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Last posts

Vacationing with Kids in Instanbul

Candela Vizcaíno Istanbulite, Only-Be, Practical Guide to Istanbul

The city formerly known as Constantinople, in Turkey, was a bridge between Europe and Asia. Today it’s a perfect destination for traveling with children. In fact, I’ve already discussed three museums that are great with kids, so you are pretty much guaranteed a good time when you visit this part of the world. In addition to the toy, miniature and naval museums, I have 5 more ideas for you today. Get ready! Tram Ride You should take a ride on one of the trams painted in a striking red color in the style of the 1900s. The kids will have a great time, especially if you use it to visit the Grand Bazaar. A fun experience is guaranteed, and your child will be delighted if a local passenger hangs onto the outside like they used to everywhere before doing so was banned in the EU countries. Istiklal Caddesi is the best stretch. Princes´ Islands These are a chain of islands located on which traffic is restricted. The local population uses horse-drawn carriage or horses to travel around the open roads surrounded by nature. An afternoon or morning running freely around here will help calm a nervous child. Rahmi M Koç Museum Located in a nineteenth-century industrial building in the Golden Horn, the building is worth a visit in and of itself. They have a magnificent permanent exhibition with vintage cars and recreational activities designed for children. Your children can pretend to be an airline pilot behind the controls in the cockpit, or experience of being in a submarine and other wonders of science. It also houses restaurants offering local... read more

The Pálinka Festival

Hans Budapester, Only-Be, Things to do in Budapest

The annual springtime Pálinka Festival is the sister event of the Pálinka and Sausage Festival in the fall. As its name suggests, the festival celebrates the Hungarian spirit Pálinka. Each year at the beginning of May, Buda Castle opens up its Hunyadi Court to locals and tourists alike, and over four days, guests have the opportunity to sample a huge variety of excellent spirits and local delicacies. © jokotografy What is Pálinka? Pálinka is a potent local brandy made from all sorts of local fruits. Most commonly, pálinka is made from plums, apricots, pears and apples; however, just about any fruit can be used for pálinka, including raspberries, blackberries and quince. Many locals say that if it can be made into jam, it can be make into pálinka! As you’ll see at the 2013 Pálinka Festival, the Hungarians are proud of their pálinka. It’s considered a “noble drink”, though you’ll find a huge variety, ranging from humble homebrew to top-of-the-line spirits. Celebrating Prime Pálinka You’ll find pálinka at nearly every grocery and liquor store; however, the variety and quality you’ll find at the Pálinka Festival outshines anything you’d find on store shelves. Each of the major distilleries offers up the very best of their produce, and guests are welcome to sample the amazing range of flavors. Along with the major distilleries like 895 Hunnium, Árpád és Vadász Pálinkák, Békési Pálinkaház, Bezerics, and Brill Pálinkaház, you’ll find a whole host of smaller, family-run operations. These small, independent distilleries sometimes offer up the most innovative, creative new flavors, so don’t spend all your time at the big booths. The little mom-and-pop shops... read more

App of the month: Everplaces

Mónica Boixeda Apps and Books, Travel Tips

At Only-apartments we´re keen to make travelling better – easier, more rewarding, better value, and fun – and with a world of apps out there, our mobile phones can be our best friend. So, every month on our blog we´ll be reviewing a new app that we think helps you get more out of your trips. Let us know what you think! Our first app of the month is Everplaces – an app for the iPhone and Android that helps you to store and share your favourite places, reviewed by our Comms manager Rosie. My view: I think I might get addicted to Everplaces. In a nutshell, it’s an easy way for anyone with a smartphone to get hold of some great local tips, and share their own, in a gorgeous looking interface. Everplaces has 11 categories of “place”, including Architecture, Design and Culture. I’ve spent most of my time in perusing Food and Drink, which is a goldmine for people like me, who like eating well but don’t have a Michelin-star budget. I´m also slightly obssessive about sharing my own restaurant tips – as a Brit in Barcelona, I see every day how easy it is to eat badly due to shyness or lack of knowledge, and because this upsets me so much I frequently find myself emailing a huge list of tapas bars out to visiting friends of friends to save them from a similar fate. (The problem with Barcelona is that the best bars and restaurants often have the most unassuming exteriors, but of course, the worst ones do too!) So it was great to have... read more