Valachia – A Great Local Restaurant

I got a recommendation from a local on Instagram for this place, which is one of the many reasons I love social media. It enables you to meet people from all around the world and get insider tips from locals.

We got to the restaurant in the evening and it was almost full. There are a lot of tables, they have 2 floors inside and an outside area. The service it a bit slow, so you shouldn’t go while starving.
For an appetizer we ordered chorba soup (a traditional meal in Romania), it tastes a bit sour. I only had a few bites but it was good. Roman also ordered mamaliga (another traditional dish) and some sausage with beans.

I ordered spaghetti with cheese (I thought it was going to be similar to what my Romanian dad makes, but it was just pasta with cheese on top). The mamaliga was stuffed with cheese as well, and I didn’t really like it because it was too heavy. Roman seemed to enjoy it. We liked the sausage with bean course, it was really good.

For dessert we ordered papanash, which is sort of donuts with jelly, cream, and chocolate. I don’t really like fried foods but I’m sure who does will enjoy this.
Address:
Strada Govora 27, Cluj-Napoca
Hours:
Monday – Saturday 10: 00-23: 00 Sunday 13: 00-23: 00

Roots – Healthy Cafe with Great Food

For breakfast I looked up a place that serves some nutritional food and not just eggs with bacon. I found a recommendation for a place that served healthy breads and fresh juices, so we went there for breakfast.

I ordered an avocado toast – it was soo good. It was loaded with avocado and chilli (which ended up being a bit to spicy) and some lemon. The toast was a part of the meal that also included a banana bread – it was super good and I ended up taking one to-go 🙂 I also ordered orange and grapefruit juice.

You can customize your meal to your preference. You can choose a toast or a sandwich, banana bread or croissant, and you can even trade the juice for coffee.

Roman ordered the avocado toast as well but also a sandwich with ham and cheese. He enjoyed them both.
I really recommend this cute cafe for breakfast or just a light snack, for coffee, or juice.

Address:
Bulevardul Eroilor 4, Cluj-Napoca
Hours:
Monday-Friday 07:30-23:30, Saturday 09:00-23:30, Sunday 09:00-17:00

Makeba – Bar-bistro

We went here for lunch. The design was lovely, and they serve modern foods for great prices.
Roman got a burger and I ordered some salad with shrimps, and also a vegan dish with tofu and roasted veggies.

The food was overall good. The shrimp salad was good and so was the tofu, the only thing I was missing is some carbs.
The burger was classic, but not the best one Roman has ever had, but the price was good and the flavor as well.

Address:
Strada Inocențiu Micu Klein 23, Cluj-Napoca
Hours:
Monday – Friday 09:00 – 01:00, Saturday 11:00-02:00 and Sunday 11:00 – 00:00

The Lab Cocktail Bistro – A bar designed as a lab

We went to this place after seeing recommendations on the website Like a Local. We went to the bar after the local restaurant. We were really full and hungry, but the bar seemed so cool in the pictures and we had to check it out.

It is one of the best and coolest bars as far as design. Everything looks just like a lab. The walls, the tables, and even the bar itself. They went as far as the restrooms.

The drinks were served in flasks and whatnot – it was so cool. We were there practically by ourselves, it was late and the bartender said that most people go during the day or on the weekends. Both the cocktails we ordered were really yummy. We enjoyed the experience and forgot that we were ever tired.

Address:
Strada Avram Iancu nr. 12, Cluj-Napoca
Hours:
Monday – Friday 10:00 -00:00, Saturday 12: 00-02:00 and Sunday 12: 00-22:00

Cluj-Napoca is a beautiful city surrounded by nature. It’s a lot of fun to walk around, and enjoy what the city has to offer such as going to cute cafes and cool bars.

Tips before traveling to Cluj Napoca

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 – 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 Cluj Napoca

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 Cluj Napoca

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 Cluj Napoca

We stayed at a cute apartment building in the central of the city called Aparthotel Gutinului. The apartment itself was large and clean with a nice view. We loved the location which was on a quiet street but still very central. The only downside is that there is no concierge so the keys have to be picked up from a different hotel 600 meters away, so keep that in mind.

You can search for other places to stay in Cluj Napoca via Booking.

Botanical Gardens

The botanic gardens at Cluj-Napoca are super nice. It is a lovely place to walk around and spend a few hours at. There is so much to see and there are great walking trails.
You can buy coffee from the machine and sit around the Japanese gardens and enjoy the beauty.

We got to the gardens about an hour and a half before closing and we were a little disappointed that we couldn’t stay for longer. We went through everything quickly to see as much as we could.
There is a rose garden, Japanese gardens, greenhouse with cactuses, a tropical forest, huge lilies, a Romanian garden, and so much more. There are over 7000 different plants.

Hours
15 October – 7 April 09:00-16:00
8 April – 14 October 09:00 – 18:00
The greenhouse is closed every first Monday of each month.
It costs 10 Lei (Roman coin) and 2 for a map.
Address:
Strada Republicii 42, Cluj-Napoca

Fortress hill

Located in altitude of 405 meters, the fortress was built in the 18th century by the Austris. Today there are only remainings of walls and a tower.
To get to the top you have to climb a staircase, not too many of them but it could get exhausting. It was totally worth the climb since the view is the best I’ve seen of the city itself.

There are also 2 restaurants with a lovely view of the city. If you are not hungry, you could sit at the benches nearby.
It’s a great place for walking and enjoy the view and silence.
Address:
Strada Gruia, Cluj-Napoca

The Main Square

The St. Michaels Gothic Church is the best area in Cluj-Napoca. It is the main square and it has a catholic church. There are a lot of cool cafes with nice seating areas outside. There are also shops and restaurants and mostly awesome vibes 🙂 You can also rent a bike and ride them around the city.

