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Showing posts with label Poland. Show all posts
Showing posts with label Poland. Show all posts

Saturday, 21 October 2023

Charlotte's Travel Adventures is 5 Years Old!

This blog, Charlotte's Travel Adventures, is turning 5 years old, so I felt it was only right to write a post to celebrate this special anniversary!

I published my first post on the 25th October 2018, which doesn't really feel that long ago, even though a lot has happened since then. At the time, I was back at university in Nottingham, having just completed a life-changing Year Abroad, and I wanted to try to keep this whole spirit of travel and adventures going, even though my everyday life had gone back to being something more mundane, which is why I decided to start this blog.

I didn't post again until January 2019, when I wrote about my trip to Chile to visit my boyfriend Claudio, who I'd been with for about half a year at that point. And after that, I didn't write much else until I finished final exams at university in June 2019. But since then, with the exception of the first couple of months of Covid lockdowns, I've written here pretty regularly, no matter what my situation is, or whether or not I've had many opportunities to travel.

The last five years have not always been easy for me. When you leave university, it's quite a weird time, where you don't have the structure of school and university anymore, and you're thrown out into the world to figure out for yourself what you're going to do next; it's hard to know if you're making the right decisions until you can look back with the gift of hindsight. Not long after graduation, I decided that being a teacher of English as a foreign language out in Chile was what I wanted to do for the next year or two, if not longer. So I got myself TEFL qualified, started teaching online, and eventually managed to find a job at a language school in Santiago, which I planned to start at some point in 2020.

Then, of course, the pandemic happened, and life was pretty much put on hold for two years. With the exception of the last few months of 2020, when Claudio came to visit me and my family, the pandemic was a time of just having to be patient and get through each day and week at a time, while waiting to be able to get my life started again.

And then in February 2022, I was able to finally move to Chile, and since then I've been making up for lost time! I had some fantastic experiences during my 15 months in South America, and then moved to Malta for a few months to complete an internship in digital marketing, and now I've got a permanent role in the marketing sector and am currently based in the city of Bristol.

Even more excitingly, Claudio and I had a civil union in May and plan to have a proper engagement and wedding in the near future! He'll be coming to join me here in the UK later this year, and I can't wait! 

So although there were a lot of of challenges over the last five years and there will surely be more to come, I'm really happy and grateful for how things have turned out.

And there has been a lot to document on this blog! I've spent 18 months of the last two years living abroad and have been on various exciting travels over the last five years. Since starting this blog, I've travelled in 12 different countries (13 if you count England and Wales as separate countries!), 6 of which I'd never visited before.

Here are a selection of highlights...

Visiting the Atacama Desert in January 2019












































Visiting Madrid in November 2019



















Visiting Lisbon in November 2019



















Visiting Buenos Aires in February 2020



















Visiting Uruguay in February 2020



















Exploring London with Claudio in October 2020



















Visiting Stockholm in October 2020



















Exploring Cardiff with Claudio in December 2020

























Moving to Chile in February 2022



















Visiting Machu Picchu in October 2022

























Visiting Rio de Janeiro in December 2022

























Visiting the Chilean Lake District and Chiloé in April 2023



















Our civil union in May 2023

























Living in Malta between May and August 2023



















Visiting Sicily in June 2023




















I hope that in another 5 years' time, I'll still be writing on this blog and will have plenty more exciting travel adventures between now and then!

Saturday, 8 January 2022

Travel Tips: My Top Five Mountain Destinations

In this Travel Tips series, I've already written about my favourite cities, nature destinations and beaches, among other topics. And today I'm going to be writing about another of my favourite types of travel destinations: mountains. I really enjoy trekking in the mountains and enjoying dramatic panoramic views - perhaps that comes from having previously lived in both the Alps and the Andes. In any case, spending time in mountainous places definitely makes a nice change from my current, relatively-flat base in the south of England.

Here are five of my favourite mountain ranges I've been to so far!


The Andes



















The Andes are a vast mountain range that cover the entire length of the western side of South America, passing through Chile, Argentina, Bolivia, Peru, Ecuador, Colombia and Venezuela. I spent several months surrounded by these amazing peaks when I lived in Chile in 2018, and I'm looking forward to seeing them again when I move back there in the coming weeks! The most memorable Andean destinations that I've visited so far in Chile include Cerro Manquehue, Cajón del Maipo, the Maule region (pictured above), and the Altiplano. I also saw some incredible views in the Mendoza province of Argentina.

