Murshidabad is a district town in West Bengal, India. It is situated on the banks of the river Bhagirathi (distributary of The Ganges). It was once the capital of Bengal, often called last capital of independent Bengal (comprising today’s West Bengal, Bihar, Odisha and part of Bangladesh). It is named after Murshid Quli Khan, the Dewan (and later Nawab) of Bengal appointed by Mughal Empire. Murshidabad became the capital in 1717 and in 1773 the British shifted the capital to Calcutta.

THE HISTORICAL IMPORTANCE OF MURSHIDABAD

The name of the place Murshidabad is inextricably related to the Battle of Plassey (Palashi in Bengali, year 1757), a battle that was never fought (!) but had colossal consequences in the history of India. Sounds strange, but true. How could a side having 50,000 soldiers lose against a side having only 3,000? It’s by same technique that the British applied in most of the battles conquering India – treachery. “…won it by promoting treason and forgery” as described by Jawaharlal Nehru in The Discovery of India. Then why this Battle is so important? It’s important because it was the first. Once they (The British) won it here against Siraj-ud-Daulah, Nawab of Bengal, in the year 1757, they kept doing so for the next 100 years one after one…in Buxar, against Tipu Sultan in Mysore, against Marathas in the series of Anglo-Maratha wars, during siege of Jhansi and so on. They conquered all the local powers and formed the formidable British empire in India. The Battle of Plassey was the first, which showed them the way and that’s why it’s a very important turning point in Indian History (considered as a very important milestone similar to 1192, 1526, 1857 and 1947). We also calculate the duration of British rule in India as 200 years approximately (1757-1947) from this point.

HOW TO REACH MURSHIDABAD

Murshidabad is accessible from Kolkata by road and by train. Distance between Kolkata to Murshidabad is around 225 kms by road and 193 kms by train. You can hire a cab for entire trip from Kolkata. The best is to go by train which takes around 3.5 hours. It was a long weekend. On the Saturday morning, we took the Hazarduari Express (13113 Up). It starts from Kolkata Station in the morning at 6.50 a.m. reaching Berhampur Court Station (you can drop there or at next station Murshidabad) by 11 a.m. While coming back (13114 Down) it arrives at Murshidabad around 4.45 p.m. reaching Kolkata by 9.30 p.m. We came back on Monday. Other trains are Bhagirathi Express, Lalgola Express and Lalgola Passenger.

PLACES TO VISIT

• Hazarduari Palace and Museum: It means Palace of Thousand Doors. The Palace with one thousand doors, though some of them are false doors, used to create confusion for any outsider. Perhaps the most significant tourist attractions of Murshidabad, this sprawling palace has been built on 41 acres of land by Architect McLeod Duncan during the reign of Nawab Nazim Humayun Shah. It has been converted to a museum with exhibits ranging from Siraj-ud-Daulah’s possessions, weapons used during Battle of Plassey, statues, rare books, paintings and other antiquities. It is now maintained by Archaeological Survey of India. The timings for the Museum is 9 a.m. to 4.30 p.m.

• Nizamat Imambara: Just on the opposite side of the palace lies The Nizamat Imambara, built in 1847 by Nawab Nazim Mansoor Ali Khan. The stunning mosque was built after the original built by Siraj-ud-Daulah got burnt down in a fire.
• Footi mosque: Located towards the east of the Hazarduari Palace.
• Wasif Manzil: This Palace was built by Nawab Wasif Ali Mirza Khan, located at the south end of Hazarduari Palace.
• Madina: A small mosque between the Palace and the Imambara.
The above 5 can be complete in 3-4 hours as they are within/ in and around the same Complex, with Hazarduari being the main attraction. People who want to take good pictures of Hazarduari may visit in the afternoon. We reached Berhampur (nearest big town and headquarter of Murshidabad district - 10 kms from Murshidabad) by 11 a.m., checked in at Hotel at Berhampur around 12 noon, had our lunch and started towards the Hazarduari around 2.30 p.m. By 7 p.m. we could complete all the above and returned back to Hotel.

