Travel Disappointments

My favorite type of travel blogger is an honest travel blogger. As great as it is to read about 101 ways in which a particular city, country, attraction or adventure blew your mind, it is so refreshing to hear from fellow bloggers about why a travel experience fell short. I think too often travelers shy away from criticism, even constructive criticism of their travels because they either are trying to avoid offending a local who may be reading, or they don’t want to admit to themselves that the trip they planned meticulously for many months was anything but perfect.

The reason I cancelled my subscription to a popular travel magazine was due to this “everything is always A+” mentality. The final straw with said magazine was when they featured an article praising a new Paris hotel as the epitome of chic luxury and a ‘game changer in the city’… only to discover that reviews on TripAdvisor (i.e. the closest you are going to get to impartialism) said the hotel was overpriced and underwhelming.

With that in mind, I would like to present my ‘Top 5 Travel Disappointments’ (in no particular order):

Disclaimer: These are mostly locations that I have visited only once. It’s quite possible that any number of variables such as time of year, weather, travel mates, my own mental state at the time of the visit or just poor luck could have cast a negative light on my experience. Thus it should be considered that if I visited these locations again the result may very well be different.

Olympiapark in Munich, Germany

I will preface by saying I loved Munich, the beautiful architecture, the Bavarian culture and of course the world famous beer. The Olympiapark, however, was a letdown. What may have been a world class facility built for the 1972 Summer Olympics now just looks dull and dated over 40 years later. I’m sure there would have been more activities going on if we had visited during the warmer months (we were there in February) but even so, we found it offered little to justify the train trip to get there. It was a lot of walking around uninspiring buildings and average landscaping. Walking time that would have been much better allocated to the city’s beautiful old streets. The only thing we found moderately interesting were the views of the city and the distant German Alps from the top of the Olympic Tower, but when you factor in the cost of this it is still a part of Munich worth skipping.

The Alpine view was the highlight of this day trip

Los Haitises National Park, Dominican Republic

This was a somewhat expensive day tour offered through our vacation provider while we were staying in the Samana region of DR. While the boat ride through Samana Bay to the park was enjoyable and there were some impressive views of islands and cliffs upon entering the park, the caves they took us to were not overly exciting. The history here is interesting and we were told the area was used as a filming location for some major Hollywood productions, but we didn’t really see what the big deal was. The caves were littered with graffiti from past visitors which pulls you right out of the natural environment the guide is trying to convey. The caves were also relatively small and packed way too tightly with several tour groups at once. Maybe if you arrived via private boat and cruised around the islands and cliffs while enjoying a rum cocktail this would be a fun experience, but I wouldn’t recommend booking the group tour offered through your vacation provider.

Impressive islands, caves not so much

The Food of Venice, Italy

Venice is a magical and unique city and something every traveler needs to experience at least once. The food however, I cannot recommend. Like many major European cities (especially in Italy) it is overrun with expensive, low-quality tourist trap restaurants that prey on travelers that just don’t know any better. After finding this out the hard way the first night, we did some serious TripAdvisor research and looked for dinner spots a little off the beaten track that were well reviewed. While these places were definitely much better quality, the Venetian cuisine was just not to our tastes. Instead of the classic Italian we all know and love, it was something different with influences of its trading partners over the centuries like Turkey. Sounds exotic and exciting I know, but I’ll take a classic Napoletana pizza any day while in Italy. Even the quick-service food was disappointing. Sandwiches that looked like they had been sitting under a heat lamp all day were selling for 12 Euro, go figure! Our best culinary experience in Venice came from the great selection of meats and cheeses we bought from a local deli and ate in our hotel room.  

If only we had a kitchen to cook our own meals in Venice, then we would be set!

Tampa, Florida

I have been to Tampa a couple of times, either to see a Tampa Bay Lightning hockey game or as a base to explore the nearby gulf coast beaches. Lightning games are a blast, but if you are going for the beach do yourself a favor and stay on the beach. Driving from Tampa to Clearwater Beach or St. Pete’s Beach is not as close as you might think, and if you encounter any traffic along the way you are in for a frustrating drive/parking search. I found the city itself lacked offerings for the intrepid traveler. The historic Ybor City area with its cigar-making past is kinda cool, but other than the highly recommended Tampa Bay Brewing Company, we were hard pressed to find anything in the area that interested us. After the Lightning game we wandered around downtown looking for a good bar, but everything was closing up. I love the state of Florida, mostly because of it's world class beaches. If you are looking for a city trip with sightseeing, dining options, bars etc. there are many more better suited cities in America.

