More recently, Lisbon has been a place of unity among EU members.  In 2009, the European Union signed the Treaty of Lisbon.  Like many European cities, Lisbon is made up of various barrios, each with their unique character and charm.

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IF YOU GO: With the austerity measures in place, Portugal and Lisbon need tourist income now more than before.  Don’t be afraid to check out the barrios, there are plenty of trendy shops and restaurants near apartments in Lisbon which are worth checking out. From ancient art to arguably Europe’s greatest collection of modern art, there are plenty of museums and activities to keep you busy.

Photo Credit: Flickr user pedrosimoes7 under a creative commons license.

Travels in Greece are a constant discovery and can be easily discovered from any travel news. The best way to enjoy Greece is given by a careful balance between a cultural visit to an archaeological site or a museum of art and history and a pleasant seaside interval or a stop in a typical drinking ouzo, while the ancient gods, from ‘high Olympus, look at you smiling. Destination for many trips, Greece certainly has a wide range of attractions to offer. The beauty of this country is very well known, which is why the place flourishes with tourists all year round, but especially during summer. As of late, though, there has been quite an uproar on the streets of the main cities. Due to the country’s enormous debt, the government has been trying to apply some new regulations in order to clear said debt. However these regulations take a great toll on the lives of the civilians, who feel they are being robbed blind. Therefore there has been a lot of turmoil in the streets due to strikes organised by syndicates and other political parties.

One of the main problems travelers might face when visiting Greece at this time is regular strikes of the public means of transportation. In other words they will have a hard time getting around, and that applies to even those who rent cars for their stay. Steering clear of the main city streets would be a good idea since more often than we like to admit demonstrators block the streets as a form of complaint towards the government. As you can guess this always leads to unpleasant traffic jams. In fact you can avoid the whole upset by visiting an island, where people will be less tense and it will be easier for you to experience greek culture in a more relaxed environment. A must-see when traveling in Greece, not only for those who want to appreciate the natural beauty of the country but also deepen their knowledge of Greek mythology and history is certainly the island of Crete. Here, between the sun and golden beaches, you can start to discover the ancient Minoan civilization, visiting the Palace and the Labyrinth of King Minos at Knossos, or, in Matala, you can enter the fascinating caves dating back to Neolithic times.

If however after all that you still insist on staying in Athens and are keen on experiencing current history deciding events, then staying at a hotel near the center of the capital, Syntagma is the place to be. The civilians are very frustrated over the state of crisis the country is in right now and may even open up to strangers. You may even get to feel their struggle if you choose to join them during one of their strikes.

In general terms it would be wise to think ahead if you’re planning a trip to Greece at this time.

Author: Elsi Hasanaj lives in Greece and writes for Trip and Travel Blog. Elsi loves the sea and looks for trips on the open water.  He’s been to Mexico, Norway and Scotland. You can find Trip and Travel Blog on Twitter or Facebook.

Polluted. Sprawling. Enormous.

Those were pretty much the first words that came to my mind when I thought about Mexico City and yet, we despite not a single positive word that came to mind, were drawn to visit. Having skipped Mexico City the first time through Mexico in 2009, we were determined to cross it off the list. It feels like we’ve had a taste of everywhere else in Mexico, so we might as well take a stab at the heart of darkness, literally.

And so back in the travel saddle, we found ourselves passing a few days in Mexico City before a wedding.

On our first day in town we went to probably one of the most impressive anthropology museums in the world. The Museo Nacional de Antropología covers all of the famous pre-Columbian peoples in Mexico from the famous Aztecs to the lesser known Toltecs. It was a bit like traveling through Mexico again, each room we visited was another stop through memory lane. Food stalls hawked chili covered peanuts and fried grasshoppers.

On our second day we spent the morning exploring explore Tiotihuacan and the in the afternoon Templo Mayor. I stood in the middle of Aztec ruins, looking at the stone altar where they performed human sacrifice. The city and traffic buzzed around us and the bell tower of the second largest cathedral in the new world shaded us from above.

On our third day I sat in the Zocalo, drinking an ice cold beer, watching the numerous vendors hawk their wares, sat in on a children’s theater performance for dia de los meurtos and watched a man cut himself with glass for money on the metro.

How on earth can I add all of this up into one cohesive tale? It’s like being a part of the Palo Volador, multiple personalities spinning through the air.

My story of Mexico City is much the same of the city it’s self. Layers upon layers of interesting history, hidden gems and stories worth exploring. We crossed the city on the metro, zipping underneath fancy neighborhoods, rundown areas of town, old churches, new sky scrappers and high-rises. The city once paved in gold according to Cortez now sits uncomfortably crowded in the middle of a drained lake, a population pushing resources to the brink. And yet parts of it remains charming. The city parks are alive with young lovers, families and friends enjoying the freedom of sunshine. The base of the angel statue is dotted with teenagers and adolescents hanging about and wherever you go you are greeted by a genuine smile and a firm handshake.

It is a city of discrepancies, a city of multiple personalities not easily summarized in one story.