We saw the remaining places throughout the next day hiring a car.

Battle ground of Plassey: If you have more time, you can make a separate trip to the Battle ground of Plassey. Plassey is a village that is 40 kms from Murshidabad (30 Kms from Berhampur). You can hire a cab and visit. There is a rail station also – Plassey. It will take 3-4 hours for this tour, and normally people avoid this because there are only two things to see - the battle ground and a small monument.

Following places are worth visiting in Berhampur:
• Barrack Square: It witnessed first war of Independence i.e. mutiny of Sepoy broke out on 25th Feb 1857. There is a “Saheed bedi” situated here.
• Armenian church: Built in 1858, it is the oldest church of Murshidabad
• Dutch Cemetery: Built in 1632.
• Krishna Nath College: Built in 1853 after the structural design of Oxford College.
• Cossimbazar: Visit “Bara Rajbari” and ‘Choto Rajbari”.

THINGS TO SHOP:
Murshidabad Silk Sarees are a very popular variety of sarees. With its origin in Murshidabad, these sarees are famous for their intricate designs and pattern works.
PLACES TO STAY
Being a small town, Murshidabad does not have big luxury hotels. There are few good options at a reasonable price range of Rs 1,500 to 2,500. There are lodges and other small hotels at low prices (Rs 1000 or less). Hotel Sagnik is a good hotel and close to Hazarduari and other tourist places. If you are ready to stay in Berhampur, then options increase, but not that much. Hotel The Fame, Roopkatha, Hotel Sunshine etc. are good options. We stayed at Hotel The Fame, which is very close to Berhampur Court Station. The price ranges from Rs 1500 to 3000 for all these.

To read more visit My India thru' Lenses: Murshidabad - A small town with a big history

Vietnamese budget airline Vietjet, also dubbed as 'bikini airline' owing to their (occasionally) skimpily-clad cabin crew and racy promotional campaigns, is set to launch direct flights from New Delhi to Hanoi and Ho Chi Minh City by December this year. There are also super-saver tickets up for grabs starting from ₹9 onwards for three days, from August 20, 2019 to August 22, 2019.

Direct Flights To Vietnam Starting From December 2019

There will be four return flights operating per week on the Ho Chi Minh City - New Delhi route plying every Monday, Wednesday, Friday and Sunday starting from December 6, 2019. The Hanoi - New Delhi route has three return flights per week on every Tuesday, Thursday, and Saturday starting from December 7, 2019. The direct flights will have a flying time of around five hours.

Vietjet has earned its controversial tag after several scandalous incidents in the past. It was subjected to a lot of criticism for their onboard fashion shows in which models in swimsuits walked down the aisle. It was fined ₹55,000 for compromising on air safety after contestants from a beauty pageant danced around in the plane in 2002.

Vietjet was thrown in the limelight again in January 2018 after lingerie models paraded down the aircraft which was carrying Vietnam's under-23 men's soccer team. The furore that followed had the CEO issuing a public apology.

Indian aviation authorities have stringent policies against onboard performances by airlines so hopefully, you won't have to sit through a performance by skimpily-clad crew on your way to Vietnam.

Would you book a ticket to Vietnam with Vietjet? Tell us in the comments below!

Travelled far and wide and brought back stories galore? Narrate them here!

Yep, you read that right! In an ambitious venture, Air India's San Francisco-bound AI-173 marked history by becoming the first commercial Indian flight to fly over the Polar region. What makes this feat even more special is the fact that all of it happened on August 15 2019, India's 73rd Independence Day,

The flight took off from New Delhi at 4 am with 243 passengers on board and by 12:27 pm, the plane had crossed Pakistan, Afghanistan, Kazakhstan, Russia and the North Pole en route to San Francisco. Captain Rajneesh Sharma and his team, including Captain Digvijay Singh with first officers Captain Karan Aggarwal and Captain Siddesh Dadarkar were responsible for pulling off this feat with elan. Normally, Air India's Delhi to San Francisco flights take the Atlantic or the Pacific Ocean route. However on Independence Day, the airline decided to fly over the polar region.