Address:
Piața Unirii, Cluj-Napoca

Visiting the Salt Mine Salina Turda

About 40km away from Cluj-Napoca, you can discover one of the most beautiful salt mines. I highly recommend visiting there. I wrote a detailed post about it. Read about Salina Turda Salt Mine

In the past years Bucharest became into a modern city, democratic and hip with a lot of crazy nightlife, loads of restaurants and cafes! There is a lot to see, and a lot to do.

We stayed in the central area right next to the ancient city at an Airbnb, of course, that was really really nice! The place was modern and the location was great. The apartment was clean and nice to live in if you’re a couple or traveling solo! We actually never got to meet our host, but she was lovely and she sent us some recommendations to some places. The key guy was really nice as well.

Search for other accommodations

Things to do in Bucharest

Graffiti tour

We love tours and we usually go on a free tour at every destination we go to. I heard of a graffiti tour in Bucharest and I just felt like we had to go.
I really love street art and I enjoy listening to the stories behind the art. I like listening to other people’s interpretations of art, and in general I love learning of street artists, and what they are trying to portray with their work.

We usually don’t get tours that are not for free because they are pretty expensive and we like to travel on a low budget. The graffiti tour was only 15 euros and it sounded pretty reasonable. We got it through Open Doors, and we met the guide at the university grounds.

There were only 4 of us on the tour and it was really nice. We had a chance to ask a lot of questions and talk a lot with our nice guide. Her name is Elena and she led the tour beautifully, with a lot of explanations and humor.

She actually told us about the artists themselves and through their stories, we understood the meaning of the art much better, and not to mention of Romania and Bucharest. She explained exactly how Bucharest developed and changed over the years, and how much potential it has to change in the future.

The tour took about 2 hours, and we also got a lot of nice recommendations. The tour definitely topped my expectation. It was a lovely way to get to know the city. If you like art and wish to see the city through a different point of view, then I suggest you go on this tour.

Dinner at a local home

In Rome we went to dinner at a local’s house, and it was so fantastic, that we decided we were going to do it in each city we go to.
A common website to find locals is EatWith. The problem was, that in Romania there weren’t any hosts on the website so we decided to look it up on the internet to find someone.

After conducting a lot of research I found a couple that welcome people to their home. Their facebook page is “Eat With Bucharest Locals.” I set up a date and time to meet them, and they gave us their address.
We went over and we met a lovely family, Laura and Cosmin, and their beautiful one-year-old Eva. They set up a table with homemade sausage, eggs, veggies, and salsa. For the main course we had mamaliga, and cabbage filled with beef. For dessert we had apple pie with some ice cream.

The food was really homey, local, and mostly delicious. Simple home cooked food, just the way I like.
We had an enjoyable conversation with them, and we discovered a lot of new things of Romania. Like how they have a 2-year paternaty break from work, and the place of work still pays her 85% of the salary. They do that to encourage women to get pregnant.

Throughout dinner they told us about their lives, and we told them about ours. We found out that Cosmin works with homeless people. It felt like we were chatting with a couple of friends, and the conversation was really nice and interesting. We were there for about 3 hours, and maybe even more.
You have to pay according to what you see right, they don’t charge you a specific amount. We decided to give 33 euros for the both of us.

There is nothing more local than this experience. Don’t miss out on that dinner if you are in Bucharest.

A free tour of the city

As I have already mentioned, we always try to go on a free tour (that is tip-based).
of each city we visit.  We went on this tour with Walkabout.

The tour leaves every day at 10:00 and at 18:00. We obviously went for the morning tour. When we got to the gathering point there were already a lot of people who joined as well. We were a large group, but the guide took great care of all of us. She told us magnificent stories and showed us beautiful pictures. It was fascinating to learn of Bucharest.
It wasn’t too long ago that Bucharest was still a communist city and it was an entirely different city than what it is today.

It’s crazy to think that in such a short period of time a small city and country can change in 180 degrees.
On the tour, the guide told us of the parliament, the largest managerial city in the world. After that we continued to the ancient city where she told us about Dracula and the origins of its story. We passed through churches and we even had a coffee break at the Valley of the Kings.

We finished the tour at the university quarter and this is where we heard of the tales of what were the life like in Bucharest since the revolt and since the execution of Chaushesku.

Herastrau park

I really like parks and especially ones that have a lake. It’s a great place to go for a walk, to have a picnic, or just chill on the grass.
We got to the park in the late afternoon and we were hungry. We found a cool bar restaurant near the lake (you can find it in this post, click here).

After eating we just wandered around the park. Some people were running, and some were riding their bicycles. You can even go on a short boat ride. There is also a place for children to play, and a park with an inflatable castle and a huge pool filled with balls. It’s called Insula Copiilor.

Thai massage

If there is something I’m always in the mood for, it’s a massage.
After my visit to Thailand I absolutely fell in love with massages and ever since I always look for an excuse to get one.

I looked for a Thai massage in Brasov and Siniya and unfortunately I couldn’t find any. In Bucharest I finally found a few options.
In some of the places the prices were too high, and in others the recommendations were not too good. Eventually I ended up finding a decent place that had some good recommendations. A Thai massage was 35 euros per hour. The spa is called Balinese Spa Dorobanti.

The treatment and service were great, and the massage was incredible. For those who like a strong massage that also releases your sore muscles, the Thai massage is highly recommended. There is also a hot stone treatment as well as many others.

After the massage we went to a nice dinner at a Japanese restaurant that you can read of HERE.

Shopping at Afi Palace Cotroceni

We rarely get to go shopping when we are abroad because we travel with a carry on (we travel by low cost), and we also like to spend the least amount of money. Happens to be that in Romania Roman wanted to buy a new pair of trainers so that naturally made us go shopping.

We went for the AFI Palace Cotroceni which is a huge mall. There is a large area with attractions for children that include car racing on ice, a climbing wall, and more. There is a large cinema, a food court with 30 restaurants, and 300 shops.

While being on the search for Roman’s new shoes, I ended up buying a new pair for myself and also 2 hats that were on a really good deal.

