Tag Archives: #europe

Two Nights at the Novotel Sofia

August 21, 2017 OurWorldinReview Leave a comment

I must admit Sofia has surprised us. A city with diversity and culture, which has been conquered and ruled by various Empires over its amazing history. A city whose people have lived in harmony alongside each other for generations. A country with different religions, different ethnicity’s, and different political mindsets, Bulgaria has had to whether it all. From the Byzantines, the Ottomans, the Nazi’s trying to deport the Jewish community during WWII and Communism, the Bulgarian people have shown their tenacity and pride and Sofia reflects that to its visitors.

During our stay in Sofia we’ve stayed in a variety of accommodations available for tourists. For our last days, we were lucky enough to stay in the Novotel Sofia.

The Novotel Sofia has 178 rooms available and is located approximately 7 kilometres from the city and 5 kilometres from Sofia International Airport. With us already being in Sofia, we decided to see if it was possible to travel to the Novotel Sofia via the Metro. This proved to be a bit of a task. The Metro in Sofia has only two interconnecting lines. Therefore, the closest Metro station to the Novotel Sofia was Druzhba Station which proved to be a difficult 2 kilometres walk to the hotel.

I would recommend not pursuing this option to get to the hotel, unless the city creates a closer Metro line. Alternatively, the hotel runs a shuttle bus to and from the International Airport. So, the best option would be to take the Metro to the airport and organise the hotel to pick you up from there. This option would be ideal, especially if you arrive into Sofia via the central bus or train station. Alternatively, a taxi would also be an option.

What's the best way to get to the Novotel Sofia from the Airport? — The best way to and from the hotel is by catching the courtesy bus from the Airport terminals .

After seeing the profile hotel during our walk we immediately knew we would appreciate our stay at the Novotel. On entering the hotel, you have the reception and Europcar desks to the right and the Novo 2 bar and restaurant to the left with the hotels elevators facing the entry turnstile. On first impressions, the hotel looks modern with comfortable seating in the lobby and a nice lounge bar area to relax in.

Novo 2 at the Novotel Sofia — The Novo 2 bar and lounge areas are the perfect place to relax and have a drink or two.

The friendly staff quickly checked us in and we make our way to the 15th floor, and our room for the next two nights. I must say the view from the 15th floor isn’t too bad!

What's the view like from the Novotel Sofia — Not a bad view from the 15th Floor of the Novotel Sofia

The Novotel Sofia boasts three types of room available to its guests, the Executive room, the Superior room and a Suite. For our stay, we have been allocated a Superior room, which is a decent size. It contains a Queen sized bed, television, coffee facilities, fridge, a long desk and comfy day-bed. The room continues the modern theme of the hotel, with the guest information and in-house dining menu via the smart television and “My Menu” app.

What does the Novotel Sofia Superior room look like? — The nicely decorated and modern superior room of the Novotel Sofia

Our bathroom is clean and uncluttered, with a large shower and semi enclosed toilet. The wash basin area has some hotel toiletries and enough space for your personal items. A surprise novelty, is that the bathroom and sleeping area are separated by frosted glass, which can be defrosted by a push of a button in the shower. So, be careful, or not, each to their own :-).

What do the bathrooms at the Novotel Sofia look like? — The bathroom is large and clean with a frosted glass separator. Be careful of the defrost button.

What toiletries do they use at Novotel Sofia — Novotel Sofia’s Fair Trade bathroom toiletries

A family friendly hotel the Novotel Sofia caters well for those travelling with children. There is an excellent range of children’s television channels in the room and located on the first floor is a kid’s zone with an electronic dart board and a X-box station with a variety of cool games.

What can kids do at the Novotel Sofia? — Children will have hours of fun, playing X-Box at the Novotel Sofia

For the parents, the Novo 2 bar on the ground floor is a comfortable place to have a drink and watch some sport on the television. For wine, try the Minkov Brothers or Four Friends, and the Zagorka for beer. All are good Bulgarian wine and beer brands.

Relaxing in the lounge bar of the Novotel Sofia — It’s time for a refreshing Zagorka and a Four Friends Rosé

If you’d rather book a relaxing massage, have a sauna or a workout, go to the In-Balance Fitness room. Turn on some music and exercise to your heart’s content. They have a limited selection of equipment but I didn’t have any trouble accessing the machines and weights.

What the gym like at the Novotel Sofia — Looking for a workout. Try the In-Balance Fitness centre at the Novotel Sofia

For those on business or looking for a place to meet, the hotel has some meeting rooms and a small business corner on the first floor, to do some work.

Breakfast at the Novotel Sofia — Breakfast is served daily from 7 a.m

Meals can be taken at Novo 2, with an excellent range for breakfast items commencing at 7 a.m. Whilst lunch and dinner can be served at the bar or formal dining area. Head Chef, Penko Neshev has created a wholesome menu with classic hotel food and traditional Bulgarian dishes. We had a decent meal selecting a range of foods to try.

Novotel Sofia food — A traditional Balkan Platter

Risotto at the Novotel Sofia — Novotel’s Risotto with mushrooms, parmesan cheese and a melted cheese biscuit

If you opt to go out for something to eat, the Shopping Centre called “The Mall” is about 50 metres from the hotel and has a few restaurants and food outlets inside. Additionally, if you decide you want to indulge in shopping, then there are plenty of stores here that will happily accommodate.

The Mall near the Novotel Sofia — The Mall shopping centre is close by with all your shopping needs.

Overall, the Novotel Sofia is a little outside of the city centre, but still a lovely place to stay. With access to the shuttle bus and the Mall nearby, you should have no trouble in getting around the city or access to shopping. Alternatively, if you decide you’d like to explore the city and surrounding areas by yourself the Europcar desk on site can organise a car for you. A family friendly hotel, the children will love the X-Box, the dart board and the broad range of television channels if stuck indoors.

