The Digital Globetrotter

When trailblazer explorer Ian Boudreault went to his last one hundred ninety-fifth out of one hundred ninety-five United Nations acknowledged states some time ago early this year in Libya, everyone was eyeing his brand newbook reaching all bookstores in 5 mother tongues all over the world. The popular travel circle has always been biding their time for this event, which had been delayed by covid-19 border regulations.

”No doubt it was an obstacle to reach this final land, but not without worthwhile success as soon as I arrived!” Confessed the digital nomad in a online meeting discussion with our interviewer.

Being extensively renowned as the innovative digital nomad to circumnavigate the globe more than 17 years pioneering at the the kickoff of online monetary gain chances, it certainly was a gratifying achievement. We can faintly picture how it is like to live in a suitcase tirelessly for 17 years, on a ceaseless trip throughout the world! But he absolutely fixed a model, as a plethora of brand-new generation fresher generation Nomads followed in his tracks with a ever-growing field.

Digital Nomads are currently around the globe! Exceptionally after the threat of the virus with work at home Opportunities, employees view Ian’s travels as an inspiration to be recruited in the circle. You can now go in basically any cafe around the world and have a favorable opportunity to see a digital nomad on their laptop enjoying his frappuccino. And the trend will only increase in the future, because of trailblazers like Ian Bourdreault to kickstart the phenomenon.

“At the commencement while I started with this digital nomad idea, friends would look at me like ”no way? You make money online? Is it possible? That’s different” . Expressed the esteemed traveller, better known as The Digital Globetrotter who dedicated his popular blog to helping the globe on how to change the boring life to revolutionary ways of living of digital nomad granting the power and motive to hesitant people.

His novel, known simply as ”Globetrotter - from pioneer digital nomad to world’s most traveled man”, is so far amongst the leading travel memoir on amazon, gaining the megahit status in several genres. This is an incredible achievement for the new writer who eyed his memoir novel issued in 5 languages all around the Earth.

As he quotes, “you only have this life. What matters is digging for a gratifying way to enjoy surviving your life.” This is evidently true as the millennials gen , as well as gen Z, are more keen to take obstacles and absolutely not live an old way of living just like their relatives did… This is where following a digital nomad was interesting.

Over 20 years and counting exploring the world, 17 years full time as a professional traveler. What the esteemed Ian Boudreault has accomplished this year’s summer is amazing. Canadian native explored the entire world endlessly to reach a whopping 231 nations, while successfully visiting each one of the 195 different nations recognized by the UN. The nation of Libya, which is exiting from a very difficult period from the long war, was the last country he visited. The famous blogger called The Digital Globetrotter has been relating his journey to his followers on his blog, accompanying him a widening circle of travelers on his journey.

”To be honest, It has been such a beautiful tour with so many unbelievable stories that will take many days to entail” confesses Ian, while we had our conversation with the Canadian. “A great fulfillment, but It definitely won’t be the end of my travels, I have way more ideas on the table.”

While about to visit the final nation, Ian caught the chance to release his book called ”Globetrotter - from pioneer digital nomad to world’s most traveled man”, which is already purchasable and has already reached #1 status  at the well-known Amazon. It is obtainable for purchase at Amazon, Google Book, Apple Store, and other publishing platforms, for purchase in different ways such as paperback, hardcopy, digital ebook, or audiobook. Ian assures it is an simple achievement in his lifelong journey, the 195th, and last nation just a golden opportunity to entail his travels this far, and so much more is to come. The Best Seller  has been written in 4 other mother tongues, gaining a massive following all over the world who is excited to be informed more about this exciting adventure.

As a matter of fact, the energetic traveler teases at some ideas of brand new avenues he is considering soon, at the end of his journal, by choosing on new obstacles to go around the Earth on a ship, and to ride a kiteboard on every finest best beaches on Earth. A beautiful story of what can arrive from an alternative principle to follow in life differently. We will surely stay connected closely his upcoming journeys on his weblog, or hopefully in a possible memoir in the future!

While it was hidden behind the soviet curtains, very little was known about Georgia,  being mostly as a destination reserved for other other Soviet countries. But since the fall of the Soviet Union and since its government has taken western-aligned politics, Georgia has risen to fame, and its success is just barely starting. It's pretty easy for a country to gain popularity as a tourist destination when you already have it all... Georgia is one of those countries that impresses me every time I come! On my first visit 5 years ago, I described it as the smallest country with the widest range of scenery a country can hold. Think mountains, beaches, valleys all in one place. Add to this a culture-packed country and thousands of years of history and you have a recipe for success! On top of this, Georgian people are known to be warm compared to other ex-soviet nations which help to get accustomized easily for first-time visitors expecting western style courtesy.

A Taste of Georgian Wine

One of my favorite aspects of Georgia is its wine culture. Some claim wine was first made in Georgia, as archeologists have found Kvevris (traditional clay vessels buried in the ground) dating more than 8000 years ago. Georgian wine is everywhere and it seems like everybody is making wine of their own. Even The owner of my rental apartment was collecting empty bottles of water I was accumulating to embottle the homemade wine he was making from grapes grown in our garden. And I must say it wasn't a bad homemade wine! Pin for Later

During the month I was in Tbilisi, I had the chance be there during The Tbilisi new Wine Festival, an annual wine event that exposes the country's best wineries. image over a hundred kiosk serving their best products set on top of the Mtatsminda Park reachable by funicular, all served for free! For a wine aficionado like me, I was like a child in a candy store. I have for a very long time claimed that my favorite wines int he world are Georgian wines from Saperavi grapes, specially Kindzmarauli from Marani. And I even tasted better wines than my ex-favorite at the festival!

Tbilisi Old Town

Georgia as a Digital Nomad Heaven

Georgia has converted itself as a heaven for Digital Nomads. One of the biggest obstacles for us is to settle somewhere that provides a long enough visa to be able to call home for a while. Georgia is the only country in the world to offer a 1-year tourist visa! And most countries are welcomed to come, compared to other countries who offer restrictive measures on most nationalities. Adding to this the incredibly cheap cost of living in Georgia as well as its comfortable living and it is enough to convince a tourist just passing by to settle long term. I have met many people remote working from Tbilisi who praises the city as an Eldorado! Interestingly enough, there are great cafes all over the city to sit and work, or even a massive coworking industrial-like complex called Fabrica, where students and expats alike meet to work on their laptops and different projects.

Visiting Tbilisi as a tourist destination

Georgia is just beautiful! Every town has its own cachet and charm. It is also such a small country that it is easily visitable in a few days to a week! Not much preparation is needed beforehand, as there are inexpensive tours offered everywhere in central Tbilisi. The Capital is the center of the country and deserves a lot of time to discover. For me, it is the most beautiful and charming city of all the 15 ex soviet-union countries I have visited, along with St-Petersburg and Odessa. No wonder is it flooded with Russian tourist coming for the weekend from its northern border or simply flying in. It is inexpensive for most countries, offering amazing traditional food and wine usually for less than 10 to 15$ per meal!

A 3 Days Itinerary of Tbilisi

Start with a nice breakfast in one of the cafes on Rustaveli and the liberty square then continue to the hotspot of the old town in its small alleys. Visit the several old churches all the way to Metekhi church on the other side of the river, offering an impressive panoramic view of the center of the old town.  For lunch, try Khachapuri in one of the favorite restaurants listed below, the Georgian national meal and a caloric bomb for the rest of your day. The best part of Tbilisi is to visit the Narikala Fortress and Kartlis Deda above the city, an easy hike up or by simply riding the funicular. From there take time to breathe and sample the incredible views of the city below from so many different angles. Finish the day with Georgian food at a local restaurant and try one of the Georgian Wine shops for sampling and bottle shopping. On the next days, Do some shopping around Rustaveli and visit the Museum of Georgia as well as the Fine Arts Museum to satisfy your culture thirst. After lunch, Reserve 2 hours to walk around the Botanical gardens dating back hundreds of years, where beautiful waterfalls and gardens await. Going back down from the botanical gardens, try the old Ottoman Sulfur baths for a cleanup and experience with traditional massage. Don't forget to try the lively nightlife around Tbilisi, where local bars play live music or simply relax smoking shisha around Jan Shardeni St. Don't forget to synchronize with the Rexo Gabradze Marionette theater where the Tower offers a free show every hour.

One Week Itinerary in Georgia

The easiest getaways from Tbilisi are David Gareji and Sighnaghi where a visit can easily be done in one day. The city was built around the 6th-century by one of the 13 Assyrian Fathers who was there to spread Christianity. Its one of the nicest town in Georgia as it offers incredible views from the Alazani Valey bellow. Its easy access from Tbilisi also makes it attractive to tourist staying for only a few days. The other easy access city to visit from Tbilisi is Mtskheta and Gori. Mtskheta is only 30 minutes drive from Tbilisi and is easily visitable in only 30 minutes. Gori is known to all Georgians by being the birthplace of Joseph Stalin, the famous dictator of the Soviet Union during world war 2 and beyond. Next make your way to Kutaisi, another ancient capital of Georgia and its 11th-century Bagrati Cathedral, a UNESCO World Heritage site. It is Georgias third biggest city after Batumi and Tbilisi and offers a peaceful atmosphere compared to the capital. Also visit the Gelati and Motsameta monasteries and Sataplia Nature Reserve while there. An interesting site of Kutaisi is the Bubble Parliament which was opened in 2012 to be the new parliament, only to be moved back to Tbilisi after ministers were unsatisfied with the result.

