Taking a chiva tour is a touristy way to get acquainted with some of the highlights of Cartagena. A chiva is a colorful bus that was historically used in more rural parts of Colombia (and sometimes used today). Many cities now use them to give tours or as party buses.
One of the fascinating things about La Paz are its seemingly never-ending maze of street markets in the city center. Tents, stalls, or sometimes just blankets on the ground line the streets selling just about everything you can imagine. Do you need vegetables for a big dinner party? Head to the streets. Are you looking for a pair of socks, a light bulb, shampoo, and perhaps a toilet seat? You’re in luck!
Retiro is centered around Plaza San Martín, an impeccably landscaped park just to the north of the city center of Buenos Aires. The plaza is a great place to sit and people watch under the shade of tall trees.
Barrio Monserrat is the oldest neighborhood in Buenos Aires, Argentina, located to the south of Avenida de Mayo.
Microcentro is the smaller section of El Centro (Central Buenos Aires) to the east of Avenida 9 de Julio. This area focuses on that section, while another entry on El Centro describes the area west of Avenida 9 de Julio.
I took the 405 bus that runs along Alameda, and a half hour later, I found myself in Vitacura. This posh area is home to some of Santiago’s wealthiest citizens. With tree-lined streets, large homes behind high walls, and lots of small art galleries, I felt like I was in Southern California. I love Southern California, but I don’t mean that positively.
I decided to start my exploration of Santiago by walking through the neighborhood I live in – Barrio Bellavista. It’s popular with foreigners and young Chileans, and is known as the bohemian quarter of the city.
Akadimia (Ακαδημία), which translates to “Academy”, is an important area of Athens full of impressive buildings and educational institutions.
Monastiraki is a neighborhood in the city center of Athens known for its flea market, archaeological sites, and entertainment.
The modern city center of Thessaloniki is the area near the sea. There are plenty of interesting things to find, including ancient ruins, Byzantine churches, post-Byzantine churches, and Ottoman buildings, but this post will focus on a few of the other places to visit.