Our travel suggestions for couples travel are published by Glow magazine and we present them to you as they are posted!

The travel destinations we recommend:

Our inspiration is endless, but we  chose some of the best travel destinations for couples of every type of travelers!

• On top of all couple travelling is no other than Paris. Paris is ideal for first time travellers especially for couples and a trip to historic districts of the city of lights seems perfect if you’re still in honey moon phase!
• Bali on the other hand, perfectly suited to lovers of exotic beauty and offers a unique experience amidst the lush jungle!
• Then, Cappadocia it is… Cappadocia is indicated for … love birds, followers of the aesthetics of the Orient. Romantic balloon ride is once-in-a-lifetime experience!
• Certainly, we must not forget California, for authentic road-trippers and a life journey that combines national parks, nature and cities all in one great trip!
• We couldnt miss mentioning Alsace in France, at the borders with Germany make it perfect for wine tasting, for grape enthusiasts or for those who just want to enjoy a tour in picturesque hamlets with enchanting décor and medieval beauty!
• Amazing Iceland is the must for nature lovers and for those who dream to live the experience of the northern lights of Aurora!
• To continue with we ll propose Cambodia for adventurous backpackers exploring available religious monuments and temples lost in jungles, for exotic fruits and a chance to meet one of the kindest people in the world!
• Of course Singapore is an incredible destination for the lovers of urban tourism and modern Futuristic architecture.
• Last but not leat…Jaipur in India for the admirers of the Pink City, of tour palaces of Eastern flavours and tastes and for the big bargainers who will enjoy negotiating at authentic bazaars!

Did you like our trips’ recommendation? Have you been in one of these trips? What will be your next ones? We hope you found the travel proposals interesting and you found the style that suits you and your partner best!

The post TOP TRAVEL DESTINATIONS FOR COUPLES appeared first on Nonstoptravellers.

1. Oreini Arcadia

Thinking about getting out and experiencing the great outdoors? the surrounding nature of Oreini Arcadia has the perfect solution for you! Its picturesque villages are among the most beautiful architectural examples of Greek craftmanship. Walk the main street of  Vitina with its traditional shops, where you can fetch the famous fir honey and drink coffee in the central square. Passing the “Path of Love”, will be direct you in Elati, then visit the “village of Letters” Dimitsana, the famous Museum of Water Power, beautiful mansions and the Philosopher’s Monastery while you and will fall in love with the picturesque Stemnitsa.  The traditional greek food is great  and for trekking lovers there are beautiful routes that lead to the river Lucio, as well as many small villages waiting to be discovered (Greek, Karytaina etc.)

Accessibility: about two hours time from Athens.

Arachova is one of the most picturesque parts of Greece, with excellent services that find ideal extensions to tradition. You can walk through the main path, which is full of small traditional shops (do not forget to buy formaela!). Drink your coffee in one of the haunts of Lakka Square. Do not hesitate to take the 264 steps that lead you to the church of Saint George! And if you want an extra … escape,  Agoriani is waiting for you at 25 miles away.

Accessibility: about two hours time from Athens.

3. Kalavrita

Kalavrita is one of the most beautiful winter resorts in Greece at an affordable price! Take a walk through dozens of shops at the main street and go sightseeing (Municipal Museum of the Holocaust, Place of Sacrifice, Holy Monastery of Great Cave, the famous Monastery of Agia Lavra and the Cave of Lakes in the village castle! For the romantic ones there is an hourly “must” route to nature with the traditional train called “odontotos” from Kalavryta to Diakofto village, for the most athletic ones hiking on the same route will last about 5 hours (without return).

Accessibility: about two hours time from Athens.

4. Pilio

If you consider yourself a nature lover, head straight to the breathtaking Pilio.The combination of sea and mountains makes it an ideal destination for all four seasons! Winter city breaks introduces to you the beauty of Portaria. Arriving at the central square, you see the City Hall and an elegant building called Zoulia mansion where you can find the Folklore Museum. You can lose yourself in quaint cobbled alleyways to shop traditional products from the Women’s Agricultural Association, admire mansions of unique architecture, surrender yourself to the running water and the outstanding green landscape and taste local delicacies in Mercouri Square, which is full of traditional taverns. At Makrinitsa (10 ‘ away from Portaria) you can wander through the narrow streets among the traditional stone houses. The quais.nt alleyways  lead to the paved square, where you can enjoy your coffee, with the extraordinary view of Volos city unfolding before you. the post-Byzantine churches and medieval tower Skoteinioti in Koukourava, the lower district of Makrinitsa, are waiting to be discovered! Don’t forget to… “check in” at Tsagarada and get photographed with the plane tree of Tsagarada, one of the oldest trees in Europe. Its age is 1000 years!

Accessibility: about four hours time from Athens.

