Mountains and beaches of Andalusia with Gibraltar and Africa in the background, Spain and Great Britain

Andalusia - from Arabic Al-Andalus, originally from the Vandal 

tribe, is the region of Spain where the mountains meet the sea, Great 

Britain meets the European Union, and Africa almost meets Europe.

 

In the last case it is only a distance of 20 km. But one step at a time. 

 Andalusia captivated me with its diverse landscape.

 

Even the mountains are patchy. Some peaks are green and teeming 

with vegetation, and right next to them are rocky or almost desert-

like ones. It was a fascinating sight. Especially thanks to a drive 

along the A-369 scenic route, which stretches endless serpentines 

across peaks and mountain slopes. This allows you to admire the 

amazing open space and almost otherworldly landscapes. 

 

At such altitudes you can already feel the pressure differences. 

This doesn't bother the goats that live there wild at all. Fortunately, 

I didn't meet any other wild inhabitants there, either crawling or with claws.

 

  

I wouldn't be myself if I hadn't found the Gothic cathedral.  

Unfortunately, it was converted into a Renaissance style but had its 

 origins in a mosque. A very interesting cultural mix, like all  

of Andalusia. La Manquita or Santa Iglesia Catedral Basílica  

de la Encarnación is a fascinating example of mixing styles in 

 architecture.

 

Malaga delights with its marble sidewalks, polished by the feet of 

many tourists. Picasso's city showed me its diversity and revealed

 the secret of his style. Constant changes in the cultural fabric are 

still visible in the city's architecture. 

Gibraltar welcomed me with a familiar scent if you know what I mean.

Street cleanliness varies significantly between Spain and the UK. 

A red telephone booth immediately caught my attention, almost like 

a monument to another time. Who else calls like that? Probably only

 those trying to escape from the Matrix.

The Rock of Gibraltar has a tangle of natural and artificial tunnels 

inside. Remains of Neanderthals were found in these natural ones, 

suggesting that the rock was their last foothold in the war with

 Homo sapiens.

Subsequent wars brought them new inhabitants and new tunnels.

 

A huge rock towers over the city. It's very nice in the summer heat 

because it provides a lot of shade. Of course, you can see windows 

cut at different heights, which stimulates the imagination. I didn't 

meet the famous monkeys, but I already plan to visit again, so I'm 

counting on the chance for this exciting experience. Apparently they 

are little thieves. 

Tarifa is where the Atlantic Ocean meets the Mediterranean Sea and 

you can really see the difference. On one side of the pier, total chill 

and a view of Morocco, and on the other side, kitesurfers are going 

crazy.

I was fascinated by this view. This is flying, not swimming.

Of course, it was terribly windy and I almost lost my scarf. Only 

because it stopped with a very nice lady, I still have it. 

 I definitely do not recommend wearing dresses to visit this place. 

Everyone was waiting with curiosity for a moment a la Marlin Monroe performed by me. Eh...

Ronda is a mysterious city located between the mountains, almost 

cut off from the world. Partially carved into the rock and connecting

 two sides of a deep canyon. The current residential part is located at

 the top, but below you can still see the remains of the old stone

 buildings.

Caves hidden in the rocks, surrounded by open space and breathtaking 

views. There is, of course, a bullring and the Palace of the Giants. 

I was struck by the height at which the knockers to the huge entrance 

doors were placed. They are higher than in Malbork. Stories about 

giants make sense in such places. And cicadas. I came across a 

concert of early music in the palace's gazebo, and they provided an 

amazing background to it, almost arousing anxiety.

Small towns are wonderfully chaotic architecturally. The foundations 

are made of stones placed there hundreds of years ago, and each 

generation builds something on them. Architects probably don't even 

look there out of concern for their health. These houses, in various 

geometric forms, are glued to the rocks.

The only consistent element is white, apart from the Smurf Village, 

which is dominated by blue. During the day, in full sun, the city 

seems deserted or even ghostly. Silence and cicadas. So you can 

imagine what great pleasure I had sneaking through the narrow 

streets and wondering how this place was built over the centuries. 

A true detective and logical puzzle.

Mont Saint Michel, France

 Mont Saint Michel is a rocky island located in the bay of the same name in the English Channel in Normandy, France. 

 

St. Island Michael's Mount in Cornwall with the chapel of St. Michael from the 15th century is its British equivalent.

Initially, the Celtic sun god - Belen - was worshiped on the hill, 

and during Roman rule, the Roman sun god - Mithra. According

 to legend, Julius Caesar was buried on this hill. During the 

Christian period in the 4th century, a chapel of St. was built. 

