Author: Prabhith Prabhakaran

The Ring of Kerry (175 kms circular route) is a scenic drive around the Iveragh Peninsula in southwest Ireland’s County Kerry.

Whether you choose to cycle it or drive or travel in coach, it is undoubtedly one of the most beautiful scenic routes in Ireland. Fortunately or unfortunately, it rains almost most of the days here in Ireland. So, in case if you reach here on a rainy day, you might not be able to enjoy this place to the full extend.

With this itinerary, you will drive through miles of green, rolling hills, explore colourful and beautiful Irish towns, and see a fantastic stretch of Ireland’s rugged coastline. It is a beautiful scenic drive and it’s no wonder that it makes it into bucket list of many travellers.

There is a always a debate on which direction you should cover this circular route. Some people go in a clockwise direction and some others in the anti-clockwise direction. Most of the guidebooks suggests to go clockwise so that you are going the opposite direction of the tour buses (which go counterclockwise).

The route when done clockwise starts from Killarney following the N71 to Kenmare, then on to the N70 around the Iveragh Peninsula to Killorglin, passing through Sneem, Waterville, Cahersiveen, and finally returning to Killarney via the N72. Without any stops, it would take 2.5 – 3 hours to cover the main route. Please note that this itinerary would still take more hours as we had deviated to another road / location from the main route, in between.

This itinerary will be more suitable for those with their own vehicle or rental vehicle. I strongly believe that the best way to see the Ring of Kerry is to drive your own vehicle / rental vehicle, as you have the flexibility to stop and enjoy the stunning scenery whenever you want.

If you don’t have your own vehicle, there are still plenty of options like the ‘Ring of Kerry coach tours’, to see most of the important sights. Even though you will be confined to the viewpoints or stoppages planned by the tour companies, coach tour is also a good, safe and convenient option. If you get a good tour guide, your coach trip is going to be a great fun.

I know that there are many tour operators (mini and big buses) conducting one / two days tour in this route. I won’t be able to share pros / cons of any operator, as I have not tried any such coach trips in this route.

Keep in mind that daylight hours are much shorter in autumn and winter. We did this trip in July 2024, so the days were long. If you visit in autumn or winter, you could have 8 hours of daylight or less so that will need to be factored into your trip.

This is my second trip to Ring of Kerry. First was a One-day trip from Cork in 2019. This time since we were travelling from Dublin, we had to plan a two days itinerary.

The Ring of Kerry road is much like all the other rural roads in Ireland.  I appreciate that some of the narrow roads can be very challenging, especially for those coming from countries where you are used to much wider roads or where you follow a right hand side driving. Take it slow and take bends cautiously.

There is always another debate within the traveller’s community, if one should choose Dingle Peninsula or Ring of Kerry if you are forced to select one of the two options. In most of the cases, I have seen that Dingle Peninsula wins that debate. There’s definitely no reason not to visit the Ring of Kerry and I would suggest you to visit both these wonderful places, if you get a chance.

If you are a regular reader of my blogs, you would have noticed something special about my travel style/pattern. I tend to cover as much as possible on each day. I know that’s it’s not everyone’s travel style but unfortunately, I somehow cannot change that pattern. This trip is no different.

Enough of intros, now let me get into the details.

We started our journey from Saggart in Dublin.

Day 1:

We visited the following places on day 1.

Saggart, Dublin (started from here)

Torc Waterfall, Torc, Killarney, Co. Kerry

Ladies view, Derrycunihy, Killarney, Co. Kerry

Molls Gap, Eirk, Co. Kerry

Kenmare, Co. Kerry

Sneem, Drimna Beg, Co. Kerry

Caherdaniel, Ballycarnahan, Co. Kerry

Viewpoint of Scarriff Island

Charlie Chaplin Statue, Waterville, Co. Kerry

Ballinskelligs, Co. Kerry

Skellig Ring, Co. Kerry

Coomanaspig, Co. Kerry

Portmagee, Doory, Co. Kerry

Bunnys Pod (EIR Code: V23FD37), Cahersiveen (Stayed here)

1) Torc Waterfall, Torc, Killarney, Co. Kerry:

The waterfall is 20 metres (66 ft) high and 110 metres (360 ft) long and was formed by the nearby Owengarriff River. This is one of the most popular things to do in Killarney.

The parking space is slightly limited in this place. Consider yourself lucky if you manage to get parking in the car park near to the waterfall (just a 5 minutes’ walk). I was told that there is another parking space but it is far away from the waterfalls.

Even though Torc Waterfall isn’t the biggest set of falls we’ve seen, it’s quite impressive in its own way. I think the natural surroundings around the falls make it so pretty. The moss-covered tree branches everywhere makes it look like it is part of some fairytale kingdom.

There are no much shops available but yes there is a Public toilet facility near to the car parking area. You don’t have to pay for the car park or to visit the falls. Nice one, isn’t it?

2) Ladies view, Derrycunihy, Killarney, Co. Kerry:

You will see this viewpoint in the right side of the road. There is also a cafe-restaurant (on left side) here, with panoramic views of the valley. I think there is also a small gift shop here. From this viewpoint, you’ll be able to see the Lakes of Killarney and the surrounding mountains. Unfortunately, it was slightly raining when we reached here. So, we couldn’t get the best views.

A short trail will take you to an even better viewpoint, if you prefer to do so.

3) Molls Gap, Eirk, Co. Kerry:

If you further continue from Ladies’ View, you will reach Moll’s Gap.

Moll’s Gap viewpoint got its name from a woman (named Moll Kissane) who set up an unlicensed pub in the area when the N71 road was newly constructed. While the illegal pub is long gone, Molls gap has a shop (named Avoca), which can be  good place to grab a coffee or food & you could use the toilet facility aswell.

This can also be a good stop for breakfast in case you haven’t been able to before the start of your Ring of Kerry drive.

4) Kenmare, Co. Kerry:

Kenmare is one of the beautiful towns in Ireland known for its colourful houses.

Kenmare offers a great selection of hotels and pubs, and as a result, it gets really lively during the peak season. So this can be another place for a short break or to grab some food or coffee.

5) Sneem, Drimna Beg, Co. Kerry:

Follow the road and enjoy the beautiful scenery until you reach the colourful town of Sneem. This can also be a good stop for food or coffee, if you wanted to.

Surrounded by mountains, the vibrant and colorful town of Sneem is a popular stop on the Ring of Kerry. The traditional Irish pubs get lively during the summer months and often provide live music and not surprisingly, a good selection of refreshing beverages.

6) Caherdaniel, Co. Kerry (Glenbeg Caravan and Camping Park):

Parking space is relatively smaller here, but it is worth stopping here. From the parking area, you can see ‘Glenbeg caravan and camping park’ and a small beach (on the right side). This is a small beach but it’s really magical, especially on a sunny day.

7) Viewpoint of Scarriff Island (Never miss this view point):

Continuing from Caherdaniel, there’s a fantastic viewpoint named ‘Scarriff Island Viewpoint’. One of my personal favourites, this viewing point should never be missed.

From here, you’ll get an epic view of Scarriff Island (and the neighboring Deenish Island). Both of these islands were inhabited in the 1800s, but today they’re deserted and very difficult to reach. On a sunny day, you can capture some breathtaking views from this viewpoint. There is enough parking space available here.

8) Charlie Chaplin Statue, Waterville, Co. Kerry:

Waterville is one of the Ring of Kerry’s more unique towns, which is very near to the coast.

You’re probably wondering why there is a statue of Charlie Chaplin in the Ring of Kerry (I did). Well, basically it’s because he and his family used to love visiting the town of Waterville and the statue was built for his remembrance. They even have the right to hold a Charlie Chaplin themed comedy film festival every year!

There are plenty of great accommodations in Waterville to choose from, and if you decide to stay here overnight, make sure to pay a visit to the beach during the sunset.

9) Ballinskelligs, Co. Kerry (This will be the toughest stretch in this whole trip):

At this point, we took a detour off the main Ring of Kerry route and ventured onto what’s known as the Skellig Ring. If you are in short of time, you could skip this detour, but it’s worth including if you have a option. If you plan to take this route, venture off into R567/R566/R565, else you can stay on N70.

Without any doubt, Skellig Ring is one of the best extensions of the Ring of Kerry, and it was one of the highlights of our road trip. Please note that the roads are quite narrow here in this stretch. You won’t see tour buses as the roads in this area are simply too narrow for them.

10) Skellig Ring, Co. Kerry:

This drive was one of the most spectacular parts of the Ring of Kerry drive for me. The winding roads are much less driven than the main Ring and on a clear day you can see out to the Skellig Islands, which look so dramatic even from a distance.

Ideally the next stop should have been ‘Kerry Cliffs’, but we had to skip this part as we were running short of time. Kerry Sea Cliffs are over 1000ft above the Atlantic Ocean, which are actually taller than the Cliffs of Moher.

11) Coomanaspig, Co. Kerry:

You will pass through Coomanaspig – one of the highest points in Ireland that’s accessible by car.

On a clear day the view as you spin down towards Portmagee is mind-boggling. There’s plenty of parking up at the top but beware – it’s fierce windy up there!

12) Portmagee, Doory, Co. Kerry:

Portmagee is a small colourful town located around 80 km from Killarney.

You have good parking space here. Next to the parking area is the bathroom that was awarded Ireland’s Top Toilet Award in 2002.

Few of the Skellig Island boat tour operators depart from Portmagee.

There are two types of Skellig boat trips. One is a landing trip where you land on Skellig Michael and climb the carved steps to the monastery – although good fitness is required! You’ll also circle the island (if weather allows), to see the famous Gannet colony – one of the largest in the world! Landing tours generally cost around €100 per person.

Alternatively, eco-tours do not land on the islands but instead sail around them with a highly qualified guide providing information about the history of the islands, the monks that lived there from the 6th century and the ecology of the island too. You’ll also see the Gannet colony. Eco boat tours generally cost around €40 per person.

By the time we reached here, the boat service were all finished. Anyway, we never had the intention to visit Skellig Island in this trip.

We had planned our stay at Cahersiveen. So this was a good place to pack some food for our dinner.

We managed to buy some burgers from ‘K’s golden grill’ (an evening mobile food shop). Food was quite tasty and economical.

If interested, you can also plan to visit Valentia Island from here.  Valentia Island is one of Ireland’s most westerly points. It lies off the Iveragh Peninsula in the southwest of County Kerry. It is linked to the mainland by the Maurice O’Neill Memorial Bridge at Portmagee. We did not visit Valentia island in this trip.

13) Bunnys Pod, Cahersiveen, Co. Kerry (Stayed here):

We stayed at Bunny Pod (EIR Code: V23FD37), Cahersiveen. This is a good glamping pod for a family (2 adults + 1 child).

The glamping site is at a great location with excellent views.

Day 2:

We covered the following places on day 2:

Bunnys Pod (EIR Code: V23FD37), Cahersiveen (Stayed here)

Cahersiveen Town, W Main St, Cahersiveen, Co. Kerry

Kellsbeach Pods, Bay, Kells, Co. Kerry

Rossbeigh Beach, Unnamed Road, Faha, Co. Kerry

St. Colman’s Cathedral, Cobh, 5 Cathedral Pl, Kilgarvan, Cobh, Co. Cork

Saggart, Dublin (Final destination)

1) Cahersiveen Town, W Main St, Cahersiveen, Co. Kerry:

As you begin your loop back towards Killarney along the north-facing edge of the Iveragh Peninsula, you’ll pass through the market town of Cahersiveen, whose tall, colourful houses, many with traditional shopfronts is a great view.

2) Kellsbeach Pods, Bay, Kells, Co. Kerry:

Kells Beach (with Blue flag award)  is a lovely sandy beach with a small harbour. It is an idyllic spot for a day out on the northern coastline of the Iveragh Peninsula. There is a caravan park and a small glamping site near to this beach.

3) Rossbeigh Beach, Unnamed Road, Faha, Co. Kerry:

Rossbeigh Beach Car Park is free and there are plenty of spaces plus a cafe and toilet facilities. Overlooked by Rossbeigh mountains, this beach is very long. This is also a blue flag beach. Rossbeigh Beach is perfect for a day by the sea during the warm weather months. You can also drive up to the mountains, to get some panoramic views.

4) Cobh, Co. Cork (St. Colman’s Cathedral, Cobh, 5 Cathedral Pl, Kilgarvan, Cobh, Co. Cork):

We decided to visit Cobh aswell, in these 2 days trip.

Cobh is a gorgeous coastal town situated half an hour from Cork. Cobh in fact is a destination by itself and would need a full day. Due to some time restrictions, we could spend only an hour here.

Cobh was ranked as one of the most beautiful small towns in Europe by Condé Nast Traveler. One of the major transatlantic Irish ports, the town was the departure point for 2.5 million of the six million Irish people who emigrated to North America.

On the 11th April 1912 the newly built Titanic called to the port of Queenstown (now known as Cobh) on her maiden voyage.  From Southampton, she went to Cherbourg, France where 281 passengers boarded. On April 11, Titanic arrived in Cobh Harbor, its final port of call. Eight passengers disembarked and 123 boarded. There is also a visitor centre named ‘Titanic Experience Cobh’.

St. Colman’s Cathedral is a must see in Cobh. The interior of the cathedral is architecturally and visually very beautiful.

If you have more time in Cobh, You could also try a 45 minutes guided boat tour to ‘Spike Island’.

More details here : https://www.spikeislandcork.ie/

After Cobh, we returned back to Saggart in Dublin.

Summary:

There’s no doubt that the Ring of Kerry is worth its status as one of the best places to visit in Ireland.

Many roads on the Ring of Kerry are narrow, two lane roads. If you do not like the idea of driving these narrow, curvy roads it might be better to visit the Ring of Kerry on a tour. The Ring of Kerry is famed for its outstanding natural beauty, historical sites, unique winding roads and charming towns and villages.

A lot of visitors do tend to drive the Ring of Kerry in one day. If you elect to do so and want to do it any sort of justice, plan for a long day of exploring. I’d say anywhere from 7-10 hours would be a fair assessment.

If you will be relying on WiFi and plan on using Google Maps, make sure to download an offline version of the Ring of Kerry area before you set out for the day.

Ireland is popular for rains. A fine day could easily turn to a rainy one so make sure you are prepared for all sorts of weather on your drive. Most importantly, I’d say make sure to have a wind and waterproof jacket.

The nearest airport to Killarney is Kerry Airport, (often called Farranfore airport) which is 17km and a 15-minute drive away from Killarney. Its flight schedule is quite limited – namely to Dublin, London, Manchester, Luton, Faro, Alicante, Normandy, Brittany and Frankfurt-Hahn.

