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Maria // Travel Photographer in Europe

@mariaexploreseurope

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📸 my Guide to Europe's best spots
🌍 personal travel stories crafted to inspire you
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The most beautiful places in Florence, Italy:

🔔Duomo: Marvel at the breathtaking beauty of the Duomo, Florence’s iconic cathedral.
🌟 Piazza San Giovanni: Experience the vibrant energy of Piazza San Giovanni, where history and culture converge.
🏛️ Piazza della Signoria: Be awed by the grandeur of Piazza della Signoria, the heart of Florence’s political life.
🎨 Galleria degli Uffizi: Immerse yourself in the masterpieces at the Galleria degli Uffizi, one of the world’s most renowned art museums.
🧠 Museum Leonardo da Vinci: Discover the genius of the Renaissance at the Museum Leonardo da Vinci, showcasing his incredible inventions and art.
🍷 Wine Windows: Enjoy a sip of history through Florence’s charming wine windows, a unique remnant of the past.
🌉 Ponte Vecchio: Stroll across the picturesque Ponte Vecchio, the oldest and most iconic bridge in Florence.
🌅 Piazzale Michelangelo: Take in the stunning panoramic views of Florence from Piazzale Michelangelo, the perfect spot for a breathtaking sunset.

All sights are in 10-15minutes walking distance except Piazzale Michelangelo that is approximately 2 kilometers (1.2 miles) from the Duomo.

Which one is your favourite?

#florenceitaly #prettycityflorence #firenze #firenze🇮🇹 #travelineurope #italytravel #italytrip #italy #italygram #tuscany

what to visit in Firenze Tuscany Italy | Travel to Italy Europe by @mariaexploreseurope

✨Save it for your next visit in Florence and follow @mariaexploreseurope for more travel inspo.

📍Via della Scala 16, 50123, Florence Italy.

800 YEARS OF HISTORY

The Officina Profumo-Farmaceutica di Santa Maria Novella can trace its roots back to the Florence of 1221. In that year, Dominican friars founded the convent of Santa Maria Novella, and began to cultivate - among other things - a garden. From that same garden, many centuries of experience in pharmacopoeia and natural preparations began to develop. And in later years that experience would expand to include the worlds of cosmetics, fragrances and wellness products.

CATERINA DE' MEDICI

When, in 1533, a very young Catherine de Medici left Florence to marry the future king of France, among the pages, guards and ladies of her entourage, she also asked for a perfumer. His name was Renato Bianco, and in Paris he became René le Florentin: and so from the ancient wisdom of the essence-makers of Florence, the noble art of perfume spread throughout the world.

Acqua di Santa Maria Novella, or Acqua della Regina (the "Queen's Water"), the oldest fragrance of the Officina Profumo-Farmaceutica di Santa Maria Novella it's an homage to the gift of love that Caterina brought to France.

#florence #florenceitaly🇮🇹 #florenceitaly #florenceworld #florencetravel #italy #italy🇮🇹 #italy_vacations #italytravel #tuscany #tuscanygram #tuscanylovers #tuscanyitaly

Italy Trip | Vacation in Tuscany | What to do in Florence by @mariaexploreseurope

The dessert you NEED to save for your Thassos trip 💚✨

This Dubai Kataifi at Pefkospilia Taverna is seriously a showstopper 🤤

Think crispy golden kataifi, rich milk chocolate cream, velvety pistachio cream and plenty of aromatic crushed Aegina pistachios — an oriental-inspired dessert with a modern twist. 🌰🍫

And the location? Right by Pachis Beach 🌊☀️ — perfect for a long Greek lunch, dinner by the sea or catching the sunset with something sweet afterwards.

📍 Pefkospilia Taverna, Pachis, Thassos, Greece
🍽️ Greek • Mediterranean • Seafood
💶 €14 per person
⭐ Around 4.7/5 from thousands of Google reviews
🎶 Live Greek music on selected evenings
🏖️ Restaurant + beach bar

SAVE this reel 📌 for your Thassos food list and send it to the person you’d share this dessert with!

#thassos #thassosisland #dessertsofinstagram #greekfood #dessert by @mariaexploreseurope

Best therapy i dear to say🐠

Do you agree?

#greece #sea #seaside #greekstagram #summer by @mariaexploreseurope

September in Greece is for everyone who isn’t ready to let summer go. 🇬🇷🤍

The islands are calmer, the beaches feel almost empty, and life slows down even more. The sea is still warm from months of summer sun, while the softer days of September bring a gentle kind of magic.

You can spend sunny days by the water, wander through villages without the crowds, and find a table by the sea without needing to plan everything in advance.

Especially on islands like Crete, Naxos, Paros, and Milos, September offers that authentic Greek summer feeling—only quieter and more peaceful.

The weather becomes a little more unpredictable, but that’s part of the trade-off: fewer people, a slower pace, and moments that feel like Greece almost belongs to you.

If September is Greece breathing out, September is when it truly slows down. 🇬🇷✨

Would you visit the Greek islands in September?