Keeping in mind mounting tensions with Pakistan, there was a possibility of the Pakistan airspace being closed off on August 15. Hence, Air India's operations department had to devise two flight plans with the alternative of flying over the Strait of Hormuz and then northbound for the pole, reported Economic Times.

The flight was a unique experience both for passengers onboard and the flight crew. Passengers could watch the aircraft flying over the polar region on their television screens while the cabin crew kept everyone updated on their progress via the public communication system. According to ET, Captain Rajneesh Sharma described what he saw on the fascinating journey,

"When we crossed Russia, we left all the air traffic behind. For close to nine hours we saw no traffic, no aircraft, just endless expanse of snow and ice. As we crossed over the North Pole and went down the other side of the planet, the navigation display swung 180 degrees to go from North to point South. It was quite a sight."

The polar-debut has more advantages to it than just covering a scenic route. The time saved on the polar route will range from five minutes to 75 minutes. The flying time recorded on this route was 14 hours 59 minutes as opposed to the normal 15 hours 45 minutes. The shorter route will also help save up to 2,500 kg of fuel, which in turn reduces carbon emissions by 7,500 kg.

The passengers on the historic flight were given a certificate recording the venture and marking the commencement of Air India's commercial flights that will ply over the North Pole. However, there are a few challenges that pilots face on this route such as limited options for diversion of flight to airports, solar radiation, fuel freezing and aircraft retrieval.

We're keeping our fingers crossed for a sight of Santa and his posse of reindeers the next time we we fly over the North Pole in Air India!

How excited will you be to fly over the North Pole? Tell us about it in the comments below!

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Gokarna is a small town in Karnataka, well known for two reasons - its beaches and temples. With its pristine beaches and portrait like landscapes, It is a newly found hub for beach lovers and hippies.

The main beaches (Om and Kudle) were clean and serene, we had a fabulous time playing in the waves and relaxing in the shacks. The landscape at Om beach especially during dawn and dusk hours is a sight to watch. The beaches here are meant for a slow, relaxed holiday and everything on the beach goes at the same relaxed pace. Full of coconut and palm trees, the ocean and clean sands, Gokarna is a 'one of its kind place' in the country.

We were three couples who started their roadtrip to Gokarna with great but wrong hopes. We hired a self drive #MahindraXUV500 and started from Pune at 7 am during the month of August.

It was a beautiful drive all till our destination specially the last 100 kms where we had to drive through a forest area in rural Karnataka. Reached Gokarna at around 7 pm just to find out that the accommodation (forgot the name) which I had pre-booked was not a place for not apt for couples. Phew! we were tired, climate was humid and we were stranded. We pulled our socks and asked many places but being a #longweekend, every place was full. Finally, we found a place, which was ONLY a little better to stay but the owner, was a manner less, arrogant lad. We had no option but to pay a premium for a average stay.

Caution: If you are a Gokarna fan, please do not read further... Here I am going to describe Gokarna from a, "disheartened person's eyes."

It's an overhyped beach Village - Yeah! I find many less crowded/ hyped beach towns in Maharashtra and Karnataka are way better than Gokarna. There are no roads to drive, no place to park and the locals are busy in finding ways to fool tourists and make money. It is not a Party place - If you have reached Gokarna with an aim to booze and dance till you drop on trance numbers. Please make a U-turn and hit Goa. Although, I do not find anything wrong in this but I read many blogs, which promote Gokarna as a party destination. Trek to the beach - When in Gokarna, all famous beaches are just a TREK away. Yes, one cannot just WALK to the beach you have to trek downhill. Once you reach the beach, you are surely going to enjoy the waves and some chilled beverages but guess what's more painful? It is the TREK uphill back to your vehicle parked on the road.

