I had never heard of Skagen in Denmark until visiting my friend who lived in Aarhus. Knowing literally nothing about it, immediately I said yes. And I was so glad I did. Even though we visited in the off season in winter, November to be precise, I felt like I was able to get a…
Belogradchik Fortress is one of those places tourists often skip when planning a Bulgaria itinerary, whether it’s because of its remote location or, more likely, because they’ve never heard of it at all. But honestly, both those reasons are exactly why it’s so magical. And in three years of living and traveling Bulgaria, the day…
From alpine lakes to museum towns, here are tons of day trip ideas from funky Sofia.
![Seven Rila Lakes Hike, Bulgaria: The Definitive Guide [2026]](https://eternalarrival.com/wp-content/uploads/2026/01/Rila-Lakes-4EDB20B6-D6C6-458A-8FDF-5E699611E7D4-768x513.jpeg)
Bulgaria is made for hiking… in fact, more than 20% of the country is covered in mountains, making a good hike rarely far away. As a big lover of the mountains, that was exactly why I chose to live in Sofia of all places: I loved the constant view of Mount Vitosha, towering 2,290 meters…
Of all Bulgaria’s top tourist attractions, Rila Monastery figures highly on that list. And yes, it’s absolutely worth the hype. In fact, it actually may not be hyped enough, in my opinion. Tucked into the piney Rila Mountains, its Eastern Orthodox architecture stands out against the nature it’s hiding in: classic striped arches, jewel-toned frescoes,…
If you’ve seen even one photo of Meteora, you probably have already decided that it’s a must on any Greece mainland itinerary. Giant rock pillars rising from the landscape, with monasteries balanced on top as precarious as Jenga towers and endless valley views below… it’s one of those places that doesn’t look real, until you…
I’ve always wanted to go to the Cité du Vin in Bordeaux. I’m deeply invested in wine (I’ve written so many posts about wine on this blog, sharing my nerdy oenophile knowledge with you!). So naturally, going to an entire museum completely dedicated to wine was basically the culmination of a decades-long obsession. My family…
I won’t bury the lede here: I didn’t hate visiting Pompeii without a guide. How could you? It’s one of the best-preserved, vastest archaeological sites in the world. But also, I wouldn’t do it that way again. While I have to admit that Naples is probably my least favorite city in Italy, I’ll happily give…
![7 Magical Things to Do in Abisko in Winter [2026]](https://eternalarrival.com/wp-content/uploads/2016/06/abisko-national-park-frozen-waterfalls-768x576.jpg)
After all the travels I’ve done — more than 70-something, depending on how you count it — it’s hard to pick favorites. But some places linger in my mind longer than others, and one of those was my first trip to Abisko in the winter. In fact, I actually visited Abisko before I ever even…