Mountains of Kazbegi Batumi is the Beach resort of Georgia. It is especially interesting in the summertime between July and August where the beach fills with Georgians and tourists alike. It becomes very lively with beach bars open until sunrise and excellent restaurant options. Everything is within reach of the main boulevard, and interesting sights include the  statue of Ali and Nino, Alphabetic Tower, Piazza Square and Europe Square With more time, head up to the mountains to visit Svaneti set high in some of the highest mountains in Europe, which is considered one of the most beautiful regions in Georgia. If there is no time to reach Svaneti, almost equally as stunning is to go to Kazbegi near Tbilisi and enjoy the mountains from there. Cheap day tours are available from Tbilisi but other options include skiing in the area, which is become increasingly popular.

Top 10 Things To Do  in Tbilisi

Walk around Tbilisi Old Town Narikala Fortress National Botanical Kartlis Deda Rezo Gabriadze Marionette Theater Aerial Tramway in Tbilisi Dancing Fountains Day Trip to Kazbeghi Tsminda Sameba Cathedral Mount Mtatsminda

Top 10 Recommended Restaurants in Tbilisi

Georgian House Old City Wall Cafe Pavilion Old Vake Shavi Lomi Tabla Mapshalia Barbarestan Le Marais Reich's Bakery

Top 10 Recommended Cafes in Tbilisi

Cafe Linville Tbili Sio Cafe Prospect Carpe Diem Cafe Iveria Cafe Cafe Gabriadze Leila Art-Cafe Old Generation Fabrica

Georgia in Pictures

Panoramic View of Tbilisi

Enjoying Georgian Food and Wine

Pin to Pinterest

Enjoyed this guide? Help others find it too! Share the following Pinterest pin to your Pinterest account, by simply clicking on the top left corner. And Remember: Sharing is Caring ;)

Questions about Saving Money to fund our travels is always a big one I get often. Actually, it can be divided into several topics such as how to fund a short trip, how to fund your life on the road for long-term travels or even how to fund sustainable traveling making money while you travel. I cover this in other articles but for now, I want to concentrate on how to save money to start traveling. This is always one of the first that comes to peoples mind and I am covering in this article all the necessary steps I could think of to help you get your finances straight and ready for your dream trip. One important thing to note is that you won't need as much money as you think. Remember that traveling is about discovering new places and living new experiences, not about staying in every expensive 5-star resorts. Travelers like me have developed habits and strategies to travel on low budgets, some as little as 20$ per day in some cases. A good rule of thumb is to have around 50$ daily excluding transport. From here, you can squeeze even more using tips I will provide in this article, or spoil if you can afford it.

Tracking Your Spending

Start tracking everything you spend in a month. Too many people just put everything on a credit card without even asking themselves if it is a reasonable purchase, and then they forget about it. By tracking what you spend and reviewing it at the end of the month, it will hold you accountable for your spending behavior. From there, it will be easier to tackle certain areas where you can stop spending and realize that you don't need to be spending all this money. One technique I like is to use a Spreadsheet on your phone and every time you buy, you write it down on your phone. this must include all automatic payments such as monthly subscriptions.

Make A Calendar with Objectives

Determining objective and having a plan is crucial in making your trip possible. You need to know the worst case scenario, not the "best cases scenario"... You need to know exactly that by this date, you will have the necessary funds to start traveling. What is left in your main checking account will be about spoiling your lifestyle or squeezing your belt. Maybe you won't be able to afford going out for a week or two, and that's fine. At least you are in the process of building your dream trip and this will make you happy and keep you motivated.  

Get a New Savings Account

This can be very useful for some as it separates the spendable cash you have in your account, to the one that shouldn't be touched towards your travels. Many people use this trick to save for a house, college education or a car. So using it to kick start your travel dreams definitely makes sense. Opening a savings account need little to no effort, a quick visit to your bank and they will be happy to do so, usually for free. Then every month you receive money, transfer a determined amount that you believe is reasonable towards your objective in your saving account.  

Start Saving As Early As Possible

Of course, many of us ask ourselves this question "I should have started earlier"! But starting now is better than starting tomorrow so the best bet is to start today in preparation for your future trip. When a travel opportunity comes, you will already have savings ready towards achieving your goal and it won't seem as difficult to achieve.

Stop Unnecessary Spending

Stop consumer mentality. We have been brainwashed all our lives in the west by all the publicity to buy and consume and many get a fix out of it. In reality, we don't need to spend that much! some people need to always be buying things without counting when they go out of their house. I developed habits that I don't spend if I really don't need it. I don't buy gadgets and toys that I don't really need (I don't have space to carry it anyway). Always resist the rush of loving something and believing you absolutely need it. Truth be told, most times you will use this gadget for a few weeks and let it behind. Again, remember that traveling is all about living the experience that you give it every day, not about consuming products to create an experience.  

Stop spending in Restaurants, Start Cooking

Yes. Stop overspending in restaurants when you travel. this is the second most expensive area (after accommodation) where people spend on holidays because people love eating and want to experience local products. While I do agree with this, it should be done wisely. You shouldn't have to go 3 times a day to the restaurant to sample local food. I consider going once a day is treating myself in my case. It's important to remember that if you are not on a 1 or 2 weeks holiday, you should live with similar patterns that you live at home. Most travelers like me are simply going to the supermarket and buy simple food that we can cook back at our accommodation. It's much easier to find places with kitchens nowadays, not only hostels have them but Airbnb and even some hotels provide basic facilities. You can also simply buy bread and ham and make a sandwich once in a while. And if you chose to go to the restaurant, always chose the ones that are not tourist traps and go to the ones outside tourists areas. Those restaurants always overcharge and have less quality food.  

Don't spend what you can't afford

I realized that I spend much less now then I was spending on my first trips 15 years ago, even if I have more savings now. this is definitely because I gathered experience over the years but also because I understand the logic of not overspending. I used to spend so much money on partying at 20 years old! On a night out in Europe, I could easily spend as much as 50$ on drinks in bars while I was sleeping in a simple 15$ hostel. That's almost 4 times more then what I needed to sleep! So consider that to be spending 50$ on a night out, you should have the bankroll to fund this equally with all your daily activities. Whenever you do an expensive purchase, ask yourself if you really need it and if this product is worth the sacrifice of squeezing your belt for a few days or weeks.  

Make Habits that make you Save Money

I love habits... As much as I hate them. It's hard to disassociate from bad habits once you have one, but creating new good ones is amazing because it will be effortless behaviors that won't require energy to accomplish. Stop overspending will be hard to do but once you figure this out, it will look much more realistic. So looking at your spending spreadsheet, figure out areas where you repeatedly spend money and ask yourself if there is another option to make this cheaper, or if you could simply cut it all out altogether. For example, coffee is one habit that people have that can cost a few hundreds of dollars a month! Imagine 2 Starbucks americano a day, that's about 7$, multiply by 30 =over 200$!! In some countries, it's even more. I developed a habit to stop buying daily coffee and reserve it only for meetings. Instead, I bought a mini espresso machine called "minipresso" that I absolutely love and make delicious expressos at home.  

Save on Accommodation

This is a massive topic as most people don't understand that accommodation can be cheap! People think they will all stay in hotel chains every night... In reality, we have tools like  Booking.com that enable us to find cheap accommodation all over the world. Usually, I never pay more than 30$ to 40$ for accommodation per day, and it can go as low as for free with sites like Couchsurfing, where people offer free accommodation in their house to help travelers and make interesting meetings. There is also the usual hostels which offer shared rooms with bunk beds that are all over the world and where I stayed literally over a thousand times. using Sites like booking.com will provide access to cheap accommodation and selecting areas outside the center will be cheaper. Then there is also the incredible useful Airbnb, where one can choose to sleep in somebody's apartment in private or shared rooms or even rent the whole apartment. I have written a whole guide on this so don't forget to give in a look.

Beware of subscription services

Many companies have switched their business model from one time fees to monthly subscriptions, and for a good reason. they are able to double their revenue this way as we become addicted to their services and pay blindly each month. Our increasing use of online services has brought us to depend more and more on subscriptions that we believe we can't live without it. Calculating how much of your budget goes on these automatic payments is crucial as you will find out that you are allowing way too much money to them. It is mandatory that you ask yourself how to depend on the least possible on these subscriptions and go for free versions instead. Some of them will be impossible to leave (my Spotify subscription is one of them) but you shouldn't need much more than 5 monthly.  