So why not book your stay in Sofia today and tell them Simon from Ourworldinreview sent you!

Additional Information for the Novotel Sofia

115 N Tsarigradsko Shosse Blvd, 1784 Sofia, Bulgaria
Ph: +359 2 904 3000
Website: www.accorhotels.com

Book your stay at the Novotel Sofia now with Accor Hotels or Booking.com

Prices of accommodation per night at the Novotel Sofia

Ranging from €85.00(AUD$125) – €145.00 (AUD$215) per night

Check in: 1200hrs Check Out: 1200hrs

Breakfast daily in the Novo 2 restaurant

from 7:00 a.m. – 10:00 a.m daily

Novo 2:

Main Dishes prices range from 9.00BGN (AUD$7.00) and 45.00BGN (AUD$34.00)

Opening hours Lunch 12:00 – 14:30pm & Dinner 19:00 – 23:00pm

*Post Contains Affiliate links

Europe, Hotels and Accommodation

Best Western Premier: Sofia Airport Hotel

August 13, 2017 OurWorldinReview Leave a comment

Have you ever stayed at a Best Western Hotel? When we associate Best Western Hotels in Australia, we remember those country roadside motels with nothing around but a petrol station and salt bush. Well that memory has just been shattered! We headed into Sofia and stayed a couple of nights at the Best Western Premier: Sofia Airport Hotel.

Best Western Premier Sofia Airport Hotel — The Best Western Premier Hotel Range

After spending five days in the seaside city of Varna in Bulgaria we awake early to the news of a 37-degree Celsius day and the knowledge of a 7 hour train ride to the capital of Sofia (such a pretty name). The train ride is no problem! We’ve done longer ones. Unfortunately, the issue is Bulgarian regional trains don’t have air-conditioning. Hence, when we finally get to Sofia, we are exhausted, and not looking forward to the public bus trip to our next hotel stop, the Best Western Premier: Sofia Airport Hotel.

How did we get to the Best Western Premier Sofia Airport Hotel? — The non-air conditioned wagons of the Bulgarian railways.

So, I break with tradition and we take a taxi to the hotel. I know we overpaid but I just didn’t care at that point. We paid 20BGN to get to the hotel. The normal price should be between 10BGN and 15BGN, so paying an extra 5BGN was no issue and the driver was so happy to make the extra money.

From some quick research, the Best Western Premier: Sofia Airport Hotel has 155 luxurious rooms available, a bar and restaurant, a fitness area and six conference rooms. It is about 12 kilometres from the city centre and within 1 kilometre of both terminals at the Sofia International Airport.

Being a brand new hotel it is located on a new road with not much around it. Therefore, it is not the easiest hotel to get to public transport wise. Fortunately, the hotel is aware of the transport limitations and has a courtesy bus available. The hourly run bus transports its guests to and from the airport’s terminals. With a Metro station located at Terminal 2, it is easy to catch the courtesy bus to and from the airport. But make sure you book in your times. Alternatively, if you’d rather stay in for the day at the hotel, you can entertain yourself using the available facilities.

Plane spotting from Best Western Premier Sofia Airport Hotel — If you like planes and are lucky enough to have a room on the right side,. You can watch them land at Sofia.

On arrival at the hotel you enter its large lobby area, with the reception desk to the left and a lounge area to the right. Alongside the reception desk they have a business area, where you can sit and do some work in peace, if required. Additionally, further along the lobby hall are the elevators and the Barillon 1909 restaurant and bar.

The friendly reception staff promptly check us in and direct us to our Premier King Room. The Premier Room is spacious and clean, with a comfortable king-sized bed, a day lounge, a television, coffee facilities and a good-sized desk/workstation. As you can see below, the room is neatly decorated with large windows letting in the afternoon sun. Our room was on the eighth floor which had a pleasant view of Sofia airport, where it was nice to sit and watch the planes landing and taking off.

The rooms separate bathroom is a descent size and in pristine condition. There is plenty of room in the shower and the water pressure and temperature are easy to control. A large bench area allows room for your additional toiletries and make up. The rooms are cleaned daily with the hotel honouring its environmental promise, by only changing the towels when required by the guests. Best Western Hotels also supply a good range of bathroom toiletries if you happen to forget or run out of something.

For those of you that are fitness conscious, the hotel has a 24 hour, unsupervised gym located on the 1st floor. The gym boasts a variety of exercise equipment that will provide you with a descent workout. They also provide change room facilities and lockers if you would rather change or shower there instead of tracking back through the hotel or are there for business.

Talking about business, the Best Western Premier: Sofia Airport Hotel, is an ideal place for local and international businesses to hold functions or meetings. The hotel offers 6 conference halls with the ability to cater for 450 guests. These facilities would be ideal for events, conventions or weddings in Sofia.

Breakfast is served daily at the Barillon 1909 restaurant and bar from 7 a.m. They also provide continental breakfast options from 4 a.m for those guests with early morning flights.

Whilst there, spend your evenings at Barillon 1909 with a cocktail at the bar. It’s a welcome place to meet some fellow travellers. Otherwise, let Ivan Dmitrov and his team entertain your taste buds by having a delicious meal in the restaurant.

Head Chef, Ivan Dmitrov has created a quality menu for customers to the Barillon 1909 restaurant and bar. His menu has a good range of Mediterranean and classic European dishes and a superb balance of local and international wines. During our time at the hotel, we tried some of the dishes available, from their standard and seasonal menus. The restaurant is comfortable and the staff are pleasant and attentive to your dietary needs. In my opinion, the quality of the food was above average and would rate Ivan’s food better than most other hotel restaurants.

