#sharethelocal

I moved to Rio three years ago, and I’m absolutely in love with this city! The city is built around the beaches and with mountains and amazing rain forests around it. There is always something new to discover and tons of outdoors activities to try out. It’s wonderful to have a big city in this paradise environment. Make sure to stay long enough so you’ll have time to explore all that Rio has to offer. People from Rio are called “cariocas”, and I almost feel like a carioca by now.

Hikes Something very unique about Rio is the different views from all the mountains. You can hike up almost all of the tops, but make sure to find a good guide to bring with you since the tracks can be hard to find for a beginner. You can find guides on google or here: http://www.trilhaape.com.br/index_eng.php. My favourite tracks are Pedra da Gavea (the highest coastal mountain in the world) and Dois Irmaos (meaning “two brothers” in Portuguese). Both of these hikes have different views, and even if it might be a bit difficult at times, the reward when you reach the top is priceless. You can also take a lot of cool pictures from up there! 

Sunset When you come to Rio, you have to watch the sunset at Azul Marinho in Arpoador. You can enjoy a Caipirinha (the national drink) and see one of the most famous sunsets in the world. When the sun goes down behind the Dois Irmaos Mountain, everybody claps their hands. There is usually live music or capoeira shows by the beach at this time of day. 

Me and the sunset 

Acaí If you're in Rio, you got to try acaí! It’s a purple ‘super fruit’ berry from the Amazon that they make a sort of sorbet of and serve in a bowl. It’s filled with healthy antioxidants and vitamins. The best acaí bowl you can find is at Universo Organico in Leblon. Their acaí is organic and not filled with sweet guarana syrup. They serve it together with raw granola and papaya. It’s so satisfying and just amazing!

Acaí bowl served with granola and papaya at Universo Organico in Leblon

Balada Mix is another restaurant and juice bar that is perfect for a light lunch, a quick juice or acaí. They have several restaurants all over Rio, almost one in every neighborhood. Try their Detox Juice made of coconut water, pineapple, lime, ginger and kale. They also have great acaí bowls, but remember to ask for less guarana syrup so it’s less sweet.

Remember to drink tons of fresh coconuts on the beach! It’s hydrating and delicious! 

Paddle boarding and Kite Surfing Paddle boarding and Kite Surfing are other incredible outdoor activities that give you the chance to see Rio from the sea. They have several places that rent out paddle boards on the beach in Ipanema, Leblon and Copacabana, but remember to go in the morning before the waves are too strong. Another great place to paddle board and kite surf is in Barra de Tijuca. Go to my friends at Kite Point: https://www.facebook.com/KitePointteamnogueira

Paddle boarding 

Hotel Santa Teresa Hotel (http://santa-teresa-hotel.com/) is a wonderful boutique hotel in the bohemian neighborhood Santa Teresa. You can sit by the pool and look over almost the whole city. The hotel also has a great restaurant and a nice spa. The neighborhood of Santa Teresa is very interesting and up-and-coming. You should also try the restaurant Aprazível in Santa Teresa, where you can enjoy a dinner high up in a tree house. 

If you want to stay more central by the beach and have a tighter budget you should definitely check in at Fasano in Ipanema. They have the best rooftop in Rio with views over Ipanema and Leblon. It’s designed by Philippe Starck and also has a great restaurant and bar. But very pricy! Info: http://www.fasano.com.br/hotelaria/hotel/2 

Lunch places Org. Bistro @ Barra de Tijuca. Cozy and really yummy lunch place in Barra de Tijuca. Everything is gluten free, lactose free and 100 % organic. There are always two daily dishes to chose from.

Gula Gula is a restaurant located in several location in Rio. They have everything from salads to steaks. You can chose two salads on your plate. I love the chicken/quinoa salad together with the palm heart salad. Also great juices and desserts! 

Gavea Beach Club @ Sao Conrado. On the beach in Sao Conrado, they have the best quiosque in Rio. It’s an Italian lady who owns it, so of course their pasta is amazing, but they also have healthy choices like grilled fish and fresh juices. It’s hard to find a good place to eat by the beach in Rio, but here you have a great option! 

