Berlin is an awesome city with plenty of restaurants, bars, coffee shops, museums, markets, colorful houses, tours, attractions, and actually everything you could wish for in a big modern city. I’ve decided to write a post with the best coffee shops in Berlin (I know there are many more but I didn’t have time to explore them all :))

High-standard coffee shop- Districk Cafe

I found this coffee shop while wandering in Instagram. I searched for Berlin foodies and saw a healthy bowl that looked super yummy. I checked on the map to see where the coffee shop was located and discovered that it was 10 minutes walking from my hostel, Circus Hostel. So of course this was the first coffee shop I went to for breakfast.

The coffee shop was popular and was full all the time. It is a little bit pricier than regular coffee shops where you can find breakfasts for around 5 euro but it was definitely worth the price if you want to spoil yourself with yummy food.

I ordered the healthy bowl I saw on Instagram which was kind of like a smoothie with banana, berries, and soy milk and on top of it there were toppings like granola, chia seeds, cacao nibs, goji, and coconut. Like I said; a healthy bowl. It cost us 8 euro. The dish was really tasty and light. Iโ€™d be willing to start my day every day like this.

There were other dishes which looked good, like poached eggs on toast and toasted brioche with apricot and cream. Next to me there were some guys who ordered those dishes so I asked them if I could take pictures in order to show them here ๐Ÿ™‚ (so if you are less into healthy foods, there are some other good options).

Address
BergstraรŸe 68, 10115 Berlin, Germany

Coffee shop with an intellectual atmosphere- Cafe Tasso

This coffee shop also has a selection of used books, newspapers, and magazines, and a place for intimate concerts. I went in the afternoon and discovered that sometimes in the evening they have concerts there, so itโ€™s worth it to check it out.

You can borrow a book or choose to buy one. There are two shelves with books in English. Itโ€™s a great place to go and just read a book. I ordered a Chai latte which was good and enjoyed the calm atmosphere. They also serve food and desserts.

Address
Frankfurter Allee 11, 10247 Berlin, Germany

Porridge and coffee – Haferkater

My favorite breakfast is oatmeal porridge. I guess some people are not porridge lovers, but for me itโ€™s one of the best ways to start my day.

After 3 days in Berlin I missed my porridge in the morning, so I decided to google and search for a coffee shop that served it. To my surprise, I discovered that there is a coffee shop whichโ€™s concept is porridge and coffee. Yay ๐Ÿ™‚ I was so excited about it and decided to go and check it immediately.

Itโ€™s a lovely place which serves porridge with different kind of toppings like: granola, chocolate, applesauce, banana, honey, and more. I ordered mine with berries, banana, maple, and coconut. The porridge was so delicious. Exactly like I love it. Not too sweet and with yummy toppings.

Address Boxhagener Str. 76, 10245 Berlin, Germany

A cozy coffee shop with frozen yogurt – Good Q

Itโ€™s a cute little coffee shop with homemade dessert and frozen yogurt. I sat there before the beer tour I did.

I was full from lunch so I only ordered a Chai latte.

Address
TucholskystraรŸe 43, 10117 Berlin, Germany

Coffee shop with summer vibes- Cafรฉ Hรผftengold / Foodshop Hรผftengold

Itโ€™s a coffee shop with a colorful and happy design. Itโ€™s located on a street that I really liked, that had many coffee shops with sitting areas outside and the buildings are really beautiful, so you have a nice view.

Itโ€™s an idyllic coffee shop for breakfast or a drink on a sunny day. It serves pancakes, omelets, sandwiches, and more and also refreshing drinks for the summer. They also have vegan options.

I went there after I had eaten the porridge, so I just ordered a coffee, but as always I looked at what other people took and their dishes looked good.

Address
Oderberger Str. 27, 10435 Berlin, Germany

Great vibes and a nice buffet

This coffee shop belongs to the hostel I was staying at; Circus hostel. It offers an affordable buffet for 5 euro from 08:00-13:00. It includes filtered coffee/tea and nice buffet options with breads, mini waffles, fruits, vegetables, cheeses, granola, yogurt, and more. Definitely a value for money breakfast.

I wasnโ€™t in the mood for a buffet so I had a bagel sandwich with cheddar cheese and sundried tomatoes. I asked the worker to put it in the toaster so it would be crunchy. And I also ordered a cappuccino, with was good.

They also have cakes, fruit salads, and cookies.

Address
The Circus Hostel Weinbergsweg 1a

Der Milchladen cafรฉ

An intimate cafรฉ with high-quality coffee, sandwiches, cakes, quiches, rice pudding and more. I had rice pudding there with apples and cinnamon, a light breakfast for those looking for nice and small for their morning, along with a coffee. On one of the days we also got a vanilla cream pastry there which was especially good. Der Milchladen. Map

Kremanski cafรฉ

A cafรฉ operating from morning till night and has a variety of healthy breakfasts such as oatmeal and fruitshakes. It also offers sandwiches, croissants and more. I ordered a simple yellow cheese sandwich there and a cappuccino there.  Kremanski. Directions

Fraulein wild cafรฉ

A cafรฉ with some of the best bagel sandwiches Iโ€™ve ever had. I order an avocado, tomato and egg bagel there and it was delicious and filling. Additionally, the cafรฉ itself is very nice and has good service. You can also sit down and work on your laptop there. They have a variety of breakfasts, as well as cakes and pastries.    Fraulein wild cafe. Directions.

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Varna is the third largest city in Bulgaria and a seaside resort on Bulgariaโ€™s Black Sea. Varna is a cheap destination where you can find beaches, bars, a huge park with attractions for kids, big malls, interesting museums, and a central street with many restaurants, bars and coffee shops.

I must mention that itโ€™s not a lively city others in Europe (Berlin, Rome, etc.) but itโ€™s a nice place where you can spend a few days. I also recommend to do a day trip to the town of Balchik (post about Balchik) or to visit the Golden Sands area, especially if you are looking for nightlife and a promenade with many stalls and restaurants (post about things to do in Golden Sands).

We stayed at the Golden Sands area in the all-inclusive HVD Viva Club Hotel (Tips on how to find cheap hotels). We arrived in Varna with a taxi that cost 25 leva for a one-way ride, but there are also buses that ride to Varna and back to the Golden Sands area.

Tips before flying to Varna

Sim Abroad

Today you will find wireless internet in almost every hotel or restaurant you visit, but it is always convenient to have internet everywhere. In Bulgaria you can buy a local SIM in the shops of the local telecommunications company Yettel for a fairly low price of about 20 to 40 BGN. Here is a photo of the packages they offer to tourists and you can just buy their sim and put it in your phone and start surfing. In my opinion, the smallest package of 25GB will be enough for most visitors and will only cost 10 euro.

I personally recommend using an eSIM, which is an electronic SIM, and highly recommend Airalo. I was very satisfied with their user experience (simple tutorial videos for operating the SIM card) and everything worked without any special problems. I wrote more about them in an extended post on the subject of a SIM card abroad as well as about other options such as buying a local SIM card.

Blog followers have a 15% discount code for Airalo to purchase an eSIM โ€“ to redeem the discount, click on this link. The discount code is already included in the link.

Where to sleep in Varna?