Minimalize your gear (and life)

There is a whole movement of minimalist travelers around the world nowadays, people trying to shrink their gear to the smallest as possible. I consider myself naturally minimalist and ever since I started traveling I have found ways to shrink my gear every year. I now travel with a simple carry-on bag that doesn't need to be checked-in planes, which makes me save on this too. And I really have everything I need, not weighing more than 12 kg! Some people go as far as living on a daypack but it's in my opinion too limiting.

Don't Rely on Expensive Gear

This is one thing I realized too late. Most Travelers travel with an expensive 1000$ laptop. Adding to this, many people travel with expensive camera gear, an expensive phone, and some other expensive gear that if anything happens to them, it will hurt them a lot. It is not a secret that theft and broken gear will happen in many cases, these horror stories are all over the place. I realized that having expensive gear would stress me out much more then it should... I now shrunk my gear to much cheaper gear, bought a 400$ laptop instead of my MacBook, and use the great camera on my Samsung phone instead of carrying an expensive camera with the expensive lens! If it gets stolen, no problem I can afford to buy another one as its easily replaceable anywhere in the world! Not having to worry about my gear has created the extra freedom of movement that I needed, especially to travel to areas of the world such as in the middle east and Africa. Don't forget to check out my guide about gearing up where I cover all the details of what you should bring.  

Earn Money Online While Traveling

Why worry about spending when you have more income coming in every month? that is the best of scenarios and won't be the case for most travelers at first. But by becoming a digital nomad and working while traveling, this will create extra room to spend what you haven't had time to save, and also help extend your travels to as long as you may need! This is the ideal scenarios, and might seems impossible at first, but many jobs are offered of freelancer platforms such as upwork.com and freelancer.com. The most common ones can be: Graphic Design Affiliate Marketing Freelance Writing Virtual Assistant Computer Programming Language Translation  

Wrapping it all up

Hopefully, this has helped you realize that saving money is not that hard, especially when it is about helping you accomplish your dream travel. This will create an incentive and motive you towards your goal. What strategies and techniques do you use it to save for traveling? which have you found easier, harder? Have you come up with other tricks? Please let me know in the comments below I would be glad to hear about it. So I shared with you some of my biggest tips on saving money for traveling, but some of them are just too vague to cover here so I have prepared complete guides on How to find cheap accommodation and How to find cheap flights so don't forget to check them out.  

Share Pin to Pinterest

Found the tips in this article useful? Help other travelers find this article by sharing it on your Pinterest. Simply click in the upper left corner of the image below and share the love :)

My next stop on this Greece trip was Naxos, the largest of the Cyclades islands where I settled in a nice little apartment in Hora the Capital. The city is similar to those of Mykonos or Paros as it is filled with white and blue little streets everywhere. However, Hora is built on a little hill where its streets lead all the way to a Venetian era castle. Much cheaper than the other islands around like Mykonos, Santorini, and Paros, it felt like a relief for the wallet as even restaurants on the main sea strip were reasonably priced, as well as accommodation that can be found for under 20 euros. To my eyes, Naxos is nice but doesn't pack the quality and mindblowing aspect of the other Cyclades islands. What can be found on Naxos can be found in better somewhere else in the Cyclades. Hence, I wouldn't call Naxos a "must visit destination" on a holiday in Greece, yet travelers will converge to Naxos at one point since it is a Hub for the ferries.

Sunset in the Portara The beaches around the capital are also not as good as the ones in Paros and Mykonos, filled with seaweed and mostly too shallow to enjoy a nice swim, especially on Saint George Beach. So a day or two is the perfect time to see the capital and walk around the narrow streets all the way to the Caste, and another day to explore the towns of the islands in the mountains such as Halki, Filoti, and Aperathos. these three towns are quite high in the mountains so a good vehicle is essential to visit them (avoid renting a 50cc motorbike). The Highlight of Hora is definitely the Portara, also called the Gate of Apollo, a large white marble gate on the small isle of Palatia (now connected with a bridge). It is the only part left of the temple of Apollo dating all the way back to the 7th century BC. The temple is known for never having been finished, and surprisingly the gate has not been restored, standing for more than 27 centuries!

View of Hora from the Venetian Fortress 2 Days itinerary of Naxos Reserve the first day to visit Hora, the capital of the island. Have breakfast in the old town and visit Its narrow streets, a pleasant walk filled with shops. Go up to the Venetian fortress all the way up, see the tower of Sanoudos, and pay a visit to the Archaeological Museum of Naxos. Go back down and enjoy lunch at one of the many restaurants on the seafront. On the afternoon head to Agios Georgios for some beach time as Naxos Sleeps. Around sunset, walk to Portara and enjoy the sunset as the sun passes through the gate. For dinner, try Kozi, one of my favorite restaurants in the Cyclades right on the beach with a breathtaking view of the sunset and Portara, for some awesome Souvlaki! On day two, rent a vehicle and go visit the island. Start with the beaches south of Naxos which stretches for 10 km (after the airport) for what is considered the best on the island. On the afternoon, go up the mountains to Halki and Aperathos, as well as Filoti. That should fill your day in a great way!

Portara a sunset Top 10 Things to do in Naxos Sunset at the Portara (Gate of Apollo) Venetian fortress Kastro Walk around the small white and Blue streets of Hora Archaeological Museum of Naxos Geological Museum of Apeirathos Rent a vehicle to visit the interior towns of Filoti, Halki and Palatia Beaches of Naxos: Agios Prokopios and Agios Georgios Temple of Dionysus Eggares Olive Press Museum Kastraki Beach Top Rated and Recommended Restaurants in Naxos Kozi (My Favorite Souvlaki in Greece) To Elliniko Mysouvlaki Strofili Labyrinth Scirocco Top Rated and Recommended Cafes in Naxos Chocolat 1739 Bossa Cafe The Rum Bar Milato Citron

Door of the fortress

Flowers of Spring in the Streets of Naxos

Pin to Pinterest

Enjoyed this guide? Help others find it too! Share the following Pinterest pin to your Pinterest account, by simply clicking on the top left corner. And Remember: Sharing is Caring ;)

The title of this article was chosen carefully. I wrote "island" as the capital, Paraika, isn't anything that special. And "one of my favorite", because Bora Bora or Tuvalu would take the crown, as "nothing can be greater than paradise". But as far as the whole island goes, this is very close to perfection! Too many travelers make the mistake to rent a place in Paraika and stay there their whole stay. The best option on Paros is to rent a vehicle at arrival (there are hundreds of companies and many will fish you down at disembarkation of your ferry) and stay at various locations on the way. This island is incredible! I could imagine myself staying here and build one of those little White and Blue house around Naousa and live happy forever. For me, Paros is the perfect example of the "white and blue" towns of the Cyclades, much more than on other islands like Syros, Mykonos or Naxos. The closest comparison I can make of the experience is: imagine walking in a gingerbread town painted in white and blue, populated with cute little cats sleeping all over the place, next to crystal blue waters! It really feels like a fairy tale to be here. Paros has some of the bluest waters I've found on the Mediterranean, and the reason for that is mostly its richness of minerals. Paros has some of the purest white marble in the world (Even the famous "Venus de Milo" was carved out of Paros Marble) and can even be found on its shores, making the reflection of the sky and consequently its water ever more vivid.

White and Blue streets of Paros Like I stated before, Paraika is cute but nothing special. It looks like a touristic town more than anything else, and there isn't any breathtaking view anywhere around. The most important highlight is the Panagia Ekatontapyiani, which is basically 3 churches built as far back as 300 BC. It can be visited in less than 15 minutes, very nice but nothing spectacular. Other than that there's the Ancient cemetery dating from the 8th century, and the Frankish Kastro, an ancient Venetian fortress that doesn't have much left to it. The highlight of the island is definitely Naousa! Wow! What a beautiful little town, it's basically the perfect Greek town, it packs it all! This has become my favorite town in all Greece, no doubt! It's a small little town that packs a lot of charm and style, 100 times better than Praraika. so if somebody wanted to set base in only one place on Paros I would definitely stay here instead of the Capital. It has all the little shops that Paraika has within its old town, and the port has the most scenic views ever.

Selfie at Naousa's Lighthouse Lefkes is my other highlight and is worth staying for a little change of the beach. Perched in the mountains in the middle of the island, it was actually the capital of Paros during the middle ages. The city is the usual little Greek Cycladic town, beautiful narrow white and blue houses within narrow streets, all leading to the massive Cathedral of Agia Triada, a stunning piece considering the small size of the town. I was actually surprised by Lefkos, I didn't expect such a beautiful place and definitely is a must visit. My favorite beach of the island is on the east coast, at a little town I found by luck while driving around, called "Piso Livadi". It has an impressive viewpoint on its east highest point a little north on the Kefalos Mountain. The port is beautiful and peaceful, great little town to spend a night with a few restaurants. Just north of Piso Vivadi is a mountain with the church of Antonios, set next to Ancient Venetian ruins. There are incredible views from there of the nearby valleys and beaches! I haven't found many resources on the internet that showed me the highlights of the islands. In fact, I found none that gave me the perfect route to do. So here is the Map of my visit around the island, with the highlights marked in Pink. These places can be visited easily with a motorbike, a quad or a Car. my MUST VISIT highlights are marked in Green!