Celeiro in Leblon is a trendy organic lunch place where you take food from a buffet and pay by weight. The food is really tasty and healthy but it’s quite expensive. Nice for a long lunch with friends! 

Dinner spot Got to say Sushi Leblon, in Leblon of course, because it fun for people watching and is always crowded. Try their butter fish (peixe manteiga) with truffle. Brazil has the largest Japanese population outside of Japan, so it’s actually a special experience. If you stay longer and are open for a longer cab ride you should visit Irajá Gastro in Botafogo! 

Pedra do sal - Secret Samba Every Monday, people meet at an historic but pretty shady area in the city center of Rio to listen and dance to live samba music. It’s located near the Praca Maua and the docks. This was the place where they drained salt, which at the time was used as money. It was also a point for exchange and sales of slaves. Today, it attracts samba dancers, professionals and amateurs. They sell food, beers and Caipirinhas in small stands all over the place, and it’s a very casual environment. And it's free. Well worth the visit! Attention with the rain: the place is open-air so the event does not happen under heavy rain. Keep updated though their Facebook page: https://www.facebook.com/pages/Roda-de-Samba-Pedra-do-Sal/336352919743450

Nightclub I don’t go out much in Rio but if you’re looking for a nightclub I could recommend The Cave. It’s sort of an alternative club with really good music. The club closes when the last people leave around 9 am in the morning.

Get away? Arraial do Cabo is located next to Buzios, about a two-hour drive from Rio. It’s a natural reserve, and the water is crystal clear and the sand white and fine. You can only reach the beaches by boat so the best way is to talk to one of the fishermen in the little village and pay them to take you on a tour. You can see giant turtles and even whales. It’s a real paradise! 

Paraty is a cute authentic colonial town about a two and a half hours drive from Rio. It’s close to Angra, which is an archipelago of 365 paradise islands. In Paraty, you can also rent a little boat to go around all the different islands. The town is very cute, and there is a lot to see and do. Stay at Casa Turquesa! 

If you would like to see more pictures from Rio you are welcome to have a look at my instagram: valeriewigardt

Stay Local, Valerie

Here, the circadian rhythm is nowhere near the same as in the rest of the world. Sleep until midday, shop during the evening (or even during the night), and later enjoy the ‘Panigiri’ village parties with lots of food, famous strong red wine, and traditional local music and dancing… This is what a day in the life of the inhabitants normally looks like. As a result of this relaxed and unique attitude, the Ikarians have one of the highest life expectancies in the world.

So, are you ready to escape from a constant rush as well as increase your life duration? Jump onto the first possible means of transportation towards Ikaria and let yourself experience it!

Share the Local, Marija

Rwanda’s tourism is hit hard. It might be due to the world still thinking of the country as a hub for people killing each other, but it is absolutely stunning, and the population is incredibly friendly. Rwanda is luxuriant in vegetation, and the locals speak of it as the Land of a Thousand Hills. If you plan to visit, Sine recommends you to stay at the most adorable hotel, which is located by Lake Kivu. It’s got a sweeping view of the lake that has you think you are part of a magical dream for a second. When she went, they were only four people staying there. The price for one night was about 7 USD, which she explains was excellent value for money. As you may know, Rwanda was torn apart by genocide in 1994, which caused 90 % of the Tutsis living in this area to get killed. As such, the locals are still reluctant to eat fish from the lake, as they believe these live off the dead bodies of their loved ones.

Lake Kivu, Rwanda

Did you know that Uganda is among the leading coffee-producing countries in the world? In Kampala, the bustling and slightly chaotic capital, you should head to 1000 Cups of Coffee, a cute café, which serves the best coffee Sine has had in all of Africa to this date. Keep up with the latest news from The East African, while cars and motorcycles rush past you on the street outside. Sine recommends you to stock up on textiles and garments made by local tailors here too—their creations are available for purchase at the café.

