BUENOS AIRES, ARGENTINA

One of the most exciting trips we've had, to say the least. Buenos Aires is one of the most convenient cities you can travel to. People are very pleasant and helpful, restaurants, bars and stores (pretty much everywhere) accept most currencies (U$, R$, € (that I know)), making it a very attractive city for tourists. 

Casa Rosada

"Casa Rosada" was a 10min walk from our hotel and it is a beautiful building with a cute little square right outside. 

The food was absolutely delicious with great local beer and amazing dessert (try the Dulce de Leche and Pizza). 

Downtown is definitely worth your time. It's filled with stores and bars (they even have a monument just like the "Washington Monument"). The "Teatro Nacional", "Plaza Liberdad" and "Teatro Colon" are all within a 10min walk from each other and are definitely a must see. 

We also went to the "La Bombonera" (Boca Juniors' Stadium) which turned out to be pretty cool. The streets were beautifully decorated and they had "Tango" dancers outside and inside most restaurants (great show to watch while dining). 

La Bombonera

Our favorite part of the trip though was when we took a tour about an hour outside Buenos Aires to the indescribable "Zoo Lujan". It's very difficult to describe such a different and amazing experience. This was one of the best experiences of my life, unforgettable. The ticket is AR$400 (for foreigners) and you get to spend the whole day (9am-5pm) interacting with all kinds of wild animals at the zoo.

Zoo Lujan

There are no words to describe how glad I am to have taken this trip have had experienced such a joy. 

JERUSALEM, ISRAEL

The Holy City is hard to describe. It's so amazing and overwhelming. When we first arrived, we actually felt something, like a warmth going through our bodies. Very strange feeling. I was afraid at first because of the constant conflict with the Palestinians, but once we were there, it made me feel safer than many other countries we've been to. 

The  "Western Wall" is one of my favorite sights at the Israeli capital. My husband and I walked there from our hotel (10min walk) every day, sometimes to say a prayer, sometimes just to watch the people walk around. It is actually pretty calm and peaceful. We caught an IDF routine by the wall while we were there and it was so much fun! The underground tunnels of the western wall were a very interesting tour to take.

Western Wall

The "Yad Vashem" is an amazing museum with the saddest history to tell. I'm glad I was able to make it there. You can take the train from the Old City and the stop is about 5min walking down the road. Definitely a must see. 

The "Mount of Olives" is a must see in my opinion. There's an spectacular view of the "Old City", we went up there twice and the first time we even rode a Camel, it was a great experience!

We took a taxi up there (no way to walk up, way too steep and hot) but we managed to walk back down.

Mount of Olives 

The "Old City" is the heart of Jerusalem and besides all the holy sights churches and temples is also the home of very nice markets and great restaurants. We went several times to the markets and I absolutely loved the delicious Israeli cuisine (best hummus and pita bread I've ever had).

Jerusalem is conveniently located close to the main tourist cities in Israel. From the Holy City we booked tours literally, everywhere. We visited Nazareth, Haifa, Bethlehem, Jericho, Akko, Galilee, Caesaeria, Tel Aviv, Tiberius, the Jordan River (many people get baptized there because it's the same river where Jesus of Nazareth was baptized by John the Baptist) and the Golan Heights but, my favorite tour was definitely to "Masada" and then spending the day at the "Dead Sea". Absolutely unforgettable, Israel is definitely a country worth going back to.

Masada Desert

ROME, ITALY

So many sights to see, so much history to learn... Rome, cradle of civilization, it's just plain incredible. 

We stayed at a hotel a few blocks away from the Vatican (which by a technicality it's not really Italy anymore) and that made our life so much easier. We could walk everyday by "St. Peter's Square" and stop for a few minutes to appreciate the beauty of "St. Peter's Basilica".

St. Peter's Square

On Wednesdays and Sundays, Pope Francis holds a mass right outside at the square. We were fortunate enough to catch that mass and it's definitely worth the wait. If you want to take that "once in a lifetime opportunity", be at the square by 8:30am so you can dodge that mile long line. After the mass you can go inside the Basilica and believe me, it's so worth it. It's free so no need to worry unless you want to go up the tower to see  the beautiful skyline from the basilica (tickets can be purchased there and if I remember correctly there are 551 steps). 

The subway system is very packed and there are only 2 lines available to take you to the tourist areas. The service is limited and it stops running around 11pm, even though it works fine (It's much better to pay €3 for an all day pass then paying outrageous fees for cabs).

