5 Tips on How to Travel in Finland For Cheap
If you’re used to South East Asia, or if you’re a fan of $30 a day backpacking budgets, Finland is gonna be a shock to the system, this place is pricey. But with the Northern Lights, Lapland, Santa Clause’s official [...]Read More..
Partying for Vappu in Helsinki
My mission from Asia to Europe by land is now officially complete. I made it to Europe, jumped on the bus from St Petersburg to Helsinki. I actually left Russia one day early in order to reach Finland for the [...]Read More..
Crazy Things On the Trans Siberian Route: My Highlights
Russian only grants 30 day visas, and considering the train itself takes about 7 solid days, it doesn’t give you a lot of time to do what you wanna do as you make your way along the journey. That combined [...]Read More..
Getting Naked and Renting out a Gay Russian Bath House
So apparently Russian bath houses are all the rage, a bit like the Scandinavians and their saunas, so being the willing tourist I am I thought I’d sample a bit of it. My guidebook had it down as a ‘must [...]Read More..
2 Days in St Petersburg
St Petes is to Moscow what Beauty is to the Beast. After a month in Russia I thought I had worked out Russian cities, with their Soviet hangover still lingering, mass apartment blocks, they were interesting if not pleasing to [...]Read More..
Backpacking in Moscow – 5 Best Things I saw
It only cost me $300 in visas, 10 nights on trains and too many bottles of vodka to county to finally make it here, and it was worth all the effort. Moscow, I’d heard, was in the top 5 most [...]Read More..
The Best Bits of Cornwall in Summer
Cornwall is truly a fantastic holiday destination in summer time, guaranteed to give you fun times on beaches, plenty to savour culturally and food good enough to write home about. Not only this but a holiday is Cornwall will save [...]Read More..
Five cool and popular nightspots in Madrid
The Spanish capital is one of the most vibrant cities in Europe, with so many attractions to see and things to do that it’s complicated to know where to start. Which to choose and which to discard is a complicated [...]Read More..
Riding the Trans-Siberian a journey from East to West
EDITOR: Today, Ian, a good friend of mine has written a guest post about our awesome journey through Siberia, Mongolia, Kazakhstan and Russia – he blogs about his travels at borderlesstravels.com The Trans-Siberian from Beijing to Moscow is by [...]Read More..
Visiting the Russian circus in Moscow
When in Rome and all that. So I finally made it to Moscow, 6000km, endless nights in trains, a huge detour through Kazakhstan but at last I’m here. I’ve dreamt about visiting Moscow for over a decade, I wanted a [...]Read More..
Some remains of wartime Berlin
Today, Berlin is one of the best cities in Europe to live in. Its contemporary and liberal lifestyle, it’s cool culture and its young and thriving population make the German capital into one of the most attractive European capitals. However, [...]Read More..
Getting from Russia to Kazakhstan: Omsk to Astana
I don’t like to follow people’s paths, I always have a burning desire to blaze my own trail, to find my own way to when I subscribed to taking the Trans Siberian railroad from China to Russia, 1/3 of the [...]Read More..
Things to Bring On the Trans Siberian Train with You
The most epic train journey of them all, and one which every traveler has on their bucket list, the Trans Siberian conjures images on Soviet train carriages, drinking Vodka with people in your cabin, vast landscapes and huge distance – [...]Read More..
Things to see in Irkutsk
A wholly underappreciated and often skipped leg of the Trans Siberian railiroad, Irkutsk really surprised me with it’s sights, atmosphere and cheap vodka. I guess it could be said that this is actually my first leg of the Trans Siberian [...]Read More..
Going to Lake Baikal, the World’s Deepest Lake
My first stop on the Trans Siberian proper was Irkutsk, from all accounts it was meant to be quite dreary, non-eventful stop but after a day of sightseeing and a night of vodka, I certainly don’t subscribe to that. That [...]Read More..
Motorcycle culture and the Italian MotoGP Grand Prix in Florence
Wherever we go in Italy, we see that most people choose to travel around the city or to nearby places by scooter or motorbike. This is definitely a Mediterranean trait, since it happens in most southern European countries. However, in [...]Read More..
Portugal named cheapest place to eat in Europe
With the unstable financial situation of the UK unlikely to improve anytime soon, budgets are certain to be the main priority for holidaying Brits. For this reason, Portugal is expected to remain one of the most popular destinations, having recently [...]Read More..