My map of Highlights of Paros marked in Pink, MUST SEE in Green Overall, plan some time in Paros, it is definitely worth a week or a month depending on the time you have and the amount of other islands you want to visit. For me, its a place I will come back to stay long term as a base. It's just so peaceful and pretty.

Piso Vivadi, my other highlight Top 10 Things to do in Paros Naousa Piso Livadi Lefkes View over Kefalos Mountain and the Agios Antonios Panagia EkatonTapyliana Archeological Museum of Paros Ancient Byzantine Cemetery Frankish Castle Dryos Beach Day-tour to Anti-Paros Top Rated and Recommended Restaurants in Paros Ephessus Little Green Rocket Aranto Yemeni Franca Scala Mira Apollon Garden Aegean Deli Top Rated and Recommended Cafes in Paros Distrato Bebop Symposio Cafe Nostra Stelios the Greek Proect (Drios) Coffeeshop

View over Kefalos Mountain

Incredible Naousa

Octopus Drying next to Restaurants

Crystal Blue waters of Paros

Sunset in Paraika

Beach of Kolympithres

Naousa Streets Polished White and blue

Pin to Pinterest

Enjoyed this guide? Help others find it too! Share the following Pinterest pin to your Pinterest account, by simply clicking on the top left corner. And Remember: Sharing is Caring ;)

This year in Greece I wanted to try something different, a bit off the beaten track so I chose an island in the Cyclades which was not the usual stop for most travelers. Usually, tourists chose the usual 5 to 10 islands such as Mykonos, Santorini, Rhodes, Crete, or Ios for example. That was risky, because being there in springtime, it could end up being very quiet and most things shut down. But I happen to arrive on Labor day weekend, so I arrived in Syros with all the Athenians leaving the Capital to reach one of their favorite islands. Syros is in fact one of the smallest of the Cyclades, but has the biggest population of all, making it the capital of the Cyclades. I haven't found much information online about Syros but the little I found stated a little paradise which is unspoiled by international tourists, mostly frequented by Greeks. And what a surprise. This place is stunning! The Capital, Ermoupoli is a very attractive town, its streets built with white marble and limestone, making it look like a royal palace! Its most important landmark is the Catholic Church from the 13th century, the Agios Georgios Cathedral, built on top of the picturesque town of Ano Syros, worth spending an afternoon exploring on its own! The other landmark is on the other hill, the Orthodox Anastasios tou Sereos. There are a few beaches around the eastern side of Vaporio, close to the massive Agiou Nikolau church, providing stunning views of the city and a nice place to swim.

Astoria Beach in Ermoupoli Downtown Ermoupoli is really nice, with the typical shopping street of Stamatiou Proriou and the other street right on the seafront filled with cafes and restaurants, on Akti Ethnikis Antistasis. That's where most of the action happens and where most people go to be seen. The Town hall is gorgeous with its wide main square. An absolute must, if you are lucky enough to be there while there is a representation, is to attend a concert at the Appollon theater, a very small but really well-built theater that produces some amazing acoustics. I attended a show of a famous Greek Singer called Fotini Darra, beautiful women with an incredibly powerful voice which didn't even need the microphone to push her voice through the theater. The Island is so small and packed with beautiful towns that it is a must to discover on your own wheels. In one day you can cover the whole island going at a slow pace while visiting and bathing in a dozen beaches on the way. My favorite towns around the island were Kini Beach on the west side and my number one has to be Vari Beach in the south. Kini Beach is a small town with a nice little harbor for fishing boats, and a dozen cafes and restaurants around the beach. Vari Beach is set up in a bay which provides crystal clear and very calm waters for the best place to swim on the island! They have great restaurants and a lively atmosphere! Overall, Syros has become surprisingly one of my favorite island in Greece, and I won't hesitate to recommend my fellow travelers to spend a few days on their next Cyclades trip!

Appollon theater 2-3 Day Itinerary of Syros Start the first day exploring the Capital on foot as it is much easier to roam the area walking than with a vehicle. Go straight up in the morning to Ano Syros and have breakfast in one of the cafes with a view while exploring (and getting lost in the alleys). Continue to the other hill, and get to the Orthodox Anastaseos tou Sereos before continuing to the Vaporia neighborhood with its grand villas. Go down towards the sea to visit the Agiou Nikolau church. Just nearby, have lunch at Sta Vaporia, providing an interesting menu but the highlight is especially the view off the cliff. From there you can go down the stairs and Enjoy an afternoon swim at Astoria Beach. Coming back towards the center you can do some shopping around Stamatiou Proriou and Akti Ethnikis Antistasis street and the on the evening, enjoy dinner at sunset at one of the many restaurants on the seafront. Try to catch a representation at the theater if something is on, usually on Fridays and Saturdays.

The Main square of Ano Syros On day two, rent a motorbike and go on to explore the island. Go straight to Kini Beach crossing the island from east to west. Reaching the highest point will provide great views of Ermoupoli and on the way down, stunning views of Kini Beach and the Valley. Continue east and hit Galissas Beach and then to Posidonia following the coast for amazing views and pristine blue waters. Next is Komito all the way to Mega Gialos but reserve as much time as possible for Varis Beach in the south where I found it to be the best beach for swimming. Have lunch there at one of the many restaurants and enjoy the afternoon at the beach. Coming back to the capital you can take the smaller roads around Azolimnos and around the airport if time permits. Now head north to San Michalis which has a nice valley and views of the neighboring islands on both sides and especially for the Restaurant Plakostroto which makes its own cheese. For Sunset, go back to Kini which has the best view and have dinner at one of its restaurant on the beach front. Day 3 can be spent in one of the towns for more exploring or staying in Ermoupoli for some cultural visits such as at the Archeological Museum. You can also visit the Apollo Theater if you couldn't catch a show. The Plateia Square is worth spending some time. there is also the Industrial Museum of Ermoupoli which traces the shipbuilding history of Ermoupoli or you can also visit the Gallery Of The Cyclades for some local art.

Syros has crystal blue waters Top 10 Things to do in Syros Walk around Ano Syros Varis Beach Miaouli Square Appollon theater Agiou Nikolau church Archaeological Museum Anastaseos tou Sereos Church Kini Beach Vaporio Diner on Akti Ethnikis Antistasis Astoria Beach Top Rated and Recommended Restaurants in Syros Sta Vaporia Oneiro Mammo Kouzina Ousyra Porto Top Rated and Recommended Cafes in Syros Mammo Jar Kouchico Baba Bar Django

Varis Beach

Ermoupoli at Night

Beach in Syros  

Selfie from Ano Syros

Pin to Pinterest

Enjoyed this guide? Help others find it too! Share the following Pinterest pin to your Pinterest account, by simply clicking on the top left corner. And Remember: Sharing is Caring ;)

Athens is this city where you can spend endless time exploring every corner of every street and you will always find something of new. It's just incredible how much a single city can hold, its a playground for history lovers, having literally layered over layers of civilizations stacked on top of each other, dating back more than 5000 years ago. On top of this, Greek people happen to have an extremely refined sense of design and their creativity gave birth to tons of stylish restaurants, cafes and bars spread around the city. These places are focused more on the experience rather than only consumption. I've been to Athens several times and the first visit to Athens is usually the same for everybody: Visit the same most important sights: the Acropolis, the Parthenon, at least 3 museums and enjoying the streets of  Plaka in the center. All of that is time-consuming and takes 3 to 4 days which is about what most people have in one visit. But Athens is much more than this. This time around I focused my visit on the other neighborhoods of Athens, which deserves some attention too! And they all happen to be around the center. Exarcheia is the anarchist neighborhood where I was staying as they have tons of decent priced Airbnbs. It's conveniently located between the cooler neighborhoods of Athens. It's also notorious for having violence as it was seen during the 2008 riots, and I experienced it myself during my visit with riot police standing at every corner and even received gas bombs right at my apartment doorsteps from ongoing fighting. However, tons of hipster style bars and cafes can be found on Christokopidou street and are worth a visit. I really enjoyed the Kolonaki neighborhood, northeast from the Acropolis. It seems to be the "trendy" neighborhood, surrounded by the parliament and embassies. Consequently, prices at restaurants and cafes go up. The Tsakaof passage is a pedestrian street where many of the top-rated cafes in Athens are situated, so I spent a lot of time here. Seems like all the cool people in town gather at any of the dozen cafes and bars on that street.