Overall, our stay at the Best Western Premier: Sofia Airport Hotel has shattered our misconceptions of the Best Western Hotel brand. This hotel is worth the stay and the use of the shuttle bus to transport you to and from the Terminal 2 Metro station means that you aren’t too far from the centre of Sofia. The rooms, facilities and restaurant are impressive and the staff are friendly and helpful. The hotel gets a big tick from me. It would be especially good if you happen to have a layover in Sofia. The quality of service in addition to the comfort level is just what you desire when you want to have a good rest between flights.

This experience has opened our eyes to the Best Western Brand so forget those roadside motel impressions and stay at a Best Western hotel today. Therefore, when you’re next in Sofia, and looking for a place to stay, why not try the Best Western Premier: Sofia Airport Hotel and tell them Simon from Ourworldinreview sent you!

Additional Information for the Best Western Premier: Sofia Airport Hotel

11 Brussels, Boulevard, Sofia, 1592, Bulgaria
Ph: +359 2 905 1313
Website: www.hotelpremiersofia.com

Book your stay at the Best Western Premier Sofia Airport Hotel now with Booking.com

Prices of accommodation per night at the Best Western Premier Sofia Airport Hotel:

Ranging from €71.00(AUD$106) – €93.00 (AUD$140) per night

Barilion 1909 caters for breakfast daily

from 7:00 a.m. daily

Barilion 1909 Restaurant and Bar opening times:

Main Dishes prices range from 18.00BGN (AUD$14.00) and 81.90BGN (AUD$62.00)

Opening hours 07:00 – 23:00
Reservations by phone at: +359 2 905 1313

*Post Contains Affiliate links

Europe, Tours & Attractions

Wieliczka Salt Mine Tour

August 9, 2017 OurWorldinReview Leave a comment

If you were to tell me before we started this trip that I’d be going to visit a salt mine, I may have laughed. That would be because in Australia when I think about salt mines, I picture a stark salt pan. Therefore, when we were looking for another tour to do in Krakow we wanted something less emotionally draining than the Auschwitz and Birkenau tour we did the day before. The Krakville tour operator suggested for us to go to the Wieliczka Salt Mine. So, after a bit of umming and ahhing we decided why not?

The Wieliczka Salt Mine was listed as a UNESCO heritage site in 1978 and consists of 300kms of tunnels. The mine has been in operation since the 13th Century (that’s an old mine) and is open for visitors daily from 07:30 a.m to 07:30 p.m. The mine can be visited without a tour group, but you may have a long wait depending on the number of visitors and tour groups.

The tour starts mid-morning and our meeting point for the start of the tour is the Krakville office building in the Old Town Krakow. Once again, we are given identification stickers to ensure we aren’t separated from our group. This straight away tells us that the mine is busy. We all climb into mini vans and are driven approximately half an hour to the town of Wieliczka.

Auschwitz and Birkenau — The small office of the Krakville Tour Company in the Old Town

It’s not long before we are at the mine and climb the steps to the mines entrance. On arrival it is raining, but that hasn’t stopped the crowds from showing up. There is a large number of tour group already here and a fair contingent of lone travellers negotiating the throng of people. The mine has some additional souvenir shops and a cafe outside if you must wait for a while.

The waiting crowds have some shops to buy food before entering the Wieliczka Salt Mine — An outdoor shop at the Wieliczka Salt Mine

After a short wait, we are guided past the crowds and into the mine. We are given radio receivers so that we can hear the guide as she explains the enormity of the mine. First, we descend down 350 steps to the entry-level of the mine. Like a column staircase you’d find in a hundred-floor building we descend down and down. It is quite a work out and if you make the mistake and go to fast down, you can get quite dizzy.

Staircase in Wieliczka Salt Mine — Some of the flights of stairs going down, but these aren’t the first 350 steps.

At the bottom of the stairs the guide checks to make sure we are all alive after the workout and explains the ground rules of the tour. Like don’t wander off, as there are so many tunnels, therefore getting lost is quite easy.

One of the many places of worship in the Wieliczka Salt Mine

As we walk through the tunnels we encounter open chambers within the mine providing a visual aid about the construction and operation of the mine. In total there are 20 chambers available to be visited. The guide explains that the workers would construct churches, halls, theatres and specific carvings as they were down in the mine for large amounts of time.

We walk through various places of worship and are shown some of the incredible wall fresco’s etched by the workers. Photos are allowed to be taken at a small additional cost and there are photo permit places along the route. The mine also has an underground souvenir store and a large restaurant and cafeteria area.

Overall, the Wieliczka Salt Mine is a worthwhile attraction with the website stating that tourists should allow three hours to visit the site. The temperature of the mine averages 14 degrees Celsius so warm jackets are handy. You will be amazed at the chambers and carvings done by the workers. Photos are a must so my advice is pay for the permit. So, book your tour today and tell them Simon from Ourworldinreview sent you!

Additional Information for Krakville Wieliczka Salt Mine

ul. Mikolajska 8, Krakow
Ph: +48 607 750 901
Website: www.krakville.com

Cost 109PLN (AUD$38)

Trading Hours

Daily from 9 A.M. to 9 P.M.
Price includes:
transport by bus to and from Salt Mine
tour attendant
guide in Salt Mine
admission fees
duration 4 h

Available accommodation in Krakow

Other tours available through Urban Adventures

*Post contains affiliate links

Europe, Tours & Attractions

Bran Castle the home of Dracula

August 3, 2017 OurWorldinReview Leave a comment

What are the first things that come to your mind when someone mentions Transylvania? If you are like me you think of Dracula, vampires, dark nights and scary castles. Through the popularity of Bram Stoker’s 1897 novel Dracula, Transylvania has always had an intrigue for travellers. With many fans doing the trek to visit Bran Castle, commonly known as “the home of Dracula”.

