How To Spend 1 Day in Bratislava

If you are visiting Vienna or Budapest, you might consider adding a day trip to Bratislava, the capital of Slovakia. If so, here is what you can expect and a recommendation for how you can spend 1 ideal day in this city. The interesting thing about Bratislava? With its location on the borders of Austria and Hungry, it is the only national capital that borders two countries in the world.

When visiting Bratislava, I would recommend travelling on a weekend so you can visit the Old Market Hall, and visiting main attractions including the Blue Church, the Bratislava Castle, the outside of the Museum of Clocks and wandering the old streets.

Accommodations in Bratislava

I don’t have an affiliate link, but I do feel compelled to recommend these accommodations for being both in close proximity to the main attractions and for the kindness of our host.

The location of this place was awesome and is literally next to the famous (and from what I’ve seen most photographed) location in the city, Michael’s Gate. For context, Michael’s Gate is a 14th-century clock tower, that doubles as the gate into Bratislava Old Town. The gate itself is said to be the only one preserved from the original Medieval structures that surrounded the city centre.

Breakfast in Bratislava

You will naturally see many of the attractions as you make your way over for Breakfast. After doing our research on TikTok, the most videos I had seen were for this place called Otto! which is a short walk outside of Old Town (about 1 kilometre to be exact).

Otto! has a very colour interior and average prices. For me and my friend to each order pancakes, orange juice and a cappucino we paid about €30. Overall, the 4.5 star rating on Trip Advisor I would agree would be accurate.

Before asking why you might walk this far for brunch, keep in mind that Otto! is very close to the Blue Church which is deemed unique for its colour. And if it’s open you can take a look inside to see the matching blue interior. So, after breakfast it makes sense to stop by.

And while in this area, you are only 10 more minutes walking to the Slovak National Theatre which is deemed a 4.7 star rating as a historical building. Although we didn’t quite make it this far, you might choose to as part of your walk.

After, I would suggest you start making your way back to the Old Town area of Bratislava, which includes the historic centre and joins neighbourhoods that used to be the outskirts of the city back in the Middle Ages. With a fairly small section of city, you don’t need a map to find the cute streets such as the one below.

Lunch in Bratislava

Since we had just got off the train we only grabbed one or two quick photos before making our way over to the Old Market Hall - Stara Trznica for lunch.

Unfortunately, this is where our lack of research bit us in the butt as the Old Market Hall is only open on Saturdays. At this point since we were hungry, we chose to go a nearby Vietnamese restaurant - I believe was Cafe Com Viet which we would not recommend based on our order. However, I have heard very positive reviews and would recommend this as your lunch stop, which is just around the corner from the main Old Town.

Visiting The Iconic Bratislava Castle

After visiting the castle, we went back to our apartment for a little bit of downtime before dinner. As I mentioned earlier, the restaurant we were recommended by the apartment host was The Slovak Pub, which was a short walk outside The Old Town area. According to Trip Advisor, this restaurant only had a 4 star rating out of 5. However, I would argue that for trying local food this place was great. The Schnitzel perhaps not my favourite, but that’s not really a specialty here anyways.

Here we tried Bryndzové halušky, the country’s national dish (pictured above), which are potato dumplings with sheep cheese and bacon. Although many visitors had complained about the dish not being awesome, I would argue that if you compare the food to Macaroni and Cheese instead of what you might expect from a dumpling the dish was pretty good. Also I imagine sheep cheese is an acquired taste that the average person might not love anyways. My recommendation would be to try it anyways since it gives you a better feel for the company’s culture, and if you take this recommendation the prices weren’t horrible so it won’t set you back too far anyways.

Although this was just an overview of what we did in between our visits to Vienna and Budapest, I’m sure there are other areas worth visiting. Any questions about visiting? The following FAQ’s might be helpful. If not, feel free to leave a comment at the end of this post.

Frequently Asked Questions

Is Bratislava, Slovakia Worth Visiting?

I am glad I visited the city once! However, with many of the main attractions being in such close proximity you only really need 1 full day in the city.

What Is Bratislava Best Known For?

