DeeWanderlust: Madrid, Spain

Posted in Denisse Samantha, Travel: DeeWanderlust by denissesamantha

Hi guys,

This time around I will be sharing my travel adventure in Madrid, Spain. I seriously loved the time I spent in this beautiful city. This place is known for its culture, food and architectures. If you have been following me for a while, it probably seems like I say this all the time, but I seriously think that I get so excited to explore different places, see the beauty in everything and end up loving it!

We stayed in a great hotel called H10 Tribeca. The full address is Calle de Pedro Teixeira, 5, 28020 Madrid, Spain. It was near to a few metro stations and very close to Santiago Bernabéu Stadium. There were a lot of restaurants, tapas bar, pubs and supermarkets surrounding the location.

The food was AMAZING, but perhaps this is because I’m Filipino. The Philippines were colonised by the Spanish from 1521 to 1898. Therefore, the Spanish culture and cuisine influence on us Filipinos are still very strong up to this day.

Best churros in Madrid was from Chocolatería de San Ginés, it was so delicious! This place is considered as one of the oldest cáfes in Madrid, which is located near the Plaza Mayor. I would recommend for you to try their chocolate con churros (unsweetened deep-fried dough dipping in hot dark chocolate, for those of you who doesn’t know 😊).

While in Madrid, I had to pay the Rizal Monument a visit. This is located at the junction of Avenida de las Islas Filipinas and Calle Santander. José Protacio Rizal Mercado y Alonso Realonda (most commonly known as José Rizal) is the Philippines’ national hero. This was built in 1996 and also stands as a replica of the Rizal monument at the Luneta in the Philippines.

I had to visit Mercado de San Miguel as this is one the oldest market in Madrid. I believe it was built in the 1910s and reopened in 2009 after several years of construction. This place is full of life and really reminds me of Borough Market here in London. From gourmet hams, cheeses, paellas, fried seafood and fresh fruits – I feel that Mercado de San Miguel really does have something for everyone.

Santiago Bernabéu Stadium is a famous football stadium in Madrid, with a current seating capacity of 81,044. I believe that this is one of the world’s famous football venues.

Every time we go to a new destination, I feel like it raises our tolerance for uncertainty, just like being out of our comfort zones. When I travel I usually come across situations where things don’t always go to plan. However, this for me is one of the reason why I love travelling – it gives me a chance to explore myself, physically and mentally. When exploring new places, I make it to a point that I would have to visit a church (and just to be clear I am not claiming to be the most holy person, before someone comments regarding religion). I love visiting churches – not only because of the impressive architectures, but most importantly it helps me get a better sense of myself. It helps me reflect, be humble and grateful. The churches in Madrid are amazing, but my favourite on is the Catedral de Nuestra Señora de la Almudena.

Have you been to Madrid before – what was your favourite about the city? If you haven’t, where is your next travel destination?

Lots of love,

6Mar2019

DeeWanderlust: Brussels, Belgium

Posted in Travel: DeeWanderlust by denissesamantha

Hey, nothing new with the intro.. it has always been the ‘I can’t believe I’m back to blogging again’ opening sentence! It has truly been a long time since my last post – exactly 9 months ago. I know that is absolutely terrible but here I go again, trying it for the N^thtime to be consistent with blogging for 2019 🙂

So finally another travel blog and this time it is all about Brussels! From London (St Pancras International station) to Brussels (Gare du Midi station), it only takes approximately 2 hours via Eurostar which I think is amazing. Personally, I had a comfortable journey on the train itself, the temperature was nice and cool, you can bring your own food and wine or any drinks that you wish to have on the train. They also sell food and drinks on board. However, the only problem I found was the disorganised boarding process from St Pancras. Though the checks and passport control was smooth when leaving Brussels, it was the opposite when we were checking in at St Pancras. The queue was long and disorganised but I figured that there were three trains departing few minutes apart from each other (two Paris trains and our train to Brussels) at the time. There was hardly any space and people were sitting on the floor in the waiting area.

The Grand Place (Grote Markt), which is the central square of the city was the main one my list and it did not disappoint when I got to finally see it. It is registered on the World Heritage List of the UNESCO and it is absolutely beautiful. It is surrounded with the guild houses, City Hall and Maison du Roi. I have seen the place in daylight and at night and they are both just as lovely.