The 3 UNESCO World Heritage Sites in Cyprus
The third largest island in the Mediterranean (although strictly speaking it’s located in Asia) is quite difficult to define, with half the island under rule from the Greek Cypriot government and the other half under rule from the Turkish Cypriot [...]Read More..
The 5 Best Ski Resorts in the Alps
I’m almost finished my Trans Siberian trip (taking an 81 hour train to Moscow the day after tomorrow!) so Europe beckons for the first time in a couple of years. I’m really excited about trekking through Europe for the rest [...]Read More..
Bucket List: La Tomatina
After getting far too excited about my upcoming trip to Europe (currently making my way there, in Mongolia at the mo) I’m trying to tick off some more bucket list activities. Running of the Bulls is high up on my list for [...]Read More..
The Trans Mongolian Train Beijing to Ulaan Baatar: My experience
For anyone who’s interested in taking the train from Beijing to Ulaan Baatar, I thought it’d be cool for you guys to see what it’s actually like, so here’s a quick recount on my time on the train. Being [...]Read More..
‘Peixe em Lisboa’, Lisbon Food and Flavours.
Peixe em Lisboa is the annual food festival dedicated to fish and seafood, Portugal’s biggest gastronomic event. The best chefs and the freshest fish gather for 10 days in April to bring you the best fish dishes in Lisbon. In [...]Read More..
What Visas You Need to Get in Advance to Take the Trans Siberian Railway
I’m almost in Beijing already, from there I’m gonna jump on the train to Ulan Bator, the capital of Mongolia, and my trans Siberian train adventure will have finally started. It took quite a lot of work, and a fair [...]Read More..
Why Menorca is the Best of the Balearics
When it comes to the Balearic Islands, everyone has their favourite. Party animals like Ibiza for its crazy nightlife, families like Majorca for its bustling friendly beach resorts, Formentera attracts nudists (hey, I’m not judging!) and I just so happen [...]Read More..
What to do on a rainy day in Barcelona
Encountering rain on your holidays is something very annoying, especially if you go to a city like Barcelona where you expect good weather and sun to be reigning in the skies. However, it does rain in Barcelona and here are [...]Read More..
Northern Ireland’s New Titanic Show Live on OneStep4Ward.com! View below…
As a proud Irishman (Northern Irish at that) I never get fed up with bragging about the Titanic being built in Belfast, Northern Ireland. So when I had a chance to help promote an awesome new Northern Ireland initiative, I [...]Read More..
How to Buy Your Trans Siberian Train Tickets in Beijing, China
I’m about to embark on my epic journey through Mongolia, Russia and Kazakhstan on the transsiberian railway. Trying to keep it cheap, I wanted to buy the tickets destination by destination as opposed to buying the whole thing in one [...]Read More..
Three unmissable spring festivals in Budapest
There is no excuse for not travelling this spring to Budapest where, in the space of two weeks, we can enjoy three of the best festivals in the city: the Pálinka Festival, the Jazz Spring Festival and the Craft-Beer Festival. [...]Read More..
The Belle Époque in Paris
There’s a special aura about Paris. The City of Light has that intangible thing that we feel and makes us realise that this isn’t just any ordinary city. During our stay in Paris apartments we notice that walking out on [...]Read More..
The Hohenschönhausen Memorial and the Stasi in Berlin
The Hohenschönhausen Memorial is a museum and a memorial located in what was the main prison in East Berlin, which was run by the Stasi, the secret police. The story of the Stasi is a fascinating one that shaped East [...]Read More..
The Giant’s Causeway in Northern Ireland – UNESCO World Heritage Site
I’m a proud Irishman so I thought I’d take the opportunity to promote Northern Ireland, my home country. Northern Ireland has a very chequered recent past with its religious issues, I wrote a quick explanation here, but with all that [...]Read More..
The Metro Guide to Barcelona
Barcelona has an extensive metro network that takes you everywhere in the city at a very small price. Here’s a guide and route of landmarks and sites in Barcelona that you can get to by using the city’s underground system, [...]Read More..
The Canary Islands explained
Time for another geography lesson folks! I was getting frustrated at someone from an unnamed country (I’m sure you can guess) and their sheer lack of understanding about the geography of Europe, then I took a step back and realised [...]Read More..
4 Strange Sights the UK Has to Offer
A trip to the UK isn’t all tea parties and royal watching. Throw those stereotypes of the uptight English out of the window and visit some strange and unusual locations on your next holiday in the UK. St. Leonard’s Church [...]Read More..