Although it depends who you ask, Bratislava is best known for its castle, Old Town, complete with cobblestone streets, one-of-a-kind sculptures, and it’s famous Blue Church, which as far as I know is featured in Brussels miniature creation of the world.

Is The Bratislava Card Worth It?

The Bratislava Card would be worth it if you choose to see attractions like the Devin Castle which require transport to, want to visit Michael’s Tower, Old Town Hall Tower and St. Martin’s Cathedral and prefer a guided tour. These attractions are all 100% discounted with the Bratislava Card. However, if you are the type of traveller that just wants to get lost in the streets and try some local food the city if very walkable and the 23 Euro cost would not be worth it in my opinion.

Is Bratislava Safe To Travel?

Much like neighbouring European countries, as ong as you use common sense and are wary of your surroundings, then it is easy to avoid scams and petty theft. That being said, outside of Old Town you are likely to experience some interesting looks as a visitor.

How To Spend 1 Day in Vienna, Austria

In nearly every travel blog I read, a trip to Vienna was considered incomplete without a concert, opera or musical performance, since the city is deemed the world's music capital. So when planning your visit, many agree that looking up the shows ahead of time helps significantly with planning. Unfortunately, we didn’t put this forethought into our planning, and just used our visit to get a feel for the city. Here is an overview of the attractions we did, what we learned and what we would recommend for another visitor.

With one day in Vienna, you should visit one museum or art gallery such as the Albertina Museum, The National Library, The Palace Liectenstein, grab a Schnitzel from the Marienhof Restaurant and catch an Opera or other show in the evening.

Breakfast in Vienna

We stayed at the Eurostar Embassy Hotel, which I believe provided good value for the money and was in a not bad location, with many attractions being only a short train ride away.

After waking up (we had a little bit of a sleep in since our flight had brought us into Vienna at 2 am), we headed toward Ströck - Feierabend for breakfast. I ordered the orange juice, a capuccino and the croissant waffles and was not disappointed. While it wasn’t the best breakfast I had ever had, the ambience and attention to using local were enough to make the recommendation.

From here, you might decide to walk to some of the nearby attractions. But, with only a day the transit day pass for 8 Euros (at the time of writing) or Vienna City Card (17 Euros) are likely worth the investment. Purchasing just the transit pass can be done at the metro station, although it is worth noting that there is a separate machine to validate the ticket once you purchase it. Since we didn’t purchase the Vienna City Card I can’t speak to using that one. However, it is worth noting that with it, you get also get unlimited travel on public transportation, discounts at many museums, sights, theatres, concerts, shops, restaurants and cafés.

I linked the official website as well, but for a glimpse at prices and add-ons. It is worth noting that the Albertina Museum, the one I would recommend with one day is only discounted with the Vienna city card by 2 Euros. Therefore, if you are keeping score 8 Euro + 2 Euros (discount) to the museum would only put you at 10 Euros so far.

Since we hadn’t done much research and instead got caught in the rain we ran into the nearby Museum der Illusionen which had a four star rating on Trip Advisor. Although you can get a cool photo or two, we found that at 14 Euros per person, I would pass on this attraction as the museum itself is one of the smaller ones in Vienna and we really only spent about an hour taking our time.

Unfortunately, this is something to plan ahead for or line up day of for 3 Euros tickets.

So instead we started Sour day off with brunch at Stroeck Feierabend - we got cappuccinos, orange juice and I tried the croissant waffles. This place was a 4.6 on Trip Advisor and I would agree with the rating.

Or the Belvedere which are the more popular alternatives.

Pro tips a lot of things are closed Monday - including the National Library. 

Dom Museum Wien was 10 euros. For the small amount of exhibits I would suggest this one was also a pass.

Albertina terrace/opera

The Austrian capital's compact layout puts most major sights within walking distance, making it easy to tick off the palaces, museums and opera houses in two days and still stop to taste the famous Sachertorte and Wiener Schnitzel.

Next, wander around and just look at the architecture. The buildings are truly stunning. I would recommend the Euro day pass which goes for 8 Euros or the Vienna City Pass which includes transportation and access to the major attractions.