Address:
Bulevardul Vasile Milea 4, București
Hours: 10am-10pm every day.

As someone who was born and raised in Northern Israel, I got to eat at a lot of restaurants located in the area. Even after I moved to Tel Aviv, I continued my journey of exploring culinary places in the North. There’s a pretty large variety of great restaurants.

I’m sure I missed some other great places but I promise to update this post once in every few months, so you’d want to subscribe to my newsletter and get updated as soon as I put my eyes on an awesome new place.

Restaurants at the Lower Galilee and Kineret

Al Aresha

A Sephardic restaurant located in Carmiel with breathtaking view. The experience is pretty cool; you get to sit on mats next to lower tables, so it’s unique. We were there with 6 children (my nephews), and they loved they place while we enjoyed the great food.

Map
FB page

Milk With The Wind

 This restaurant is adjacent to their milk products production area, and all the cheeses are house-made. It lays beneath beautiful trees and it feels as if you’re dining at a forest. There’s a magical touch to the place, and the food is unique and delicious. Site

1910 restaurant

Located at Tiberias Degania A, this chef restaurant serves mediterranean-Italian style food. They have delicious food, and they also have a taboon that makes amazing pizzas. The prices are decent and you’ll be full for sure.

Site
Map

Merinado Ein Gev

If you’re looking for a place to buy meat for your next BBQ then you just found a great option. They also make them on the spot so you can purchase them to eat right away.

Map

Restaurants at the Western Galilee

Arazim  

A Lebanese restaurant with great food and decent prices, located in Kibbutz Shlomi right next to Neharia. Worth the trip.

Map

Sohila

A hummus place in Akko. This is mine and my family’s holy grail of hummus, since I was little. Honestly, my dad is a customer since before I was born.

Map

Uri-Buri at Acco

Seafood restaurant that’s on the pricer side, but they serve really delicious food. Everything is incredibly fresh and the service is amazing.

Map

Akko old city Market

It’s just so nice to walk around the market and try all sorts of foods from the different stands. There is a nice Turkish bazaar and cute little restaurants.

Abu-Adham at Kfar Yassif

A delicious hummus place that one of my friends introduced me to. He’s from the Kibbutz so they go there every friday morning.

Map

Restaurants by the sea shore

Dolphin

Located in Haifa, this is a great seafood restaurant with a great lunch menu of a main course and more salads than you can ever eat. Their salads are delicious and different.

Map

Maayan Habira

Also located in Haifa, this is the center of Eastern European food, with great beers straight from their brewery. If you’re into dumplings, smoked meat and beers then that’s the place for you.

Map

House Restaurant at Ein Hawd

Located on the top of the mountain with breathtaking view, this Kurdish restaurant is menu-less. They simply serve a ton of salads and amazing dishes. By the end of your meal you go downstairs to sit at the chill area, where you can drink coffee or tea, and have some dessert.

Map

There are endless restaurants and food carts in the streets of Tel-Aviv, but if you’re looking for food of all sorts of cultures you might want to make a trip downtown.
In the area of the Tel-Aviv Central Bus Station (located right off Levinsky street), and also in the station itself, you will find delicious street food that is also cheap, and a culinary experience you won’t find anywhere else.

Filipino Street Food at the Tel-Aviv Central Bus Station

Eating at a central bus station doesn’t sound like the most exciting culinary experience, but once you actually go you’ll find a whole world of good and cheap Filipino food.

When we first walked into the Central Bus Station we got lost because there were so many food stands and so many people! Don’t ask us how, but somehow we managed to find the Filipino section and it was definitely worth the visit.
Keep reading to see the exact directions of how to find the Filipino section between all the other food trucks!

The Soup Stand

This restaurant offers soups, bao, smoothies, and frozen groceries.
The best part about this place is the soup.
They have 3 different types of soups:

• A soup that is slowly cooked with meat, noodles, scallion, lettuce, and egg.
• Rice soup with chicken.
• Soup with pasta and calamari.

The price is as cheap as 15 NIS for each soup!

You will also find bao for 10 NIS that come with either beef, ham, or veggies.

The smoothies are also cheap. You can get a small size for 10 NIS and a large for 15 NIS.
All the soups smelled and looked so good. Our pick was the slowly cooked beef soup.

To be honest, I was a little worried that the soup will be too thick and fatty, but it was so flavorful and super delicious. It was really filling, and so cheap, that I would definitely go back to eat it again.You can either sit there or take it to go. We chose to eat at the place, and it was really nice and clean.

Opening hours are:
Sunday-Friday: 09:00-21:00
Saturday: 16:00-23:00

Filipino food and dessert stands

Right across from the food restaurant there are a few dessert stands as well as other types of foods. We had to try something else, and so we decided to try out the stand closest to the market.

We tried beef shish kebabs, which were well-seasoned and super delicious, and the best part is that it only cost 5 NIS! We also took home a dish with beef that was 15 NIS. According to my husband Roman, the beef was overall good but it wasn’t perfect.
Opening hours are Friday and Saturday only from the morning until the night.

All the stands have a big variety of desserts. We especially loved the sweet desserts that are made out of sticky rice, sweet potato, and especially the casava. There were so many more to try! Last time we were there we ate dessert in different flavours. It was just the right amount of sweet, so it wasn’t heavy. Makes the perfect dessert along with a great cup of coffee.

In the different stands you’ll be able to find all sorts of foods that you can also wrap to-go for as cheap as 15 NIS. We once tried a beans dish, which was good, but it left a bitter after-taste that I didn’t really like. Who knows, maybe it was a one time thing, and so I should definitely try it again.

Change store with Filipino food inside

If you go a little further away from the stands, on the left side of the soup restaurant you will find a change spot that also sells bao, all sorts of dishes, and a dessert with banana and seasoned peanuts.

Thailand is known for their banana desserts, and during our last visit we tried some of them, fell in love, and so we decided to try the banana-peanut dessert that the change spot had to offer. One serving is as cheap as 4 NIS and it tasted fantastic.