During our travels, we always had Romania pencilled in as a possible country to visit and after some investigations we decided to base ourselves in Sighișoara and do a day trip to Bran Castle. Although Bran Castle is the home of Stoker’s Dracula, Sighișoara is the actual birthplace of Vlad the Impaler, the inspiration behind the character.

Vlad Dracul — A portrait of Vlad the Impaler in Bran Castle.

Arguably, one of the prettiest villages in Romania, this picturesque village is home to one of the oldest medieval citadels in Romania. With its many Church’s, restaurant’s and residences located on top of a hill the colourful town oozes character.

Sighisoara, Romania — Beautiful Sighișoara, with one of the many church’s in the medieval citadel.

For our day tour to Bran Castle we opted to go with someone who knew Transylvania well. After a quick internet search about tours from Sighișoara, we came across, Emanuel Enache. Emanuel is the owner and primary tour guide for tour business, YourGuidein Transylvania. Emanuel offers his customers personalised tours throughout Transylvania, so we booked him to take us to Bran Castle. Booking was easy through his website, and he responded back quickly to organise morning pick up’s and inclusive tour information.

The Doubletree by Hilton Sighisoara — The Doubletree by Hilton Sighișoara, our base for our stay in Transylvania

The tour commences at 10:00 a.m with Emanuel picking us up from our hotel during our stay the Doubletree by Hilton Sighișoara. After introductions Emanuel places emphasis on us becoming friends from the start. His point of us meeting possibly only once in a lifetime is a good excuse for us to be friends from the outset. It’s not hard to like him, with his bubbly character and charm.

Transylvania and Bran Castle — The Transylvanian countryside.

The drive from Sighișoara to Bran Castle takes two hours, which fly by as Emanuel provides us with the history of the Transylvanian region, economy and life. This insight gives us an appreciation of the Romanian people and its culture. Emanuel has no set schedule to his tours, he allows his guests to dictate when they would like to stop for lunch or rest breaks along the way.

Once in Bran, Emanuel allows us to walk around the souvenir tents and food stalls whilst he organises skip the line entry into the castle. The various stalls show off their Dracula inspired souvenirs, from magnets, coffee cups and T-shirts. There is something for everyone!

Some of the souvenirs available at Bran Castle — If you are looking for a Dracula souvenir, then the Bran Castle stall’s will have something for you!

Bran Castle is one of the seven castles of Wallachia, and although Vlad the Impaler ruled the region during his reign from 1448. It is unknown if he used Bran Castle. This doesn’t take away from the breathtaking visual of this castle on the hill. Today it is mainly a museum to Queen Marie of Romania, who lived in the castle during her lifetime.

A bedroom in Bran Castle — One of the bedrooms inside Bran Castle, the furniture was all donated back to the Castle.

The three level castle is impressive, like many castles throughout Europe, so if you like castles then have a visit, the picture of Bran castle on the hill is a good photo to show your friends. Emanuel is excellent explaining the rooms, and the history of Queen Marie and the royal family, there is some rooms dedicated to the vampire myth, but they aren’t that interesting.

Inside Bran Castle — The interior of the three-levelled Bran Castle

Overall, Bran Castle by itself is something I wouldn’t do by myself. It is a nice drive but the castle is just another castle, if you don’t have the story about it. What made this tour especially worthwhile was Emanuel’s information and conversation about Transylvania, the castle, Dracula and the vampire myth. Emanuel’s engaging personality makes is tour worthwhile. Emanuel offers plenty other tours throughout Transylvania and will pick you up from your accommodation.

Transylvania itself is a beautiful part of Romania and a definite place to go with its history and pretty towns like Sighisoara and Sibiu. So, contact Emanuel and YourGuideinTransylvania and book your Transylvanian tour today. And tell them Simon from Ourworldinreview sent you!

Do a day trip from Sighisoara with Emanuel, YourguideinTransylvania to visit Bran Castle the home of Bram Stoker's Dracula — Pin Me!

Additional Information for YourGuideinTransylvania’s Bran Castle Day Tour

Strada Ilarie Chendi 35, Sighișoara 545400, Romania
Ph: +40 745 501 861
Website: www.yourguideintransylvania.com

Tour Information

Duration/Distance:

7 – 8 hours / 282 km

Price: 79 euro/person*

* minimum 2 pax

Included:

– Pick up / drop off at your hotel

– Transportation

– English licensed guide

– Permanent assistance

Available accommodation in Transylvania, Romania

*Post contains affiliate links

Europe, Hotels and Accommodation

Remarkable value at the Red Trees Apartment Budapest

July 11, 2017 OurWorldinReview Leave a comment

Budapest is a city that I feel at home in right away. I don’t know why, but everything seems easy. After an overnight train from Krakow and a solid night’s sleep, I awake refreshed looking forward to this remarkable city. There’s something about train rides that puts me at ease. They seem to rock me to sleep like a baby. Of course, without the screaming and hollering in the middle of the night.

Red Trees Apartment, Budapest — The overnight train from Krakow to Budapest.

For our four days, we are booked into the Red Trees Apartment. The apartment complex is a little hard to locate at first but it runs off the main tourist strip of Váci utca (street). Transport to the apartment building is easy from the Budapest train station. Public transport tickets are easily purchased from ticket machines at the train stations and bus stops. Ferenciek Tere is the closest metro train to the Red Trees Apartment with the exit concourse within metres of Kígyó utca. Due to an early arrival into Budapest the agent Attila, is happy to meet us so we can store our luggage in the apartment whilst it is being cleaned.

