a statue of Jesus on top that overlooks the city. Take a windy climb up to the statue and enjoy the panoramas.

Eat at Brunch and Cake

Whether you go for breakfast, brunch, lunch or just something sweet, Brunch and Cake is your place to be. To be exact, its your ‘places’ to be as there are multiple restaurants of this concept spread over Barcelona. My favourites are the avocado toasts and yoghurt and granola breakfasts, jummm..

Eat nachos at Carabela Café

Nice bar, nice atmosphere, nachos, guacamole, salsa and cheese….. Do I need to say more? Just check this place out when you are in Barcelona!

Eat pinchos at Carrer de Blai

When in Barcelona, eating pinchos should definitely on your list! This street is filled with little bars where the selection of pinchos is wide. Here you can choose a few and order a drink and enjoy the Spanish cuisine.

Sing karaoke at The George Payne

When you are in the mood to go out and enjoy some nice drinks whilst singing some karaoke, The George Payne is the bar for you. Here a mix of tourists and local people get together and the real daredevils can take the microphone and sing a song on top of the stairs in front of a big audience. At The George Payne you are sure of a good night out!

For the art lovers there are of course a lot more options in this city where Gaudi left his traces. Places like Casa Batlló, Casa Milà and Park Güell are worth visiting when in Barcelona for the first time. I normally skip these places as they are very touristic and I think Barcelona has also a lot of different places to offer!

If you have some questions or other remarks, please leave a comment or contact me!

Why you should visit Eindhoven in November: GLOW light festival

December 12, 2019

by Bo with No Comment The Netherlands

Every year when the temperatures drop, the days get shorter and the nights get longer, Eindhoven organises a week full of art. This art contains projections of lights on buildings and other art pieces with lights, throughout the city. During an +/- 3 hour walk you can see all these pieces and enjoy a nice cup of hot chocolate, tea or wine.

Living Colours

Every year art students and artists create their pieces according to a particular theme. These pieces can be moving projections on buildings like churches, or statues or other light involved creations. This year the theme was ‘Living Colours’ and was one of my favourite editions. Every piece had a colourful story and took my breath away. Using smart 3D projections makes it look like the building is really moving and with the right music, the story of the artist is transferred to the person who watches it.

Free event

GLOW is a free event and attracts people from Eindhoven and surroundings and even from other places in the Netherlands and Europe. This year, (2019) the visitor number reached the amount of 770.000 visitors. It is a nice way to explore Eindhoven and brings a magical touch to your stay in the Netherlands. Every year, the route changes and new buildings and places are used for the creation of art.

After the long walk, you can warm up at one of the terraces with heaters at the ‘Markt’. And enjoy a hot drink or a glass of wine with fresh nachos or bitterballen (Dutch speciality). If you are still hungry after this you can also choose to buy a fresh oliebol (oil ball) with lots of icing sugar, which is also a Dutch speciality. GLOW is a nice evening out for everyone, from families to couples who would like a romantic evening walk. Put on your warm winter coat, gloves and hat and your good to go!

My 7 favourite sunsets around the world

November 27, 2019

by Bo with No Comment Indonesia Italy Jordan Morocco Uncategorized

As I am from the Netherlands and it often rains in this country, I always prefer a destination with lots of sun to travel to. Not only brings the sun warmth and a nice tan (however, I always turn red immediately..) the sun is maybe at its most magical when it is about to set.

Lots of people come together to watch the sun disappear after a full day of activities. I always think about the places where the day will start after it ends where I am at that point in time. As I love to sleep, I prefer watching sunsets over sunrises.. Which is why I would like to share my 7 favourite places for watching the sunset that I have experienced so far.

Walakiri Beach, Sumba Indonesia

This beach was already mentioned in my Sumba highlights post, but I think it also deserves a spot in this list. The sunset here creates a beautiful image of mangrove tree silhouettes. These trees look like they are about to dance, which is why they are often called ‘Dancing Trees of Sumba’ and people pose with them as if they are dancing. This trip was very special to me as we went to Indonesia to do research about waste management on two islands: Sumba and Belitung. I will never forget the beautiful people we met and the experiences we had..