We also decided to buy a seasoned peanut bag for 10 NIS. When we first tried them, we associated the flavour with that of the seasoned cashew we used to eat in Vietnam and Thailand. The peanuts were really well-seasoned, and would make for a perfect snack while drinking beer.

Opening hours: Sunday-Friday 09:30-20:00
Saturday: 16:00-21:00

Directions to the Food court at the central bus station

Basically, you can get to the food court from every entrance at the central bus station.
The easiest way is through the main entrance on Levinsky street.

Simply go straight down the hall and make a right when you face an intersection. Keep going straight until you see a McDonald’s on your right. Keep going straight down (make sure you pass a lottery stand), and then go up the hill, make a right, and discover an entire food court with delicious smell of food in the air with Eastern-Asian vibes.

So next time you want to try some authentic food that comes cheap, I highly recommend exploring the central bus station. I know that a lot of you choose not to go there often, but I promise you’ll have an experience you won’t find anywhere else in Israel, with extremely delicious food.

Chinese restaurant in Neve Sha’anan, Tel-Aviv

If you ever craved incredible Chinese food such as bao with beef, noodles, great dumplings and much more, I suggest you pay a visit to 26 Neve Sha’anan street to satisfy those cravings.

They have the best bao I have ever had. We’re talking large buns and the dough-to-meat ratio is pure perfection. The bao in filled with a juicy meatball that is perfectly sauced. You can also have a side of hot sauce that if you ask me always upgrades anything.
Each bao is 10 NIS.

You can choose dumplings with different fillings such as chicken, pork, or vegetarian, and the portion you get is great for the price you pay.
The dumplings are 25 NIS.

The noodles come with meat/calamari/vegetarian and it’s super delicious.
The noodles are 30 NIS but with the calamari it’s 37 NIS.

On the menu you will also find soups, egg rolls, duck, and more. The prices are overall cheap, but the duck is a bit more expensive.

The restaurant has been under construction recently so it’s super nice and clean to sit down and enjoy your meal. The employees are really nice, and if you’re not too hungry you could choose to have a beer with some peanuts.
The restaurant is open everyday from the morning and until the evening.

Jerusalem is a very unique city. It is full of history and culture and there is a lot to learn and to see. You can wander around the streets, but in my opinion the best way to experience the city is by taking tours. The tours help you to learn all the stories behind each place and they do it in an interesting way.

There were several tours that I did in Jerusalem and each one of them was special in its own way, and from each tour I learned different stuff. I did the tours through different companies and two of them were during a travel bloggers conference to which bloggers and travel companies came from all around the world. They were all impressed with Jerusalem.

Tours in Jerusalem

Western Wall Tunnels tour

The tunnels started to be exposed already in the 19th century, but only a few years ago did they start to expose all the underground remains, as a result of Israel’s government’s decision to renew the digging.

We really liked the tour and the experience of walking in the tunnels. Another thing that I liked is that you can put your prayer in the wall, there are much less prayers in the wall so it felt more personal to me.
The tunnels are really impressive and it’s hard to believe that this place has existed for 3000 years and that such a big place exists underground.

The easiest option is to book the tour online.
The tour is in: English, Hebrew, Spanish, French, and Russian.
You can select the language and then the date and hour

The tours are on Sunday-Friday. The duration of the tour is about an hour.
Prices:
Adult 30 shekels
Child 5-18, student, soldier, senior citizen, handicap 15 shekels

A tour-game in Machane Yehuda market

I did the tour with Israel ScaVentures company during the travel blogger conference. In the beginning I hesitated to choose this tour because I had visited the “Machane Yehuda” market several times. But then I arrived to the meeting point and it turned out that it’s not a regular tour, but a missions’ game in the market (I already been excited for the idea)

We were a group of ten people and they split us to two groups. Each team got a missions notebook, a paper to write on, a pan, and a market’s map.
The missions themselves were funny, interesting, and really got us to delve into the market and the merchants. There are missions that require talking with the merchants, missions of taking pictures, missions of navigation, and more.

Through the missions I got to know the market better and also the people themselves. The collaboration between the team members was fun and we really bonded.
I think that the idea of tour/game is very good and unique and it also allows to consolidate between people and also to experience the place in a different way.

They do activities in Hebrew, English, French and Spanish.
The scavenger hunts are great for families, corporate groups, and they have a special Bar/bat Mitzvah program where kids can learn to guide the activity.

They have routes in Jerusalem, Tel Aviv-Jaffa, TZfat, and Massada
I definitely recommend it 🙂

Tour in the old city

This is a tour I also did during the conference with sandeman’s tours company (We also did tours with this company in Berlin, Prague and Dublin).
Our guide was Ellan, a very nice guy that had a comprehensive knowledge about Jerusalem.

The duration of the tour was about 2-3 hours.
During the tour we passed through all the four quarters and in each place Ellan stopped, he told us about it in a very informative way.

I visited a lot of times in Jerusalem but knew fifth from what he told us.
I learned a lot from the tour and really love his explanations and the way he described every place. We were a pretty large group and yet he succeeded to do the tour in a very clear and interesting way.

Even if you visited Jerusalem’s old city many times, believe me you can still learn a lot from it.
The company also has free tours (based on tips) in Jerusalem city, and a paid tour in the old city.

The tour cost 28 euro for a person and it’s in English.
The old city tour leaves every day at 11:00 from Jaffa gate.
And the free tour leaves every day at 11:00 and at 14:00 from Jaffa gate also.
They also have tours in Tel Aviv, Masada, and in many cities in Europe. It’s worth visiting their site if you travel in Israel or other cities in Europe.

Jerusalem is such a unique city with a long history and many holy places for several religions. It’s filled with contrasts like: the old vs the new, religious vs secular, daylife vs nightlife, the old city vs the modern city, and all of these contrasts make Jerusalem even more magical.