The Coliseum is a must see and one of our favorite sights. You have to purchase your ticket before hand to avoid the long lines. Also, the ticket requires you to select a time to go and they won't let you in a minute earlier. "Selfie Sticks" are a big NoNo at the Coliseum. The subway line "B" (Laurentina direction) is only 2 stops away from the "Colosseo" stop. 

Coliseum 

So many statues, galleries and so many museums to go to... Our favorite gallery was the "Galleria Borghese" (tickets also must be purchased in advance).  It's located at "Villa Borghese" in a beautiful park and right by the zoo. The downside is that there are no subway lines that will take you there. Either you take a cab, a bus or you walk (I decided to walk).

The "Vatican Museums" are another must (make sure you purchase your tickets before hand or be ready to wait at least 3hrs in line). You can plan for at least 5hrs to spend inside (pictures are ok). So many paintings and amazing sculptures. It's sensational! It's a one way museum and after you manage to pass the maze crowded with tourists, you finally reach the "Sistine Chapel". Sit down and take your time looking up at that mesmerizing work of art (pictures are not permitted). Do not rush, that image will remain in your memory for the rest of your life, it's absolutely overwhelming.

On your way to the "Trevi Fountain" you will see the "Spanish Steps" (3rd stop, subway A, Battistini direction, "Spagna" stop) you can walk from there, which was my choice or you can take the subway line A (Battistini direction for the first stop, "Barberini"). The "Fontana de Trevi" is absolutely amazing. Beautiful in every way. Don't forget to toss a coin following the tradition and have a delicious "Gelato" while observing people coming and going. 

Trevi Fountain

The wine and the gelato were our favorite part of the Italian menu, the food on the other hand, it was very underwhelming. We expected more. 

Rome was so far, the worst cigarette smelling city we've been to. After a couple of days, it feels like you're the one smoking. Very frustrating but easy to overlook once you see all the amazing sights that city has to offer. Definitely one of the cities we will go back to in the future. 

TOKYO, JAPAN

Without a doubt, one of my favorite places in the world.

My husband and I were actually planning a trip to Europe at the time and out of the blue I said "Why not Japan?!?", my husband loved the idea and we changed our plans just like that. I loved every minute we spent in Tokyo and definitely will explore other cities in Japan in the future. 

Let's start by saying we've never been to a city cleaner or more organized than Tokyo (for a neat freak like myself, that's heaven). The people are so sweet, polite and thoughtful. They go above and beyond to help you. If they don't have an answer to your question, they will find someone who does and everyone will stop on the street to help you find your way. Even if you don't speak Japanese, you probably won't get lost in Tokyo. Their subway system is flawless, takes you anywhere and all the signs are both in Japanese and English. There's no need for cabs, the trains are crazy fast and cheap. 

For the fans of the "Gundam Animated Series", an hour subway ride outside Tokyo (leaving from our hotel) will take you to "Diver City" where you'll get to see the life size GUNDAM. Even though I was never a fan of the series, my brothers were big fans as kids of all those Japanese tv shows and I couldn't pass that opportunity. Besides the amazing giant robot, the island itself is beautiful with great restaurants and a big shopping mall.

Gundam

If you are looking for nightlife, you must go to "Roppongi". That's where you will find the best bars, clubs and restaurants in Tokyo.

One of our favorite neighborhoods in Tokyo was "Shibuya", where you will find the busiest crossing in the world, the famous "Shibuya Crossing". It's so amazing how many people can fit in one single area. If I had to compare, I'd say it's like a "Times Square" blown out of proportion.

Shibuya Crossing 

"Akihabara", the "Electric Town" is a paradise for those who love the classic video game systems and the Japanese anime action figures. There, we lost ourselves between Super Nintendo, Sega System, Atari, and all the action figures we could find from those awesome 80's shows. 

If you are anything like myself, after a night out in the city, all you want is some quality quiet hotel to have a good night of sleep. "Nihombashi" is the perfect neighborhood for that. It's a business district, which makes it beautiful and busy at daytime but comfortably quiet at nighttime. Another great trait of that neighborhood is the fact that it's walking distance to the "Imperial Palace" which is the primary residence of the Emperor of Japan. It's also surrounded by a beautiful, enormous park.

Imperial Palace 

While in Japan, we also visited "Mount Fuji" which is an active volcano and also one of Japan's 3 sacred mountains. It's  about 100km (62mi) outside Tokyo. It's quite of a ride but it's definitely worth your while.