We had originally wanted to visit this hidden palace in Vienna - Stadtplais Liectenstein. But found out you needed a guided tour. I will be back to visit this.

https://www.palaisliechtenstein.com/en/city-palace/general-information.html

Instead the rain got to us, and since we were closest to the illusion museum this is where we ended up for the afternoon. Instead I would recommend the Albertina for art.

Frequently Asked Questions

What Can’t You Miss When Visiting Vienna?

A musical performance and a walk around the beautiful architecture.

What Is The Most Famous Attraction in Vienna?

Surprisingly not the Opera House (which is only one of the many beautiful pieces of architecture in the city. According to Trip Advisor, the most popular tourist spot is actually Schönbrunn Palace.

Where Is The Best Place To Try Schnitzel In Vienna?

The Marienhof Restauraunt.

What To Do And What Not To Do In Lyon

In this blog, I share a brief overview of our itinerary from our recent visit to Lyon, including an honest review of the attractions we had to visit. These include the stunning Fourvière hill with its Basilica of Notre-Dame de Fourvière, the charming Old Lyon with its Renaissance architecture, and the unique traboules, which are covered passageways that silk workers originally used to transport their goods.

First and foremost, Lyon offers a unique experience that sets it apart from other major cities in France. The city's cuisine and gastronomy, historical and architectural landmarks, including the districts of Old Lyon and Fourvière hill, are all reasons to visit. However, what truly captivated me were the  'traboules,' covered passageways that were originally used by silk workers to transport their goods. These hidden gems are a thrill to discover in the city.

Day 1 

We took the train into the Part-Dieu station in Lyon. The train, which had a few stops, was about 5 hours in length and cost about $69 CAD. There were some shorter alternatives at a higher cost if you wanted to make the splurge.

Upon our arrival, we made use of Lyon's efficient local transportation system to reach our accommodations, which were a bit further from the Old Town. Despite the higher cost due to a major event, we found the 24-hour transit pass to be a great investment. For just 6 Euros, we had unlimited access to trams, trains, and buses, making it a convenient and affordable way to explore the city.

Recommendation 1: 24-hour transit pass for seeing all major sights in 1 day, super doable and affordable.

After getting settled, we used our dinner in Vieux Lyon (old town), one of Europe’s biggest renaissance neighbourhoods and the home of famous attractions including the Cathedral of Saint Jean and Bouchon Lyonnais AKA traditional food.

Try to stay as close to Old Town as possible, as the outskirts of the city are a lot less well kept (although not unsafe or dirty).

Day 2

We started our morning by heading to The Food Hall, which came highly recommended. I would love to know if anyone can comment on this, as it happened to be closed when we arrived. We ended up grabbing a coffee and pastry before hopping onto a bus headed towards the famous stairs—Escalier Mermet (blue staircase).

According to Trip Advisor, which I often look to as the Holy Grail of reviews, this staircase ranks only #151 of 316 things to do in Lyon, despite it blowing up our TikTok pages as one of the top art pieces in the area. The stairs, just one example of stair art in the city, were painted back in May 2019 by Wenc, a street artist.

Personally, I think the stairs were an okay stop. Good on a walking tour, but nothing you would spend more than a few minutes at.

The city is also known for all the murals. The one we stumbled across is La Fresque des Lyonnais, or the Mural of Lyonnais. This mural is a building mural covering the back and side of a bright yellow building on the 1starrondissement and is recognized as one of the most popular historical monuments for visitors. This incredible mural painting depicts 30 famous personalities from Lyon, including Antoine de Saint-Exupery, l’Abbé Pierre and Paul Bocuse).

The following recommendation was the Basilica. We took the time to walk (which included a steep set of stairs and several turns down roads to find). As it turns out, there is a tram you can use that is included in your day pass, which I would recommend as an alternative. If you like churches, the inside of this one was quite intricate.

