For most of the travelers, Europe is all about beautiful cities, history, and culture. However, very few people know that Europe has got a few of the world's best hiking trails. The hikes in Europe are breathtakingly beautiful offering your perfect scenery and great opportunities for landscape photography.

Offbeat Destinations or places in Europe are something yet to be explored and the beauty of the places can be enjoyed devoid of tourists. I love Europe as a continent however most of the known places are over touristy. Hence before traveling to any country I always search for Offbeat Destinations. Not necessarily I find offbeat destinations before traveling however sometimes I discover offbeat destinations while on the move from the locals.

You can find offbeat destinations in your country too. Once this lockdown is over, travel to an offbeat destination in any country to enjoy the pure form of culture & nature. The offbeat destinations in a country offer you to experience the life, culture and interact with the local from close quarters. If you are in love with photography you will also get to capture some unique photographs at these offbeat destinations.

Have you ever walked with your loved one and thought the walk should never end? 

One of the most romantic hikes in the world has to be the hike from Fira to Oia. The caldera hike is absolutely breath taking. The hike provides you with gorgeous views of the Aegean sea and the volcano. 

At the end of the day, I can assure you that you will be completely satisfied that you did the hike.

Type of  Santorini Hike from Fira to Oia

The hike starts from the town of Fira and ends in Oia.

The hike is a normal walk and if you are fit to walk then you can easily do the hike. Wear a good walking shoe for this hike or else at the end, you will end up having a bad ache.

The hike is 10 km and approximately takes 3-4 hours depending on how much you spend your time at enjoying the scenic beauty. If you don't want to do this hike for 10 km then you can hike from Fira to Imerovigli which is approx 2.3kms and take you around 30mins.

Things to Remember before you Start Hiking in Santorini

The Hike from Fira to Oia in Santorini

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Time for some Beautiful Pictures from Santorini Hike

Turkey is one of the very few countries which falls on two continents: Europe and Asia. Turkey as a country is very unique with a blend of both European and Asian culture.

This blend has lead the Turkish food a very unique taste and texture. Turkish cuisine borrows its main ingredients from Ottoman cuisine and adds a dash of taste from Greek, Central Asian, Western Europe and other neighboring countries. The taste and cooking style of Turkish cuisine varies across the country and no region has a similar taste.

Tintin in Brussels - Forget the waffles, chocolates, Belgian beer and embark on an exploration of finding Tintin when you visit Brussels in Belgium. Tintin is not a mere comic character, however, a national hero in Belgium and you will find Tintin in Brussels in every nook and corner of Brussels, Belgium. Live the life of Tintin in Brussels.

One of the most amazing natural splendour has to be the Northern Lights.

The Northern lights are also known as Aurora Borealis.The Northern Lights are bright dancing lights which are collisions between electrically charged particles from the sun that enter the earth's atmosphere. The lights are seen above the magnetic poles of the northern and southern hemispheres. They are known as 'Aurora borealis' in the north and 'Aurora australis' in the south.

Aurora appears in many colours although pale green and pink are the most common. Shades of red, yellow, green, blue, and violet have been reported. The lights appear in many forms from patches or scattered clouds of light to streamers, arcs, rippling curtains or shooting rays that light up the sky with an eerie glow.

When in Italy why only visit the historical sites, go on a vacation of sun, sea, beach, and parties in Italy. Do the way the celebrities do.

Are you already getting perplexed that how a vacation like a celebrity can be done on a shoestring budget? Yes it's absolutely possible when shoestring travel is there to help you.

Italy not only has rich historical sites like Rome, Florence, Pisa but also have romantic beaches which are nothing short of beautiful Greek islands. When in Italy make it a point to take out time from your itinerary and spend at least 3 days in the coastal part of Italy.

Coastal Italy

There are two main areas where you can visit to enjoy the beautiful scenes of coastal Italy :

Amalfi Coast: 

To the South of Italy

Cinque Terre

To the North of Italy

The coastal Italy is beautiful with pastel color houses perched on the cliffs along the stunning turquoise water. Amalfi Coast & Cinque Terre might look similar at the first glance however they are unique in terms of the experiences both have to offer.

So when you have to choose between Amalfi Coast vs Cinque Terre which one you will choose? 

The choice completely depends on what kind of vacation you are planning for :

Be ready to go into incognito mode while you party during the Venice Carnival.

Venice Carnival or Venezia Carnevale is one of the most glamourous and colourful carnival in the world. This is once in a lifetime opportunity to be in Venice during the Venice Carnival. The people of Venice get dressed up and wear beautiful and ornate Venetian masks during the carnival and go partying or roam on the romantic streets of Venice.