In the summer, they have the famous Flower Carpet on the Grand Place and last year’s event was devoted to Guanajuato, which is a Mexican region with exceptionally rich culture and flower tradition.

I love the Mont de Arts area, the first time I went to see it was just before sunset and it was so beautiful, but unfortunately I couldn’t take much photos due to lighting. However, I loved it – we just walked around, chilled after a long tiring day, watched the sunset while there were singers performing by the steps of Mont de Arts (how romantic 😊).

I then made sure that we go back to the place the very next day when it was much more brighter and sunny so I can take photos. Also, when you go up the stairs, you can see a fine view of the lower central city and the whole view of the beautiful flowers/garden.

While on our way to find Parc du Cinquantenaire, as soon as we exited the metro station we spotted the EU building. I saw it before as one of the list to visit for Brussels but I honestly didn’t think much of it. It was so unexpected but I am glad that it was close by to our itinerary and we were able to take photos from the outside of the building.

We also visited some amazing churches and other tourist spots.

After a few days of being a tourist, walking and exploring around the city can get so tiring and draining. Parc du Cinquantenaire was the place where we got to relax. On our way, there was a corner shop where we got our snacks and cold drinks from to bring to the park. We chilled and enjoyed nature for few hours and I must say that it was great being able to go to a tourist spot and yet still get to relax at the same time. Also, when we went around just after lunch time, there weren’t much people which is sometimes nice.

Of course, the other thing that I did enjoy was the food. Mussels, Belgian fries, beer, waffles and chocolates were some of them.

Overall, I was so happy with my Brussels trip. I have been tracking the weather for about a week or two before I went and it was supposed to be rainy and gloomy for all the days that I am staying but fortunately enough it was the complete opposite – sunny and warm.

I will do a separate post for my Brugge, Belgium adventure because it is worth having a separate travel diary for that beautiful city.

Thanks for reading! Let me know what your next holiday destination is. Also, if you have been to Brussels, what were your favourite places and why?

Lots of love,

31Aug2017

My Top 5 Concealers of all Time

Posted in Beauty, Reviews by denissesamantha

I feel like concealer is one of the most important item to have in a makeup bag. I personally don’t just use it for under eyes and to conceal blemishes but I also use it as a primer for my eyeshadow. Sometimes, when I’m lazy or if I am restricted with what I can bring in my makeup bag I would use the concealer to clean up my eyebrows, to contour and to prime my lips.

Throughout the years, I have used so many different formulas and brands from drugstore to high end. I did love Dior Skin Nude concealer and Bobbi Brown creamy concealer for a long time. However, these five items that I’m about to mention are my ultimate faves.

Here are my top five in no particular order:

Maybelline Fit Me concealer

MAC Pro Longwear concealer

Maybelline Age Rewind concealer

MAC Select Cover Up concealer

Rimmel Match Perfection concealer

Let me first talk about the MAC ones: In regards to coverage both are fine for me depending on how I would want to use them. MAC Select Cover Up is a light to medium coverage. This is perfect when you do not have much to cover. It feels very light and not sticky when applied. On the other hand, MAC Pro Longwear offers a full coverage and will be perfect if you are going for an airbrushed make up look. Even though, the consistency is a bit thicker I find that it is still comfortable to wear and has a natural matte finish. In terms of packaging, I would choose the MAC Select Cover up tube, as you can make the most out of the product. I sometimes feel scared that the glass packaging of the MAC Pro Longwear might break. Both products can be pricey but literally a tiny amount is needed, so they should last for quite a while.

I have repurchased all these three drugstore concealers numerous times, most especially the two from Maybelline. They are my absolute favourite as of now. Al three products offer a very natural look and goes on smooth on the skin. They are buildable and can be full coverage but for me personally I do not like layering my concealer that much. I hate the thick heavy feeling and from personal experience they tend to crease more and settle into fine lines when layered. The amazing thing is they all retail for a very affordable price. I think these are such a bargain for the work that it does! I would highly recommend them.

What are your top concealer choices?

Please let me know by commenting down below.

Lots of love from,

4May2017

April favourites

Posted in Beauty, Reviews by denissesamantha

Recently I have been staying away from my usual skincare. For the past few months I have been trying so many different products that my skin got so dry and sensitive at some point. Therefore, I decided to give my skin a break and go back to my old skincare routine. I have been using the Simple range for so many years, not only that the products are affordable but they work amazing too!