We will sleep in the Golden Sands area at the Viva Club Hotel, an all-inclusive hotel (tips on how to find cheap hotels). We took a taxi from the airport to the center of Varna. It cost 25 Lev each way, but there are also buses that go to the city of Varna and back to the Golden Sands area.  It is recommended to visit there in the months of May – September. In the off season many places for tourists will be closed but if you are not planning on the beach or water parks, you will find enough things to do because Varna is a big city after all.

How do you get to Varna?

There is an airport in the city of Varna and from many European destinations you can find direct flights there.

Car rental in Varna

There is no need to rent a car in Varna, but if you plan to take a trip and leave Varna (like we did to Balchik or the Golden Sands), then the most convenient thing is to rent a car, certainly if you are traveling with children. Car rental in Varna and Bulgaria is very cheap compared to Europe and you can rent a small car for 25 Euro per day.

You can search for a car in the search engine Paapm Paapm. Personally, I really like to search through them because they save me time (instead of going to several websites) and they also have the option of filtering out non-recommended rental companies.

Events and festivals in Varna 2024

Summer music festival Borne 22.6-5.10 – link to all the events in the festival
Opera performances in the theatre in summer 15.6-30.8 Link to all performances
Jazz Festival 11.7-13.7 Link to all the details

Recommended beaches in Varna

Rappongi Beach Beach with restaurant bar and sunbeds.

Varna beach, a virgin beach with only sand and no sunbeds, but there are many restaurants and cafes nearby Directions

Beach Buna Beach First Buna Beach that is mainly suitable for a walk along the beach Directions

Retro Museum

One of the coolest museums we have ever visited. Itโ€™s located on the first floor in the Grand Mall and itโ€™s nostalgic, filled with cars from the communism period (what awesome cars they had back then!), there is also music from this period and toys and daily stuff that help you see how they lived back then.

In this museum you will feel like you went back in time. There are also wax figures of famous people who drove those cars then.

We wandered around the museum for about an hour and really enjoyed to see these unique cars and reading about the figures.

An entrance ticket costs 10 leva. Thereโ€™s an option to buy a combined ticket with the wax museum (which is also in the mall), but we chose to enter only the Retro Museum because we had already been in the wax museum in Berlin.

Visit Primorski Park

This is the largest, oldest, and most familiar park in Varna. We loved it. Itโ€™s a huge park and you can wander there for hours. Thereโ€™s a big area with attractions for kids and a small Luna Park. There is also a dolphinarium in the park.

There are many walking trails in the park and you can go right down to the beach and the promenade from it. Along the promenade there are bars and restaurants.

We sat at the โ€œBeach Selfie Barโ€. I drank a cappuccino and Roman ordered a Bloody Mary cocktail which was good. The view to the beach was beautiful and we liked the barโ€™s design.

The only thing that was missing in the park was that there wasnโ€™t any place to rent bikes from. And this park is perfect for bike-riding.


Shopping

Varna is a cheap destination for shopping. We usually donโ€™t shop during our trips (we travel a lot and we try to travel cheap), but I bought a nice coat for 40 Leva, gloves for the gym and a bag (yes, I consider it a lot of shopping :)). The Grand Mall is a big mall with many famous brand shops like Zara, Bershka, H&M, and more. There are also local brands and designer shops.

Dormition of the Mother of God Cathedral

The cathedral is located at about a 15-minute walk from the main street in Varna. This is a really beautiful cathedral. Itโ€™s impressive from the outside and from the inside. I think itโ€™s definitely worth a short visit.

We sat there for a few minutes and loved to look at the small details and the wall paintings. Iโ€™ve always been fascinated by the fact that people spent months and years painting the walls. The most impressive one was in the Chapel in the Vatican, Rome.

Wander around the main street

In Varnaโ€™s center thereโ€™s a main street with many restaurants, bars, and coffee shops. If you are looking for a nice place for a drink or a meal with a lively atmosphere, this is the place to go.

Excursions outside the city of Varna

As I mentioned, with a rented car you can go to the areas near Varna. For example, we went to Belchik and the Golden Sands. If you are adventurous, you can also diversify with a visit to Burgas or travel west to the center of Bulgaria and visit Plovdiv, which is the ancient capital of Bulgaria and is absolutely a destination worth visiting.

Nesebar city

Nesebar is a small town that is swallowed up within the boundaries of northern Burgas. I did not visit it but one of the followers of the blog wrote to me about it. Its interesting part is the old city or the Straria Grad – which is located on a small peninsula connected by a narrow road and surrounded by ancient walls. Some people think it is simply the old town of Burgas. You can wander the alleys of the old city, admire the historical buildings, the amphitheater and the ancient churches. It’s a UNESCO World Heritage Site so expect lots of visitors and tourists (locals too). There are lots of souvenir shops on the streets and it’s worth a visit of a few hours.

You can park in the parking lot for a fee – at the entrance to the city turn right and continue to the parking lot.

And if you have already reached it, then you must visit Burgas. In Burgas you can find a lot of attractions and worthwhile things that I haven’t blogged about yet, but you can find a lot of information on Google.

Strandzha Nature Park

Another place I haven’t visited but one of the followers of the blog recommended is Strandza Nature Reserve. He wrote about the reserve: I visited the Strandza nature reserve on the border with Turkey and I really recommend it. There are forests, rivers and beautiful waterfalls. As a travel enthusiast, I took day trips in nature and saw that you can also ride a bike. The villages there are beautiful and full of old wooden houses that are special to the region. You can walk around the village of Brashlyan, in my opinion it is a gem that not many people know, the locals are very nice and calm and when you are there you feel as if you have gone back a hundred years in time.

And if you’ve already traveled all the way to the area, it’s really cool to reach the border with Turkey and see the huge Turkish flag flying in front of the Bulgarian flag on both sides of the Mutlu River. Drive to Rezovo and aim for the south coast or the border monument.

Things to do in Varna with children

When we traveled in Varna it was just me and Roman, but for those who come with children, there are lots of things to do in and around Varna.

More attractions in Varna

There were other things we wanted to do in Varna and we didn’t get to, so I’m attaching the list here:

In conclusion, Varna can be an ideal destination for a summer vacation that includes both belly and various attractions. We were there as a couple and we are waiting to go back there again with the girls.

Hope my post helped you. If so, I would very much like you to respond here in the comments, and if you have any more questions, then you are also welcome to ask them in the comments or write to me on the blog’s social networks: Facebook and Instagram.

Looking for more information about Bulgaria? I have more posts about Bulgaria on my blog.

Varna is the third largest city in Bulgaria and a seaside resort on Bulgaria’s Black Sea. Itโ€™s a cheap destination where you can find beaches, bars, a huge park with attractions foย kids, big malls, interesting museums, and a central street with many restaurants, bars and coffee shops (read our post about things to do in Varna).

We stayed in the Golden Sands area in an all-inclusive hotel. Itโ€™s a 20-minute drive from the city of Varna in a taxi.

Recommended restaurants in Varna

Vegetarian and fish restaurant – Jasmin Tea House

We went to this restaurant for breakfast and we enjoyed it so much that I wanted to go back again for lunch. First of all, the atmosphere is very cozy and pastoral (especially if you sit in the beautiful yard). We arrived at the restaurant exactly at the opening time, 11:00, so we were the only ones there.

We sat outside and when we got the menus we didnโ€™t know what to choose. All the dishes sounded good and special. This is a great place for vegetarians and vegans, and there are also fish dishes.

After some deliberation we decided to order for starters a dish with 3 spreads (olive spread, hummus, and a peppers with tomato spread) with Arabic bread and a quinoa salad with peas, avocado, and goat cheese.

The spreads were very tasty. I especially liked the pepper spread. The quinoa salad was delicious; all the ingredients matched well. It was a filling dish, we didnโ€™t even finish it because we wanted to leave space for the other dishes we ordered.


For our main courses Roman ordered a mussels dish and we also ordered a zucchini risotto with white wine and green pepper. Roman said that the mussels were very good; one of the best he had ever eaten. And the risotto was really good and light. Honestly, I was already full from the starters, but I couldnโ€™t not try the risotto.

We also ordered Kombucha (a probiotic tea we tasted for the first time in Thailand and since then we order it on every chance we get) to drink. We ordered the rose Kombucha and it was very refreshing (if you havenโ€™t tried it before, I recommend you to do so. Itโ€™s healthy and tasty).

Address
“Petko Karavelov” 26, 9002 Varna Center, Varna, Bulgaria
Opening hours
Every day 11:00-23:00

A traditional Bulgarian restaurant – Staria Chinar

I had received a recommendation for this restaurant from a local through Instagram (itโ€™s a great way to get recommendations for things to do and restaurants). We arrived there for a late lunch and we loved the restaurant’s design. We sat outside (there are many sitting places in the inside and the outside).

The food there was cheap so it gave Roman the option to order many dishes to be able to taste as many as possible ๐Ÿ™‚ For starters we ordered a grated cabbage and carrot salad and an Ikara. The salad was seasoned well with lots of lemon, the way I like it. The Ikara was the best we had ever eaten. The texture was good and the flavours were delicate.

 

For main courses I ordered a meatball dish which turned out to be more like 5 big kebabs. I managed to eat 2 and they were very good (the dish comes with bacon and cheese but I requested it to be without them). And I also ordered a vegetarian Moussaka which also was very good but I only managed to eat half and Roman ate the rest.

Roman ordered 3 dishes of different kinds of meat. The dishes were very big and this was one of the few times that Roman didnโ€™t finish everything he ordered. He said that the meat was high-quality and cooked really well.

If you are looking for a cheap, traditional local Bulgarian restaurant then stop looking. This is the restaurant for you.

Address
“Makedonia” 154, 9000 Varna Center, Varna, Bulgaria
Opening hours
Every day 12:00-00:00

 

 

Local chain with good food that is also – Happy Bar & Grill

This is a local chain with 4 branches in Varna. They serve grilled food and sushi (a good combination). We were pretty skeptical about the foodโ€™s quality because itโ€™s a cheap touristic restaurant. But our taxi driver recommend us to try it, and we also saw good reviews so we decided to give it a go.

Itโ€™s not a gourmet restaurant but the food was tasty and it was definitely a good value for our money.

I ordered different kinds of sushi and Roman ordered grilled calamari. We both enjoyed our dishes. We also ordered a mango sangria which was refreshing and yummy.

We were in the branch thatโ€™s located in the beginning of the main street. The restaurant is open 247.

 

Recommended coffee shops in Varna

A cozy coffee shop – Mafe Cafe

The coffee shop is located about 5 minutes walking from the main street. This is a great coffee shop with many pastries, cakes, and cookies. Its design is modern. The coffee was great. I had a jam cookie and Roman ordered a croissant. We both were happy with our choices.

You can sit inside or outside.
Address
ะฑัƒะป.ะžัะผะธ ะฟะพะปะบ 58, 9002 Varna, Bulgaria
Opening hours
Monday-Saturday 07:30-19:30 closed on Sunday

 

A cafe-bar for a cold drink – Vogue Cafe Bar

A cool cafe- bar on the main street in Varna. This is a great place for a cold drink on a sunny day. They have many different types of coffee, milkshakes, and cocktails.

I ordered a cold coffee with coconut syrup. Since I am not a fan of sweet drinks, the syrup was too strong for me. So I loved this coffee less than others. But I guess that people who love sweet beverages will probably like it. Roman ordered a mango drink that was good.

Address
“Todor Dimov” 18, 9002 Varna Center, Varna, Bulgaria
Opening hours
Every day 10:00-00:00

 

Bar near the beach- Selfie Bar

This bar is located on the promenade near the beach. We went there after wandering around the park. We went down in the promenadeโ€™s direction and saw this bar which looked nice. I ordered a cappuccino and Roman ordered a bloody Mary cocktail. One of the most fun things to do is to watch the sunset with a tasty drink. We enjoyed sitting there and we loved the cool, colorful design of the bar.

Address
9002 Primorski, Varna, Bulgaria
Opening hours
Every day 10:00-04:00

 

If you are staying in the city of Varna or the Golden Sands area in Varna, we recommend you do a day trip to the town of Balchik (The truth is that it is not a town but a small port city in northeastern Bulgaria). We stayed at the HVD Viva Club Hotel in the Golden Sands and we took a taxi to Balchik from there. The drive took around 35 minutes.

Balchik is small and beautiful. You will find beautiful botanic gardens, great local restaurants, and a lovely promenade along the black sea shore.

How to get to Balchik?

The promenade

The promenade is very beautiful with a good breeze from the sea. You can find restaurants, coffee shops, and gelatos along the way. You can also rent bikes and travel with them.
In the area of the promenade, there is a small market where you can buy local jewellery, souvenirs, and more.

The beach

Thereโ€™s a small beach strip, so if you want to also add some beach time to your visit to Balchik, you can definitely do so (just bring a towel and a swimsuit and you are all set).
The beach has clear water and offers various water activities such as water sports, and you can rent boats, paddleboards, or kayaks. Along the beach, there are restaurants and bars, and there are chairs and umbrellas available for rent.

Botanic Garden

There are two entrances to the botanic garden. The first one is the main entrance and itโ€™s from the town center; the second one is from the promenade area. The difference between the entrances is that when you enter the gardens from the main one, you continue your visit in the gardens downwards and if you enter the gardens from the second entrance, you continue your visit in the gardens upwards.

If you have a problem with climbing stairs, you should probably go in through the main entrance (you can take a taxi from the promenade to the town center which would cost 5 leva). The gardens are very impressive. They are among the botanic gardens that we have liked the most (other gardens that we liked were in Villa Melzi, in Bellagio, Italy).

The gardens are very big and well-maintained. You can spend easily 2-3 hours or more there. There is a gorgeous waterfall and really pretty areas. A good thing about the gardens is that you can visit even on a hot day because there are many shaded areas.
There is also a palace in the botanic gardens, but we must say that, compared to other palaces that weโ€™ve seen, this was the least impressive one. The entrance to the palace is an additional 8 leva. We donโ€™t think itโ€™s a must-see, but it depends on you.

Entrance to the botanic gardens costs 6 leva
Opening hours: every day 08:00-20:00. Directions.

Balchik Dvoretsa Palace and Park

The palace is located near the botanical gardens and is characterized by an architectural style that combines Romantic and Mediterranean elements. It was built in the 1920s and belonged to Queen Maria of Romania, who chose the city of Balchik as her holiday retreat. The palace currently serves as a museum with exhibitions about the life of the queen. Directions.
Book tickets online
Open daily 08:00-20:00

History Museum of Baltchik

The museum was founded in the 1960s and is located in a building that was once the home of an Austrian doctor. It features collections that include archaeological artifacts, photographs, and items related to the daily lives of the residents over the generations. Directions.
Museumโ€™s website.
It’s closed on Saturday and Sunday. open from Monday- Friday 08:00-12:00, 12:30-16:30

The city center

The city center is within walking distance of the promenade and the botanical gardens. It is a small area, but it has several restaurants, including Bistro Kestana and Restaurant The Castle, among others. There are also a number of hotels and guesthouses. In addition, you can find some souvenir stands there..