Read more here and here!



The Alps















The Alps are the most famous mountain range in Europe, and can be found in eight countries: France, Italy, Switzerland, Austria, Germany, Liechtenstein, Slovenia and Monaco. Many tourists visit the region every year to hike, ski and relax next to its many picturesque lakes, such as the Wolfgangsee (pictured above). I lived in the Alps from 2017-2018, when I worked at two schools in the south of Austria, and I really enjoyed seeing different Alpine towns, cities and villages around the local area and beyond.

Read more here and here!



The Dinaric Alps

















Image by Luciann Photography from pexels.com

One of my favourite family holidays was when we stayed in Slano in Croatia in 2012, and visited Dubrovnik (pictured above), and also Mostar in Bosnia and Herzegovina. All three of these destinations are located in the Dinaric Alps, or Dinarides, a mountain range that spreads across southeastern Europe. It's a very beautiful part of the world, and I have great memories of swimming at the beach next to the hotel, which was located in a bay surrounded by mountains.


The Tatra Mountains



















I had a very memorable time teaching English at a hotel in Poland in the summer of 2019, when I participated in the Angloville volunteer programme. The hotel wasn't exactly the four-star luxury that had been promised to us volunteers, but the surrounding scenery of the Tatra Mountains (part of the Carpathian mountain range of Eastern Europe) was stunning to look at. It's an area I'd be interested in exploring more of in the future.

Read more here!



The Cumbrian Mountains



















The mountains found in the Lake District are the highest in England, and while they're small compared to the other mountains in this list, they're a great place to enjoy amazing natural landscapes, especially at times like this when it's difficult to travel abroad. I visited the area with my parents in 2020, and was surprised to find that it was a little reminiscent of the south of Chile, with lots of mountains, forests, lakes and waterfalls to discover.

Read more here!


I'm glad to say that I'll be back in the mountains again soon, as I've got my visa interview for my job in Chile next week, and after that, I'll just have to wait for it to be approved before I can finally go! The interview also means that I'll be spending a day in London, which will be my first little bit of travelling of the year. I plan to explore a new place or two in the city, and I'll be writing about it here next weekend!


Check out the rest of my Travel Tips here!

Saturday, 20 November 2021

Country Guide: Poland

Name: Poland (in Polish: Polska)

Continent: Europe

Capital (and Largest) City: Warsaw (in Polish: Warszawa)

Language: Polish

Currency: Polish Złoty

Drives on the: Right

Time Zone: Central European Time

Adaptor Types: Type C and Type E

Description: Poland is a relatively large country in Eastern Europe, which borders the Baltic Sea in the north and the Carpathian Mountains in the south, as well as several other European countries. It is known for its historic cities, including Kraków, Warsaw and Gdańsk, and it's also a popular hiking and skiing destination.

Why You Should Visit: I had a really fantastic and memorable time in Poland when I volunteered there in 2019, teaching English with the Angloville programme. There are many beautiful places to see throughout the country (I only saw a few, but I would definitely go back in the future). In addition, the people are very friendly, and everything is cheap, so you're sure to have a great time!

Fun Fact: The world's largest castle (the Castle of the Teutonic Order in Malbork) is located in Poland!


My Blogposts About Poland

Charlotte's Travel Adventures

- Kraków

Ciężkowice

- Volunteering in Poland With Angloville (Modrzewiowe Wzgórze)

- Travel Tips: My Ten Favourite Cities (Kraków)

- Travel Tips: My Ten Favourite Castles and Palaces (Wawel Castle, Kraków)

- UNESCO World Heritage Sites (Kraków)

- Travel Tips: My Top Five Mountain Destinations (The Tatra Mountains)

Charlotte's Travel Adventures is 5 Years Old! (Kraków)





















Clockwise starting from top left: St Mary's Basilica, Kraków; Wawel Castle, Kraków; Modrzewiowe Wzgórze; Statue of Ignacy Jan Paderewski in Ciężkowice; Kraków Cloth Hall

Check out the rest of my Country Guides here!