Every time I visit Jerusalem, I feel like a tourist; every time I discover new places and every time I learn about history facts that I wasn’t aware of.
Since the are so many things to do there, I wrote about the stuff that I love the most. I’m sure that every time I go, I will have more things to add to the list

Things to do in Jerusalem

Lighting show in City Of David

WOW. This is one of the most impressive shows I saw in Israel and in Jerusalem itself. It is just a breathtaking sight and I’m not talking only about the lighting show, but about the City of David too.
When I walked into the fortress, I felt like I returned to a time thousands of years ago. It’s such a spectacular structure; so big and so beautiful

After a few minutes of wandering in the fortress we sat to see the lighting show.
I was amazed with the entire show that tells about the history of Jerusalem. It combines music and video on the fortress itself.

Words can’t describe this experience. You just need to go there and experience it by yourself 🙂
The show is in an open area so it’s recommended to bring warm clothes with you, especially in the cold months.

It’s forbidden to take pictures there (since I went there during a bloggers’ conference, they gave us a special permission to take pictures, so I didn’t break the law.
After the lighting show you can have a tour in the museum.

Tickets price
Adult: lighting show 55 nis, combined tickets to the show and museum are 70 nis
Senior citizen or a student: lighting show 50 nis, combined tickets to the show and museum are 55 nis
Child: lighting show 45 nis, combined tickets to the show and museum are 55 nis
Soldier or handicap: lighting show 30 nis, combined tickets to the show and museum are 40 nis

Lively nightlife in Machane Yehuda Market

During the day the Machane Yehuda Market is a really great market full of stalls and restaurants. You can find fresh ingredients and a great atmosphere there. Once the daily stalls start to close, the bars and the night restaurants start to open.

This market doesn’t rest for a minute.
When you go there at night it’s such a different experience from in the morning. There are many bars. Each bar puts chairs and tables outside, there are musicians and Dj’s and an amazing atmosphere with fun and alcohol.

You don’t have to make an effort in order to go out, you just need to go to the market and pass from one pub to another.

Another great thing that I loved about the night market is that if you suddenly get hungry, then you have several restaurants that are open until late hours. We ate pasta in Pasta Basta after hanging out in the market’s bars. It was nice because I hadn’t had time to eat dinner before going. It was cheap, filling and tasty.

Eat a great breakfast

Jerusalem is a good place to eat a great breakfast. You can go to a nice restaurant or eat in a hotel. Even if you are not staying in a hotel there are some that offer their breakfasts not only to their guests.
We went to the Inbal Hotel, a 5-stars hotel with a design that combines modern and ancient styles. One of the most beautiful hotels I have seen.

From the moment we entered the hotel I felt like I was in a luxury hotel, and what I liked even more was that the breakfast didn’t disappoint us.
A huge variety of good cheeses, smoked fishes, salads, fresh bread and pastries, and much more. They serve you a great coffee. This is the way to start your morning.

Lovely atmosphere, beautiful design, tasty food, and great service.
The breakfast cost 115 nis per person. It’s recommended to call the hotel before arriving because if it’s fully booked maybe they won’t allow non-guest to eat there.
The breakfast is served every day from 06:30-10:30

Assaf Granit’s restaurants

If you are visiting Jerusalem, you must try one of Assaf’s restaurants. He has several restaurants there (I stopped counting how many);  he even has branches in London. All of his restaurants are amazing and completely different from one another.

We went to Mona, which is a fancy restaurant. We sat on the bar and had a great evening. The bartender recommended us to dry white wine that fit perfectly with our taste. The crab bisque was so amazing that I still think about it once in a while.

On another time we went to Talbiyah which is more of a restaurant bar. Cool vibes and a great design. We also sat there on the bar and ordered wine and some dishes. The polenta is one of Assaf’s signature dishes and it’s really good.

Machneyuda is his most famous restaurant, I haven’t gone there yet but Roman has. And he said that it has a really happy, loud, Israeli atmosphere. So if you are looking for a unique Israeli experience, this is the restaurant to try.

Tours in Jerusalem

In Jerusalem you can find many types of tours. I really recommend to try at least one of them because it will give you another aspect of the city. I wrote a post about the tours that I tried and liked. To read more about the tours

Rome is so gorgeous. Everywhere you look, you will see an amazing Piazza or a stunning architecture.  Rome is full of history, good restaurants, cool bars, Delicious gelato, cute coffee shops and more.
We’ve visited twice – once as a couple and the second time with our two daughters, ages 2.5 and 5.5, in August 2025. If you’re traveling to Rome with kids, I recommend reading the post I wrote about Rome with kids.

One great tip I wish I’d known before our trip is to get a Go City Pass. It can save you up to 90Euro on Rome’s top attractions and includes entry to places like the Colosseum, the Vatican, and over 100 other sites – all with one pass. It’s a super convenient way to explore as much as possible without worrying about buying individual tickets every time.

Eat with the locals

We really love local experiences and when I looked at the “EatWith” website (a cool website for recommendations from the locals) I saw a nice option for a dinner in a local house. The host’s name is Francesca. The meal including the hosting in the local house, a meal and wine. I thought it was a really great idea, so we made a reservation for our second evening in Rome. Link to Francesca’s experience

Francesca’s home is a little bit far from the center (about an hour ride in bus), but it was nice to ride in the bus to a different area that was less crowded in Rome.

When we arrived at her home, we were amazed at the way the table was designed and the smells from the food were so good .The apartment itself was decorated really nicely.

Francesca welcomed us with a smile and she also invited a partner, Pasquale, to join us for dinner. On the table the appetizers were already served, which were very delicious and Pasquale opened a great white wine for us. As a second dish we ate a really good pasta and for the main course, an amazing meat. For dessert Francesca made tiramisu. Everything was so delicious and simple; exactly the way I love it. The atmosphere was very clam and we had a great conversion with both of them.

All the experience was excellent and we loved the combination of good food and good companions.
We are definitely going to try this kind of meal in other destinations that we visit.