Next up, we scouted out the traboules or secret passages. Borrowed from a blog, this is the guide I used to find where the secret passages are: 

• 27 Rue St Jean connecting with 6 Rue des Trois Maries

• 54 Rue St Jean with 27 Rue de Boeuf

• 31 Rue du Boeuf with 14 Rue de la Bombarde

• 2 Place du Gouvernement with 10 Quai Romain Rolland

• 9 Rue des Trois Maries with 17 Quai Romain Rolland 

54 Rue St Jean was the easiest to find (pictured here) and marked with the fold plaque. Most of these are closed, but we happened to time it when someone was coming out and wandering our way through them before finding out that fact. But if you happen to stumble through one - VERY COOL!

Afterwards we stopped for lunch at Brunet Lyon. Perhaps our food tastes are not up to par or we ordered wrong but we found the food was okay, and nothing stellar. We tried escargots and the pork belly which were decent for the price.

After lunch, you can visit Place des Jacobins known as the prettiest square.

Great spot for people watching, but maybe a 10-15 minute spot at most.

Other Notable Mentions (Things That We Saw on TikTok and Didn’t Do)

Food spots including La Mere Jean and Daniel et Denise for local bouchons. It is recommended that you make a reservation if you visit either since they do tend to fill up.

Other possible attractions are taking in the view Of The Colline De La Croix-Rouss or going for a picnic At PARC DE LA TETE D’OR.

Personally this was enough time to try some food and see the major sights. At this point the Lyon airport offers many international flights making it a great place to continue your European vacation (for inspo check out the 16 day Balkan and Central European itinerary here).

Frequently Asked Questions

What Is Lyon France Best Known For?

The food!

Is There Anything To See in Lyon, France?

The old town (Vieux Lyon) has beautiful buildings that hold a UNESCO World Heritage Site status, with a few of the most popular sites including the Lyon Cathedral, and the Basiliek.

Is Lyon Walkable?

Yes, all of the attractions are within walking distance from each other. However, the terrain can be uneven. It is worth noting that the public transit is very easy to use and a great alternative for getting around.

What To Expect In Split Croatia

In June 2024, I had the chance to visit Croatia for the first time. Knowing few people who had been there personally, we figured out a few things the hard way that you might find helpful when planning your own trip. Here's an overview of what we did.

Day 1

Our bus arrived at the Split bus station at 3:40. After that, we took an Uber to our Airbnb, which, despite being a 35-minute walk, was only a 6 Euro Uber.

Our AirBnB proved to be a convenient base for our explorations. Nestled within walking distance of the old town, home to the iconic Palace of Diocletian, and the departure point for many island ferries, it was the perfect location for our adventures, which included impressive Roman monuments, picturesque beaches (with beautiful blue waters) and a promenade that spans across a portion of the Adriatic Coast.

After settling into our new surroundings and freshening up, we couldn't wait to start exploring the old town. Our first stop was the Judita Palace Heritage Hotel, a hidden gem with a delightful atmosphere and reasonably priced drinks. This is a must-visit spot in Split, and I'm excited to share it with you. To make it easier for you to find, here's a picture of the hotel's exterior.

Cocktails cost between 10 and 15 Euros. The staff was excellent, and the drinks were good; I recommend making a stop here despite Trip Advisor rating it a 3.5/5 star. Here were our fun strawberry cocktails (I forget the name).

Afterwards, we spent a little bitlonger browsing some of the ruins and souvenir stores (which coexist in the the old town) before having dinner at one of the seaside restaurants on the main strip, Dujam. Even with our bus getting in at 3:40, I felt that this was ample time to explore the Old Town and would suggest that you, at most, might want another half day to go up the bell tower at this point since the space itself isn't very big.

We both opted for pasta. I tried the truffle one, and it was pretty good, although very rich. However, the location was worth visiting for the beautiful view of the harbour. Food was decent, but as expected, overpriced given the touristy location on Riva Walk. We called it in for an early night, however, were approached by a couple of club promoters, since as it turns out Split is rather known for it’s nightlife.

Day 2

On our second day in split we decided to do the four hour Kayak tour to one of the beaches and picked up a crossiant and orange juice on the way. It is worth noting that where a lot of these kayak tours start is not accessible by Uber or bus since it’s on the end of a park so you can expect to walk about 40 minutes from Old Town to the meet up point.

