City Break Archives | Page 12 of 16

HIROSHIMA – risen up from the ashes; and a side trip to MIYAJIMA

Posted on2024-01-042025-08-18AuthorRenata Green1 Comment

Hiroshima is one of the names inextricably connected to the first atomic attack in human history and therefore a must when visiting Japan. However, Hiroshima is also a great gateway for a trip to idyllic Miyajima.

Atomic Dome in Hiroshima, a city HIROSHIMA - risen up from the ashes; and a side trip to MIYAJIMA — A Dove of Peace spreading its wings in front of the Atom Bomb Dome.

Before visiting Hiroshima, I wasn’t able to imagine a place with a little over a million inhabitants plying their trades as if their city never had been practically erased and went down in history as one of the biggest humanitarian disasters.

What I found was a charming city – risen up from the atomic ashes of 1945.

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Guide to SEVILLE – Three Days Right Where Andalusia’s Heart is Beating to the Rhythm of Flamenco

Posted on2024-01-012025-10-09AuthorRenata26 Comments

This is a guide to the enigmatic and sultry city of Seville where in three days, you’ll find out where Andalusia’s heart is beating to the rhythm of Flamenco.

Flamenco Dancer in Seville seen during Three Days in Seville Andalusia — As fierce’n’fiery as legendary opera persona Carmen: Flamenco dancer at the Plaza de España.

No wonder that apart from Bizet’s Carmen more than 150 operas – like Verdi’s Don Carlos and, you probably guessed so, Rossini’s Barber of Seville – were set in scenic Seville.

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

Posted on2023-11-282025-09-25AuthorRenata Green61 Comments

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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7 Best And Most Beautiful Coffee Houses in Busan

Posted on2023-11-252025-08-19AuthorRenata4 Comments

In Korea, a rich coffee culture is a crucial part of the modern lifestyle. Not only do you find far too many Starbucks branches. No, there are countless cafés where you find peace’n’space to study, work, or just relax while enjoying a house specialty. In Busan, they even have a so-called Cafe Street! For you, I bit the bullet and immersed myself in the city’s vital café culture. This allows me to introduce you to the 7 best and most beautiful coffee houses in Busan.

Space And Mood, one of the Seven Best And Most Beautiful Coffee Houses in Busan — One of Busan’s literally hidden gems, the Café Space And Mood on the 13th floor.

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

Posted on2023-11-212025-08-07AuthorRenata Green110 Comments

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

Posted on2023-11-142025-10-30AuthorRenata Green96 Comments

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

Posted on2023-10-292025-09-25AuthorRenata Green54 Comments

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

Posted on2023-10-222025-09-10AuthorRenata Green51 Comments

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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Guide to MEDELLÍN – And a Day Trip to GUATAPÉ

Posted on2023-10-042025-09-07AuthorRenata Green20 Comments

Let me guide you to Medellín – which is also a great gateway for a fantastic day trip to the mesmerizing town of Guatapé.

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Best Street Art in PARIS: How Mehdi Ben Cheikh Transformed the 13th Arrondissement Into An Open-Air Gallery

Posted on2023-09-162025-08-23AuthorRenata6 Comments

Yes, there is the Eiffel Tower. D’accord, you need to pay the Louvre a visit. Okay, let’s go on a walk alongside the River Seine. But besides all this, make sure to pay also some of the lesser-known and underrated arrondissements a visit. Because it’s right there where the best street art in Paris is waiting for you!

Mural by Pejac - the best street art in Paris. — If you cannot see right away why this mural by Pejac is simply genius, you need to take a closer look. Or check out the zoom below.

Under the aegis of Parisian art dealer and cultural entrepreneur Mehdi Ben Cheikh, the 13e arrondissement in particular has undergone an impressive revival from an a bit run-down part of the city into an open-air gallery.

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