Challenge - Stay home, share 3 travel photos - cities

delishtreats (70)in GEMS • 4 years ago

Let's continue with the Stay home, share 3 travel photos challenge. Today, I'd like to show you photos of some cities that I've visited over the last couple of years. I have picked three very different cities which have something in common - all of them are cities with long and interesting history and various architectural styles. I hope that you will enjoy the tour.

COLMAR

Colmar is a charming city on the Alsace Wine tour with specialization in Riesling and Gewürztraminer. We stayed there for three days and promised ourselves that one day we will take a few days off and visit more fairy-tale towns on the Alsace Wine tour. We visited this place last year in September and I remember that it was really hot, so hot that we spent half of the time sipping cold cocktails - not that I'm complaining...

The first mention of the city dates back to the 9th century. Colmar is well known as 'the Little Venice' which is the name given to the course of the river Lauch in the city. There are many bridges across the river from where you can admire colorful Alsace houses. It's like a fairy-tale! The best time to enjoy the city is very early in the morning when there are not that many tourists. I woke up at 6 AM and it was worth it! It was only me and a couple of photographers in the streets.

There are countless cafes and restaurants in the city, and they are always full. Food from this region is heavy but you can find healthier options too. It's a great place for a weekend trip and I hope that we will be able to go there again soon.

Picturesque Fishmonger District

LISBON

Lisbon has a special place in my heart as it was the first city that I have visited on my solo travels 2 years ago. I was excited and anxious at the same time. I was not sure how I would feel alone in a big city but let me tell you that as soon as I arrived, I knew that it was going to be alright.

People in Lisbon are very friendly and prices in restaurants are so cheap! There are so many options that you can't even choose where to go because you can't eat all day long. I must also say that I was feeling safe even in the evening when I was walking back to the hotel to the opposite side of the city late in the evening. The streets were almost empty, but the atmosphere was pleasant and not creepy at all.

If you go to Lisbon be ready for some exercise. It is built on seven hills and you will feel it in your legs if you decide to walk instead of using public transportation. It might be challenging but exploring Lisbon by foot is rewarding. And you might also come across some guys who will ask you for a drink in the worst English ever: I drink you tonight?

There are many young travelers spending some time in Lisbon each year and when you travel solo you can easily find someone to talk to. One night the waiter asked me if I didn't mind to have someone sitting at my table and I couldn't find a reason why not, so I spent all evening talking to a guy who traveled the world and had many interesting stories to tell. It was a fun evening!

Do you like street art? Then Lisbon is the right choice for you! There are stunning murals and graffiti in many parts of the city. Make sure to take a walk along the river to see the artwork created from trash by Bordalo II, or visit Bairro Alto and Alfama districts for the most beautiful murals.

The view from Castelo de S. Jorge

FLORENCE

I didn't know what to expect when I planned my trip to Florence. I thought it was a small city and a couple of days would be more than enough to explore all interesting sites. Well, I was so wrong! Florence surprised me with its charm and breathtaking details behind every corner. And I must say that I enjoyed it more than Rome (Rome had been my favorite city for many years).

I have never been in a place that would be as fascinating as Florence. You feel transported to the past centuries, absorbed in the atmosphere. There are many tourists around the city, but I somehow didn't mind as there were so many things to see.

We visited Ponte Vecchio (the first and that time the only bridge across the river), Palazzo Vecchio (Old Palace), Loggia of the Lanzi (a small open - air museum), Basilica Santo Spirito (Basilica from the 13th century), Basilica di Santa Croce (burial place for Michelangelo, Rossini, Machiavelli and Galileo Galilei), Duomo (the Cathedral), Uffizi (world-known gallery), and many more!

We had the best pasta ever and bought the most delicious veggies at the local farmer's market. There were bell peppers that were as big as my head! And those lemons - yum!

We walked more than 30000 steps every day, and I am sure that even if we would walk 50000 steps every day we would not manage to see everything in 3 days.

Florence is a must-see location and if you haven't been there yet, you should definitely include it in your bucket list!

This is Ponte Vecchio