Visiting the Vatican at night

The Vatican is one of the places that you must visit in Rome, but I wanted to show you an option that maybe you weren’t aware exists. From the end of April till the end of October, every Friday you can visit the Vatican at night.

Fortunately, while we were staying there, it was the first Friday that people were allowed to visit in the night, so we booked our tickets in advance from the internet.

An entrance + audio + tax for the internet order. The advantage in ordering on the internet is that you can skip the line (which is really good if the line is long).
In our case there was no line but we couldn’t predict it.
We arrived at the Vatican at 20:30

In the beginning we thought of taking a tour but I’m happy that we did it only with the audio. That way we could stop and listen about places that interested us and skip places that didn’t.  Another great thing about visiting it by night is that it’s not too crowded. There were even a few times that we were almost alone in a room.

I must admit that in the beginning I wasn’t sure if I wanted to visit the Vatican, but I’m so, so glad I did. It’s absolutely gorgeous. There were some rooms that left me speechless. What an amazing art. It’s hard to believe that in the past there were people who painted the same wall for 8 years. It’s one of my best art & museums experiences.

If you want to visit the Vatican during the day, then I recommend ordering tickets in advance so that you can also save standing in line. Link to order discounted tickets.

If you plan to visit both the boutique and the Coliseum then I recommend purchasing the combined ticket.
Link to order tickets for a combined visit.

Rose and Orange gardens

One of the places I loved the most in Rome. Why? Because it’s so beautiful and less touristy (at least when we visited).
In the Rose garden there are benches above the stairs which overlook the garden and city. You can sit there for hours and enjoy the beauty. You can also have a little picnic there.

The Orange garden is at about a 10-minute walk from the Rose garden. It’s less impressive than the first, but it’s really nice and the great thing about it, is that it has a great viewpoint over the city.
The gardens are located pretty close to the colosseum (about 30 minutes walking) so you can visit them on the same day.

The entrance to the gardens is free. In the summer they are open from the morning until the evening and in the winter they are open until the afternoon.

Free walking tour

As usual, we booked a free tour (based on tips) in advance. We booked it for our first day in Rome for the afternoon (16:00). We wanted to get to know the city as fast as possible and there isn’t a better way to do so, other than a tour.

We arrived at the tour pretty exhausted because our flight was in the early hours of the morning, so we slept about 2 hours in the night, anyhow the tour was so fascinating that we did all of it and had a blast.

The tour was with the company “Rome’s ultimate”.
There were several things that I really loved about this company.
Their tours are only for small groups of up to 15 persons. That’s awesome because in large groups it’s hard to ask questions and the guide can’t pay attention to everyone.

And because the group is small the guide doesn’t need to walk with an umbrella (as a sign) so it feels less touristic and the best thing was that our guide was amazing. His name is Jobe and he was funny and told us a great story about the places on the way (instead of boring facts). He really described the way it was in the past so it was easy to imagine it.
I really recommend this company. They also have other tours but we only tried the free walking tour.

Bone church

We heard about this church from our guide in the tour. We asked him for  unique recommendations of things to do in Rome and this was one of his recommendations. It sounded interesting so we went there.

There are two churches in the building, so in the beginning we accidently went to the wrong one. But then we went to the right one. The Santa Maria della Concezione dei Cappuccini church. The entrance cost 8.5 euro. A little bit pricy but we were curious to see how it looked. It’s forbidden to take pictures there and I think it’s good because it keeps it mysterious and surprising when you go there (so don’t look at pictures from the internet). I can’t say it’s a pretty church, but it’s definitely different from all the churches I’ve seen before and it’s really interesting and impressive. In this church there are more than 4000 bones.

Campo De Fiori market

There is no way we would visit a city without going to at least one local market. In Campo De Fiori we visited one every day and sometimes even several times a day because it was 100m from our apartment (we chose the Airbnb apartment because of its location).

This market is so great/ it’s not crowded it’s filled with local, fresh ingredients. I ate fruits there, Roman bought a sausage and cheese sandwich. In our last day we bought 5 different cheeses in order to have a picnic on our way to Lucca. The cheeses were delicious.

If you are renting an apartment in Rome, this market is a great place to buy local ingredients to cook in the apartment. The market is surrounded with many good restaurants, bars, and coffee shops.
The market is open from Monday-Saturday 07:00-14:00 (sometimes even later) closed on Sundays

Palatine Hill and the Colosseum

After the Rose and Orange Gardens we wandered around and saw the Palatine Hill by accident. It’s such an incredible place. “The Palatine Hill is the centremost of the Seven Hills of Rome and is one of the most ancient parts of the city. It stands 40 metres above the Roman Forum, looking down upon it on one side, and upon the Circus Maximus on the other” (from Wikipedia).

We wandered around there for about one hour and a half and then we went by foot to the Colosseum. All this area was so impressive and huge and so amazing. It is worth visiting for several hours.

To order tickets to the Colosseum

Thai massage

I’m a massage addict 😉 and luckily during our stay in Rome I had my birthday, so it was a great excuse as to why I should so a massage and Rome is so big and every day we walked there so much time that in the end of the day my feet needed a massage.

I searched for a recommended place and I found “Nora Thai massage”. They have great reviews and one of their branches was close to our apartment.
Address: Via Del Gesù 56Roma.

A traditional Thai massage cost 50 euro for 60 minutes. It’s not cheap but it’s a reasonable price.
I really liked the place itself. Very clean, it smelled very good and with calm atmosphere. The room treatment was very welcoming and it even had its own private shower.

The massage itself was fantastic; it was a great present for my birthday.

Eating Gelato

Even though I’m not a huge fan of ice creams, everyone told me I should try it in Italy, so I just had to. And I have to be honest; it was really good. We stopped on the way in Venchi Gelateria that afterwards we discovered that it’s one of the most famous and best in Rome so we were lucky.

