Krakow - The Market Square

If ever you have the pleasure of visiting the beautiful city of Krakow, Poland’s former capital, the chances are you’ll come across the Market Square (‘Rynek Glowny’, in Polish) at some point. In fact, it is one of the largest squares in Europe and is the city’s main attraction, so you can’t really miss it. Within, you’ll find countless shops, restaurants, bars and clubs, and all the culture and history you could possibly hope to soak up.

The Market Square was initially constructed long ago in 1257, after the Mongol hordes swept through the city. At 200m squared, it immediately became the largest market place in Europe at the time. Yet the beauty of the square is that as one is taking a peaceful stroll through, it never seems too big, with the also famous Cloth Hall running through the centre and providing a perfect feeling of balance. Many important events of Polish history were realized here and the square remains one of the most energetic, vibrant and inspiring places in the country. It really is a must see for anyone visiting Poland.

At the beginning, the square was the life and soul of Krakow, providing the social and commercial heart of the city. It became an emporium of the Black Sea trade and from here a springboard to Poland’s connections with the Western World. In modern times, the square provides the perfect meeting point for Cracovians of all ages. One of the most attractive aspects of the square is that it never sleeps. There always seems to be people milling around within it no matter what the time. The phrase “Pod Adamem” (“By Adam”, in English) refers to the famous statue in the middle of the square and is often used to mean “we´ll meet by the statue”).

 
Anyone that has been here will agree that the square has a certain sense of majesty and magnificence about it. There are many grand buildings within it (the old aristocracy built their palaces here) which one can use as vantage points to view the square. And probably the best time of year to visit, as you can imagine, is during the summer months. This is when the bars and cafés dotted about the square begin setting out tables and chairs, which provides a fantastic place to relax and take in the beauties of the square- all you need to do is sit back and watch the buskers, flower sellers and horse drawn carts flow by.

Its location is also a massive plus point. Just a short walk away is the ancient Wawel Castle and Wisla River, which you can reach through the many charming, narrow streets that branch off the square itself.

A unique city

Right throughout the country, England is brimming with many wonderful towns, cities and buildings, all beautiful in their own individual way: Historic York, the peaceful regatta town of Henley, university-dominated Cambridge and the famous horse-racing Cheltenham. These are just a few examples of the gems one can find in England, yet the country is littered with many more. Though I must say that from personal experience, having travelled a fair bit around the country, no other place has been so stunningly striking than the very unique City of Bath, better described as a spa-town, where I have studied for the past 4 years.

Few other towns can yield such elegance, such charm and such fantastic architectural riches. It really cannot be compared to any other town in the country, or at least I have seen none other like it. Bath´s original construction somewhat ran in the family. John Wood (there were two, the elder and the younger), both of them, were responsible for much of the city´s impressive architecture, constructing the famous Circus and the Royal Crescent. Many beleive the two combine to form a huge question mark symbol, visible from a bird´s eye view.

Upon arrival in the town you´ll also immediately notice the obvious architectural harmony, continuous throughout the city. Particularly after Bath was pronounced a UNESCO World Heritage Site in 1987, strict construction regulations have meant that every building must be in keeping with its surroundings. For this reason, the heritage of the city has been meticulously preserved right up to this day. There really is nowhere else like it.

Yet not only is the city bursting with architectural beauty, it is full of many other treats. The famous Roman Baths (open to visitors) are a main attraction and there are endless cute little restaurants, bars, cafés and shops to keep you busy all day. Merely taking a stroll through this peaceful, historical town will take your breath away.It really is a must-see.

Try tapas in Seville

Seville is well known for two things: The flamenco and tapas. Along with some of the nicest monuments, palaces, cathedrals and Gardens in the whole of Spain. In some areas of Spain the tapas can be very similar, for example in every cafe/restaurant it can be hard to find something different. But in Seville after passing one tapas bar after another you realise that the offer is extremely varied compared with the major cities of Barcelona and Madrid where although you can find excellent tapas it’s often at a high price. Many of the Seville tapas bars serve it free when you order a drink such as the Spanish Cruzcampo beer.

The cities beautiful architecture combined with the excellent cooking provides a stunning setting to sample the Tapas. 
One of the most popular dishes is the squid friend on a skewer along with fresh prawns and coconut.

Top 5 Bars in Barcelona

Barcelona along with many other cities in the world, has an excellent Bar scene. Spain has a culture for late nights and Barcelona does not disappoint with many bars staying open until 04.00! Many of the bars don't get busy till around 11 or 12.