Recommended restaurants in Balchik

Antik Restaurant

We started our day at a restaurant near the sea. Antik Restaurant. We decided not to eat breakfast at our hotel and instead try it in Balchik and it was a very good decision. To sit in front of the sea in a colorful restaurant is a great way to start your morning.

We ordered 2 omelettes, 2 Parlenkas (a flat, Bulgarian bread with toppings like cheese and garlic), a Greek salad, and Roman also ordered a yogurt soup. The omelet and the Parlenka were pretty big so we could have ordered only one of each of them for the both of us.

Roman ordered a beer and I ordered a cappuccino.ย The food was good and the atmosphere was so relaxing; we could have stayed there for hours.We ate pretty late, so some of the people were already ordering lunch and their dishes looked really yummy, so Iโ€™m sure this restaurant would also be a great choice for lunch/dinner.

Restaurant the Castle

We ate lunch in a local Bulgarian restaurant (in the town center) that our taxi driver recommended. The Castle Restaurant. Honestly, I was still full from breakfast so I just ordered a fresh orange juice. Roman ordered a Bulgarian soup like Chorba and he liked the dishes.

Even though the restaurant is in a central touristy location, the prices were cheap and the dishesโ€™ portions were big.

Where to sleep in Balchik?

If we had more time on the trip, I would have been happy to spend a night or two in Balchik. I really loved this city. It is small and relaxing, and from what I checked, there are a few places with good reviews for accommodation, including:

Balchik is definitely a recommended place for a half-day or a full-day trip. Donโ€™t miss it if you are staying in Varna or the Golden Sands area.

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During our vacation in Varna we decided to stay at the Golden Sands area, because we heard that itโ€™s a lively zone and itโ€™s highly recommended for a vacation. We looked for a high-class hotel at a reasonable price that would be all-inclusive. After many searches on the internet, we found the HVD Viva Club Hotel.
Read more reviews about this hotel.

Itโ€™s an all-inclusive hotel and its reviews were very good. The hotel cost us 156 USD per night at the end of August- start of September. A cheap price for a 4-stars all-inclusive hotel. We booked 7 nights, which in total cost 1092 USD.

From the moment we entered the hotel, we knew that it was a good choice

About the hotel

We arrived to the hotel with a taxi from Varnaโ€™s airport. As soon as we got to the reception we got a welcome drink. The check-in process was fast (we arrived in the afternoon). During our entire stay, the service was excellent. The workers always smiled and answered every question or request with patience.

The room itself was clean, big, and had a lovely balcony.


The pool

The pool area is a lovely area with many tanning beds, a bar, and a snacks buffet which is open every day from 10am.

From the dining room there is an exit to the pool area so you can eat your meal on the tables near the pool.

The food

The food in this hotel is one of the best things it has. Itโ€™s high-standard food and itโ€™s very diverse. In the evening the meals usually have a theme like Bulgarian night, Italian night, seafood night, and more. And the entrance setting to the dining room was done according to the theme.

There is a big selection of salads, meat, fish, desserts, fruits, and much more in all the meals (breakfast, lunch, and dinner).

 

There are also two restaurants in the hotel (not included in the price). A grill restaurant and an Italian one. They are both really good, with a great service. I loved the seafood pasta in the Italian restaurant and the fish from the grill was one of the best I have ever eaten (it looked pale but it was so succulent and tasty.

 

 

The entertainment staff

The entertainment staff is really good. During the day they offer many activities, games, and competitions for kids and adults, and in the evening they have diverse shows and activities like bingo, Oktoberfest, and more.

 

The location

The location was good in our opinion. Itโ€™s not near the beach, but we liked the fact that it was set in a quiet area. In order to get to the promenade area you need to go down several stairs (from the pool area) and to continue down for about 10 minutes. The walk itself is in a nice area with stalls, shops, bars, and restaurants.

The hotelโ€™s beach

The hotel has a private beach, but in order to get there you need to use the shuttle service. Itโ€™s about 5 minutes driving (there are shuttles from the morning till the evening). I definitely recommend to go the hotelโ€™s beach, because there are tanning beds and sunshades for free and all the food and drinks are all-inclusive. So you can eat lunch, snack, an ice cream, or fruit, and drink beers and soft drinks without spending a cent.


Extras

When we arrived at the hotel we discovered that if you book at least 7 nights in their hotel, you get two meals for free in their restaurants (the grill and the Italian one) and we were free to use the sauna and the Jacuzzi.

Things that could improve in the hotel

There are only two elevators in the hotel and sometimes one of them didnโ€™t work. If the hotel is fully booked, you need to wait for a long time in order to use the elevator. We were on the 4th floor so most of the time we used the stairs, but if you have problem climbing stairs or you have small kids, I recommend you to ask for a room in a lower floor.

The spa and the gym area donโ€™t match the hotelโ€™s standards. They are in the lower floor and feel like a basement. We worked out in the gym one time and it was strangled.

We also got a massage and it was very good, but you need to take into consideration that the atmosphere is not like in a high-level spa. No candles, no dim lighting, and the room was not welcoming. But at least the massage itself was good and for a reasonable price.

I must mention that our vacation in Golden Sands was beyond our expectations. Itโ€™s a dreamy destination for a cheap, fun, spoiling, and awesome vacation (we have been to Cyprus, Greece, and Turkey in the past, and we think that the Golden Sands has the most value for money for a vacation).

We took a flight to Varna and from the airport we took a taxi that cost about 25 euro to the HVD Viva Club Hotel. The ride took about 40 minutes. There is also an option to take a bus from the airport but itโ€™s a longer ride and we had landed in the afternoon so we wanted to be at the hotel as soon as possible in order to enjoy the rest of the day.

We arrived at the all-inclusive hotel around 6:30 pm. We got a room on the 4th floor with a sea view. We arranged our stuff and went down for dinner. The hotel cost us 140 euro per night, all-inclusive. A cheap price for a hotel at the end of August- start of September.

Golden Sands main season is from May โ€“ September.

How do you get to the golden sands?

Getting to the Golden Sands is by flight to the city of Varna and from there you can take a taxi like we did or take public transportation and use route 409 which is a bus that goes from the airport to the Golden Sands (costs about 2 Lev per person, the trip should be about 40 minutes fast in total and according to what I checked during the season a bus leaves every 15 minutes between 5 am and 11 pm and less frequently during the off season – every half an hour and 6 am) or rent a car and get to the Golden Sands. About half an hour from the airport to the Golden Sands area.

Link to the timetable of line 409 (the website is loading slowly so you need patience)

You can also use the Moovit application that updates the location of the buses in real time.

Stay at an all-inclusive hotel

We stayed at the HVD Viva Club Hotel. A high-standards hotel with amazing food. Great pool, good service, the entertainment staff put a lot of effort into activities and shows. The hotel has a private, all-inclusive beach too. I wrote a detailed post about the hotel. Click here to read more about the hotel.



A dreamy vacation in Golden Sands, Varna - Traveling outside the box

Walk along the promenade

Wow, this promenade is so much fun. It has everything. Restaurants, bars, clubs, stalls, coffee shops, beaches, and loads of attractions for adults and kids.

