It is surrounded by more than 200 lakes and wherever you go nature follows you. also you will find museums, restaurants and a lot of water sports and other activities.
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]]>When I was invited to visit Moletai I didnt know anything about Lithuania and the Moletai area (although my grandparents came from Lithuania).
About an hour and a half drive from Kauans and 50 minutes drive from Vilnius you will reach the town called Moletai.
Moletai is surrounded by Nature, lakes, forests and a very relaxing environment.
It is surrounded by more than 200 lakes and wherever you go nature follows you. also you will find museums, restaurants and a lot of water sports and other activities.
In order to share my feelings of Moletai I decided to start with 20 photos that made me fall in love with this place.
For my Highlights of Moletai press HERE
More of this Beautiful part of the world in my next post.
Dont forget to Pin for later
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]]>The post Where and what to eat in Venice when visiting appeared first on Travel with Sheila.
]]>When people ask me where to eat in Venice – I always say NO WHERE, because it’s true,
even the locals think so. However my recent trip to Venice has changed my mind because I
discovered new places to eat……
After I prepared my list of recommendations from local people that I trust I can share with
you and you read all about my experiences here.
And now you can enjoy my list too.
I used to walk from the train station to San marco the main square and back… because I
didn’t have google maps back then but is a must in order to not get lost.
This time I had Carla with me and a Google map.
On the way to the Rialto bridge we walked through the Mercato Ittico di Rialto full of fresh fish and vegetables and near the market Carla told us there are many small bars to have tapas and A Spritz typical from Venice, now very trendy in the world.
Caffè Florian
When you are in San Marco there are many ways to take, We sat at Caffè Florian.
This place is truly an historic cafe and entering it feels like going back in time, it was opened since 1720.
Don’t forget to have a coffee and a delicious patisserie and feel the atmosphere as it was 100 years ago.
Near San Marco you can also find Harry’s Bar Cipriani, also very famous with the Venetians.
A very homey place to have your dinner. Food was excellent. They have a garden for the summer time.
Osteria al squero & Squero di San Trovaso
A very small and crowded place But has the best tapas, yes, tapas in venice for 1 euro each and they are just delicious that you can’t stop eating them. take 5 with a glass of wine and go sit outside in front of the gondola traditional boatyard (squero di San Trovaso). yes, here they fix and build gondolas, such a great view.
On the same street you can also find another great and famous “tapas and wine” place
If you love seafood dishes Oniga is the place for you, don’t forget to book in advance it tends to be full.
Coffee is good in most of the places in Italy, in venice we found a very good patiserie with great Bombolone ( my favorite one- a must try if you are in italy). it was the time of the panatone (famous cake for christmas) and they were making hundreds of them a day.
To the full Venice Guide press here
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]]>The post Venice with a local – A Whole New World appeared first on Travel with Sheila.
]]>I must admit – Venice was not my favorite city… I came to visit many times, with many friends (since I used to live in italy and everyone who came to visit had to see venice …) It was always for a day and we walked from the train station to san marco and back, YES, it was beautiful But it was always full of people… the shops where so touristic And the food was bad.
But this time I took Melly for her birthday and my moms friend gave me her apartment in the middle of venice and came to show us the city on the first day… it was a whole new world. I fell in love with venice as we met for the first time.
Probably one of the biggest and oldest symbols of the city. it’s very famous world wide.
Taking a ride with a gondola it’s a dream come true for many people and for venetians it’s basically a taxi
My favorite part of the gondola ( beside taking many photos of them ) was the iron piece in the front of the gondola, it’s just a beautiful part and very important for the stability of the gondola.
As I said, I used to walk from the train station to San marco the main square and back… it was also because I didnt have a google map ( a must in order to not get lost ) But this time I had Carla with me and a Google map.
On the way to the Rialto bridge we walked through the Mercato Ittico di Rialto full of fresh fish and vegetables and near the market Carla told us there are many small bars to have tapas and A Spritz typical from Venice, now very trendy in the world.
Just next to the Rialto Bridge on your left side ( if you are walking from the station) you will find The fondaco dei tedeschi, now a very nice shopping store. What you should know about this place is that it was built in 1228 and used to be the headquarter for the German merchants.
In the 20th century the it became Venice post headquarter building and in 2012 was bought by the Benton group that renovated it to the beautiful designed place it is today.
The most important part – don’t miss out on the view from the rooftop.