Good old fashioned traffic trying to get from Tampa to Clearwater Beach

Valletta, Malta

First and foremost, Malta is one of my favorite European countries that I have had the chance to visit. We stayed on the rugged northwestern coast which was absolutely beautiful. The problem was we were only there for 3 days and thus could allot one of those days to exploring another part of the island. We chose the capital Valletta, instead of the more recommended ancient city of Mdina. Our entrance to Valletta was grand. It had a very North African feel like we were entering Casablanca or something. From there we found it offered quite little, just a lot of shopping and crowds. The views of the sea were nice, but we didn’t need to travel from the coast we were staying at for that. There did not seem to be many major sites of interest, and the one we did try and visit (Shipwreck of St. Paul) was closed without any info on when it would be open. We found we were quickly bored and wanting to head back to Golden Bay. We were also quite upset we had missed out on our chance to see Mdina. Oh well, next time! 

The entrance to Valletta was sadly the highlight of the day trip to the Maltese capital

Mike @ Palms & Pints

@palmsandpints

My Next Trip to Europe (yes, already thinking about it!)

It's been barely a month since I have been back from Europe, but I'm already catching myself day-dreaming about my next visit. The sad part is, my February trip ate up most of this year's vacation time, and the days I do have left are going towards a friend's December destination wedding in Punta Cana. (Don't get me wrong, I'm pretty stoked for that as well). My next trip across the pond will have to wait until at least 2015, but that won't stop me from doing what I do best… scrolling across Google Maps, planning routes, whilst researching destinations on the next tab. If I'm really feeling adventurous I might even price out some flights, but sadly that's about as far as I can take it at the moment. Oh well, I can always live vicariously through the full-time nomadic travellers and fellow bloggers I follow on Twitter. With all of that said, here is a (very) rough potential itinerary of my next European adventure!

1. Fly into Berlin, Germany

We had a fantastic time in Munich, which just barely beat out Berlin for the first stop on this year's trip. I love Germany! There is something about it that pulls me toward it a little more than some of the other countries I've visited. My barber (who spent 10 years in Greece) claims that the country operates with a structure a little more reminiscent of North America which differs from Mediterranean Europe, so maybe there is a comfort factor involved. It may also be that I love good beer and enjoy eating pork and baked goods. Whatever it is, I must make my way to the German capital. What it lacks in Bavarian culture, it replaces with fascinating cold war era history.

Berlin - Source

2. Fly into Belgrade, Serbia

I'll be honest, at this point in time I have not done much research on this city. As mentioned in a previous blog, I was intrigued by the decidedly "Eastern" feel upon my arrival in Prague. I felt as though I wanted to continue further east and explore this under-appreciated side of the continent. I'm thinking Belgrade, being a hub of south-eastern Europe, would be a fantastic place to start.

Belgrade - Source

3. Train/Bus into Dubrovnik, Croatia

The famous walled city of Dubrovnik. No visit to this part of Europe is complete without a glimpse of this ancient gem. Croatia has always been high on my travel list, and I think this would be my first stop in the nation. I'm imagining it to be a photographer's paradise, and while I wouldn't go to Europe for the beaches, a dip in the warm Adriatic would be the perfect ending to a day filled with incredible sightseeing.

Dubrovnik  Source

4. Ferry/Train into Calabria, Italy 

I have been to a few places in Italy already, most notably Rome and Venice. The sightseeing there has been phenomenal and worth every bit of the hype. Going forward, however, I would love to immerse myself in the "natural" Italy. Where palms grow alongside lemon and fig trees, where the heat is dense and the crowds are thin. This would be the perfect end to the trip, with a simple focus on eating the world's best food and relaxing with the sounds of the sea.

Calabria - Source

I may not get back to Europe anytime soon, but my research never stops. As long as I have a map to follow and bloggers to learn from I will continue to acquire knowledge and ensure my next trip is even better than the last.

Have you been to any of these locations? Any tips to add? Recommended detours? I'd love to hear from you in the comments!

Mike @ Palms & Pints.
@palmsandpints 

La Serenissima

By the time our train had rolled into Venice, we had already experienced so much of what Europe was famous for. Delicious beer in Munich, complex history in Prague and the tranquillity of the Italian alpine foothills. The end of the trip was in sight, but not before a visit to the itinerary's most renowned stop.

Venice is a fascinating city. 100% car free (or anything with wheels for that matter), it comprises of small canals, narrow alleyways and historic squares. It's only "highway" being the picturesque Grand Canal snaking through it. Within moments of being there, it becomes clear that no other place is quite like it. 

Venice - where the streets are paved in water!