5. Trikala Korinthias

If you wish to change scenes, to let the magnificence of nature to calm you down, to try unique flavors, and all these half hours from Athens. Left the car in Lower – Kato  Trikala and start your tour of the oldest settlement. A cobblestone square, the Church of St. Demetrius, and traditional taverns compose the picture! You continue with the Medium  -Mesaia Trikala, full of traditional tavernas (greek traditional restaurants), the shops with the traditional products the and beautiful hostels. At Upper – Ano Trikala, tall towers and abandoned mansions justify their name during the Turkish occupation as “archontomachalas”. For  dining choose rooster in wine sauce with noodles homemade pies and stews.

Accessibility: about an hour and a half time from Athens

In winter landscape is magical and eerie, like a storyline from a fairy tale. The lake is wearing the most romantic of colors and invites for relaxation and direct contact with nature. You can take a course around the lake (about 60 km.). You will get to know beautiful places and villages like Mouzaki Morfovouni, the village of Dionysus, the Mesenikola -with attentive Wine and Vine Museum, the “balcony” of the lake, Neochori, Kalyvia Pezoulas and the water dam. For the sport lovers there are plenty of outdour activities like archery or even flying with jelicopter above the lake.

Accessibility: about four hours time from Athens.

It is for sure that you will  be filled up with green, you will relax by nature excursions and drink plenty of champagne. You can explore the city and take excursions in the wider region. We recommend the route to Prouso, where you will meet historiac Karyschades, the  Voutiro, the Mikro and Megalo Horio (small and big village), and the famous Touch of the Virgin. One of the must do of the Megalo Horio is try Galaktompoureko (greek traditional dessert)! Other villages worth seeing is the Domnista, Krikello and Snakes which have wonderful view of the lake of Kremaston.

Accessibility: about four hours time from Athens.

8. Oreini Naupaktia – Naupaktos

Nafpaktos gives you many choices.The winter days you will enjoy the mountain while at the same time discovering Villages submerged in firs. Mountains, ravines, rivers … A landscape of incomparable natural beauty …especially when the snow falls, descends rooftops and decorates the scene with winter gifts!

Accessibility: about three hours time from Athens.

The post 7+1 WINTER CITY BREAKS CLOSE TO ATHENS appeared first on Nonstoptravellers.

1. Set a budget

Its not just a case of paying the flight tickets, your available cash will dictate whether you stay in hotels, hostels, airbnbs, campsites or on couches! You ll also need cash for travel insurance, visas, vaccinations and other travel essentials! Yur daily expenses will be far higher in Western Europe and North America than in South East Asia, Indonesia and India!

Extra tip! Spend less time in more expensive countries!

2. Pack as little as possible

Never pack more than you are willing to carry! As long a you have your passport, phone and a few credit cards anything else can be replaced on the road! Read our post about travel light!

3.Be flexible

Moving your departure date by a few days can save money, mid week flights are generally cheaper as for example on Christmas days.

budget travel nonstoptravellers

4.Plan

If you need to hang a world map on your wall or a scratch off map put some pins or stickers on it and reinforce the idea you ll be there soon! Adjust them if your itinerary strategy or motivation changes.

5.Talk to an expert

Especially when planning long trips for the first time it is quite possible that you re gonna make mistakes! Talk to an expert before you book, either it’s a travel agency or a more advanced traveler than you are! They surely will know which routes work best and cost least!

6.Book your tickets

Bying your tickets in advance (of course after having done a good research for the cheapest flights) will most likely cost less than if you were to book after departuring! All the above depends on the travel style you have chosen! If you are able of travelling for 1 year in Africa for example there no such need!

7.Make some hacking

If you aren’t a frequent traveler search the rewards plan of each airline before booking!!!

8.Don’t be too agile

Unless you decided to travelling a more agile way! Try to make some research before travelling that will save you both time and money!

9.Check weather

Look at weather conditions for the specific times you ll be in various places. So focus on what tyou want to do most and research conditions there. There are some times though when  being in some regions the wrong time that might bring unexpected benefits!

10.Give time in your first cities

Give yourself smooth arrivals in foreign cities by knowing where you ll be going when you get off a plane. Try to spend there at least one day, besides it a great chance to get to meet another cities in just 24 hours!

Read our post about our travel resources!

The post TIPS FOR BUDGET TRAVEL appeared first on Nonstoptravellers.

In Venice we found ourselves by chance and we could even say we avoided it a bit because of the numerous tourists that have been invading it in recent years! Having won an air voucher in a competition we decided to visit it for a weekend and of course the experience was wonderful! Unfortunately we visited Venice after the heavy rainfall that hit the country but luckily for us the timing worked out to our favour. Not many tourists and we enjoyed the city as the locals do!

Food

Italy and food… It is a combination well known all over the world!!! And when we talk about food we mean pizzas and pasta, i.e. spaghetti!

