Have you ever heard of a city called Skopje? I hadn’t either, but today you get the chance to not only learn why it’s awesome, you also get to see why it’s awesome. I won’t go into too much detail, but let’s just say the thousand year old Kale Fortress looks pretty epic.

Why am I suddenly mentioning places I haven’t been to yet? Well, today marks the third time I have the privilege of hosting one of my very favorite blog carnivals: The Carnival of Cities. If you’re not familiar with this great blog carnival, Carnival of Cities (CoC) is one of the quintessential blog carnivals focusing on travel. And if you’ve been reading Byteful Travel for a while, you probably already know what a blog carnival is; but in the chance that you don’t, all you need to know is that you’re about to be exposed to some great travel writing from all around the globe.

A Trip around the World

As I’ve said before, the Carnival of Cities has been one of my favorite carnivals for a while now because it consistently includes some of the best new travel articles on the web. What makes CoC unique is that it’s city-focused, highlighting any aspect of a specific city; and people often say that reading through it feels like a trip around the world. For this edition, I’m really happy to say that all of the articles in today’s blog carnival have some excellent photography paired with the text, which makes it even more immersive.

Today’s edition includes incredible sights of Singapore’s architecture, a feature on possibly the most utilitarian hotel in all of England, a tale of what happens when you buy a book at “kilometer zero”, a scintillating golden dome that just so happens to be in Indiana, a lovely look at a small Portuguese town, and a feature on a European capital you’ve probably never heard of (but should). Hint: It’s the 4th article down. (It’s the one with the epic thousand year old fortress.)

Asia

Images of Singapore posted at Correr Es Mi Destino, saying,

“Singaporeans seem to have two main activities: shopping and dining. When you are done shopping, you grab a bite and when you are done eating, you go for a walk with your credit card in hand for some exercise.”

Americas

Indiana, USA – Dominique King presents:
Back to school at Indiana’s University of Notre Dame posted at Midwest Guest, saying,

“Many visitors best know the University of Notre Dame for its fabled football history, but we particularly enjoyed this Indiana university’s photogenic architecture.”

Europe

Paris, France – Sheila Scarborough presents:
Literary Paris: get stamped at Shakespeare and Company posted at Perceptive Travel Blog, saying,

“A special spot in Paris for English-language book lovers (and it even comes with a souvenir).”

Skopje, Macedonia – Anne-Sophie Redisch presents:
Things to do in Skopje posted at Sophie’s World, saying,

“Skopje is one of Europe’s lesser known capitals — here’s the good and the bad.”

Caminha, Portugal – Steve Masters presents:
Caminha, Spain’s Portuguese neighbour posted at Portugal Travel Tips, saying,

“Caminha, sitting on the Portugal border with Spain’s north-west, offers access to long sandy beaches facing the Atlantic Ocean and the waters of the Minho river.”

London, England, UK – Paris Franz presents:
Cheap London hotels – Tune Hotel opens in Westminster posted at London on the Cheap (site down), saying,

“Just think of it — cheap hotels in central London. They are like the rarest of exotic animals. You hear reports, but don’t quite believe until you see it for yourself. Cheap London hotels do exist however, and they now have another name to add to their ranks: The Tune Hotel.”

Want to grow your audience?

You too can be a part of the sheer splendubiousness that is the Carnival of Cities. And honestly, you’d be silly not to consider it. For any writer, blog carnivals are an intelligent way to get the word out about what you’re publishing on the web. (I know this because blog carnivals have been incredibly helpful in spreading the word about this site.)

To request an article to be considered for inclusion next time, please submit your blog post (just one, please one that provides real value and is not spam) to the next edition of the Carnival of Cities using the Carnival of Cities submission form. (Past posts and future hosts can be found in the Carnival of Cities carnival index.)

And if you’d like to host the carnival itself, as I have done here, please contact Sheila, the carnival’s maintainer, at the following email address: Sheila “at” sheilascarborough “dot” com. (But please be patient. I’m sure she gets plenty of email.)

I hope you enjoyed today’s featured articles. And while you’re here, why don’t you say thanks to some of the awesome writers who submitted their work? It only takes a minute; and, speaking from experience, I know it means a lot. 🙂

From explorations of Berlin all the way to Bangkok’s Grand Palace, this edition of the Gen Y Travel blog carnival really covers the gamut.

And this makes sense considering there were dozens and dozens of entries. (It felt like over a thousand!) And although the process of triaging the entries felt tedious at times, it completely paid off; and I’m very happy with the result. The entries below are the cream of the crop. They are the diamonds in the rough.

How does the Gen Y Travel blog carnival work?

If you’re not familiar with how Gen Y Travel carnival works, here’s how: Each month, travel bloggers submit their favorite post they’ve published from the past month. The blog carnival host (i.e. me for this edition) goes through the submissions and weeds out things that break the guidelines (spam, articles instead of blog posts, etc.). Then once a month, an edition is compiled featuring the best submissions, providing you an easy way to discover new, quality travel writers. And usually, you’ll come across something that’ll blow your socks off. (And if you’re a writer, checkout the bottom of this article to find out how you can be included in a future edition of the Gen Y Travel Carnival.)