Due to it's relatively small size and colossal popularity, Venice is often quite crowded, especially near the main tourist sights of Piazza San Marco and Rialto Bridge. This doesn't mean that you can't lose yourself down one of her hundreds of quiet alley-ways, surrounded by time-worn buildings that haven't changed much for centuries. 

The Rialto Bridge - The most famous canal crossing in Venice

I found it was these quiet alley-ways, these tiny bridges over shallow canals free from the tourist hordes where Venice really showed her charm. The hub that is Piazza San Marco, while impressive, was underwhelming when compared to Prague's Old Town Square or Munich's Marienplatz as seen earlier on our trip. What these cities couldn't compete with however was the serenity of a quiet collection of mazed streets with dead-ends into bright azure water and majestic old bridges begging for a photo-op. 

Beautiful bridges and canals perfect for a snapshot

Come to Venice for a gondola ride? 80 euro is the base fee which doesn't take into account premium time of day or music. Why not save that cash and catch a gondola go by a tiny canal while you and your lover stand and watch on a bridge? The city is a maze and even the best of maps will lead you astray. Forget about the planned tourist trail throughout the city and instead let yourself wander. There is no wrong way, and there is something to enjoy around every corner. 

The quintessential Venetian image

If you are coming to Italy for the world famous cuisine, I can't offer my recommendation of Venice. There are more subpar tourist trap restaurants per square mile that anywhere I have ever visited. Our first night was spent wandering the city looking for some decent street food, but all we could find was overpriced pizza that had been sitting out all day. With much help from TripAdvisor we were able to find some decent restaurants frequented by locals, but still came away generally unimpressed from a culinary standpoint. The high-point of eating came when we found a fantastic little deli where we were able to get slices of prosciutto, mortadella and local cheeses to make our own sandwiches in the hotel room. The store owner told us that many of the original shops like hers had closed in favor of those catering to the tourist crowds.

The deli we found has no name posted, but was on this street

Venice is on most traveller's European hit list, and it should be. It offers a romantic backdrop that no other place can. Blaze your own trail through the streets without spending too much time stuck in the crowds, and save some of your culinary expectations for your next stop in Italy. Venice is a feast for your eyes and for your heart.

Hotel Review:
Hotel San Cassiano Ca' Favretto

Mike @ Palms & Pints 

Citta Alta

Bergamo probably isn't on your list of "can't miss" Italian travel destinations. I mean, the country is an embarrassment of riches in that regard. Tourists come in hordes for the natural, cultural, culinary and historic offerings of Rome, Venice, Florence, Verona, Milan, Pompeii, Rimini and Pisa just to name a few. When we were looking for a way to bridge our journey from Prague to Venice, a direct flight into Bergamo came onto our radar. Located just outside of Milan, it may have been easy to swing over to the fasionista capital for a couple of days, but upon further research we realized that Bergamo offered a treasure of sights within its own city limits.

The first thing you need to know about Bergamo is that it is infact a tale of two cities. "Citta Alta" the medieval old town, and "Citta Basso" the larger, modern lower town. From a traveller's perspective, everything you want to get out of Bergamo is in Citta Alta.

Perched atop a hill, the old town offers views of both the main part of the city to the south, as well as the towering distant Alps to the north. Our hotel, Agnello D'Oro was a perfect location for exploration through the cobbled, winding streets.

Hotel Agnello D'Oro courtyard

Citta Alta is small, but what it lacks in size it makes up for in medieval charm. First stop was the Piazza Vecchia (old square) with it's towering clock tower, picturesque fountain and historic church. The square is typical of those in many small Italian towns, featuring a cafe, bar and gelateria. We were disappointed that most of the shops closed up before 8pm, as my other experiences with small town piazzas were that they were much more vibrant after dark. We chalked this up to the time of year.

The fountain of Piazza Vecchia

Next stop along the old cobbled streets was to the funicular station. The city offers two funicular (cable car) routes. One that connects Citta Alta with Citta Basso below, and the other which heads even further up the hill from Citta Alta to a small residential area. Unless your looking for a larger selection of restaurants or some shopping, I wouldn't recommend heading down to the main part of town, however a quick jaunt up the north-bound funicular will provide some excellent views.

The Alps as seen from Citta Alta, Alta

The medieval skyline

A final worthy stop is the 13th century fortress. We had a totally private walk around the fortress grounds and took in the spectacular views and history, totally free from the tourist crowds that surrounded the rest of our European sight seeing on the trip.

Sights like the 13th century fortress can almost place you back in time

As a lover of palms, this was quite an exciting find in Northern Italy

If you are up in Citta Alta for only one meal, I highly recommend Da Franco for fantastic pizza. Keep in mind that most of the town, safe from a few restaurants, close up shop between 7pm & 8pm.

Mike @ Palms & Pints