From pizzas, of course, we ate countless margaritas and diabolas! The cost was just 2.50 €/piece! We picked out the pizzeria Quanto Pasta where you will find a kind man from Turkey who will welcome you with the most perfect smile and there is room inside the store to relax from your walk (most shops are only for take away so there is not many places to sit and just have a pizza).

Then we choose the other favorite Italian habit, which is none other than spaghetti and gnocchi (just try them with cheese and basil sause)! Everything you can imagine about pasta you will find it there! In the city you will find many shops to serve delicious dishes, with prices starting from 15 €/person (1 plate plus service fee, without salad or any drinks).

Drink

So… we ve talked about food, now lets talk about drinks! When we say drinks in Venice we mean 3 things… espresso cafe, Aperol and wine! All three wonderful and favorite, each one for a different time of the day!

Well… espresso you will find literally everywhere! With prices starting from €1 ala Italiano… You enter a bar, you order, you drink and leave in 5 minutes the most!! Thats the Italian way!  We really loved a small shop in an alley, ideal for a break from your walk! You can have a cup of coffee in San Marco Square, but prepare for steep prices. The most historic and famous café of the square is the Florian Cafe which is preferred by tourists (a tray with beautiful glasses of coffee and ornaments costs more than €10)! Look for the cheaper solution in the Dorsoduro area!

Aperol Spritz you will also find everywhere… quick stop for aperitivo, don’t sit down for ages! Prices start from €3 per glass! The shops we visited were Corner pub and Bacarando in Corte Dell Orso.

Finally for wine lovers  the choices are also many but here we suggest you choose the Black Jack which will definitely draw your attentions for its special appearance, at the corner of a beautiful little square. Combine your wine with some cheese! Prices for a bottle vary considerably depending on the brand but a glass starts at €6.

Stay – Accommodation

In general Venice is considered an expensive city and indeed the accommodation especially in the center is quite a bit of a crush. However, since it is worth staying in the center of the city, at the beautiful picturesque alleys and next to the gondola we recommend the accommodation to be somewhere centrally located! Generally in Italy there are apartments with many rooms and common areas (kitchen-bathroom) which are located in central locations and cost a little money. We stayed at one of these in a central location and paid 120 €/2 nights just search on the Airbnb platform.

What to see in Venice

• The main attraction of Venice is Venice itself! Enjoy walking for endless hours, get lost in the colorful alleys, admire the canals, photograph the beautiful corners and generally step away from the main center area! You will find yourself in magical places and you will be absolutely by yourself!
• The second largest attraction is the square of San Marco, which has taken its name from the cathedral that dominates the square!
• The bridge of sighs has been turned into a symbol of love and is almost behind the church of San Marco.
• The Palace of the Doge (20 € per person), the residence of the leaders of Venice.

What to do in Venice

The most well-known experience in Venice is of course the vaporetto ride (fairly economical-generally the transport network is huge and waterful!-it has many stops which you can easily locate & spot and contain detailed information for the itineraries of Vaporeti) or the gondola ride to the Grande Canal. In any case, you have the opportunity to wander through the city’s canals and admire it through a different perspective!

Note that the gondola ride (which in our opinion shows neither romantic, nor tourist, nor scenic… Sorry!) It costs from 80 €/30 minutes and more during commercial hours! We had read a lot about gondoliers and romance and songs like Amore mio etc… We were told that nothing like this was ever seen, except thta in real life the Gondoliers just did their job, wore some funny hats and most of them weren’t even Italians. We do not say it to deconstruct the experience (in the end we did not try it by ourselves) we simply write about what what we saw, because after all it is all about expectations. Its You choice guys! We d love to hear your opinion after all! We trully believe that Gondolas in Alsace are more romantic than in Venice!

Finally, it is customary to have a one-day excursion to the Murano Island, known for its handmade laces. To get to the island we suggest that you take a 24-hour ticket with 20 € per person (there is also a simple ticket which is not suitable for you who want to explore Murano for some hours).

48 Hours in Venice

We arrived on Friday afternoon and left at Sunday noon !

On the first day we recommend walking the city, a gondola ride (for those of you who insist on doing so) and taste Italian flavors and wine! On the second day (start early travellers!) Visit Piazza San Marco, the cathedral and the surrounding sights and then travel to Murano Island! Returning indulge in delicious Italian treats! Third day wake up and enjoy fragrant espresso before the first tourists wake up, take a photo walk, grab a margarita pizza and get ready for the ride back home!

To and from the airport

Access to the city of Venice is very easy, no reservation is required unless you are traveling high season, with one of the following ways:

Waterbus with 14 €/person/route for 75 minutes
Bus with 8 €/per person/route for 40 minutes

This was our proposal to enjoy Venice within 48 hours! We recommend sport shoes, a raincoat, bags (for feet), a scarf for the evening and good mood!!! We hope you had fun with us and soon see your own pictures of the beautiful Venice!

