5 days in Moldova, one of the least visited countries in Europe

This August Intrepid Travel commissioned me to work on an assignment on their trip to Moldova. I was caught by surprise and have honestly said that Moldova has never been on top of my travel list. You'll love the experience, they replied. And I did. Here's why.

Moldova is a small post-Soviet country land-locked between Romania and Ukraine - hence you might have never heard of it. In Soviet times, it used to be, together with Georgia, one of the leaders in wine production. I can see your interest is raising, right?

Moldova is currently rediscovering its winemaking past. In addition to old wineries, new ones, using modern technologies, start opening up - and that makes Moldova a great place to visit for all wine lovers. Did I mention it's super cheap too?

Et Cetera winery is one of the modern wineries located in the south-eastern part of Moldova. I loved the design of the space and all the home-made food that accompanied our wine tasting. That chair made of an old carped caught my attention too.

Visiting Mitestii Mici is a completely different experience. This state owned winery was registered in the Guinness World Records as the biggest wine collection in the world holding nearly 2 million bottles! The cellars extend for 120 miles, of which 34 miles are currently in use. The cellar network is so extensive that it can be driven by car and the underground streets bear wine related names - like a Cabernet street.

Moldova's capital Chisinau was almost completely destroyed during the World War II. The city was later rebuilt in a Stalinist style.

For a real local experience in Chisinau head to the main market. It's great for people watchig too!

Don't miss Moldova's Orthodox monastery and archaeological complex Orchei Vechi. The cave monastery was built by the monks in the 13th century and remained inhabited until the 18th century. Later in the 1990-es a handful of monks restored it to its current state. You can also visit traditional Moldovan houses.

This trip was my first experience with Intrepid travel. I loved their commitment to support the local communities by hiring local guides and experts, like the homestay lunch with a traditional pastry cooking workshop pictured below.

A visit to Moldova couldn't be complete without a day in Transnistria, a country within a country that has its own currency and government, but is not recognised by any United Nations member state. If you would like to know how it feels to live in the USSR - Transnistria is a place to visit. Its capital Tiraspol is not particularly beautiful but you go there for an experience and not to admire the beauty.

I visited Moldova as part of Intrepid Travel Moldova, Ukraine & Romania Explorer 13 days trip - more information can be found here.

What to do in summer in Alta Badia in the Italian Dolomites

When you hear about the Dolomites you immediately think about mountain skiing in winter. I got lucky to visit a wonderful region called Alta Badia in summer and I am going to tell you why you have to go too. 

The first thing I noticed - how clean and pretty everything is. All the houses are freshly painted, there are flower pots everywhere and the roads are freshly paved too. Alta Badia hosts some of the most interesting cycling events in the Dolomites throughout summer.

Stunning views

You may say that mountains covered with snow look beautiful and I would agree but when else would you see so much greenery and all the mountain flowers in bloom?

The pictures above were taken from Sass de Stria over San Cassiano.

Chair and gondola lifts are working throughout the summer so you can enjoy wonderful views over the Dolomites or go hiking.

The food

Local food was another pleasant surprise. Most of the restaurants offer some regional specialities and European dishes with locally sourced ingredients. Pictured below is a restaurant at Col Pradat Lodge.

The people

Alta Badia has its own language called Ladin but you will be surprised to find out that most of the locals speak Italian, German and English as well. People are very friendly and are always happy to talk about their traditions and regional food specialities. Below is a restaurant owner in a traditional leather outfit and a local cheese and meat plate.

The most picturesque churches

Each town or village has its own church and some of them are really high up in the mountains. We went on a little church hunt and were amazed by the gorgeous views. Pictured below is Santa Barbara in La Valle.

During the trip I was a guest of Alta Badia and I have stayed in hotel Col Alto in Corvara that I can highly recommend. All opinions are my own.

Exploring Barcelona with the new SEAT Arona

Barcelona is one of my favourite cities in Europe and I am always happy to come back. This time I was invited by SEAT to attend the launch of their new urban SUV SEAT Arona. It was my first time at a press launch of a car and I have to say that I really enjoyed it, being in sunny Barcelona obviously contributed to it a lot.

The event took place at The Italian Pavilion in Montjuic, and we had some time to explore the area too.

Next day we started early to explore Barcelona as SEAT is a car from Barcelona and is inspired by the city's art, architecture, colours and street art. First stop was a 55m wall at Primavera Sound music festival that was created by street artists as a collaboration between SEAT and TheCreativeNet.

It's always a pleasure to visit Barcelona and I'm really happy I had an opportunity to explore more of it's urban culture and street art.

Fun times in PortAventura

Last week I spent a few days in PortAventura, the most visited theme park in Spain. It is a perfect place for a family holiday or for a fun trip with a group of friends. Of course, kids are the ones having the most fun!                                                                                                    

The park consists of a few areas, each dedicated to a different part of the world: Mediterranea, Mexico, China, Polynesia, Far West, SesamoAventura and the newly opened Ferrari Land.

Mediterranea was the area I liked the most as it looks a coastal town in Catalonia with little fishing boats and lots of flowers everywhere.

SesamoAventura is themed to the Sesame Street characters and is aimed at the younger visitors of the park. It's so much fun to watch the little ones taking the rides with their parents or the more fearless ones doing it by themselves.

Polynesia area is the most green and great for having a break with an ice cream in the shadow.

Ferrari Land is a new addition to the park (opened in April 2017) with its main attraction - the highest and fastest roller coaster in Europe! After an overwhelming ride don't miss out Formula One racing simulators and an interactive gallery of Ferrari history.

After all the rainy days I really needed those few days to soak up the sun and enjoy relaxing evenings after days of active fun. Many thanks to PortAventura for having me!