Lykavittos Hill For a really nice area out of the typical tourist areas of Athens, I recommend going to the eclectic neighborhoods of Gira and Kerameikos, walking along Leonidou st just north-west of the Acropolis. Seems like there's a cafe or terrace at each corner (or two) and nice bars all around the place, with a hipster feel. Definitely a place to come at night but during the daytime, it's a great area to eat and sip coffee on long afternoons. I came here and wanted to visit a cafe which scored 9.4 on Foursquare and reviews were amazing. Its called the Blue Parrot and it can be found with its Greek name: Μπλε Παπαγάλος. High roof, nicely decorated with plants all around and Good music, great place to come to work as a digital nomad or to enjoy the terrace which spreads around the park. This place is a gem, definitely deserves its high score I highly recommend a visit. Athens has an incredible amount of nice fancy cafes all around the city, thanks to this cultural Greek custom to hang out with friends for hours sipping espressos. My love for coffee and original coffee shops brought me to visit all the top rated ones during this stay. My favorite has got to be Odori Cafe, a super fancy and stylish cafe situated just next to a park and an Orthodox Church, serving great coffee on their flashy bright copper bar during the day and converts into a popular bar at night. The other one I would recommend is The Clumsies, which was voted one of the best bars in the world (following an in-flight magazine).

Views of Athens from Lykavittos Hill 2 to 3 Days itinerary First, do the typical. Go up the Acropolis in the morning and continue to the Ancient Agora on the way down. Arriving at Monastiraki place, Stop for lunch in a Gyros place where they say is the best place in town to find them. From the Monastiraki Flea Market, spend some good time exploring Plaka and explore the corners and tiny streets. Go all the way to the parliament and visit the Hadrian's Arch and Temple of Olympian Zeus. At night, enjoy one of those restaurants in Plaka with a view on the Acropolis. The second day, wake up early and make it to Lykavittos Hill for a hike up or cable car ride with the best view of Athens! Enjoy a bit of Kolonaki neighborhood and lunch around the area before going to The Archeological museum in Exarcheia, walking through the neighborhood. Concentrate the rest of the time in Gira and Kerameikos to sample the nightlife of Athens and its hipster side. Enjoy some more museums such as the Acropolis museum. In the afternoon, take the subway to Piraeus to enjoy some of its beautiful cafes around Mikrolimano and Zea Bay.

Athens Streets Top 10 Things to do in Athens The Parthenon The National Archaeological Museum The Agora Central Market Acropolis Museum Hike up Lykavittos Hill Walking around The Plaka Climbing Mount Lycabettus Erechtheion Mikrolimano and Zea Bay in Piraeus Philopappos Hill Temple of Athena Nike Ancient Agora of Athens Top Rated and Recommended Restaurants in Athens Guarantee Juicy Grill Feyrouz (middle eastern) Yiasemi Colibri Manimani Peek a Bloom

The Acropolis Top Rated and Recommended Cafes in Athens Odori Cafe Μπλε Παπαγάλος (the Blue Parrot) The Clumsies Drupes and Dripes Superfly Cafe Kaya Taf Coffee Peek a Bloom Lotte Top Rated and Recommended Bars in Athens Jazz in Jazz The Clumsies Noel The Speakeasy The Gin Joint Oinoscent Top best Views of Athens Lykavittos Hill Mars Hill/Aeropagus Filopappos Hill Lycabettus Hill From the Acropolis

The Acropolis from Lykavitoss Hill

Athens at Night

Orange Trees in its peak season

Pin to Pinterest

Known as a best-kept secret by nearby Athenians coming on Weekends, Nafplio, which used to be the capital of Greece one point after the independence, is one heck of a beautiful city. It is such a strategic point that it has 3 fortresses stretched on hills around the area. The Palamidi fortress is the biggest and makes a nice hike going up a set of stairs all the way to the top, where there are stunning views down to Nafplio, the Argolic Golf and the other fortress, the Akronafplia Fortress. the town of Nafplio itself provides a very nice walk around its incredibly beautiful streets lined up with little Greek restaurants, with nice Balconies along Amalias street and Vasileos Konstantinou Street. I really enjoyed going around the Akronafplia Fortress, a nice walk of about 1km that passes by Arvanitia Beach, a little stretch of pebble beach with crystal blue waters, providing an excellent base for a quick swim on a hot afternoon. The walk continues around the Akronafplia Fortress passing through tunnels and cactus filling the cliff. If this is not enough, there is another beach about an hour walk east from Palamidi Fortress to Karathona Beach. Water was freezing in April, but it was still a refreshing swim on a hot afternoon!

Overlooking Arvanitia Beach Apparently, there is a nice selection of fancy hotels around the old town, that has been traditionally directed towards Athenians Weekenders, but with its recent surge as an international touristic destination, it makes a great base to stay for a couple days to enjoy this wonderful Greek town. About 4km from Nafplio, there is the Tiryns where lies the impressive Acropolis of Tiryns which was an important Mycenaean structure. It can be visited by public transport from Nafplio center or on an excursion. Alternatively, for those with their own transport, you can go as far as Epidavros, about 30km from Nafplio, to enjoy its well-preserved theater from the 3rd century. Overall I really enjoyed this little city and will include it as one of my favorite towns in Greece. It's a refreshing stop that expresses very well what the Peloponnese has to offer, truly different from the Cyclades and Crete.

Little Square of Nafplio   Top 10 Things to do in Nafplio Palamidi fortress Walk around the Old Town Eat on Amalias street and Vasileos Konstantinouu Street Arvanitia Beach Akronafplia Fortress Tiryns Archeological Museum War Museum Peloponnese Folklore Foundation Museum National Gallery Top Rated and Recommended Cafes in Nafplio Antica Gelateria i roma ALLOTIVO Cafe Circulo 3Sixty Syntagma Square (plaza) Top Rated and Recommended Restaurant in Nafplio Triton II (Greek) Scuola (Pizza) 3Sixty Il Porto Da Bosco Mediterraneo Wine & Deli

On top of Palamidi fortress

Clear Waters around Nafplio

With Friends in Nafplio

Charming Street filled with Restaurants

Another Street of Nafplio

Pin to Pinterest

We live in societies where television has converted the population in a massive audience to consume other people's stories. Movies, TV Shows, Youtube channels and even internet consumption has created this effect of being a spectator. However, when it is about our own lives, we are the main actors and it is our own story that we are building every day. To my eyes, it is not an option to live life behind a screen through others people's adventures. So consider this: If traveling really is a dream of yours, whatever might be stopping you at the moment, you must stop traveling through other's stories and become the main actor of your own adventures, no matter what! What is stopping you from doing so right now could be obstacles that seem too hard to overcome for the time being, but the truth is I see very few obstacles that justify not traveling at all. Money could a big one for most people before they understand traveling is can be made cheap. Or it could be maintaining a career, family pressure, having kids, being in debt, etc... The truth is most of the time it's about fear of the unknown, fear of taking a drastic change in your own life and risking going off the beaten path. This is why travel is said to drastically "change a person" because it pushes you out of your comfort zone and makes you grow, learning about yourself every single day and learn what you love in life. After all, it's your life, you only have one, so take your best shot and make it a good one!  

Why I believe absolutely everybody qualifies as a traveler

Some people live with the belief that traveling is "just a dream", it's "for somebody else" and that their life is just too different or complicated for them to become a long-term traveler. Over my more than 10 years on the road as a full-time traveler and meeting literally thousands of others on my path, I heard every story imaginable. Inspiring ones and crazy ones too! Couples, Families of 6 and more, 18 y/o girl traveling solo on a bicycle in Pakistan, 80 y/o solo backpackers, a backpacker on a wheelchair or even travelers crossing the world on a skateboard! I've seen it all! I am now certain that anybody can be a candidate for traveling! When someone finds an obstacle that they believe justifies them to stay home, usually, it is because they have a misconception about why this obstacle is overblown. Money is a good example. I am always asked how I managed to afford traveling to every country in the world for more than a decade. Most people think I am a millionaire. Truth be told, once you understand that traveling is usually much cheaper than living in a westernized country, that there are tons of tricks to save money and that you even have many ways to fund your travels by working online, which is enough to change someone's perspective about it all! This is actually the purpose of my thedigitalgobetrotter.com blog and what I am addressing in several articles I publish every now and then. I have helped hundreds of people over the years to become another traveler and digital nomad, and have prepared all the tools on this blog to make you the next traveler, overcome your fears and obstacles, help you plan and save money, as well as getting set on your next adventure!  

