Well I guess its time for another blog update! I've been so bad at updating my blog, slacking off because of my tendency to procrastinate, slow internet speed doesn't help at all.
So, here goes....
Planning a trip for my family could've been one of the hardest, stressful thing I've had to do despite having just graduated with a Masters degree, yeah, Me. A lot was at stake and screwing it up would mean putting my family in a lot of unnecessary stress which would lead to a trip being ruined for everyone and THAT was something I could not live with. So, everything had to be well organised, accommodation, travel means, budgeting, getting the dates and time right, the list goes on. Long story short it took a while but eventually everything was settled and the days came and went by.
LUXEMBOURG
Our first stop on this mini tour was to Luxembourg, a small country and when I say small, according to WIKI it has an area of 2 586 square kilometres which is about the same size as the English county of Northamptonshire. Despite its size, I was surprised to see that the city is well developed with modern architecture features and lots of new developments around the city centre. Luxembourg has also one of the worlds highest GDP(PPP) per capita and is the worlds second largest investment fund centre. This city definitely left a great impression on me with its very friendly and helpful locals as well as the mixture of old and new towns.
Due the relatively small size of the city, there wasn't much to see unless you're travelling outside of the city itself. With less than two days in Luxembourg, we spent most of our time walking around the town and exploring The Bock, which is a historical area with natural fortification and rocky cliffs and cradles the River Alzette.
Accommodation:
Le Chatelet, Approximately 15 minutes walk to the main city centre. It was difficult to find a budget hotel around Luxembourg so we ended up spending ~ 378 Euro for two nights in the hotel which is in my opinion quite over priced.
STRASBOURG, FRANCE
A 2 hour train ride from Luxembourg gets you to Strasbourg, France.
Strasbourg is the capital city of the Grand Est region which was formerly known as Alsace. The city sits near the German border thus, it has a mixture of German and French culture as well as architecture. The most notable structure in the city is the sandstone Gothic cathedral due to its famous astronomical clock as well as the cobbled stone medieval cityscape of black and white timber framed buildings such as in Petite France which is a very well known touristy area. We spent a day walking through Petite France visiting local shops and eateries that are scattered around the area.
Strasbourg is also well known for its parks which are of cultural and historical interest. One of the parks that we visited is the Parc de l'Orangerie, a French garden with English influence.
Accommodation:
Hôtel Nid de Cigognes, Location was ideal as it was less than 3 minutes from the central train station and about 20 minutes walk to Petite France. The hotel is conveniently surrounded by supermarkets, restaurants, pharmacy etc.
As for the price, we paid 210Euro for a two night stay.
GRACHEN-ZERMATT, SWITZERLAND
Finally, one of my favourite country to visit! Switzerland. After approximately 2 -3 hours of bus ride crossing borders from Strasbourg, we arrived into Basel, Switzerland. We then got our hired car and drove down south all the way towards Grachen which is a small mountain village located high above the Zermatt valley. A great place for hiking, this little town had lots to offer with friendly locals that will greet you with a warm smile, local boutiques and shopping outlets. Walking through the little town you're immediately welcomed by the smell of burning firewood and locals chatting away with one another.
With numerous trails which covers the forest, mountain lake and irrigation channels it is ideal for outdoor enthusiasts.
Our beautiful little hiking chalet that was perched up surrounded by cascading snow capped mountains. The view was one of the highlights of staying in Grachen, this was hands down one of the most beautiful place I've stayed in.
Our first night in Grachen we were blessed with clear skies lit up with a Gazillion stars.
Our full day in Zermatt was spent walking through the town bustling with tourists from all over the world and hiking the Gorner Gorge trails with wooden walkways leading between towering cliffs while we witness the sheer power of nature with thundering waterfalls that were channelled through the mountain from melting glaciers and rain.
Unfortunately for us the weather had a mind of its own, with scattered showers throughout the whole day we could only catch a partial glimpse of the majestic Matterhorn.
The next day we headed further out into Simplon Pass which is a high mountain pass between the Pennine Alps and Lepontine Alps. The drive along this journey was known to be one of the most scenic routes in Switzerland. An interesting fact to know is that this pass was originally built to transport artillery pieces through the Swiss valley and Italy.
An interesting monument built among the rocky valleys built by Erwin Friedrich Baumannover, it is an eight metre stone eagle which acts as a symbol of the mountain brigade to remind visitors of World War II.
While in the midst of such spectacular views, I found myself wondering what this place would look like in Winter time with all the snow!
Accommodation:
Gruppenhaus Rosy, less than 10 minutes walk from the village. 480 CHF Swiss Franc for three nights in total with a simple breakfast included every day.
MILAN, ITALY
From Brig central station, we took a train to Milan, Italy. The transition from chilly and wet weather to 30 degree sun shine was a treat. A great place for indulgence, with fashion boutiques, local and international restaurants, history, art and culture.
Not much of a city person, I wasn't impressed especially after being constantly harassed by street vendors at every turn.
Accommodation:
Guest House Pirelli Milano, a simple guest house with breakfast and shared bathrooms which costs 85 Euro for a night. Located 7 minutes away from Milan central station.
PRAGUE, CZECH REPUBLIC
From Milan we took a flight to our final destination, Prague the capital and largest city of Czech Republic. This magical city with beautiful architecture and bustling alley ways. A city that never sleeps with streets still crowded late into the night. With so much to see and do it is not surprising that this city is the Fifth most visited European city after London, Paris, Istanbul and Rome. I definitely would recommend staying in Prague for several days and moving out into the country side.
A partial view of Prague from Petrin Tower which is a 63.5m tall steel structure which resembles the Eiffel tower. There's an option to walk the 299 steps to the top or to take the elevator up. I opted for the stairs because, Why not. To reach the observation tower it is possible to take a Funicular Railway or make a 30 minute stroll up the hill. My suggestion, take the train up and walk down.
Iconic view of Charles Bridge, a historic bridge that crosses the Vltava river where its construction started in 1357.
Another highlight of Prague was visiting the Bone Church in Kutna Hora. This trip was done with a self walking tour which includes entrance and train tickets to the location. I won't bore you with the details of the place, it was an interesting visit and for y'all skeleton enthusiasts can read more about its history here.
On our final day in Prague, I witnessed one of the most epic sunset I've ever seen. The sky was literally on fire, and then it started to pour with rain which sent the crowd dispersing into all directions looking for cover.
Overall, Prague exceeded my expectation of a European city as someone who enjoys nature more I was definitely blown away by how pretty the city and its surroundings were.
Accommodation:
Czech Lofts Apartments, 302 Euro for 4 nights. 20 minutes walk from Old town, the apartment was comfortable, clean and cosy. The staff was very responsive to e-mails and very helpful.
PS. Grateful from the bottom of my heart to the fam and especially my Brother who funded most of the entire trip.
Check out my short travel video compilation in HD!
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