We continued to walk to the most important spot in venice – Piazza San Marco, for me it was the biggest memory of venice with all the pigeons flying around and full of tourists. ( just as I remembered )
In the piazza you can find many museums. we went to the correr museum and got some more historical information about venice.
When you are in San Marco there are many roads to take, We wend to sit in Caffè Florian.
This place is truly an historic cafe and entering it feels like going back in time, it was opened in the year 1720.
Don’t forget to have a coffee and a delicious patisserie and feel the atmosphere as it was 100 years ago.
Near San Marco you can also find Harry’s Bar Cipriani, also very famous with the Venetians.
Carla showed us her favorite places ( the ones we managed in a day )
One of them was the Doge’s Palace museum – we went in a day after and were very lucky to find a beautiful diamond exhibition.
From San Marco we headed to the Accademia Bridge, a beautiful wooden bridge that has a great view on the grand canal, on the other side you have the Accademia Gallery. The walk was nice and I took some window photos.
Carla’s favorite palace in Venice. it was build in the middle of 17th century, after many owners was eventually bought by the city of Venice, more history you can find here .
We walked in this beautiful palace – right on the grand canal and saw the fantastic decors.
Just next to the palace you can find Ca’ Macana a very known carnaval mask shop.
What and where to eat in Venice
My answer to people that asked me where to eat in venice was always – there is no where good to eat in venice. But this time it changed and I have some recommendations.
A very small and crowded place But has the best tapas, yes, tapas in venice for 1 euro each and they are just delicious that you can’t stop eating them. take 5 with a glass of wine and go sit outside in front of the gondola traditional boatyard (squero di San Trovaso). yes, here they fix and build gondolas, such a great view.
On the same street you can also find another great and famous “tapas and wine” place
If you love seafood dishes Oniga is the place for you, don’t forget to book in advance it tends to be full.
Coffee is good in most of the places in Italy, in venice we found a very good patiserie with great Bombolone ( my favorite one- a must try if you are in italy). it was the time of the panatone (famous cake for christmas) and they were making hundreds of them a day.
In my google map you can find all the places I mentioned + more restaurant friends told me about and I didnt get to visit.
Please tell me what you thought about the post and if you have more recommendations.
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]]>The post sometimes all you need is a good quote to make you go appeared first on Travel with Sheila.
]]>a good quote, saying, song, book or even a friend can make you want to pack your bag and go on a long ride.
here are some of my favorite quotes, hope they will make you feel the vibes like they make me feel.
“Don’t listen to what they say. Go see.”
“If you think adventures are dangerous, try routine: It’s Lethal.”
“Life isn’t about finding yourself. Life is about creating yourself”
“You only live once, but if you do it right, once is enough.”
“Fear is only temporary. Regrets last forever”
“I don’t know where I’m going, but I’m on my way”
“It is not the destination where you end up but the mishaps and memories you create along the way.”
“It is better to see something once than to hear about it a thousand times”
“Travel is the only thing you buy that makes you richer”
“Jobs fill your pocket, but adventures fill your soul.”
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Sometimes all you need is a good hotel.
Madrid has great areas to walk around, shops that never close and food you want to eat all day.
But the hotel we chose, thanks to a dear friend that recommended it a long time ago, and the area its located in, were so great that most of my photos are from the hotel and the surrounding area and we didnt really want to leave the hotel in order to see the city.
It was a short flight to madrid. The last time i was there was 20 years ago so i didnt really remember much about the city.
“Only you” is located in the chueca area. the building is a renovated 19th-century palace with restaurants and a bar. its well located – an 8-minute walk from Plaza de Cibeles and Plaza de Colón and a 5-minute walk from Gran Vía Boulevard.
The chueca is an upcoming neighborhood with cool shops and bars, you can easily walk there for 2 days and get lost in the small streets.
Just next to the hotel you will find Mercado de San Antón where we had a great lunch and some drinks in the afternoon.
About the room
The room was just perfect and we wanted to stay there and miss Madrid..
It had 3 areas : the entrance ( with the closet, fridge and mirror )
The bed with a big table, chair and tv
And the bathroom that had a shower and all we needed and please don’t forget the cool bathrobes.
Only in the hotel itself you can stay a week and it won’t feel strange, it has several spaces that you can sit in and enjoy its unique environment.
I felt like i needed to take a photo of every room and every corner i saw. even the elevator was a surprise full of real books, they really did a good job with the design of the hotel.