Consider another path in life

Ever wondered why there is a life path that everybody seems to follow: going to school, going to college, building a career on an 8 t 5 job, getting a mortgage and a house, building a family, getting old, retire... Why do we have this pattern that has been incrusted in us in our societies and most people just don't question themselves that there might be another way to live life. When I left in 2006 to live a non-stop life on the road as a nomad funded by online income, I had literally no examples or mentors to show me the way. It just didn't exist! It was an experiment of mine, I had just finished college and decided not to jump in the corporate life that my engineer diploma would have brought me to. I literally left minutes after my last exam and flew out to Mexico! I imagined a perpetual life on the road, discovering other cultures, other nations, other systems, living every moment of every day to the fullest. I have ever since lived out of a suitcase, meeting new people every day, eating new foods every day, settling here and there and living from adventure to the next. That's the lifestyle I imagined at the time and I am blown away to see the explosion in digital nomads nowadays! People like you and me who have also chosen the same lifestyle, thanks to word of mouth and people wanting something different out of their lives. The interest is so big that entire cities around the world are adapting to the inflow of digital nomads to their cities, with infrastructures such as co-working spaces popping all over the place, Airbnb apartments conversion everywhere and even e-visas and digital nomad visas that countries are set up as we speak! Now is the best time ever for anybody to hop on the train and live this incredible lifestyle. It is getting easier and easier with the tools that we now have, compared to 15 years ago!  

It's never the perfect Time

Remember, it's never the perfect time. Your mind will always convince you that you should do this or that before, and only after you will be ready. This is another mistake as we never get things done by postponing them to tomorrow. Even worst, some people need an unfortunate event in their life such as health problems, or even the death of a close one to wake up, shake themselves and make a drastic change in their lifestyle. My die-hard advice: You MUST write down a specific date and NO MATTER WHAT you need to be out by that date. You don't need to have everything 100% perfect and ready to leave home. You will adjust on the way. What you need as a strict minimum to leave are a little bit of research, a little bit of savings (count a minimum of 30$ a day depending on your destination, 50$ to be comfortable) and a backpack! After that, you will learn all the tips and tricks online or on this blog on how to find cheap flights, cheap accommodation (even free), cheap eating tricks, even how to fund your travels by making money online! Remember that once you jump in the cold water and adjust to the temperature, you'll see, everything will settle in its place and you will laugh at your prior hesitation to jump in.  

Start small, keep building future travel plans

People always ask me how I decided to travel all the countries of the world. Most of them think I left home one day with the objective to travel them all, and this is far from the truth. I started step by step, one trip at a time and always came back home yet with another travel idea and itinerary. AS I started as a normal seasonal traveler, I had to come back and work 2 jobs to fund my travels initially, while studying and dreaming of the next adventure. I think it is a normal process to start with short trips because you will discover with time what kind of destination you like and not like while you travel. You will also build knowledge and curiosity for new destinations once you visit new places and new cultures, meet new people and once you research more on things you never knew existed, you will have new ideas for future travels. So my first trip to France and western Europe at 17 years old quickly gave way to my first Europe trip at 18, then another trip to Europe and northern Africa at 19, then eastern Europe adventures for another summer at 20, all the way to my first round the world trip in 2006 where I never came back. Up to today, this chain continued all the way visit all the countries of the world. So my recommendation is to start small, go on an adventure trip for 2 to 3 weeks or less and test the road. Make sure this destination is different from where you're from, it needs to be an inspiration for future travel. The goal is to come back and feel the "depression of coming back home", a feeling similar to "going back to school after an amazing summer holiday". That will help build up the motivation to leave again, yet on another adventure!  

Which kind of traveler are you? Travelers vs Nomads vs Expats vs Digital Nomads

If you've kept reading all the way to this section, you definitely have a will to travel. By now you might be asking yourself which kind of traveler you are and aspire to? Maybe you only want to be a seasoned traveler like most people do, and leave whenever you have a break from work. This is pretty easy to do and you don't need any drastic change in your life to make this possible. I have tons of travel tips and city guides available on my blog for travelers, even though this website focuses more on the long-term travelers, or "nomads". these are people who leave for a long-term experience around the world. They include gap year travelers, Round the world ticket travelers, backpackers, travel photographers and people that have savings and desire to leave for a period that extends from about one year to indefinitely. This is what you should be aiming for at one point, and this is the life that I have chosen. Most Nomads I met are strong believers in this lifestyle, and wouldn't give it up for anything. Many nomad travelers have different styles of travel. The most common are Backpackers like me, but there have been recently many new trends such as Van Life and Yacht Sailing travelers or Voluntary workers. Some people prefer to become Expats, which is basically to settle in a single city and live a sedentary life, building a social network and work daily (locally or online). This type of travel is also an option for those who don't want to be always on the road, and I too chose to settle in several cities around the world through the last 10 years, although I never stay longer than 2 to 4 months at a time. So what about Digital Nomads? Well, this is, in my opinion, the ultimate form of travel, self-funded with online work! This is the best form of travel to my eyes because it solves many problems that can arise from other forms of travel, such as money savings and Visa issues. What is a Digital Nomad? It is simply a long-term traveler who funds his travels by online income. The income can come from a job back home, or even better by working for himself as a freelancer or an entrepreneur. With money coming in, and spending in cheaper countries, this is where the digital nomad Lifestyle takes advantage of currency leverage to live a quality but cheap lifestyle, on the road, and indefinitely! there are several different job options to consider, and this is a hot topic I am covering in other articles if you want to know more about it. Another major advantage of working online is about working visas. Countries around the world have very strict measures to make working visas hard to get, in the optic of protecting local jobs. By working online, the digital nomad overcomes these constraints by living out of a simple tourist visa while making money online, giving freedom to settle yet in another country at will.  

Making it all possible, where to start

Hopefully, by now you have built motivation and consider that another model of living exists than the usual one you've always known. Hopefully, you consider yourself like a good candidate to be part of the ever-growing movement of world travelers, Nomads and Digital Nomads around the world who live new adventures every day of their life and push their limits to new horizons. This guide has been written with the mindset to make you realize that it is all really possible for anyone and to build motivation for you to take the next step towards becoming one yourself. Of course, this will raise tons of questions and I will address most of the usual questions in the next sections, such as how to save money for your trip, how to plan and choose your next destination and how to pack your gear and what to bring for your trip. I will also address most common questions I receive while traveling and on the road, such as how to find cheap accommodation, how to find cheap flights, how to find insurance and stay healthy on the road and how to Connect with other travelers. That should already get most people sorted, but in a further section, I am covering most common issues into becoming a self-funded traveler and a digital nomad. I cover how to become is a digital nomad, how to make money while you travel, Where to settle as a digital nomad and how to connect with other digital nomads. So stay tuned and read on.  

Tell me about You, your situation and introduce yourself

I love to help people overcome their fears and ou the on the track of becoming travelers themselves. The first step is to address your concerns and let the community of travelers and nomads following this blog to help you out so go ahead and write in the comment section below your travel dreams, your travel plans, your dream destination or any question you may have.  

Pin to Pinterest

Inspired by this article? Help others discover it too by pining the following card to Pinterest. Just click "Pin It" in the upper left corner

Ever since I came to Chania 15 years ago as a novice traveler, I've been bragging about it as my favorite city in Greece. So being here again after such a long time definitely brought excitement to rediscover it. Chania offers a different feeling of the typical islands of the Cyclades with their white and blue architecture. Chania has a Phoenician, Venetian and Ottoman background where many remnants are still visible today. But its history goes even further with traces that are harder to see, such as its Minoan roots that date over 3500 years. Some open-air Minoan Archaeological sites can be found in the center of the old town. The most scenic part is concentrated around the Venetian port, which ads an interesting taste of Ottoman occupation, especially with the mosque of Kioustsouk Hasan situated right on the port on the eastern side. For me, the Venetian port makes it the most pittoresque port of all Greece and one of my favorite of Europe! sitting on one of its terraces is the way to go to enjoy a sunny afternoon after walking around its narrow streets. Still many buildings of the Venetian era (13th century) have been restored as restaurants and even hotels. My first room I stayed in 15 years ago was actually a Venetian house of over 600 years old.

Venetian Port of Chania Another nice attraction around the port is the Venetian Lighthouse, which is about 1.5 km walk along the sea coast. for the lazy ones, there is a barge which can be taken from the Venetian port. But walking around is definitely worth it, having incredible views on one side of the powerful ocean with waves crashing on the Wall (and even on you if you are unlucky) and views of the Venetian port on its left side, including the Marina. Chania definitely changed a lot in the last 15 years. Even though we were in April on this visit, I can see it has evolved into a touristic powerhouse and can imagine the chaos it must be in peak summertime. So even though it was a little cold in April, it is actually a great time to come and escape the crowds. I still like Chania, I don't think it still is my favorite in Greece but what I especially like about it is that it is big enough not to be considered only a touristic place, I could see myself settling here for a while.