A walk around the Dorsoduro in Venice
Venice is a city whose beauty and expensiveness are on a par, and we all know how beautiful Venice is. It’s also a city full of tourists who visit St Marco’s Square, the Ponte Rialto and all the surrounding areas, [...]Read More..
The 7 Man Made Wonders of the World
All this 7 wonders stuff gets complicated when you start hearing about the seven wonders of the ancient world, the seven wonders of the modern world, the underwater world so I thought I’d confuse things further with a post about [...]Read More..
5 Awesome Facts About France
With my trip from Asia to Europe impending (Kazakhstani visa granted today!) I’m starting to get really excited about all the destinations to hit up in my home continet. I’ve never really traveled that much around Europe but I’m so [...]Read More..
Barrios in Madrid
The Spanish capital, like all big cities, has different districts, ‘barrios’ in Spanish, that are totally different to one another where you can find all sorts of different things. Here are some of the most important ones and what you [...]Read More..
Top 5 Sights in Florence
Love is in the air I guess, after yesterdays love fest following up from Valentine’s day. With my upcoming trip to Europe, I thought I’d hit up Florence for the top 5 sights there. Check out the best things to [...]Read More..
The 5 Most Romantic Destinations in the World
After paying over the odds for a Valentine’s dinner in Bangkok last week, I thought I’d continue in the same vein and get all loved up with 5 sexy places around the world. If you’re trying to lure your sweatheart [...]Read More..
Where to Ski in 2012
With more than 200 resorts to choose from in Japan, France and the US and hundreds more in Germany and Austria to boot, skiers are spoilt for choice. (http://www.onthesnow.com/regions.html) Whether you’re planning group ski holidays or a solo snow adventure [...]Read More..
Climbing Mount Teide, Spain’s Highest Mountain
After climbing Kilimanjaro, checking out Mount Fuji, hiking up Mount Kinabalu and trekking to Everest base camp, I’m starting to get a thing for mountains, so the next one I’ll be taking on is Mount Teide in Tenerife, Spain in [...]Read More..
Outdoor activities in Paris
Paris is a huge city where, like all big cities, most tourist activities revolve around visiting museums and monuments. Here are some alternative things to do in the City of Light: When we think of things to do in Paris [...]Read More..
5 Best Football Matches to Watch Around the World
Traveling the world is a awesome, traveling the world and watching football (soccer to you yanks) is even better. I’m a massive football fan and whether it’s pretending to be a scout at a Kenyan premier league game (long story) [...]Read More..
The Best 5 Bungee Jumps in the World
aWhat’s life without a bit of near-death experiences, right? With that, I thought I’d roll out the best 5 bungees in the world including 2 I’ve had first time experiences with. If you’ve never bungeed before then it’s gotta be [...]Read More..
Walking around Portugal
If you are not an architect or architecture geek and/or student you may not know much about contemporary Portuguese architecture as it doesn’t enjoy as much fame as superstar Spanish or British architecture by Santiago Calatrava, Richard Rogers or Zaha [...]Read More..
Madrid bars and clubs
Madrid nightlife, its lively streets and the Spanish way of having fun have become known worldwide through the so called movida and Pedro Almodovar’s movies. Nevertheless if you ask a 40 year old madrileño about it, he would try to [...]Read More..
Barcelona – The Mecca for Ham
One of Spain’s food specialties is known to be Iberian Ham, in the native language known as Jamón ibérico or pata negra. There are many different types depending on the region, how long it was cured, what type of pig [...]Read More..
How to keep your look fine while travelling
I’m going to write today about something I don’t usually do, but as far as I am concerned, there are reasons why to slightly concern about. The point is that there’s an abysm between people who cannot leave their [...]Read More..
Things to Do in the Isle of Wight
Just 6 miles off the coast of the south of England, the Isle of Wight is certainly off the beaten track of Europe’s backing trail, but that’s not to say it’s not worth a visit. Things are changing and the [...]Read More..
Things to do in Berlin for Christmas
If you’re are travelling to Berlin for Christmas, first thing you need to do, unless you come from Finland or some extremely Northernmost area, is to take a good coat. Ok, check out Berlin for Christmas: Christmas Markets If you like [...]Read More..
Favourite spots in romantic Northern France
As a kid I spent many happy holidays in Northern France, but it was only when I jumped on a ferry to France with my wife decades later that I appreciated just how wonderfully romantic many of its lovely old [...]Read More..