The beach was absolutely beautiful and the bar served lunch. However not on the day we arrived since the kitchen was broken.

Chairs rent for 35 euros a person / day. Which we figured wouldn’t be worth it on our one hour and a bit stay.

Located right on the water, there's covered seating as well as cabanas and sun loungers for hire on the beach called Kasjuni (which is rock not sand), although it is said to be one of the prettiest beaches in Croatia. This beach is 17 minutes away from Old Town. Other bloggers we had read had preferred this beach club because they don't have a minimum spend, unlike some other clubs elsewhere on the city's beaches.

After we kayaked back and rested we decided to try one of the restaurants we saw being raved about TikTok, ARTiČOK - rated 4.5 on Trip Advisor for its Croatian cuisine.

Since terraces aren’t as common as you might think in Split, I would say do make the trip over here if you are wanting the rooftop terrace experience but make you make a reservation as we saw MANY people getting turned away who didn’t. We walked in and had to sit on the lower level which was nice too.

Food was okay - a little more expensive. Two meals, an appetizer and two drinks was about 75 Euros. We didn’t love what we ordered, however I would suggest if you want a nicer dinner out while visiting to make a reservation on the rooftop.

Day 3

The next morning we tried a third TikTok recommendation for breakfast, Ciri Biri Bela. This was one of our better meals and I would definetly recommend this to a visitor.

In our third day, we had decided to visit the island of Hvar as a day trip. budget about 50 euros for a roundtrip ticket. 

We wanted to do a beach club at Hvar and were also shocked that the starting price was about 40 euros per person; cash only at Hula and at the Hvar Beach Club it was closer to 170 Euros for two chairs and an umbrella. But since girl math goes on vacation, we decided to splurge.

Hula Hula Beach Bar - https://hulahulahvar.com 

40 Euros per person for all day chair rental  - the cheapest we found. No towels so recommend you bring your own. If your travelling carry on I would recommend a sheet situation like this which is lightweight but pretty easy to travel with.

This was our relax day so not much to share. Prices were about average and again everything was cash so we’d recommend you plan ahead for that. We ordered a few drinks and some snacks but we’d again say nothing was stellar.

This was our relax day so not much to share. Although other recommendations for Hvar, Croatia included Beach Dubovica, Beach Pokonji dol and The water park. Restaurant recommendations we were given were:

• Black pepper

• Lungo mare

• Giaxa

• Fig Hvar

• Silk

• Spice

For coffee:

• Kava 37

• Kantun

• Coffee Snob

Prices were about average and again everything was cash so we’d recommend you plan ahead for that.

We also found a nice spot to swim a little ways down our walk back with some of the most beautiful blue water we’d seen. This we’d recommend.

Although we didn’t have dinner the recommendation we had received was Spice Hvar. If anyone has tried it please let me know in the comments I am curious if this one lived up to the hype. It is worth noting that as you venture around town, Hvar has a rule that you must be fully clothed (no half cover ups like a bikini top with no shirt over top) or you might risk a fine of 500 Euros. With signs everywhere, we found that this was huge given that we were in what we would consider a beach town.

The last ferry back to split was at 8:00 pm which is the time we selected. By the time we left the beach we had more than enough time to explore the few shops that lined the streets and were even looking for time to kill.

A street in Hvar.

The last ferry back to split was at 8:00 pm which is the time we selected. We ended up just bringing snacks buying only a single cocktail and heating back for dinner.

Hvar is good for a day trip; and maybe as part of another tour. However, I can’t see spending more than a day or two unless you love the party vibe or would like lots of days at the beach club.

Hvar is good for a day trip; and maybe as part of another tour. However, I can’t see spending more than a day or two unless you love the party vibe or would like lots of days at the beach club.

Day 4

Without doing a day trip our fourth day seems to be too much, but we decided to take it slow and relax.

We started with breakfast at Oakberry (Acai bowls), then we dropped off our luggage in storage. There are a few options by the pier where you catch the ferry. They charge about 3.5 Euros per bag. 

View from Marjan Hill Stairs in Split, Croatia.

Overall, rating for Split. Beautiful but not even remotely a hidden gem, pricey and popular for partying. Although there are better deals if you know where to look.

