Hi, We’re Irina & Bernhard

Welcome to our blog, and thank you for choosing to embark on this journey with us.

We live in Munich, but we are originally from Romania and Baden-Württemberg. We now call Munich our home.

Simply Great Escapes started because we love taking lots of photos when we travel. One day we thought, “maybe we should document these experiences for us so that we remember all the great moments we shared”.

And then came another thought: “maybe other people will like our content as well because it comes from us, it is genuine, this is not made up, these are are own opinions and experiences”.

And that is really what Simply Great Escapes is. Travel, books, music and the things we love.

A Little More About Us

Two different personalities, one shared love of travel, books and music.

Hi, I’m Irina

I’ve always loved to write — after all, I studied Journalism. But I realized journalism wasn’t really something for an introvert like me. I worked for many years in Marketing, but also realized I’m not a fan of Marketing Copy.

So I guess this blog is an attempt at finding my own way. Starting Simply Great Escapes is an act of courage for me — a promise I made to myself to have something of my own. I chose to write in English because I want our stories to reach people from all over the world.

My love for the German language brought me to Germany, where I met Bernhard. I also studied abroad in Portugal and Denmark, which made me even more curious about other places and cultures.

When I’m not travelling, you’ll probably find me reading a thriller, enjoying fashion and nature, or listening to 80s and 90s music. Books have been my escape since childhood, and I’m looking forward to sharing some of my favourites here too.

    Hi, I’m Bernhard

    I started early to get the feeling that my hometown ain’t everything for me. I’ve never had a fear of the foreign. I like seeing how people live, their traditions and festivals, and photographing what I discover along the way.

    Travelling has shifted my point of view over time. It has shown me that there are many ways of doing things — and sometimes it also makes you realize what is done well at home without being appreciated. I like to tell others not to be afraid of the world around us. It’s worth being curious, learning and getting new experiences.

    Music has been another big part of my life since my teens. I’m a big Manfred Mann fan, and for me, every good record is its own world. I’ve built up a collection of keyboards, synthesizers, vinyl and CDs over the years, and there will definitely be music on this blog too.

    Irina and I share our love of music and travelling. She shows me places she finds on social media, then I look into them and we make a plan for how to do it. That’s pretty much how a lot of our trips begin.

      A little note about our photos: We value our privacy, so for now we’ve chosen not to share photos of our faces on Simply Great Escapes. Instead, we use illustrated versions of ourselves that look very much like us.

      Want to know more?

      Read more about how travelling changed us and what we’ve learned along the way.