Author: Renata Green

The world is my oyster: I'm Renata, founder and editor of this travel blog. bye:myself - no, that's not a typo, it's referring to me saying bye to my comfort zone and heading for new shores solo. Having been a solo traveller, flashpacker, and poverty jet setter for ages made me an avid and savvy planner and organizer of worldwide travel. Since I've been an author and journalist practically all my life, I love to put my travel experience into writing to encourage, inspire, and assist you. Looking forward to meeting you somewhere on this planet!

A Day in Sophisticated ESTORIL and CASCAIS

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Another very popular day trip from Lisbon is a short train ride to the very popular beaches of Estoril and Cascais. Albeit not really dreamy, especially on hot summer days, a day in these sophisticated retreats on the shores of the Atlantic Ocean can be the perfect break from Lisbon’s big city life.

Wild waters on the shore of Estoril, in the community of Cascais.
Estoril is not only this sophisticated beach retreat. It’s also prone to the forces of nature.

If you spend more time in Estoril, you should stay away from the beach and go on a day trip to Sintra. Even by public transportation, this town of palaces is less than an hour away.

This Way to the Whole Story ->

CUBA – the Complete Guide from Coast to Coast

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If you want to see more of Cuba than just the iconic bars in Havana and the endless beaches of Varadero, this is the perfect guide for you – taking you from coast to coast. On the whole, it takes you from the island’s westernmost tip all the way to the Guantanamo region in the very east.

Woman riding a bike in Cienfuegos in Cuba. Illustration of a Complete Guide from Coast to Coast.
Child of the Revolution.

I travelled across Cuba all by myself and on public transportation. Hence, let me tell you, exploring a socialist country like Cuba does differ quite a lot from travelling through other regions.

Therefore, not only will my stories be interesting. Especially Cuba-novices will certainly appreciate my thoroughly researched information and suggestions.

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Guide to MALMÖ – a city in search of 24 more nations

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Let me guide you to Malmö, a city that combines in a very intriguing way the folksy charm of Astrid Lindgren’s children’s tales and the hip atmosphere of a students’ town – which it is, actually.

View of the Västra Hamnen, Malmö's "city of tomorrow" with the iconic "Turning Torso" from the city beach Ribersborgsstranden.
View of the Västra Hamnen, Malmö’s city of tomorrow with the iconic Turning Torso from the city beach Ribersborgsstranden.

In fact, Malmö has 320,000 inhabitants who share 77 square kilometers. This makes it, believe it or not, Sweden’s third-largest city – after Stockholm and Göteborg.

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Guide to CAMAGUEY – Cuba’s Modest Beauty

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On the way from Santa Clara to the beaches of Isla Santa Lucia, a stopover at Camaguey came in handy, so here I share my little guide with you.

bye:myself - Renata Green - byemyselftravels: Cuba Camagüey
Plaze del Carmen and Iglesia Nuestra Señora del Carmen in Camagüey.

If Viazul’s itinerary hadn’t forced me to spend the night, I probably wouldn’t have visited Camagüey. After all, I had already so many idyllic midsized cities on my list. But actually, I would have missed out on a really pleasant place. Although – one day was sufficient.

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BRUSSELS and Beyond: Day Trips to Antwerp, Bruges, and Ghent

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Going on day trips from Brussels to the other Flemish medieval jewels such as Antwerp, Bruges, and Ghent is fun, easy, and surprisingly affordable. Just hop on the next train that will take you to each of them in less than one hour and for under 10 €uros.

Renata Green in a day trip in Bruges, Belgium
Dreaming of being a princess? Well, I go all the way and become king!

I’m a busybody with a chronic case of FOMO.

But Belgium got the cure.
It is relatively small, in fact, the fifth smallest country in the European Union. It slumbers there nestled between Germany, the Netherlands, France, and Luxembourg, pretty much undisturbed in the middle of the continent, not bragging about its beauty.

And beauty it has all right!

During my stay in Brussels, Belgium’s and secretly also Europe’s capital, I actually managed to visit three other beautiful cities, one more intriguing than the other, so that I list them here fair and square in alphabetical order: Antwerp, Bruges, and Ghent.

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Guide to POTSDAM: How Frederick Made a Small Town Great

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In this guide, I’m taking you to the small town of Potsdam, which King Frederick II made great. Although it sounds like a cute, drowsy hamlet, everyone is amazed by the rich cultural and political heritage of this place, where Europe’s history was written and rewritten again.

Sanssouci palace in Potsdam, the great small town, introduced in this guide
Sanssouci Palace is Potsdam’s highlight, no matter what.
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24 hours in MUNICH

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Munich, the capital of the federal state of Bavaria, stands, of course, for the famous beer and Oktoberfest and is the epitome of Germany.

Marienplatz in Munich. A must see during 24 hours in Munich.
Mary overlooks the Marienplatz from her column. In the backdrop of Munich’s most iconic symbol, the Frauenkirche, Church of Our Lady – it cannot get more Bavarian.
(Photo: Nicknicknick97, München Marienplatz , CC BY-SA 4.0)

Since Munich also has Germany’s second-largest airport – after Frankfurt – chances are that you have a stopover here.

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BASEL and the Rehberger-Trail – time to wonder, time to wander

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Visiting Basel, you’re not only seeing Switzerland’s third-largest city – after Zurich and Geneva – but you also get to hike the amazing Rehberger Trail. It’s a route decorated with sculptures by German artist Tobias Rehberger. On this occasion, you can even cross the border to Germany walking.

View of the river Rhein at Basel
Cozy little Basel in the heart of Europe. There are a couple of art venues and many interesting buildings and places along the river Rhein.

That’s one of the things I absolutely love about Basel: It is located in the tri-border area of Switzerland, Germany, and France. Three totally different countries getting connected in harmony.

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BERLIN – a Guide to the Wild Wild East

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This is a guide to Berlin’s Wild East, hence, the part of Germany’s capital Berlin that used to be behind the proverbial Iron Curtain, obviously.

Mural at the East Side Gallery in Berlin introduced in a Guide to the city's Wild East
At the East Side Gallery, on this picture by street artist and wall painter Birgit Kinder you can see a Trabant – aka Trabi. It was one of two types of cars that were manufactured in the former GDR. The Trabi is crashing through a wall – guess which one. Its license plate reads Nov 9, 89, hence, the date the gates to the west were opened and the wall came down.

Formerly the capital of the GDR, Berlin’s Eastern neighborhoods actually changed really fast for the better and cooler. Today, they are more exciting than the full and settled West.

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VIETNAM – the Highlights in Three Weeks

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It is easily possible to see the highlights of Vietnam even if you can spend only two or three weeks in this fascinating country.

Three street vendors in Hoi An
Friendly fruit vendors in Hội An, one of my trip’s highlights.

Yes, there is so much fascinating culture and rich yet tragic history. There are bustling metropoles, rolling hills, endless beaches, and mesmerizing bays. Finally, Vietnam is really safe and easy to explore – even for a solo-travelling female.

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