Here is a list of our Top 5 Bars that our a must visit when you visit Barcelona!

Ice Bar - A bar that's cooled down to a chilly –8ºC! You will be provided with a Jacket and gloves to keep you nice and warm!

Espit Chupito – Really popular bar with over 500 varieties of shots, some of which are set alight along the bar!

Manchester Bar – Taken straight out of Manchester, England its a relaxed bar with English themes.

Oveja Negra – Set in a side street close to the “Las Ramblas” it is really popular with students as the alcohol is really cheap. You can buy 3 litre containers of either Beer or Sangria!

Champañería – A Beautiful Bar which serves some really tasty Cava and Tapas.

Nightclubs in Barcelona

Barcelona; like many other cities around the world has some great nightclubs. They range from student clubs to luxury clubs where the Barcelona footballers hang out. Many of them stay open until at least 6:00am which means you can literally dance all night! The clubs can be expensive but usually if you arrive before a certain time you will gain free entry into the club. Although often you will find people handing out flyers to gain free entry for most of the night.

Top 3 popular nightclubs include:

Sala Be Cool

One of the best clubs in Barcelona, it has top quality DJ’s that play Techno, House and Disco. People that travel to Sala Be Cool go to just because of the club but because of the music. It has one of the best sound systems in Barcelona.

Shoko

Located right by the beach, it’s in a perfect location. It’s usually has free entry before 1:00am and drinks are €10 each. The club mainly plays house and has 2 different rooms with VIP areas.

Razzmatazz

One of the most popular clubs in Barcelona, it is popular with students. It regularly plays to concerts from top bands, with 5 different rooms, playing host to Indie, Electro, Pop , Chill out and Disco it is a huge club with something to suit every taste!

Las Ramblas

Las Ramblas is one of the busiest streets in Barcelona and is a well known tourist attraction. The street has plenty to entertain you and is full of street sellers and famous for its human statues!

The street can get especially busy during the summer months but is well worth a visit. The street is home to the “La Boqueria” which is an old market that is full of people selling all kinds of foods from around the world. It’s a lot cheaper than the supermarkets and no doubt the food is fresher.

It is also home to the “Teatre de Liceu” which is an opera house where you can see regular performances.

The Street is full of “human statues” that often come dressed in scary clothing! There is a statue that appears to be floating in the air which often draws many visitors! Towards the bottom end of Las Ramblas Plaza Real is situated. It is a plaza that is full of lovely restaurants and cafes. The ramblas leads down to the harbour so it’s defiantly worth a visit. I would recommend heading off Las Ramblas into the El Gotico area after to find a nice café or restaurant to eat in. As there are many tourists that use the street it has been known as being a target for pickpockets but the main advice is always look after your belongings and make sure that you have always got an eye on them. Las Ramblas is well served by the Barcelona metro system you can either get off at Plaza Cataunya   , Liceu   or Drassanes . Drassanes is at the bottom and Plaza Catalunya is at the top.

 

Parks in Rome

Rome has lots of parks for to explore and enjoy a great, relaxing day out. The parks are a great place to enjoy relaxing activities such as cycling or skating.

Or you could take the more traditional approach and just relax and take in the scenery.

At Villa Borghese you can take a break from your walk by having a look in or at the art museum. It’s located in the centre of the park and has painting by the famous artist Leonardo Da Vinci. The park also houses a hot air balloon which takes you around 150 metres in the air and you can see views all over the city. Really worth a visit!

Parco Acquedotti is an area which provides Rome with one of its many water supplies.

At Via Nomentana you will find Villa Torlonia, which is a public park in the centre of Rome. It was created in the 1806 by Giuseppe Valadier. Tourists and locals both enjoy this beautiful park.

One of the best parks Rome has to offer is called the Villa Doria Pamphili which is where Cesar built a castle for Cleopatra. The castle nowadays is used for lots of official occasions.

The famous Vatican city is a must see! And in the city there are some beautiful gardens. Due to its popularity some of the garden is only open to the public with a guide. The park has a lot of beautiful animals, gardens and birds. The park makes a great place to come and spend an afternoon.

Parks in Rome make a great place to get away from the business of the city. Especially when the weather gets hotter and the crowds increase, as seen in the summer months. They provide someone for you to enjoy rest and relaxation.