The post THINGS TO DO IN VENICE appeared first on Nonstoptravellers.

General Information

The area is part of the Colorado Plateau, the height of which ranges from 5,000 to 6,000 feet from sea level. The red color of the landscape is due to iron oxide and the dark color of the rocks from manganese oxide. The Monument Valley is a large area, part of which is a park, known as the Monument Valley Navajo Tribal Park, like the national parks of the USA, with the difference that it belongs to the nation of Navajo.

Monument Valley Navajo Tribal Park

The entrance to the Monument Valley Navajo Tribal Park is $10 per person or $20 oer car and you are not relieved of payment if you have the annual ticket of national parks. The operation hours of the park are 6 a.m.-8 a.m. in the summer months (May-September) while the rest are from 8 a.m.-5 p.m. (October to April).

Your main activity in the park is to drive along the path (Valley Drive), a total length of 17 miles that crosses the valley and you can admire the amazing scenery. The road is earthen and in many places rocky for this reason is not suitable for cars that are low height. Many visitors choose to make the journey on their own, but there are also many organized tours that offer you a unique experience. We chose to take a guided tour and we did not regret it, you can read here our experience with Monument Valley Safari. If you choose to do the journey yourself, estimate 2-4 hours, depending on which points you stop. In summer you may find traffic, for this reason you could visit the park in the morning hours, where the photos are better, because of the colors.

During the journey you have to see many interesting points, with the goddess to the rocks vary depending on the angle you look at them. The valley was made known by the Westerns that were shot there. Some of the most interesting places along the route can be seen on the map that we prepared for you.

Where to stay in Monument Valley

The nearest big town in Monument Valley is Kayenta, 40 km away. There you can find various hotels at relatively good prices. At the nearest distances you can stay in hotels or motels that you will find in the Goulding ‘ s area near the airport of Monument Valley. Special experience, but relatively expensive is “the view hotel” at the entrance of the park, with amazing goddess in it. You can also find various campsites, with tents for rent, at relatively good prices, such as the one we found on Airbnb.

Other things to do near Monument Valley

If you want to go to Monument Valley you should not forget to go to some special attractions in the surrounding area. We distinguished the following:

• Goosenecks State Park

Also a park which does not belong to the National parks network of the USA, but is in the possession of the Navajo Nation. It is very small but worth a visit as it has an amazing view of the San Juan River and will remind you very much of Horshoe bend, but nut crowded. It is an amazing place for camping and to rest. The entrance to the park is $5 per car and is at a distance of 48 km and 35 minutes from the entrance of the Monument Valley Navajo Tribal Park.

• Mexican hat

Mexican Hat is a special rock formation, which is worth admiring if you are in the area. You will find many places near the road where you can stop and enjoy the view.

• Forrest Gump Point

It is a spot with an amazing view of the Monument Valley and the endless road that crosses the plateau. Known point from the movie Forrest Gump, is an area where o lot of tourists stop to take pictures.

The Monument Valley is a unique experience that will remain indelible in our minds. We hope we help organising your trip!!!…enjoy!!!!.

The post MONUMENT VALLEY UTAH – WHAT TO DO appeared first on Nonstoptravellers.

The Lockers Athens is an automated lugagge short term storage service, located in one of the most central points of Athens, in a very beautiful and aesthetically modern space, where you can safely store personal items, travel luggage and anything else that is weighing you while you are in the city centre!

How does it work?

1. Select among the lockers and pay only for the first hour using your debit or credit card, or cash*
2. Keep the receipt with the unique code; you will need it to collect your luggage
3. Collect your luggage simply by typing the code on your receipt

Opening hours 08.00 am to 22.00 pm

To whom is it addressed to?

• To travelers who want to leave their luggage safely.
• To those who went for shopping and there are no any hands free left to carry more bags.
• To those who travel for business meetings and want to leave any unnecessary baggage.
• To those who are on the run all day and want to get extra clothes for the night.
• To transit travellers who want to keep only their memories.
• To you and to what may be your burden.

Why choose The Lockers Athens?

• For the comfort of travel.
• For its convenient location at a central point in Athens.
• For its economical and secure service.
• For its modern aesthetic.
• To support travel initiatives and services that only aim to ascend your travel experiences!

We found ourselves in The Lockers Athens facilities and had the opportunity to meet the sweet people behind this project!

You can also visit the Lockers Athens, use its storage services and feedback your impressions! We love to discover new travel friends, their quality services and anything that has to do with travel!

For those of you who would like to book a taxi from the airport of Athens we selected one of the best, most trustworthy and convenient 5-star airport taxi companies for your airport transfer based on user reviews across various platforms such as Google, Tripadvisor and Trustpilot. Welcome Pickups offers a great experience and safety to its travellers.

*For security reasons, the central unit does not accept cash (coins or bills). You can pay with the tokens dispensed by the vending machine available on site.