Venice’s Carnival started in 1162, when townspeople celebrated a victory over the Patriarch of Aquileia.In the honour of this victory, the people started to dance and gather in San Marco Square. This carnival became official during the Renaissance period and people started celebrating in style.

Venice Carnival Dates:

The Venice Carnival will happen from 28th January,2018 till 13th February,2018.

The flight of the Angel will open the Carnival on 4th February,2018 and Elisa Constantini will star in the Flight of Angel. 

So what is Flight of Angel ? 

The Volo dell’Angelo  also known as "flight of the angel" is the begining of the Carnival, when a beauty pageant winner gets to ride a zipwire from the campanile in St Mark’s square and descends from the Bell Tower of St.Mark's Basilica.

Tip: Go for Venice Carnival during the last weekend of the festival when it is more colourful. The first week is generally slow but there will be lesser tourists comparatively.

Attending Venice Carnival on a Budget:

Stay :

During the Venice Carnival the cost of hotels in Venice increases at least by two times. Hence if you are on a budget staying in hotel in Venice is out of the plan.

The best option to stay is in the city of Mestre which is just 30 mins from the main island of Venice
( refer to the map below).
However you have to return every night from Venice. You will get a hotel in approx EUR 40-50 per night whereas if you plan to stay in Venice island you have to pay upwards of EUR100 per night.



Travelling from Mestre to Venice 

You have to take a train from Mestre station and get down at Venezia Santa Lucia station which is just 10 mins from Mestre. Then from Venezia Santa Lucia station you have to take Water Taxi or Vaperotto to reach the island of Venice.Check the train timings on the official website of Tren Italia.

If you are taking a Water Taxi it will cost you from EUR50-70 to reach Rialto.So if you are travelling in a group the cost will be cheaper.
If there are lesser number of people taking a Vaperotto turns out to be cheaper as one way ticket will cost you EUR6.50.The scheduled journey time is approx 45 minutes. Check out the website Rometoolkit which has a detailed article on Vaperotto.

Santa Lucia train station in Venice

Top Things to do During the Venice Carnival :

So you are all set for the experiencing one of the greatest carnival on earth.What should you do and what should you expect at the Venice Carnival.
Don't miss out on the following things if you want to truly experience the Venice Carnival :

1. Dress up like a Local : Whats the point going to Venice Carnival and not dressing up in the carnival attire.If not an entire attire buy yourself a Venetian Mask and wear it during the Carnival.

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2. Head to an event : The Carnival balls can be really expensive and cost you upwards EUR500. No point spending so much money for a masquerade ball instead head to many free events where you can get similar experience. Check out the Venice Carnival event list to keep upto date with various events.

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3. The Flight of Angel : Head to the Piazza San Marco to see this important event which marks the beginning of the festivities.In 2018 the Flight of the Angel will start at 12pm.

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4. Watch the Beautiful Masks at Award Ceremony: Again head to Piazza San Marco to watch the award ceremony of the Best Masks Award. Here you can see beautiful masks if you have missed any.

5. Visit the Famous Mask Maker : Visit Ca'Macana, its the shop of the best mask maker in Venice.You can see how a Venitian Mask is made tradionally here. All masks are handmade, and the artistry is exquisite. You can buy one of the classic Carnival masks, such as the Colombina or the Bauta.

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6. Walk : The San Marco square is the place where most of the action happen during the Venice Carnival.Venice is a walking city i.e. walk around the city to get a view of locals with beautiful dresses across the city and enjoy the atmosphere during the Venice Carnival.

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Make plans to visit the Venice Carnival in 2018 and share your memorable moment with shoestringtravel.

If you have any queries on how to plan , kindly mail at shoestringstravel.in@gmail.com

Dreamt of spending Christmas and New Year in the perfect English atmosphere? Then this is the time to live the dream of spending a perfect Christmas & New Year in the maximum city of London. 

This is the best time to visit London if you have been planning all these years. With Christmas around the corner and London becoming cheaper post the exchange rate gains ( 1 GBP = INR 100 earlier this year and now 1 GBP = INR 82 ) , this is the best time to fly and when you talk about flying to London then the first airlines which comes to mind is British Airways and if you are flying from India , British Airways has attractive fares perfectly tailor made for you - Your rupee goes further now as you will get more for your rupee.

British Airways makes your holiday in London perfect with their mouth watering discounts only if you fly British Airways. Check the British Airways website to get amazing discounts like 15% discount at Bentley and Skinner , 10% off at Floris British Perfumer , VIP Treatment at Westfield London , exclusive British Airways discount on afternoon tea at St.Jame's Hotel and Club and the list goes on and on. British Airways will spoil you with amazing discounts and offers this Christmas and New Year when you fly to London.