Stephen and at the foot of the rock the chapel of St. Synforian,

 the first martyr of the Gauls. In the 8th century, a chapel was 

built in a cave shrouded in the legend of Saint. Michael, who 

appeared to the bishop asking to found a church on the rock, 

and then a Benedictine abbey in the 10th century.
 
 


 
The sanctuary was established in a place of worship. Like all 

the oldest Christian temples, it was built in a place of power. 

This applies to almost all the largest Gothic churches that I like

 so much. They were always built in places revered for 

centuries by various types of pagan cults. You can still feel 

the incredible peace and energy filling the soaring vaults. 

Legends still circulate about unexplained phenomena. 

Medieval temples were always aligned east-west. It may 

resemble the original cult of sun and light, but it had a very 

specific function. The most openwork part of Gothic cathedrals

 is always the one facing east, i.e. the chancel ending with an 

apse. For the uninitiated - this is the part of the church usually

 ending with an arch, where the altar is located. Thanks to 

the large number of windows, this part of the building provides

 the most light. The rising sun brings beautiful colorful stained 

glass windows to life. 
 
 


 
Walking through the winding streets and climbing the narrow 

stairs, carved over the centuries by the feet of pilgrims from all 

over the world, you can feel the wonderful atmosphere of the 

medieval city. Most of the buildings are original and very 

beautifully preserved. The dungeons are cold, the gardens are

 green, the stairs are steep and the streets are crowded. 

They force you to work mercilessly, climbing serpentines 

towards the mountain, crowned with a temple. It is a beautiful 

Gothic cathedral, built on the foundations of a Romanesque 

chapel and expanded over the centuries. The first monastery 

was partially carved out of volcanic rock.

Inside the mountain there are many tunnels, corridors and 

rooms. Many of them once served as cells for inconvenient 

prisoners.

The medieval town is surrounded by walls and located entirely

 on volcanic rock. At high tide it becomes an island and an

 impregnable fortress. It is connected to the mainland only 

by a causeway ending with a wooden bridge. At low tide you 

can get to the sandy shore, to the north side, to the chapel 

at the foot of the rock, outside the walls. The city has retained

 its ancient character and is still inhabited by monks and 

owners of tourist attractions. The streets still bear traces of

 their former inhabitants and wanderers.

 A very large part of the complex is open to visitors, and the 

ticketed part is definitely worth the price. I don't know what it 

looks like from the perspective of disabled people because 

I didn't see an elevator, escalators, melexes, etc. You can get

 to the town itself by bus from the huge parking lot or on foot 

along a designated route along a causeway about 2 km long.

 It's definitely a full day trip. It is worth checking when the high

 and low tides are because, depending on the season, you will

 see an island or an oasis. The water flows into the bay very 

rapidly, so it's better not to be surprised by it on the outside of 

the city walls.

Siena, Italy

 Siena is a small hilltop town in Tuscany, Italy. 

 

Legend has it that it was founded by the sons of Remus, which is why the city's coat of arms is a suckling she-wolf. The origins of the city date back to 900 BC. which was initially an Etruscan settlement. The ancient origins of the city create its specific atmosphere. The oldest European bank still operates there today.

 

The center's architecture has retained its ancient character and 

has been included on the UNESCO World Cultural Heritage List.

 The most interesting buildings are, of course, the 12th-century

 Gothic cathedral, Palazzo Pubblico and Torre del Mangia in 

Piazza del Campo. In addition to the cathedral, the religious 

complex includes a baptistery and a campanile. The central 

place of the market square is a historic fountain. The city is 

surrounded by historic city walls. The streets are narrow and 

 cobbled. Walking in a mini I felt like I was in another era and 

another world. Among other things, because Italians have a 

habit of hanging laundry over the heads of tourists. I was 

disarmed by an old lady who was hanging up underwear and 

bedding early in the morning. The entire town is very uniform 

in color. After all, the name obliges. Burnt sienna is a pigment 

obtained from burning limonite clay.

 

It is also home to one of the oldest universities in the world. 

Saint Catherine, mystic and patroness of Europe, lived and 

worked in the city. The main tourist attraction is horse racing. 

There are also gardens with olive trees within the city walls. 

For me, the most characteristic were the cypresses. This is 

what I associate Tuscany with. It is an agricultural region. 

Olive groves and vineyards stretch to the horizon. There is 

this amazing atmosphere of space and peace. This is the 

essence of dolce vita.