My faves out of the range are their micellar cleansing water and their light hydrating moisturiser. I have tried their night moisturiser and I must say that I did not enjoy using it. It felt very sticky and heavy on the skin but the light day to day moisturiser works perfect for me.

ELF daily brush cleaner– Honestly, I get so lazy when it comes to washing my make up brushes. This brush cleaner makes it easier for me to clean in between make up applications. It disinfects the brushes and makes it clean and fresh before use. However, I only use this for quick cleaning and I still do my usual routine for thorough cleaning.

ELF eyeshadow duo– I love these pretty sparkly shadows and I have been using it quite a lot recently. However, I must say that the staying power is not good by itself. Therefore, when I use this I always make sure that I apply an eyeshadow primer.

ELF HD powder– I have a few different brands of powder in my collection and one of my most affordable and my favourite one is the NYX banana powder. I have been alternating my NYX and this ELF powder. So far so good but I don’t think its amazing as I am unsure about the ‘soft focus’ effect. I usually use this to set my foundation.

Aesop remove– Honestly, I still have to give this product a go as I haven’t been using it long enough for me to be able to give my full comment. Initially, I didn’t like the product due to the thickness of the oil and the residue it leaves on the skin after use. I am aware that the oil is probably good for the skin but it is just a personal preference as I got used to micellar waters when it comes to taking off my make up. I decided to add it on my April fave as I have recently been liking it because of its ability to take off most of my stubborn mascara residues. I sometimes struggle to take off my Maybelline Hypercurl Mascara but when I use this it comes off straight away.

Philip B Katira Hair Masque– Love this stuff, it really does make my hair shiny and bouncy when I use it. All you have to do is rub a small amount of this hair masque into a towel-dried hair and comb through. I use it differently, sometimes I tend to leave it overnight but usually I only leave it for about 20-30 minutes.

Eyelashes– Love these lashes when I’m having a break with my all time fave Ardell demi wispies. However, this one looks glam unlike the demi wispies which are perfect for everyday use.

Tempura seaweed snack– I know this is not a beauty related item but I have been obsessed with this snack recently. I just had to add it on my my April faves!

What are the things that you are currently loving?

Lots of love from,

20Mar2017

Top beauty bargains costing under £5

Posted in Beauty, Reviews by denissesamantha

I have been wanting to do this post for so long as I keep finding cheap stuff that I actually end up loving. I decided to only post the products that I use more often and narrowed my list down to few items.

The first product is an angled brow brush, as you can see I picked this one up from Primark for £1. Initially, when I bought it I thought that it wouldn’t last me long and I wasn’t sure how soft the brush end would be. However, I ended up loving this beauty tool. I use this everyday for my eyebrows. The brush is densed enough to use for pomades, eyebrow wax and powders. I also use the brush end to tame down the hairs in the beginning and end of process when doing my eyebrows. It’s only a pound and it lasts for so long, I have not seen it shred or anything and it has been washed so many times! This brush made me want to try primark’s other make up tool collections and see if they are just as good as this one.

This one is supposed to be a face massage tool. It it also from primark and I got it for £1.50. When I bought this, I wasn’t thinking to use it for that purpose. I use this to wash my brushes. I have other tools similar to this but I find that the bristles are too big for my small eye brushes. However, this one is perfect for cleaning them. I use this along with a make up remover soap.

I have also bought a deep cleaning facial wipes from primark for £1. The pack contains 50 wipes together and they are quite good too. Sometimes when I need to wash my brushes straight away I would use the deep cleansing wipes to clean it. Wet wipes are pretty much standard and can be used with a lot of stuff anyway. I usually throw one in my bag as it is perfect for when I’m on the go.

This one has to be my favourite from the list. I had doubts when buying it as I have never tried primark’s range of make up previously. This is the velvet matte lipstick crayon for £2.00. When I swatched the tester I just had to buy it as I liked the shade of brown and how opaque it was. It is creamy enough to glide on the lips and it dries matte. Honestly, it’s not long lasting as other matte lip crayons but it stays on for few hours. I believe this is still decent for the price.