Monday, 19 April 2021

UNESCO World Heritage Sites

One of my favourite websites for finding travel advice and inspiration is Lonely Planet. Recently, they posted an article on their Facebook page, written by a photographer who has visited over 70 UNESCO World Heritage Sites. It got me wondering how many I'd been to, and so I spent an interesting evening on the UNESCO website working it out. According to my calculations, I've visited 31, which isn't too shabby! And in fact, the vast majority are places I've visited since I first started travel blogging in 2017, many of them for the first time. It gave me the idea to write a post reflecting on the World Heritage Sites I've written about on both my Year Abroad Blog and this blog. So here it is!


My Year Abroad Blog 2017-2018

















The canal, which was built in the 17th century, stretches 240 kilometres across the south of France. I visited it near Béziers, and you can see the town's cathedral on the hill in the background.

















The entire city centre of Avignon in Provence has been designated a World Heritage Site thanks to attractions such as Palais des Papes (pictured above) and Pont Saint-Bénézet, the famous bridge from the song Sur le pont d'Avignon.




Across France, there are many important sites along the ancient pilgrimage route to Santiago de Compostela in Spain. One of them is Gellone Abbey in Saint-Guilhem-le-Désert (pictured above).






Salzburg is well-known for being the birthplace of Mozart, and is also famous for its beautiful architecture, including Mirabell Palace and Hohensalzburg Fortress, both of which can be seen in my picture.

















Austria's capital is also recognised by UNESCO, thanks to its range of grand and beautiful buildings, including the Hofburg Palace (pictured above).

















Another of Vienna's palaces, Schloss Schönbrunn, has a special recognition of its own, as it was the residence of the Habsburg emperors. Both its interior and exterior are incredibly grand and ornate.

















The capital city of Tuscany has a strong artistic heritage as well as many beautiful historical buildings.





















Another of Italy's famous cities, Venice, is also recognised by UNESCO. It's famous for its canals, gondolas and stunning architecture.





















The colourful, Bohemian city of Valparaíso on the Chilean coast is famous for its street art and its interesting architecture, including Palacio Baburizza (pictured above).





















You can find many of the capital of France's iconic landmarks along the banks of the River Seine, including the Eiffel Tower, Notre-Dame cathedral and the art galleries Musée du Louvre and Musée d'Orsay.





















Versailles was the residence of the French monarchs, and is famous worldwide for its formal, manicured gardens.





















Le Havre in Normandy was bombed heavily during the Second World War and rebuilt in the years that followed by an architectural team headed by Auguste Perret.


Charlotte's Travel Adventures



























This ancient road system was built by the Incas and spans six South American countries. I visited a marker of the route with my boyfriend Claudio, when we were in the Atacama Desert in the north of Chile.





















The city of Kraków in the south of Poland is filled with amazing architecture at every turn, featuring buildings such as Wawel Castle, St. Mary's Basilica and the Cloth Hall (pictured above).



























In the Belém neighbourhood of Portugal's capital, you can find two famous attractions that make up a joint world heritage site: the huge Jerónimos Monastery and the beautiful Torre de Belém on the banks of the River Tagus.



























Parliament square is one of the touristic centres of London, thanks to its impressive architecture and its historical importance.





















This pretty town on Río de la Plata is known for its mix of Spanish, Portuguese and post-colonial architectural styles.




The beauty of the Lake District's natural landscapes have inspired many famous writers over the centuries.


Tower of London, England, UK


In the past, this spectacular castle was used as a prison, but now it's one of London's most famous landmarks.


City of Bath, England, UK



The entire city of Bath has been designated as a UNESCO World Heritage Site because of its Roman and Georgian heritage.





These two famous neolithic stone circles in my home county of Wiltshire, make up a joint World Heritage Site.


Other sites I'd visited prior to starting blogging are the Dorset and East Devon Coast, and Blenheim Palace in the UK; the Historic Centre of Prague in Czechia; Budapest in Hungary; the Old City of Dubrovnik in Croatia; the Old Bridge Area of the Old City of Mostar in Bosnia and Herzegovina; the Flemish Béguinage, the Belfry, and the Historic Centre in Bruges, Belgium; and Museumsinsel in Berlin, Germany.