Cinque Terre,Italy

 Cinque Terre is made up of 5 towns: Monterosso, Vernazza, Cormiglia, Manarola and Riomaggiore. 

 

It is on the UNESCO World Cultural and Natural Heritage List. Due to the picturesque location and the specificity of the settlement. These towns were cut off from the world until the 19th century. Only then was a railway line built, which allows you to get there easily. The route runs largely through tunnels carved in the rocks. I happened to travel there by car and I definitely do not recommend it. The only advantage of this method are beautiful panoramic views from the peaks. Only these peaks can be reached by a serpentine path of a very narrow path. If you see a vehicle in front of you, you must pull over or it will go into reverse. Then I understood why Italians honk when approaching corners. The impressions are priceless.

The towns are located in the valleys between the peaks. 

Once you safely reach one of them, the idyll begins. 

The landscape is fabulous. High mountain peaks suddenly 

end in the sea with almost vertical cliffs. And here's the surprise.

 There is a narrow path attached to these rock walls, secured 

only by wooden handrails. This is the famous Way of Love. 

I think the name comes from the fact that when you hike it with

 someone, you release so much adrenaline and endorphins 

that you're guaranteed to fall in love. If not in the companion, 

then in the landscape. Here you can feel the monumental 

power of nature on your own skin. The rough sea a few meters

 under your feet is impressive. Here the sea breeze takes on 

a different meaning.



The towns themselves are small and stuck to the rocks. They 

create a specific mosaic of colors and shapes. The gems are 

the tiny historic churches. The Gothic style has retained its 

character here. there is no baroqueization. There is pure form 

and space. When you enter, there is silence and the coldness 

of the stone. A true sacred. The area is famous for its 

vineyards and lemon trees. Lemon souvenirs are everywhere, 

including the signature tincture. The food is simple and the 

coffee is strong. Often, classic Italian espresso is Robusta, so 

it has a sour aftertaste but wakes you up effectively.

Budapest - Buda and Pest

 Budapest is a group of cities connected in the 19th century: Buda, Óbuda and Pest.

It is a large metropolis, a center of culture and science, and a 

health resort with thermal baths. The origins of the city are 

Aquincum, because that's where the Romans named their 

stronghold, built on the site of a Celtic settlement in 89 AD. 

Its heyday was during the Jagiellonian dynasty, when, together

 with Vienna, Prague and Krakow, it was one of the largest 

cities in Europe. It returned to rapid development after the 

Turkish occupation only in 1686, after the city was captured by 

the Habsburgs.

 



Pest is mainly a magnificent parliament, a market square and 

narrow streets between monumental tenement houses. Buda is

 a hill with a castle resembling a park complex. This is where 

the Gothic cathedral, the fishing tower and Gellert Mountain are

 located. The city is very well connected. The oldest metro in 

continental Europe is located here. Tourist attractions include 

rack and cable railways and bridges, including the most famous

 Erzsebet hid. 



For me, Budapest is magical in winter, when there is a 

Christmas market in the square. I love gingerbread, mulled 

wine and regional delicacies. If, like me, you like walks, 

I recommend the end of October because there are already 

Christmas trees and a festival atmosphere, but in sunny 

weather, climbing the hill and the view from it are priceless. 

Buda then has something fairy-tale about it.

Bratislava, Slovakia

 Bratislava is the only capital in the world that borders two countries, Austria and Hungary.

The two most important medieval trade routes intersected here: 

the Amber and the Danube. The city's origins date back to 

Roman times. From 1536, the main coronation city of Hungarian

 rulers, after World War I inhabited mainly by Germans and 

Hungarians, in 1939-45 dependent on the Third Reich, after 

World War II, the capital of Slovakia, which was part of 

Czechoslovakia, and from 1993 the capital of independent 

Slovakia. Due to these vicissitudes of fate, there are 14 

historical names of the city.



The beautiful Gothic cathedral served as a place of coronation 

for 300 years. Nearby there is a castle hill with a park complex.

 Perfect for autumn walks. Another tourist attraction is Cumil, 

a monument to a sewer worker, which is not supposed to 

symbolize anything. The town is neat and clean. It looks 

beautiful in winter with Christmas markets on every corner. 

Narrow streets lead to mysterious nooks and crannies. You 

must try their delicacies, especially these dumplings.



The city has a very touristic but also artistic atmosphere. It is 

not monumental, but rather mysterious. Picturesque and 

inviting for walks.