ADVENTURES IN NORTHERN IRELAND
Three years ago, thanks to a concert, we were introduced to Belfast and Northern Ireland’s famous coastline. That visit was just enough to add the country to our “must-return” list. The catalyst for our current trip was also a concert: LUSH Classical celebrated its 30th anniversary at Custom House Square in Belfast. Our journey was organized around this event. Our plans were slightly altered because there are no longer direct flights from Budapest to Belfast, so we had to put together an itinerary along the Dublin-Portrush-Dublin route, arriving in Dublin on Thursday morning and departing from Dublin on Sunday evening.
CANARY ISLANDS - GRAN CANARIA
Thanks to a Christmas surprise, we spent a few days in Gran Canaria in early March. During our stay, we experienced the whims of Storm Emilia: it rained every day, accompanied by strong winds. On our daily excursions, temperatures ranged from 4 to 23°C, and it even snowed in the mountains. We explored the island by car; without it, getting around would have been quite difficult and time-consuming.
CHICAGO - SIGHTSEEING, UCHICAGO
It’s hard to say what the deciding factor was: our experiences during our trip to China, or the state of education here at home? Or perhaps it was all of these things combined that led our younger child to decide to study abroad. After two years of grueling preparation, our younger son was admitted to the University of Chicago. It was fascinating to follow the admissions process and then the university’s communications afterward: recognition, pride, a positive outlook, support, and a sense of belonging to the community. So, one day in late September, we set off for Chicago to help him move in and get started at school.
IRELAND - THE BURREN, PART 1
In June, we spent a week in Ireland, in County Clare. We explored the Burren, part of the Wild Atlantic Way, Galway, and Limerick. You can read about the highlights of that week in several chapters. In Part 1, we traveled the Shannon-Quin-New Quay route, visiting the following attractions: Burnatti Castle, Knappogue Castle, Quin Abbey, The Flaggy Shore, Finavarra Point, and Shanmuckinish Tower.
IRELAND - THE BURREN, PART 2
In June, we spent a week in Ireland, in County Clare. We explored the Burren, part of the Wild Atlantic Way, Galway, and Limerick. Continuing from the previous chapter, we stayed in County Clare on Day 2 as well. We visited the following sights: Leamaneh Castle, Lisdoonvarna, Doolin Cave, Doolin, Fanore Beach, Black Head Lighthouse, and the Poulnabrone Dolmens.
IRELAND - THE BURREN, PART 3
In June, we spent a week in Ireland, in County Clare. We explored the Burren, part of the Wild Atlantic Way, Galway, and Limerick. Continuing from the previous chapters, on day 3, we visited the Cliffs of Moher, Loop Head and the Loop Head Lighthouse, and the Bridges of Ross.
IRELAND - THE BURREN, PART 4
In June, we spent a week in Ireland, in County Clare. We explored the Burren, part of the Wild Atlantic Way, Galway, and Limerick. Continuing from the previous chapters, on day 4, perfume, chocolate, and sightseeing in Galway were on our list.
IRELAND - THE BURREN, PART 5
In June, we spent a week in Ireland, in County Clare. We explored the Burren, part of the Wild Atlantic Way, Galway, and Limerick Continuing from the previous chapters, on one of our last days, we explored the city of Limerick.
IRELAND - ARAN ISLANDS, PART 6
In June, we spent a week in Ireland, in County Clare. We explored the Burren, part of the Wild Atlantic Way, Galway, and Limerick Continuing from the previous chapters,, On the last day, we took a ferry to the Aran Islands and explored Inis Oírr, the smallest of the islands.
DOLOMITES RELOADED
We visited the Dolomites for the first time in 2024. We returned in 2025, almost exactly one year after our first trip. We drove the hundreds of kilometers in bright sunshine, but as we got closer, gray clouds greeted us and it began to rain for days on end. The weather limited our options. We did manage to see Lago di Braies and Prato Piazza.
MUNICH AND ADELE CONCERT
Why Munich, of all places? Because Adele has only performed here in Europe. It was an opportunity we had to seize. We spent two days in the Bavarian capital, where Munich served only as the frame for our real ultimate goal.
LONDON - 3 DAYS AND A CONCERT
Sometimes I feel like things don’t happen by chance. Back when the kids were in preschool, Adele burst onto the music scene with her album "21". We listened to that CD till death, and I watched her concert at the Royal Albert Hall countless times on YouTube. One of my dreams was to go to an Adele concert at the Royal Albert Hall. My dream came true, sort of.
A WEEKEND IN THE DOLOMITES
Thanks to March 15, we had a long weekend and travelled to the Dolomites. After digging through countless useful (and useless) descriptions and reviews, we decided that Cortina d’Ampezzo was the ideal starting point for “Essence of the Dolomites” tour. Finally we booked a house in San Vito di Cadore, a town located just 10 minutes from Cortina.