Top tip: Avoid eating oily food like what I did in the photo below. This will make the lipstick stay longer. I was solely wearing the brown matte lipstick without lipliner on this photo.

Another favourite of mine form this list is the MUA undress your skin shimmer higlighter for £3.00. I got this from Superdrug. I loved it when I swatched it, you literally need a tiny amount to have the perfect glow. I have been using this for few months and I still can’t see the dent on the design. I just know this product will last long and that’s if I don’t misplace it lol.

I got this Maybelline mascara for about £3.00 as you can see I stocked up on it as this is what I use daily. I know some people say that it is not good to use waterproof make up everyday. However, I find that it works for me as I usually wear contact lenses and my eyes gets watery. I also have a straight Asian eyelashes, which needs something stronger to hold the curls. I usually use two coats of this by itself or on some days I use it alongside another brand of mascara (usually a more lengthening one).

These ones are Japanese goodies that costs around £2-3 each. My favourites out of the bunch are the eyebrow pencil and the magical eyeliner.

This Real Techniques miracle complexion sponge is something that I love using. I have repurchased this a couple of times as I am not willing to spend too much. I have heard so much good things about the beauty blender but I am currently still happy with this Real Techniques version. I have bought the twin pack previously and this costs £9.99 and the individual one is for £5.99. However, the reason why this is on the list as under £5 bargain is because I usually purchase the individual ones from Boots for £4.49. Boots does this price for it every now and then. Therefore, since I found out I only ever repurchase the individual for the price of £4.49. I still think this is a bargain as the sponge is quite amazing and it works perfect for me!

I hope you find it helpful and enjoyed reading this post.

What are your favourite beauty bargains?

Lots of love from,

11Jan2017

DeeWanderlust: Boracay, Philippines

Posted in Travel: DeeWanderlust by denissesamantha

Boracay is a small beautiful island located in the Western Visayas region of the Philippines. Every time people would find out that I’m from the Philippines, most especially my co-workers, I would always get asked if I have been to Boracay or either they will tell me their experience when they went there. I have been seeing and hearing how amazing Boracay is from international travel magazines, blogs, vlogs and other social platforms. Therefore, when I had plans to go to the Philippines for holiday I definitely made sure that this beautiful island is on top of my list.

Check out that fine, soft and white powdery sand!

No wasting time, I wanted to get all the photos done as quick as possible so I can enjoy the beach 🙂

I love how clear the water is, it is so beautiful. Upon arrival, I was offered if I was interested in the activities. Boracay offers so many activities such as parasailing, paraw sailing, helmet diving, mermaid lessons, island hopping and so much more.

Yummy four cheese pizza from Two Seasons Boracay Resort.

Boracay has the best sunsets! Well, I believe generally Philippines has the most amazing sunsets ever. For the whole time that I stayed in Boracay, I would never dare to miss the sunset. This is also the time when a lot of the paraw sailing comes out as it is the best time for photography.

Boracay is also well known for its night life. There are so many venues to choose from, therefore I am sure the there will be something that will fit your style, whether this may be a wild party or a nice relaxing lounge with live music. There are a few clubs to choose from but if you prefer a certain style of music, it is worth checking their Facebook page first as they usually post what they will be playing on the night.

As you can see I opted for a nice relaxing night!

Bar Hopping with Pub Crawl is really popular in the area. They bring people together and rotate between nine bars/clubs and visit five of them each night.

However, I clearly did not go down that route. I rather have my own drinks and chill!

These are some of the souvenirs that they sell in Boracay but of course they also have the usual key rings, shirts and accessories made with shells. Usually they are able to personalise them and this is what we have bought for friends and family.

This is Kuya Jay, he was the vendor that was walking around by the beach. We purchased some of our souvenirs from him such as craft engraved rock/stones that he made himself. I have read a few blogs and some of them mentioned how annoying the local vendors are as they won’t leave people alone to enjoy the beach. I must say that I had the complete opposite experience, we saw Kuya Jay when we stayed at the Station 1 of the beach and we have told him that we are not interested in purchasing. This is due to my desire of walking around the beach and was not willing to carry items with me at the time. Kuya Jay politely went and walked away from us. However, after seeing him a few times after that, we have bought some of his souvenirs. We had such interesting conversations in regards to how it is being a local in the island. He gave us tips on where to go and eat, which are not the usual tourist spots. In addition to that, we have kept in touch and every few months he sends us sunset photos of Boracay via email. It was so nice to have met some of the locals and made friends with them.