Historically, Budapest is two cities Buda and Pest separated by the mighty Danube and today there is still a friendly rivalry between the two sides. The main reasoning behind booking the Red Trees Apartment was its incredible location. Right on the tourist strip and so close to transport and attractions the Red Tree Apartments was perfect.

The apartment itself is big. It consists of two large sleeping areas, a bathroom, toilet and kitchen. Coffee and sugar were supplied on our stay and the small shop next door is handy for everyday items. If you’d like a larger shop for groceries an Aldi, Spar and Tesco are close by.

The main bedroom has three large windows each with a roller shutter to stop the morning sun waking you up too early. The large double bed is comfortable with a sofa and desk. The second living area, separated from the main room by double doors, has a double bed, and dining table.

Compared to the two main living areas the bathroom is small. It has a small bath tub with a shower head. With no ability to hang the shower head on the wall bathing is better sitting down, unless you appreciate water everywhere. The bathroom also has a good working washing machine but you will have to supply your own laundry powder. With four of us staying in the apartment, hot water was no problem.

The apartments kitchen would not be considered as modern, but it is functional. With a gas stove, fridge, microwave, toaster and kettle we could make it a little like home. The kitchen has sufficient utensils, cutlery and plates. The only issue we discovered was that there was no igniter to light the gas stove. Thankfully the shop next door stocked lighters.

As mentioned above the bathroom was small, but possibly the surprise of the large apartment is the toilet is tiny. Now, I wouldn’t consider myself a large person. I’m about 176cm tall and weigh about 85kgs. However, I struggled to fit in the toilet. If you happen to be a bigger person, good luck shutting the toilet door.

Overall, the Red Trees apartment was comfortable. The location is perfect, you have access to restaurants, shopping, attractions, bars and clubs. The area is safe, and the people are friendly. The apartment is located on the second floor but there is a lift so you don’t have to lug baggage up any stairs. We did notice their apartment has no television, but the Wi-Fi had good connectivity. The beds were comfortable and with the roller shutters closed, you could silence any outside noise. So, book your stay at the Red Trees Apartment today, and tell them Simon from Ourworldinreview sent you!

Additional Information for the Red Trees Apartment

Kígyó utca 4-6, Budapest, Hungary
Website: www.red-trees-apartment.go-budapest-hotels.com

Check-in:from 16:00 hours

Check-out:until 12:00 hours

Book your stay at the Red Trees Apartment now.

Prices of accommodation:

Approximate Cost per night €70 (AUD$107)

Available tours in Budapest by Urban Adventures

Red Trees Apartment Rating: 1-10 (1=very poor, 10 = excellent)

Location = 10
Comfort= 8
Cleanliness = 8
Price = 8
Facilities = 7

Overall = 8

*Post Contains Affiliate links

Europe, Restaurants

Dining at La Grande Mamma, Krakow

June 23, 2017 OurWorldinReview Leave a comment

The old town in Krakow is always alive with tourists buzzing around taking in the history and sights. Krakow offers visitors many ways to discover this city, from Segway tours to horse and cart rides. Street stalls and boutique stores are happily selling their merchandise to happy shoppers. With the many restaurants offering a wide range of local and international cuisines.

Food vendors are everywhere throughout the city. You can try some traditional Polish cuisine, or visit a food stall in the main square barbecuing massive amounts of meat. There’s fast food franchises, if that takes your fancy, or the many fine dining choices supplying foods from around the world. With so many choices we select the Italian inspired La Grande Mamma.

With so many food options in Krakow. Try La Grande Mamma in the old town's main square — La Grande Mamma’s Al fresco seating, taken from the main square

Located on one of the corners of the main square, La Grande Mamma is an Italian inspired fine dining restaurant that offers decent quality food. Upon entry into this old building you immediately enter the heart of the restaurant where all the action occurs. Here, there is a central preparation bench with one of the kitchen staff preparing assorted menu items.

Once greeted by the waiting staff, we are directed into one of the quieter side rooms and seated at a lovely table overlooking the square.

The restaurant has a decent range of wines available by the glass or bottle and their food menu is full of modern and traditional Italian cuisine. On this occasion, we selected a basic Margherita pizza, a Calzone farcito and their Filetto di maiale for our main meals. And followed that up with Creme brulee and a Meringa con mascarpone for dessert.

The Margherita pizza was just a plain tomato puree on a thin base with cheese. It was approximately 30 cm in circumference, so quite large for one person, but I feel it was missing that fresh basil that garnishes most Margherita pizzas.

Our Calzone farcito contained tomato puree, mozzarella cheese, ham, salami and champignon mushrooms, encased in a folded and sealed pizza base. When cracked open the heat and fragrances were wonderful. A well cooked dish, but rather plain-looking with a sprinkling of dry herbs.

The next plate was the Filetto di maiale, which is pistachio covered pork loin. It is served on a bed of potato puree, zucchini and red wine sauce. Beautifully cooked, the Filetto di maiale would be my pick of the dishes. Superbly balanced flavours but once again the presentation of the dish could be improved.

After the main meals were completed the efficient and friendly waiting staff cleared our plates and prepared the table for our upcoming desserts. The first dish to arrive was the Creme Brulee. Now, Creme Brulee’s would possibly be MacKenzie’s and my most favourite dessert, as we do tend to compare them against each other. When La Grande Mamma’s Creme Brulee arrived, we were quite excited to see how it stacked up against the ones we’ve had elsewhere.

Although small in size the presentation of the Creme Brulee was better to that of the main meals. That was due to the contrasting colours used in the dish. The hard caramel cover was well done, but the actual custard base was a little grainy in texture, not that smooth consistence that is required. The flavour was okay, but not a show stopper.

