Van life in The Alps with our baby (3/3): Switzerland and Germany

DAY 7:

This whole trip was based on improvisation, we didn’t plan any specific stop, and the camper an allowed us to drive as far as we felt like every day. But when we realized that we were going to make it to the Swiss Alps with ample time, I got really excited about checking out the most famous mountain in Europe: the Matterhorn.

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Destination guide – Croatia

MUST DO:

  • Hiking Plitvice Lakes
  • Dubrovnik, one of the most magical towns in the world (especially if you can go when it’s not overrun by tourists)
  • Hvar town and Stari Grad
  • Split and its Diocletian Palace
  • Daytrip to Kotor (Montenegro)

NICE TO HAVE:

  • Road trip around Hvar island
  • Boat trip from Hvar to nearby islands
  • Daytrip to Mostar and Kravica waterfalls (Bosnia)

PENDING:

  • Korcula, Brac, Vis, Mljet and many other islands
  • Zagreb
  • Krka waterfalls
  • Pula’s Roman ruins

MIN TIME:

  • 1 week

GETTING AROUND:

  • Rental car
  • Ferry to get to and from the islands (and boat tours for smaller islands)

DIARIES:

Mostar and Kravica waterfalls as a daytrip from Dubrovnik

After a very successful daytrip to Kotor, we were keen to check out another Yugoslavian country: Bosnia and Herzegovina. We left early to try to avoid long lines at the border, and we definitely succeeded, though maybe because the car navigator sent us through some mountain roads where the border wasn’t even manned. The drive was quite scenic, so we didn’t complain, and we made it to Mostar in less than 2 and a half hours.

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Kotor as a daytrip from Dubrovnik

Looking for things to do around Dubrovnik, I realized we could easily pop over to nearby Montenegro, and even better, to what might be its most famous site, Kotor. We ended up leaving pretty late, because we realized we might need a COVID tests not to cross into Montenegro, but to get back into Croatia. Then we go stuck for well over an hour at the border crossing, so even though it was supposed to be a 2-hour drive, we didn’t make it to Kotor until around 2pm.

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Dubrovnik, a fairytale town

The popularity of Dubrovnik has exploded in recent years, “thanks” to Game of Thrones. But before and beyond that craze, Dubrovnik must be one of the most magical cities in the world. It is a very manageable place, easily visited on foot in a day, though we thought the four nights we spent there were perfect to enjoy it at leisurely pace, plus take some daytrips to neighboring Montenegro and Bosnia.

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Top things to do in Hvar

Despite the tough competition, Hvar might very well be the best island to visit in Croatia. Admittedly, our own choice might not have been based on extensive research, but rather based on the fact that we had a rental car, and therefore our ferry options were more limited. But we loved the couple of days we spent on this island, it packs such an incredible range of experiences.

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The best place to stay in Split

After an epic day in Plitvice Lakes, we drove to Split, our first stop on the Dalmatian coast. Split is a strange city. On the one hand side, it’s the second largest of Croatia, a transportation hub, and the first thing you see when driving in are shabby high-rises. On the other hand side, it’s a historical jewel, a much-deserved UNESCO World Heritage Site. The heart of the old town is the Diocletian Palace, and incredibly well-preserved complex from 305 AD. The whole area is pedestrian-only, and packed with charming cafes and shops, directly on top of 2000-year old marble streets and plazas.

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Walking around Cartagena, the colonial jewel

Cartagena de Indias is a UNESCO Heritage Site, and regularly tops the list of most beautiful colonial cities around the world. This reputation is well deserved. Cartagena can easily be visited on foot in a couple of days, but it’s also the kind of place where you won’t regret having extra time.

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All the spots you must see in Tokyo

Last week, I had a chance to visit Tokyo on the back of a business trip… and it was an incredible experience! Despite it being such a large city, it is very easy to move around on foot and using the metro (once I figured out how to get a Suica or Pasmo card), and I was able to check out all these top spots in about two days. Here they are, in a very non-scientific order of preference:

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Destination guide – Jordan

MUST DO:

  • Hiking all of Petra… and marveling at the Treasury at night

NICE TO HAVE:

  • Bedouin camp in the Wadi Rum desert
  • Floating in the Dead Sea

PENDING:

  • The Roman ruins of Jerash
  • The Crusader Kerak Castle

MIN TIME:

  • 5 days

GETTING AROUND:

  • Ferry from Sharm el Sheikk (Egypt)
  • Buses / public shuttles if you can make the schedule work…
  • … Otherwise private drivers / taxi for Aqaba – Wadi Rum, Wadi Rum – Wadi Musa (Petra), Wadi Musa – Dead Sea, Dead Sea – Amman (airport)
  • Organized tour in Wadi Rum
  • Hiking on your own in Petra

DIARIES:

  1. Freezing in Wadi Rum
  2. Exploring the hidden city of Petra

COMBINED WITH: