Anate is a 12-year-old girl who loves reading books about people's travel experiences. She always dreams while lying on her bed and finds herself full of adventure in a different place...

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Welcome to Croatia, Anate!

DUBROVNIK

Anate meets our Croatian friend, Ivana, in Dubrovnik. 

Dubrovnik is a city in the southernmost Croatia.

It is a very old city in Croatia. Tourists visit it often because of its ancient walls. But they also visit because a world famous TV series was filmed here. 

Anate is amazed by the seaside of Dubrovnik. It is on the Easern coast of the Adriatic Sea. 

During summertime millions of tourists visit Croatia.

Anate is enjoying her time here with her new friend.

Hi! Bok!

SPLIT

The girls move on to Split.

Split is in Dalmatia. It is one of the biggest city in Croatia and has got a population of 144 000. Split is a city on the seaside. It is an ancient city with an old town.

Here you can visit old town Split with the palace of a famous Roman emperor, Diocletian. 

The Riva is one of the most famous places in Split where all the locals, but also many tourists, drink coffee and take a walk along the sea. 

Anate's favourite in Split is the ice cream at a ice cream place called "Luka".

LIKA

After the beautiful Croatian seaside, they travel north to the mountain area.

There are big mountains in Lika. The Velebit is a big mountain range. It stretches from the North to the South of Croatia. The tallest peak is called Vaganski peak. It is 1757 meters tall!

On the Velebit you can find one endemic plant called Velebitska degenija. You can see it on this

background.

We have beautiful nature in Croatia!

PLITVICE LAKES

Plitvice lakes are one of the most famous waterfalls in Europe. Many tourists visit it because it is on the way to the seaside. It is also the biggest national park in Croatia. The girls take a walk above the lakes on the boardwalk. The lake has many waterfalls. 

ZAGREB

Zagreb is the capital city of Croatia. It has around 800 000 inhabitants. 

There are many things you can do here. You can visit many historical places, but also you can have fun in a trampoline park for children. 

The people of Zagreb experienced an earthquake in 2020 that destroyed many buildings. Anate and Ivana take a ride with the cable car and visit the old town of Zagreb, called Kaptol. 

There are many books written by the author Marija Jurić Zagorka who told stories from Kaptol in the past. The girls continue their trip to Slavonia.

PAPUK

Papuk is a very popular hiking area that is actually a nature park.

It is in Slavonia, the Eastern part of Croatia.

In summer you can visit the hiking house and have a barbecue and in the winter it is popular for snow-sledding.

Anate and Ivana take a two-hour hiking tour on grof Janković trail. They see the most beautiful part with a waterfall.

VUKOVAR   

In Vukovar is the Water tower. It is right on the river Danube. Vukovar is a symbol of the domestic war that happened in 1991. That's why you can see wholes on the tower. 

There is a very interesting museum here. It is the Vučedol culture museum. The Vučedol people lived here 5000 years ago. Anate is surprised. She takes a trip to a popular river island on the Danube with Ivana. 
Vukovar is at the very East of Croatia, on the border with Serbia. So this is where the girls' journey ends! 

Goodbye, Croatia!

Anate is in Liepaja, 

Latvia

Back in the past 1902

Written by Kalvis Melnis

    One day, two friends, Anate and Ansel, decided to go to Liepaja. The two friends set off and rented a lovely hotel room in the heart of Liepaja itself. 

They decided to start a tour of the city with Jana Cakstes Square. “How beautiful this place is!” the friends exclaimed. We definitely need to see more.

    Anate took Ansel to the Swan pond. During the walk, they met renowned architect Paul Max Berchi. Anate recognized the man and immediately said, “Hello. I know you've designed this lovely Swan pond."

“What a bridge, a pergola and those birds." Berchi recognized both friends, too. 

“We certainly have a lot to discuss. So they decided to go to the nearby Café Liepava.

    At the cafe, the trio discussed all the news that had happened over the past year. They had last met exactly a year back. Ansel did not reveal the meeting, so he sat a little quiet at the dinner table. Meanwhile, Anate and Berchi continued their conversations for hours.

