Willows Beach, Oak Bay, Victoria, British Columbia, Canada

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Willows Beach, is a beautiful sandy beach in the Municipality of Oak Bay, Victoria, British Columbia, Canada, on Vancouver Island. Along the beach we find Willows Park, where a tea-room is run by the Kiwanis Club (volunteer-led organization) in spring and summer. On summer days the public areas are usually full of people. Various clubs and organizations often hold gatherings in Willows Park, including rallies, club meetings, poetry readings, barbecues and family gatherings. A part of the park is on the rocks. There are some trails in the area. It has change rooms, toilets, day use picnic sites, concession (summer only) sightseeing benches, playground, grass lawns and a paved walking trail.
Tips

If you like walking, there’s a walking path that connects Willows Beach to another popular oceanside park called Cattle Point which is part of Uplands Park.
In summer, you must try to arrive early to find a good spot on the beach cause it’s usually crowded.
It’s a good place to go with children and also a good place for the kayaks.

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Salinas Grandes, Jujuy and Salta, Argentina

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The Salinas Grandes in Jujuy and Salta, Argentina, are a small salar or salt desert located on the high plateau of the provinces of Jujuy and Salta. The salar extends in fact to the southwest of the ‘Laguna de Guayatayoc’. It is an expanse area of salt in the form of hard crust, with a thickness of 30 centimetres. You can drive by car on its surface. It is dazzling whiteness, and almost always forms with the blue sky, a landscape of stunning beauty. A nice asphalt road leads directly onto 190 kilometers departing from San Salvador de Jujuy (national road 52). This road (Paso de Jama to Chile) passes through Purmamarca. It takes two hours in total. The Salinas Grandes is located at the small town of Abra de Potrerillo. It is the third salar in importance in South America. Their origin dates back to about 5-10 million years when the place had been covered completely by waters of a volcano. The evaporation of the liquid and its components through the time formed the salar.

Tips

You can visit the Salinas Grandes by yourself or through a local tourism operator. You will find tours departing from the cities of Jujuy and Salta and they generally make a stop to visit Purmamarca and see the ‘Cerro de siete colores’ (mountain of the seven colors) and to take advantage of its market of craft products.
If you decide to go by yourself by car, remember that it is an isolated area with very little villages on the way so have your tank full and carry water and food. Once there, you will find a restaurant.
Don’t forget to bring sunglasses to protect your eyes from so much brightness. Comfortable shoes are recommended.
If you go by yourself, you will have the explanation from the workers working on the spot. They are very friendly and welcoming as all the people of the region.

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Bratislava, Slovakia

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Bratislava, also historically known as Pressburg, is the capital (since 1993) and the largest city in Slovakia, located in the southwest of the country, just across the border with Austria and Hungary and near the border with the Czech Republic. The Carpathians begin on the territory of the city crossed by the Danube. There are medieval towers and even imposing buildings of the 20th century. Unfortunately, big changes began in the 21st century and classical baroque style buildings have been lost and modern buildings were built around the historic centre. There is still a little old, pedestrian centre with coloured houses, cobbled streets and baroque churches. There are also several universities, many museums, theatres and other cultural institutions with a multi-cultural past linked to the presence of ethnic people: German, Hungarian, Slovak and Jewish. To visit: the National Theatre, the National Museum, the National Gallery, the Museum of natural history, the Mirbach Palace, the Museum of watchmaking, the Gothic Cathedral of Saint-Martin, the Palace Grassalkovitch (residence of the president of the Slovak Republic), Bratislava castle, among others. There’s also the New Bridge on the Danube with its panoramic restaurant flying saucer shaped dating from the 20th century.

Tips

The visit of Bratislava is usually done in 1 day, given the proximity of Vienna, you mustn’t sleep there because apart the small old centre there’s no great thing to see.

If you’re there for a weekend, there are several bars, pubs and small restaurants in the historic centre but the atmosphere of bars and breweries is quite young. The panoramic restaurant is quite chic but there is also a pretty nice bar which will also allow you to have a beautiful view over the city without paying a fortune.

Another beautiful view you will have from the castle which is at the top of the city.