There is a train station in Killarney town that links up with a couple of routes within Ireland. Via Mallow, you can reach both Cork and Limerick Junction stations. From Limerick Junction, you’ll be able to join lines that take you to Limerick city, Galway, Dublin and Waterford.

One of the main appeals of traveling the Ring of Kerry is that the more time you spend there, the more you discover and the more you will enjoy this area.

The Ring of Kerry is technically just a national road, and there is no fee to drive along it.

There are so many great viewpoints that you will just stumble across, lots of which don’t even have names. You have to be okay with the idea that though you want to have a plan, there will be times when you’ll want to stop off and look through a quaint town or see a breathtaking view for a while.

The Ring of Kerry is open all year long, although it is the busiest during the summer months of July and August. In case if you want to avoid busy period, my personal suggestion to you will be to plan your visit on the shoulder seasons or even the off season. In the spring and fall (March to May or September to November), there are fewer crowds and it won’t be too cold.

I hope this itinerary will help you to plan your trip in a better and meaningful way.

In case if you have more days with you, there are still many more interesting places in and around Ring of Kerry. Please find list of some of such places (not in any specific order):

• Valentia Island – Knight’s Town and Skellig Boat tours
• Kerry Cliffs (After Skellig Ring)
• Ross Castle
• Muckross House / Abbey
• Staigue Stone Fort
• Cove Beach
• Derrynane Beach
• Coomakista viewpoint
• Geokaun Mountain and Cliffs
• Killarney National Park
• Staigue Stone Fort
• Skellings Chocolate Factory
• Rossmore Island
• Eightercua Stone Row 
• Ballaghabeama Gap
• Staigue Fort
• Loher Stone Fort
• Eightercua Stones
• Cahergall & Leacanabuaile Stone Forts
• Ballycarbery Castle
• Gap of Dunloe
• Beara Peninsula
• Garnish Island

Monaco, officially the Principality of Monaco, is a sovereign city-state and microstate on the French Riviera a few kilometres west of the Italian region of Liguria, in Western Europe, on the Mediterranean Sea.

World-famous for its prestigious Casino and Grand Prix, the elegant principality of Monaco is one of the most attractive places to visit in Europe. While Monaco is not a part of France, it is located inside France, making it a perfect stop on any French Riviera itinerary.

We did a one-day trip to Monaco from Nice (France) in July 2024.

More details about Monaco here: https://www.visitmonaco.com/en

Few Facts about Monaco:

• With an area of 2.08 km2 , Monaco is second-smallest sovereign state in the world, after Vatican City.
• Less than 40000 people live in Monaco. Over 30% of residents are millionaires.
• Monaco has the world’s shortest coastline: 3.83 kms.
• Although, small in land mass, it’s actually one of the most densely populated countries in the world!
• Monaco uses the euro as its sole currency.
• Monaco has the highest life expectancy in the world in 2023 (Approx: 89.5 years)
• Almost 20% of Monaco city was extended over the sea a few years ago.
• There is no airport in Monaco, The nearest one is Nice Airport.  It does have a heliport.
• Located in French Rivera, Monaco benefits From pretty good weather all year around. January might be the coldest and July been the hottest (It was 32 Degrees in July when we visited).
• The country does not have a military per se. The country’s defense, though, is in the hands of France.
• Unemployment rate is almost zero.
• Monaco is tax haven.
• Real estate in Monaco is considered the most expensive in the world.
• Monaco has more policemen per person than any other country in the world.
• Roman Catholic is the main religion in Monaco.

The best and easiest option to reach Monaco is to travel from Nice in France (either in train or a public transport like Bus). Train would be the fastest public transport option.

Personally, we decided to travel in Bus from Nice to Monaco and the return journey in train. This option is highly recommended as you get a chance to experience both modes of travel.

If you are ok to start your day a bit early, I would strongly suggest to start so. This way you might get some time to explore the Medieval village of Eze enroute Monaco from Nice. You can spend an hour or so in Eze and experience the stunning views.

We were staying in Garibaldi (in Nice). Garibaldi is a great location to move around as we have connectivity to tram lines and bus to Monaco from here.

We took a bus to Monaco (Bus No. 602 – Monte Carlo Casino) from a bus stop named ‘Bavastro’ (in Nice). The Bus ticket from Bavastro to Monaco was quite cheap and comes around 2.10 Euros per person (for a 1-hour journey).

The Bus goes via Eze village. The Bus route is very scenic (especially near to the Eze village and Monaco). Unfortunately, we did not know this early and hence couldn’t get down at Eze but yes could take some snaps of Eze village.

Please note that Bus 602 is not the only option to reach Monaco from Nice. You have options like Bus 110 (Express) from Nice Airport to Monaco. There is also a Bus 100 which is a slower bus compared to 110 and covers more stops enroute.

If you have one more extra day at Monaco, you can try covering ‘Menton’ and ‘Village of Eze’ on that day. Both are around 20-30 Minutes from Monaco.

Other travel options:

• Helicopter from Nice to Monaco is another option.
• You can also use your own vehicle (or rent a car) to reach Monaco, but please note that the parking charges are high at Monaco.
• Also, you can take an Uber or taxi aswell. I was told that the charges would be 60-100 Euros (one side).
• Seems boat is another option to reach Monaco from Nice (https://www.trans-cote-azur.co.uk/departing-nice/cruise-boat-monaco)

Places that we explored were:

a. Monte Carlo Casino:

This would be the obvious first place to start your itinerary. It is one of the most important spots in any Monaco itinerary. This casino has served as a filming location for many top movies and TV shows over the years (ex: James Bond: Golden Eye (1995)). The Casino was constructed after Monaco lost much of its territory to neighbouring France during the 1860s.

In order to continue drawing in crowds, the Prince of Monaco of the time commissioned this Casino. Today,  it’s actually illegal for residents of Monaco to gamble in the Casino. Use of the Casino is only reserved for visitors!

Monaco is what it is today because of the Casino – everything else came after.

Its free to enter till the Atrium (of course you will have to passthrough a security check).

Seems there are some guided audio tours aswell (from 10-2 Pm or so). I have not personally tried those options. If you want to try your hand at gambling at this iconic establishment, you’ll have to dress to impress and there is a admission costs of around €17 or so. You might need a passport to enter.

To one side of Casino Square stands the Café de Paris.  This famous cafe has a large sun terrace and is a popular spot for expensive cups of coffee.  Facing the cafe is the equally opulent Hotel de Paris which boasts fine dining restaurants, bars and a private beach that has featured in several films including James Bond’s Never Say Never and Golden Eye.

There is a Casino on the left side of the Monte Carlo casino. You can enter this casino free of cost but you would need a passport to enter that casino aswell.

b. Car watching in front of Monte Carlo Casino:

Spend some time just outside the Monte Carlo Casino and you will get a chance to see some of the luxurious cars from Bentleys to Lamborghinis to Rolls Royce’s to McLaren’s and what not…

Taking photos of those cars is fine, but don’t try to touch any, unless you want an army of security after you!

Eventhough I have visited many parts of Monaco, I have not seen these much luxurious cars in other parts of Monaco. Am not sure how and from where all these cars reach the road in front of the casino. Whatever it may be, it’s definitely a great sight.

c. Private Car Collection of the Prince of Monaco:

The Classic Car Collection of H.S.H. The Prince of Monaco dates back to the 1950’s when motoring lover Prince Rainier III began his private collection. In 1993, a decision was made to put that collection on display. Recently it was moved to a new location at Port Hercule where visitors can see an impressive array of around 70+ vehicles including Formula 1 racing cars.

Before taking the ticket, make a decision if you will be visiting both the ‘Private Car Collection’ and the ‘Aquarium’. If you plan to do so, please ensure that you buy a ‘Combo’ ticket. It might help you to save some Euros (please see the discount details below).

d. Port Hercule:

Monaco has two ports; Port Hercule and Port Fontvieille. Port Hercule is a natural port located at the base of Le Rocher (the natural elevated rock upon which the old town was built) and is the best port to explore while in the city. This is just a few minutes away from the casino. You can see lots of boats and yachts at the harbour. In the evenings, Monaco’s main hotspot is Port Hercule and the area around the casino.

e. Centre commercial de Fontvieille

It’s one of the largest shopping centres out there. There is also a big Carrefour hypermarket available, from where you can grab some items for your lunch. The hypermarket rates are comparitively lesser. We brought some juices / snacks / fruits / pastry from the hypermarket.

The Serravalle tunnel is just outside the Centre commercial.

f. The Rock (or Le Rocher) and Royal Palace:

The Rock is the oldest part of Monaco. This is a stunning neighbourhood, and a Royal Palace is in this place. The prince of Monaco Albert II (Grimaldi family) still lives with his family in this palace. This would be the best place to get the stunning panorama of the city.

The changing of the guard happens at 11:55 am (lasts for around 8 minutes). The Royal palace is open to public (from April to Mid-October) with a ticket charge. We did not go inside the palace.

NOTE: The Hop on Hop off bus also have a stop near the Royal Palace.

g. Get your passport stamped with a ‘Monaco entry’:

There is only one “real deal” place in Monaco that can officially stamp a passport: the Mairie de Monaco or the townhall, which is found in the Place de la Mairie on ‘The Rock’.  Its just few metres away from Royal Palace. This can be done free of cost and the waiting time to get the stamp is also very less.

h. Monaco old town (Monaco Ville):

Wander through the old town and enjoy the streets / sights. This is one of the busiest parts of the Principality. The Old Town is also where most eateries are located. Officially the Old Town is called Monaco City and is situated on top of a 70-metre-high hill surrounded by water in three directions.

You can also get some Souvenirs like the Fridge magnets and so on (Ex: 4 Euros for a decent fridge magnet) from the Monaco old town area.

i. Oceanographique Museum:

The Oceanographique Museum of Monaco is located on the Monaco Rock, just behind Monaco’s Old Town. This complex has a museum and an aquarium. The building itself is very impressive overlooking the sea and surrounded by beautiful gardens. Single ticket gives you option to visit both Museum and Aquarium. The Museum is renowned throughout the world for its expertise and has more than 6,000 specimens on display. As mentioned earlier, in case if you plan to visit both ‘Aquarium’ and ‘Private Car Collection’, please ensure that you buy a ‘Combo’ ticket. It might help you to save some Euros.

If you are not a museum lover and intend to visit only the aquarium, I would not recommend this attraction. The Aquarium is relatively smaller and the ticket price is not justifiable if you plan to cover aquarium only.

Note: We were running short of time and hence had to skip the Museum.

You can find more details here: https://musee.oceano.org/en/

NOTE: Monaco Tours operates a little train for the city guided tour. You will find their office just outside the aquarium. Peronally, I did not try this train tour and hence cannot comment much about their service.

j. Metropole Shopping Centre:

This high-end Metropole Shopping Centre is near to the Casino.  It has a luxurious interior with its glittering chandeliers and designer stores.

After exploring all the above places, we went to the Monaco Monte Carlo train station and took a train back to Nice Ville (around 25 minutes journey and approximately 4 Euros ticket). There are ticket vending machines available inside the station.

NOTE: We spend aorund 7 hours to cover the above places.

Points to note:

• I had tough time with Mobile data services within Monaco. Mine was a Vodafone Irish network connection but not sure if it’s a common problem that others also face.

• I have seen many people mentioning that we can easily cover Monaco by foot as the place is relatively smaller. In my experience it is not that easy: Ex: walking to the old town from Port Hercule on a hot summer day is going to really test your fitness levels (not sure if I missed some elevators). My personal suggestion is get to a ‘Full Day pass (at  accost of 5.5 Euros)’ or something similar if you plan to cover more attractions in the limited time. This website has more details: https://www.cam.mc/en/tarifs. The official website says that you can directly get the full day pass from the bus driver itself. I had tried this option 2 options but unfortunately on both occasions, drivers did not understand what I was asking for.  So I had to swipe my bank card (2 Euros) even for a shorter distance.

• Monaco Grand Prix happens yearly at the end of May. It’s the busiest time in Monaco, with lots of parties and attractions.

• Monaco is not only a country in its own right, but also a city-state, meaning that the entirety of the autonomous state also lies within the city limits. Monaco is technically a principality, meaning that the head of State is a Prince.

• Official language of Monaco is French.

• Monte Carlo is not the capital of Monaco but a government district. The country is divided into four areas: Monaco-Ville (the old city), the Condamine (port quarter), Monte-Carlo (business and recreation), and Fontvieille (recreation and light industry).

Other places and options:

• The Cathedral of Monaco
• Monaco Grand Prix (One of the most prestigious car races in the world)
• Walk around the port of Fontvieille
• Jardin Exotique (https://www.jardin-exotique.mc/) (Eze Village)
• Japanese Garden
• La Mala Beach
• Helicopter Ride
• Princess Grace Rose Garden
• Larvotto Beach
• Opera de Monte Carlo
• Old Monaco Museum
• Fort Antoine / Princess Antoinette Park
• Condamine market
• Naval Museum
• Museum of stamps and coins

Summary: 

One day is good enough to cover the important spots in Monaco and to experience the richness of this place. You can plan this trip by yourself and wont need help from any guided tour /  tour companies.

Despite the flash and luxury of this tiny country, Monaco is an affordable place to visit for a day and an easy trip that can be managed from most places in the French Riviera.

County Donegal is a county of Ireland, in the province of Ulster.

Located in the northwest corner of Ireland, Donegal is the island’s northernmost county. In terms of size and area, it is the largest county in Ulster and the fourth-largest county in all of Ireland.

In this blog, I would like to share my experience around a two days trip that we did in July 2024 to County Donegal.

The Wild Atlantic Way is a breathtaking coastal route over 2,500 kms from Donegal to Cork, showcasing some of Ireland’s most stunning scenery. There are around 39 discovery stops in county Donegal.

Day 1:

We started our journey from Saggart around 9AM (1st day google map route is shown below)

NOTES:

1. In this road trip, you will be passing through some of the roads in the Northern Ireland. As the region is under UK, the speed limits will be marked in Miles.
2. It will be always beneficial to carry some snacks or light food with you, as you might not see a lot of food points of your interest in this road trip. Also, the number of towns (small/big) are relatively lesser.

The following places were covered on Day 1.

1. Portsalon Beach and Ballymastocker Strand Viewpoint:

This is a very extensive sandy beach (approximately 1 Km long) located on the western side of Lough Swilly between Rathmullan and Fanad Head and has fabulous views towards the Inishowen Peninsula. Portsalon Beach is also known as Ballymastocker Bay.

