Welcome to our #TravelTuesday themed prompt week!  This time around, our theme is City vs Countryside.  When you’re travelling, do you prefer to get out amongst nature?  Or are you all about the urban beat?  The link-up will be open a bit longer this time round, so give us your pick any time in the next two weeks and add your post below!

Bright Lights, Big City

I’m a huge history buff, and I love learning all about the different layers of history a place contains.  In a city, all of these different pieces of time can be visible to you, and are often right next to each other.  In cities like London or Rome, I love to soak up the atmosphere, to read the stories, to walk the same streets as those who are long gone and imagine what their life would have been like.

One of my favourite things to do while visiting a city is to wander without a fixed plan and just see what I come across – like a vague idea of visiting Amalienborg Palace in Copenhagen turned into watching the Changing of the Guard!  It’s easy to be spontaneous in a city, particularly if it’s walking-friendly… just follow your feet and see where you end up!

I’m a big foodie and I think it’s a great way to get a sense of the culture and ethos of a place – just have a look at my Eating My Way Around posts!  In a city, the different cuisines on offer and ways of eating (from stand-up meals to six-course dinners) just cannot be beaten.  Whether I’m staying in a place that prides itself on its local dishes, or there’s a different nationality on every street, food is a fantastic part of travelling for me.

Back to Nature

Getting out into the countryside of course brings its own rewards.   I love to challenge myself, whether it’s a hike up a mountain range or throwing myself off a hillside.  It’s hard to beat the feeling of accomplishment when you’re standing on what feels like the top of the world!

A big drawcard of escaping into nature is being able to relax.  There’s no list of a thousand must-see sights or restaurants to try.  Here, your biggest decision might be whether you are hot enough to go for a swim, or whether you’d prefer a snooze first.  I travel to cities a lot, and when I get the chance to experience a slower pace, I love it.

There are also experiences in the back of beyond that you will simply never have in a city, like hot air ballooning at sunrise in Cappadocia, Turkey.  These are the times where you catch your breath, scarcely able to believe that you are lucky enough to be in this moment.  These are the ones you will never forget.

So which is it for you?  City or Countryside?

It made me squirm, but I had to keep reading to know how it turned out – this week I’m featuring Nicole of A Life Less Beige and her unique post on getting her eyeballs cleaned in Vietnam!