As I said before, this edition covers a lot of ground, and if you’re open, it will challenge your assumptions about travel. Especially the last article which is about travel philosophy. Reading that one is especially recommended. Oh, and if you’ve been included in this carnival, please remember to stumble and retweet! It gets more attention to this edition which in turn gets more attention to your site.

So buckle your seatbelt, Dorothy; because Kansas… is going bye-bye. 😉

Destinations

Zhu presents:
Bangkok’s Grand Palace posted at Correr Es Mi Destino, saying,

“So, did I fall in love with Thailand? I can’t say I did, for a few reasons. I must stress it’s partially my fault: I don’t speak the language (I only picked up a few words) and don’t know much about the culture. We wandered there like tourists and it was the first time neither of us could read or speak the language. While most people spoke basic English, it was obviously harder to communicate properly.”

Zhu presents:
Ko Phi Phi Ley posted at Correr Es Mi Destino, saying,

“Ko Phi Phi Ley, Phi Phi Don’s little sister, is a popular day-trip once your hangover is over. Pretty much all of the travel agencies in town sell a half-day boat trip to the small island for 250 baht (about $8). Still curious to see why people liked the area so much, we signed up for it.”

Everything Finance presents:
Berlin: on a budget in the German capital posted at Travel-Eat-Sleep, saying,

“Popular with holiday-makers throughout Europe for its cultural offerings, modern hotels and exquisite cuisine, Berlin is a truly cosmopolitan city that boasts a nearly endless supply of things to see and do. As Germany’s capital, it serves as a centre for government and politics by day while, by night, Berlin’s vibrant club and music scene is known worldwide for its ground-breaking festivals and exclusive venues.”

Beth Blair presents:
American Girl Store at Mall of America posted at The Vacation Gals, saying,

“The American Girl store at the mall of America is so popular, it’s basically a tourist destination unto itself for families.”

Lana presents:
Day 1: Puerto Montt and Puerto Varas, Chile posted at Lana Renee Photography.

Travel Stories

Steve Chasey presents:
Mining the Centuries in Hampi posted at S&S Travel the Long Way Round, saying,

“My wife and I are in the middle of a trip around the world. Hope you enjoy this tale about Hampi, India.”

Michael Hodson presents:
Worst hotel I have ever stayed in? posted at Go, See, Write – Overland RTW Adventure Travel, saying,

“Has anyone stayed in a worse hotel or hostel than this lately?”

James Louie presents:
Valencianos love to blow things up. posted at Plus Ultra, saying,

“Detailed account of one of Spain’s biggest festivals. Enjoy!”

Erica & Cassi presents:
How I Found the Enchanted Highway posted at Nonstop World Travel. (Site down.)

Aoide-Melete-Mneme presents:
Bringing the Faraway Home – Part 2 posted at The Lady Traveller.

Ali presents:
Keep Your Coins. I Want Change. posted at Global Basecamps blogs.

Money & Finances

Emma presents:
Bittersweet Sensibility posted at GohemianTravellers, saying,

“A bit of advice from a girl with too much wanderlust. My blog celebrates solo women travellers and all that goes with planning an around-the-world trip.”

Money Crashers presents:
Mardi Gras in New Orleans: Tourist Tips for Hotels, Food & Parades posted at Money Crashers, saying,

“Mardi Gras in New Orleans deserves its status as the “largest party in the United States.” With its lavish parades, masked balls, and late-night parties, it’s an unforgettable experience for anyone who visits.”

Travel Philosophy

Erin McNeaney presents:
Travel as Pleasure and How To Avoid It posted at Never Ending Voyage, saying,

“Why travel for travels sake is not always enough.”

Want to grow your blog’s audience?

If you write well (and you’ve written something that relates to travel) and you haven’t submitted to the Gen Y Travel Blog Carnival before, what the heck are you waiting for? Blog Carnivals are an intelligent and free way to get more exposure to your work, so you’d be a silly homunculus if you didn’t try it.

I know this from firsthand experience because blog carnivals have been incredibly helpful in spreading the word about this site. So if you’re a writer, and you’ve written something that relates to travel, why not submit a piece you’re proud of? After all, it will expose your site to people who have never seen it before.

Here’s How

To request an article you wrote to be considered for inclusion next time, please submit your article to the next edition of the Gen Y Travel carnival using the Gen Y Travel carnival submission form. The deadline for any given edition is the last day of the month. And remember, to be accepted into the carnival you must submit a blog post that provides real value to the reader. No spammy articles will be accepted. (Past posts and future hosts can be found in the blog carnival index.)

Once again, thanks to everyone who submitted. This carnival wouldn’t have happened without my fellow (and truly amazing) travel writers. And a big thanks to Emily (founder of this blog carnival and creator of Maiden Voyage Travel) for giving me the opportunity to host this excellent compendium of travel stories and advice!

Now after you’ve perused the articles, don’t forget to stop reading, go outside, and embark on your own enlightened adventure.

After all, how else can great travel stories be born?