This is a Blue flag beach.  It’s an exceptionally clean beach and you can swim in these waters. Lifeguards are available during summertime (June-September). There is a limited parking available near the beach. The car park can get crowded here during the warmer summer months, so make sure to arrive earlier to secure a spot. Toilet facility is available, but seems like it’s an old building and not well maintained (not to Irish standards atleast).

There is also a small mobile coffee shop near the parking, in case if you wish to take some hot drinks, light snacks and so on.

American pop singer Taylor Swift had visited this beach in summer 2021. Her Instagram post from the beach made this beach even more popular among the tourists. You can also drive upto the hill to reach the Ballymastocker Strand Viewpoint.

NOTE: We didn’t go until the Ballymastocker Strand Viewpoint, as we were slightly behind our planned schedule.

2.Fanad Head light house:

Fanad Lighthouse is an iconic working lighthouse at the mouth of Lough Swilly. It was voted as one of the most beautiful lighthouses in the world. Fanad Head Lighthouse is one of 70 lighthouses operated by the commissioners of Irish lights around the coast of Ireland and plays a vital role in maritime safety.

Accommodation at Fanad Lighthouse is available all year round in three charming former lighthouse keeper’s homes, all with stunning sea views.  House 1 can sleep 2 people, House 2 can sleep 2-4 people and House 3 can sleep 2 people.

There are guided tours available. This tour will help you to learn lives of the lighthouse keepers and their families who were stationed there. You can also climb to the top of the tower for spectacular 360 views of North Donegal, the Atlantic and Lough Swilly. Please note that there are around 76 steps to reach to the top. My parents were with me in this trip. As it was difficult for them to climb that many steps, we had to skip the guided tour.

There is a dedicated parking facility available near the light house. A proper coffee cum souvenir shop is available near the parking bay. A very clean toilet facility is also available near the coffee shop. You will have to take the guided tour ticket from the coffee shop and then proceed towards the main gate to enter into the lighthouse premise. Please note that there is a very small parking facility (may be 4-5 cars) near the main gate aswell (Even if you park your car here, you will have to still get the tickets from the coffee shop mentioned earlier).

More details here : https://fanadlighthouse.com/

3.Boyeeghter Bay, aka Murder Hole Beach, aka Sheephaven Bay:

Please note that google map will take you till the car parking. It’s a flat 5 Euros (only cards) parking charge. I understand that there are 2 options to reach the beach.

A) You will have to take a trail (near to the car park) to reach the beach. I have read a lot of negative reviews (mainly in trip advisor) about the trail and the landowner who owns the property. I have not experienced it personally, so would be difficult to further comment on the same. Also, please note that the trail might test your fitness levels and it’s not ideal for people with walking difficulties or people who have buggies. There are restrictions for dogs aswell, since you need to pass through a working farm.

B) Another option to park your car in the parking area and walk backwards to the same direction from where you came in. There are clear sign boards showing the beach entrance.

I think there are more routes to the beach nearer to the car parking area, but seems like they are restricted, and access is only for the caravan homeowners who owns a holiday home in that site (Melmore Holiday Park).

I have read that one of the highlights of the beach is the quiet deep cave known as Murder Hole, which offers a fantastic view of the water. Visitors can find the cave by walking along the cliffs at the back of the beach.

The route to reach this place itself is very scenic. I would suggest to skip going to this beach if you are not particular about doing so. Instead, you can go until the car parking area to experience the scenic route and further take a U turn and return back (5 Euros saved😊)

4.Killahoey Beach:

In the county that boasts the highest number of Blue Flag beaches and the longest coastline in the country; you are never too far from a beach. Killahoey Beach (Tra na Cille), also known as Dunfanaghy Beach, is located close to the town of Dunfanaghy (Dun Fionnachaidh) on the northern coast of County Donegal. It is a sandy beach just over 1km long. There is a large car park with portable toilet facility aswell.

When you enter to the beach road from the main road, you will soon find a car parking,  its for the people who visit the golf club nearby. You can further drive to find the actual car park for the beach visitors.

Beach Lifeguards will be on duty on this beach – from June until September. The beach has spectacular panoramic views of the surrounding mountainous countryside.

5.Dunfanaghy Town:

Dunfanaghy is a small town, former fishing port, and commercial centre on the north coast of County Donegal, Ireland. We spend some time at this beautiful small town. The main intention was to take a parcel for our dinner.

We had taken food from ‘Megabites Chipper’ (a small mobile shop operating during evenings). The chicken burger and chicken wings (dips) were very tasty.

6.Wild Atlantic Way Discovery Point @Magherroarty Pier, Magheraroarty:

Magherroarty Pier is a great hub for both locals and tourists.  The pier is the departure point for ferries to Tory Island and Inishbofin Island (a remote and rugged island off the coast of Donegal). In case if you plan for a ferry to Tory island, check with the staff as sailings are subject to tidal conditions, and cancellations are very common. There is also a long stretch of beach (Magheraroarty beach) near to the pier.

The pier is relatively small. It has a parking facility, toilet facility and a bar/restaurant. The journey time to and from Tory Island is approximately 45 minutes. It’s a passenger only ferry (no vehicles).

More details around Tory ferry here: https://www.toryferry.com/

The journey time to and from Inishbofin Islands is approximately 10 minutes.

7.Stay at Machaire Rabhartaigh Glamping:

We reached our destination (glamping site) around 7 PM.

There are around 10 pods here. Pods No. 1-6 and No. 10 are more family friendly and have bunkbeds in them. Pods No. 7,8 & 9 are more for couples or singles. The road towards the glamping site was not completed yet but you can easily drive through the gravel route. We had stayed in Pod 1. The view from the Pod was beyond words. You can experience beautiful views of the Seven Sisters Mountain Range, Magheraroarty Beach, Inis Bó Finne, Tory Island and even Horn Head in the distance.

Definitely, this is one of the best glamping sites that I have ever visited. Highly recommend without a second thought. Owner (Edward) was very kind. He visited each pods in the evening, to meet the guests in person. He also shared few useful tips about that region.

For booking, you can check this website : https://www.mrglamping.ie/.

NOTE: Please note that towels are not provided in the pods. You will have to bring one.

Day 2:

The following places were covered on Day 2 (2nd day google map route is shown below)

We started our journey around 8AM, as we had to cover a lot of places on day 2.

1.Errigal Mountains:

Standing at 751 meters high, Errigal is the tallest in the county and is one of the Seven Sisters. Errigal is now of huge importance to hikers and walkers. There is a slight deviation from the main road to reach the base of Errigal mountains. As my parents were not interested in hiking, we just took snaps of the mountain from the main road and skipped the hiking part.

NOTE: If you want to complete the trip as per the itinerary mentioned here, you will also have to skip the hiking part. Generally, this hiking route is considered as a challenging one and might take around 2-3 hours (around 4.5 kms I presume) to complete.

2.Carrickfinn Beach (and Donegal airport enroute):

Carrickfinn Beach is situated in the beautiful Gweedore Bay right behind Donegal Airport, which has been voted as the most scenic landing strip in the world in 2020 (https://edition.cnn.com/travel/article/scenic-airport-landings-2020/index.html).

The beach is a long stretch of white sand beach backed by sand dunes. The beach currently has Blue Flag status. It is also known as Dunmore Strand. Beach Lifeguards will be on duty on this beach – from June until September.

Aer Lingus operates direct flight in Dublin – Donegal route (around 50 minutes).

3.Col Glengesh, Leamagowra / Glengesh pass:

Glengesh Pass is a fabulous mountain pass in County Donegal, near the Irish town of Ardara.

The road is a succession of twists and turns. For sure, this will be the most scenic stretch in this 2 days trip. So, try not to skip this route even if you are slightly behind the schedule. Once you’ve reached the highest point, you can park your car and take some beautiful snaps.

Often referred to as the ‘Donegal Pass’, the road at Glengesh snakes through the valley and provides a very unique experience, regardless of whether you’re driving or on foot.

NOTE: In this itinerary, you will be climbing up the mountain. So be extremely cautious when taking the bends as they’re extremely tight, so take your time and drive safely. The total stretch is around 15 kms.

4.Glencolumbkille Folk Village:

The Glencolmcille Folk Village Museum, in Glencolmcille County Donegal, is a cluster of seven small cottages, called a “clachán,” perched on a hillside overlooking a sandy curve of nearby Glenbay beach.

This thatched-roof replica of a rural village in Ireland’s most north westerly county offers a glimpse into daily life as it was during past centuries. Each cottage is an exact replica of a dwelling used by the local people in each of the 18th, 19th and 20th centuries and is equipped with the furniture, artifacts and utensils of its particular period. Visitors may wander at leisure through the Village, or join one of the guided tours.

More details here: https://www.glenfolkvillage.com/

(NOTE:  There is also a small beach nearby, beyond the car park)

5.Malin Beg Pier:

From the old watchtower situated on the headland close to Malin Beg, you have a spectacular view over Malin Bay and the island Rathlin O’Birne. The watchtower can be reached by foot from Malin Beg Pier.

6.Silver Strand Beach :

Located at the tip of the Slieve League Peninsula, just past Glencolmcille, it’s one of the best beaches in the county.

As you arrive at the car park (using google maps), you will not see the beach immediately. It is hidden between the rocks, but that makes it more special. The beach is accessible via a staircase with about 170 steps. The beach is relatively small, but the formations of nature here is simply beyond words.

Silver Strand is a popular spot for a swimmers, when conditions are safe. However, please note that there are no lifeguards on duty here, so you should only enter the water if you’re a capable swimmer.

7.Sliabh Liag Cliff Experience & Visitor Centre (& Bus to Sliabh Liag Cliffs):

As of my understanding, Sliabh Liag Cliffs is the second largest cliffs in Ireland (after Croaghaun Cliffs on Achill Island in County Mayo). The famous Cliffs of Moher is around 214 meters and Sliabh Liag Cliffs is around 600 meters.

The Sliabh Liag Visitor Centre officially opened in May 2019. The Centre is part of the overall development of Sliabh Liag Mountain and the Sliabh Liag Cliff Experience. There is a visitor information service, Public Toilets, a small café and a large parking facility here.

There is also a relatively new building next to the visitor centre. It is a cafe and shop with some nice items.

There are 2 options to reach Sliabh Liag cliffs:

1. Park your car near the visitor centre (lower car park) , take a shuttle bus (to and fro journey is 6 euros / person). Only the approved coaches can go upto the cliff.  We went with this option as it was risk free. Bus operates every 30 minutes in a normal scenario and every 10 minutes during the busy hours. The shuttle buses are well maintained.
2. You can drive your car to some distance further ahead from the visitor centre. There is another parking (upper car park) facility available. You can park the car in that parking area and walk upto the hill. Please note that you would still need to walk for around 30-45 minutes to reach the top of the cliffs from that parking area.

A visit to the cliffs and the surrounding region is a must on your Wild Atlantic Way adventure. There are also few small mobile coffee and Souvenir shops at the top of the cliffs. The views that your can experience on a clear day is simply beyond words.

More details here: https://www.sliabhliag.com/visitor-centre/

8.Killybegs:

Killybegs is a town in County Donegal, Ireland. It is the largest fishing port in the country and on the island of Ireland. It is located on the south coast of the county, north of Donegal Bay, near Donegal Town.

It was a great experience walking around the town and the fishing port. With its shimmering waters and glorious coastline, this area is famous for its maritime culture.

We also tried food at the ‘Sea food Shack’ (a famous fish and chips shop in this region). The ambience was great. We tried Battered Haddock. It was tasty and quantity was also good.

9.Donegal Town Centre:

Since we had gone all the way till Donegal, we thought to just drive through the Donegal Town centre before proceeding back to our home in Saggart. The town is finely situated at the head of busy Donegal Bay, along the River Eske.

10.Bundoran Beach and the Fairy Bridges / Wishing Chair:

On our way back from County Donegal to Dublin, we spend some time at Bundoran Beach and the Fairy Bridges. This was the last destination in our itinerary.

Bundoran Beach is located in County Donegal, just 250 metres off Bundoran town’s Main Street. Bundoran boasts not one but two great beaches – Main Beach and Tullan Strand. I was surprised to see the number of fixed caravans in the neighbour caravan park. This area of the coast is popular with experienced surfers. There is also a lot of parking space available here.

The Fairy Bridges and Wishing Chair are two enchanting features situated beside the sea at Bundoran, County Donegal. Due to the peculiar rock formations in the area, a series of natural “blow” or “puffing” holes exist (and still do to this day) which causes the seawater, when tidal conditions dictate, to crash through and blow water upwards.

The Wishing Chair is also very popular with visitors, who take advantage of the magical powers of the natural stone chair.

Now its time to return back home. On your way back aswell, you will pass through some of the roads in the Northern Ireland. As the region is under UK, the speed limits will be marked in Miles. We reached back our final destination ‘Saggart’ by around 7PM.

Please note that I have only tried to cover some important and most visited places in Donegal. There are still maaaannyyyy moooorrrrre places that you can explore in Donegal.  If you have more time and budget, I would definitely recommend 3-4 days to cover Donegal.

Also the itinerary presented here is a tight one with very less time for relaxation. If you want to see get a high level idea about county Donegal and if you are OK to drive around 800+ kms in different terrains within 2 days, this would be a great itinerary for you.

Some other places of interest (not in any specific order):

• Aphort Beach
• Ardara Beach
• Ards Forest Park
• Arranmore Island
• Assaranca waterfall outside Ardara
• Ballymastocker Bay // Ballymastocker Beach Viewpoint
• Bristí Sea Arch of Crohy Head
• Buncrana
• Carrigan Head Signal Tower
• Crohy
• Culdaff Blue Flag Beach (Located on Inishowen Peninsula)
• Derryveagh Mountains and Glenveagh National Park
• Doagh Famine Village
• Donegal Bay Waterbus
• Donegal’s ‘Hidden’ Waterfall (Secret Waterfall)
• Doon Fort
• Dunlewey Church
• Dunfanaghy Beach
• Fintra Beach
• Five Fingers Strand  (near to Malin Head)
• Fort Denree (Dungranenen Fort)
• Glen of Granny
• Glen Loop Walk
• Glencolmciile
• Glenevin Waterfall
• Glenlough bay
• Glenveagh National Park and Castle
• Gola Island
• Greencastle
• Grianan of Aileach (Grianán Ailigh) (entrance to the Inishowen Peninsula)
• Horn Head
• Inishowen 100 (160km scenic drive that loops around the windswept Inishowen Peninsula)
• Killahoey Beach
• Killybegs
• Kinnagoe Bay
• Knockamany Bens
• Lough Salt
• Magherclogher Beach (Eddie’s Boat)
• Maghera and Maghera Strand and Caves
• Malin Head (Wild Atlantic Way)
• Mamore Gap
• Marble Hill
• Muckross Head, Kilcar
• Narin Beach / Portnoo Beach
• LetterKenny
• Lough Derg (seperate small island)
• Oileán Ruaidh (Island Roy)
• Pool of Light (boating in caves)
• Rosguill Peninsula
• Rossnowlagh Blue Flag Beach
• Sliabh Liag (Boat Ride)
• Stroove beach and Lighthouse
• Sunset at Malin Head
• The Rosses
• Tory island (cannot go in Car) (Take Ferry from Magheraroarty)

 Points to Note:

• The best time to visit Donegal, and Ireland in general is between the months of May, June, July, August and September. As you would have heard or read, Irish rains are hard to predict. So it will all depend on your luck.
• Donegal claimed the top spot on National Geographic Traveller’s “Cool List” of recommendations for people who love to travel (back in 2017).
• The best way to get around Donegal in my opinion in via your own transport (own or rented cars, for example). If you don’t have access to your own form of transport, then you can use tours to get across to the best tourist attractions Donegal has to offer.
• Lonely Planet have named Donegal in their Best in Travel Awards 2024.
• Donegal is in Republic of Ireland and not in Northern Ireland. Donegal is blessed with everything the traveller could wish for. Look forward to gorgeous scenery, delicious fresh food, a rich history and authentic Irish cultural experiences.