Get off the Traveller Trail and Explore the Canary Islands
Travellers love an adventure. Whether to you this means spending days camping out in the wilds of the Amazon rainforest, trekking to the top of Mount Kilimanjaro or simply trying to cross the road in Vietnam, it can be hard [...]Read More..
Christmas in Madrid – Cortylandia
The most wonderful time of the year is upon us and the decorations are an essential part of the Christmas season. Everywhere you look you will see festive lights and on the big public squares big Christmas tree are set [...]Read More..
Partying in Spain: Island or Mainland?
Spain has more than its fair share of beaches, cities and party hotspots. The difference though between this country and others is that these partying Mecca’s are not found in or around the same place or dominated by one big [...]Read More..
Top 5 Best Places to See A Show in the World
When movies, bars and restaurants become a little too familiar to fill your evenings with, it’s time to branch out and experience something new. I was in this situation in Bangkok myself recently, so I googled what to do in [...]Read More..
Christmas in Rome
The Christian faith views Christmas as one of the most important holidays of the year. In a Catholic city like Rome the Christmas celebrations are still kept very traditional. Many Roman families actually abandon the city over the holidays and [...]Read More..
Top 5 Things to Do in Madrid
Warm culture, amazing architecture and sexy Spaniards, Madrid is a city that everyone needs to visit once in their life. Spain’s capital is full of awesome things to seedo, and whether you’re looking for some banging bars or a rustic [...]Read More..
3 Cities to Visit This Winter
If you have a soft spot for chunky knitwear, roaring fireplaces and snowflakes that ‘stay on your nose and eyelashes’ then a winter wonderland might just be for you. With winter closing in on us fast, have a look at [...]Read More..
Backpacking in Newcastle
As a host city for the 2012 London Olympics, Newcastle is more on the map than ever. With the buzzing city looking great after the generation, and some beautiful countryside nearby it’s bang on the money for backpackers wanting to [...]Read More..
Backpacking in Yorkshire
Continuing on from Cumbria and the Peak District, I’m going to continue to sing the praises of the English countryside. Next up is Yorkshire, so when you’re backing in England be sure to head over here to check out some [...]Read More..
Backpacking in Cumbria
Cumbria is a county in the North West of England, famous for Hadrian’s wall (UNESCO site) and it’s awesome national park – the Lake District (which, as rumour has it, is going to become a UNESCO world heritage spot very [...]Read More..
Three veggie restaurants in Florence
A bad place to be a vegetarian or veggie would be Argentina, or Spain where beef is an essential part of the food. But fortunately enough for you, veggies around the world, I will talk about a good country to [...]Read More..
Backpacking in Malta: Top 6 things to see in Malta
100 km south of Sicily, Italy Malta is the sort of island country where people seem to live forever. The country is actually made up of three islands (Gozo and Comino) where Malta is the largest. With Malta being accessible [...]Read More..
Backpacking in the Peak District
After chatting about the things to do when you go backpacking in Wales and Scotland last week, I thought I’d being it back to England. The general backpacking trail in England struggles to get out of London, and if it [...]Read More..
Top 5 things to see and do in Scotland
Following up from yesterdays top 5 things to see in Wales, I thought I should share the love with my whisky-loving friends further north. Scotland’s weather might keep a lot of the backpackers away, but those of us who make [...]Read More..
Top 5 Things to See and do In Wales
Backpacking around Europe is one of the most popular traveling trips around, and as an Irishman, I’m disappointed that most people don’t make it to Ireland, Scotland, Wales and, London aside, most of England. When you’re crossing borders on trains [...]Read More..
3 Restaurants for Thai and Pinoy Food in Barcelona
Visiting a foreign place it is part of getting to know the culture and in the case of Barcelona one simply can’t leave without having eaten at a great seafood restaurant. I have lived in 3 Barcelona apartments , I [...]Read More..
The Ferry from England to France: Five things you never knew
I know, I know another post about awesome boats, what can I say – it’s the best way to travel!! Anyway, jumping on board the ferry to France is one of the best ways to make the short trip across [...]Read More..
5 Best Things to see in Menorca
Ibiza and Mallorca may steal all the limelight, but they also steal most of the package tourists so while those guys are all lined up on 10 million sun beds on the a crowded beach, you can explore the less [...]Read More..
2 Days in Berlin
Berlin is a massive city, and it’s pretty tough to squeeze it all into a couple of days but us hard-core backpackers need to undertake a spot of speed-tourism now and again to keep costs down and experiences up! This [...]Read More..