Coffee Break at ”1000 Cups of Coffee”

While in Kampala, make sure to stop by the city’s night market—according to Sine, this is your number one source for a local (and insanely cheap) meal. You sit on plastic chairs while you eat off a barbeque, and it tastes tremendous. Visiting after dark makes you unable to inspect the hygiene standards of the stalls, which is probably a good thing after all, she tells.

Night Market in Kampala

The world’s longest lake, the Nile, flows north for some 130 kilometers from Jinja in Uganda. Don’t miss the chance to see this. Also, the Nile is home to White Water Rafting—the hardest type of river rafting for amateurs (Sine was told). Each raft takes about four hours, and you go back and forth between lazy floating and action-packed rafting. Keep your eye out for monkeys hiding in the trees by the banks of the lake.

The Nile, Uganda

White Water Rifting, Uganda

In terms of transportation, motos are the way to go in both Rwanda and Uganda! Moto-taxis are cheap and provide a fun and effective (yet terrifying) experience. According to Sine, simply jump onto the back of one, and trust your moto-driver, as he tears off recklessly through the crowds.

Moto Riding

Lastly, the kids in these countries… Cuteness alert level: High! Also, they (obviously) don’t mind having their photo taken:

Cute p1. I

Cute pt. II

Thanks a million to Sine!

Stay local, Julie

Link to playlist on Youtube: https://www.youtube.com/playlist?list=PLJnOhVVCx6spyQZkEv9AO28FwblEo-6JI

Link to playlist on Spotify: http://open.spotify.com/user/sharethelocal/playlist/2VQXpPymyCJs7aYYxDIfub

Educational tone over.

Now that we have established your future Polish destination, let’s see what the coolness that is Krakow has to offer:

Krakow is a stunning old city that looks almost exactly as it did in the 1930s, seeing as it wasn’t (physically) affected by WW2. I have lost count of the number of photos I took of the beautiful city center (they are killing my hard drive), especially its old colorful buildings lying side by side, reminding me of Copenhagen’s Nyhavn, with which I’ve always had a slightly conflicted relationship. Krakow is not too big, and not too small, and you can probably see most of it in three or four days. Go during summer!

When you first wander its streets, Krakow presents itself like a melting pot of plastic chairs, fake flowers, neon colors and kitch. So much kitch that I am taking the trouble to hit the bold button (no, seriously, it is everywhere). However, when you get real’ familiar with it, you will be surprised to see how great it is. It is a place that really grows on you, if you will. Krakow has a vast number of parks, canals and squares that you can spend hours exploring. There are tons of museums, and the food scene is immense—try to avoid any restaurant that is mentioned in a guidebook though. Ask the locals! Or peek in the small backstreets and find one yourself.

… WHICH LEADS ME TO: The Bunkier Café, hidden away behind one of the city’s squares. It is more of a restaurant/bar/café, to be honest, as they serve (good) food all day, as well as drinks in the evening. Most of what they offer is amazing, and as is the case with anywhere else in Krakow, everything is insanely cheap. Go here for pancakes, eggs benedict and fresh juices in the morning; for sandwiches, salads and coffee during the day; and for organic cocktails in the evening. They have good taste in music, and the staff is the greatest. The café itself looks a bit like an old train station—it’s got bare brick walls, huge windows, and all its furniture is vintage. On warm days, they open up one whole side of the building (it’s mostly windows), extending the café onto the street and the nearby park. Ah, it is so lovely, and I guarantee that you can spend hours here.

The Bunkier Café

Stay local, Julie

Oh, and find it here:

Address: Bunkier Cafe
pl. Szczepański 3a,
31-000 KrakówWebsite: http://en.bunkiercafe.pl

It is the city with the highest population of the three Baltic States, and it casts a magic spell on you every time you visit it. Juliana, a local friend of ours, has wrecked her brains for a few Riga tips, which will help you to get a unique local experience in the city.