Enjoying the old town on a sunny day 2 to 3 Days Itinerary of Chania Start from the Plateia Venizelou Where you can walk around the Venetian port to enjoy its views and different angles. Get back to the mosque of Kioustsouk Hasan and continue east towards the Great Arsenal and all the way through the Marina to the Ancient & Traditional Maritime Museum. From there, continue on the Big wall towards the lighthouse, stopping on the way at the Fortaleza, where the views are great 360 degrees around. Back to the old town, before returning to the Plateia Venizelou, there is a parking lot on the hilltop just behind the mosque of Kioustsouk Hasan where I found the best views of the old town, definitely worth a visit. Take the stair from Michael Afentoulief street. It is a little hard to find and I didn't see any other tourists up there, but once there the views will pay off. Get lunch in one of the Restaurant around the harbor in the old town, like The Well of Turk which is one of the best rated on foursquare. In the afternoon enjoy the narrow streets of the old town, going up the Siavo Bastion (even if it's closed you can jump the fence) or go up through some stairs hidden on the south side. The second day could be used to visit its museums and archeological sites. There is an open-air site situated 2 streets away from the Venetian harbor, called Ancient Kydonia. They are ruins of old Minoan Xhania dating over 3000 years. You can visit one or two of the Naval Museum, the Archaeological Museum, Byzantine and Post Byzantine Collection of Hania or even the Cretan House Folklore Museum. A third day is great to go hiking in the mountains south of Chania in the Akrotiri Peninsula where lies the Samaria gorge (Season only), or from another starting point lower in altitude, all the way to the south of the island. Alternatively, go straight to the southern beaches and relax sipping mojitos all day.

The Venetian Lighthouse of Chania Top 10 Things to do in Chania The Venetian Port The Venetian Lighthouse Chania Old Town Venetian Wall Fortification View from the Siavo Bastion Orthodox Cathedral mosque of Kioustsouk Hasan Archaeological Museum Naval Museum Byzantine and Post Byzantine Collection of Hania Cretan House Folklore Museum Top Rated and Recommended Cafes in Chania KROSS Coffee Works Dagkli By M&Co Bespoke Ginger Concept Chania Sailing Club Sweet Corner Top Rated and Recommended Restaurants in Chania Zontana Ylika Maridaki (Seafood) The Well of Turk The Italian Job Arismari Oinoa Portes  

Another View of the Venetian Port  from a dock

Narrow streets of Chania

View of the Venetian Port from the Hill

View from the Siavo Bastion

Pin to Pinterest

I've already rated Greece as the number one in my ranking Map of the most beautiful Countries, as well as one of the best in terms of Historically Rich destinations around the world. Ancient Olympia is one of those places that was on my list and this year it was time to pay it a visit. Birthplace of the Olympic games, Ancient Olympia was the chosen location to build the famous games which were hosted from 776 BC and have been played there for 1169 years before it was destroyed by an earthquake and later rediscovered by German archeologist. Since its opening to the public, it has become a popular touristic place to visit while in Greece, mostly for its significance more than what is left. In fact, very little is left. It seems more like a graveyard of stones laying everywhere than an actual Olympic site. Nevertheless, it is impressive to imagine that such an important sports traditions have been hosted here for so long. Several tours are available and I would recommend getting a guide to visit the area since just walking around with no indications can be very hard to understand what was there and what the site was used for. There are a few explanations panel here and there but with so little information on each one. I guess the best way would be to buy a guidebook and explore it at your own pace. I went with an organized group because of time logistics and having half the group over 70, we were moving so slowly that we literally didn't have time to visit more than half of the sites... The Historical Museum which is situated just a few meters walk from Ancient Olympia is another must visit while there. The most noticeable piece is the statue of The Hermes of Praxiteles (see picture at the end of this article). A grandiose piece of art, showcasing the Greek masculine body in all its splendor. Several other statues are showcased, and an interesting thing about this museum is that the big room is actually the same size and height as one of the main temples. So it gives an idea of perspectives. There is also a miniature model of how ancient Olympia looked like at the time.

Ruins of Ancient Olympia Katakolo is the city where cruise ships dock. It is a pretty boring town, built entirely focused on tourists souvenir shops and restaurants before ships leave port. With a population of only 600 people, it can't be considered a destination, rather more like a transit port. However, some people have reported some interesting activities around Katakolo such as the Mercouri Winery, 40 acres of vineyards which is run by the fourth generation of the Mercoury family. For a couple euros, you can take part in a wine tasting of one of their 13 locally produced wine, as well as their olive oil. There is also Agios Andreas beach which can be reached by a little train from Katakolo and could be a nice way to spend an afternoon swimming in the Aegean Sea on a hot day! So an entire day should be reserved only for Ancient Olympus. From the Katakolo Port, there are a few people selling bus rides to ancient Olympus for 10 euros (as of April 2018) just outside the cruise port. The entrance for ancient Olympus is 12 Euros, which includes access to the Archeological museum, well worth the visit. Some people could prefer renting a car which I have seen for about 30 euros so depending on the group size it could make sense.

Ruins of Ancient Olympia Top Things to do in Katakolo & Ancient Olympia Go to Ancient Olympia Archeologcal museum Mercouri Winery Shopping in Katakolo Main Street Eating lunch in Katakolo Agios Andreas beach Top Rated and Recommended Cafes in Katakolo & Ancient Olympia Orizontes View Cafe Top Rated and Recommended Restaurants in Katakolo & Ancient Olympia Orizontes View Cafe (pretty much the only option) Jimmi's Tavern (Low Score, but stil second) Koursaros

The Hermes of Praxiteles  

Ruins of Ancient Olympia  

Malta is one of those European countries that "awe's" me as soon as I set foot on its streets. The proof that a city doesn't need any fancy activities to make it a great one. A short walk around Valletta, Malta's tiny capital of less than 10000 people, will convince anybody that preserving its authenticity and showcasing its historical traits is the secret to making any city a great one! I've been in Malta for the first time in 10 years ago, and it hasn't changed that much since then, except for the obvious restorations of the walls. At the time I had the opportunity to dig deeper into the suburbs of Valletta and all around the Island, which is definitely worth it! Mdina is the other highlight that I wish I had time to visit again, but this time I was on a short visit to the country and I would concentrate on the Capital only.

Beautiful view of Valletta from the Mediterranean Sea Malta was actually one of the first cities to be awarded UNESCO World Heritage site and as it is now 2018, it is currently the European capital of culture, so a great time to be here. Valletta's highlight, in my opinion, is its Balconies! They are so well portraited in every apartment in the city! It's such a curious design style and made me wonder why it was adopted in the first place. But considering it adds a few square meters to the value of a property it definitely makes sense! You can also see that every apartment is encouraged to restore and repaint their Balcony as best they can, for the enjoyment of the population and tourists that roam the city's streets!

View from the Bay Other interesting things to do other than walking around in Valletta is to enjoy a coffee in one its amazing terraces. I chose Cafe 67 Kapitali, as it was rated one of the highest in Valletta in foursquare, definitely a good choice. The St-John's Cathedral is nice and is worth a visit, even though it means to invest a couple euros on the way. Other attractions include The Grand Masters Palace and the National Museum of Archaeology, which showcases the richness of what lies on Maltean soil. Love this city, and I told myself I would be back, probably for a longer stay renting an apartment and enjoying the city's peaceful lifestyle!

Balconies and more balconies in every streets Top Things to do in Valletta Walk Around Valletta fortifications walk St John’s Co-Cathedral Visit the Three Cities of Cottonera Grand Harbour boat tour Walk Around Mdina Mdina Cathedral and Museum Malta at War Museum Lascaris War Rooms Soak in a Natural Pool Near Dwejra Bay Hal Saflieni Hypogeum Best Recommended Cafes in Valletta 67 Kapitali Lot Sixty One Caffe Berry Mint Cafe Gugar Amorino (Ice Cream) Best Recommended Restaurants in Valletta Taproom Rubino Zero Sei (Italian) Gugar Trabuxu Bistro Pastaus (Italian)  

Me in some small street

Square in Valletta

  You know the feeling when you go to the cinema to see a movie you have hardly heard of and see it with little expectations? And When you finally leave you are amazed by it? Well that's what happened to me when I visited Mao, the capital of Menorca, the lesser known island of the 3 Baleares island. If you haven't heard of Menorca you probably have of its bigger brothers who will surely ring a bell. Mallorca's beaches and Ibiza's Party have stolen the show for many years, but Menorca definitely deserves some credit as an amazing destination. My guess is the more people end up going, the more it will gather attention in the next few years which will help it grow exponentially, at the expense of its "little town" charm. Already, the mainstream cloth shops such as Zara, Mango, and Stradivarius have found home inside its old center, so make sure you hurry to pay this one a visit before Mcdonald and Burger King set base! The architecture of the old town is based on Georgian architecture left by its british history. The British invaded the island 4 times mostly around the 18th century and have left an interesting mix of Anglo and Spanish characteristics! The Island went back to Spanish rule at the beginning of the 19th century. The harbor is the most impressive feature, stretching inside a deep water bay of more than 10 km. Navigating the bay on a boat all the way to the Mediterranean provides amazing views of the coast north and south.