#greece #greece_travel #greecestagram #greecetravelgr #greekisland by @mariaexploreseurope

greek vibes = 💙

#greek #greece #greece_travel #greecestagram #greeksummer by @mariaexploreseurope

Edinburgh Travel Guide 🏴󠁧󠁢󠁳󠁣󠁴󠁿⚔️
📌Pin this for your Scotland trip!

🏰 Top sights to hit:

• Edinburgh Castle
• Victoria Street
• The Royal Mile
• Dean Village
• Calton Hill
• The Vennel
Highly recommend the National Museum of Scotland (first frame)!

🥾 Things worth doing:

• Climb Arthur’s Seat — unbeatable views over the city
• Book a whisky tasting session
• Check out the National Museum of Scotland
• Wander the Old Town’s hidden closes
• Stroll around Stockbridge
• Browse Armchair Books — a cozy secondhand bookshop worth getting lost in

🍸 Cocktails:

• The Alchemist — theatrical drinks (was very impressed with the drinks- the icecream baloon in the reel is from there), great for a fun night out

☕ Coffee & treats:

• The Milkman (iconic building)
• Lannan Bakery
• Mary’s Milk Bar

🚗 Easy day trips:

• 🏰 Stirling — Stirling Castle and royal history
• 🌊 St Andrews — golf, beaches, medieval charm
• 🌿 Scottish Highlands — lochs and jaw-dropping scenery

✨ Trip length:
Give Edinburgh 2-3 days minimum — go 4–5 if you want to squeeze in a day trip or two.

#edinburgh #edinburghcity #edinburghscotland #scotland #europe by @mariaexploreseurope

Life Hack ✅☕️🧳

#travel #traveler #travels #travelgram #coffeecoffeecoffee by @mariaexploreseurope

Vienna for the first time 🇦🇹✨

🎨 Must-see museums: Belvedere, Kunsthistorisches Museum (my favourite and has the most beautiful cafe), Albertina & Leopold Museum.
⛪ Beautiful churches: St. Stephen’s Cathedral (try also a concert inside) and St. Peter’s Church.
🍽️ Good-value traditional restaurants: Puerstner, Reinthaler’s Beisl & Figlmüller.
🍴 First-time food musts: Wiener Schnitzel, Tafelspitz, Käsespätzle, goulash & a Käsekrainer from a Würstelstand. 🌭
🍰 Desserts: start with Salzburger Nockerl, then try Sachertorte, Apfelstrudel & a classic Viennese coffee. ☕️

Vienna = imperial architecture, world-class art, beautiful churches, cozy Beisls & unforgettable desserts. 🤍🇦🇹

#vienna #viennaaustria #viennagram #viennacity #viennablogger by @mariaexploreseurope

Life moves differently in nature💚

#slowliving #nature #river #natureisbeautiful #naturephotography by @mariaexploreseurope

📍 Peleș Castle (Sinaia, Romania)

🏰 One of the most beautiful castles in Europe, nestled in the Carpathian Mountains. Famous for its lavish Neo-Renaissance interiors, intricate wood carvings, stained glass, and mountain setting.

📍 Distance from Bucharest

* By car: ~140 km (about 2–2.5 hours, depending on traffic).
* By train: ~1.5–2 hours to Sinaia, then a 20–30 minute uphill walk (or a short taxi ride) to the castle.

🕒 Opening hours

* Wednesday: 10:00 AM – 5:00 PM
* Thursday–Sunday: 9:15 AM – 5:00 PM
* Monday & Tuesday: Closed
* Last entry: 4:00 PM.

💡 Tips

* Book tickets in advance, especially during summer and weekends, as entry slots can sell out.
* Allow 2–3 hours to fully enjoy the castle.
* While you’re there, also visit Pelișor Castle and the Sinaia Monastery, both just a short walk away.

#castles #castlesofinstagram #romania #travel #castle by @mariaexploreseurope

I went to Stockholm last year and absolutely loved the vibes of this city 🤩

Here are 20 things to do in Stockholm:

🚢 Visit the Vasa Museum (my favourite)
🏰 Gamla Stan (Old Town)
👑 Royal Palace (Kungliga Slottet)
🌲 Skansen Open-Air Museum
🏞️ Djurgården Island
🎤 ABBA Museum
🏛️ Nordic Museum (Nordiska Museet)
📷 Fotografiska (Photography Museum)
🎨 Moderna Museet (Modern Art Museum)
🏆 Nobel Museum
🏰 Drottningholm Palace
🏰 Stadshuset (City Hall)
🍽️ Eriks Gondolen
☕ Fika at a Café
🌳 Royal Djurgården Park
🚂 Junibacken Children’s museum
🍽️ Try Swedish Cuisine
🚲 Bike Tour of Stockholm
🎭 Swedish Performing Arts
🌆 Rooftop Views of Stockholm (Takpark by Urban Deli, TAK, The Winery Hotel)

📌 Make sure to save this for your trip!

Have you been to Stockholm?

#stockholm #stockholm_insta #travel #travelphotography #sweden by @mariaexploreseurope