**The article is not sponsored. All the opinions expressed are the result of personal opinion and initiative!

The post AUTOMATED LUGGAGE STORAGE IN ATHENS THE LOCKERS appeared first on Nonstoptravellers.

1.Los Angeles – Santa Monica

• 06.00 Wake up at Hollywood
• 06.30 Uber to Downtown LA – Breakfast accross the Bradburry Building – Bradburry Building – Open Market – Walt Disney Concert Hall – Skypace – The last bookstore – Grab some coffee
• 10.00 Uber to Hollywood – Walk of fame – Highland Mall – Dolby Theater – Hollywood sign – Chinese Theater
• 12.00 Ride Proper Sightseeing (Hop on – off bus) see the whole itinerary here
• 14.00 Beverly Hills – Rodeo Drive – LACMA
• 15.30 Uber to Santa Monica
• 16.00 Bike Center Santa Monica for more info click here – Santa Monica beach – Santa Monica Pier – Little Venice – Muscle beach – Boardwalk
• 20.30 Uber to Hollywood

2.Los Angeles – Malibu – San Barbara –  San Simeon- Bixby bridge – Big Sur – Karmel

• 06.00 Wake up at Hollywood
• 06.30 To Griffith Observatory  – Donuts for breakfast & black coffee
• 08.30 Universal Studios – grab a light lunch at Universal park
• 13.00 Maibu – Lululemon – Farm deck – Pier – Lighhouse – Pacific Ocean view
• 14.00 Santa Barbara – San Simeon – Elephants seals view – Piedras blancas light station – – Bixby bridge – Big Sur – Rocky point
• 22.00 Carmel by the sea

california roadtrip

3.Karmel- Silicon Valley – San Francisco

• 06.00 Wake up at Karmel – Donuts for breakfast & black coffee
• 06.30 Carmel by the sea –  Lone Cypress (or just other trees… free of charge) – Mission
• 10.00 To Silicon Valley
• 14.00 To Premium Outlets San Francisco – Lunch
• 20.30 San Francisco

california roadtrip

4.San Francisco

• 06.00 Wake up in San Francisco (Guerrero street)
• 06.30 Uber to Painted Ladies – Uber to SF Downtown – Civic Center city hall – Powel Station – Cable car turnaround –  Financial District – Ferry Building
• 12.00 Uber  to Fisherman’s Wharf – Pier 39 – Sea lions – Lunch at Bubba Gump
• 14.00 Jump Bikes to Ghirardeli chocolate factory – Golden Gate Bridge – Lombard Street
• 18.00 Cable car towards Powel Station – Try both 3 lines – Dinner

5. San Francisco – Wine country – Mendocino Country – Redwood Valley – Fair Oaks

• 07.00 Wake up – Cereal Bars for breakfast & black coffee
• 08.00 Uber to Dylan’s tours
• 09.00 Dylan’s tours – Original 6 hours City Loop Electric Bikes – For the whole itinerary check here (Golden gate park, Height – Ashburry, Golden Gate Bridge etc.)
• 15.00 Lunch – San Francisco to Wine country – Stop at Sausalito – Battery Spencer – Bonita Light house – Muir Woods
• 16.00 Wineries

california roadtrip

6.Wine country – Mendocino Country – Redwood Valley – Fair Oaks

• 09.00 Wake up – Breakfast
• 12.00 Wineries

7.Fair Oaks – Sacramento – Amador city – Sutter creek – Columbia State Park – Sonora – Jamestown

• 07.00 Wake up – Brunch by the Lake
• 12.00 Placerville – Shutter Creek
• 17.00 Columbia State Historic Park
• 18.30 James Town – Dinner

8.Yosemite National Park – Tunnel view – Bridalveil fall viewing point – El capitan meadow – Lower Yosemite Fall -Vista Point – Mirror lake – Tuolumne Grove Trailhead – Olmsted point – Whoa Nellie Deli – Mono Lake – South Tufa Area 

• 06.00 Wake up – Donuts again for breakfast
• 07.00 Yosemite Entrance
• 08.5 Yosemite Valley – Tunnel view – Bridal veil fall – El Capitan Weadow – Vernal falls – Mirror lakes – Lower Yosemite Fall – Tuolumne grove trailhead – Tenaya lake – Whoa Nellie Deli – Mono lake South Tufa Area
• 19.30 Mammoth lake – Dinner

california roadtrip

9 Mammoth lakes – Devil’s Postpile National Monument – Bishop – Lone Pine – Death Valley National Park (Devils Golf Course, Badwater Basin, Artist’s Palette, Zabriskie Point) – Las Vegas

• 06.00 Wake up at Mammoth lake
• 06.50 Devil’s Postpile
• 9.10 Bishop for gas and breakfast at Schats Bakery
• 10.25 Lone Pine – Badwater – Artist’s pallete – Devils golf course
• 14.15 Zabriskie Point
• 17.00 Las Vegas – Dinner

california roadtrip

10.Las Vegas – Route 66 California Highway – Hooover Dam – Grand Canyon – Grand Canyon Village and Navajo Point – Page