Our next dessert was the Meringa con mascarpone and from when the waitress placed the plate on our table, we knew we had a winner. The meringue, covered with mascarpone cream and fresh fruit was an instantaneous success. Nicely presented and delicious, it was hard not going back for more!

There are many places to eat in Krakow’s old town and the catchy named La Grande Mamma is situated in a part of the square that isn’t overrun by other tourists and street sellers. The interior is decorated well and the Italian cuisine has good flavour, but lacks the presentation. I do believe that we get the best out of a meal when they satisfy all our senses. La Grande Mamma, ticks most of those boxes, but the main meal presentation could use a little flair.

Overall, La Grande Mamma was a comfortable restaurant to attend, with a good honest food. The price is a little inflated, but all the restaurants are the same in the main tourist area of Old Town Krakow. Make sure you tip the waiting staff. Service charges are not included in the prices and it is expected if they’ve provided good service. Ten percent of the final cheque is the going rate, so if you are on a budget make sure you account for this extra expense. If you are in Krakow, visit La Grande Mamma tonight and tell them Simon from Ourworldinreview sent you!

Looking for a place to eat in old town Krakow? Then try La Grande Mamma in the main square for decent Italian food. — Pin Me!

Additional Information for La Grande Mamma

Rynek Główny 26, 33-332 Kraków, Poland
Ph: +48 12 430 64 58
Website: www.lagrandemamma.pl

Breakfast Prices Range 19.00 PLN – 68.00 PLN (AUD$6.60 – $23)

Trading Hours

Daily: 12 pm – 11 pm

Book accommodation in Krakow with Booking.com

Book a tour in Krakow through Urban Adventures

La Grande Mamma rating: 1-10 (1=very poor, 10 = excellent)

Decor =8
Atmosphere =8
Service =9
Price = 7
Food =8

Overall = 8

*Post contains affiliate links

Europe, Tours & Attractions

Animals and Aquariums – The Berlin Zoo and Aquarium

June 16, 2017 OurWorldinReview Leave a comment

If you have had the pleasure of travelling with children, you would know that sometimes it’s hard to keep them happy. In their minds, Museums and Art Galleries can be boring. That’s because most young children don’t appreciate looking at the ancient pottery from Pompeii or the subject and detail of Rembrandt’s The Nights Watch. Basically, unless there are dinosaurs or places with amazing interactive fun, children become disinterested quickly. They want to go to places like Disneyland, Sea World or the other major amusement parks. But, at times we all become those little kids and desire that entertainment. Feeling in a fun and happy mood we head off for a day at the Berlin Zoo and Aquarium.

After a lovely breakfast at Cafe Clave, we decide to walk the 1.1 km from our Scandic hotel to the Berlin Zoo and Aquarium.

Now, if this is your first trip to Berlin, you may want to think about purchasing the Berlin Welcome Card. This transport tourist card lasts up to 6 days and covers all your public transport options. It also comes with a booklet containing discounts to many of the major attractions, including the Berlin Zoo and Aquarium. Additionally, it comes with that all important city map, so you can see the various tourist sites and construct your touring itinerary accordingly.

The Berlin Welcome Card covers transport and discounts to many major attractions, including the Berlin Zoo and Aquarium. — The Berlin Welcome Card Booklet

If you are short on time, you can do the Berlin Zoo and Aquarium separately. We opted to combine the two at a discounted price (See below). Since the zoo is the larger of the two complexes we do the zoo first.

As mentioned the zoo is large, exhibiting a wide range of animals from around the world. Our recommendation is to examine the zoo’s map provided and work out a plan of attack. That way you won’t be backtracking and possibly missing some of the animals. Of course, the information is in German so have your translating app available if you can’t read German.

The zoo has set times for feeding and information on the animals (again in German), but it was still interesting seeing them being fed. From wolves, elephants, gorillas, rhinos, lions, zebras and giraffes it was amazing to see the children’s young faces light up in awe of these magnificent creatures.

Finding food is not an issue at the zoo as they have a large cafe, a restaurant and many food carts scattered around the park.

Exciting times are ahead for the Berlin Zoo as they are finishing their new Panda enclosure as they are expecting them to arrive in June 2017.

Once you’ve finished in the Berlin Zoo make your way to the Aquarium. Here you will find an arrangement of diverse types of fish, amphibians, reptiles and creepy crawly insects.

This three-story building holds a vast quantity of fish species of assorted sizes and incredible colours.

There is a warm, humid, central forest area that has some crocodiles, which was inviting on a cooler Berlin day. Like the zoo the aquarium has a cafe, in case you want a snack or coffee.

Overall, both the Berlin Zoo and Aquarium are wonderful places to visit in Berlin. By using the Berlin Welcome Card, we had a 25% discount on the combined price, so great value for money. There is enough fun and intrigue for children to enjoy the day. The zoo also has a large playground area, so your children can burn off some extra energy if required. Visit the zoo and aquarium today and tell them, Simon from Ourworldinreview sent you!

Additional Information for the Berlin Zoo and Aquarium

Berlin Zoo

Hardenbergplatz 8, 10787 Berlin
Ph. +49 30 254010
Website: www.zoo-berlin.de

Opening Times

	ZOO	CASH POINT
1. January – 26. February	9:00 am – 4:30 pm	9:00 am – 3:30 pm
27. February – 26. March	9:00 am – 6:00 pm	9:00 am – 5:00 pm
27. March – 24. September	9:00 am – 6:30 pm	9:00 am – 5:00 pm
25. September – 29. October	9:00 am – 6:00 pm	9:00 am – 5:00 pm
30. October – 31. December	9:00 am – 4:30 pm	9:00 am – 3:30 pm

*Note:

The Zoo closes at 2 p.m. on 24 December.

Please note that the ticket offices close approx. one hour before the zoo closes. The animal houses close 30 minutes before the zoo itself closes.