It's really interesting to reflect on these places that are of such cultural and natural significance to our planet, and I hope they'll still be here for many centuries to come. I also hope to have the chance to visit many more during my lifetime. There's at least a few I'm looking forward to checking out once I'm living in South America again!


28/07/2021 Update

I'd always planned to keep updating this post once I'd visited more World Heritage Sites, and I'm updating it now, because as of today I've visited 35 sites, which is 4 more than I'd visited as of this time last week. However, I haven't actually been anywhere over the last seven days! 

In fact, the reason why the number has increased is because UNESCO have just added 28 more sites to their list, and I've been to 4 of them! One of them is Nice, capital of Riviera tourism, in France, one of them is the works of Jože Plečnik in Ljubljana, in Slovenia, and the other two are ones I've been to since starting this blog. Here they are!




Two parts of Spain's capital have now been given UNESCO status: Paseo del Prado (one of the city's main boulevards) and the beautiful Retiro Park (pictured above).


The Great Spa Towns of Europe; Austria, Belgium, Czechia, France, Germany, Italy and the UK



Bath is now a double World Heritage Site, as it is recognised both on its own for its Roman history, and as part of a group of towns across Europe, for its heritage as a spa town.


I hope to update this post again in the near future with some more sites that I've visited!


25/11/2023 Update

It's been over two years since I last updated this post, and it's definitely long overdue! Since my last update, I've actually visited 10 more UNESCO World Heritage sites and another one that I visited in the past has been added to the list, which I believe brings my total up to 46 sites visited. Still not quite as many as the photographer who wrote the Lonely Planet article that inspired me to write this post, but I'm catching up!

Having spent close to 15 months in South America between 2022 and 2023, and then 3 months in the Mediterranean, I've had the opportunity to explore lots of interesting new places, including several UNESCO sites, and I also found time to visit a new one for me in England when I was back home for a few weeks last year.

Here are the new additions to my list...





These "ghost towns" in the Atacama Desert are preserved exactly as they were at the height of saltpeter mining in the late 18th century and early 19th century.




The Chinchorro people lived in and around the city of Arica in the far north of Chile between 7000 and 1500 BC. They are best known for their mummies, which are even older than the Egyptian mummies and which can still be seen in museums today!


Maritime Greenwich, England, UK



This is quite an unusual World Heritage Site in that it's located in two hemispheres! Greenwich Park is beautiful and full of wildlife, and the views across London are stunning.





Cusco was once the capital of the vast Inca Empire, and still retains much of the amazing architecture and culture from that period. Although at first I found it rather crowded and touristy, I came to really love this beautiful city by the end of my stay there.




A UNESCO World Heritage Site which is also one of the 7 Wonders of the World, Machu Picchu is an indescribable place. Making it up there last October was a real dream come true!




Two months after my Machu Picchu trip came another World Heritage Site (the city of Rio de Janeiro) and another Wonder of the World (Cristo Redentor). There is so much to discover in this incredible city, and I really hope I'll get to go back there at some point.





The Chiloé archipelago in the south of Chile is almost like a different country to the rest of Chile - it has its own unique culture and folklore, landscapes and architecture. 16 of its colourful wooden churches make up a UNESCO World Heritage Site, including the one pictured above, which is located in Castro, Chiloe's capital city.




Moving back over to Europe, Malta's capital city Valletta is designated as a World Heritage Site thanks to its beautiful 16th-century architecture.





Six prehistoric temples across Malta and Gozo make up this UNESCO site. I visited two of them during my time living in Malta - Tarxien Temples (pictured above) and Ġgantija Temples.




The city of Syracuse in Sicily is famous for its extensive range of Ancient Greek and Roman archaeological sites.





When I visited Nîmes in 2017, I was surprised it wasn't a UNESCO site, because the Roman archaeological sites there are so impressive. So I was glad to find out that one of its most amazing Roman buildings, the Maison Carrée, has now become a UNESCO site!


In my opinion, these 11 recent additions to my list are among some of the best out of the 46 UNESCO sites I've visited so far. I hope it won't be too long before I'll have more sites to add to this post!