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.

• What sites do we use to book hotels, airlines etc?
• What kind of transportation we use?

If you have the same wonderings about how to travel the best way,  check out our travel resources and reccommendations below to help ypu plan your dream vacations:

How and where do we search – book cheap flights

1. Skyscanner
2. Momondo
3. Kiwi
4. Kayak
5. Always compare with each airline’s official website!

How and where do we search – book accommodation – hotels

1. Booking
2. Aibnb
3. Agoda
4. Trivago
5. Expedia
6. Travelocity
7. Couchsurfing

What about transportation?

1. Beat
2. Uber
3. Rentalcars
4. Local freelancers (best prices guaranteed!)

Travel insurance

1. World nomads
2. Mondial assistance

The post OUR TRAVEL RESOURCES TO PLAN YOUR TRIPS appeared first on Nonstoptravellers.

It is not just simple country, but a continent with a unique variety of languages, customs, climate, terrain and of course people. India is a unique and special country that can give travellers unique experiences that they won’t meet anywhere else in the world! Travelers visiting India are either quite tough and know what to expect or just curious to get to know this country of colors of flavors and of many religions!

Whatever we could describe to you about India it still wont be enough and the only way to find out is to live it yourself!  This country has many faces and it is difficult not to succumb to discovering them yourself! A country with unbelievable inequalities, rich  and poverty! However, India is a country that will remain in our memory and certainly after our travel experience we have turned into people, different, better…

india taj mahal travel traveling

Health

A few issues with the stomach are expected to occur but do not intimidate this! Obtain the necessary medicines and vitamins according to the travel medicine instructions and you will be OK! Do not expect high levels in the issues of hygiene… So get your own wipes and disinfecting liquids. Read our other post about India and our advice for aspiring visitors! Be prepared!

Time of Visit?

India has a total of 3 seasons: The warm, the wet and the winter with spring to hot days in the south and cooler in the north. For us most areas, from November to February are the best months. We visited India the month of February and it was like spring or early autumn! T-shirts and a cardigan for the evening hours!

Cost

In a country such as India it’s hard to tell you a price for every traveler, as prices range from incredibly low levels to the highest you can imagine! We are, perhaps, somewhere between the low and the high budget level, so cost depends on your needs and preferences, and you need to classify yourselves! In general, living in India is too cheap for Western people! You can stay in incredible hotels at very low prices up to the cheapest hostel starting at 2 dollars! Just get your credit cards and a little cash and you’re OK!

The weather…?

Wet and hot, smelly with spicy smells and aromas!

Visa

Don’t forget to issue your travel visa on time!

india taj mahal travel traveling

Risk

Generally while we westerners… fear India… for some inexplicable reason… India is a very safe country and there is no reason to fear of the different! If you avoid going around on the road late hours as you would do at any other trip of yours, you have nothing to fear, meet locals and learn their customs, they may even call you for a lunch in their own home, do not be afraid, they mean it!

Indian people?

Indian people are always smiling! Pleasant, cheerful, eager to help you and get to know you! You will see enough of them asking for selfies etc… They don’t often see white peopleafter all, and think that you look just as curious to them as they do to you!

Holi Festival

The most famous festival in India is Holi a celebration that looks like our colour day! Splashed with paint and colours!

Tip, don’t take a camera, just enjoy it!

india taj mahal travel traveling color day holi festival

Itineraries-Schedule

The choices when talking about such a huge country are limitless! Visit our blog post to learn details and all the options that we recommend to you!! We travelled to Golden Triangle and Varanasi and we highly recommend this trip! Especially Varanasi is a must!!!  Just ask us and we will help you! 

Airport

The main landing airport is that of New Delhi, attention because we are talking about one of the largest airports in the world! It is busy and you have to make sure you have plenty of time to board on time! From the same airport think about combining a trip to Nepal for example.

Transportation

Metro, Cyclo or rigsaw (tricycle bike), Local buses (DARE IT!!!!), plane, train, car rental (not recommended) and of course private driver! We tried everything but driving ourselves and believe us all means of transport is a great experience itself! For trains don’t forget to book tickets up to 3 months in advance! Airline we chose was Jetairways because of the positive feedback we read Online and we can say that it was a flight like any other!

Closing words…

Describing only in a few blog lines this vast country is not easy at all, we would like to keep on readers’-potential travellers’s minds the image of an ancient civilization, a culture filled with contrasts, colors and aromas! India is closer than you imagine, what remains is only the decision to travel!