I tried the caramel flavour in a cone topped with chocolate and nuts. And Roman tried the mango and strawberry sorbet. They were so good and the Gelateria itself is really awesome. They have a chocolate waterfall wall. Wow.

Wandering around Rome and enjoying its beauty

Rome is so stunning, it’s hard to describe it with words. Every few seconds we would stop and say, “Wow, this is amazing”/ every five minutes of walking you will encounter a beautiful Piazza (where you can sit to relax). Every two minutes you see another impressive structure. Rome is full of great restaurants, coffee shops, shops, wine bars, and people. It’s a city that is a must.

Tips before traveling to Rome

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 – 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.

Where to sleep in Rome?

We slept in an Airbnb apartment near the Campo de Fiori market. We liked the location even though it was quite noisy in the evening (so try not to sleep too close to the market but in a quieter alley especially if you come with children). The apartment itself was small and stuffy so I don’t recommend it 🙂
To search for a hotel or apartment in Rome.

Car rental in Rome

In Rome there is no need to rent a car and it is even better not to because there is excellent public transport and there are no parking spaces. But if you plan to make a trip and leave Rome (like we did), then the most convenient is to rent a car.

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.

Booking tickets for popular attractions in Rome

1. Visiting the Colosseum – booking tickets
2. Visiting the Vatican – booking tickets
3. Vatican + Colosseum visit – booking tickets for a combined visit
4. Visiting the Pantheon – booking tickets
5. Tourist bus Hop-on Hop-off Bus – booking tickets
6. Rome tourist card – booking tickets

I 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 on the blog’s social networks: Facebook and Instagram. Looking for more information about Rome ? I have in the blog more posts about Rome and posts about Italy.

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Rome is so gorgeous. Everywhere you look, you will see an amazing Piazza or a stunning architecture.  Rome is full of history, good restaurants, cool bars, Delicious gelato, cute coffee shops and more.

In Rome we stayed at an Airbnb apartment near to Campo De Fiori market.

Search for other accommodations

Italian restaurants in Rome

Pasta Imperial- A home-style Pasta Restaurant

We came across this restaurant while walking on a tour around the city. During the tour we passed by Pasta Imperiale and our guide recommended it saying it was delicious – or, delizioso.

He mentioned that it was a great place with some great prices. After we finished the tour, we had to go back for dinner. Once we got there, we found out we had a few options: we could either customize our pasta – pick our pasta type and sauce, or choose straight from the menu. My husband Roman ordered spaghetti with tomato sauce and meatballs, and I took a heavenly ravioli filled with ricotta cheese and asparagus in sage & butter sauce.

Both pasta dishes were incredible. They were light, and I especially loved that the pasta is made in-house. The sage & butter sauce was cooked to perfection. It was not too greasy and the ravioli was so flavorful. Roman’s spaghetti was successful and the meat was delicious.

For dessert Roman ordered a tiramisu, but I didn’t eat any just because I don’t like it in general.

Address:
Via dei Coronari, 160, 00186 Roma, Italy
Hours:
12pm-10pm 7 days.

Forno Campo De Fiori

We stayed at an Airbnb and the owner recommended this great restaurant that was right down the street from us. So of course we had to go and check out a recommendation from a local.

We tried the margarita pizza and zucchini + cheese pizza. YUM. They were both amazing. It was made the right way with a thin crust, just like the Italians know how to do it. The zucchini pizza was a great surprize, it tasted like a combination of a quiche with pizza. The margarita tasted really really fresh. (Italians are known for making their own cheese).

It was a good price and they charge by weight. It’s a super popular restaurant so there was a bit of a line.
Roman had to go back, so during those times he just ordered a slice to go since it was so close to our apartment.

Address:
Vicolo del Gallo, 14, 00186 Roma, Italy
Hours:
Monday-Saturday 7:30am-10pm
Sunday: closed.

Casa Savoia – A Luxury Dining Experience

Roman surprised me by taking me to this restaurant on my birthday. It was so amazing celebrating in Rome. He booked it in a advance because it’s super high demand.
We fell in love with the restaurant right away. The design was really nice and luxurious. Everyone were dressed so fancy and it felt like a 5-star restaurant.

We were a few minutes early, so our table was not yet ready. While we were waiting they treated us with some bubbly. A few minutes later, we got our table and sat down.
Roman specifically asked for a table near the window, so we got the city view and it was so lovely.

The dishes on the menu were so unique, that we absolutely had no idea what to pick. There was also an option to pay 50 euros for the chef’s specialty which includes 3 appetizers, a main course, and dessert. It sounded like a great option, but we ended up ordering the most delicious-sounding courses from the menu.

We ordered some octopus, 2 pasta meals and the fish of the day. They were all delightful and we loved the service and the vibes.

I must say that there were other restaurants with more surprising dishes that we found on our trip (at Lucca and Lake Como). However, this was an excellent restaurant if you want to experience a lovely romantic evening with some great food.

Address:
Via Savoia, 68, 00198 Roma, Italy
Hours:
Open 7 days from 12:30pm-3pm and 8pm-12am

Feeling like locals at Trattoria Da Enzo

We went to Trattoria Da Enzo after our visit to the orange garden. It was about a 15 -minute walk. We went to the area because we found a local’s recommendation to a restaurant. When we got to the place she recommended, it was pretty much empty, but the place next door seemed filled with life and the scents coming from the kitchen were incredible.

As you can figure we decided to go to the other place, and I was so happy with our decision. We ordered some appetizers, a ricotta cheese with jam and local olive oil with bread. They were both so good, and the ricotta was the creamiest & best I’ve ever had.

As main courses we ordered the veal and carbonara. The veal was really good; the meat was cooked to perfection and the flavours were subtle. However, the carbonara was not the greatest.

I peeked to other people’s tables and the pastas they ordered looked and smelled delicious.
I recommend going to this restaurant because you will feel like a true local, but just don’t get the carbonara. The ricotta is a must.