You can walk for hours along the promenade and find many things to do there. There are great stalls with souvenirs, bags, things for the sea and pool, clothes, and more.

Because the promenade is very long, there is a train that you can jump on to and ride on it back and forth along the promenade (the train costs 4 leva).

Recommended bars in Golden sands

There are so many bars along the promenade and in the Golden Sands area in general. You can hop from bar to bar all day long. All the bars are high in quality and each one is designed in a cool and unique way.

Bars that we really liked:

Megapark Dolphin

A lively bar from the morning till the night which has a pool and foam parties. There is happy hour on drinks 1+1 and you can order a hookah in different flavors.

Cocktail bar Paris

itโ€™s a bar thatโ€™s located in a mini copy of the Eifel tower. Thereโ€™s a view from it to the promenade and in the evening itโ€™s really nice to sit there and have a cocktail or glass of wine.

Cuba Bar

Located on the beach and there are different sitting options. To sit on the swing near the bar, or regular tables, or a cushion seat on the beach. During the sunset itโ€™s a perfect place for a cocktail.

Mini golf

Mini golf is one of my favorite attractions. Not because Iโ€™m good at it, but because itโ€™s a fun game, funny (especially if you donโ€™t know how to play) and itโ€™s a great way to pass time with friends.

The mini golf in Golden Sands is on the promenade and itโ€™s good. It has 18 different stations and itโ€™s shaded. So thereโ€™s not a problem to play there on a hot day. When we arrived at around 2pm we were the only ones there. We played for about 75 minutes.

The game for an adult costs 10 leva, and for a child (under the age 12) 5 leva.

Drink coffee with a yummy cake

One of our favorite things to do during a vacation is to drink a good coffee with a yummy cake in the middle day. There are many coffee shops along the promenade.

We really loved Cafe Wiener. Itโ€™s a high-standards cafe with amazing cakes. They also have gelatos. We ordered 2 cappuccinos with a carrot cake. The coffee was good and the cake was really tasty. You could feel the taste of the carrot and the nuts in each bite.

Clubs in Golden sands

There are many clubs along the promenade and also in the hotels area. We went to one club- Bonkers Club. This club was less fit for us, but if you are in your early 20โ€™s I guess you would have more fun. The clubโ€™s price includes free alcohol from the bar.

We also saw a commercial for another club-Arrogance Club. Which seemed to have higher standards. But we didnโ€™t have the chance to try it. According to the commercial this club has 5 different halls and each hall has a different music style.

Get a massage

Because there isnโ€™t a perfect vacation without a massage (at least for me :)). I got a massage at the beach first. I love to be at the beach and to have the option to get a relaxing and quick massage. I chose the 20-minutes back treatment. I canโ€™t say it was like a spa massage but it was good enough and definitely worth 20 leva.

The second time I got a massage, it was in the hotel that we were staying in Viva club.

Their spa is not the best in terms of decoration and atmosphere, but the massage itself was very good and the price was 70 leva for 50 minutes which was cheap for a 4-stars hotel.

Work out at the gym

Yes I know, not many of you will think that itโ€™s something you should do on a vacation, but we did. We love to work out at the gym, especially in a gym like the one we found in the promenade area.

Itโ€™s a fitness club with a view to the sea. If you are a gym lover, you will love to work out there. The equipment is new and the view is beautiful. The entrance costs 6 leva and thereโ€™s a bathroom and a dressing room. Directions .

Beaches in Golden sands

There are many beaches along the entire promenade. Arranged beaches with sunbeds and umbrellas. We were at the private beach of the HVD Viva club hotel, but when we walked around the boardwalk we saw that there are many good beaches to be at:
Riviera beach free zone
Beach Golden Sands

Things to do with kids in the Golden Sands

As I wrote, on this trip it was just me and Roman, but I made a list of some things worth doing with children in the Golden Sands:

Play mini golf directions
Walk the boardwalk and ride the train that passes there
Go to the beach
Travel with them to the city of Varna – Things to do in the city of Varna
Go on a day trip with them to the town of Balchik
Take a walk in Priroden Park Zlatni Pyasatsi, there are hiking trails of varying degrees of difficulty, from easy to difficult. Directions

In conclusion, we went on vacation to the Golden Sands in Bulgaria as a couple, but it’s also an excellent vacation for families because of the all-inclusive resorts, the beaches, a promenade full of activities and a fun and light atmosphere. You can manage there without a car, which is an advantage when you come on vacation with children.

Hope my post helped you. If so, I would very much like you to respond here in the comments, and if you have any more questions, then you are also welcome to ask them in the comments or write to me on the blog’s social networks: Facebook and Instagram.

Romania is a gorgeous country, full of landscapes, nature, good food, friendly people, and so much to see and do. Oh, and it is a cheap destination so that makes it even better.

We landed in Cluj Napoca and returned from Bucharest.

Tips before traveling to Romania

SIM card

I personally recommend using an ESIM, which is an electronic SIM, and recommend Airalo. I was very satisfied with their user experience (simple tutorial videos for operating the SIM card) and everything worked without any special problems. I wrote more about them in an extended post on the subject of taking a SIM card abroad and also about other options such as buying a local SIM card.

Blog followers have a 15% discount code for the Airalo company to purchase an ESIM โ€“ to redeem the discount, click on this link. The discount code is already included in the link. See it at checkout.

The biggest drawback at the moment is that some devices do not support an electronic SIM. How can you know if your device supports the electronic card? Very simple: go to this link and you can see. Link to which devices support ESIM.

Car rental in Romania

I think this is the most convenient and fun way to travel. Car prices are low and the roads are easy to drive.

You can search for a car in the search engine Papam Papam. Personally, I really like to search through them because they save me time (instead of going to several websites) and they also have the option of filtering out non-recommended rental companies.

Attractions in Romania

You can get ideas for other cool things you can do on the various attraction sites and even order through them (sometimes at a discounted price). The first attractions site is tiqets the second is Get your guide and Viator.

Where to stay in Romania

You can search for places to stay in Romania via Booking.

Here’s my 10 days itinerary for Romania:

Day 1

Landed in Cluj Napoca and picked the car that we booked in advance (post about how to rent a car for cheap). We drove to the city and did a check-in into a lovely apartment hotel in the cityโ€™s center Aparthotel Gutinului.

After that, we went to eat lunch in a nice restaurant-bar and then we went to visit the botanical gardens. They were so beautiful. We wandered a little bit in the city center and then drove to a local traditional restaurant. The dinner was really good. Before ending the day we went to grab a drink in a cool bar designed as a laboratory.

Posts about Cluj Napoca.

Day 2

We went to eat breakfast in the central area which has many restaurants and coffee shops. After breakfast, we continued to a viewpoint of the city and then we drove to the Salina Turda Salt Mine. About an hour driving. The mine was absolutely stunning.

It has many attractions for adults and for kids (post about Salina Turda Salt Mine). After the visit to the salt mine we continued to Brasov. A three and a half hours ride.

In Brasov we booked an Airbnb apartment in the cityโ€™s center. We left our things there and went to a free tour at 18:00 (this free tour is given every day at 18:00). The tour was about two and a half hours long and was very interesting and informative. After the tour we went to an amazing Italian restaurant (one of the best restaurants we went to during the trip).