I was so happy that the water was so clear. I was skeptical at first because I was aware how crowded the island gets. However, as you can see the water was so nice and at some point I was able to see the little fishes swim around (that’s how clear it was)!

I missed taho* so much, this brings childhood memories for me. So when there were taho vendors at the beach, I would not think twice to purchase some. It is best to have early in the morning while strolling around the beach before it gets packed with people!

*Taho- is a Philippine snack food, made of fresh soft/silken tofu, arnibal (sweeter and flavouring) and sago pearl (tapioca pearls).

I will always love walking around the beach, it is definitely my thing!

Jonah’s fruit shake and snack bar is a place that I definitely would recommend. It is not a fancy place to eat in but they do have such affordable, refreshing and delicious milkshakes. When we went there, the place was packed with people but we preferred to have our milkshakes by the beach anyway, so it wasn’t a problem for me at all.

Sunsets are so beautiful and dreamy

Loved the clean and clear water, it was so picture perfect with the hues of blue as the water goes further down. It was so relaxing to be in it especially when it is a hot sunny day.

I have this thing with palm trees, theres something about it that makes me feel good. I guess its the tropical, summer vibe it makes you feel. I took a few more photos of palm trees but of course I do not want you to get bored of it so I only uploaded the one below.

I must admit I don’t think all my adventures would have been as fun if it wasn’t for this guy right here. My travel buddy, best friend and life partner! I’m forever thankful for him and I am so grateful that it is him who I share experiences and create memories with. He is such an amazing person and yes I am one lucky girl!

Boracay will always have a special place in our hearts. We have created so many beautiful memories that we will forever treasure. From simple walks while talking about our future, watching the sunsets, having conversations by the beach and exploring the place are some that I will never forget. As the day goes by, I fall even deeper in love with this guy. He makes my life so much more beautiful than it really is and I’m so excited for more adventures with him.

I hope you enjoyed reading my DeeWanderlust- Boracay Island post. Thank you very much for taking the time to read it.

For now, it is time to plan our next holiday destination. Do you have any holiday plans? If so, which destination are you looking forward to go to?

Lots of love from,

17Sep2016

DeeWanderlust: Las Casas Filipinas de Acuzar

Posted in Travel: DeeWanderlust by denissesamantha

Another post on my DeeWanderlust series and this one is all about Las Casas. I very much enjoyed the experience I had here because I have always been fascinated with Filipino history. I was told by our tour guide that some of the houses were built way back from 18th-century. I believe that the houses from different parts of the Philippines were reconstructed ‘brick by brick, plank by plank’. I enjoyed looking around the mansions, wooden houses and stone buildings. The cobblestone streets definitely added drama into the place. It creates that feeling of re-living from the ancient times. The ambiance was lovely; seeing mountains, rice fields and a running river with matching beautiful houses in one place was truly amazing!

Location: Las Casas Filipinas de Acuzar, Brgy. Ibaba Bagac 2107, Philippines

I think having someone tour us around the place was worth it. We were told some stories behind the Casas and it literally took us back in time.

The view was breathtaking; mountains, river, cobblestone and ancestral homes.

The Hotel de Oriente is a premier luxury hotel located in Binondo, Manila. However, this has now re-opened at the Las Casas. The hotel was originally built in 1889 and it served as Philippines first premier luxury hotel.

I got to see the artistic and cultural elements not only of the ancestral homes but as well as its interiors. The paintings has got to be one of my favourite one. The photos below shows some of the paintings inside the houses:

How I wish I can have big paintings like this around my own mansion one day. It’s free to dream right? 🙂

I like the details of this particular house. It’s so cool!

Overall, I had so much fun. As I was entering the premises I read something along the lines of ‘pride in giving you a glimpse of the past, reliving the age old yet distinctive Filipino traditions’. This is exactly what happened, for few hours I got to relive the past and learnt so much about the Philippine heritage but in such a fun way.

Thank you for reading and taking interest in my adventures!

Lots of love from,

31Aug2016

DeeWanderlust: Baguio City, Philippines

Posted in Travel: DeeWanderlust by denissesamantha

Baguio City is the summer capital of the Philippines as it is one of the coolest places in the country.