Food !! whats that bro ?? - For me road trips are better when I have my tummy full but it's very difficult to find variety of good food in Gokarna. May be we were not lucky enough. You ask anyone for good food and you will get a unanimous answer - Namastey Café. Yes, it's good but what if everyone end up going there! The service goes for a toss. We literally had to wait for 40 mins to get Omelets and Chai. Nau(9) Baj gaye kya? (is it 9 pm already) - Gokarna shuts down latest by 9 pm. Every shop shuts down at 9 pm. It's extremely difficult for find even a general or a medical store. Carry your necessities with you always. Murudeshwar - This is another town about 80 KMs from Gokarna. It is famous for Magnificent lord Shiva Idol on the beach. You must have seen various pictures of this holy place but what you would have not seen is the Crowd on the beach, beneath the temple, on the approach road and until everywhere, your eyes can see on the land. Trust me there must be around 5 lakh people in this place when we visited.

Honestly, I personally did not find Gokarna worth the long drive and money. Probably, I was expecting something else than what it had to offer.

Visit Gokarna with only with pre-booked accommodation, carry some food and set your expectations right before making plan towards Gokarna.

Please please Do not plan on a long weekend.

Hope this original story would help you plan your trip better!!

Please do share your experience of Gokarna in the comment section below.

Barcelona is the perfect combination of everything: great weather all year round, stunning architecture, delicious food that's distinctly different from the rest of Europe, and a lively social culture that prides itself on a bustling nightlife and late dinners. If you find yourself with 3 days in Barcelona, here are the 10 best things to do - a mix of both tourist spots and offbeat experiences.

1) Explore Gaudi's works 

2) Take a free historical walking tour 

3) Take a Spanish cooking class 

4) Explore the medieval neighborhood where Picasso grew up 

5) Check off the tourist spots by bus 

6) Watch the Magic Fountains light and sound show 

7) Go bananas at the Boqueria Food Market 

8) Stroll around the central boulevard of Las Ramblas 

9) Take a day trip to the Montserrat Mountains 

10) Drink at a bar filled with cauldrons

Here's a detailed itinerary for 3 days in Barcelona:

Day 1

Take a free historical walking tour and a Spanish cooking class Total time: 3-4 hours

I'm a huge fan of the free walking tour culture in Europe; more cities need to adopt it! It's such a great way to get acquainted with a new city, especially since the tour guides are generally locals. I also just love exploring new places by foot because you get a sense of the city's charm that you don't in buses, trains or cars. That being said, Barcelona is too huge a city to have a three-hour walking tour cover all its important sights, so a sightseeing bus is still the best way to do it (more on that below). Use walking tours to learn more about individual neighborhoods in Barcelona.

Travel Bar runs one of the most popular free walking tours of the city and is one of the best things to do in Barcelona; it takes you through the city's entire history in just three hours. For a history buff like me, it was great, but be warned! It's rather heavy on the history.

If that doesn't sound like your thing, then take a paella, tapas and sangria class with Travel Bar instead.

Enter food heaven at the Boqueria Market Total time: 

1 hour (at the least)

I have never seen a more tempting and delicious display of food in my life than at La Boqueria - chocolate, candies, fresh fruit, and vegetables. If you have 3 days in Barcelona, I'm pretty sure you will end up here everyday (guilty as charged: I basically had a second breakfast here every single day)! I'll let the photos do the talking, but if there is one thing you do in Barcelona - let it be this:

Watch the Magic Fountains 

Total time: 10-15 minutes

This is a great light-and-sound fountain show that runs for a few nights each week. Timings vary depending on the season, so make sure to check that online before you go. If you're spending 3 days in Barcelona, you're likely to catch this on at least one of the days. It's free to watch, only lasts 10 minutes, and is situated at the steps of the National Art Museum of Catalonia, providing a gorgeous setting to the whole show.