We are here to help you, open your wings and meet the land of 1.5 billion people! Just feel free to ask!

The post INDIA TRAVEL FOR BEGINNERS appeared first on Nonstoptravellers.

As we said in our previous post  about camping… It depends on the camper’s preferences, the equipment available, from the legal framework and other personal facts… But the most important thing is that any choice is not a one-way path!

We are camping enthusiasts, so as you can understand love both kinds of camping! What we will try is to do in this post is present to you the pros and cons of each way, so you can place yourselves on the basis of your answers and see what suits you most!

Organized camping – Pros

• Cheap way of vacation (in relation to hotels).
• There are reviews on the Internet about cleanliness, facilities etc.
• You know what to expect.
• You don’t need any special equipment.
• High sense of security.
• You don’t have to worry about food, breakfast, electricity, bathroom, facilities, etc.
• Socializing with other camps.
• It’s legal!
• They are usually located at very beautiful beaches!
• Greece is filled with wonderful campsites and glamping campsites recently, so all you have to do is discover them all!

Organized camping – Cons

• There are rules (this can be also on the positive side…).
• You coexist, sometimes, closely enough with others (several times we had to move our tent at 3 am due to snoring from adjacent scenes!).
• If you do not choose suitable campsites, you may have unpleasant surprises (eg. very family friendly or very student, etc.).
• There is no sense of absolute freedom and you are always watched by someone, the worst is the wristbands that you are forced to wear as a resident of the campsite (for safety of course so we are ok with this one!)!

Free Camping – Pros

• Freedom!!!
• Independence!
• Closeness to nature (respectfully of course!
• There’s no schedule, program etc.
• Zero cost (excluding the equipment that is a one time investment and the eatables you choose to take with you).
• You can discover real nature gems and enjoy them alone, feels like paradise!
• Generally when you are free camper, you feel that you have been away for weeks from ordinary life, forget about time, day, obligations and enjoy only the present!

Free Camping – Cons

• Limitations of legislation.
• Negative attitude of local communities.
• More equipment preparation needed.
• It is not suitable for many days (unless you have suitable equipment).
• Security (it has to do with the feeling of security…we never had a bad experience)
• The recklessness of some free campers about taking care of the camp when leaving a place.

This was our pros and cons of organized and free camping, the conclusions are up to you!

*Photo credit travelstyle.gr

The post CAMPING: ORGANIZED VS FREE appeared first on Nonstoptravellers.

So let’s meet the exotic Lichadonisia!

Lichadonisia, or Lichades, is a complex of seven or more small islands and islets in the northwest of Evia. They are located in the Sea area where you join the northern Evoikos Gulf with Maliakos and its on the opposite of Kamena Vourla.

Lichadonisia formed after volcanic activity while a large part of the islands sank from an earthquake in 426 B.C. their name came from Lichas, the servant of Hercules, who handed him the tunic of Deianeira, according to mythology and because when Hercules held him responsible for the tunic, hurled him to the sea. From the pieces and his blood were formed the Lichades islands!

Some of the names of the islets are Monolia and the Vagia as well as other smaller called Pontikonisi.

How to get to Lichadonisia.

During the summer season there are daily and weekend itineraries from the port of Kamena Vourla Fthiotida. You can choose a boat with glass bottom and there is usually a mini tour performed by the Captain! Also ask about the beaches where every boat leaves you because the first one is always so full of people that you can hardly enjoy the scenery!

From Kamena Vourla: The start of the routes to and from the Lichadonisia started on June 9, 2018 from the port of Kamena Vourla.

• Timetable: take off 12:00 return 18:00 ticket prices 12.00 Euro adults and 6.00 euro children.
• Itineraries are also operated from the beach of Kavos Lihada of North Evia, upon telephone contact – ticket prices 6.00 Euro adults and free for children.
• The visit to the beach of Lichadonisiwn can be done by Kamena Vourla,  with the boats “Lihadonisia i ” and “Lihadonisia II ” or from Kavos (Evia) with the boats “I saw it all ” and “I saw all II “, the use of umbrellas is free of charge, upon availability for the duration of your stay, if you are visiting the Lihadonisia with the specific boats.

Tip 1: Meet the permanent residents of Lihadonisia who are not other than the wonderful seals of monachus- monachus who live permanently in these waters!

Tip 2: Because for some of you the prices might seem a little bit exaggerated… You can take with you your umbrella and fridge with the necessary respect and discretion always!

