#offbeat

After 3 nights in Slovakia the previous year. I knew I had to come back and allow it more time. I could tell the place has potential and things that I appreciate. Much on the lines or offbeat, less crowded and new. While the main destinations barely remain a secret and allow such luxuries. I find taking chances with lesser known ones to be rewarding more often. I was looking on the map and Banska seem to be on the way and allowed for convenient transport. It was referred to as a mining town but the initial research mostly painted otherwise. First impressions from the old town were reassuring. It seemed like a small to mid sized city. And its location at the edge of a national Park allows for greener views. The main square certainly seemed lively. So not all that offbeat anymore. I could very well see tourists all around. Walking allowed me a grasp of what was where. This main square leads to the Dolna street. The historical centre is really quite a small slice of Banská Bystrica, but it’s definitely packed with major attractions. Two of the standout attractions remain the Marian column and the black obelisk. I also recommend the Castle which provides for the medieval element. With the natural uprising museum, architectural spots scattered across the city and the gorgeous views or the hills. There is plenty to keep a traveller occupied. #myhiddengems #slovakia #cherryblossom2024 #europe #summerdestinations #offbeat #100waysoftravel #singapore

It has always bothered me when i have had friends who visited spain and came back with stories of just Barcelona, Madrid or even Seville. Valencia deserves so much more credit than what it receives. First and foremost, it is not as crowded or as touristy as the most popular places I spoke of earlier. More importantly, it opens up a door of authentic experiences. Par extraordinaire, a blend of the most modern and historic. Valencia offers a satisfying combo of sights, cultural and architectural delights. Some may argue that it lacks the character of Spanish cities. But I'd like to point out that this is a city with a bull fighting ring in the centre of it. It does have old heritage, squares and food experiences that await you. If you value the non-touristy, if your scales can measure more than just sunny beaches, night clubs and tourist traps. Valencia will offer you things worthy of appreciation. A practical way to live, affordable food even for a tourist, appreciate works of local artists on the streets of el Carmen and much more than I could mention. And if you make it here in March then experiencing the Las Fallas will make for an unforgettable memory. #myhiddengems #spain #summerdestinations #100waysoftravel #myhiddengems #europe #offbeat #myitinerary

After an eventful weekend in Amsterdam, I moved to Utrecht on a Monday. Monday was dedicated to recovering sleep and hydration with a little bit of bakery snacking at random hours. When it came to ideas for things to do on the next day. My host who'd be busy over the weekdays recommended amersfort for the day's budget of strolling, with the instruction "just walk around". Amserfoort is about 20 kms from where I was in Utrecht. The plan was to take a train ride. Plenty of services through out the day. I might have paid about 9 Euros and it took barely 15-20 mins of riding the train. First impressions, it came across as quiet, spacious (well could have been the lack of tourists) which was nice. Being lesser know is what makes this place a hidden gem and works in it's favour. I walked around looking for a place to have coffee and some pastries. Something that has served me very well in Netherlands. I saw some picturesque old Dutch homes, quiet lanes, serene looking canals and it has some historic sites too which I visited in the later part of the day. The city centre is quite compact which makes it easy to walk around and get to places. I do remember passing by the water gate which is very photogenic. Next to the watergate was the Emhuis where you have things of arts. The Kade museum for instance had a design exhibition when I visited. Another museum I remember visiting was the mondrianhuis. It's dedicated to the works of a dutch artist. It's was pretty good. You are likely to discover many just spots as you stroll. A few more things I could recommend is Nieuwe Stad for design enthusiasts. And for a day trip, the food and drinks play annimportant role as well. There are some popular places for that too. #myhiddengems #amersfoort #europe #dutch #summerdestinations #netherlands #cherryblossom2024 #canals #offbeat #100waysoftravel