Last time I was there was more than a decade ago. I was so sure that a lot of things has changed. Therefore, when I knew that I was visiting Baguio City I was so excited. I had so much plans; the places I wanted to go to, things I wanted to see and dishes I wanted to try. However, the problem was I did not have much time to stay in this city. I wasn’t able to stay as long as I had planned to but I did not let that get in the way. I still had so much fun even though it was only a short sweet visit!

Mines View Park is one of the oldest attraction in the city. The photos below shows the entrance of the park. There are no fees to enter the premises.

This is such an amazing photo of the Cordillera mountains.

I love the backdrop of this photo. This shows the lovely view of Benguet’s gold and copper mines as well as the Cordillera mountains.

I had the chance to dress up in full Cordillera regalia. As you can see on the photo below, I got to wear tapis, vest, necklace and a headdress. For men’s, they usually make them wear the bahag, and accessories such as necklace, shield and spear.

In addition, souvenirs were everywhere around this area. They offered different items such as knitted wears, woodwork and food. Unfortunately, I didn’t get to take photos of the souvenirs/market stalls. However, I can say that strawberries, ube jams, cashew, peanut brittle and lengua de gato are the most popular ones. They also have the usual souvenirs such as key rings, t-shirts, hoodies and many more.

I know. I know. I know. How pretty is this pink horse? As soon as I saw it, I just had to take a photo with the adorable pink horsey.

Where have you been recently for your holiday? Comment below and share your experience.

Lots of love from,

29Aug2016

DeeWanderlust: Philippines

Posted in Travel: DeeWanderlust by denissesamantha

Hi guys,

I know I haven’t been posting for quite a while. However, I have so much to post but unfortunately I didn’t have the time to do so. This is an introduction post for my DeeWanderlust series to the Philippines. I will be sharing with you my adventures of my trip to the Philippines.

The thing I love the most about getting on a plane is being able to see from up above. It’s like seeing things in a different perspective. I love looking out the window and taking pictures. I am fascinated about the views, the clouds and everything else that you don’t usually see from the ground. Here are some of the photos I took while on my flight:

Have you been to the Philippines before? How was your experience and what was your favourite place? If you haven’t, please share where you have been recently for your holiday.

Lots of love from,

24Mar2016

DeeWanderlust: Prague, Czech Republic

Posted in Travel: DeeWanderlust by denissesamantha

Prague, Czech Republic is such a wonderful place. It will definitely be a city that I would want to go back to. It offers breathtaking views, historic gardens, gothic cathedrals and many more. I am so in love with Prague and I appreciate the city’s diversity of architecture as they have both historical and modern ones. There are some places that are less known attraction but ended up being the highlight of my trip. The food were amazing and relatively affordable in relation to prices of food here in London. The people were so friendly and helpful especially when I have to ask for directions, they seemed to not be annoyed with tourist asking them questions. They also have few shopping malls such asNový Smíchov, Palladium, Chodov and many more. I love how they have Sephora, I literally went inside Sephora every single day that I was there. I had to take advantage as for some strange reason we don’t have any Sephora stores in London, therefore Sephora line of products are quite hard to get hold of. Overall, I enjoyed my holiday as the city has full of character and life. I absolutely loved every bit of it. Also, when I was there the sun was shining throughout the whole week which made my stay even more amazing!

Prague’s International Airport

Prague’s tram: The tram can actually access places like downtown Prague. These are the locations where the buses do not get to enter. They also have night trams, which runs from midnight to 4:30am but I would reccommend to first check the schedule if you are thinking of using it at night.

Walk around the city: Walking is very much enjoyable in Prague. The good thing about it is that if you are close to a landmark, it is pretty much certain than you are surrounded with other good spots within walking distance. For instance, if you are in Old Town Square, the surrounding places around it are interesting (such as Charles Bridge and Wencelas Square) which are all within 30 minutes walk.

Visit churches: There are full of historical architectures around the city and Prague’s churches are a must-visit. The photo below is St. Salvator Church in Cahrles Bridge, which is said to be one of the largest and most complex building in the Old Town. The baroque architectures, sandstone sculptures and a dome painted with fresco are some of the reasons why I find the St. Salvator Church so majestic. Enjoy the view: I found that one of the best views I got was when I went up the Prague Castle. It was so clear to me Prague is such a picturesque city. I definitely got to admire the ancient side of things and it was definitely something very memorable for me.