So if you are flying British Airways to London this Christmas & New Year what the top things you should do in London to make it the most memorable Christmas & New Year :

Santorini , a Greek island is famous for its white washed houses , blue domes and the perfect blue Agean sea. Santorini is a dreamy romantic island which you take your breath away. Its one of the most romantic destination in the world. If you are planning to propose your partner this is the place , as the island is so romantic that chances of hearing a no from your partner is next to impossible.

So in such a situation what do you do ? Of course you can go to the romantic island of Santorini and have the perfect romantic holiday and that too on a budget.

Travelling to Santorini is possible on a budget and to under EUR 50 a day and you can return with bagful of lifetime memories.

Here is a snapshot of the expenses you will incur per day in Santorini :









Reaching Santorini : 

You have the option of either taking a flight or taking a ferry.

Flight : There are daily flights from Athens to Santorini which costs around EUR 60-70 ( one way fare) . Multiple carriers like Aegean Airlines , Olympic Air & Ryan Air fly to Santorini. If you are planning to reach Santorini suggest taking a early morning flight or a late night flight as the rates will not only be cheaper but also the early morning view or the night view of Santorini from the air is absolutely breath taking.

Santorini’s Airport Code is: JTR (Thira – Santorini’s official name)

Ferry :  There are many ferry options in the Athens-Santorini route , from slow ferries to speed ferries. Slow ferries take around 8 hours and Speed ferries take around 4-5 hours. Don't go for Speed ferries as its not only bumpier but also you won't be able to enjoy the scenic beauty as you will be confined to your own seat and there are no decks where you can stand.

The best option is the Bluestar ferries which are known for their stablility. You can enjoy the scenic beauty. The economy tickets will cost you EUR 40 one way where there are no reserved seats. You basically seat where ever you get a place, it can be on chairs or on the deck.My suggestion is pay a few extra Euros and book the Air Seats Lounge which will cost you EUR 45. You will get a reserved seat and the seats like very comfortable just like an airlines.If you buy these tickets you can go in the deck and the economy sections too.

(Air Seat Lounge 1)

(Ferry)

My personal suggestion for travelling to Santorini is to take a flight in one way and other way take a ferry.This way you will be able to save time and cost and also be able to enjoy both the veiw Santorini has to offer. I took a flight to reach Santorini and returned to Athens in a Ferry.

Staying in Santorini : 

If you are enticed by the photographs of Santorini to stay in a villa by the side of the cliff then be prepared to pay EUR 200 upwards per night. Its an experience to stay in these expensive villas however its not affordable by most of the people.

Oia is the main town in Santorini so expect to pay high prices if you plan to stay in Oia. My personal suggestion is to skip Oia and stay in the town of Fira. Fira is equally beautiful and its just a 30 mins bus ride to Oia which will cost you EUR 1.80.The main bus station is located in Fira so you will get buses to the entire island of Santorini from here. You will pay much lesser if you stay in the town of Fira and use the money in some exciting experiences that Santorini has to offer.

I stayed in Antonia Hotel which is just 5 mins walk form the main place in Fira and I paid EUR 65 per night. The stay in really comfortable on top of it the owners are lovely people who will go out of their way to help you. The coffee is always free and they will happily serve you coffee at any time of the day. There is a convenience store just 50 meters away from where you can buy from basic necessaties to your breakfast also, The shop is dirt cheap and you can buy bottle wine at EUR 6 , authentic Greek salad at EUR 4 and sandwiches starting EUR 2.They also give you free pickup and drop to the Airport and the Port from where you can get a ferry.

You can also book from many homestays that Santorini has to offer from Airbnb.

Expect to pay between EUR 50- EUR 75 for a decent place ( read except villas) in the town of Fira and you will not regret staying in these accommodations.

A Luxurious Villa

Travelling in Santorini:

Travelling is Santorini is really on a budget. Buses go to every place in the island of Santorini from the main bus station of Fira.The bus tickets are really cheap starting EUR 1.8 and and go up to maximum EUR 2.5 . You should check the bus schedule a day before and the schedules might change. The schedules are put up every evening for the next day. The buses are really comfortable and hardly stop on the way. Ktel runs the bus service in Santorini.