Tip 3: Don’t miss the shipwreck…

The paradox of Lichadonisia

These islands turned into a popular tourist destination in recent years, certainly not unjustified. On the other hand, however, the impression that the islets will derive depends on ones initial expectations. Eg. Ok… It is something beautiful and different, ideal for one-day excursions, but come on…its not Seychelles!!!

Consider it as a short getaway and travel experience filled with people who enjoy the crystal clear waters and the incredible beauty of the landscape (when not overcrowded). The area is also available for snorkeling, water sports and scuba diving. Every place has its own beauty and it is good to feel it that way!

After all, the final impressions are only yours!!!

The post EXOTIC… LICHADONISIA ISLANDS IN GREECE appeared first on Nonstoptravellers.

Our nomination

This post is to celebrate this nomination, its our way to thank felow travel blog Itsalltriptome for nominating us and of course its a post that aims to encourage bloggers do their best and document their experiences in a way that is inspiring to the readers!!!

So first of all thank you  Itsalltriptome! We share your passion for travel and our vibes meet your aim of inspirning other to travel too!

About Sunshine Blogger Award 

The Sunshine Blogger Award is given from bloggers to fellow bloggers who inspire creativity and positivity and who bring sunshine to the blogging community and to their readerships alike. It is a way of encouraging one another as in saying “Hey, you are doing a great job and we can see it. Keep it up!”. Now you know why we feel so happy to have received this award.

sunshine-blogger-award nonstoptravellers

Our answers to the questions posed by Maria  from  Itsalltriptome:

1. Who is the person who inspired you the most and helped you decide to start your own blog? As a couple that loves travelling we find inspiration in each other whether its for starting a blog together or making hard life decisions!
2. If you should stop travelling for some reason, which is the one country you would like to spend the rest of your life in? This one is easy! We would love to live in a small Greek island, like Anafi!
3. How do you spend your time during flights/train journeys etc? Olga… always sleeping! Dimosthenis… always reading!
4. Which is the one thing about blogging you hate the most? When you find out that your exact words are being used somewhere without mentioning! Bad copies!
5. What is your favourite thing about blogging? That is a perfect way to express yourself and ideas to the whole planet!
6. What do you usually buy as souvenirs from the places you visit? We like all kind of souvenirs, especially the eaten ones and little miniatures!
7. Is there something you always take with you in your travels? Olga… earplugs and spleep mask! Dimosthenis… book!
8. What is your best tip for packing light? Ha, you have to read our post about light travel!
9. Road trip or scenic train ride? Xmmm, thats a tough one! Olga… train! Dimosthenis… road trip!
10. Is it important for you to taste a destination’s local food/wine etc? Its a MUST! You must try local food in order to taste its culture!
11. Do you send postcards to your loved ones while travelling? Unfortunatelly not any more! But we always try to keep informed our friends and family for our daily travelling experiences!

Our 11 wonderful blogs’ nominations for  for the Sunshine Blogger Award are:

1. Travelshare
2. Bichearoundtheworld
3. Busymamascorner
4. Coconut4TheSoul
5. Thetrawheeler
6. Withpanos
7. Neoperativa
8. Anthomeli
9. Travellingbuzz
10. SerbiangirlinGreece
11. Worldtravellen

And our questions for them are:

1. Who inspired you to start blogging?
2. What would be your ultimate goal to achieve by being a blogger?
3. Do you enjoy being a blogger? Why?
4. What would you say is the most amazing fact about your blog?
5. What is the most amazing fact about yourself that you would like to share with you readers?
6. What is your favourite travel blog?
7. What do you expect of a  travel blog the most? Destinations or travel tips?
8. What is your travel style? Couples, solo, backpacker, luxury traveller etc?
9. Can you share a blogger’s “DO” advice, with your readers?
10. Can you share a “DON’T” advice too?
11. Would you like to share with us your blog’s moto?

And last but not least here are the rules to follow for those who have been nominated for the Sunshine Blogger Award:

• Thank the blogger(s) who nominated you in the blog post and link back to their blog.
• Answer the 11 questions the blogger(s) asked you.
• Nominate 11 new blogs to receive the award and write them 11 new questions.
• List the rules and display the Sunshine Blogger Award Logo in your post and/or on your blog.

We hope you enjoyed the post as much as us and maybe you have identified yourself by answering with us to the questions. Lets get in touch and stay connected for more interesting posts, guest posts and content ideas!

Feel free to subscribe to our newsletter for more travel inspiration!

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