Day 2

Check off the tourist spots on bus 

Total time: 7-8 hours (for both bus routes, and depending on how many stops you get off at)

There are A LOT of monuments in Barcelona (who's complaining?), and as much as I hate guided tour buses, sometimes they are the fastest and cheapest option to cover the most ground, especially if you've only got 3 days in Barcelona! I'd recommend buying a day pass for the Hop On Hop Off sightseeing bus (25 euros). There are three circuits, of which only two are worth exploring: the blue and the red. Cover one circuit in the morning, and the other in the afternoon.

Make sure to get a map beforehand so you can plan out which monuments you'd like to get off the bus for. The others can just be viewed from the bus. The bus returns every 30-60 minutes, so if you do get off at a particular monument, make sure you keep track of time. This is also a great way to see the Gaudi monuments (more on that below).

Explore Sagrada Familia and Gaudi's other works 

Total time: 3-4 hours (included in the bus tour time)

You can't come to Barcelona and not admire the works of famous architect Antoni Gaudi. His constructions are magical and toy-like, and they stand out as whimsical structures amidst Barcelona's modern buildings. Don't miss Sagrada Familia and Park Guell - two of the most iconic places to visit in Barcelona. If you have time for more, Casa Battlo is really cool too, but has quite a pricey entrance ticket (23 euros).

Sagrada Familia is unlike your regular European cathedral - stunning is an understatement! It's pristinely white on the inside, with very unique pillars and gorgeously bright stainglass windows. Make sure to buy tickets in advance (starting at 15 euros), or be prepared to stand in extremely long lines!

Park Guell is a funky public park compound with various elements designed by Gaudi. It's great to walk around and take pictures, and you'll notice some iconic structures that feature in all the photos you may have seen of Barcelona! Definitely one of the best things to do in Barcelona, especially for photo ops. Tickets can be bought on the spot, and start at 7 euros.

Casa Battlo is very much a house from a fairytale. Gaudi built this house in 1877 with an underwater theme in mind. As a result, there are no straight walls in the house. Everything is curved to give the resident an illusion of water waves. The stainglass windows are blue and semi-opaque, so that when you look through them, you feel like you're underwater! Tickets can be bought on the spot (starting at 23 euros, but you can avail a student discount if you have valid ID).

Explore the medieval neighborhood where Picasso grew up 

Total time: 3 hours

El Born was hands-down my favorite neighborhood in Barcelona. If you're spending 3 days in Barcelona, you must dedicate an evening to this neighborhood. It is the most charming of the lot, with narrow alleys, cobblestone streets, and lots of bars and restaurants. The best way to explore it is to take a free walking tour. Make sure you do the tour at night, so you can see the neighborhood beautifully lit up. It reminded me of New York's West Village. I did a walking tour with Discover Walks, which was a good mix of anecdotes from Picasso's time, food and drink recommendations from our local guide, and sneak-peeks into artists' workshops, that kept it interesting and off-the-beaten-path. Highly recommended - one of the best things to do in Barcelona!

Drink at a bar filled with cauldrons

La Tinaja in El Born is just one of many amazing restaurants and bars, tucked away in the alleys of El Born - just stroll around, find a cozy spot and enjoy your evening!

Day 3

If you only have 3 days in Barcelona, you can choose to spend the third day shopping, taking a day trip, or revisiting some of your favorite spots around the city.

Stroll around the central boulevard - Las Ramblas

This is like the Times Square of Barcelona (maybe slightly less crowded, and with fewer lights). Las Ramblas is the focal point of all tourist activities in Barcelona because it's the first attraction on any visitor's checklist. This massive boulevard makes for a great stroll, especially to satisfy your shopping needs, with boutiques, department stores and coffee shops lining either end. The promenade is home to the Christopher Columbus monument, and La Boqueria market. Reserve some time to stroll through this bustling street!