Frequently Asked Questions

Some questions that I have been asked after my visit, that you also might be wondering the answer to.

Is Split Worth Visiting?

In my opinion Split is absolutely worth visiting once. Split is the 2nd largest city in Croatia, home of well preserved historical sites like Diocletian's Palace and a great place to take day trips from.

Do I need cash in Croatia?

Yes, a LOT of places are still cash only including some restaurants, beach clubs and the bus station.

Is it easy to navigate Croatia in English?

Yes, nearly everyone we talked to greeted us in English.

Which restaurants are worth trying in Split?

Portas Pizza and Silk were my two personal favourites.

What are other popular food spots?

At the time of our visit the places we saw on TikTok that we didn’t try were Delistes, Bajamina (a budget friendly option for crepes), Ginger (budget friendly option for juices).

Is there a Starbucks in Croatia?

On our trip we were surprised that Starbucks was not in the Balkans, which means no Starbucks Been There Mugs.

How To Spend 3 Days In Split, Croatia

Day 1

Our bus arrived in the Split bus station at 3:40. After which we took an Uber to our AirBnB (6 Euros).

This is the AirBnB we chose: https://www.airbnb.com/slink/oWsplScM

After settling and changing, we had a little bit of time to explore the old town before we had dinner at one of the seaside restaurants on the main strip.

Day 2

On our second day in split we decided to do the four hour Kayak tour on Get Your Guide to one of the beaches. From where we were staying (about 10 minutes outside of Old Town), it was a 45 minute walk to the location where the tour began and since it was on the other side of a park there were no options to take a bus or a taxi at least all the way, however, we did see options for bike rentals.

When we arrived, we were given a small waterproof bucket to bring with us on our kayak, the option for water shoes and snorkels. Our guide got us set up on our kayak and we began the 30/45 minute paddle over to a private beach.

The beach was absolutely beautiful (pictured above) and like similar beach clubs had the option to rent chairs and an umbrella for the day.

bar served lunch. However not on the day we arrived since the kitchen was broken.

Chairs rent for 35 euros a person / day. Which we figured wouldn’t be worth it on our one hour and a bit stay.

This is the tour that we booked’

Make a reservation if you want the rooftop. We walked in and had to sit on the lower level which was nice too. Food was okay - a little more expensive. Two meals, an appetizer and two drinks was about 75 Euros.

Day 3

For breakfast, we tried Ciri Biri Bela.

Hvar as a day trip - budget about 50 euros for a roundtrip ticket. 

We wanted to do a beach club at Hvar and were also shocked that the starting price was about 40 euros per person; cash only at Hula Hula Hvar and at the Hvar Beach Club it was closer to 170 Euros for two chairs and an umbrella. But since girl math goes on vacation, we decided to splurge.

40 Euros per person for all day chair rental  - the cheapest we found. No towels so recommend you bring your own. If your travelling carry on I would recommend a sheet situation like this which is lightweight but pretty easy to travel with.

This was our relax day so not much to share. Although other recommendations for Hvar, Croatia included Beach Dubovica, Beach Pokonji dol and The water park. Restaurant recommendations we were given were:

• Black pepper

• Lungo mare

• Giaxa

• Fig Hvar

• Silk

• Spice

For coffee:

• Kava 37

• Kantun

• Coffee Snob

Prices were about average and again everything was cash so we’d recommend you plan ahead for that.

A street in Hvar.

The last ferry back to split was at 8:00 pm which is the time we selected. We ended up just bringing snacks buying only a single cocktail and heating back for dinner.

Hvar is good for a day trip; and maybe as part of another tour. However, I can’t see spending more than a day or two unless you love the party vibe or would like lots of days at the beach club.

Day 4

Overall, rating for Split. Beautiful but not even remotely a hidden gem, pricey and popular for partying. Although there are better deals if you know where to look.