#myhiddengems Thanks to a friend who hosted me. I was in Hague for almost a week. And whike he showed me around over the weekends. I had the weekdays to plan a bunch of day trips. Also, the ones I didn't do while in Amsterdam. After a day of Delft. The next day trip was Leiden. It may seem slightly offbeat at first. But as i explored it further. I could see that it offers a lot of things that may be Amsterdam does, minus a few touristy things. At the same time it does that with better prices and definitely a lot less people. You'd see a lot of windmills around and the usual serving of canals and churches. Some parts ot the city also had a university town feel. I do remmeber visiting the university of leiden as part of my self guided trail. To make things easier there is an app you can download. Leiden has this self guided loop. You could do it at your own pace and in doing so you will cover over two dozen historical sights and attractions. Some interesting ones thatvi particularly recommend are Peiterskerk, the hortus botanical garden, the cobblestone lanes and the hofjes courtyard. Some of the other names beat my memory. But as you roam around, you'll see plenty more. #myhiddengems #summer #europe #100waysoftravel #leiden #dutch #offbeat #summerdestinations

#hiddengems While Croatia may not be part of everyone's European holiday. I sure was glad to have made it a part of mine. The weather in known to be brilliant with Croatia receiving lots of sunshine. Back when I visited it was starting to get popular with backpackers and getting featured in a popular television show. Anyone considering it must ensure a minimum of two weeks. With picturesque seafront towns and quaint islands, there are many reasons to visit Croatia as it is truly a unique place to spend summer. Croatia might be a small country, but there are so many places to visit along the Croatian coastline from Pula in the north, Zadar in the center, and Dubrovnik in the south. Places like Dubrovnik or Split get quite crowded in the summer, but you can still find hidden gems like Šibenik, Trogir, or the Istrian peninsula. While you could pick one destination to visit, I would even recommend going on a road trip along the Croatian coastline and visiting several towns.#hiddengems #beachlife #offbeat #croatia

#japantrip Shikoku is one of Japan’s most rural islands. It is popular for that pilgrimage route and natural beauty. There are about 88 Buddhist temples you'd pass by on this route. While the island is not served by mainland transport like Shinkansen, there are efficient alternatives like the apid trains, it takes only three hours to get to Tokushima, one of the principal cities of Shikoku, from Osaka. The toshushima city in tokushima prefecture is one of the culturally most rewarding regions in Shikoku. In addition to some of the most beautiful temples on the Shikoku Pilgrimage Route, the prefecture is also home to Iya Valley, which centuries ago was the hiding ground of Heike soldiers trying to escape the Genji Clan after the Genpei War. The valley is also home to picturesque vine bridges that connect the two sides of the river. I recommend staying at an onsen place which has those onsens facing the view of the river.#japantrip #scenic #offbeat

#japantrip So post the recovery, tourism is booming again. In Japan's case the quality is affected due to overtourism. And frankly I have been visiting japan practically every year since the past 20 years or even before that part of family get togethers and vacations. This time around the weakening of Yen I suppose, has caused an extra number of tourists to come to japan. So, a good way of dealing with this is to pick lesser known places. Nagoya, is one such city that makes for a fine escape. Offering you most of the benefits that other cities in Japan would. It's proximity to Tokyo also helps. Besides the efficient transport system in Japan makes travelling even to other places on day trips seem very easy. While there is so much to do in terms of food and your regular places to see in Nagoya. For those who like, there is even the Legoland in Nagoya. #japantrip #offbeat #nagoya #legoland

The bled castle is set atop a hill and naturally there is a upwards hike to be made. Now I'm not a big fan of stairs and I don't think I do so well with them. The first half of the hike from Lake Bled to Bled Castle is a series of switchbacks. About halfway, the switchbacks turn into stairs. I actually found the steps to be more difficult than the switchbacks. For those who struggle to go upstairs, there are benches along the way to sit down and rest. While this isn't much of a climb for many, but let's just say I often miss leg days at the gym. The entrance was about 17 Euros. I explored the museum and the printing press area too. I think the gothic church was beautiful. The castle was alright. The main highlight is the view that you get from here, of the lake and surrounding mountains. #myhiddengems #slovenia #bledcastle #summerdestinations #offbeat #myitinerary #100waysoftravel #singapore #girltrip