What better way to experience such an original place as Istanbul than to walk through it with someone who knows the culture, history and people? The growing number of Istanbul free walking tours as relatively safe types of entertainment is one of the positive consequences of the COVID-19 pandemic for art, food, and history lovers. The post covers the financial, organization and varieties of guided Istanbul walks. Cost of ‘free’ walking tours Since the capital of Turkey is closer to Burgas than the Bulgarian capital city of Sofia, I try […]

June in Bulgaria is the month of the rose, the main flower symbol. And many gorgeous rose landscapes become must-visit places in Bulgaria. With this post, I share information on the most beautiful locations with roses in Bulgaria, where one can take pictures up to November. Bulgaria is one of the biggest rose-oil producers in the world, and a country that has been closely related to the beautiful flower for centuries. These days, flowers are starting to bloom in their wide varieties, and this beauty is celebrated with the Festival […]

The unforgettable sightseeing tour in Málaga (Spain) begins from Málaga Airport where the arrived visitors encounter the vertical gardens. It’s amazing how smartly the recovering from the long-lasting pandemic city integrated ecological ideas into their environments. Consider exploring other fun Málaga sights: The Atarazanas Market, Málaga’s Roman Theatre, Málaga Cathedral and the Soho Street Art district! Málaga Airport With its innovative vertical gardens, Malaga Airport is definitely one of the most interesting attractions of Malaga. With over 20 plant species, the massive green panels all over the terminal building represent […]

A sleeping overweight mermaid, a gigantic elephant, a set of castles, animals and people’s heads made part of the first of this season’s free sand art workshops on the Burgas beach (Bulgaria). With this art initiative, twice a week, sand artists Remy and Paul Hoggard bring together people of different ages and nationalities in creative masterclasses. Every Saturday and Sunday, the area next to Baywatch turns the Burgas beach into an outdoor laboratory with an exhibition. Sand and seawater are the materials for everyone who wants to make their own […]

On the eve of Orthodox Easter, the post explores how powerful invisible forces – religious narratives – shape our lives with special apps and communities created to deepen one’s spiritual beliefs or expand cultural values. Developing role models For most people, the Easter season is the only time of the year to think about the sacred. A visit to a church, consumption of a traditional dish, or simply a Facebook liking of an Easter post is the frequent expressions of that seasonal religiosity. Connecting with saints through apps (e.g. Online […]

Every year spring in Bulgaria begins with seasonal fairs where only one thing is on sale – the Martenitsa. It is a pagan decoration used to attract good luck and celebrate the arrival of storks and spring. The post will cover the latest trends noticed in the Burgas markets regarding the sale of martenitsa. The traditional Martenitsa is a small red and white cotton bracelet or a brooch in the shape of two dolls, one depicting a white male and the other a red female. However, every year Bulgarian artisans […]

Learn to read the mural painting of the Greek Capital with 4 online sources: a short video, an academic paper, a book and an online map. By mapping your Athens street art tour, you’ll better feel the spirit of the city and understand why creativity and crisis in the Greek capital are tightly interwoven. Colourful Expressions of Crisis Many European cities that are famous for their street art quarters have a bohemian atmosphere there, highlighted by hippie shops and restaurants. It’s not the case for Athens street art where artists […]

This book is a collaborative guide to conservation holidays in Bulgaria focused on volunteering, bird watching and protection of birds habitats. Over 10 conservation projects in different Bulgarian regions, in which I participated personally! part of my ethnographic project, my book was among the 11 best Bulgarian ecological initiatives supported by the Open Society Institute – Sofia and the Open Society Foundations through the Bulgarian Fund for Women. Based on 30 interviews: Birding & Conservation The word ‘collaborative’ implies that the book is based on 30 interviews with participants of […]

Learn how to make Paris more affordable! For one week, I visited five Paris museums for free: 11 exhibitions in the Louvre, Musée d’Orsay, Centre Pompidou and five more museums without payment. The post is about how to wisely organize visits to the most expensive Paris attractions to save money for French desserts)) Paris has a dozen of always free museums and most others offer free admissions just to some categories of visitors. The first Sunday of every month is the best solution for everyone. But you need to consider […]

How many must visit places of Liverpool can be explored in one day? After a weekend visit to city, I drew the following guide of must-visit places of Liverpool that reflect its different dimensions: music, architecture, and art. Street music Since holding the status of the European Capital of Culture – 2008, the number attractions of Liverpool has increased significantly. Street musicians of different genres are the most salient expression of the city culture. You can see and hear them everywhere. On my visit in November, I encountered six musical […]