Berchi told them Liepaja has several more places for friends to definitely see, like the railway station building, Saint Anne's Church, Meijers's lodge and Ramedlow's Commerce House. Anate and Ansel decided to go to Liepaja more often. See you soon!

Wellcome to Romania, Anate!

Luca and Nicoleta met Anate at the airport. They went to the center of the Bucharest, because Anate wanted to see the Palace of Parliament - the third largest, heaviest and the most expensive administrative building for civil use by area in the world.

After they saw the center of the Bucharest, Luca and Nicoleta took Anate to see the magnific mountain landscapes. 

Transfagarasan - it is the highest road in the country - 2042 m altitudine. Here they saw the glacial lake Bâlea.

Our mountains hide impressive castles. Anate, let”s get to know them!

Bran Castle - the legend says that Dracula lived here.

Peles Castle - the castel of the monarchs

The Corvin”s Castle - the castle of Matei Corvin

The nature has been generous with us! The wind, the rain, the frost carved for us splendid monuments. One of them it is The Sphinx - 2206 m altitude. We can get there by foot or with the cable.

Anate, we like to show you a special place from Romania. It is Danubian Delta! This place it is unique in Europa! 

Anate, you can”t leave without tasting Romanian food!

                                                Mici

            Papanași                                            Sarmale

Goodby, Anate!

See you next time!

Have a nice journey ahead!

And here is Anate in Greece! During her 15 day stay, Maria and Yiannis will take her on a tour of some of the most interesting places in Greece.

First stop, Athens, the capital city of Greece. They visit the Parthenon, the Acropolis museum and they walk around the pebbled streets of Plaka in Monastiraki.

"How beautiful!" says Anate. "It's like walking around a small island! So picturesque!"

The 3 kids visit the Acropolis Museum and admire its exhibits. Anate is thrilled!

They visit the area around the Greek Parliament and the monument of the Unknown Soldier. "Athens is great!", says Anate. "Where are we going next?"...

Next stop . . . Peloponnisos, in southern Greece. So many places for Anate to visit! The 3 kids visit Nafplio and Monemvasia.

They swim in the  crystal clear waters of Elafonisos beach . . . 

. . . and the next day they visit the site of ancient Olympia, where the 1st Olympic games took place. In the evening they watch a theatrical play in Epidaurus, the ancient theatre.

During her stay, Anate enjoyed the Greek cuisine, too. "After I go back home, I need to be on a diet!!!", she says 

But before going back home the three kids had to visit some of the most famous islands in Greece. "Where shall we go first?" Anate wondered. "To the Dodecanese islands", replied Yiannis and Maria, "the gem of the Aegean Sea".

So, Anate is in Rhodes, the largest island of theDodecanese, where she and her friends explored the Palace of the Grand Master of the Knights of Rhodes and swam in Faliraki beach. 

Their next stop is Kos where she admired the sight of ASklepion, took delight in local dishes and enjoyed the beautiful beaches.

"

Everything is so beautiful and unique" exclaimed Anate as she visited the island of Kalymnos, fascinated by the scenery, the friendly people and the amazing food.

 Anate and her friends went on to admire the religious beauty in the island of Patmos and the special architecture in the houses of Symi island.   

"There are still more to see", said the two kids to Anate as they went off to the magestic island of Crete where they wandered round the ruins of Knossos. Seeing the ancient mosaics, Anate gets excited. "Wow, how were the mosaics saved? she wondered.

Then, Maria and Yiannis took Anate on a tour to Phaistos Palace. "Its architecture, at a glance, looks excellent", says Anate enthusiastically. 

To rest after the sight-seeing, the three kids decided to go to some beaches... 

Elafonisi

 Seitan Limania

....and enjoyed traditional Cretan dishes

Dakos                   Lamb with stamnagkathi

Fried Snails                      Gamopilafo

Next destination...the Cyclades!