How To Spend 1 Day in Bosnia and Herzegovina

In Dubrovnik, Croatia one of the most common day trips and even “things to do” according to TikTok and Pinterest is a day trip to Bosnia and Herzegovina (huht·suh·guh·vee·nuh), what some still consider a hidden gem as compared to its neighbouring countries of Croatia and Montenegro. Although a few options exist, we choose this lower cost option at $66 CAD on Get Your Guide that stopped in Mostar and the Kravica Waterfall.

The day started at 6:30 AM with a pickup from Pile Gate, which if you’ve been to Dubrovnik is very central to where you are going to be. From there the tour will typically make a few stops within the city, before you pass through the border. At the border the bus will typically line up everyone one by one as a gate officer goes through and stamps your passport for leaving Croatia, and another gate officer for Bosnia and Herzegovina stamps your passport again for entering.

Afterwards, the bus continues and stops at a Hotel in the coastal town of Neum for breakfast/coffee. Neum is a town located in Herzegovina-Neretva Canton of the Federation of Bosnia and Herzegovina. What’s interesting is that Neum is the only town on the Bosnia and Herzegovina coastline, which is said to be the second smallest in the world after Monaco (12.4 Miles as compared to 2.5 Miles there). Additionally, according to our tour guide, Neum first became recognized as a coastal retreat in the 1960s after the Adriatic Highway was built. As a result, if you were to visit you would also note that there are now plenty of facilities and a growing interest in water sports like scuba diving similar to Croatia. The main benefit in this case is that when compared to Croatia it is cheaper and quieter.

Mostar is known for its Stari Most bridge (pictured above). However, the town is also a great place to visit due to its unique history. For context, in the 1990s the country underwent a war when it split from Yugoslavia. To this day, you will find that Mostar is incredibly Turkish influenced to the point that you can buy Turkish delights on the main tourist strip and rather than seeing churches around the town, you are more likely to come across a Mosque.

When you visit the bridge you will likely be greeted by Mostar Diving Club, who jump off the bridge’s highest point. However, if you want to see them jump, make sure you bring cash so you can pay the 35 Euro (approximately) fee.

The other benefit is that Mostar is extremely affordable with Gelato in the touristy area costing only 1 Euro. It is worth noting that prices will be denoted in the country’s local currency, KM, which can be halved to find the total in Euros. For example, 10 KM is 5 Euro.

The only piece of advice I can solidly give you about visiting is to make sure you have enough cash as many of the restaurants and souvenir stores do not accept credit cards.

Arguably the best spot to get the iconic bridge photo would be when you pay to enter the Koski Pasha Mosque (the most well known mosque in Mostar). It gives you access to a small gate that overlooks the river and the bridge with an unobstructed view for 5 Euros. The caveat is that without a proper camera that is the best view of the famous bridge in Mostar you can get (photo above taken with iPhone).

Kravica Waterfall is about a 45-minute drive from Mostar. The admission to the park is about 10 Euros and may or may not be included in your tour. In the Get Your Guide tour, I am reviewing it wasn’t and neither was the local tax which was 3 Euros. So note when booking, it is the cost of the tour in local currency + 13 Euros.

While swimming in nearby attractions like Plitvice Lakes is usually not allowed, it is in these waterfalls. With an hour total visiting time including the short 400 m walk up and down to the falls, time for photos and a bathroom break, we found that taking a quick dip wasn’t something we would have time for. Instead we opted for ice cream (again 1 Euro a steal if you ask us) before continuing back to the border crossing into Croatia.

All in all, I would highly recommend this tour as a day trip from Dubrovnik and would budget about an additional 50 Euros to spend on souvenirs, lunch and extra spending money.

For more information about the rest of our travel itinerary in the Balkans, you can read the full blog here.

16 Day Central Europe and Balkan Itinerary

• Day 1-3 Paris (I recognize is not central Europe, however lot’s of international flight options to start your trip)

• Day 4-5 Lyon (I would recommend a different town perhaps Annecy or Strausbourg)

• Day 6-7 Dubrovnik

• Day 8-10 Split

• Day 11-12 Vienna

• Day 13 Bratislava, Slovakia

• Day 14-16 Budapest

However, unlike your average itinerary I am going to highlight what I think is worth skipping and what I would recommend to anyone else travelling to these areas.

