The beauty of Cluj-Napoca is that its location is very close (2h away) to the Apuseni Mountains. Continuing the series about what you can do 1 day outside Cluj-Napoca, here is another beautiful idea. (again, you need a car for the trip)
Keep reading if you’ve always wanted to:
“He drove his girlfriend from Bistrita, just to take her out on a date at the cinema in Cluj.” That’s when I realized once again, Cluj is awesome and I should not take it for granted.
When I ask my friends “Why did you choose it?”, I see a big smile on their faces and how they can’t make up their mind about their reasons.
But me. I am from Cluj. All its cafes, bars, parks and cinemas are not enough for me. When the Sun is up…You simply can’t stay in the city. There are so many other beautiful things to discover around. Today, I’m going to introduce you to…
Cluj-Napoca is an ancient center of the Romanian culture and civilization, being one of the largest cities in Romania with more than 400.000 inhabitants. It is metaphorically called The Heart of Transylvania because it is the vibe of this region, where Culture, Education, and Finance meet. There are plenty of books who can present you Cluj facts in an academic manner. I am not going to do that. Today, I have challenged myself and found out that Cluj-Napoca is more European than I thought…
How would it be to have a look at my hometown from a different perspective? The perspective of a foreigner, who traveled around the world? Can I find common aspects with the world I’ve seen so far? Let’s find out…
– Do you have coffee from Costa Rica?
After coming back from US, I wanted to check the fancy coffee store in Iulius Mall, next to Auchan.
I noticed they have coffee from all over the world, and being used with excellent customer service, and coffee from all over the world, I asked the lady for more information. I wanted to know about the regions their coffee comes from.
![Why to choose the road less traveled – National Parks in USA [part 2]](https://word-traveler.com/wp-content/uploads/2016/10/14495245_10211015633570828_4324238031740030110_n-5_c9500270d580ebd852c3dacc94b8aeb0-540x300.jpg)
How many of you traveling to USA chose to visit nature instead of famous cities? Traveling to national parks can be a challenge because it involves creating a small group, renting a car, few luggages that should fit in the car, lots of planning and a lot of driving. However, it is all so worth it, as many travel agencies won’t get you there with their tours.
The summer of 2016, me and my travel buddies (Irina, Miha, Anca and Alexandra) choose to go visit some national parks in Utah, one of the most beautiful regions with national parks in the USA. We drove all the way from Lake Tahoe, which is approx 1600 miles on Highway 50, the loneliest road in USA. We split the whole trip in 5 days which involved lots of driving. If you ever want to go from California to Utah, here’s my proposed plan. If you are living closer, you are lucky. There are many national parks that we missed: Zion, Bryce and others because we had no time.
![Why to choose the road less traveled – National Parks in USA [part 1]](https://word-traveler.com/wp-content/uploads/2016/10/DSC_0473_edited-540x350_d5f94134a06533e41f27912e58f67ce7-540x300.jpg)
If you’d had to choose to visit a city or national parks, what would you choose? If you go to US, it is very tempting to choose the big cities, however, choosing a more laid back experience can be cheaper and more fulfilling. Last year, I made a camping trip in 2 of the 58 National Parks there are in US: Yosemite and Sequoia national parks. We made an international team with Vesco & Ivan from Montenegro and Anca & Irina.
Porto is known to be one of the best cities in Portugal. Many people argue that it is better than Lisbon, but I would disagree. The city is small and in some places even abandoned. Don’t put high hopes, otherwise you might be disappointed. However, with all the bad things I saw, I still loved the city.
Here is what I did 4 days in North Portugal:
Do you want to see the most romantic palace near Lisbon? Get lost in its gardens, smell roses and hide behind trees and grottoes? Then Sintra is the perfect place for you, and it is only 40 minutes train ride from Entrecampos train station in Lisbon.
The Regaleira residence and gardens are a World Heritage Site by UNESCO, being part of the landscape of Sintra along Pena Palace and Monserrate Palace. You can reach it by walking 10 minutes from the city center of Sintra. Entry is 4 euros for student, 6 for adults.
Forget about the cliches of Paris or London. If you want to visit one of the most romantic capitals of Europe, that’s Lisbon. And I’ll tell you soon, why I consider it so.
I have been living in Lisbon during my Master Erasmus studies for 5 months. I got to know Lisbon from all the angles: the party spot, the food spot, the architecture spot, but what I liked the most was the romantic spot. If you only have 3 full days here, here’s my proposed itinerary.
If you’re going away from home for more than a couple of months, you are not traveling. You are not on holiday anymore. That is your life.
My life in Lisbon began in a rapid way. It is such a wonderful feeling to be in your hometown partying and the next day, all of a sudden, wake up in your new Erasmus life. Being in another country requires flexibility, a smart adaptable mind and a busy life. Among classes, cooking, assignments, we plan our travels and explore the city, but also see difference and resemblances with our hometown.