If you happen to be in Riga on a Wednesday, Juliana recommends you to visit Piens Club for a glass of wine. If you are not a wine person, you can enjoy their amazing terrace and tasty burgers for too. Beer lovers should grab a beer from the new hip place Labietis on the opposite side of the terrace. Here, they serve different kinds of beer - even some with interesting tastes you might not have tried before. Since these two places are like friends, you can buy a beer from Labietis and a burger from Piens terrace and get the best from two worlds. Later on, you can continue your night upstairs in the cozy Piens Club. These places are located around 15-20 minutes by foot from the city center. Also, you can jump on tram no. 11 or trolleybus no. 3 to get there.

Club Piens, Riga

Thursday is a perfect day to join in on a number of events and get some local insights from the so-called Kalnciema Iela neighborhood, says Juliana. If you go during summer, you should go to open-air concerts, which, by the way, are free. When you get hungry, you can grab a few treats such as eco beer burgers offered by local companies, grab a glass of wine or a beer and enjoy local artists’ performances. During the wintertime, however, you might join other events depending on the city schedule. Every week, different events and themes are going on. If you are into arts and crafting, you must check the schedule and join at least one of them in order to see in fact how creative Latvians are.

Kalnciema Iela, Riga

If the weather is nice, definitely visit Cabo Café. It is a nice place to hang out and drink a beer by the lake in the city. If you are into water sports, you can rent windsurfing gear or sign up for yoga classes in the middle of the lake during summer. Super cool! According to Juliana, this is a place definitely worth visiting due to its views. The place is also located by the biggest park in Riga, called Mežaparks, where you can rent bikes or roller-skates and enjoy the pine trees. Moreover, it is very easy to get to! Just 25 minutes by tram nr. 11 from Riga’s city center.

When you are in Riga you MUST try the most traditional drink of Latvia, namely “Black Balsam”. Be prepared to taste something you have never tried before! It is an herbal liqueur made from natural ingredients mixed with pure vodka. The traditional recipe contains 24 different plants, flowers, juices, roots and oils. It is very useful for combating a cold or any digestive problems - or you can take it prophylactically too. You can enjoy it on its own, but the tastiest way to drink it is to mix the balsam with tea or coffee. Juliana suggests you to get yours at Star Lounge Bar located on the top of Albert Hotel. Aside from getting the best Black Balsams in town, you can also enjoy the stunning views of Riga’s city center.

Star Lounge Bar, Riga

If you want to try a traditional Latvian meal, Juliana recommends you to visit one of the Lido restaurants for dinner or lunch buffet at a very decent price. Here, you can grab dishes that locals love, such as zirņi ar speķi (peas with bacon), or enjoy a full traditional Latvian meal, which consists of beet soup, pot-cooked cabbage, a meat cutlet, sour milk, and some kvass. You can find Lido restaurants all over the city, but the biggest one with an entertainment complex is located in Rīgā, Ķengaraga ielā 3.

I hope that these tips given by our local friend Juliana will inspire you to include Riga on your future holiday destination list.

Stay Local, Marija

P.S. Thank you so much for recommendations, Juliana! Everyone who would like to get local insights of Lund, Sweden, should check out her blog: http://lundinsider.tumblr.com/

Photos sources: Riga, I love you!, foursquare, Kalnciema Iela, alberthotel

More information:

https://www.facebook.com/LIVERIGAcom?fref=ts

https://www.facebook.com/pages/Klubs-Piens/291006344318610?fref=ts

https://www.facebook.com/AlusDarbnicaLabietis/info?tab=overview

https://www.facebook.com/Kalnciemaiela?fref=ts

http://www.cabo.lv/lv/#

http://galleriariga.lv/en/terrace-riga

Cool and true. Besides offering a wide variety of different liquids produced in their own distillery, the restaurant also has a good selection of food, a swift and friendly staff, and a great atmosphere. So whenever you have time to visit, aim for this location - Oude Boteringestraat 26, 9712 GJ Groningen, Nederland.

Here is a YouTube clip just to give you an idea of how this thing works! https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=0qCZhpw1lto

Stay local!