Travel

Though the oldest wine region of New Zealand Hawke’s Bay looked intriguing from the very beginning, our journey turned to be beyond any expectations. I don’t know, why it happens sometimes, but something just clicks and you find yourself in the middle of the most perfect trip you could have imagined. That is exactly what happened to us in Hawke’s Bay – we were absolutely enjoying every single moment of being there. Even the one, struggling on the 5 km route around Te Mata peak, melting under the super hot sun and sweating make up (in my case) of:) We loved every corner and view, had only delicious food and met lots of amazing people. The secret behind such a wonderful trip? Plan it yourself! Only you guys know what is perfect for you. Not the Internet, not an experienced guide, it’s you! And this time we planned everything ourselves, so I decided to describe this 3 days tour around Hawke’s Bay for you to know what to start from, if you’re also planning to explore this welcoming region.

You don’t get a perfect Birthday every year, agree? Otherwise there is nothing special in those that really stand out. But sipping on the sweet Chai Latte at the sunny Kitchen Terrace in Rotorua yesterday I noticed a lady next to me reading my article in the new issue of UNO. magazine. Gosh, I was so happy and surprised! And at that moment I knew for sure – my 27th Birthday is definitely the most amazing ever! So I wanted to share that relaxed yet exiting atmosphere of my special day with you today.

What do people normally do in December? Well, besides rushing out for Christmas presents, of course:) Planning the future year, what else! If you’re currently in the middle of choosing a new exciting destination to discover in 2017, here I am with my calendar of the best places for each month of the year. Because the right weather is obviously at least 50% of your good emotions while traveling. Who wants to spend beach holidays hiding from the rain, or skiing in a nasty dirt instead of a fluffy snow? So the perfect approach to planning a travel is to always start from checking the high season.

Summer for me is a time to visit Saint-Petersburg and it’s suburbs. That is because in last couple of years we have been to this city for several times. So it became an unexpected, but really cool tradition. It is always awesome to be on a road, stop at gas stations, have coffee, snacks. This feeling is definitely one of my favourites. This autumn we talked a lot about our summer trip to suburbs of Saint-Petersburg, but one thing is still missing – photo story of our day in this amazing city.

There are two types of mountains: beautiful and super-beautiful. But there is also a third category – mountains, that will change your life forever! I don’t know why, but Alps for me are exactly like that! Everything is very special about this place: landscapes, people, sunrises seen through the terrace, food. My first experience of exploring the Alps was in Switzerland. And I left my heart there forever! Who knew, Austrian Alps would be so familiar but so new at the same time. No matter, if you’re in love with the mountains like me or didn’t have a chance to become a fan yet, while visiting Europe’s most skiing country, you will definitely discover all the advantages of winter holidays.

If only I had to choose two of my favorite SPb palaces, I would definitely name Oranienbaum and Tsarskoe Selo. Visited the last one for three times and never ever got bored! This place, known not only as a hometown for many Russian Empresses, but also as a city where the most famous Russian poet Alexander Pushkin lived and studied, is equally fabulous for those eager to learn more about the history of the world’s largest country as well as for those who are just looking for a picturesque place to have a walk and take a couple of remarkable Instagram pictures.

Have you ever heard, that in order to truly understand new country, you’d better get out of the capital? The real Italy is somewhere around the sunny wineries with welcoming homestyle cafes serving hot pizzas and lemonade. The real Sweden is on tiny islands surrounded by cold waves and winds, where cozy and warm hotels as small as two rooms are offering huge fresh fish and a company of the giant but kind dog. Of course, New Zealand is not like any other country in the world, but in this case there are no exceptions. But anyway, do not ignore Wellington while exploring New Zealand, cause the capital can surprise not only with its nature, but with the city attractions, that you won’t find anywhere else in the Country of the Long White Cloud. 

If Petergof was a country, it would have been world’s fifth smallest country. It means, the territory of this ensemble is 24 times bigger than Monaco! And all these belonged to the single person. How crazy is that? Not surprisingly, Petergof is one of the most (if not – the most) popular destinations in Saint-Petersburg. Frankly, its popularity is the main reason why Petergof is the last in my personal list of Saint-P. suburbs’ favorites. Just hate that crowd, spoiling all the impression of the Russian Versailles! What anyway didn’t stop me from visiting it three times. So why not to make yet another walk around, especially if it’s only virtual this time?

Tauranga is definitely not the place you visit to upgrade your historical education – it is called the most popular holiday destination for reason, don’t you think so? People come here to swim, to hike, to drink coffee outside. But if occasionally you find yourself too bored after several long days of sunbathing (like it’s even possible!), there is still something for a change. And that is the Historic Village on 17th street. Wanna have a virtual tour to begin with? You’re more than welcomed!