Take a day trip to the Montserrat mountains

Both an unusual and a serene mountain range at once, most visitors to Barcelona will make a day trip to Montserrat, which only takes an hour by train. If you're feeling particularly active, consider making this trip. Montserrat is famous for its peculiar rock formations, and monastery set atop the mountain. It boasts of several hiking trails which offer stunning panoramic views. If you have 3 days in Barcelona, and want to get away for a day trip, I highly recommend Montserrat!

If you're ever looking for a quick getaway, look no further. Barcelona has it all and more. 3 days in Barcelona will seem like too little (as it did to me ???? ). The city is teeming with culture and energy, waiting to be discovered! What are some of your favorite Barcelona experiences?

I have never loved an American city as much as I loved Portland (except New York, but I lived there, so that doesn't count). I simply cannot explain how absolutely wonderful, lively, creative, warm, tight-knit, charming and delicious this city is. How did I take so long to discover Portland? Chances are you're visiting Portland for a long weekend, or on a longer Oregon road trip. Either way, if you've got 3 days in Portland, and want to explore the best and the offbeat the city has to offer, here's your ultimate guide to a weekend itinerary for Portland.

I managed to pack in all of this in my 3 days in Portland, with plenty of time to wander around, get lost in the streets, and even do some of these activities more than once. Please note that I didn't do any sightseeing (minus what I got to see on the walking tour). I just wanted to enjoy the best the city has to offer - food, drinks, dessert, art, creativity, books and coffee. So nothing on this list includes the typical touristy stuff. The best things to do in Portland are simply wandering around and soaking in the essence of the city. Here goes!

10 Best Offbeat Portland Experiences for your Weekend Itinerary

1. Take a free walking tour

Free walking tours are all the rage in Europe, and my absolute favorite thing to do whenever I arrive in a new city. I've never seen one in an American city before, but this might be one of the BEST walking tours I've ever done (the other one I fell in love with was in Reykjavik ). Secrets of Portlandia is run by a local, Erik, who is an excellent storyteller. You will learn more about Portland than you know about your hometown. This should be at the top of your list of things to do in Portland (tied with the Saturday Market - more below). You simply cannot leave Portland without doing this tour!

2. Explore the food cart pods

In 2008, Portland had 150 food carts. By 2018, it had 700! After the 2008 recession, locals were forced to start their own businesses and many of them resorted to food carts. Food cart pods are simply city blocks which have a large number of food carts all parked together. It's like a food market, where you can pick between many choices. The biggest one is the Alder Street Food Cart Pod, with 35 food carts, which I returned to twice. You will find LOTS of Asian food, some Middle Eastern food, and a few interesting tid-bits. The best one I tried was the Grilled Cheese Grill - SO many delicious varieties of grilled cheese with the option of DIYs.

3. Get lost while discovering the creative and artistic boutiques of the city

One of my favorite parts of my trip to Portland was wandering around some of the artistic neighborhoods. You will struggle to find large retail chains here in Portland. Instead, everything is locally-made. In fact, a Portlander is twice as likely to have his/her own business than someone from an average American city. It is also one of the most creative and artistic cities in America, so you're going to find some pretty rad design gifts.

Stroll around the neighborhood around the Alder Street Food Cart Pod, and check out Woonwinkel, Tender Loving Empire, Made Here PDX and Cacao. They sell offbeat Portland souvenirs, home décor, jewelry, food products, chocolates, and stationery - all locally-produced!

Another great neighborhood to include in your weekend itinerary for Portland (and slightly away from all the action) is the Northwest District, specifically NW 23 rd. It's a quiet, residential area with lots of beautiful boutiques, and an offbeat way to spend your last morning in the city.

