The Marquis of Pombal stands at the centre of the square bearing his name, casting a stern and disdainful gaze from above as he judges the clumsy manoeuvres of angry drivers struggling their way around the largest roundabout in the city. You will find yourself passing through this square countless times, whether you are a passing tourist, a student on a temporary stay, or a visitor on a brief stopover while waiting for a connecting flight. Note that from this square depart th

Now, let’s enter the grid of streets carefully planned by aforementioned Manuel de Maia. The tall buildings will bring you all the way to the magnificent Praça do Comércio, which opens onto the banks of the Tagus River. If you chose to pass through the south-east corner of Rossio, you will now be walking along Rua Augusta, Lisbon’s most touristy street. Here you will be tempted by countless souvenir shops, tourist-trap restaurants, and international chain stores that now do

There are several ways to reach Bairro Alto, and all of them involve going uphill. Bairro Alto sits on one of the legendary seven hills on which, back in 300 BC, Romulus and Remus built… no, sorry, that’s another story. Lisbon too, however, claims to have been built on seven hills, on which the city’s neighborhoods rise: São Jorge (the highest hill, crowned by São Jorge Castle), São Vicente (home to the Alfama district), Sant’Ana (which includes the Jardim do Torel), Santo An

Alfama takes its name from an Arabic word meaning “the fountain.” According to the legend, this part of the city was built around a natural spring that supplied water to the local inhabitants. It was once a neighborhood of sailors and wives awaiting their husbands' return from the sea. It holds immense cultural importance for Lisbon and for Portugal: it was here that Fado was born and that the poetic concept of saudade took shape, a word expressing nostalgia for something tha

The Belém district offers three main experiences: a culinary one, a historical one, and an artistic one. The fourth experience — far less pleasant — is the “touristic” one. In fact, Belém is where most of Lisbon’s major attractions are concentrated, making it an essential stop if you have limited time or if this is your first visit to the city. As a result, if you plan to visit on a weekend or, especially, during the summer, be prepared for crowds and long queues to enter the

Like any well-respected European city, Lisbon has its river: the Tagus (Tejo in portuguese). However, it is not simply a river, as Lisbon actually sits on a vast estuary where the Tagus meets the Atlantic Ocean, so what lies before you is an immense stretch of water — and reaching the opposite bank is not so simple. There are several ways to connect the two shores, including two main bridges that have become iconic symbols of the city. The 25th of April Bridge The most famous

1755 is a pivotal date for understanding the history of Lisbon. Some will tell you it’s 1962, the year in which Benfica won the championship by defeating Real Madrid in Amsterdam, but if you want to impress the history-freak friend on a trip to Lisbon, you simply can’t avoid knowing this date, or the story of the Marquis of Pombal. A panel of azulejo tiles shows what Praça do Comércio looked like before the 1755 earthquake. On the night between November 1st and 2nd, 1755, the

About 50 km from Siam Reap lies a large lake called Tonle Sap. Locals have been living on its shores for thousands years, managing different ways to adapt to the different levels of the lake during ‘rainy season’ and ‘dry season’. They use two kind of housing: floating houses and stilted houses, built on high wood piles. The different villages can be visited with organised tours that you will find in agencies in Siam Reap, but I highly recommend booking a tour with ‘Community

Once recovered from the disconcerting humidity, it is now time to put on the explorer's shoes and venture into the immense archaeological area of Angkor Wat. It is an UNESCO heritage site and it should be easily listed among the seven wonders of the world, but perhaps those who decreed it did not find this magical place, hidden by the Cambodian forest. True archaeology enthusiasts could spend weeks here, observing every detail inlaid on the temple walls or searching for the m

We landed at Siam Reap's new airport, completed in 2022. To greet us we found a heat even more intense than in Thailand, a tuk tuk, that took us to our hotel, and finally smiles and people even more sincere and welcoming. Cambodia fill-up you heart. If you grew up watching Indiana Jones movies and Lara Croft’s adventures, you will have here the chance to live like the main character of these movies, diving into the jungle or visiting the ruins of Angor Wat and the magic will

“The craziest party in Asia” that was how I first heard about the “Full Moon Party” from a Japanese friend of mine around ten years ago. I never imagined that one day I would find myself near the small Thai island where this wild celebration takes place, right during the full moon. So we seized the opportunity to experience Asia’s legendary excesses firsthand. The full moon party. This wild party takes place on the nearby island of Koh Phangan and attracts people from all ove

As part of our trip, we decided to spend a few days enjoying Thailand’s famous beaches. During summer, the east coast has better weather, while the west coast is often affected by monsoons. So we chose Koh Samui for the last three days of our (partial) relaxation. The fastest way to get there is by direct flight from Bangkok (Bangkok Airways offers flights of about one hour). As soon as you land, you feel the holiday atmosphere. The airport itself is one of the most beautiful

It is the largest city in northern Thailand, with a population of about 127,000 inhabitants. As soon as you enter the city, you can feel its ancient history and strong spiritual devotion. Four canals surround the historical city center, where you will find low-rise houses, numerous temples, and lively markets. It is a very safe and relaxing town. You can easily explore it on foot or by renting a bicycle. The pace of life is slow, and you may find yourself eager to try meditat

Also known as ‘The city of Angels’, we are not talking about the US-based Los Angeles, but rather one of the largest metropolises in Southeast Asia: Bangkok. Some people have lived there for years and still haven’t been able to get to know it all. Our visit lasted just 3 days, so we decided to visit just main attractions. I will summarise some of the main activities to do and places to visit, recommend selecting if you are staying no more than 3 days. THE TEMPLES Wat Arun (

Thailand, and more generally Southeast Asia, is well known for Pad Thai, crowded trains, monsoons, and legendary kindness. From my short experience, I can confirm that you will easily find all of these things here. However, it must be said that every cliché also hides some exceptions to the rule… PAD THAI: it is a simple dish, perfectly balanced in macronutrients and every restaurant or bar is able to cook it at its best. If you aren’t a risk-taker or you have picky tastes,

Art galleries, vintage shops and techno music: aren’t these the perfect ingredients for the ideal weekend? I spent three days in Berlin mixing just these three elements, and the result was surprising. Although it was my first time visiting the city, I wanted to enjoy it freely, focusing on what I actually felt like doing, without feeling compelled to see all the monuments that “must” be visited simply because they are historic or famous. No Berlin Wall, no Brandenburg Gate, n