A LONG WEEKEND IN BELFAST
20 years. That’s how long we’ve been together. It’s become a tradition for us to take a trip on our anniversary. Just the two of us. So, we went to Belfast for a long weekend. And why Belfast? Because there was a LUSH Classical concert there.
THE GIANT CAUSEWAY
We planned our long weekend in Belfast so that we could explore not only the city but also the Irish countryside. We played with the idea of renting a car, but since we only had one day to get out and about, we decided to go with an organized tour. That evening, we looked over the reviews and offerings of various travel agencies, and ultimately chose McComb’s Coach Travel’s tour to the Giant’s Causeway.
STREET ART IN BELFAST
As we wandered through the city, graffiti and street art crossed our path at every turn. The wall has become the canvas, and mural painting the artists’ method of expression. More than 100 years of history, politics, and emotions are expressed in these works, many of which are truly artistic. There’s a downloadable app and map available if you decide to explore these works on your own, without a tour guide.
SUMMER VACATION IN CORSICA
Our first island-hopping vacation was in Corsica. We didn’t plan a typical beach vacation, because our two-week trip took us to Verona, Florence, Pisa, and Livorno; after that, we took some time to relax in Corsica, and we ended our trip in San Marino and Rimini.
VACATION IN SARDINIA
Our first island-hopping vacation was in Corsica. Since it went so well, we decided to look for a slightly more exotic destination again instead of the classic Croatia. We chose Sardinia.
VERONA
The first stop on our two-week vacation was Verona. When we put together our itinerary, we were expecting that “WOW” feeling in Florence. Instead, Verona stole our hearts and became one of our favorite Italian cities so far. The fast-paced and hectic life in Verona slowed down for a moment, leaving only positive memories in its trail. Memories, desires, and dreams merged into one, just like in Fellini’s films.
FLORENCE
The first stop on our two-week vacation was Verona. Next came Florence. Florence is one of Italy’s most significant cities and the capital of Tuscany. Ruled by the Medici family for many centuries, the city boasts a long list of “titles”: for a time. It was the capital of the Kingdom of Italy; it is home to countless historical and artistic landmarks; it is known as the “cradle of the Renaissance,” and its historic center has been designated a UNESCO World Heritage Site.
PISA
Pisa is located in Tuscany, on the banks of the Arno River. Construction of the Pisa Cathedral also began in 1064. The cathedral, the Leaning Tower, the Baptistery, and the cemetery are all located in a large green area known as Piazza del Duomo or “Piazza dei Miracoli.”
SAN MARINO
We spent the last few days of our two-week vacation in the San Marino neighborhood. San Marino’s status is quite interesting. It’s Italian, yet not Italian. It’s surrounded by Italy, and in the event of an external threat, it’s Italy’s “duty” to defend the microstate, yet it’s independent. Otherwise, it’s an enclave of Italy. It is one of the smallest states and was, for a long time, the world’s smallest republic.
ROME
Just as "Game of Thrones" has transformed life in Belfast and Northern Ireland, the success of the movie *Angels & Demons* led to a drastic change in Rome. The city, which had already been a popular destination, was flooded with tourists following in the footsteps of Robert Langdon. The day after we arrived, we, too, set out on our own “investigation,” and our first stop was the Castel Sant’Angelo.
BARCELONA
We explored Barcelona one weekend in May, many years ago. The city was exactly as we had expected: full of life, colorful, cheerful, and a place where you could forget your troubles. After the storms of history, in 1979 the Spanish Congress of Deputies granted Catalonia autonomy, and Barcelona became the capital of the autonomous community.
A TRIP TO LAKE BLED
This trip wasn’t our first encounter with Slovenia and its natural wonders. Postojna and the Plitvice Lakes also impressed us, but Bled and its surroundings had not yet been on our tourist radar. We first visited here in 2014, and that trip has been so far our most memorable and beautiful one.
FROM HALLSTATT TO BERCHTESGADEN
I think it was at a New Year’s Eve party that we were talking with our friends about one of their trips. The family had set out in a camper and traveled the Hallstatt–Neuschwanstein route. They were so enthusiastic about what they’d seen that we decided to explore that region too.
PASMAN ISLAND
When we came back from China, we never would have thought that a year later, the world would be turned upside down and everything would change. Then the virus arrived—from China. Taking advantage of the first break in the chaos, we went on vacation to Croatia.
A TRIP TO ISTRIA - KVARNER BAY
We spent one week of our summer vacation in Croatia again, in the Kvarner Bay area. It rained the whole way to Kršan, and not far from the town, we even narrowly escaped a massive hailstorm. But by the time we arrived, the sky had cleared up and the sun slowly began to shine.
ZAKOPANE
We've been to Zakopane several times, and since we always had a great time there, we kept going back. This post is about one of our summer trips, where we went on a few day trips, hiked and even went wood rafting.
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