Amsterdam has a lot to offer any globetrotter. Tulip fields, the Heineken experience, Anne Frank House, and the Red Light District are only a handful of activities that come to mind when I recall my 3-day trip to Amsterdam. Here’s how to get the most out of this colorful city:
Something else to think about: the Heineken Experience. Although I was not able to fit this into my quick trip, I intend to do the Heineken Experience, a tour of the brewing facility, if I ever return to Amsterdam. Check it out if you’re a fan of the lager!
Overall, Amsterdam is an amiable city with activities for every type of personality. If any of the above sounds intriguing to you, visit Amsterdam for experiences you’ll never forget.
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In recent years, Lisbon, Portugal has become a hotspot for travelers, and the city’s helpful locals, warm ambiance, and overall easy-going vibe showed me exactly why it’s received such rave reviews. Right off the Mediterranean, the city offers a variety of sights, efficient public transportation, and great music: everything a globe-trotter needs to enjoy a weekend away.
Once in Lisbon, you’ll want to start off with a scenic tour of the city. What won’t you want to miss? Belem Tower and Santa Justa Lift for sure. Belem Tower, also known as the Tower of St. Vincent, is a famous tower located a little way outside the city. It’s now a UNESCO World Heritage Site because of Portugal’s significance in the Age of Exploration. The Tower is quite a trek if you’re intent on walking, but it’s also incredibly accessible by bike and public transport (more on that later!). While you’re in Belem, grab a pastel de nata here at Pasteis de Belem. These are the BEST egg tarts around and one of the local foods you must try. Don’t leave Lisbon without heading to this pastry shop (waiting in the line is worth it).
Santa Justa Lift is another spot not to miss—it provides a view of the entire city! I always find that the best way to orient yourself in a new city is to head to a high point. From here, you’ll be able to see other areas you might want to check out: the Alfama Neighborhood, Barrio Alto, Plazo do Comercio, and Rua Augusta Arch are just a few that come to mind.
Best way to get to these? Public transportation hands down. Public transportation is an institution in it of itself in Lisbon. Tram No. 28 is just 1 of 5 wooden tram routes that still weave themselves through Portugal’s capital city. This route will take you through the picturesque neighborhoods of Alfama and Bairro Alto, the must-sees above. If you need to get somewhere, chances are you can do it with public transport in Lisbon, so don’t hesitate to ask the locals to direct you.
If you’re in Lisbon for an extended period or are just ambitious with your time, consider a day trip to Sintra. Sintra is a little town outside of Lisbon where you can see elaborate tilework and other unique architecture. The most identifiable piece of this architecture is Pena Palace, whimsical and colorful enough to be straight out of a fairytale.
Tired after a long day of sight-seeing? Head to a restaurant that features Fado, a traditional form of Portuguese singing. The songs are typically accompanied by string instruments and describe the tough realities of daily life. Fado music has two main varieties: Lisbon and Coimbra. Of the two, Lisbon is more well-known. Make sure you check it out!
Lisbon offers something for everyone. If you find yourself seeking a warm destination with friendly locals, great public transportation, an abundance of sights, and unique music, head to Lisbon. You won’t regret it!
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Florence is a city small in size but rich in reputation. You don’t need a lot of time to cover the city, but the greatest testament to its prominence is the fact that travelers often return here because of the quality of its sights. Check out below for all you could possibly want in a city!
Take a free walking tour. Start your trip out with this and you’ll have all the background knowledge you need of Florence, its early days, and the Medici family. Check online for times, meeting locations, and other information. Just Google search “Free walking tour Florence.”
Mercato Centrale is a market for foods and goods. The prices for goods are negotiable so go in with your game face on and ready to bargain. Additionally, the Piazza San Lorenzo is a shopping plaza where you can buy Italian leather. If you’re dying for a pair of Italy shoes, this may be your spot.
Head to Piazzale Michelangelo for the sunset. It’s a bit of a walk and up some stairs, so make sure you’re up for that and have your walking shoes on before you start the trek. You’re likely to encounter a crowd as everyone clambers to see the city from this high point. Other popular spots to see Florence’s natural beauty: the Duomo and the Boboli Gardens. Both require tickets so plan ahead of time and book these to make sure you can go!