4. Eat lots of donuts (but not at the touristy spots)

Of course, you've come to Portland to eat some donuts. But please don't waste your time going to Voodoo Donuts - the queues are absolutely ridiculous, and they have some really awful flavors. You will invariably be disappointed. Instead, hit up some of the smaller/more conventional donut shops in the city, which have freshly-baked donuts in classic flavors: Pip's, Blue Star and Coco Donuts. With 3 days in Portland, you should definitely average one donut shop a day! Keep in mind that since the donuts are freshly made, they sell out pretty early. My first day in Portland - we got to Blue Star in the afternoon, and they had already run out! Go early, and make it your breakfast.

I can vouch for Blue Star because they also had vegan options!

5. Spend an entire morning at the Portland Saturday Market - the best you'll ever go to!

I'm a sucker for markets. But I am always disappointed by them because they usually sell a whole lot of crap that I don't really need. Portland Saturday Market was THE best market I've ever been to. It goes to show just how creative this city is. Artists are selling all kinds of USEFUL, creative and innovative products - like home décor, wooden magnets, illustrated playing cards, soaps and sprays, and so much more. Every stall was unique and made you want to buy something. We probably spent 3-4 hours here! If you want to have an offbeat Portland experience, you absolutely cannot miss this.

6. Browse books at the world's largest independent bookstore

This is probably on your list of things of things to do in Portland. Even if you're a non-reader like me, you won't be able to resist Powell's Books, which takes up an entire block of the city. They have a map of the bookstore, because there's just no way you'll be able to navigate otherwise. I was with a group of friends, and we decided to split up for a few hours so we could explore based on our individual reading interests, and then meet up at a designated time. No matter how hard you try, the time just won't be enough!

Best way to optimize your time: pick a few genres you want to explore, and look at the used/discounted book racks in those sections! If you can, please buy something - it's our responsibility to continue to keep the tradition of bookstores alive!

7. Indulge in lots of happy hours!

Portland is famous for many things, and one of them is happy hour! You will find them everywhere, and they will be PACKED. Even on weekdays. So you better make a reservation. Tear Drop was an excellent cocktail bar in Downtown, which is where you'll be spending most of your time.

8. Eat some of the best food of your life

Portland is food heaven. It's also coffee heaven, beer heaven, ice cream and donut heaven, brunch heaven, vegan heaven. Oh boy - it's just heaven. I have an entire other post dedicated to the best food in Portland, so be sure to check it out.

9. Discover the best Portland has to offer: coffee and beer

Stumptown Coffee Roasters hails from Portland, so naturally, this has to be a city of excellent coffee. I stopped drinking coffee about 3 years ago now, but I usually make an exception when I travel to coffee-famous cities. More than actual coffee though, I enjoy spending quiet afternoons in local, independent coffee shops. Some options that you can check out are: Stumptown Coffee Roasters, Courier Coffee Roasters, and Heart Roasters. Some other of the best coffee shops in Portland are included here.

Portland also has an excellent beer scene, so make sure to hit up some breweries. A really fun recommendation that I unfortunately couldn't get to was to check out Distillery Row. It's an upcoming row of innovative Portland distilleries, making locally-distilled, handcrafted spirits. There are 12 independent distilleries, producing more than 80 unique spirits (vodka, gin, rum, whiskey and lots more) - all housed in Southeast and Northwest Portland. Every third Saturday of the month, the distilleries host a Cocktail Crawl. They each make the same cocktail, but slightly differently, so you can taste the difference as you go, and even learn how to make it! This definitely sounds like a fun way to experience offbeat Portland.

10. Rent a bike

A weekend itinerary for Portland seems incomplete without a bike ride. Portland is one of the most bike-friendly cities in the US. You can rent a bike from several places (just Google it), and spend a morning or an afternoon cycling around. You will really enjoy the many routes along the river, as this blog post lists out.

What are some of your favorite offbeat Portland experiences? What else would you include on a 3 day trip in Portland, Oregon? Let me know in the comments below ????