Day 1.5 Paris

Paris is usually what I pick as the starting point for Europe, since it is one of the main airports that has affordable international flights. I also love Paris more each time I come back and can say there is always something new to explore. This time I visited with two friends who had never been so we visited many of the top TikTok locations. Here are the honest reviews.

Le Relais de l'Entrecôte

First of all it’s not all you can eat like I somehow assumed from the TikTok’s I had seen. You get two servings of steak and fries, plus a salad and bread for 30 Euros. I would say decent value for the money although it is only rates at 4.2 stars on Trip Advisor. Best steak I ever had? No. But not the worst food I had in Paris either. If you want to try, you can find the link here.

At this point if you flew a long way to get here it might be bed time.

Day 2

In our second day, we visited Versailles. I’ve heard mixed reviews about it, especially with travel time and cost (35 Euros if I remember correctly).

The train ride wasn’t horribly long and only about 4 Euros and the town itself is cute. Versailles grounds are large (the gardens especially) and in my opinion worth visiting once although I would argue once is enough.

What I would recommend for next time, and what I hope to see is Opera Garnier which is allegedly more cost effective.

Depending on how long you choose to stay in Versailles, you will likely have time to do dinner and wander around the Eiffel Tower in the evening.

We had dinner close to the Eiffel Tower at Le New York (nothing stellar about this place other than the location), which allowed us to venture over to the tower at our convenience. Staff here was super friendly.

Day 3

On this specific trip, we ended up losing a day in Paris due to a missed flight. However, since I’d been before this is what I would recommend as the third day.

I would wake up early and do Montmarte, the art district and one of my favourite areas in Paris. Here you can see one of the iconic shots in Emily in Paris, La Maison Rose.

Day 4 - 5 Lyon (a day and a half)

In the next leg of our tour, we visited Lyon, recognized as the third largest city in France. We visited this city since we were attending a concert, but we had some time to travel around and see the city’s main sights.

Since Europe is on the pricier side and we had to cut costs we did the 6 hour version of what could be a 2 hour train ride if you took a direct/fast route. This meant leaving at noon and arriving in Lyon closer to 7 in the evening.

Things that went well. The 24 hour train pass for 6 euros was well worth it as the train/tram go everywhere ce the main station all the way up to the main church. That being said, using the train and wandering half the streets we saw we finished seeing the whole city in about 2 hours including finding the secret tunnels.

To be honest, there are nicer towns and areas in France so I wouldn’t be travelling out of my way to see it.

I would also not recommend where we stayed - the Eklo because although it was budget friendly it had mold.

The coolest thing was the secret tunnel network which we snuck into most are actually closed.

Day 6 Dubrovnik

Day 6 we flew from Lyon to Dubrovnik on a 2 hour flight on Volotec. I was VERY pleasantly surprised by how easy flying here was, no customs and our AirBnB link here.

Day 7 Bosnia and Herzegovina

Full day trip explanation here.

Day 8 Split

Day 9 Split

Day 10 Split

Day 11 Vienna

Day 12 Bratislava

With close proximity to Vienna, we took a 55 minute train from Wien HBF that took us into the Slovakian capital. If you’re reading along with this series from our 1 day in Vienna itinerary, our checkout time at our hotel was noon, and check in time in Bratislava was at 2 p.m. meaning the 12:45 train was perfect timing wise on our 25 CAD train.

It is worth noting that a trend we were finding is that while these tickets were available on Trainline, and we had some comfort in knowing that it was prebooked the day before, these tickets are often cheaper to book from the train station directly.

Once we had arrived at the Bratislava-Petrzalka train station, we grabbed a 4 Euro Uber to our accommodation at VIP Apartments which I booked on Expedia.

Since we had just got off the train we only grabbed one or two quick photos before making our way over to the Old Market Hall - Stara Trznica for lunch.

After getting lost in the streets and grabbing a cappuccino to go, we decided to venture out of the main area to visit the iconic Blue Church. The walk was about 1 kilometre from where we were and outside of the Old Town (something we didn’t expect). That being said, the area of the city felt safe and we covered the majority of the other attractions fairly quickly.

Day 13 Budapest