Some more info about the spaces in ONLY YOU
YOUnique Restaurant – An impeccably decorated space where you can enjoy a new concept of gastronomy, based on a blend of authentic traditional cuisine from Madrid and surprising modern touches. ( text was taken from the hotel )
this was also where we had breakfast that was served perfectly.
El Padrino Bar book store – Books and wines come together in the hotel’s most traditional corner. The old PADRINO bookshop, which occupied the ground floor of what was once a building with noble apartments in the 19th century and whose façade has been preserved intact. offers a new gastronomic concept that everyone should try. ( text was taken from the hotel )
YOUnique Lounge- offers you a space where you can enjoy a relaxed and friendly atmosphere that adapts to any time of the day, making it a great place for seeing friends or having a work meeting. The area is open to anyone wanting to disconnect for a while in pleasant surroundings in the centre of Madrid. ( text was taken from the hotel)
we stayed there during the mondial games so we managed to catch a game there and i managed to have a great chilli cocktail.
While walking in the chueca area
Chueca is considered to be one of the most stylish and cool neighborhoods of madrid and it was one of the reasons i chose this hotel. It has a fun atmosphere and tons of bars and restaurants and coffee places. we walked a lot and found many places, i would love to go back to, designer shops and cool concepts shops. my recommendation is to make a reservation at the only you hotel and start your visit in MADRID.
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]]>The post Loving LONDON – this city never ends appeared first on Travel with Sheila.
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I love visiting london, its one of my favorite cities in the world.
there are many reasons to love london: it has everything you need when you visit a city: great restaurants, great shops, unlimited museums, street art, nightlife & everything you wish for…
for me, it’s mainly because i have good friends living in london and when i am there i feel at home.
This visit we had only 48 hours in london but there is something you must understand before you get there – it will never be enough. no matter how much time you have in london, you will never manage to see it all. best thing is to let go and enjoy the moment.
my tip: plan it by area in the city ( Soho, Notting hill, Shoreditch and so on – take a day to each area and explore it as much as you can. or if you are lucky and you can get to london often, get an hotel in a different location every time)
Our visit this time was thanks to the Rolling Stones concert, my motto in life is that music makes the world go around and if there is a concert of a group you like- you go for it .
also let’s face it, they will not be here forever and Davy just loves them.
London is very expensive but remember, the best things are free you don’t need much when you are in london. just have a look around you when you walk in the streets.
every door is unique and the streets views changes from the big ones like Regent and Oxford to the small ones that connect them. also just a step out from the center and you’ll find unique looking houses.
Great places to stay in london :
In the center of london, lots of public areas, very recommended.
The best upcoming area in london. the hotel is well located with a great restaurant and sitting areas.
also a well known and very cool and young chain of hotels is CitizenM they have 3 hotels in london:
if you have more recommendations please write to me
Do something for the soul. whenever i get to a city i plan one cultural thing. it’s so easy to start with the shopping and not see anything at all, this time it was
Frida Kahlo in the V&A museum
Frida Kahlo: Making Herself Up
Experience a fresh perspective on Kahlo’s compelling life story
through her most intimate personal belongings.
we had a good time there and i recommend you not to miss it if you are in town at the moment.
we booked the tickets in advance better to start the day with some arts. the V&A is a beautiful museum that always has great exhibition a lovely garden to relax after and a great coffee shop + museum shop.
Great unique goods and very luxury items.
Harrods has more than 300 departments selling exclusive products including the latest tech items and bespoke perfume. But what i love the most is the food court with the great restaurants and goodies i can walk there for hours
In the middle of everything – just between Oxford and Regent street in carenaby area you can find Liberty London and it feels like you are going back in time when you enter from the busy street . but you are going back in time with a lot of style
six floors of fashion, homewares, beauty treatments, a food hall and a restaurant.
modern day Jerusalem. influenced by Southern Spain, North Africa. we sat on the bar and had some great dishes, the service was good and it’s right in the middle of soho where you can find everything.
A very cool place to have a drink and a snack, didnt try the food but it also looked good and the place was full. The Rum Kitchen is a Caribbean eatery that bends the rules. We focus on bringing Caribbean beach shack drinks with travel inspired flavours to London.
in the center you must jump for an afternoon tea at Sketch. they have 3 different sitting areas to sit and it’s all well designed. But most important is not to miss the bathroom ( don’t look at the photos )
If you love colors and flavors don’t miss this place. located in several places in the city ( opening more in the future ) the Maitre choux is a wow. it’s the modern version of a French patisserie. we loved it!