• 06.00 Wake up – Breakfast at Motel (oh yeah)
• 06.30 Welcome to fabulous las Vegas sign
• 07.50 Hoover Dam
• 08.20 Route 66 entrance
• 12.40 Grand canyon village – Bright Angel Lodge parking – Shuttle bus to Mojave – Maricopa – Powell – Hop – By car to Yavapai point – Mother point- Pipe creek vista – Yaki point – Grandview, Moran, Lipan, Navajo, Desert view watch
• 19.30 Page – Dinner

11.Horseshoe Bend – Antelope Canyon – Gooseneck’s state park – Glen Canyon Dam Overlook – Mexican Hat – Monument Valley

• 06.00 Wake up – breakfast
• 06.45 Horse shoe bend – Sunrise
• 07.45 Antelope Canyon Upper
• 12.45 Goosenecks state park – Mexican hat
• 15.00 Forrest Gump poin – Monument Valley
• Camping Night at Monument Valley – booked through airbnb platform

california roadtrip

12. Monument Valley – Monument Valley Safari – Las Vegas

• 07.00 Wake up
• 08.00 Monument Valley Safari
• 12.00 Glen Canyon Dam overlook – If theres is time see Toadstool Hoodoos – Kanab – Valley of state park
• 19.20 Las Vegas Airport

We hope you enjoyed our detailed itinerary and we would be very happy to know that you tried it yourself! The final total cost of airtickets, accommodation, transportation, Internet, water, food etc… was approximately  €3,700, not bad ha??? If some of you would like to send you an even more detailed itinerary with miles, the exact times etc. Send us an email via our contact form and we will be happy to share it with you!

Finally, we will be glad to have you in our travel company! You can subscribe to our newsletter here:

The post USA – 12 DAYS ROADTRIP ITINERARY appeared first on Nonstoptravellers.

We chose The Bike Center in Santa Monica, the perfect place for the lovers of cycling, for their years of experience and values in promoting a culture of sustainable environmentally friendly means of transportation such as bikes!

At the entrance of the Bike Center, two wonderful bicycles with the necessary equipment (helmets and locks) were waiting for us! That’s where we met four amazing people, the Bike Center team! Meet sweet Sandie, the most adventurous Sandra, eager-to-help Iggy and of course Ron the owner of the Bike Center in Santa Monica, who was rather helpful, friendly and willing to show us around The Bike Center, and share his ideas and values of using the bike as a part of our daily life! After having explored the Bike Center, they explained to us that their moto “Why not take the bike, instead of the car?” is more than just a moto, it’s a way of thinking and living!

They are actively participating in the transformation of Santa Monica into a community of bicycle travelling both for the tourists and the locals. They positively see the prevalence of cycling in the future offering, not only unforgettable cycling rides, but tours as well! The main aim of The Bike Center is to establish the use of bikes in everyone’s mind, whether it is for a tourist who wants to enjoy the wonderful beach through an interesting cycling experience, or for the locals who commute to and from their workplace! For this reason they have prepared special facilities with safety lockers, showers and storage lockers where the personal objects of cyclists can be safely stored!

In addition to bicycle and equipment rentals, The Bike Center in Santa Monica offers various tours and cycling experiences that feature Santa Monica and Los Angeles’ main attractions, which include tours that combine food tasting experiences, segway tours and walking food tours! The Bike Center covers all the needs associated with cycling! In addition to renting and selling bicycles and equipment, they offer a number of other services. Experienced specialists are there for you to help or advice you and let you know about their bike travel programs. And of course, while you are cycling or exploring the city on foot, your luggage and personal stuff is safe in the special lockers we mentioned above!

We did not join any tours, we chose to take a bike ride instead, but we got all the necessary instructions and tips from the tour expert Sandra, a real bike enthusiast who shared with us her favorite spots to live the experience in the best possible way! The California Incline bicycle path is a wonderful place where you leave the city and its roads through a unique circular descent by bike, and you find yourself suddenly in front of an extraordinary beach overlooking the Pacific Ocean! Wonderful and indescribable view… The feeling was awesome!

The Bike Center in Santa Monica is located in a fairly accessible area, near the Pier of Santa Monica and very close to the Metro station! The team is willing and ready to help you choose and customize the right bike for you or show you around the shower facilities, so dont you worry about anything!

The thing that also characterizes this team is the moto “locals too, not just tourists” and we hope this great team can inspire both locals and travellers to use bikes because it truly stands out by building a community of unique cyclists both in Santa Monica and Los Angeles!

