travel Archives – TVA Travel

11 things to see and do in Madrid

October 10, 2018March 29, 2020
by tvatravel

The Spanish capital is a city of millions, the 6th biggest one in Europe. Hence it has the entertainment factor to match it and finding things to see and do in madrid can be overwhelming. Madrid became the capital of Spain in 1561. However it has been intricately involved in the rich history of Spain even way before. A lot of this history can still be felt and even seen throughout the city. In later times, Madrid has modernized along with its country, becoming the modern metropolis it is these days. Although it has managed to so while always respecting its legacy.

This makes the city enormously rich in activities and sites to see. I’ve lived in this city for almost 2 years now. But there are still so many things I need to explore. I can only imagine how hard it must be to try and capture the essence of the city in only a few days or even a short weekend. So I have tried to make life easier on you by providing my selection of sites and activities. This list will probably grow over time, while I continue to explore new possibilities. So stay tuned and enjoy my list of things to do and see in Madrid.

Adventures

The 8 best day trips from Madrid

June 9, 2018August 19, 2018
by tvatravel

We have lived in Madrid now already for a year and eight months. During that time we have discovered some really nice places in the city that we now regularly go to: restaurants, parks, whole neighbourhoods, … the Spanish capital can dish up something for the most diverse tastes. I will certainly come back to those in a different post. Here I would like to list my favorite places outside the city. We have done various day trips and weekend trips in the past year. Here I wanted to share the crème de la crème, the cherries on the delicious cake that is Madrid. Here are my 8 favorite day trips from Madrid.

Adventures

Milan for non-shoppers – What to do and see?

May 10, 2018June 13, 2020
by tvatravel

Milan is a great city, fantastic even, or at least that’s what every shopaholic will tell you. They can spend hours, even days roaming around the luxury stores of this Italian metropolis. But what if you don’t like shopping? No worries, there is still plenty you can do and see during your visit to Milan. You can roam around an ancient cemetery, peak at an opera rehearsal, wonder at Leonardo da Vinci’s genius or explore the rich bar and club scene at this trendsetting city. Find out here where to go and what to experience!

Adventures

Cape Town: Climbing Table Mountain

March 2, 2018March 2, 2018
by tvatravel

Table Mountain is omnipresent in Cape Town. You cannot wander anywhere within the Mother City without this gentle giant looming over or dominating the horizon. An essential part of every traveler’s visit to the city logically includes a trip to the top of the Table. Nowadays this is rather easy, you simply buy yourself a retour ticket on the Table Cable Car and off you go. But hey, where is the adventure in that? Wouldn’t it be way cooler if you could say you actually hiked up that monster. Do you want to have the feeling you really deserved that breathtaking sunset? Then by all means, read on! In this post I elaborate on how we conquered the Mountain and put some wine on the Table.

Adventures

Cape Town: 15 things you have to see and…

February 25, 2018February 25, 2018
by tvatravel

Cape Town is often called the Mother City. It got this name from the fact that this city, according to its inhabitants is the only real metropolis in the country. Since metro-polis derives from the Greek words for Mother and City, a new nickname was born. Other less historically correct explanations involve its local dialect featuring the words “your mother” quite often (not many times in a good way). It also apparently takes 9 months to do anything here. What definitely is true is the fact that this is the Mother of all tourist destinations in South Africa. Find out what 14 things you cannot miss during your stay here!

Adventures

The Perfect Responsible Stellenbosch Wine Tasting Tour

February 16, 2018February 17, 2018
by tvatravel

This company is simply genius and offers exactly what the amateur wine enthusiast needs: a safe way to get from one estate to the other and back home

Stellenbosch is not a huge city, nor are there that many historical or cultural hotspots to visit. So why does this seemingly unimportant city have to be on your South-African to-do list? There is one very convincing answer: wine! The entire countryside around the city is filled with huge vineyards and its corresponding estates. It’s basically like doing a Chateau Wine Tour in France. Only a lot cheaper! Find out how to get around to the estates without having to drive your own car.

Adventures

Cape Town Roadtrip: 10 things to do around town

February 9, 2018February 16, 2018
by tvatravel

You do not have to pay an entrance fee to see penguins: if you head to the beach right from the parking spot in the center of town, you will most likely stumble onto some already

Cape Town is the most popular city for tourist in South Africa. The reasons for this are many. Although there is no denial the city itself has a lot to offer for all types of travelers, the area around it is almost as diverse and beautiful as the city’s population. Beautiful nature around the Capes, waddling penguins in Simon’s Town and breathtaking scenic routes along 2 oceans in one day. This and a lot more can be discovered around Town. Find out which 10 sites you cannot miss while roaming around South Africa’s Mother City.

Adventures

Explore the Garden Route: Tsitsikamma & Hermanus

February 2, 2018February 2, 2018
by tvatravel

After being mesmerized and meditating about our place in the universe, we all had to pee due to the sound of the falls

We started exploring the garden route from East to West. We made our way from Port Elizabeth and Jeffrey’s Bay to the beautiful Tsitsikamma National Park. From there our route took us to the Whale Spotting capital of South Africa. However we did not just admire nature but also got our adrenaline flowing when doing the highest bungee jump in the world. Get inspired to add these amazing destinations to your to-do list in this post!

Adventures

Explore the Garden Route: Port Elizabeth and Jeffrey’s Bay

January 27, 2018February 2, 2018
by tvatravel

He casually walked past our car at about 3m distance and all our jaws just dropped

After our adventures in Drakensberg and Coffee Bay, we drove our Ford Figo to the very start of the infamous Garden Route. The Tuinroute is one of the most visited and most beautiful areas in South Africa. We spent four days driving through this amazing landscape. Our first two stops where Port Elizabeth and Jeffrey’s Bay. Find out in this post what to do here and how to enjoy these destination as much as possible. Making them an essential and unforgettable part of your South African adventure.

Adventures

Sani Pass: Hiking the Lesotho Plateau

January 19, 2018January 27, 2018
by tvatravel

With the view gone, we were barely driving more than 30 km/h and we still had a long way to go. We made our way through probably breathtaking landscape that we will never remember, making our way to Sani Pass.

The first stop of our South African Roadtrip was The Drakensberg National Park. That translates basically to Dragon’s Mountain, and yes it was as epic as it sounds. The whole area is amazing to discover but we only had two weeks to cruise through the country. So we picked Sani Pass as our base to explore the amazing nature of Drakensberg. Sani Pass is exactly what it sounds like: a pass that winds up the mountains. It goes from the small village of Underberg to the border with Lesotho. Find out in this post where to stay and what to do here. So you can make this an epic part of your African adventure.

On a budget? Know your budget before you board!