Food in Santorini : 

There are many options in Fira and Oia of Santorini from high end restaurants to normal fast food joints to high end restaurants near the cliff side giving you the perfect view of the cliff.
Greek Salad , Souvlaki & Gyros are the cheap food options available in Santorini. These will cost you from EUR 2 onwards . Santorini wines are well known across the world and can be bought really cheap. A glass of wine will cost you starting EUR 1. So basically you can have lunch or dinner under EUR 10. Having a Souvlaki at Lucky's Souvlaki is a must as you get the best Souvlaki in town.
If you really want to have the experience of eating in a high end restaurant by the side of the cliff then suggest you do it for breakfast as it will be lot cheaper, expect to pay EUR 10-12 per person for breakfast with wine. Remember you are paying for the experience and not the food per se. Don't complain if it doesn't taste out of the world.

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The Famous Santorini Wines

Things to See and Do on Santorini

Experiences of travel need not to be expensive . In Santorini you can get many such experiences which you will cherish for life almost free. The following are the must do when you visit Santorini :

a) Red Beach , Akrotiri : Santorini island is a volcanic island and was created after a volcanic eruption few thousands/million years back.Visiting the red beach of Akrotiri is a must. The beach is not only red in color but also very romantic.You can reach Akrotiri on a bus from Fira which will cost you just EUR 2. From the bus stop you have to hike a bit to reach the red beach.

Red Beach of Akrotiri

b) Archaeological Site of Akrotiri : The Akrotiri excavation site is of a Minoan Bronze Age settlement on the Greek island of Santorini, associated with the Minoan civilization.The excavation is named for a modern village situated on a hill nearby. The name of the site in antiquity is unknown.
Akrotiri was buried by the massive Theran eruption in the middle of the second millennium BC as a result, like the Roman ruins of Pompeii after it, it is remarkably well-preserved. Frescoes,pottery, furniture, advanced drainage systems and three-story buildings have been discovered at the site.

c) Black Beach of Perissa : Take a bus from Akrotiri and get down at the Crossroads . From there you will need to again take a bus to Perissa. The beach is black here in Perissa and its a different sight alltogether. I went in the beginning of May and the weather was still chilly so couldn't take bath here.The beach chairs are available at a cost here and you need to pay extra if you want to use one.

Black Beach of Perissa

d) Megalochori Village : Megalochori is one of the most picturesque villages on the island which is at a distance of approximately 9kms from the town of Fira.You should go to Megalochori village while returning from Akrotiri. Its home to historical mansions, old traditional houses, pirate hideaways and wine canavas, it has a history of merchants and wealthy land barons exporting Vinsanto wine that the island still produces. A prominent feature of the historical homes and mansions are the high walls, inner courtyards and solid wooden door entrances, built for privacy and for safety against marauding pirates.
A great effort is been made by local residents and businessmen to preserve the characteristics and beauty of this traditional settlement, and many of the original houses that had fallen into disrepair, have been restored to their former glory.

Megalochori Village

d) Hike from Fira to Imerovigli : This is the most beautiful hike you can have in your lifetime. The distance between Fira to Imerovigli is approx 1.8 Kms but you will take atleast 2-3 hours to do the hike.I am sure you will stop by many times to soak in the view and click multiple photographs and selfies. This will be the hike which you will remember for life. Remember to wear good walking shoes as the the route of the hike follows the hilly area and goes by the cliff of the cyclades.
Start your day early so that after your hike you can go to Oia to spend the day.

The Beautiful hike from Fira to Imerovigli

e) Spend a Day in Oia : After your hike to Imerovigli take a bus from there to Oia. The bus ticket will cost you around EUR 1.80. Oia is another picturesque town in Santorini and is known for white washed houses and blue domes.The town of Oia will take your breath away. The streets are dotted with boutiques , studios , curio shops and restaurants. You can spend the entire day in  Oia and not get bored for a single moment. You can also see the windmills here which are visible in postcards at the end of the island

Oia the Perfect Destination

f) Watch the Most Beautiful Sunset in Oia : Be prepared to get mesmerized by one of the most beautiful sunset in the world. I have seen many sunsets but the sunset in Oia will always hold a special moment. Most of the tourist cruises/boats reach here in Oia during the sunset with hoards of tourists and suddenly Oia becomes flooded with tourists. Be ready to jostle with tourists for a place to see the sunset.My suggestion is since you will be spending your day here google the sunset time and reach atleast 30mins before the sunset to find the perfect place. After the sunset be ready to stand in long queues to take a bus back to the town of Fira.

Perfect Oia Sunset

If you have been to Santorini on a shoestring budget , share your personal tips with shoestringtravel and we would be happy to include it here.

Have a perfect holiday in Santorini and don't forget to share your travel stories with shoestring travel.