A wonderful experience that we highly recommend to anyone of you who is lucky enough to travel to Santa Monica! For those of you who live or work there already, no further recommendations are needed. The Bike Center in Santa Monica and its wonderful team are waiting for you in their modern and friendly Bike Center to initiate you in the world of bikes! The team is more than eager to share its secrets and tips for a more sustainable way of travel! We fully support such efforts and it is a pleasure and an honour to be able to promote such professionals to the wide travelling audience!

Many, many sincere thanks to the Bike Center of Santa Monica for their kind offer to us! The bike ride was complimentary by The Bike Center of Santa Monica but all the opinions expressed above is our personal view which was based on our personal experience of the excellent service and quality bicycles that we got from The Bike Center!

The post THE BIKE CENTER SANTA MONICA “WHY TAKE THE BIKE INSTEAD OF THE CAR?” appeared first on Nonstoptravellers.

Russia the Emperor Land

This article began as a joke with Olga to whom I said she has no right to make a promotion in her previous article about a trip to Moscow because of her half russian origin!

Why don’t you write an article, then;> “was her answer.   I never back to a challenge, so… here i am!

Although “The term life journey” is one of the most common in terms when describing travel, it is not easy to think of something more precise for Russia. With an area far more bigger than the whole of Europe and history which has set the course of the world RussiA is an unforgettable experience for every traveller!

Moscow Russia bridgetomoscow.com

The legend named Moscow Third Rome, since the niece of Constantine Palaiologos married there after the fall of the city (the title of the Tsar is in fact the title of Caesar in Russian language and the eagle on the Russian flag is rooted in Byzantine double-headed eagle.). Arriving in Moscow what makes the first impression is the size. Everything is HUGE! The tails of cars, the volume of buildings and especially, the wealth of museums but also the palaces and the characteristic churches with the golden domes. Cadillac and Bugatti on Tberskagia Street, but also homeless outside of the Rolex Boutique a few straits below. The only thing that is certain is that the country is appropriate for social reflection.

The first shock… The Red Square

You’ll never forget the moment you walk through the gate of the Red Square. It’s true like getting into a fairy tale where the buildings are marshmallows. Facing three of the most beautiful buildings you’ll ever see in your life.

A warm coffee or a sweet in Gum, the largest department store located in the square is imposed as a walk afterwards as the center is extremely impressive.

The basics

Let’s face something in a low voice. Europeans with travel education often end up returning from museum to museum simply because they have nothing better to do or because we have badly planned our travel time. In Moscow this practice will simply lead you to wander around waiting for endless queues and controls (airport type) consuming an infinite time which they could devote to more interesting activities. So we present the most interesting and original museums that one can see.

• Diamond Museum: One of a kind!
• Space Museum: Remember that the Russians first conquered space and in Moscow Yuri Gagarin is a national hero.
• Pushkin Museum
• Lenin Mausoleum: You agree or not with his ideas belonged to the personalities who changed the world. The spectacle is staggering!

The Good stuff!

The surprises in Moscow never end. The city is immense and the only thing that limits you to its beautiful is your time and budget since the city is one of the most expensive in the world. With a good division of the two, you’re overlapped.

Moscow Russia bakeryandsnacks.com

Ritz Carlton-Red Square

It is really worth ride on the terrace of the Ritz for a coffee to see the breathtaking view of the Red Square. What will keep you there forever is the view of the seven “brothers”, the seven imposing buildings that Stalin built to symbolize the foundations on which a state must step.

Cafe Pushkin

My favorite! The Pushkin Café dates back to 1999 and is something you should not miss while you are in Moscow. Some people compare it to Cafe Greco in Rome.  Only it is much better!! The Russian cuisine is mixed with the French producing wonderful dishes (and sweets, try them!) but most importantly: Tsarist Russia revives before your eyes! Waiters with proepanastatikes Russian uniforms, pocket watches and some with the typical sideburns (!!) of the season put you 200 years behind.

Russian Ballet

If you’ve seen the Black Swan that gave Natalie Portman the ¨ Oscar now get ready to see it and live as you are in the birthplace of this art. The ballet was the entertainment of the Tsarist courtyard and there are many interesting stories among the dancers to gain the favor of the czars, but also to rise in the hierarchy, (for example the placement of broken glasses in the ballet of Prima Ballerina). Although you can enjoy the ballet and in St. Petersburg, the Bolshoi Theatre is located in Moscow. Book your tickets early as the prices can be extremely high and try to see it as a new experience as it looks nothing like anything you may have seen in Europe. (such as opera or Musical). I’m sure you’ll remember forever.

Red Square Street Food

Those who love street food, and know that we are many, do not forget to try the street food you serve in the Red Square. There are several shops with their own tables where you can sit right after the museum tour. The street food is basically grilled meat (chicken and lamb) neat or in sandwiches and also some special burger. They are delicious and really worth a try.

Always remember that the world is like a book. And those you dont travel only read the same one page!

We wait for your experiences and (всегда путешествие)!