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]]>Here are some of my best shops in antwerp
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I have been coming to Antwerp for many years and I am so happy it’s on my map, It’s located in Belgium and worth a visit.
Here are some of my best shops in antwerp. you can read about them from my last visit here
They call it the city of fashion and they are right, you can find everything you are looking for in Antwerp from the big retailers (like Primark, H&M, Zara, Hema, C&A , Uniqlo and many more ) to much smaller boutique shops. You can find the best upcoming designers and the unknown. Also vintage and street style. Everything is there within walking distance.
For hotels click here
Walking down MIER Street will lead you to the old city. this main shopping street in Antwerp.
It is an ideal place for every shopaholic and you can find there all the known brands but for the smaller brands and more designed shops you better wonder to the small streets.
A house where you can find high end fashion. a great space to walk in, several floors with a nice restaurants and an apartment you can rent
This was a very nice surprise since I didn’t know this store and I just loved it!
Immerse yourself in Scandinavian culture and discover some gems from the world of design, the art of living and fashion.
Great shopping experience
Just next to moose you can find Gaest Design a very nice store
They have trendy items, textiles and accessories
On my way to my must do I entered the Bolia store and wished I was living in Antwerp and could by a sofa or 2:)
As I said, Antwerp is flat and you can walk it all or you can ride a bike … while walking I entered this super cool shop that has many gifts gadget books and cycling
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My last visit to Antwerp – what you can do in a day
Its small, its flat, it’s easy to walk around and YOU HAVE IT ALL
Antwerp is located in Belgium and its definitely on my top cool cities list.
I just came back from a 24 hour trip and loved it, it wasn’t my first time there, and it is not going to be my last.
They call it the city of fashion and they are right, you can find everything you are looking for in Antwerp from the big retailers (like Primark, H&M, Zara, Hema, C&A , Uniqlo and many more ) to much smaller boutique shops. You can find the best upcoming designers and the unknown. Also vintage and street style. Everything is there within walking distance
But let’s not forget about the art and the food. There are many museums But the one I love the most is the city’s fashion museum MoMu.
There’s no permanent display but different programs that focus on different themes and topics. Even if you’re not interested in fashion, you’ll get inspired there. Unfortunately at the moment it’s closed until 2020 you can check online here
I only had one day to visit this amazing city (and it was a Monday- most of the museums and restaurants are closed) but I will give you all my tips so you can plan your trip easily
One of the most important points in the city is the central station and it’s a good way to start your day (or just have a look at it if you arrive to Antwerp by train)
The central station was chosen by Newsweek (in 2009) as the fourth most beautiful train station in the world. It’s located near the diamond district (if you fancy a ring) and near the zoo ( for animal lovers)
It was renovated in 2007. It’s definitely a place to stop by when you visit the city.
Walking down MIER Street will lead you to the old city. this main shopping street in Antwerp connects the City Hall and the Central Station. It is an ideal place for every shopaholic.
on Meir street number 78 you will find the renovated shopping Stadsfeestzall. It used to be a Festival hall in 1905 but in 2000 fire destroyed the building and since 2007 you can walk in the hall and shop there or just enjoy the place
While walking in the old city there is a small secret alley that makes you feel like in a harry potter book. The secret Vlaeykensgang alley dates from 1591 and connects Hoogstraat. I found 2 small restaurants there.
Walking in this city is like walking in every big city BUT better, it has it all and you don’t need to jump on a bus/ cab or tube to get from place to place
A house where you can find high end fashion. a great space to walk in, several floors with a nice restaurants and an apartment you can rent
This was a very nice surprise since I didn’t know this store and I just loved it!
Immerse yourself in Scandinavian culture and discover some gems from the world of design, the art of living and fashion.
Great shopping experience
Just next to moose you can find Gaest Design a very nice store
They have trendy items, textiles and accessories
On my way to my must do I entered the Bolia store and wished I was living in Antwerp and could buy a sofa or 2:)
As I said, Antwerp is flat and you can walk it all or you can ride a bike … while walking I entered this super cool shop that has many gifts gadget books and cycling
I found so many shops in my one day of wondering around Antwerp that I was sad that they only open until 1800 (why is that??? ) and will definitely have to return to roam around this beautiful city.
We landed at 19:30 and I made Davy run in order to arrive to this small Japanese restaurant, why? Cause I remembered the AGEDASHI taste from my last trip to Antwerp.