Anate is amazed! SO many islands to visit, so wonderful experiences to live and so many sights to admire....

Anate enjoys the view and the sunset in Portara of Naxos

She marvels at the amazing view of the Mycenaean Acropolis in Sifnos where the beautiful church of Saint Andrew stands.

Her most favourite places are Syros, Myconos and Santorini! 

                       Syros

Myconos                              Santorini   

Anate went to a lot of taverns and tried the traditional food of Cyclades. All of them delicious!!!

...and it goes on..... 

"So, what's next?", Anate is wondering

7 islands - 7 wonderful destinations

Kefalonia, Corfu, Lefkada, Zakynthos,Paxoi, Ithaca and Kythira. 

"I'm so excited to be here", says Anate to her friends.

The Ionian Islands

There are so many castles to visit in the Ionian Islands.

"The view is breathtaking", says Anate.

...and so many delicious dishes to taste!

pastitsada                                    kreatopita

sofrito

                                                                      tsilichourda

bourdeto

"Let's now go to another group of green islands", said Yiannis and Maria. So, off to Sporades!!!!

Skiathos

Skopelos

ALonissos

SKyros

"I wonder how these 4 islands will be like", said Anate curiously.

She visited the Skiathitiko Spiti Museum where she learnt a lot about tradιtional customs of Skiathos, went to relax in Koukounaries Beach and finally walked along the beautiful alleys of the island. 

The water of the sea is amazing in Skopelos.....

...and the National Marine Park of ALonissos is a wonderful place to explore the treasures of the sea! "It's unbelievable", says Anate bewildered.  

After so much swimming, Anate and her friends cannot resist the local dishes and delicacies which seem so yummy!

After all this food they should be ready for their next destination in Greek islands...

                                    Skyros                  Skiathos

Alonissos          

      Cheese pie

       Skopelos 

Anate is now in the 

North Aegean Islands.

First stop at the island of Lesvos. The three kids decide to take a walk around the beautiful beach of Saint Isidore. They're having so much fun!

But they get hungry, so they decide to go to a tavern and try one of the most popular dishes in Lesvos: sponge with zucchini and Ouzo. Mmm, delicious! 

And now it's time to visit museums and monasteries - hmm, the island of Ikaria has plenty of them!

                                 Ikaria 

Next stop is Samos with a population of more than 32.000 residents. Samos has beautiful beaches, delicious food and the well-known Tunnel of Eupalinos!

                         Samos

Last stop at Oinousses, a small island not far from Turkey. Anate can't help but noticing the mermaid waving to her in the port. "Can't wait to come back some day again", says Anate with a big smile on her face...

Altough Anate started a diet after returning home, it did not last long. Because she found herself in Bursa to see and discover new places.

It was exciting to be in Türkiye's fourth largest city. Her friend Tuna from Bursa welcomed her and helped her stay in a thermal hotel at the slopes of the magnificent Uludağ.

Anate and Tuna started their tour Ulucami,one of the important symbolsof Bursa. From there,they visited the Historical Grand Bazaar( Tarihi Kapalı Çarşı) and Hanlar Region.They sat under the centuries-old plane trees in Kozahan and watched the products made from silk while sipping Turkish coffee with Turkish delight...

Tuna couldn't wait to make Anate taste the spacialties of Bursa. They ate İskender  Kebap firt and chose Süt Helva for dessert.

Anate had heard a lot about Bursa's history and natural beauties. But unfortunately she didn't have time to see them all. For this reason, she asked Tuna to take her to the village of "Cumalıkızık",which is teh place she wants to see the most and is registered as a World Herage Site by Unesco.It was a grerat pleasure to walk around the narrow and stone-paved streets of this village with its colorful houses.

Before returning home,Anate bought her family "Candied Chestnut" and silk shawls. Now it was time to return home. She thanked Tuna very much and said goodbye to Bursa. She boarded herplane, thinking that one day she would visit this ancient city again...

Written by the students from Hüsnü Züber İlkokulu/Bursa