Summary:

County Donegal is one of the most rural places in all of Ireland with very remote locations. This would be a great option if you are looking for a truly unspoiled natural beauty.

I have got a chance to do a lot of road trips here in Ireland. I can undoubtfully say that this was the best one I ever did. Try this itinerary and let me know your thoughts in the comments section.

We got a chance to visit Rome, few months ago.

3 days is a perfect itinerary for Rome. It will give you ample time to get a essence of this eternal city and to see some important sights. Please note that 1 day out of the 3, was dedicated solely for visiting Vatican city.

As you already know, Rome is one of the most visited cities in the world and this fame comes with a price. Sometimes you can expect to wait several hours to to get your entrance ticket to the city’s top tourist attractions.

We took an Aer Lingus flight from Dublin, Ireland to Rome, Italy.

We could see the Alps mountains from the flight and it was a spectacular view. It’s always a treat to fly across the European Alps on a clear day. It would be good to get a window seat (left preferred), while doing the booking, in case if you wish to get an aerial view of the Alps.

After landing at Leonardo da Vinci–Fiumicino Airport, we took a taxi (normally most of the taxi here are white) to the hotel Novotel Roma Eur (approximately 30+ minutes). Remember that there is a monorail facility available to move between the terminals. It was a bit strange to notice that the tourist office were not open after 8PM.

Rome has two major international airports that you might fly into – Rome Fiumicino (FCO) and Rome Ciampino (FCO). Flights from the North America usually arrive at Fiumicino, whilst flights from Europe may arrive at either. You can also find lot of Train tickets vending machines within the teminals.

Novotel Roma Eur is away from the city centre. Eveytime getting a taxi from this hotel to city center is going to be costly. 

Metro would be the best option to get into the city from this hotel. You willl have to walk around 1.7Kms to the Metro station ‘EUR Palasport’ (B Line) (EUR Palasport is a station on Line B of the Rome Metro, in the EUR district of Rome between Viale America and Piazza Umberto Elia Terracini).
You can also wait for a bus (bust stop is just opposite to the hotel) to reach the metro station. The frequency of buses are not great. From the Metro station palasport, you can get a metro to the city (6 stops to the Colosseo, the stop that takes you just next to colosseum). Always keep this distance in mind while booking this hotel. This hotel is a good choice if your don’t mind using the metro everyday to get anywhere.

If you are staying here in this hotel, don’t forget to visit the nearby EUR lake and EUROMA Mall.

The Metro comprises of three lines – A (orange), B (blue) and C (green). You have several options for buying tickets at the ticket machines. It is important to know that the same ticket is valid for all public transport (ATAC) including metro, trams, buses (with the exception of the tourist buses) and even a number of regional trains.

Some important ticket types are:

• BIT Metro Ticket: This ticket costs 1.50 € and allows you to use public transport for 100 minutes after you stamp it. You are only allowed to make one trip by metro or train.
• Roma 24H Ticket: This 7 € ticket allows you to travel for 24 hours after activation

Other Travel Card options:

One option to save a lot of time and money during your 3-day stay in Rome is to get the “Rome Tourist Card”, also called “Rome City Pass”.  You’ll bypass the queues and have priority entrances to the most famous tourist attractions of the city. The pass includes:

• Colosseum entrance ticket with audio guide + Roman Forum + Palatine Hill (1st day of my itinerary)
• St. Peter’s Basilica: entrance + audio guide (2nd day)
• Vatican Museum and Sistine Chapel (optional – Day 2 of this itinerary)
• 10% discount for museums and tourist attractions such as the Castel Sant’Angelo or the Galleria Borghese

Another option will be to take ‘Omnia Card’.   This card is also called the “Rome and Vatican Pass”.

The Omnia Card includes the following:

• Priority admission to the Vatican Museums and the Sistine Chapel (scheduled for the second day of your trip)
• Skip-the-line ticket to St. Peter’s Basilica + audio guide (2nd day too)
• Visit to St. Peter’s Prison + audio guide
• Lateran Basilica and Cloisters: entrance + audioguide
• Free tickets for 2 tourist attractions from the list below:
  • Colosseum (1st day of this itinerary)
  • Palatine and Roman Forum (1st day too)
  • Castel Sant’Angelo (2nd day)
  • Borghese Gallery
  • Capitoline Museums
• Free access to public transportation during your 3 days in Rome – Perfect to get around quickly if you don’t want to do everything on foot!
• Discounts for museums and activities
• Hop-On Hop-Off bus ticket (tourist bus)
• A map of Rome

While thinking about Rome, somehow we get a feeling that its a huge city, and in many ways it is. However, it’s actually smaller in population than other European cities like London, Paris, and so on.

Day 1:

Start off your 3 days in Rome by exploring the historic city centre. This area is filled with some of the most famous sights. You’ll learn tons of history, take stunning pictures and eat some incredible food along the way.

One thing Rome is not short of is, fountains. There are around 300 monumental fountains as well as many small public drinking fountains.

When in Rome, you can’t miss the street performers.

We decided to do a walking tour and a sight seeing tour in bus on Day 1.

In the walking tour, we covered 3 main attractions:

1. Spanish Steps (PIAZZA DI SPAGNA)
2. Trevi Fountain
3. Monument to Victor Emmanuel II

a) Spanish Steps:

A frequent stop on any Rome walking tour, the Spanish Steps are a lovely way to start the day.

Admire the fountain at the square below before heading up the stairs. Climb the 135 steps to the top for a stunning view of the city.

The area surrounding the Spanish Steps is known for its luxury shopping and designer boutiques.

In 2019, a new law was put in place to crack down on “bad behavior” in Rome. If you are caught sitting on the Spanish Steps, you risk paying a €400 fine.

b) Trevi Fountain:

One of the most famous places to visit in Rome, the Trevi Fountain is indeed stunning. The problem is that everyone else seems to think so and it’s one of the most chaotic and touristy places in the city.

If you want to really experience this place, it better to go there around 6:30-7 AM or late evening, as the crowd will be very less.

Don’t forget to toss a coin into the fountain to ensure your return to the Eternal City! These go to a good cause – each night the coins are removed from the fountain and used by a charity that helps those in need of food.

Standing 26.3 metres high and 49.15 metres wide, it is the largest Baroque fountain in the city and one of the most famous fountains in the world.

c) Monument to Victor Emmanuel II:

Dedicated to the first king of Italy (who is buried in the Pantheon), the Monument of Victor Emmanuel II is located between Piazza Venezia and Capitoline Hill. It’s hard to miss this monument, with its two bronze statues and white exterior perched high over Rome.

After the sighseeing,  We did the Greenline Tour (Bus trip) aswell on Day 1.

We decided to proceed with Greenline Tours. Based on my experience, the tour tickets were cheaper through the agents rather than booking online. You will encounter a large number of agents on the road (mainly near the attractions).

Greenline provides 3 Routes (Green, Orange and Blue). We covered the Green route. It is a highly recommended tour, as you get an oportunity to explore the main places in a short span of time and that too with a Guide.

Bus Stops in Green Line (Eternal City Tour, Circular):

1A TERMINAL
Piazza dei Cinquecento (corner Via Cavour)

2 Santa Maria Maggiore
Piazza dell’Esquilino, 12

3 COLOSSEUM
Via di San Gregorio

4 Circus Maximus
Via del Circo Massimo, Belvedere di Romolo e Remo

5 PIAZZA VENEZIA
Via del Teatro Marcello (in front of civic numbers 32-34)

6 VATICAN CITY
Lungotevere Tor di Nona, n. 7

7 VILLA BORGHESE
Via Ludovisi, n. 48

8 BARBERINI SQUARE
Via Barberini, n. 14

Please use the link to explore more à https://www.greenlinetours.com/en/tours/rome-bus-tours/hop-on-hop-off

Day 2:

We took the combination tickets for Colosseum, Roman Forum, Palatine Hill & Mamertine Prison: Reserved Entrance from Tiqets (Non Guided Tour).

https://www.tiqets.com/en/rome-attractions-c71631/tickets-for-mamertine-prison-colosseum-roman-forum-palatine-hill-p974875

Duration: Mamertine Prison: approx. 30 minutes,

Colosseum, Roman Forum & Palatine Hill: approx 2.5-3 hours

Colosseum and Roman Forum might be the main highlights of your trip to Rome.

Starting point of the tour was Mamertine Prison. At the Mamertine Prison, receive your ticket with a specific timeslot for the Colosseum (about 1.5 hours later on the same day).

Please make sure to be at the Colosseum, 15 minutes before the timeslot that was given to you at the Mamertine Prison.

In our case, we got the Mamertine Prison ticket for 9:40AM and we got the Colosseum ticket only for 3:40PM. So be ready with flexible schedule, while planning for this day trip.

a) Mamertine Prison:

According to the history, the apostles Peter and Paul were also imprisoned in this prison, although there is no real evidence for this. Keep in mind that the attraction as a building itself is not much, but that it is mainly the dark history that attracts the visitors.

Expect some rush/delay in getting the tickets.

b) Explore the Roman Forum and Paletine Hill:

Roman Forum & Palatine Hill are in the same compound.

Roman Forum – This sprawling complex was once the center of political, social, and religious life in ancient Rome.

The Roman Forum is the old town where the Romans lived thousands of years ago. Some of these buildings still stand today and the rubble for the others are there too. There is so much to learn here and it shows a lot about what life was like back then.

Palentien Hill – Discover the birthplace of Rome on Palatine Hill. According to legend, this is where Romulus founded the city in 753 BC. Explore the ruins of imperial palaces, gardens, and stadiums that once housed Rome’s elite. Enjoy breathtaking views of the Colosseum and the Roman Forum from the hilltop.

c) Colosseum:

Its better to book your tickets in advance.

You can book tickets directly or through some guided tours. We did not book a guided tour and we still regret that. We would have understood a lot, if we had a guide with us.

We tried the online audio guide (Voxcity), but it was a big flop. So we always suggest to proceed with a travel guide instead of online or audio guide.

Take as many photos and videos when you are at Colosseum, afterall you are stading in one of the wonder of the world.
Since the 6th century, the Colosseum suffered damages from earthquakes, lootings, and World war II bombings. That’s why only part of it is still standing today. Thanks to its extensive history, it is listed as one of the Seven Wonders of the Modern World and is one of Rome’s most popular tourist attractions.

This colossal amphitheater is a testament to the grandeur of ancient Rome. Undoubtedly it is a symbol of Rome that every tourist should see. Colosseum is most famous for being the home of gladiators, who would battle it out in front of audiences that could number as many as 80,000 people.

At 157 feet, the Colosseum was also the tallest amphitheatre ever built, falling only 26 feet short of the Leaning Tower of Pisa. The Colosseum has a fascinating architectural design, featuring three levels of arches and a complex network of tunnels and chambers beneath the arena.

As we had enough time between Mamertine Prison and  Colosseum,  We did an additional walking tour to see:

1. Piazza del Popolo
2. The Twin churches of Rome
3. Piazza Navona
4. Pantheon

a) Piazza del Popolo:

Piazza del Popolo is a large urban square in Rome. This was the location of the northern gate of Rome, and is where, for countless years before trains, planes and cars, travelers would actually arrive into Rome.

On the south side of the Piazza are the twin churches of Santa Maria in Montesanto, and Santa Maria del Miracoli, sitting either side of Via Corso.

b) The Twin churches of Rome:

Santa Maria dei Miracoli and Santa Maria di Montesanto are two churches in Rome. They are located on the Piazza del Popolo, facing the northern gate of the Aurelian Walls, at the entrance of Via del Corso on the square.

c) Piazza Navona:

This is one of the most beautiful squares in Rome. It’s very long with a central fountain called La Fontana dei Quattro Fiumi (The Fountain of the Four Rivers, with four statues representing the Donau, Ganges, Nile, and Rio de la Plata). This is a great spot for people-watching and enjoying free street performances.

d) Pantheon:

We couldn’t get inside as we missed to do a pre booking. So ensure that you do a booking before reaching here. As of July 2023, entrance is no longer free and costs €5 (during weekends + holidays, as far as I know). The Pantheon is one of the best preserved buildings from ancient Rome (alomost 2000 years). Its an ancient Roman temple turned church.

Day 3:

The day 3 was dedicated for Vatican city. You can find more details in my travel blog :

1 Day in Vatican City

In case if you have more days in your plan, there are many more interesting places to explore.

A few of them are listed below:

Rome to Pompeii (historial places)

Appian Way

Catacombs of Rome

Pyramid of Caius Cestius

Baths of Caracalla

St. John in the Lateran

Borghese Gallery & Borghese Gardens

Tiber River Walk

Capitoline Hill

Galleria Doria Pamphilj

Galleria Sciarra

Terrazza Del Pincio – Sunset View

Hop on the fast train that takes only 1 hour 15 minutes from Rome to Naples 

Rome Travel Tips:

• Rome is a popular tourist destination, so it’s best to plan ahead.

• You will do so much walking during your 3 days in Rome, so wear comfortable shoes!

• Rome has a great public transportation system including buses, trams, and the metro. These can be convenient when exploring Rome in 3 days.

• As you explore the ancient wonders, take moments to appreciate the rich history and culture that surround you. Rome’s streets are filled with hidden gems and stories waiting to be discovered. Embrace the city’s vibrant energy and let yourself be transported back in time.