Look up at the Astronomical Clock: this medieval clock was installed in the year 1410, which makes it the third-oldest astronomical clock in the world. I would recommend to wait to a round hour so that you will be able to watch the famous moving figures of the clock. This is located in the famous Old Town Square of Prague.

Visit the Old Town Square: This has got to be one of my personal favourite spot in Prague. It is such a historic square, which is located between Charles Bridge and Wenceslas Square. I remember being here and admiring how magical the place looked. It has various architectural styles including the Gothic Church of our Lady before Týn, the astronomical clock and the Baroque St. Nicholas Church. It also features statues and memorials within the Town Square. What I love the most about this place is the vibe. It has such a fun and happy vibe. The place had street performers who were playing satisfying music from classical, pop to rock and other genre. Some were dance performers and magicians. The Old Town Square is a must visit when in Prague.

Try the Czech traditional cuisines: There are loads of great restaurants and cafés all over the city. One of the most popular traditional side dish is knedliky (dumplings), which includes either pork or beef meat with sauce. Tasteful Czech cuisines usually includes chicken, fish, duck, turkey, lamb and rabbit. I found that they also serve Guláš everywhere, which I love because it reminded me of my trip to Budapest. However, goulash actually belongs to the traditional Hungarian cuisine. The dishes mentioned are recommended to combine with beer and Prague offers loads of beer options aswell as their own brand of Pilsner Urquell.

The photo below shows Czech’s traditional cake and sweet pastry, which is called trdelník. It is made from rolled dough that is wrapped around a stick, which they then grill and top with sugar and walnut mix and sometimes even coat with nutella.

I totally enjoyed this potato chip spiral. This particular one from the photo below was located at the Old Town Square. It was perfect for snacks while I waited for the hour to watch the famous moving figures of the astronomical clock.

Cross the Charles Bridge: This is one of the first tourist spot that I got to visit as I crossed the bridge on my first day of getting to the city. I absolutely love the Baroque statues, I have never seen anything like it before. It felt very medieval, it was like I was living in a different era. Even though the place was popular with tourists; it was somehow still very peaceful for me. I was admiring the unique structures of the building and I was definitely loving the vibe. I also got to dine in one of the restaurants by the bridge and it was such an amazing experience. It was very romantic as live classical music was playing while having delicious dinner and of course being surrounded by the beautiful scenery was so memorable.

These are some of the paintings that they sell by the bridge. As you can see, they all look so lovely and the artists are clearly very talented.

Out of all the photo that I took in Prague, the photo below has got to be one of my favorite. It looks so magical and it felt so wonderful being able to witness that kind of view. The river, trees, building and the sky are absolutely captured perfectly in a photo. I loved how the sun was peeking, which is also surrounded with blue skies. It felt like it was shining upon someone or something. I stayed in this spot for quite a while until the sun went down, which was so beautiful to witness.

Tour Prague castle (breathtaking view): The other name for Prague Castle is Pražský Hrad, which is one of the most popular tourist attraction. The castle is located above Malá Strana (the Lesser Town). The good thing is that it is free to enter and wander around the courtyards of Prague Castle. The view in the castle was truly breathtaking as you will be able to see the whole city from a different perspective.

St. Vitus Cathedral: This cathedral is one of the most recognisable landmark in Prague. It is also the most important church in the country as it contains many Bohemian kings and Holy Roman Emperors’ tombs. I love the detail of the cathedral and its gothic architectural style. I admire the cathedral because of its rose window, the mosaic of the last judgement and its intricate stained glass design.

Check out some souvenirs: I would recommend to go to Havelske Trziste Market in Havelska Street for souvenirs as it is cheaper than buying it in the shops or malls. It is a permanent market that offers souvenirs, arts and crafts, chocolates, sweets, wooden toys, leather goods, ceramics, fruits, vegetables and many more. It is located off Melantrichova, a pedestrian route which links Wencelas Square with the Old Town Square.

I enjoyed taking the public transport and the picture below shows how cool their stations are. From my experience, the transport was very much straight forward, reliable and convenient. The stations’ design varies from a modern style to an artistic graffiti walls.