Address:
Via dei Vascellari, 29, 00153 Roma, Italy
Hours:
Monday-Saturday 12:30pm-3pm and 7:30pm-11pm
Sunday: closed.

Mercato Hostaria – The home of delicious Carbonara

Right after we landed, we went straight to Mercato Hostaria. It’s located right next to the campo de fiori market, and it was a totally random pick. We had to choose from all kinds of delicious looking restaurants.
I just ordered some salad because I wasn’t feeling too hungry, and Roman ordered some Carbonara (he’s always hungry.)

The salad was eh, or in other words: plain, just a bunch of veggies cut with loads of lettuce and no dressing. On the other hand of the table, Roman ate his dish in less than a minute. I only got a single bite before he devoured it, and I would have to agree with Roman, it was really delicious and unique.

It was the best carbonara of our entire trip. That is why, we gave this restaurant the name of the number one carbonara restaurant.

Address:
Piazza Campo de’ Fiori, 53, 00186 Roma, Italy
Hours:
Open 7 days from 9am-3am
On Sundays they close on midnight.

Universo Vegano – A Vegan Restaurant

We actually came across this cute vegan place while we were on the search for a small birthday cake. They had a few cakes displayed near the cashier. I got my eyes hooked on the vegan cheesecake. It looked really good and the waiter recommended it. It was covered with fruit jello and it had chocolate at the bottom. It tasted as good as it looked.

Since I was not hungry, I didn’t get a chance to eat anything other than cake but the menu seemed good and the prices were low.
They had vegan burgers, pastas and salads. So if you’re looking for a good vegan place then this is a great spot.

Address:
Piazza del Paradiso, 18, 00186 Roma, Italy – They have more locations all across Italy.

Rome is so gorgeous. Everywhere you look, you will see an amazing Piazza or a stunning architecture.  Rome is full of history, good restaurants, cool bars, Delicious gelato, cute coffee shops and more.

In Rome we stayed at an Airbnb apartment near to Campo De Fiori market.

Search for other accommodations

Bars in Rome

Jerry Thomas Speakeasy – Underground Cocktail Bar

This is by far one of the coolest cocktail bars I’ve ever been to, ever…
The bar is hidden behind a large wooden door, and gives the impression that it isn’t a bar at all. At first, we thought we got the wrong address.

It was only after we knocked on the door and discovered a pair of eyes with a huge mustache peeking through a tiny window, asking us for the password to get in. That’s when we knew we were at the right place. We didn’t know what the password was, so he asked us if we were members. We smiled and said that we were not, but it was birthday (which really was.) so we’d love to get in and become members. In hindsight we could’ve found the password on the website and not pay the membership fee. At least now we’re members for life 🙂

As soon as we got a table we were given the drinks menu. We explained the waiter the kinds of drinks that we like and he gave us the best recommendations. The vibes were incredible; sitting there felt like we were in a movie scene from the 1920’s. The waiters and bartenders were dressed in vintage fashion, and the bar had a unique design that reminded us of the 20’s as well.

The only downside to it is that smoking isn’t prohibited, so it got pretty smoky in there. I guess there’s some kind of charm to it as well.

The cocktails were AMAZING. They got it just right. We loved spending my birthday at the vintagey-classic-movie-style bar, and we especially loved the little window at the door. It felt like we actually walked into a movie. We could not have thought of a better way to end my birthday. I highly recommend this place.

Address:
Vicolo Cellini, 30, 00186 Roma, Italy
Hours:
Closed on Sunday & Monday.
Open Tuesday-Saturday 10PM-4PM

Makasar – An Intimate Wine Bar

After our visit to the Vatican, we wanted to go to a cafe. I opened my restaurant finder app to see what’s good and open around us.

There was a nice-looking place 10 minutes away from us, so we decided to go for it. When we got there, we found out that it was more of a wine bar than a cafe, and the decor was super cool… there were awesome chill vibes. We decided to skip the coffee and go straight to cheese and wine.

I ordered Rose by the glass, Roman ordered white wine, and we both shared a cheese platter. We had the best time. The waitress was really nice, and the music was amazing… The cheese was great and the wine was spectacular… What else could one ask for?

Address:
Via Plauto, 33, 00193 Roma, Italy
Hours:
Sunday: 5pm-12am
Monday-Thursday: 12pm-12am
Friday-Saturday: 12pm-2am

Cafes in Rome

Roscioli Caffe – A Standing-Style Cafe

This is a super popular cafe located right next to Campo De Fiori. If you ever feel like recharging with a quick cup of cappuccino and a freshly baked pastry then this is the right place to go to.

We ordered 2 cappuccinos and I took 3 cookies, but ended up eating only 2 because they were too sweet 🙂 Roman ate a sandwich croissant, that he really liked.

The coffee was excellent. There’s usually a line, but it clears up quickly. People just go to grab a quick cup of Italian coffee, maybe eat a little something sweet, and just leave.
There’s also a side room where you can go and sit down, but usually there are events, and besides, if you want to do it like a true Italian then just grab and go.

Address:
Piazza Benedetto Cairoli, 16, 00186 Roma, Italy
Hours:
Monday-Saturday: 7am-11pm
Sunday: 8am-6pm

Martin gallery – A Lovely Gallery-Cafe

After our visit to the lovely rose garden, and on our way to the Platin and the Colosseum, we came across a cafe that we instantly fell in love with.
It is a new cafe that opened just recently, filled with art and vibrant colors, and everything from the dishes to the vases is covered with hand paintings.

The coffee they serve is high-quality Arabic coffee, and they also serve a variety of pastries and all sorts of dishes that are all displayed at the front window.
Usually, the artist himself is physically at the cafe and there is an option to get your own customized mug.

This was my favorite cafe in all of Rome. I love art, and especially in places such as cafes. The vibrant colors gave incredible energy that makes me wish I could visit every day.

Address:
Via dei Cerchi 55A, Rome, Italy 00100
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