5 Action Packed Activities to do in Austria
In the days when backpacking means too much booze, full-English breakfasts and traveling by air I thought I’d mix things up, help us dust off the cobwebs and get active. Austria has a lot to offer backpackers and I could [...]Read More..
3 Cities Not to Miss When You’re in Spain (forget Madrid and Barcelona!)
Spain attracts far too man package tourists and not nearly enough travelers considering the wealth of sights they have to offer. So I’m gonna go out on a limb and say forget Madrid and Barcelona and check out these 3 [...]Read More..
Staying at motels in the UK
* This is a guest post. John Hutchinson has enjoyed travelling since he was a young boy when his parents first took him to visit family overseas. Since leaving home, John has tracked down family all over the world and regularly [...]Read More..
5 Awesome Places to Visit in Portugal
If we can get over our mutual hatred for Cristiano Ronaldo, Portugal can be a great place to visit on your trip to Europe. It has managed to create a reputation for itself as a boozey, lads holiday type of [...]Read More..
Europe to Africa by Boat
Crossing countries by land is a cool thing to do, crossing continents? Even cooler! Here’s a quick look at escaping Europe and heading into Africa without taking a flight. If your heart is set on arriving in Africa by boat [...]Read More..
Dalaman, Turkey – Time to Chilllllll
After yesterday’s discovery of one the ancient wonders of the world in Turkey (Halicarnassus), I’m planning my trip further afield in this crazy country. 225km from Bodrum, where Halicarnassus is found, is the perfect place for the next stop. After [...]Read More..
Bucket List: Seven Wonders of the Ancient World, Halicarnassus
I’m still chilling in Bangkok, setting up a few online things, longing for my awesome trip next year, spending far too much time on the internet dreaming about my destinations when I stumbled across Halicarnassus, one of the seven ancient [...]Read More..
Bucket List: Running of the Bulls
Straight to the top 10 in my bucket list is the ‘Running of the Bulls’, held in Pamplona, Spain each year from the 6th to the 14th of July. What is the ‘Running of the Bulls’? Held in a few [...]Read More..
When Is Oktoberfest, and what is it anyway?!
Anyone self respected backpacking boozer will know exactly what, when and where this amazing festival is held however, on the off chance it’s slipped your mind through some drunken stupor, let me full in some details. I’m heading this way [...]Read More..
5 Day Trips Outside London
London is a humongous city, one in which you could spend a week or two exploring, but when you’re on the road that city life can get to you! So if you’re feeling the urge to escape London for the [...]Read More..
Best 5 nightclubs in Ibiza
Temples, treks and tigers are all well and good when you’re on the road. But sometimes you just need to cut loose and party. With new party hot spots popping up all around the world, it can be tough to [...]Read More..
2 day itinerary for London
London town – everybody gets here eventually! When you finally make the journey to England’s capital you’re going to want a set itinerary otherwise you’re budget will be straight out the window, London is pricey so my advice is to [...]Read More..
5 sites not to miss in Edinburgh
The Whisky capital of the world? Maybe, and that should be enough to draw the tourists in. If not, there’s a lot more to boot! Though the essence of the cosmopolitan world has started looming large in the city it [...]Read More..
Accommodation in London
With the Olympics just around the corner, finding somewhere to crash in London is on the lips of the world! And unfortunately most of them don’t come cheap. Finding accommodation in London really depends on what type of accommodation you [...]Read More..
Getting Around England
From the breathtaking scenery of the Lake District to London’s hustle and bustle, England has a variety of must-see attractions spanning the length and breadth of the nation for tourists to sample. And getting about in a country like England [...]Read More..
Things to do in the Lake District
When you live somewhere, that places seems to lose it’s exotic allure. So here I am sitting in my apartment in Bangkok and become all too blasé by all Asia’s natural beauty, it’s distinct architecture, amazing food etc. Then I [...]Read More..
A Quick Guide to Backpacking in Paris
Paris oozes culture, sophistication and style which is why it is so often the highlight of a trip around Europe. With so many monuments, museums and old architecture to feast your eyes on, you’ll find it difficult to leave (until [...]Read More..
Taking a political tour in Belfast, Northern Ireland
Belfast, the Capital of Northern Ireland, is a city with a distinctly checkered past, a past that belies the laid back, welcoming nature of the people who live there. One of the most poignant, fascinating and eye-opening things to do [...]Read More..
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OneStep4Ward is always on the look out for talented bloggers to guest write posts, with links back to their sites. 