Wadi Rum, Jordan

Sleeping in the desert was on my bucket list already for a long time. To see the sun set in this desert with nothing around you and in full quietness is just magical. The desert gets filled with beautiful sunrays and colours and if you are lucky you see a family of camels passing. After the last string of light the desert is dark and you will see a sky full of stars..

Hassan II Mosque Casablanca, Morocco

This spot is perfect for the ones that love architecture and photography. The mosque with the colours of the sun shining created magical pictures. During sunset a lot of families come to the square in front of the mosque to enjoy a nice evening out. The Moroccan culture and architecture in combination with the colours of the sunset is the reason why this place is in this list.

Agadir beach, Morocco

Another spot in Morocco to enjoy a beautiful sunset is on the beach of Agadir. Now that I live here, I look out of my window every night to enjoy the sunset. Every single time I get amazed by the different colours of the sky. At one point, the whole sky turns a bright purple and in combination with the mountains in the background and the palm trees, this is a must see sunset!

Liberty Bridge Budapest, Hungary

For this next sunset we are going to Europe. Of course, to enjoy a nice sunset you do not have to fly for hours. There are a lot of beautiful places for sunsets closer to home. This next one is in Hungary, which I experienced with my sister during our interrail trip. In our hostel they told us to go to Liberty Bridge during sunset. During this time of the day, people from all over the city come to this bridge and climb on it to find the best spot to sit and watch the river. Here, the sun will set behind a mountain and you will have a beautiful view on the river and the city. The whole experience of sitting (or standing) on a bridge with lots of people around you is a unique way to end your day!

Termoli, Italy

I experienced this sunset when I was traveling alone through Italy for my research. Being alone while watching the sunset does not make it any less special. It made me more aware of how privileged I am to be able to travel and enjoy beautiful views like these. Termoli is a small harbour town in the region of Puglia and this sunset shining on the pastel coloured houses looked amazing.

Monkey Mia, Australia

For this last sunset we have to travel all the way down under to Monkey Mia in Western Australia. We also have to travel far back in time as I experienced this sunset in 2007! But the fact that I still remember this place says it all. Imagine being at a tropical beach, watching the sun set and see a dolphin swimming right in front of that fire red sun. Do I need to say more, mate?

Liked this post? Or do you have another great sunset spot to share? Contact me!

5 favourite daytrips from Rimini, Italy

November 17, 2019

by Bo with No Comment Italy

Besides being a nice destination, Rimini is perfect for going on daytrips because of its location. In this blog I will share my 5 favourite daytrips that I did from Rimini and how to get there by public transport.

San Marino

The idea of a country in a country sounds so weird to me. However, Italy has two countries in the country: San Marino and Vatican city. From Rimini, you can get to San Marino in approximately 30 minutes by bus. You will get dropped off at the spot that is the most interesting for tourists. This is a small castle like settlement on a hill with paths going up to the towers. Along the way up you will pass a lot of tourist shops and restaurants. Besides the fact that this feels a bit like a tourist trap, it also feels like your going back in time. The little castles feel like a fairy tale. You do not need a awful lot of time up here, in about 2 to 3 hours you will have seen everything. I would suggest to just walk around and enjoy the beautiful views of San Marino and Italy.

How to get there and back?

There are two bus organisations operating between Rimini and San Marino: Benedettini and Bonelli. For both organisations I would suggest to buy a ticket of 5 euros (one way) in advance on the opposite side of the train station in Rimini. The bus to San Marino leaves from multiple stops like Arco di Augusto or in front of the trains station and I would suggest to check the updated timetable.