• To get the most out of your trip and to be sure you see all the major attractions, you will need to do a bit of forward planning and even reserve your entry time to the key attractions – otherwise you’ll waste your time standing in lines unnecessarily and even miss out on being able to visit.

• Rome is really easy to get around, with much of it very walkable.

• Some of the museums and attractions are closed on Mondays.

• Rome is relatively a Tourist safe place.

• The water in the taps is safe to drink, although many locals prefer the taste of bottled water. You can also drink the water that comes out of the taps in the fountains, so just carry a drinking water bottle with you and hydrate as you go.

• Many of the attractions in Rome are holy places, and you need to be dressed appropriately.

• Avoid the tourist traps directly outside the main tourist attractions. Instead, walk a few minutes in any direction, and you’ll come across much more affordable and authentic options.

• It is good to choose a accomodation near to the Metro line.

• And last but not the least, don’t forget to try Galeto (and/or other sweets) and Pizza.

Summary:

Rome is such a fascinating city and we are glad that we got an opportunity to visit this beautiful city.

Certainly, 3 days in Rome is not enough to see absolutely everything that the city has to offer, but it’s definitely enough to see all the highlights if you manage your time effectively.

We visited Dalaman in April 2024.

Whenever someone says about the country “Turkey”, we usually think of Istanbul or Cappadocia & its hot air balloons.

People usually relate Dalaman and the surrounding towns like Fethiye with package / beach holidays but I will have to say that it’s a completely wrong understanding. Along with some beautiful beaches, there are many more places to visit and see here in this part of Turkey. Lots of Historical sites aswell.

Dalaman is a municipality and district of Muğla Province, Turkey. Its area is 608 km², and its population is around 50000. I still feel that this part of Turkey is still an unexplored destination. The Dalaman region of Turkey is generally considered safe for tourists.

As am holding my Indian Visa, I had to go with a E-Visa. Its super easy. You just get into this website and provide the requested documents. The visa will come back to your registered email address in few minutes. (NOTE: Single Entry charge is 44 USD)

Please also note that there are few other websites like this one, which are mostly managed by the private parties. Ofcourse, their processing charges will be more.

We took the RyanAir flight from Dublin to Dalaman. The flight reached there at 9:45PM (flight time was around 4 hours 15 min or so).

When you prepare a plan for Dalaman, I would suggest to book a ‘All Inclusive’ Stay. Patiently wait for a good deal. Believe me, you can get some really good deals.

We had booked our stay at ‘Sundia Exclusive By Liberty Fethiye‘, which is around 45 minutes from the Dalaman Airport. It’s a all inclusive resort. All Inclusive, so buffet breakfast, lunch and dinner will be included as part of your package, as well as snacks at set times and selected local-brand alcohol, soft drinks, tea and coffee. The staff were very helpful and the services were excellent. I would definitely suggest this resort without a second thought. One other good thing with this resort is that they serve food almost 24 hours. So even if you reach Dalaman airport late evening or night, dont bother much about taking parcels to the hotel. Instead, you can have your late dinner at the hotel itself.

Dalaman Airport is the main gateway. Taxis, shuttle buses, and rental cars are available for transportation. Public transport includes buses, dolmuş (shared minibuses), and taxis. A number of airlines fly into Dalaman including budget-friendly options like EasyJet , Jet2 and Ryanair. Ofcourse Turkish airlines aswell.

If you don’t want to hire a guide / taxi or if you don’t want to use a public transport, you can also hire a car from the Dalaman Airport. You can book in advance with companies like Eurocar.

Package holidays in Dalaman, Turkey  offer a convenient and hassle-free way to explore the destination and give you an extra layer of security. These carefully curated holiday packages provide travellers with a comprehensive experience that includes flights, accommodations, transfers, and sometimes even guided tours or excursions. While package holidays provide a pre-planned itinerary, there is often flexibility to tailor the package to your preferences.

In case if you would like to plan the trip with a customised itinerary, this blog can be used as a reference. In this blog, I have tried to cover a 3 nights / 4 days itinerary which would certainly cover most of the important attractions.

The main advantage that we got in this trip was that we were able to get a great contact in Fethiye, His name is Tunca. He is a part time Tourist guide (very local to Fethiye). He helped us to finalise the whole itinerary and was with us almost all days throughout this trip.

Without a second thought, I can gurantee that he can be a great support if you are planning a itinenary from your side. He has got some real good rating from his customers. Please see the link for more details: https://www.airbnb.ie/experiences/1074953

DAY 1 : 6 hours Fethiye Day trip including 1 hour Boat ride

Fethiye is best for beach lovers. Situated right on the Mediterranean coast, Fethiye has plenty of beaches nearby including the famous Blue Lagoon. Sightseers will also love Fethiye, whose long history has left it with plenty of sights to see, including the breath taking Tomb of Amyntas.

There are different companies that do the city tour. If you couldn’t book one prior, sometimes you will be able to do it from your hotel itself. Different agencies visit the reception/lobby area and you can check with them for trips. We covered the following on the day 1:

1 Hour Boat Trip

Fethiye view point

Butterfly Valley View Point

Lycian Rock Tombs (Tomb of Amyntas)

Akvaryum Bay

Kayaköy Ghost Town

Aquarium Cove Fethiye

Blue Lagoon (Oludeniz)

Fethiye Market

Tunca came with a convertible car and that made the day 1 road trip an exciting one.

We started our journey with a Boat trip (1 Hour).  Tunca owns a small boat and we used his boat for this trip. It was indeed a great experience. Sometimes waves were a bit harsh but manageable.

Lycian Rock Tombs (Tomb of Amyntas):

Carved into the cliff sides above the town and looking out over the ocean, the Fethiye Lycian Rock Tombs offer a fascinating glimpse into the city’s ancient past, dating back to 350 BC.

The only way to reach the tombs is by climbing up the hillside (there is ticket price involved here) . It’s a short walk but leave yourself plenty of time to admire the ruins and take in the views along the way. You can see as far as the Greek island of Rhodes on a clear day. Please note that you will have to climb around 200 steps to reach the tomb.

If you are planning to visit a histrorical place, It is always advisable to go through the history of  that place before visiting. It will help to get more context of what you are going to see there or what the guide would be speaking about.

In this 1 day trip, you will see lot of view points enroute. Some of them are very good for drone photography.

Kayakoy (Ghost town):

Its been designated as a “World Friendship and Peace Village” by UNESCO. The town was abandoned after the Turkish Greek Population exchange that took place after the founding of the Turkish Republic in the 1920s.

The ghost town of Kayakoy is tragically all that is left of a once-thriving village in Turkey. It was built in the 1700s, but it has been completely deserted since the 1920s.

Kayakoy has around 3500 preserved houses and three churches. The largest of the churches is the beautiful and deserted Basilica of Panayia Pyrgiotissa. To get the most out of this area, I recommend booking a guided tour to Kayakoy with a knowledgeable tour guide who knows the town’s history. This way, you can get an accurate and informed insight into how the terrible events unfolded here.

We had lunch at a Traditional restaurant named ‘Antik’ in Ghost town.

We tried the local food ‘Gozleme’ and ‘Ayran’. Food was tasty. It was also a nice experience to watch the preparation of ‘Gozleme’.

Butterfly valley View Point & Beach

The name comes from more than 90 species of butterflies that can be observed at a certain time of year at an inner point of the valley. There are 2 opions to see this place. Many tourists take the boat trip which has this place as one of the destination and the other way is by road. Please note that you will have to walk a short distance to reach the view point fom the main road. That short distance is not a proper walkway, instead you will have to do a short hike to reach the point. The walking path is a bit tough and uneven. If you have any walking difficulties, it might be challenging. Definitely, this is a must seee place.

There was a person taking Drone photography. Charges was around 500 TL. The Drone video came out really nice.

After almost 6 hours (including 1 hour boat trip) , now it was time to reach back the hotel. Its indeed a scenic roadtrip.

Day 2 : Olüdeniz Paragliding and Saklikent Gorge

Olüdeniz Paraglyding:

This was the most exciting day in the whole trip.

I started off the day with Olüdeniz Paragliding. There are ‘N’ number of companies offering the Paragliding experience. Most reputable paragliding companies will offer transfers, full insurance, and professional instructors. So always ensure to go with a reputed (or one with great reviews), evenif the cost is slightly high.

There are different options like Tandem (for beginners), extended thermal flight and acrobatic flights.

I had booked an tour with Gravity Paragliding. I was extermely happy with their service. The overall flight time was around 30 minutes or so.

Scared of heights? Fear not; you’ll be securely strapped to a trained pilot who will control the paraglider while you sit back and admire the views.

You will get an opportunity to leap 1800 metres off Babadeg Mount and land on the beach on a thrilling paragliding experience. Paragliding off Babadag Mountain is typically done in tandem with a qualified instructor, so you do not need any prior experience to paraglide in Dalaman.

I selected the 9AM slot and they picked me up from hotel at 7:50 AM. It is almost a 45 minutes drive from hotel to the mountain bed.

As I had travelled during a shoulder season, they had clubbed their travel van with another company. It took another 25-30 minutes to reach the top of the mountain which is at 1800 meters. The company had arranged a very experienced Pilot who has been flying since last 11 years.

The wind was harsh. And my pilot did not take any risk. He asked me to wait until the wind condition was manageble. I had seen some other companies coming and do the paragliding even in the adverse wind conditions which I felt was very risky.

The company representative asked me to keep the valuables in a locker in their shop. I did that and later I realised that it was a mistake. If you leave your phone, you are really missing the beautiful photography options at the moutain top. So I would suggest to take the phone with you. Anyway the Pilot will collect all your valuables before the flight and will keep it in a very safe bag with him. It will be handed over to you once you complete the flight.

Another mistake that I have seen many people doing was that they book back to back tours with the travel companies with very limted time gap. Like 9AM paragliding, 10:30AM Boat trip and so on. We had some people in our van who have done something similar. Please don’t go with an assumption that paragliding will start at the exact time. There are some very important external conditions like wind which will be play a key role. On our flight day, the wind was very harsh and the flight could not not start at the designated time. Many of the co-travellers had to leave for the boat trip without doing the paragliding. They had to go for the boat trip and come back later in the afternoon or evening to do the paragliding. So my suggestion is that its always better to leave a half day excusively for paragliding. (Ex: If 9AM is your flight time, it better to leave your day free until 1PM, so that you have enough time to adjust with the time that is lapsed). Also remember that this is happening slightly outside the main city and you might need atleast a hour or so for commuting back to the hotel.

Olüdeniz is one of Turkey’s best places for tandem paragliding. It offers incredible views of the beach and Blue Lagoon below.

The take-off was smooth, and the pilot talked to me throughout the flight and took photos and video on a GoPro (you usually have the option to buy these at extra cost later, but it’s worth checking the details beforehand). Definetely take a copy of those photos and videos as it is a memory to cherish for ever.

I stayed calm and focused on everything that my paragliding instructor was telling me. We ran down the slope, the wind caught our parachute, and suddenly, we were floating in the air.

I realised that paragliding was one of the greatest things I have ever done . It’s terrifying, but ridiculously rewarding.

Ölüdeniz is one of the most photographed beaches in the world for paragliding.

I felt completely safe during the experience, but it is important to choose an Oludeniz paragliding company that is well-established, licensed and has a good reputation for safety. Licensed operators undergo regular inspections and adhere to safety regulations set by local authorities.

You will be able to get an excellent top view of the The Blue Lagoon in Ölüdeniz (natural marvel, one of Turkey’s most iconic coastal destinations). Please note that this Blue Lagoon is one of the most visited places in Turkey. People visit here for swimming, snorkelling and so on. You will find a range of bars and restaurants where you can relax. As far as I know, there is a National park nearby this Blue Lagoon, which has a small entrance fee.

Saklikent Gorge:

Around an hour away from Fethiye, you’ll find the second-largest gorge in Europe – Saklikent. This place is a real natural beauty.

Seems like, a shepherd from the area was on a quest to locate his missing goat when he stumbled upon it near the gorge’s entrance.

Aside from being huge, it’s also extremely deep, and the shade from the sun is very welcoming. As you move futher, look up at the huge limestone cliffs on either side. As you reach the water crossing point, you’ll feel how cold the water is when it flows directly from the mountains!

In Summer, nomally the authorities tie a rope for few meters (some 500metres or so). Tourists can hold the rope (if required) for walking through the water body. As we had gone during the off season, the tourists were very minimal (almost nil) and no such ropes were seen. So we did not venture much into the water body.

This is a very intersteing destination worth visiting. You need to purchase tickets at the entrance of the Gorge. This awe-inspiring gorge was formed millions of years ago by the natural forces of water erosion, creating the deep canyon and steep slopes that we see today.

DAY 3 : Just Relax in your hotel room

This was a day for complete rest. As mentioned earlier, Sundia Exclusive By Liberty Fethiye is a All Inclusive hotel and its close to the beach. We spend most of our time at the hotel room, pool and beach.

As the Calis Beach is near by, we spend some time walking in the beautiful pathway near to the beach. You can also rent a electric bike or scooter and roam around.

If you don’t want to take rest and want to make a effective use of this day, I would suggest 1 day trip to Pamukkale and Hierapolis.

DAY 4 : Dalyan Boat trip

You don’t have to book any tour company for doing this tour. You can do it all by yourself.

Arrange a taxi or rent a car or a Public transport to reach Dalyan. It took us around 50 minutes to reach from our hotel. We saw a lot of orange trees enroute in both sides of the road.

From the Pier/Jetty, you can direcly take a boat (250 TL / person). During the season trime, boats will be starting every 10 minutes or so. There are lots of boats for service. This rate is for public tours and the only disadvantage is that you will have to wait until 15-20 people onboard the boat. But I was told that these boats will be able to fill their capacity in 10 minutes during the regular season / peak time. Many of the boats used for Dalyan River tours are typically traditional Turkish wooden boats called “piyade” or “kayik.” These boats are well-suited for navigating the river’s shallow waters and narrow channels.

If you don’t want to wait long and if you are ok in paying more, you can directly take a private hire (might be around 2000 TL). Please note that these are all shoulder season rates and might vary based on seasons.

The boat takes around 40 minutes one side and there is a stopping at Iztuzu Beach (Turtle Beach) for almost an hour. So, please be prepared by taking some eatables/water with you. Some boats might have snacks/drinks/beer and so on, whcih you can purchase directly.

This area is now a protected breeding ground for the ‘Caretta caretta (Loggerhead) Sea Turtle, and you might get a chance to see them. Unfortunately, we didn’t see even one turtle. We were told that its very tough / rare to see turtles during the day time. So keep your expecatations minimal. But this 5-6 kms stretch of the golden sand beach is really beautful.

