One Day we opened Internet website. Like many other advertisements there was something about cheap flight tickets. From Malta ‘everywhere’ for only 8 Euro one way. Why not? But of course when we found something from Malta for 8 Euro the return ticket was always more expensive. The next idea was – why not try a trip around Europe? And we started searching for cheap flights. That’s how our Christmas trip idea was planned.
Girona - Spain
The first stop was in Girona cheap flight from Malta and a beautiful sun welcomed us at the airport. We had the option to get a bus to Barcelona – the cost was 12 Euro one way and the return 21 Euro. But we chose the bus to Girona, 2,30 Euro one way. Our flight was in Girona about 9.30 am, so we had the whole day to spend in this small city.
The bus from the airport gets to the city in about 30 min. We stopped at bus and railway terminal near the centre. Firstly we checked the train to Barcelona, bought tickets and went for a walk. The train ticket to Girona costs 6,55 Euro one way. It cost us less and we had some time in Girona. On the main street ‘Barcelona Street’ is Lidl market, but we went to ‘Place Marques de Camps’ and to the old town. One side of the city is surrounded by an old wall. There is a footpath and we walked all the wall way. It was so nice, the sun was high and we felt like in summer time. One tower was good enough to have on its top a small picnic.
We decided to be in Barcelona when the sun will be still high, so we were in Girona for only 4 hours. It was enough to walk into the old town and spend a few minutes in the park.
http://www.girona.cat/turisme/eng/activitats.php
http://www.girona.cat/turisme/eng/activitats.php
Barcelona -Catalonia
The same day we travelled by train to Barcelona. We left the train on ‘Place de Gracia’, quite near to Rambla Street. Our plan was to see all the works by Gaudi in this city. Near the train station we found Casa Batllo and Casa Mila probably the most popular Gaudi buildings.
Rambla Street was all the time full of people, many of them were artists. It was a good idea to go to the sea, and being Christmas time, in a big shopping centre, we found the caganer.
Rambla Street was all the time full of people, many of them were artists. It was a good idea to go to the sea, and being Christmas time, in a big shopping centre, we found the caganer.
A typical symbol of Catalonia is the "caganer" (Catalan for "shitter"), a figure depicted in the act of defecation that stands close to the nativity scene. He is no parody of any clerical traditions but a symbol of a healthy body that fertilizes the ground and thereby provides a good harvest.
We spent 3 very nice days in Barcelona. We decided to buy 10 journey ticket valid for everything. Of course we saw the Sagrada Familia Church, Gaudi Park. And all Gaudi buildings. We were so lucky, because at this time there was a football match. In my opinion it is better to go to the football match than to a museum in Camp Nou.
The atmosphere was amazing, people very friendly and it was a good show.
Lisbon - Portugal
We spent in Lisbon next 2 nights. There was a cheap flight from Barcelona and we were in Lisbon in the evening. Lisbon is so busy and there is much traffic. People are very helpful but not everyone speaks English.
We couldn’t find a good free map of Lisbon, on the map from the tourist information we could find only the underground station plan, but no trams or buses. Here a good idea is buy a day ticket valid for all transport in Lisbon. We had only one problem – the fog, there was a thick fog we couldn’t see the Tag River even from the ‘Tore de Belem’.
Firstly we got tram 28 and went to Basilica de Estrela, near there we stayed for a moment in a nice park. On way back to the centre we stopped for a moment near Parliament building, and at R.Moeda Street we found our first lift (a special tram in Lisbon). It took us near Caise do Sodre where we took tram nr 15 to Belem district. Most important for us was visiting the ‘Café Paseis de Belem’ to eat ‘pasties de belem’ which are delicious.
http://www.virtualtourist.com/travel/Europe/Portugal/Distrito_de_Lisboa/Lisbon-286122/Restaurants-Lisbon-Cafe_Pasteis_de_Belem-BR-1.html
After eating we decided to visit Jeronimos Monastery, Belem Tower and Discovery Monument. We walked to Point 25th April Bridge but everything was in a thick fog.
We heard trains, cars and ships but we didn’t see anything. We came back to the city centre and near Rosa Atalaia street we got another lift. The last lift which we found was Santa Justa Lift at the end of St Justa street. This lift is more than one hundred years old.
What maybe not everybody knows – I was in shock when you order something in a restaurant they firstly give you a starter – even if you don’t order it. So the bill was higher than I expected.
The last place very important for us to visit was the oriente district – it is a new district built especially for Expo in 1998. The railway station has a modern roof made out of glass and metal, shaped as gothic cathedrals roofs. Still under construction is Vasco da Gama Tower. We saw one of the biggest Oceanarium in Europe. The easiest way to get to this district is to use red line underground.
We spent our last night in Alfama – the oldest district in Lisbon listening to Fado in a pub which used to be a small chapel.
Carcassonne - France
From Lisbon we decided to go to Carcassonne in France, but there wasn’t a direct flight. For us the cheapest way was to fly to Toulouse and from Toulouse, to take a train to Carcassonne – the train costs 14,4 Euro. It was so cold and snowing. But when we got to Carcassonne in the evening, we walked round the fortification and inside this stronghold. This is such a huge stronghold, and its looks amazing.
The walls are always illuminated, inside it is really a nice atmosphere, like back in the Middle Ages. Everything here was so close to another, and of course the main tourist attraction is the castle. From the railway station to the castle it is about 2km, but it is a nice walk. The information Office at Bringer Street is excellent to help tourists with accommodation. It is about 6km to the airport, so for us it was a short distance. The airport is open only when they have a flight – usually they close it at 5 pm – that was in December.
A nice place where we took a super night picture was Bridge ‘Pont Neuf’ Phillipe Leclerc street.
The main castle entrance ticket cost about 8 Euro and in my opinion there is nothing interesting. Probably not everyone knows that there is a board game called Carcassonne - it is very interesting and never boring, we tried to have a game inside the castle, but it was too cold for us.
Venice - Italy
From Carcassonne Airport we flew to Charleroi near Brussels, of course on the ticket there was Brussels (Charleroi) but it was far from Brussels. Here we only changed flights, we had about 3 hours in this airport and then we flew to Venice – Treviso. The return bus to Venice costs 9 Euro and takes us to Rome Square, where there is not such a good Tourist Information Office, but we got a map.
About Venice we know, that we need to go back there, because we didn’t see everything. Firstly we found some place to sleep, and in the evening we walked and ate something. In Venice they charge you for service, one extra plate and for the fact that you eat inside. I know that someone can say that Venice is dirty, stinks, but in December it was ok, and for us it was an amazing place.
This time their offered a gondola for 50 Euro, we were only a couple but for 4 people it is a good price. We didn’t use water taxi and water transport, we walked everywhere. What was important for me was to see fire brigade building which is near Santa Margherita Square and the water bus station called ‘Ca Rezzonico’,
9 days for that trip was not enough, but we had a good time.
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