Ravenna

I love this little Italian city, which is also why I visited it multiple times. Ravenna is mostly known by its beautiful mosaic. On many street corners you can enjoy a small mosaic art piece, but the main attraction here is the Basilica di San Vitale. This big basilic has the most beautiful mosaic work inside I have ever seen in my life. With bright colours and gold shimmering in the sunlight this cathedral is a must-see when visiting Ravenna. On the same ground there is a small mausoleum where you can enjoy another beautiful and mosaic covered building. Furthermore, there are a few more places where you can see mosaic, but I think the two listed above are the best.

Another place worth to visit is the basilica di San Francesco, in which you can see a part covered in water. When you throw a small coin in the machine, the lights will turn on and you can see the water in the church. Also, if you are lucky you can see the fish swimming in the water. The next stop is Dante Alighieri’s tomb, this small tomb is dedicated to the famous Italian philosopher Dante Alighieri who lived from 1265 until 1321. My last tip for Ravenna is to have a visit at the Biblioteca Classense. This town library is covered in beautiful paintings and covered in mosaic floors.

How to get there and back?

From Rimini central station there is a direct train to Ravenna. You can buy your ticket at the station at the Trenitalia ticket machines. The train ride will take you around an hour and during this trip you will pass the station of Cesenatico, which will also be covered in this blog. Do not forget to validate your ticket before you board the train!

Bologna

The next daytrip option is the city famous for it Tagliatelle al Ragu and it often called the food capital of Italy: Bologna. In a day you will probably not be able to see everything and so this city is actually worth more days. But for this blog I will share the main highlights.

Besides good food, Bologna has a lot of nice buildings and streets to offer. One of the main squares is called Piazza Maggiore (the Big square). Here you will find a nice church and some streets for a great aperitivo! If you have never heard of the concept of Aperitivo I would like to refer you to one of my previous blogs about food in Rimini (button).

If you are feeling active and you like good views, I can recommend climbing the Due Torre. One of these towers (the highest one) is available for visitors and wooden steps will bring you up the roof. From the tower you can search for the second tower which seems gone, until you find it! From here you have a beautiful view over the city and you will understand why Bologna is called ‘La Rossa’ (red).

Enjoy some nice food at one of the pizzerias or osterias, I will share my favourites in my Bologna city guide and if you still feel active afterwards, you can walk all the way up to Basilica di San Luca. More information about this hike and more about Bologna will soon be on my website so stay tuned!

How to get there and back?

From Rimini station there are multiple direct trains to Bologna. It depends on the speed and time when you book how much it will cost. Most of the trains take around 2 hours and will cost a bit less than 10 euros one way. The station of Bologna is in the centre and after a 10 minute walk you will reach Piazza Maggiore. You can buy your train ticket again at a Trenitalia ticket machine. Do not forget to validate your ticket before you board the train!

Padua

This city is a bit further away than the others, but if you have time, definitely worth a visit. I did this in one day but Padua deserves more days. This cosy city is full with students which means that there are a lot of nice bars to drink or eat. Futher, Padua offers a beautiful and big cathedral: Basilica di Sant’Antonio. Another signature spot of Padua is the Prato Della Valle which is surrounded by multiple statues. And of course: you should not miss Palazzo Bo. Not only because it has my name haha, but because it is the oldest anatomic theatre in the world and is now home to the School of Law.

How to get there and back?

The easiest and cheapest way to get to Padua from Rimini is by taking the Flixbus. You can buy tickets in advance on their website. The ride takes around 4 hours and the bus provides you with WI-FI and comfortable seats.

Cesenatico

This last daytrip is especially nice when you go in the December period before Christmas. I visited this place when my parents came to Italy in the beginning of December. The whole town is covered in Christmas lights and the boats are decorated with Christmas stories. The little fishers village gets a romantic and cosy atmosphere with Christmas music playing on the speakers. Here I just suggest to walk around and enjoy the boats and the lights. If you decide to go in Summer, there is also a nice beach where you can go for a swim or work on your tan.

How to get there and back?

From Rimini station you can get a direct train in the same direction as Ravenna. This will only take you around 25 minutes and costs around 3 euros one way. You can buy the ticket at the station at a ticket machine of Trenitalia. Do not forget to validate your ticket before you board the train!