Aquarium Berlin

Budapester Straße 32, 10787 Berlin
Ph. +49 30 254010
Website: www.aquarium-berlin.de

Opening Times

	AQUARIUM
1 January–31 December	9 a.m.–6 p.m.

TICKETS – Berlin Zoo and Aquarium

	Aquarium & Zoo – Separate	ZOO & AQUARIUM Combination
Adults	14,50 €	20,00 €
Children 4 up to 15 years	7,50 €	10,00 €
Small Families (1 adult and his or her children up to 15 years)	25,00 €	33,00 €
Large Families (2 adults and his or their children up to 15 years)	39,00 €	50,00 €
Concession* students, apprentices, ALG I+II recipients, the severely disabled and their accompaniment, accompaniment if explicitly required on the disabled visitor’s ID	10,00 €	15,00 €

Welcome to Berlin Card

For more information on the Welcome to Berlin Card , click here

Book accommodation in Berlin via Booking.com

Book UrbanAdventures guided tours in Berlin

*Post contains affiliate links

Europe, Hotels and Accommodation

Lovely Lucca and the Terrace of Perfumes

June 11, 2017 OurWorldinReview Leave a comment

Since the girls left we have been travelling around Italy with no real plan. I know it sounds a bit unusual, living and organising accommodation on the fly. We always knew we were going to wing it and see where the tide takes us. This way we are not tied down. If we meet someone on the road who says “You have to go to this…. place”, then we could book it the next day and we’re on our way. The beautiful town of Lucca was just one of these places. A good friend said since you’re in Italy, you must visit Lucca. So, we did. In doing so we had to organise a place to stay and luckily for us we stayed at the Terrace of Perfumes.

The Terrace of Perfumes is an agent run apartment available through Booking.com and AirBNB. Located just outside the old city the Terrace of Perfumes is close to supermarkets and local restaurants. Being an apartment they do prefer stays 3 days or longer.

We were met at the apartment on check in by the apartments owners Mauricio and Valeria and their apartments agent Alessandro. The apartment is situated on the first floor and upon entry you notice how clean and beautiful the apartment is.

This one bedroom apartment consists of a large bedroom which overlooks the street, a lounge area, a fully functional kitchen, bathroom and a balcony area which has that all important washing machine and clothes line. They have thought about everything to make your stay as carefree, relaxing and enjoyable as possible.

Mauricio and Valeria are exceptional hosts and ensure we are settled and welcomed with a basket filled with some produce and a bottle of delicious Chianti. They have a compendium about the apartment and helpful information about Lucca and its must see places and things to do.

We really enjoyed our time in Lucca, walking the thin cobbled streets surrounded by hundreds of year old buildings. Visiting the home of Italian composer Giacomo Puccini and indulging in some of that Italian cuisine. International tour hosts, Urban Adventures offers four incredible tours around Lucca for you to try. So, take a trip to Lucca, experience a tour and book the Terrace of Perfumes. Don’t forget to tell them Simon from Ourworldineview sent you!

Looking for accommodation in Lucca? The Terrace of Perfumes is the ideal place to stay. — Pin Me!

Additional Information for the Terrace of Perfumes

Via Borgo Giannotti 389, 55100 Lucca, Italy
Website: Nil Available

Check in: 15:00 hrs
Check out: 10:00 hrs

Book your stay at the Terrace of Perfumes now with Booking.com

Prices of accommodation:

Ranging from AUD$90 – AUD$110 per night

Terrace of Perfumes Rating: 1-10 (1=very poor, 10 = excellent)

Location = 8
Comfort=10
Cleanliness = 10
Price = 10
Facilities =10

Overall = 9.5

*Post Contains Affiliate links

Europe, Restaurants

Breaking our fast at Cafe Clave – Berlin

June 5, 2017 OurWorldinReview 2 Comments

Berlin has been full of surprises, from the landmarks, the people, the history and the cost. It has surpassed all of our expectations. Staying at the Scandic Berlin Kurfürstendamm hotel has been a pleasure and with a good restaurant that serves breakfast and dinner, it would be easy to stay in and eat there every day. But being a little more adventurous we opted to do some investigating around the neighbourhood to see what other places are close by to have breakfast. You know, sometimes you just want to go somewhere else to eat! After a leisurely stroll along Augsburger strasse we came across this lovely little place called Cafe Clave.

Clave Cafe — A chalkboard with a selection of menu items available at the Cafe Clave.

Look before you pop in. Cafe Clave accepts cash only as they don’t have EFTPOS facilities available. But don’t let that sway your choice to dine there or not, the prices are fair and the food is scrumptious.

Cafe Clave is a relatively small cafe with a few tables inside the shop with some outdoor seating also available. We took up residence at a table close to the windows. The tables are your normal everyday cafe tables with leather seats inside and wicker seats outside. They also have a window bench seat complete with cushions. A fact that decided where we were going to sit.

The menu on offer is small with enough choices available to elicit a considered decision. We choose the Bacon and Eggs, a croissant with jam and a Pain au Chocolat. We also ordered a fruit smoothie, cafe latte and a flat white coffee to wash it all down.

The food arrived quickly and was consumed just as quick. The Bacon and Eggs were a little small for my liking, a larger amount of bacon would have been perfect. It was cooked well, with a little crunch and the eggs were fluffy with a smooth consistent texture.

The freshly supplied croissant was served with a choice of condiments from honey and various jams. The pastry was flaky and warm, easy to separate.

Finally, the supplied Pain au Chocolate was filled with delicious chocolate and good to the last bite.

Cafe Clave is open for all three meals and has a broad selection of wines on their shelves. They also have a selection of cakes available, so have a look in their display to see what they have for you today.