This was the experience of Sakis from his trip to Moscow, it was his own narrative and his own travel story! Thank you very much for the wonderful article, we very much appreciate your gift to our blog! If you liked the story of Sakis and would like to share some travel history with other travelers you can send it to us via our contact form and do not forget to do subscribe in our newsletter:

Meet Sakis:

Μόσχα Ρωσία Moscow Russia

To whom they may concern… I am Sakis, the man who wrote this article for you. In case you wannna know my story, I come from a little town with big dreams, an amazing family, friends and a brother. I had the privilege to have an amazing mother who is the greatest traveler I’ve ever known, (only compared to Olga!). For whatever came later she is to blame…! Since I was 9 when I travelled for my first time to Czechs Republic I knew that I would travel till I die.  Several years later I have been to many countries and the more I travel the less i think they are.  My purpose is to give you information’s to manage your travelling time the best you can only from places I have been. Always Remember … The world is a book and those who do not travel only read the same page! e-mail: slekkas00@gmail.com ● Nationality: Hellenic ● Date of birth: 16/09/1996

*feature photo legersholidays.com

The post TRAVELLING IN MOSCOW appeared first on Nonstoptravellers.

We combined the journey to Moscow with the one to St. Petersburg for which we will write you of course a next article (impossible to fit them both in just a few lines), but in the case you can only visit Moscow, lets find out more.  The trip to Moscow is so much easier than you can imagine! First of all, Russia is a large European country and is indeed very close to Greece. In recent years access is very easy and affordable!

How and when to travel to Moscow

In Moscow you will arrive by air from Athens, Thessaloniki, Kavala and why not from Sofia airport! Airline tickets can found on average at about €150 but for economy enthusiasts you can travel through Bulgaria even with €30 return tickets trip (as long as you keep track of the airline offers often). It goes without saying that in the winter months tickets are cheaper but we do not recommend winter trip because you will not be able to enjoy the beauties of Moscow at-40 points! Prefer months such as May or September. But always keep in mind that even then there will be enough cold.

What you can do and what to see in Moscow

The most striking point of Moscow is none other than the magnificent Red Square! It is a huge square that emits power thanks to its deep red color. At the same square stands the fairytale Cathedral of St. Basil the most famous temple of Russian Orthodox tradition. Moving on to the square you will visit the Kremlin, which has been the centre of Russian political power for several centuries and has been a centre of Soviet power once! In the same square you will visit Lenin’s mausoleum and the huge, luxurious Gkoym department store. In this area we will recommend other places of interest, gardens, squares, the Bolshoi etc. There’s just so much to write that it simply doesn’t fit in a single article! We will tell you how to visit the Moscow Space Museum as well!

What to eat

The food is also a huge chapter and here we can help you since we have a personal opinion because of the half origin of Olga! We reemphasize that all food even in restaurants in central places is very very cheap! You will definitely try Piroshki in various variants with potato, cheese, egg etc., Barenika with potato or minced meat, pelmeni (tortellini) and Soups! Our beloved one is called Borsch and you will find it with less than €1 in all the restaurants in Moscow! It goes without saying that there are known fast food chains but of course… The decision is yours! Coffee and even a cup of tea in Russia can be found everywhere even in outdoor vehicles! In the streets you will corn that is a favorite dietary habit-delicacy of the Russians, and you will see them enjoying it in the many parks you will meet as you exploring the the city! Finally do not forget to try vodka! Authentic Russian and of course very cheap vodka!

Transportation

Ah, here we are talking about an entire history, an underground museum that reaches 18 floors below the earth. We refer of course to the Moscow Metro which is one of the oldest metro in the world and has one of the largest networks worldwide. You may have heard the quiz? What is the largest and cheapest museum in Moscow?  And yes, it’s the subway! The Moscow metro will just love it! It has infinite stops, it is very fast, almost every 1 minute comes a train, it is very very economical, has Internet (well read… It has internet 18 floors under the earth) and you can spend endless hours from station to station as it is an underground museum full of history and art! Statues, paintings, mosaics and countless exhibits suggesting the greatness that this city once lived!

Stay – accommodation

Staying in Moscow as strange as it may seem is too cheap, at least for European citizens it certainly is. Russia’s currency of ruble has deteriorated quite a bit in recent years, resulting in a loss of power over strong currencies like euro! Searching through the known platforms we use and we have written to you in our previous article, you will find both hotels and cheap apartments around the center at very good prices! Do not be afraid of distances if you find cheaper accommodation because you will be moving with the incredibly economical metro of Moscow, fearlessly and especially quickly throughout the city and its surroundings!

What to buy as a souvenir

Matrioskes! The famous dolls that are enclosed in each other, are typical examples of Russian folk art!

Cost of travel for one week?

We’ll tell you in the next article along with the trip to St. Petersburg, keep in mind that the price will surprise you… Positively!

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