Boats docked all around Mao's 10km Bay I really didn't expect much of Menorca, understandably because I knew so little about it. Friends had told me it was "pretty" and "a nice place" but those adjectives definitely don't give it its worth. Set on a cliff of about 50 meters high, the old town of Mao brings so many photography angles to capture its beauty, by having tons of little entrances in the houses on the cliff, that bring its streets to the edge, and converting the area in amazing and breathtaking viewpoints. I really enjoyed the path to the port, where few cafes are set straight on the water's of the Marina, having a colony of masts of yachts dancing to the quiet waters of its bay. I could imagine myself coming back in the future on one of those 40 feet Benneteau yacht docked in the quiet marina and enjoying Spanish food in one of those little cafes, enjoying the peaceful atmosphere of the island.

Beautiful white houses on the cliff Top Things to do in Menorca Walk around Mao Old town The Port of Mao Cami de Cavalls La Mola de Menorca Faro de Favaritx Cala'n Porter Beach Sa Mesquida Iglesia de Santa Maria Mercat de Pescados Torralba d'en Salord Best Recommended Cafes in Menorca Es  Llonguet El Paladar Cafe Baixaar Best Recommended Restaurants in Menorca Can Avelino Ses Forquiles Rainbow Spice (Indian) Cristanal y Gradinata

Promenade Around the shore to the Port  

Tip of the Bay and the Atlantic  

Stairs around the Old town  

Main Entrance to the Old town  

Sunny Malaga has grown exponentially in the past 20 years to become one of the top 5 agglomerations in Spain. And for a good reason! Its location is just perfect, providing comfortable Andalusian weather all year round, with a nice sea breeze, as well as access to Spain's best ski resorts around Granada just about an hour away. Culturally, it is rich with Andalusian culture which is to my eyes the most authentic in Spain and the easiest to flavor as a tourist. Being the birthplace of Pablo Picasso, it is easy to see how Malaga reserves a special attribute to culture, offering art museums and many architectural sites throughout the city. Its Alcazaba (a.k.a the little Alhambra) is also a great little extra to sample the Moorish era if you don't have time to make it to Granada and provides a pleasant afternoon visit right in the center of old Malaga. What makes Malaga attractive to me is the fact that is it a great city not exclusively oriented to tourists, but a great place to settle and live for a while. There are enough activities, life, bars, cultural events, great cafes, etc... and prices are actually good. Andalusia is traditionally quite closed and could be diicult for a digital nomad to settle and integrate, in smaller cities for example. But I see Malaga as an exception to the rule.

Nice view of The Malaga Cathedral (left) and the Alzazabar (right) After living over a year in Madrid, a city that I truly love, I guess Malaga would be my top pick as a living destination should I decide to live in Spain again! I am seriously considering it since every time I come to Malaga I really enjoy the lifestyle, the people, and all the activities the city provides. We will see in the future,Ii leave it an open door. 2 to 3 Days Itinerary Plan Old Malaga city center provides a great walk to experience its traditioAndalusiansian streets, filled with shops, cafes and restaurants. Walking around here can fill an entire afternoon. Visiting attractions on the way must include the Malaga Cathedral (5 euros), as well as the roman theater. Reserve an entire afternoon to visit the Alcazabar. If there is time left, include a visit to Castillo de Gibralfaro which sits on the hill behind the Alzazabar. Enjoy the evening with a Tapas bar and continue the night with copas in a spanish bar in the old town. Day 2 and 3 can include cultural visits, such as the Centro de Arte Contemporaneo (free) or the Picasso Museum which contains exclusive paintings from the famous painter (8 euros). Other options include Museum Carmen Thyssen, Picasso birthplace, Intereactive Museum of Music and a demi-doze other cultural sites. A vst to the Malaga Plaza de toros can also be a nice stop. If its not enough and the sun is out, Malaga has a really nice beach, and the promenade on the ocean front is a pleasant way to enjoy an afternoon. Shopping options in the old town will attract some for sure!

Malage Narrow Streets Top 10 Activities to do in Malaga * Alcazabar * Malaga Old Town * roman theater * Castillo de Gibralfaro * Malaga Cathdral * Picasso Museum * Picasso's birthplace * Interractive Museum of Music * Centro de Arte Contemporaneo * Plaza de Toros de la Malagueta Top Rated & Recommended Cafes in Malaga * La teteria * El Ultimo Mono Juice * casa aranda (for churros con chocolate)

Ever since I visited the Romain ruins in Cartagena where I was told there was an even older city than Cartagena in Spain, I have had my eye on coming back to Cadiz to explore it more profoundly. Some claim it is as old as 3000 years old, built by the Phoenicians at the 8th century B.C. there is a lot of history around the small city, set as a port town fortified with walls and forts on a small peninsula. It breaths Andalusia at every corner, with orange trees lining the narrow streets and balconies on houses built and stacked so close together it wins the title of the densest city in Spain. Even Cristopher Colombus came here as a starting point on two of his first voyages to the Americas! Plaza de la Cathedral is the heart of the city, but there are also 3 other squares which form the epicenter of Cadiz. The others are Plaza San Juan de Dios, plaza de Tope, and Plaza Mina. walking from one square to the next makes up for a great opportunity to shop around and enjoy and commercial streets of the old town, with pretty much all the big brand represented.

Beautoful Cadiz Streets with Andalusian Balconies I actually enjoyed walking all around the shoreline were nice parks and coastal seaboard was built to enjoy a nice breath of sea air. The walk takes about an hour and a half to do, being about 4.5km. On the western side, there is the Castillo de Santa Catalina which is worth a visit, having expositions all year and also a nice viewpoint. A little further is the Cadiz beach covering a wide area which, I can imagine would make a great way to spend some time in the summer when it gets warmer. No luck in April, as the high winds coming through the Strait of Gibraltar makes this city freezing, compared to others around southern Spain.

Great Walk around the fortified Town The Cathedral of Cadiz is probably its most famous landmark. It is actually a mix of Renaissance and Baroque style since it was built over a long period, and was only finished in 1838. Its pretty expensive to visit (6 euros in 2018) but it is definitely a worthwhile visit when in Cadiz for a couple days. It is even possible to climb the Torre de Poniente for great views of the city below. Top things to do in Cadiz * Feel the Andalusian vibes walking around its tiny streets * Visit the grandiose Cathedral and a take a stroll on the beach * lunch in the Mercado de Abastos * Walk around the Island * Castillo de Santa Catalina * Casa del Obispo, * Climb the Torre Tavira * See the orange trees in Plaza Candelaria * Visit the beach * Eat Tapas in one of the many traditional Andalusian restaurants around Top Rated and Recommended Cafes in Cadiz * Cafe Royalty * El Pelicano Musicafe * La Clandestina * Top Coffeeshop * Panaria

Fort in the Sea

Castillo de Santa Catalina

Andalusian Tiles in the Park  

Tangier used to be an important gateway to Europe (or to Africa) and seems to have caught up on its lack of interest for travelers which traditionally valued more others cities in the country such as Marrakech, Fes, Tetouan or Essaouira. This was the case when I first came to Tanger back in 2003. The city was known for high crime and was not recommended by most book guides out there, considering it a port of arrival rather than a touristic destination. That was the case for me at the time, having spent only 2 days in the cities before rushing south to more "attractive" destinations. However, this year's visit surprised me. 15 years later, the Medina definitely has been pumped up with restorations to make it more appealing to the touristic eye. Most of the highlights will be around the Medina (historic old town) so it won't be necessary to venture too far. However the Medina is set up on a cliff, with the Casbah on top of it at it's highest point, so walking around requires going up and down many stairs. But the experience is rewarding as its tiny Medina streets have been really well restored, with the typical White and Blue paint architecture, around Arab and Berber designs.

Berber Women Selling Vegetables in the Medina The one thing I had on My "To-do list" was to experience one of my favorite meal: Couscous and Tagine. And where better than devour such an amazing meal than in its birthplace, in Tangier itself. There are tons of Couscous restaurants as soon as lunchtime rings, recommended places that should not be missed: Hamadi. Cafe de Paris also makes a nice little stop to rest and drink a delicious Moroccan mint tea. I can drink 5 or more of these bad boys every day when I travel in Northern Africa. It's Cheap, it's tasty and I just love to sit with locals and feel the local vibe while taking part in this traditional custom in Morocco. I usually try to venture out of tourist areas to find the most rustic cafes with few local men sipping their afternoon tea, for a better experience.

Colorful tangier Medina Houses Top 10 Things to do in Tangier - Medina of Tangier - Tangier Casbah - Eat a Traditional Couscous in the Medina - Cap Spartel - American Legation Museum - Musee de la Kasbah - Parc Perdicaris - Petit Socco - Place du Grand 9 Avril 1947 - Sip Mint Tea in a Local Cafe Best Recommended Cafes in Tangier - Cafe Cappuccino - Cafe Hafa - Sky 17 - El Tangerino - Cafe Kandinsky Best Recommended Restaurants in Tangier - Hamadi - el Tangerino - Anna e Paolo (Italian Food) - Rif Kebdani (Moroccan Food) - La Pagode (Asian Food - Pesca del Dia

Medina streets

View from the Casbah of Tangier

Petit Socco Spice Shop

2 of the thousands of Cats residing in the Medina