Day 3

We went to the cable car in Brasov. We went up and there was an incredible viewpoint of the city (post about Brasov). Then we went to the gym and later continued to a royal guest house in the Brasov province. About one hour driving.

We booked the Princeโ€™s cabin and it was one of the most beautiful cabins weโ€™ve ever stayed in. In the evening we ate dinner in an elegant wine cellar with the other guests. All the dishes were served at the middle of the table and we drank a lot of good wine. It was very nice to meet the other guests and to talk with them and we had a great night.

Day 4

We ate breakfast in the guest house’s yard with the other guests on picnic tables. The cabin cost us about 150 euro including dinner & breakfast. There is also an option to pay around 200 euro to also include lunch and a day activity like horse-riding, a trip to the lake, and more. From there we drove to an isolated cabin in the woods that we booked through Airbnb.

We bought some ingredients on the way. When we arrived at the cabin we had a BBQ in the yard. We loved the cabin. It cost us about 100 euro (post about the two cabins).

Day 5

We drove to the gorgeous Lake Saint Anne. A two hours ride. We went up to a viewpoint, then we had a picnic near the lake and hiked a little bit around there.


Day 6

We continued our journey to Sinaia. In Sinaia we booked a boutique hotel Pension Casa Teo  and because we were the only ones there we were upgraded to a suite. Yay!!

We ate lunch in a Serbian restaurant and in the evening we went out to an Irish bar (post about Sinaia).

Day 7

We went up 2000mโ€™ in a cable car. There were breathtaking views from there. But it was really cold. I recommend to bring warm clothes with you for this ride and also a wool hat to protect your ears from the wind.

From there we continued to Peles Castle; a castle that looks like it was taken out of a fairy tale. Afterwards, we drove to Bucharest, returned the car to the agency, and went to the apartment near the old city. In the evening I went to get a Thai massage and after that we ate in a Japanese restaurant.

Days 8-10

We stayed in Bucharest. We had two tours there; one that was free and the other was a graffiti tour. We went to the biggest park, to a dinner at a local home, to great restaurants and coffee houses, and in the evenings we went to the bars area. Thereโ€™s an insane nightlife scenery there.

Posts about Bucharest.

To sum it up: we had a blast in Romania and during the entire trip.

Roman and I have been living in Tel Aviv for few years now and the hotels that we love the most in Israel are in Jaffa – Tel Aviv. There is something really fun to just go to a hotel that it is a few minutes walking from your home and immediately feel like youโ€™re on a vacation.

The boutique hotels that I chose to write about are the ones that we loved the most.

They both are in best locations, especially for us, foodies and markets lovers. Market House Hotel is located in the flea market in Jaffa, and Poli House is located in the Haโ€™Carmel Market in Tel Aviv.

They both have an amazing design, beautiful rooms and one of the greatest things about them is that their price is really reasonable compared to the prices in Israel. They both cost around 200 USD including breakfast.

The Market House Hotel โ€“ A combination of a culinary experience, urban vacation, and the history of Jaffa

When we entered The Market House Hotel, we were impressed by its design and the homey and peaceful atmosphere. The hotel was opened in 2014 and its design is urban with a touch of Jaffaโ€™s history.

In the entrance there is a lobby with comfortable sofas, a reception, and a dining area with a European coffee shop atmosphere where they serve breakfast and have their happy hour.

 

The room

The room itself is a lovely boutique room with TV, a kettle to prepare coffee or tea, a nice hat (which I wore when we went out to the market), and a cool shopping bag (which we took also with us to the market to completely feel like tourists), and a bathroom with a shower.

The room is pretty basic, but I love small and functional rooms. The type that have all you need and their design gives you a good feeling. Oh, and the bed is really comfortable, too.



There are other rooms with higher standards, like a room with a big balcony that overviews the sea and has a pleasant breeze. We stayed in the basic room but we had the chance to see the other rooms there, so I can share pictures of them with you. this is the beautiful view from the room with the big balcony.

This is the superior room, which is bigger than the basic room and the best thing about it is that it has a gorgeous bath (Iโ€™m sure that this room is a great option for bath-lovers!).

Breakfast and happy hour

Aside from the beautiful design and lovely rooms, the Market House Hotel also offers a great culinary experience due to its location in the flea market and its excellent breakfast, (every day from 06:30-12:00) and its awesome Happy Hour (every day from 17:00-20:00).

The breakfast is a buffet with high-quality raw materials and products. They offer good cheeses, salmon, smoked fish, olives, fresh breads, pastries, dried fruits, bourekas, and more. You can also order an egg dish like omelets and shakshuka.

In addition, you can order whichever type of good coffee you can want.

This really good breakfast is also available to people we are not the hotelโ€™s guests by scheduling an appointment and it costs 88 shekels per person



The Happy Hour is one of the greatest things there because, what can be better than a glass of wine with a snack in the afternoon for free? When we stayed there they served a small pizza, dried fruits, snacks, wine, and soft drinks. Yummy!

There is also a pretty lounge on the first floor if youโ€™re looking for a quiet and peaceful atmosphere.


A little bit more about The Market House Hotel

The hotel also offers free bike rentals for its guests. We ate lunch in the flea market and in the evening we went to some bars in the market too. At those hours, the atmosphere is very lively and full of people and great music. So itโ€™s also a great location for those who are looking for awesome nightlife.

The Market Hotel belongs to the Atlas chain. Weโ€™ve stayed before in another hotel that belongs to them in Jerusalem, called Arthur Hotel and it was amazing too. They have many other boutique hotels in Israel which all look great and have really good reviews.

So, if you are looking for a charming hotel with great service, a pleasant culinary experience, history, an amazing location close to Jaffa Port and the beach, Market House will deliver all of this and more ๐Ÿ™‚

Before I tell you about the other hotel here some pictures of the flea market

 

Poli House Hotel- A combination of chic, modern design for a really good spoiling experience

Poli House Hotel is located on Nahalat Binyamin St. next to the Haโ€™Carmel market. The hotel was opened in 2016 and it has a cool chic design.

When we entered the hotel, we felt like we were in an awesome space ship. The style is super special and you can see that the designer thought about each and every detail.


The pool and the bar

The reception is located on the roof floor and not in the entrance, which is something different from the usual.

We arrived early to the hotel (there is an advantage of living close to it! ๐Ÿ™‚ ), so we put our small bag in the storage space, we put on our swimsuits in the dressing room, and went up to the pool.

One of the main reasons that I booked Poli House Hotel was precisely because of the pool. It is located on the same floor as the reception and there is also a pool bar.

The hotel was fully booked but it didnโ€™t feel crowded. Indeed, there werenโ€™t good seats left, but we didn’t care because we came with just one target in mind: to be in the pool all day and to drink cocktails.

I ordered a Margarita and Roman ordered a cocktail based on Arak, because what can be better during a vacation than a pool, sun, and a good cocktail?

The pool is not that big, but itโ€™s definitely great for feeling spoiled and having fun. Thereโ€™s a view of the sea from it and there is a shadowed area with cabanas and lounge spaces.

In the noon we went to eat lunch in the Haโ€™Carmel market (click here to check out a post about a good restaurant in the Haโ€™Carmel market) and afterwards we got our room.

The room

Not only did the entrance look like a spaceship, but so did the halls and the room as well.

The room is a beautiful boutique room and we got a Cava bottle as a gift. Yay! ๐Ÿ™‚ In the room there is a TV, a super comfortable bed, on the desk there is cocktail equipment and book of cocktails, which is pretty cool. There is a great shower, toilet, and many toiletries.