On a typical Dalyan boat trip, you will sail through pretty reeds and also pass the Lycian rock tombs.

These cliff-carved tombs, dating back to 400 BC, are the final resting place of the kings of Kaunos. They are so imposing and beautiful that they almost don’t look real.

In this blog, I just tried to cover some of the very interesting destinations that we visited in Dalaman. However there are many places (and experience) which is missed out in this blog. Please find a short list below:

Mud Bath experience in Dalyan

Dalyan 12 island tour

Paddle boarding in Selimiye

Fethiye Fish Market

Fethiye Market

Marmaris day trip (Night life, Dancing Fountain and so on)

Jeep Safari in Dalaman area

Exploring The Aegean Islands Near Dalaman (Boat trip)

Akyaka & The Azmak River (River Cruise)

Letoon

Kaunos

Selimiye

Island Hopping in Göcek

Selale Waterfalls in Turgut

Saint Nicholas Island Kayaking Tour

Babadağ Teleferik (Cable Car)

Sarsala Cove

Sarıgerme

Yuvarlak Cay Cold Springs

Village of Kalkan

Akkaya Valley

Blue Logoon

Dalaman is also famous for the beaches. Please see a small list below:

Sarigerme Beach

Patara Beach

Kaputaş Beach

Carette Beach

Summary:

• This is indeed a great destination, definitely recommended.
• If you want to avoid a rush period, I would suggest to avoid May/June/July, as the resorts gets pretty booked up throughout thsose months. July might be the hottest and busiest month, attracting sun-seekers and holidaymakers.
• Weather in Dalaman is warm 365 days of the year. Shoulder months like April or August will be better time to visit as the rush will be relatively lesser.
• Turkish Lira (TRY) is the official currency. Credit cards are widely accepted, but carrying some cash for smaller purchases is advisable.
• If you like fresh fish and fresh food, Fethiye is an ideal location.
• English is widely spoken in tourist areas.

Vatican City is the smallest country in the world both by area and population, covering an area of 49 hectares (121 acres). This place (religious superpower) have guided millions of people across the globe.

Home of the Roman Catholic Church and its spiritual leader – the Pope, Vatican City was granted a country status to enable the pope to exercise his universal authority.

The euro is the official currency of the Vatican City, although Vatican City is not a member of the Eurozone or the European Union. The euro has been the official currency of Vatican City since 2002.

This country have a population of around 764 (as of 2023) residents, and has its own flag. For many travellers, visiting this religious hub is a bucket list item. Visiting the Vatican is an unforgettable experience not only for lovers of art but also of history, culture, and architecture. 

There are multiple ways to reach here:

• Metro –> Line A (There are two metro stops located near the Vatican Museums entrance: Ottaviano and Cipro)
• Bus –>  Numbers 492, 990 (Via Degli scipioni); 32, 81, 982 (Risorgimento stop)
• 49 (Viale Vaticano / Musei Vaticani stop)
• Tram –> Number 19 (Risorgimento / San Pietro stop)
• Taxi –> Taxi Station Viale Vaticano (in front of the Museum)
• Car –> Payment Parks in Viale Vaticano

Vatican city Trip planning:

Entry to the Vatican City and St. Peter’s Square is free, but to enter the Vatican Museums and the Sistine Chapel you need to take tickets, except on certain occasions.

Vatican Museum:

Keep in mind, that the best time to visit the Vatican Museums is in the morning, as queues begin to form as early as 07:30 am despite the museums opening at 09:00 am. Do not leave this for later in the day as museums close at 6:30 pm hrs and visitors are obligated to leave the premises thirty minutes before closing time.

Book your tours and tickets for Vatican Museum, well in advance as the lines get very very long and it can take hours to get in. Without a skip-the-entrance-line ticket expect the line to be up to 1 to 2 km long (even starting well before 8:30 am)

We did the following to book our tickets:
1) Link : https://www.museivaticani.va/content/museivaticani/en.html#lnav_shop
2) Once you click the link, you will have to book the tour (We had selected ‘Museums and Vatican collections’).
3) Select the date of your choice and click confirm (you will have to give number of Visitors).
4) The next screen will show all the available ticket types. We had selected
‘Guided Tours for Individuals – Vatican Museums and Sistine Chapel’.
5) Select the ticket type of your choice and click ‘Book’.
6) The next screen will show you the price distribution (like Full Ticket, Reduced Ticket (6-18 years including 18 years and students). You also have a option to select ‘Visit Language’ (This is for the earphones, as we had selected Guided Tours).
7) In the same screen, you will get to see the different timings and the corresponding availability. Select your convinient time.
8) If you are happy with all the provided details, click to proceed.
NOTE: In the tour that we seleted, the Guide fees is also included when you see the final ticket price.
9) In the next screen, you can provide your personal details (like name and so on) and proceed to Buy for Payments.
10) You will get the confirmation ticket / voucher in your email. You will have to show that ticket (better to keep a hard copy handy in case if somebody says softcopy is not allowed), when you reach the entrance. NOTE: Good to scroll through the Q&A : https://tickets.museivaticani.va/support

Steps to follow on the day of your visit:

There is a line reserved for the visitors with the booking. Visitors are asked to present themselves 15 minutes before the tour start time. The voucher is Non Transfereble and is valid only for the date / time that is reserved. Online booking allows you to skip the museum entrance line. Simply proceed to the entrance gate to scan your ticket. (NOTE: We somehow reached the entrance gate 15 minutes late, but still they allowed us to join the group tour that we booked online, but try to reach early). There are multiple security checks before entering the Museum.

This Museum is the home to some of the most priceless art collections (around 70,000+) accumulated by the Pope over the centuries.

The Vatican Museums are made up of 26 museums (about 5 miles of wall space) in all and display some dazzling exhibits.

The one thing that can’t be avoided is the crowds. You will be moving as one large mass, from museum to museum spread over two floors to get to the Sistine Chapel.

NOTE: Please note that Museum is not open on all Sundays. Please check the below link for the timings: https://www.thevaticantickets.com/timings/

Sistine Chapel:

This is one of the most famous and beautiful chapels in the world. The most famous part of the Sistine Chapel is, of course, the ceiling, which was painted by Michelangelo between 1508 and 1512. One of the most interesting things about the Sistine Chapel is that it’s still in use today. The chapel is used for important religious ceremonies and events, including the election of new popes.

Don’t forget that it’s forbidden to film and/or photograph inside the Sistine Chapel (with or without flash)!  I managed a sneaky one (no flash) on my iPhone (OK, am not such a bad guy who breaks rules and regluations all the time, but somehow I couldn’t resist taking a picture)

The Sistine Chapel is located right on the other end of the Vatican Museums and you will have to walk through all the museums and exhibitions before you get to see the masterpiece.

Spiral Staircase:

Every photographer will want to capture the famous and most beautiful spiral staircase. You can find this famous staircase at the very end of the visit as you exit the Vatican Museums. It’s one of the most photographed staircases in the world.

St. Peters Square:

The square is also known as Piazza San Pietro and is located right in front of the basilica.

The square has hundreds of statues. One of the first things you’ll notice about St. Peter’s Square is its size. It’s one of the largest public squares in the world, spanning over 5 hectares (12.5 acres) and capable of holding over 300,000 people.

There are 2 fountains in the square. Located in front of St Peter’s Basilica and the charming Bernini colonnade, the Vatican Obelisk is one of the 13 antique obelisks of Rome.

It is free to visit but the lines might be veeeeery verrrrrrry long, so a skip-the-line ticket is worth getting (there are few different options like guided tours, small group tours and so on).

When the Pope is at home in Vatican City, he gives an audience each Wednesday morning in St. Peter’s Square that is open to anyone who would like to join.

More details here: https://www.vatican.va/various/prefettura/index_en.html

St. Peter’s Basilica:

St Peter’s Basilica is one of the largest amd most famous churches in the world.  It is not a part of the Vatican Museums.  Entry is free but you will have to get through the security, which can take hours. You’ll pass through a metal detector and will have your bags checked when you reach the front.

NOTE: There are some skip the line tickets available in ‘Get Your Guide’, ‘Viator’ and  other websites.

One of the most striking features of St. Paul’s Basilica is the massive 80-metre-long nave, which is one of the largest in the world. The nave is lined with marble columns and features beautiful mosaics and frescoes on the ceiling.

St. Peter’s Basilica was completed after 120+ years of construction.

St. Peters Dome is the tallest in the world and the entrance to the dome is on the right side of the basilica, above the visitor center. Climb the steps for a view of Vatican City (as it was very crowded, we did not do that and hence I don’t have a photo of how it will look like). Please note that you need to take a ticket to get to the top of Basilica. However, it is highly recommended to visit the Dome.

Dressed in their iconic yellow, red and blue uniforms (outside the Basilica), the Vatican’s Swiss Guard might remind you of jesters from Renaissance times.

Other places to see:

• Vatican Gardens
• Castel Sant’Angelo
• Pont Sant’Angelo
• Send a postcard from Vatican City:
• If you want a memento of your travels, sending a postcard from the Vatican post office is not only fun but a cost-effective activity to enjoy. This unique opportunity of mailing a postcard from an independent country to yourself or even friends and families is a novel way to send greetings. The Vatican Post office lies at the exit gate of St Peter’s Basilica to the right.

Important point to note:

• The Vatican has an open-border policy with Italy, so if you have a visa or the right to enter Italy, you can enter the Vatican City too. We had used our Schengen visa to get into Vatican city. Even though it is a country, there’s no need to carry your passport when visiting the Vatican.
• When in Rome make sure to add Vatican City to your itinerary.
• Always budget an extra 20 to 30 minutes if you have a scheduled event like a Guided Tour. This way you don’t have to rush and it’ll give you time.
• The Vatican Museum is immense and full of so many incredible things that booking a tour guide or using an audio guide is strongly recommended. With just a day in Vatican City, you must budget the available time in such a manner to see the best attractions. A typical guided Vatican tour lasts only two to three hours which barely scratches the surface. 
• The Vatican has a strict dress code that requires shoulders and knees to be covered. Avoid shorts, skirts above the knee, and sleeveless tops.
• Like all great Italian museums, you can get coffee and food inside the Vatican Museums.
• Wear comfortable shoes. If you have any issues with walking for a sustained period of time, rent a wheelchair (for free). The Vatican Museums have very few benches where you can rest.
• Pack light, you will not be allowed to take bigger bags with you and have to go through security. The less you carry with you, the better. Food and metal tools (scissors and knives) are not allowed.
• With breaks, some stamina, and the right strategy, a one day visit to Vatican City can certainly be done and enjoyed. Don’t forget to schedule enough free time between sightseeing so you can get a bit of rest and have some food.
• If you know in advance that you are going to travel to both Rome & Vatican City, you should consider getting the Omnia Rome & Vatican Card. It will pay for itself in no time!                      More Details here  –> https://www.omniavaticanrome.org/en

Interesting facts about Vatican city:

• Smallest country in the world.
• One of the countries that is surrounded by a city (in this case, its Rome).
• You can just walk into Vatican City from Rome and you won’t even notice a major difference between when you’re in Rome or Vatican City.
• Latin and Italian are widely spoken.
• Vatican city has its own flag.
• One of the most visited tourist attractions in the world.
• Mondays, Wednesdays and weekends tends to be the busiest.
• Vatican Museums are the second oldest museum in the world.
• Vatican City doesn’t offer passport stamps.
• The Sistine Chapel is one of the final stops when touring the Vatican Museums and can’t be seen without visiting the museums.
• Vatican City ATM’s give you a choice of instructions in Latin.
• The Vatican city is NOT part of the European Union.
• Make sure to pack some snacks and water, especially when visiting with kids. You can easil spend the whole day here and it’s best to be prepared.

As a part of my business trip, I got a chance to visit Copenhagen, Denmark in October 2023 . I tried to sneak in some time to visit a couple of major attractions in Copenhagen.

Copenghagen constantly ranks one among the happiest cities in the world. There are many attractions to explore here in Copenhagen, ideal place for a 2-3 days itinerary.

Copenhagen Airport, Kastrup:

Its is an international airport serving Copenhagen, Denmark. The airport is the largest airport in the Nordic countries. I flew from Dublin to Copenhagen. The outside view from plane was really superb.  If you’re lucky you’ll get a fabulous view of Øresund Bridge (Architectural Masterpiece, bridge between Copenhagen and Sweden) as you fly into Copenhagen.

It’s a nice and modern airport, which is located just eight kilometres from the city centre.

The airport is well connected with lots of international destinations.

There are a few food outlets within the terminal building. ‘Burger King’ outlet is indeed a big one.

Its quite easy to find the Train, Metro, Taxi and Bus Terminals. There are lots of display boards available everywhere.

If you are looking for Train tickets, you will find the DSB ticket machine / Kiosks (quite near to the Burger King outlet). Please note that such tickets are available in 7/11 shops aswell.

DSB, an abbreviation of Danske Statsbaner (Danish State Railways), is the largest Danish train operating company, and the largest in Scandinavia.

NOTE: You can also use sites like OMIO, for booking trains.

You can also use mobile app Viggo, if you are looking for taxis.

The kiosk is quite easy to navigate. English display is also available. Normally, you will also find a DSB employee near the Kiosk to support you (in case if you are confused how to operate the Kiosk).

There are lots of trains (ex: To Lund, Malmo, Stockholm and so on) from the airport. You will see tracks / platforms clearly indicated.

If you are looking for metro, you will see that also, clearly indicated.

The Metro is well connected to different parts of Copenhagen.

By chance if you want to drop off your luggage in the Airport, there is a self service facility available just outside the terminal building (very easy to use).

If you plan to cover a lot of places within Copenhagen, I strongly suggest to take a City pass (I had personally taken a 24 hours city pass large) .

NOTE:

1) City pass is available in different variants like 24, 48, 72,120 hours. The city pass comes with 2 options Small and Large.
The City Pass Small gives you unlimited access to buses, trains, metro and harbour buses in zones 1 – 4, which includes the center of Copenhagen and to and from the airport.
Meanwhile, the City Pass Large let you travel unlimited in zones 1 – 99, which includes Roskilde, Elsinore and other destinations in Northern Zealand.
A more convenient way to buy the City Pass is by getting the “DOT Tickets” app.
Get more information here : https://www.publictransport.dk/tickets/city-pass

2) There is also a Copenhagen Card worth exploring. See the link : https://www.copenhagencard.com/
COPENHAGEN CARD – DISCOVER is a ‘all-inclusive’ card that covers admission to 80+ attractions, includes public transportation including to and from the Airport.
COPENHAGEN CARD – HOP covers admission to 40+ attractions in the city center and Hop-on Hop-off sightseeing buses in Copenhagen.