Overall, Cafe Clave was a pleasant change from a breakfast in a hotel. The waitress servicing us was lovely and looked after all her many customers with equal aplomb. With food available all day at a reasonable price, I could easily see myself going back when next in Berlin. The only things I would change would be to add a little more bacon with the eggs and to install EFTPOS as not everyone carries cash with them these days. You don’t want to miss out on additional customers because they don’t have any cash on them.

So, if you are near Kurfürstendamm or Augsburger strasse, head to Cafe Clave. Have a meal, or just some coffee and cake and tell them, Simon from Ourworldinreview sent you!

Breakfast in Berlin, try Cafe Clave on Augsburger Strasse — Pin Me!

Additional Information for Cafe Clave

Augsburger strasse 25, Berlin, Germany 10789
Ph: +49 176 32569887
Facebook: Cafe Clave

Breakfast Prices Range €1.30 – €6.90

Trading Hours

Mon-Sat: 8 am – 10 pm
Sun : 9 am – 5 pm

Looking for a place to stay in Berlin. Book here

Cafe Clave rating: 1-10 (1=very poor, 10 = excellent)

Decor =7
Atmosphere =8
Service =8
Price = 9
Food =9

Overall = 8

*Post contains affiliate links

Europe, Restaurants

Plenty of Food at Peter Pane – Berlin

June 2, 2017 OurWorldinReview Leave a comment

On our first day in Berlin, we had already organised the Urban Adventure tour – Storyline of Berlin. And after 5 hours of listening to Sara explain everything we needed to know about the history of Berlin we were feeling hungry. Sara pointed us in the direction to get cheaper food, so we headed off to discover a bit more of Berlin. During our travels, the girls spied a hamburger place called Peter Pane Burgergrill Bar that looked popular. And always being a bit partial to a hamburger we decided to give it a go.

On entry into the large establishment we could see that it was extremely busy, with most of the tables already buzzing with people chatting over their lunches. We were greeted by one of the wait staff and escorted to a comfortable table for four.

The interior of the restaurant is quite modern. The walls are a sky blue colour, with timber plant boxes with small plants extending to the woven wooden ceiling. There are birdcage light fixtures and the whole combination gives the restaurant a Neverland feel. Tables at various levels throughout the restaurant add to the setting. Each table has comfortable stool or bench seating.

As Peter Pane is a hamburger place the menu has a good selection of available burgers. We couldn’t go past the €9.50 lunch special. The special consisted of a burger served with fries or salad. But that’s not all the deal also came with a cold drink to have with the meal and a hot drink to have after. What awesome value!

We ordered the Klasik, a Kase Speck, a Rotbackhen and the Feenflugel burgers. The Klasik is your normal everyday burger containing a succulent beef patty, lettuce and tomato. My Kase Speck is the Klasik burger with Bernstein Cheese and Bacon. Our Rotbackhen is a vegetarian burger with a grilled tomato and olive cutlet, topped with mozzarella, rocket and sun-dried tomato. Finally, the last burger called the Feenfugel has a piece of grilled chicken, topped with avocado, young spinach and mango-chilli chutney. All four burgers were beautifully prepared and well presented. We consumed them eagerly and washed it down with a local German cola brand called Fritz-Kola, which was quite nice.

Overall, Peter Pane Burgergrill Bar is a good place to stop in relax and have a meal. Their burgers are beautifully made and terrific value incorporated with their €9.50 meal deal. Peter Pane has approximately 17 stores across Germany, so visit their website below for additional locations. The menu prices don’t include a service fee. Therefore, make sure you leave a 10% tip if your dining experience is worthwhile. Try Peter Pane Burgergrill Bar the next time you want a delicious burger and tell them, Simon from Ourworldinreview sent you!

Additional Information for Peter Pane Burgergrill Bar

Friedrichstraße 101, 10117 Berlin
Ph: +49 30 20679063
Website: www.peterpane.de

Burger Prices Range €6.40 – €11.90

Trading Hours

Mon-Sun from 11 am until late

Looking for a place to stay in Berlin. Book here

Peter Pane Burgergrill Bar rating: 1-10 (1=very poor, 10 = excellent)

Decor =10
Atmosphere =9
Service =9
Price =10
Food =9

Overall = 9.5

*Post contains affiliate links

Additional Information for the Novotel Sofia

Prices of accommodation per night at the Novotel Sofia

Additional Information for the Best Western Premier: Sofia Airport Hotel

Prices of accommodation per night at the Best Western Premier Sofia Airport Hotel:

Additional Information for Krakville Wieliczka Salt Mine

Trading Hours

Additional Information for YourGuideinTransylvania’s Bran Castle Day Tour

Tour Information

Duration/Distance:

Price: 79 euro/person*

Included:

Additional Information for the Red Trees Apartment

Prices of accommodation:

Red Trees Apartment Rating: 1-10 (1=very poor, 10 = excellent)

Additional Information for La Grande Mamma

Trading Hours

La Grande Mamma rating: 1-10 (1=very poor, 10 = excellent)

Additional Information for the Berlin Zoo and Aquarium

Berlin Zoo

Opening Times

Aquarium Berlin

Opening Times

TICKETS – Berlin Zoo and Aquarium

Welcome to Berlin Card

Additional Information for the Terrace of Perfumes

Prices of accommodation:

Terrace of Perfumes Rating: 1-10 (1=very poor, 10 = excellent)

Additional Information for Cafe Clave

Trading Hours

Cafe Clave rating: 1-10 (1=very poor, 10 = excellent)

Additional Information for Peter Pane Burgergrill Bar

Trading Hours

Peter Pane Burgergrill Bar rating: 1-10 (1=very poor, 10 = excellent)

Our world is an amazing place, so go out there and enjoy it!