Also in this hotel the basic room is pretty small, but again, I think itโ€™s part of the charm in boutique hotels. Beauty, quality, and comfort over size.



The pool and the bar in the evening

In the evening we went again to eat in the Haโ€™Carmel market and afterwards we came back to sit at the hotelโ€™s bar. A roof bar is such a great thing. The breeze was pleasant and the music was good. We also invited a couple that are friends of ours there to drink some beers with us and to celebrate Romanโ€™s birthday.


The breakfast

The breakfast is served in the LoveEat coffee shop which is located next to the hotel. There is a private transition from the hotel to the coffee shop, so the coffee shop feels like a part of the hotel.

The breakfast is a choice from the menu. There are some options like a conventional Israeli breakfast (eggs, salad, bread, spreads, and coffee), a Shakshuka dish (a dish of eggs poached in a sauce of tomatoes, chili peppers, and onions), sandwiches, and more.

The service was good and the meal was tasty and light. Indeed, itโ€™s not a unique breakfast, but we enjoyed sitting in the coffee shop.


A little bit more about Poli House Hotel

The hotel offers free bike rentals for its guests, and it also has a spa of its own.

The hotel belongs to the Dayan group and to the hotels company โ€œBrown hotelsโ€. We havenโ€™t had the chance to stay in other hotels from the Brown chain, but if they have Poli House quality, Iโ€™m sure they are amazing.

So, if you are looking for a great hotel with a pool, bar, spa, super cool design, and an incredible location, Poli House will definitely be a great choice.

Before we say goodbye, here are some pictures from the Haโ€™Carmel market.

 

This guide shares details of the itinerary, how many days you should stay at each location, transportation, recommendations for accommodation, cool attractions, good restaurants, and tips & hacks that will come in handy. If youโ€™re planning a trip to Vietnam, then keep reading.

Recommended hotels in Vietnam โ€“ According to our own experience

Hanoi

If you are looking for a place that will cost you about $14 per night, then I recommend Hanoi Home Hotel.

If youโ€™re traveling with a larger budget and can afford $50 per night, I recommend Romance Hotel.

Tam Coc

Chez Beo guesthouse.

Hoi An

Truc Huy Villa โ€“ a lovely 3 star hotel

Saigon

If youโ€™re on low budget, we really liked Myhotel. A higher class hotel: Liberty Central Saigon Riverside.

Hanoi

Hanoi is a crazy city, but thatโ€™s the amazing thing about it. If youโ€™re street food lovers, then this is the place to be.

How long should you stay? 3-5 days. The food the crazy chaos, and the cool attractions are awesome.

Where should you stay?

If you are looking for a place that will cost you about $14 per night, then I recommend Hanoi Home Hotel.

If youโ€™re traveling with a larger budget and can afford $50 per night, I recommend Romance Hotel.

Both hotels are great and are located on allies so thereโ€™s no noise at night.

Attractions in Hanoi

I wrote a detailed post about things to do in Hanoi. Click HERE to read about them.

Recommendations for Food in Hanoi

Tam Coc

Tam Coc is a beautiful town with a lot of rice fields, mountains, and stunning views.

How long should you stay? 

3-4 days or longer. The views, the hikes and bike riding, and you can spend hours at just relaxation.

How to get to Tam Coc?

I recommend going for the local bus because the drive is about 2 hours and costs $3 per person. The tourist bus costs about 4 times more than that.

Where you should stay in Tam Coc?

To read more about Tam Coc, Click HERE.

Sapa

Sapa is a perfect town for those of you who love hikes. It has plenty of magical views.

How long should you stay?

At least 3 days. The views and treks are unbeatable, you also get to explore of Vietnamese old traditions and feel like you traveled back in time.

How to get to Sapa?

The advantages of taking a night bus or train is that you get to Sapa early in the morning and save money by not going to a hotel that night. If you donโ€™t mind getting there in the afternoon then I recommend the express bus.

Attractions โ€“ Trekking in Sapa

If youโ€™ve made it to Sapa, then you should find a local guide to take you on a 2-3 day trek, or even just one day. I recommend going on both.

Sleeping accommodations: Home stay at our guide, of course.

Halong Bay

Halong Bay is one of the Seven Wonders, and it is indeed a beautiful place. A lot of companies make tours to get there. You can choose to go on a 3-day trip with 2-night stay on a boat, and you can also go for the other option, which is a night on the boat and a night at a hotel. You can also get there by yourselves. You have to get to Cat Ba Island and from take a tour that doesnโ€™t include sleeping, at around $15. It suits those who travel on a low budget.

About 2 years ago I did the 3 day tour โ€“ one night on the boat and one night on the island. Since I didnโ€™t really like the guide nor the people, itโ€™s hard to recommend the company I went with. There are plenty of other companies, and itโ€™s also a matter of luck what kind of people you meet. My recommendation is to not go for the cheapest tour, because you could get a lousy boat and really bad food. Look for something intermediate and even invite some people youโ€™ve met to go with you, so youโ€™ll at least have some good company.

Hoi An

Hoi An is a dreamy vacation town. Some people go to Pong Ne, which is a beautiful cave area, but sadly I didnโ€™t get the chance to go.

How long should you stay?

3-5 days. There is a beach, some nice hotels, and magical vibes you wonโ€™t find anywhere else.

How to get to Hoi An?

Weโ€™ve been there twice, and both times we flew over. It was so much faster, and it is actually cheaper. If you know your flying date then you should book as soon as possible, because it will make the cost a lot cheaper. I like the website Kiwi to look at flights, it makes it really easy to look.
For some recommendations of Hoi An, you can read the post of the top 10 things to do in Hoi An by Clicking HERE.

Dalat

There are a few options to continue the itinerary after reaching Danang. You can either take a train or a bus to Nha Trang, which is a beautiful beaches area. I heard itโ€™s pretty expensive and that they are trying to take advantage of tourists, but I havenโ€™t been so therefore I have no opinion nor recommendations.

You can also fly to Dalat, or either take 2 buses. Dalat is a French-style town. Itโ€™s super beautiful and there are a lot of nice attractions. 2 years ago we stayed just for one night because we had a planned trip the next morning. We got picked up on motorcycles through a great company called Easy Rider.

You can go on a trip from a single day or even 3+. We really enjoyed the 3-day trip. They took us to beautiful and non-touristy places. We went to see waterfalls, flower fields, silk factory, coffee factory, and more.

The trip is about $200 per person, and that was 2 years ago so Iโ€™m not sure about today. The price includes sleeping accommodations, entry to places, and actually everything but food. When you eat locally then the prices are really cheap. Since we didnโ€™t have a budget for this trip this time, we went from Danang straight to Saigon on a direct flight.

Saigon

Saigon is a large, modern city, with bars, restaurants, and nice hotels.

How long should you stay?

2-3days. The food is great, the nightlife, and some areas feel like youโ€™re in New York.

Accommodations in Saigon

Recommended Food in Saigon

Attractions in Saigon

Tips and Hacks for your trip in Vietnam

Sinaia is a really popular vacation town in Romania both in winter and summer. We were only there for two days and we regretted not staying another night because it is a magical and fun town with a stunning view. People like to go skiing when it snows and enjoy it in the warmer weather as well!