Central Station:

The first destination I wanted to cover was the ‘Central Station’. It  is quite a big one with lots of platforms.

Both the metro and normal trains run from Copenhagen Airport to the central station. There are direct trains from airport to the copennhagen Central Station (around 15+ minutes). If you are taking Metro, you will have to get down at Kongens Nytorv and connect another Blue/red lines metro to reach the central station. So its obvious that taking a train would be easy/faster, if your destination is central station.

I had taken a train to reach the central station. Cycles play a major role in the life of locals here. You will see dedicated space for cycles in trains and stations. You will also find a lot of bike lanes all over the city. So be careful, while walking and crossing in the roads. You are not expected to walk in the cycle lanes. Copenhagen was ranked as one of the top Bike-Friendly Cities on the Planet. Bycyklen is a good mobile app for the bikes.

In case of you wish to keep your luggage in the Central station, you have self servcie options available.

STROGET Shopping (Walking street)

Once you come out of the central station, walk straight till the main road and turn to right side. If you follow that road (you will pass in front of Tivoli gate), you will get into the walking street which will take you till the famous canals.

If you are going in the corerct direction, you will see Scandic palace hotel on your right.

It’s a very nice walking street (approx 1.1 Kms I guess, It is one of the world’s longest pedestrian street) with lots of shops in both sides. There are lot of souvenir shops (try to get a souvenir from this street) and eateries in both sides. The entire street is also packed with a number of interesting shops, restaurants, and street performers. One of the highlights is Lego’s flagship store which is an excellent place to browse for both the young and young at heart. It is nice to see how many cool Lego structures are available these days in the place where they were invented.

I had tried some Belgian Chips from a shop and it was really tasty.

You will also find lot of important buildings in that road.

After covering some distance, you will start seeing the glimps of Canal.

This Canal and the buildings nearby are famous photography spots, which you would have seen in many wallpapers. There are lots of bars and restaurants here, so it’s a great place to hang out.

Nyvahn Waterfront and Boat ride:

Copenhagen is a waterfront city, and there’s no argument that the most photogenic waterfront spot in the city is Nyhavn. It is the classic picture postcard view that helps everyone recognise Copenhagen. If you are in Copenhagen and would like to cover 1 or 2 main things here, this canal boat ride should be in the Top part of your priority list. I could see 2 companies operating the canal tour (not sure if there are any other companies).

You will find ticket counters in the end part.

The boat jouney is around 45min-1 hour. The boats can acccomodate lot of people and there is also adjustable roof (in case if want to save youself from getting wet during rains). Since the roofs are adjustable and transparent, don’t worry even if you failed to get a window seat.

Onboard, there will be a guide giving you the history and small bits of information about everything you pass by.  It’s a great way to get a feel for the city and to get a general overview. Its quite a relaxing journey and you will love every moment of that.

NOTE: You will get to see lot of important attractions / buildings like Frederik’s Church, Little Mermaid Statue, Church of Our Saviour in Christianshavn, the imposing Kastellet fortress, royal palace, Opera house and so on during this boat trip.

Streets of Copenhagen:

After getting down the boat, I spend some time exploring the beautiful city of Copenhagen. It is considered to be an expensive city to visit but you can cover a lot of places on foot (the main sights of the city centre are all quite close to each other) . Also as discussed earlier, its good to grab a 24/48 hours ticket, so that you can hop-on and hop-off in public transport. Ofcourse you can also hire a bicycle aswell.

NOTE: Renting a car isn’t practical in Copenhagen, because parking is limited and might be expensive aswell.

Copenhagen’s public transportation system is efficient and clean and can take you just about anywhere you need to go in the city. Switching from one form of transport to another is very seamless.

Tivoli Gardens:

Later in the evening, I decided to explore Tivoli. It is an amusement park (Did you know that Walt Disney came to Tivoli to get inspiration for Disneyland?) and pleasure garden, operating since 1843. There are 30+ rides and open-air concerts in the summer.

If you’re visiting Copenhagen with kids, it’s a brilliant place to visit. They’ll love all the various rides and attractions. Everyone will enjoy it too, especially on a warm summer’s day. It’s the ideal place to relax or enjoy the rides.

If you visit in the evening, you’ll be treated to a dazzling light display. Thousands of lights adorn the various rides at night creating a sight that is fairytale-like!

Located in the centre of the city (one gate is opposite to Central Station), Tivoli Gardens is one of the top attractions in the city and it is the third-oldest amusement park in the world.

Tivoli Gardens is the fifth most visited amusement park in all of Europe. The 20-acre property is known for its rollercoasters. The most famous of which is the wooden Rollercoast Rutschebanen, which was built in 1914.

People say it takes 4-6 hours to cover full place. As I dint had much intention to explore all the rides, I was able to cover in 2+ hours.

But it’s a interesting place to visit. When I visisted, there were lot of Halloween decorations (additional lights and pumpkins) aswell.

NOTE: https://www.tivoli.dk/en –> Check website for opening date/time.

It opens in 3 seasons (Ex: 2024 timings below) :

1. 22 March – 22 September (Summer)
2. 10 October – 3 November (Halloween)
3. 15 November – 5 January (Christmas)

Worth Noting:

1. What I dicussed so far is just a 1 day itinenary for Copenhagen. It’s a place worth 3 days, for sure.
2. Copenhagen can be very cold in winter, so prepare yourself by packing a warm coat, hat, scarf and gloves.
3. Check opening times before visiting any attractions. In the winter it’s common for some venues to close a little earlier, so make sure to double check their websites so you don’t miss out.
4. If you want the highest chances of sunny weather, blue skies, and white clouds, aim for visiting in May-September.
5. Don’t foregt to try Danish hotdogs, Waffles and so on.
6. You can also find lot of LEGO stores which usually has a Denmark-specific set or two, since Denmark is where LEGO was created and is still headquartered.

Copenhagen has plenty to offer, you will not run out of idea.

Some other places/options worth exploring (in and around Copenhagen):

Amalienborg Palace (changing guards ceremony aswell)
Copenhagen Zoo
Botanical Gardens
Round Tower (climb the tower)
Aquarium (Den Bla Planet)
Frederiks Kirken – Marble Church
The Forest Tower – Camp Adventure
Kronborg Castle
Canal Tour
Christian’s Harbor (Painted Buildings)
Christiansborg Palace
Frederiksberg Palace
Statens Museum for Kunsk
Gefion Fountain
Walk up the Copenhill
Torvehallerne Market (food market)
Kastellet Fortress
Kronberg Slot (Hamlet’s castle)
Freetown Christiania
National Museum of Denmark
Louisiana Museum of Art
Church of Our Saviour
Reffen Market (street food)
Rosenborg Castle
Amager Strandpark
Roskilde
City Hall Square
Gråbrødretorv Square
Kultorvet Square
Illums Bolighus –Stylish Department Store
Free Walking Tours
Copenhagen Hop-On Hop-Off Tour
Malmo (Sweden) : Since you can actually see Sweden from Copenhagen, the temptation to visit a new country is hard to ignore. This is easy to do with a day trip over the Øresund Bridge to Malmö. This Swedish city is full of history and character, and you can see quite a bit of it in just a day. (2 countries in a single trip, who won’t love it). Please note that there are high chances (but not always) that id/passport might get verified.

Best time to visit:

Summer in Copenhagen (June to August) is the best season for good weather and endlessly long evenings, but prepare for the city to be busy with visitors. Spring is also fine.

As a part of my Business trip, I had visited Lund multiple times during 2023/2024. Being near to my client location, most of the times I stayed at Best Western Plus Park City Lund.  Please note that this property was managed by Radisson group and was known as ‘Radisson Blu Hotel Lund’ earlier. Best Western took it over during the end of 2023. Even in February 2024, the sign boards have still not changed.

If you are in Lund for any work with Tetra Pak (multinational food packaging and processing company), this would be the ideal stay option for you. Tetra Pak main office is just 3-5 minutes walk from this hotel.

I personally did not see much difference between the 2 managements (Radisson and Best Western) except the fact that the checkin time has increased with Best Western taking over. Also, with Best Western, breakfast is a default option.

This hotel is less than 10 minutes drive from Lund Central Rail Station. There are plenty of taxis available near Lund Station. Approximate charge will be between 225-250 Swedish Kronas.

There are around 192 rooms an d 7 conference rooms.

Pros:

1. Well maintained property.

2. Rooms are modern, fairly new and comfortable.

3. Gym and sauna facility is available.

4. Decent spread of breakfast items.

5. They start serving breakfast from 6:30 AM onwards.

6. They have a clock room facility in case if you want to store your luggage.

7. Staff (especially at the restaurant) were very helpful.

8. Pet Friendly property.

9. Once I took food from subway. The reception staff helped me in warming it up using the microwave near the bar counter (we don’t have individual microwaves in the room).

10. Seems like bicycles can be borrowed free of charge at the hotel.

11. You can request the reception to arrange a taxi if you are looking for one. Please note that there is a lead time of 15-30 Minutes for the taxi to arrive.

Cons:

1. If you are coming from a different country, ensure to bring your own travel adapter (to plug into the socket for charging and so on)  as the hotel doesn’t provide that. Believe me, you wont find such adapters even in the main super markets in Lund like Coop , Lidl and so on. Local electronics shops might have.

2. Choice of channels on the TV is very very less.

3. This is more in a industrial area. So nothing fancy near by. Not even a restaurant. You might have to go to the city center for restaurants and so on.

5. Still water (2 bottles of carbonated water was available) and dental kit was not provided in the room, But was arranged when I called the reception.

6. No intercom facility to connect with reception or restaurant.

We did this day tour during a trip to Italy in April 2022.

This was a day trip from Milan, Italy. This is one of the most popular day trips to Swiss alps from Milan. The fascinating journey takes you along the UNESCO World Heritage route of the RhB (Rhaetian Railway).”

We had booked this trip in advance (few weeks before), through Viator.

For 2 adults and 1child (10 years old), we paid 302.5 Euros. The Tour commentary was in English and Spanish.

This was one of the beautiful day trips that we had ever done.

Milan to St. Moritz in Air-conditioned coach:

The trip was conducted by Zani Group. The trip started from Milan Visitor Centre – Zani Viaggi (Largo Cairoli, 18, 20121) around 7.15 AM (we had not opted for Hotel pickup/drop option).

The Zani Group is a collection of multiple companies operating in the tourism and transport sector. It has 2 tourist centres in Milan. You can check out in their website to book directly aswell.

https://www.zaniviaggi.com/tour/swiss-alps-bernina-red-train-and-st-moritz-full-day-trip/

We were staying in Novotel Milano Linate Aeroporto which was a bit far from the pickup point. As the start time was 7.15 AM, we took a taxi from the hotel to Milan Visitor Centre and paid around 30 Euros.

As it was a fully packed day trip (almost 13 hours trip), the tour company started the trip on time. One family lost the bus as they reached the pickup point 5 minutes late. They had to ideally hire a taxi and chase the bus and managed to onboard the bus later after a few kilometres. So, ensure to reach on time.

Route plan: Milan Visitor Centre (Milan, Italy) to St. Moritz (Switzerland) in air-conditioned bus. Journey time is approximately 3 hours (around 170 kms)

St. Moritz to Tirano (Italy) in Bernina Express (the most thrilling part of the journey)

Tirano station to Milano in Bus (same bus in which we went to St. Moritz).

We had a tour guide who accompanied us throughout the trip. An audio unit was also provided during the start of the journey and the same had to be given back upon return.

Enroute, the bus to St. Moritz from Milan, the bus stopped at a cafeteria named ‘Moreschi’ (https://www.moreschichiavenna.it/) for some time in order for the tourists to have some refreshments. Clean restrooms were also available within the building complex.

The route towards St. Moritz is very scenic with lot of photography options. They don’t have any other stops before St. Moritz. There was no cross broder checking (immigration check) during the trip.

Enroute you can also see the St. Moritz lake.

Just as the mountains above St. Moritz draw skiers in the winter, the lake below is the focus of attention for many summer visitors.

After reaching St. Moritz, the guide gave clear instructions around:

1. Places to see
2. Restaurant options for having lunch
3. Return trip details like where and when to come back and so on.

Then, we were left alone to explore the beautiful city of St. Moritz at our own pace.

St. Moritz, Switzerland:

St. Moritz is a luxury resort town with a small lake in the middle of the Alps, with cableways to viewpoints and glaciers. It has hosted the Winter Olympics twice.

The magnificent view from St. Moritz embraces the mountains from Piz Languard in the east to Piz Julier in the west.

There are plenty of places to see and visit around St. Moritz.

In a day trip like this, you will get around 3-3.5 hours and that is more than enough time to stroll through the streets, have a lunch from some restaurant, take some beautiful photographs and grab some Swiss souvenirs and chocolates.

After seeing a few places within the city, we went to the following places:

a) Laderach to buy some chocolates:

b) Wega to buy some souvenirs

c) Galleria Caspar Badrutt to do some shopping

d) Coop to buy some snacks

Return Journey –> St. Moritz to Tirano in Bernina Express (Train Start time :13:48)

We were asked to be back at Railway station at 1:30 PM. The station is sightly at a lower elavation compared to city. There is a series of escalator that will help you to reach station easily.

The train took approximately 2 hrs 15 minutes to reach Tirano station.

(NOTE: The second-class train ticket was already booked by the tour agency, So we just had to follow the guide to the right coach (remember to reach back the station on time that is specified by the guide, else you will loose the train). There were no specific seat numbers. We could sit in any of the available seats in that coach)

Operated by Rhaetian Railway (launched in 1920), the Bernina Express, passes through the Bernina Alps of Switzerland and down into northern Italy. This is a narrow gauge train.

On the highest railway tracks in Europe and the steepest in the world, the Bernina Express takes its passengers on a unique journey through a large number of tunnels and bridges.  

(The actual train route is Chur (Swiss city) –> St. Moritz (Swiss city) –> Torino (Italian city). The overall journey is 4 hours (144 Kms) one way, which has 55 tunnels and 196 bridges)

The Bernina Express train winds up the mountain from an altitude of 2253 to 429. The views were very scenic. You will certainly love this train journey.

Between St. Moritz  and Tirano the train runs round the famous Brusio Spiral Viaduct (single track viaduct), where most of the classic Bernina Express publicity photos are taken. It consists of a 360-degree spiral that enables the train to change the elavation. However, the viaduct is not a feat of engineering only, but an object of beauty. Nine elegant arches with a span of 10 meters made using local stones blend in seamlessly with the surroundings.