It is a really small place in the old city But Manina and her husband make the best Agedashi Tofu ever, it’s just melts in your mouth and I can only wish to return and eat there again.
Of course the sashimi (take the large plate ) and the eel ( unagi) plate were super good too
When you get there please tell her hello from me
Since it was a Monday all the restaurants were closed.
I managed to have some oysters in fish a go go looking at the cathedral
Is a very nice fish restaurant in the old town just next to the river. I understand it exist for 50 years. We loved it. We Sat inside cause outside was a bit windy. We had the fish soup and the mussels which Belgium is famous for.
They have great restaurants in Antwerp These are on my wish list:
A graphic art museum in Antwerp with collections from Munch, Goya, and Rops
Museum of Contemporary Art – is a leading museum of contemporary visual arts, film and sculptures.
With great views of the city open in 2011 and has stunning architecture. Worth a visit if you are in the city
The photo museum you can find permanent exhibitions and also changing exhibitions
For more museums + attractions click here
For a Local experience, have a look at with locals – using my link will give you a discount on your first buy:)
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Let’s face it, only two crazy people created in the Baron family can take a flight to Mumbai (formerly Bombay but I keep getting confused) for 4 days.
It was inevitable, we had been invited to the wedding and after I had missed such an opportunity once, there was no chance that it would happen again. I was told that weddings in India are something that should not be missed.
At that time I closed my 40th year (which we will discuss later on in other posts I will tag here) and it was at the end of the year which gave me an opportunity to celebrate there.
The reason we were invited to a wedding in india is connected to a youth movement called CISV , we had been a part of since the age of 11 and there we met friends from all over the world. One of Michal’s ( my sister ) best friends – Reedy is an Indian girl from Bombay and she’s the one who invited us. Michal was at her wedding, which I missed. This time her sister was getting married – and we were not going to miss it
Everyone has a lot to say about India, but it never attracted me, I traveled all over the world and India was not on my favorites list. Maybe it was all thats they said about the mess and how dirty it is and maybe because I never liked Indian food?
Michal talked a lot about the smell in Mumbai, the smell that sticks to you and you cannot get rid of it, a wonderful smell of dirt. In SHANTARAM the book you can also read about the smell of Mumbai and India in a very precise way, its a fantastic book highly recommended.
In any case I was ready, got off the plane (to a new and stunning airport), waited for my nose to feel the famous smell – and nothing happened. We drove into the city and Michal said that the city was clean now, cleaned of all filth. Or maybe after so many cities around the world it does not feel different? India is becoming a superpower and is not what I thought it would be?
Michal insisted not to go to the hotel but to Riddhi’s house (which she knows well because she was already in India four times). The henna ceremony is a very special ceremony and we were so lucky to get there and not miss it. There were many professional mehndi artists that apply henna in intricate designs to the hands and feet of the bride and other women in the family and friends. These intricate designs symbolize joy, beauty, spiritual awakening and offering. The bride’s mehendi sometimes goes half way to her knees Only women adorn themselves with amazing henna paintings for the wedding. We did it only with our hands, but they decorated the bride for a whole day – it takes hours but it feels like magic and it was so nice to see and meet all the family.
The food in Riddhi’s house was something else. I have not yet tasted such food, and only to think about it now I get hungry.
Riddhi’s family is Gujarati, and their food is vegan but its taste is amazing and makes me want to be vegan right now. I’ll try to give you more information about what we ate later in the post.
After such a warm welcoming I was so excited and was ready for 4 days in Mumbai.
I did lots of research work and booked us in one of the most popular hotels in the city. What I did not notice was that I ordered and upgraded room and when we arrived there was a very nice surprise of a separate floor (we never went to breakfast because we got it on one of the top floors). It included a corner room and a lot of treats from the hotel.
A very good choice when visiting mumbai – Trident Nariman Point, Mumbai
In the evening we had a free night and went to the recommended restaurant Trishna https://trishna.co.in/
I went into the restaurant not expecting much, it did not look good, but the line of people outside seemed promising. We ordered the heritage shrimps and the crab with garlic and butter – words cannot describe the feeling of taste in the mouth. I’ll put the picture of the shrimp in the green sauce – it looks awful, but it’s the best thing you’ll taste in your life (very spicy) – not to be missed.
In addition, we got instructions to buy a sari for all the wedding events. because its a local tradition to change your outfit for each event ( and there were 4 events coming up ) … We started searching in the center of Mumbai and found some charming shops
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