We arrived in Sinaia from Brasov and basically it was a 10 day trip that started from Cluj Napoca and ended in Bucharest. We did the whole trip with a rental car.

Sinaia, an amazing town in central Romania - Traveling outside the box

Tips before traveling to Sinaia

SIM card

I personally recommend using an ESIM, which is an electronic SIM, and recommend Airalo. I was very satisfied with their user experience (simple tutorial videos for operating the SIM card) and everything worked without any special problems. I wrote more about them in an extended post on the subject of taking a SIM card abroad and also about other options such as buying a local SIM card.

Blog followers have a 15% discount code for the Airalo company to purchase an ESIM โ€“ to redeem the discount, click on this link. The discount code is already included in the link. See it at checkout.

The biggest drawback at the moment is that some devices do not support an electronic SIM. How can you know if your device supports the electronic card? Very simple: go to this link and you can see. Link to which devices support ESIM.

Car rental in Sinaia

We were twice in Romania and both times we rented a car because we wanted to travel and explore the suburbs and not just travel in central cities. I think this is the most convenient and fun way to travel in Romania. Car prices are low and the roads are easy to drive.

You can search for a car in the search engine Papam Papam. Personally, I really like to search through them because they save me time (instead of going to several websites) and they also have the option of filtering out non-recommended rental companies.

Attractions in Sinaia

You can get ideas for other cool things you can do on the various attraction sites and even order through them (sometimes at a discounted price). The first attractions site is tiqets the second is Get your guide andย Viator.

Where to stay in Sinaia

The town is filled with boutique hotels, and we stayed at Pension Casa Teo which was a walking distance from the park Bucegi Natural and from the cable car. It turned out that we were only guests of the hotel because we stayed on weekdays. It was super awesome, we got upgraded for the suite with a hot tub and a terrace. The hotel itself has been through a big renovation and looks entirely new.

The room was really spacious and clean. For breakfast we were served some fresh vegetables, cheese, sausage, eggs, bread, butter and jam, and some coffee. It was served in the bar area of the hotel, and when they have more guests, they serve a buffet. They also sell some apple juice that is made locally, so we got some for the road before we went to Bucharest.

We really liked the location of the hotel, it was nice and quiet. Itโ€™s located uphill and not in the center of the city. If you are traveling by car, then I definitely recommend this hotel.

Gondola Sinaia

One of the coolest things to do in Sinaia is going uphill with the cable car. Itโ€™s a necessity in the winter because you probably will go skiing, but if you are there in the summer time itโ€™s definitely worth a climb because the view from up there is absolutely beautiful.

There are 3 cable cars in Sanaia, and we went to the newest one. While we were there we didnโ€™t know that there were any others but this was closest to our hotel, and we were happy with it.

When we purchased the tickets there was an option to go to 1400 meters or continue to 2000 meters, and we picked the 2000 option. You can also go on a nice hike to get up there and go down with the cable car, or either climb up with some mountain bikes. Roman said he wanted to do that next time we visit.

The views were absolutely breathtaking from up there.  The only bad thing is that we didnโ€™t take in consideration that itโ€™s actually going to be cold in June on a 2000 meters mountain top. It was insanely cold, so I highly recommend bringing a proper winter attire. Bring a hat as well, it was super windy.

When we went down to 1400 meters we decided to sit at the nice restaurant, sip on some orange juice, and enjoy the view.

Address:
Aleea Telegondolei, Sinaia

Hours:
Up to 1400 meters: Wednesday – Monday 09:00-17:00, Tuesday 12:00-17:00
Up to 2000 meters: Wednesday – Monday 09:00-16:30, Tuesday 12:00-16:30

Tickets:
1400 meters and from the 1400 to the 2000m is 35 Lei for a round trip and 20 for one way – adult. Round trip is 25 Lei and 20 for one way – child.
Going 2000m is 55 Lei for a round trip and 35 for one way – adult. 35 round trip and 20 one way for a child.



Peles Castle

This is a palace, but everyone calls it a castle. From the moment you step inside it feels like youโ€™re in a fairytale. The road to the castle is scenic with a lot of green views, and the garden itself is highly maintained and it has some statues and a lot of flowers. Even the restaurant nearby  is really impressive and is inspired from the design of the castle. Itโ€™s a really popular area and itโ€™s always packed with visitors. You should go early to beat the crowd.

You can visit the first floor but if you want to visit the other 2 then youโ€™ll have to pay extra. If youโ€™d like to take pictures inside then youโ€™ll need to pay for a pass. You can also join a guided tour of the castle. The castle is really impressive and itโ€™s easy to see why so many people want to visit it. Itโ€™s very luxurious and unique. Each room is an entire world and it totally makes you want to take over and move in. My least favorite part was the crowd, but thatโ€™s usually that way itโ€™s like in touristy places.

Address:
Aleea Peleศ™ului 2, Sinaia

Hours:
Wednesday-Sunday 09: 15-17: 00 Monday and Tuesday closed

Book Tickets online

Restaurants in Sinaia

Great burger place

Before traveling from Sinaia to Bucharest, we pulled over for lunch. We went to a random restaurant that was nearest to our car rental office. I got a vegan burger and Roman ordered a normal burger with some extra toppings! We realized that we were late so we ended up taking the burgers for the road. Even though it was a short experience, it was a good one. The waiters were kind and there were some good vibes. We sat outside, and the weather was lovely! We also enjoyed the decor, it reminded us of summer!

I must say, it was not easy eating burgers while driving! Poor Roman, he had to eat and drive at the same time. Even though it was was a struggle they were some amazing burgers! Luckily the bread was really fresh and didnโ€™t collapse on us. The vegan burger had some potatoes and a lot of toppings. Romanโ€™s burger had some real quality meat, and with the toppings and sauces it was made into the perfect burger!  As a side, we got some delicious baked potatoes. We will definitely be back, and it will be the first place weโ€™ll visit next time weโ€™re in Sinaia.

Address:
Strada Cuza Vodฤƒ  and Aleea Serei

Taverna Sarbului – Serbian cuisine

About 200 meters from the hotel we stayed, there was a lovely Serbian restaurant that we decided to try. The space was very large, so if youโ€™re a part of a big group then itโ€™ll be perfect for you. They had probably the largest menu with the biggest variety Iโ€™ve ever came across!

There were so many options to choose from, and it was really hard to decide what to order! Eventually we ended up ordering a Serbian sausage, Greek salad, chicken with peppers, potatoes with spinach, and some soup. Everything was good, but it was nothing special. Just simple and good food. My favorite was the dish with the potatoes and spinach, but prepare yourselves for a lot of garlic!

Address:
Calea Codrului 34, Sinaia

Hours:
Everyday from 11am-midnight.

Irish House – an Irish Bar

Since we had a late lunch, we figured itโ€™ll take a while until weโ€™ll eat again. We searched for dinner at around 10:30pm and most restaurants were already closed. Luckily the Irish bar was still open and we got there half an hour before they closed the kitchen!

For starters we ordered 2 soups. I got chicken noodle and Roman ordered churbe soup. Both were really good, and mine was just the way I like it! Roman had a lot of beef in his so he was satisfied! For a main dish I ordered a grilled fish, and Roman ordered a shepardโ€™s pie, and also some pickles – which were fantastic. The fish was really fresh and tasteful, and I really enjoyed it.

The food was great, the prices were low, and the service was fantastic.

Address:
Bulevardul Carol I 18, Sinaia

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