Bernina train is a voyage through nature;  from the palm trees and apple orchards of Tirano, passing chestnut trees and forests of fir and larch on the way.

Tirano Railway station to Milan in Air-conditioned coach:

The same bus in which we went to St. Moritz was waiting for us at the Tirano station to take us back to Milan.

The journey time was approximately 2 hrs 15 min (167 Kms).

Enroute, they stop at a restaurant ‘Bracere Tirano’ (https://www.labrace.it/en/)  for refreshments. Clean restrooms were also available within the building complex.

We reached back Milan city centre late evening (around 7PM).  Had our dinner from a restaurant in city centre and went back to our hotel Novotel Milano Linate Aeroporto in a cab (paid 30 Euros)

The trip mentioned above was operated by the tour company Zani Viaggi.

The service provided by Viator / Zani Group was excellent and well orgaized.

In some other companies itinerary, you might find them going from Tirano to St. Moritz in Bernina express and return back by air conditioned coach.

In case if you want to avoid all these tour companies and plan the trip by your own, that is also a possibility and might work out cheaper aswell.

How to book this entire trip by yourself.

(NOTE: You MUST confirm and obtain any visa requirements prior to border crossing. All visa requirements are the sole responsibility of the traveller)

It’s better to book the train tickets well in advance.

Always look out for the related railway websites to get a clarity on the timings and rates.

Onward Journey:

You can book Milan to Tirano train here –> https://www.trenord.it/

Book the 06:20 -09:05 Train

Have your breakfast at/near Tirano station

Leave the Tirano train station and walk across the square to the Bernina station.

And book the Tirano to St. Moritz here –> https://shop.rhb.ch/en/bernina-express

Book the 10:06-12:35 Train (33 Euros)

NOTES:

1) The Bernina express train coaches are designed in a way that you get great views, as they have large panoramic windows. So please feel free to book any seat.

2) You can plan for a second class ticket one direction and a first class ticket in the opposite direction.  (First class tickets are costlier).

In second class, there are 4 seats (2+2) in a row and in the first class, there are only 3 seats (1+2). The seats are more comfortable (leather) and bigger in first class and there are chances that the first class will be less crowded.

The first-class coach is at the last. So, you get to enjoy seeing the train itself traveling through the mountain.

3) There are rest rooms available within the coaches

4) Seat Reservation is mandatory in Bernina express.

5) Children under 6 can travel free. Children aged 6 to 16 pay half the fare.

6) There are special seats available on the Bernina Express for passengers with impaired mobility who cannot leave their wheelchair

7) Dogs are allowed on the Bernina Express and do not require a reservation. Depending on the size of the dog, a dog ticket is required. Please check their website for details.

8) On the Bernina Express, you can use the InfoT(r)ainment free of charge on your own smartphone.

9) There is also a Bernina express bus available from Tirano to Lugano. It’s a 3 hours / 90kms journey and does not operate in Winter. Please check the company website to know more details.

You can spend 3 – 3.5 hours in St. Moritz.

Have your lunch at St. Moritz. Multiple restaurants and café shops are available.

Return Journey:

You can book Tirano to St. Moritz here –> https://shop.rhb.ch/en/bernina-express

Book the 16:14 – 18:39 Train (33 Euros)

Have your dinner at/near Tirano station

And book the Tirano to Milan train here –> https://www.trenord.it/

Book the 19:56 – 22:40 Train (remember that there is another train at 18:56 aswell)

Total train ticket cost for one side per person is around  : 12 + 33 = 45 Euros

Both sides might come around 90 Euros (45+45)

Whereas tour operators might charge you around 139 Euros.

So, you can easily save around 49 Euros per person for the entire trip.

Other things that you might miss when you plan the above train trips are:

1. Commentary by the guide (& audio device)
2. One side journey in Bus (the route is also scenic)
3. Refreshment options (as Bus stops at proper restaurants in both journeys)

Summary:

Bernina Express is without doubt one of the most beautiful train journeys in the world. You can certainly include this 1-day trip into your itinerary, if your budget and time permits. Ofcourse this will be a time bound tight full day journey, but it is worth the money and time.

If you have more days in hand,  please try out the entire Chur to Tirano via St. Moritz and think about staying one night at St. Moritz.

There is also another popular route operated by Glacier express, which is a direct train connecting railway stations of the two major mountain resorts of Zermatt and St. Moritz via Andermatt in the central Swiss Alps.

Clare is a county in western Ireland with terrain ranging from rolling countryside to craggy Atlantic coastline. Clare is the seventh largest of Ireland’s 32 traditional counties in area and the 19th largest in terms of population.

In this blog, I would like to cover a one-day trip that we did in June 2023, to County Clare.

We started our journey from Saggart, Dublin Ireland around 7:30 AM and returned by around 9:00 PM.

We took the following route. Its approximately 6.5 hour’s drive and 550 Kms.

[Apart from the driving time, you would also need time for sightseeing, refreshments and so on. So, you should certainly consider minimum around 13 hours for the entire journey].

Now let’s get into more details about the various stop overs:

1.Kinvarra: (Google map : Harbour House, The Quay, Dungory West, Kinvarra, County Galway)

From Saggart we started at 7:30 AM, it took around 2 hrs 15 minutes to reach Kinvarra.

Kinvara or Kinvarra is a sea port village in the southwest of County Galway, Ireland. Its a picturesque coastal village on the shores of Galway Bay.

You can also visit Dunguaire Castle enroute (not marked in the above map).  It was told that this castle was build in 16^th Century.

Another place that can be covered is Traught Beach. Its not mentioned in the above map and we have not visited aswell.

Approximate time that you can set aside for this destination: 30 minutes

2. Linnalla Irish Ice cream parlour: (Café Linnala):

Kinvarra to Linnalla –> 15 Minutes

This was a surprise stop over in this trip. I managed to see people mentioning about this place, when I was searching in internet to prepare an itinerary for county Clare.

Situated on the stunning Flaggy Shore along Ireland’s Wild Atlantic Way, Bríd Fahy and her husband Roger run Linnalla Ice Cream is one of the few farmer owned and operated ice cream parlours in Ireland.

I would certainly recommend this place. The route to the cafe is quite scenic with tonnes of photography options. You should certainly visit this place to experience the beauty of the place and of course to have few scoops of ice creams aswell.

In google map, this is shown as a ‘unnamed road’ and we will get confused if we are on the correct route. But you can blindly follow google maps and it will take you to the correct destination.

There are enough parking space available near the café and there is also a very clean restroom available within this café.

If you have time, there is a nice walkway near to the café and there are few slides and swings for the little ones aswell.

Visit their website for more details (like opening times and so on)

Approximate time that you can set aside for this destination: 45 minutes (includes time for having ice cream aswell, the time doesn’t include the walking trail)

3. Fanore Beach:

Linnalla to Fanore –> 45 Minutes

The route from Linnalla to Fanore is quite scenic (will cover a lot of costal route aswell)

The small coastal village of Fanore is located where the Caher River enters the Atlantic Ocean on the edge of the world-famous Burren region.

Fanore Beach (holds a blue flag status) is a stunning sandy beach. There is a good view of the Burren from the beach.

During the summer months, the beach is lifeguarded. Don’t forget to check out the beach’s noticeboard for more information. This beach is popular for walkers, swimmers and surfers.

There is a surfing school available with equipment for hire at a reasonable cost.

There’s a large car park right next to Fanore Beach, however, it can be easy to miss when you’re driving the coast road (the scenery is incredible), so make sure to keep an eye out for the parking signs.

Was told that there are Jellyfish in this beach, but we never saw one. Its good to be a bit careful especially if you have dogs or kids with you.

There seems to be laws in place which needs to be taken care of:

• Dog-owners are required to clean up their dog poops in a public place such as public roads, footpaths, parks and beaches. Failure to do so can result in an on-the-spot fine of €150.
• Horse riding and dogs are prohibited between 11:00 a.m. and 6:00 p.m. during the summer season.
• Motorised watercraft, surfing and the use of canoes and kayaks is prohibited in close proximity to swimmers.

Approximate time that you can set aside for this destination: 30 minutes

4. Doolin Pier Point:

Fanore to Doolin pier –> 30 Minutes

NOTE: Its better to have lunch enroute or near to Doolin Pier. We brought lunch from Home and had the same at the car parking.

Doolin Pier (also known as Ballaghaline Quay) is situated in the Wild Atlantic Way. Doolin is the home of traditional Irish music. Its a nice walk down to the pier, but they’re not great for getting down to the sea itself as there’s no seashore here. Its more like a rocky beach here.

This is not a beach for swimming. But it is a beach for amazing views, listening and watching the waves crash, enjoying the sun, and admiring the dazzling geology of the coastline.

I believe the Sunset view from here will be excellent. There are high chances that you will find some Dolphins here. The pier has well maintained restrooms.

There is also lot of parking space available, and the rates are nominal (1 Euro for 0 – 2 Hours).

You have Ferry Services (operated by Doolin Ferry) from here to Aran Islands and Cliffs of Moher (closed during winter). Check their website for more details –> https://www.doolinferry.com/

We took the cliffs of Moher Ferry (2 PM). The total ferry travel time was around 45 – 50 minutes. Its better to book this ticket in advance (few days or week) so that you can avoid last minute surprises like tickets sold out and so on.

Ticket Rates: Adults (28 Euros), Senior Citizens (26 Euros) , Children 5-15 years (15 Euros).

The Cliffs of Moher is one of Ireland’s most popular visitor attractions. People say that until you see them from the ferry, you haven’t really seen them at all. I would also agree to that statement. Its indeed a great view of the cliffs from the ferry.

It is hard to take in their magnificent heights until you see them from sea level. The people walking along the trail high above appear no larger than ants!

The ferry has 2 decks. The upper deck is open and the lower deck is a closed one (except few seats at the back of the ferry). If its raining, you will get exposed to rain if you are sitting in the upper deck or at the back side of the ferry (in the lower deck) as they are open to sky.

One other issue with the open part in the lower deck is that water will splash on your face and head during high tide. There is a commentary available in the ferry, but sometimes (no, most of the times) it is not clear.

The entry route to the ferries is clearly marked. You will have to wait in a queue before boarding the ferry. If you are behind in the queue, there are chances that you might not get a seat in the upper deck. Please note that the ferry has toilet facilities aswell.

There is no requirement to wear life jackets as the ferry is large and high off the sea.  You are allowed to take your own refreshments.

Approximate time that you can set aside for this destination (Doolin Pier) for photography and lunch: 45 minutes.

Also, you would need another 50 minutes to 1 hour for the ferry trip.

5. Cliffs of Moher:

The initial 2 km or so from Doolin Pier to Cliffs is a challenging one with very narrow and steeper roads. It might take 15 minutes to reach the cliffs from the pier.

One of the important things to be noted is that we need to take tickets to visit the cliffs. The price varies based on the time of the day. Its 7-10 Euros (For adults). For Children up to 12 years, it’s a free ticket.

Admission includes secure car parking, wi-fi, access to all areas including O’Brien’s Tower and the interactive Cliffs exhibition.

If you book online (at least one day in advance), you will get tickets at the discounted price.

Its always better to look into their website https://www.cliffsofmoher.ie/ to see more details like opening hours.

This is one of the most famous destination in the entire scenic wild Atlantic way. The cliffs run for around 14 kms and at some places, it rise to a maximum height of 214 metres (702 feet) above the Atlantic Ocean. It ranks one among the most visited tourist sites in Ireland, with around 1.5 million visits per annum.

You can also visit the Cliffs of Moher visitor’s center (opened in 2007).  This state-of-the-art underground visitor centre features various interactive exhibits, images and displays that can be enjoyed by people of all age groups. There are some restaurants and public toilets available within this center.

There’s also a observatory tower called O’Briens Tower.

The parking area is huge. But you will have to walk a long distance to reach the cliffs from the parking area (Private vehicles).

There are safety barriers which prevents visitors from going near the cliff. However, if you keep walking away from the Visitor’s center, the barrier ends. So be a little careful and dare not to go near the edge. Already many have lost their life here.

Being one of the busiest attractions in Ireland, you are bound to find visitors all year round, however July and August are the peak months.

Approximate time that you can set aside for this destination: 2 hours

NOTE: If you have time limitations and can cover Cliffs of Moher only through one of the two options (land or sea), My personal recommendation would be to see it from Land as it gives you to real beauty of this wonderful and ginormous landscape. However if you have people with mobility/walking issues in your group, its good to opt for the sea option as they can sit back and see the cliffs from a ferry (without much walking).

6. Lahinch Beach:

This is the last stop over in this trip

Cliffs to Lahinch Beach : 15 Minutes

This is also a sandy beach will stretches around 1Km or so.

This beach (Lifeguarded) is known for surfing, sea kayaking, kite surfing and so on.

There are also several surf schools in the area, so whether you’re a seasoned pro or a beginner, you can grab a board and catch a wave.

There seems to be laws in place which needs to be taken care of:

• Dog-owners are required to clean up their dog poops in a public place such as public roads, footpaths, parks and beaches. Failure to do so can result in an on-the-spot fine of €150.
• Horse riding and dogs are prohibited between 11:00 a.m. and 6:00 p.m. during the summer season.
• Motorised watercraft, surfing and the use of canoes and kayaks is prohibited in close proximity to swimmers

Approximate time that you can set aside for this destination: 30 minutes

Further before heading to Dublin, in  case if you would like to have a dinner, this can be a ideal place as there are many restaurants in this locality.

This concludes the various stops in this trip.  We returned to Saggart, Dublin which was approximately 250 Kms and 2 hours 45 minutes (reached back around 9PM)

I had to do the trip to county Clare in a day and hence had to purposefully avoid few other interesting places in County Clare.

If you have time, I will strongly recommend spending minimum 2 days (&1 night) in County Clare. There are plenty of accommodation options available within the county.

Few other places that you could explore are:

The Burren National Park

Kilfenora Cathedral

Doolin Cave

Poulnabrone Dolmen

Aillwee Cave // Birds of Prey centre

Doonagore Castle

Caherconnell Stone Fort

Leamaneh Castle

Lough Inchiquin

Clare Heritage Centre

Cliffs of Kilkee

Corkscrew Hill

Loophead cliffs/peninsula

Aran Islands

Black Head cliffs

Bridges of Ross

Corcomroe Abbey (Sunset)

Scattery islands

Shannon ferry from Clare to Kerry

There are many walking trails aswell, within county Clare.

Hope you enjoyed reading my blog. I would like you to try out this itinerary and let me know your comments!