Look no further than I Fratellini, a hole-in-the-wall type of stall, where you order a sandwich and a glass of wine and eat while standing/sitting in the street. This place is not far from the Duomo and Piazza
Look no further than All’Antico Vinaio. This is a great panini shop that will undoubtedly have a line. Yet, if you’re going to eat a panini, this is the one you want. Afterward, head to Gelateria
Florence is often synonymous with Michelangelo’s famous David. He’s in the Accademia Gallery and he’s as grand as described. Just make sure you book a ticket in advance to avoid the thousands of other tourists trying to see him as well. The same goes for the Uffizi Gallery, another great art museum. Book online, save a few bucks, and
Ponte Vecchio is a spot to check out. This bridge spans the Arno River and has physical shops built onto it. This is by far one of the coolest bridges I spotted in all of Europe. There’s now a bridge modeled after it in Bath, England. Jewelers, art dealers, and souvenir sellers will attempt to sell you their goods as you walk along this bridge from one side of Florence to the other. The strange part? You’ll feel as though you aren’t even on a bridge and are merely walking along another shop filled street.
Florence won’t necessarily impress you with its size. It’s easily walkable from one end to the other in 20-25 minutes or so, but there’s a reason it’s on everyone list for favorite Italian pitstops. On your next trip, check out some of the above and experience one of the greatest European cities out there.
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Rome, the eternal city, carries quite a reputation and is a city everyone must see at least once in their life. Yet, it could take even a practiced traveler an eternity to see everything if you don’t have a plan. Check out below for the tips, tricks, and best practices for all the top sights and events in Rome and the Vatican City.
Be sure to check out the above on your next trip to Rome and the Vatican City! You’ll leave with an abundance of knowledge and charmed by the city as a whole. Just keep these best practices in mind so you can squeeze in as much as possible. Enjoy!
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When people name the top 5 cities in the world, Paris is always one of them. Paris, to me, is a city that I have always had a special connection with because I grew up listening to French chanson music and reading French literature. My first trip to Paris was incredible, but I also learned that, like any city, it can be full of tourist traps. Nonetheless, I firmly believe that a traveler’s bucket list must include Paris at least once in their life. Here’s why:
Paris is home to incredible landmarks. The Eiffel Tower, the Louvre Museum, Notre Dame de Paris, Arc de Triomphe, Champs-Elysées, Sacré-Coeur, the River Seine. Of course, these are what you think of when Paris comes to your mind, but the opportunity to see them in person can truly be once in a lifetime. The moment you walk down the Champs-Elysées or stand beneath the enormity of the Eiffel Tour is breathtaking. Notre Dame has such an abundance of history, and it doesn’t get much better than the Louvre for art lovers.
While these landmarks can sometimes carry ridiculous fees and ticket prices, they are free to visit from the outside. To avoid any tourist traps, carefully research the hours, prices, and which ones you’ll want to visit inside.
Remember: if you’re perfectly content taking a picture in front of the Eiffel Tower, then there’s no reason to spend 25 euros to go to the top.
Parisians know how to eat. The number of cafes in Paris is absolutely absurd. Their croissants melt in your mouth, the cheese and chocolate are to die for, wine is in abundance, and pastries are everywhere. Spend some time trying everything that Paris has to offer. When in doubt, seek out the Mom and Pop place rather than the big chain that looks flashy from the outside. Though it may take a few days to find these more local restaurants, you’ll immediately know you’ve done it when you’re suddenly enjoying the best food of your life.
Paris is full of history. If you paid attention during any of your school’s European history classes, you know how significant French rulers were to Paris. The history of Paris is everywhere, but the museums, architecture, and culture are only the beginning. So, where’s the best place to find it? The people. While you’re in Paris, be sure to engage with the locals. They know the city best and can provide a window into their coveted culture. The best part of engaging with locals is that they can often provide the best recommendations that steer you clear of tourist traps and instead keeps you wining and dining with the best the city has to offer.
Overall, I recommend visiting Paris with this savvy approach in mind. Visit the famous landmarks but forego the expensive ticket options if you’re not dying to do them (they can be overrated). Enjoy lots of local food at local places and speak to local people. Make Paris local to you and have an incredible experience!
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Kotor, Montenegro: a little city on the coast of the Mediterranean that’s incredibly accessible to ambitious travelers. Montenegro never seems to be anyone’s first choice destination, but I’ve never met a soul who regretted visiting. This tiny country may only have 5,333 square miles in area but has some of the best views of any country I’ve ever visited. The drive along the Bay of Kotor allows you to experience both mountains and water all at once.
Though Kotor may not have as much to do as a seaside city in Croatia or Italy, it is still plenty worth your time. Here are the top 5 things to do on your trip to Kotor!
What else is out there if you’re ready to adventure a bit further outside of Kotor itself? Local tour companies also offer the opportunity to kayak, snorkel, and cave! You can book a tour that takes you out to the Adriatic coast.
Montenegro may be small, but its cities like Kotor offer a wide variety of activities to do. Kotor is quiet, hospitable, quaint, and charming. Don’t waste any more time – put Kotor on your vacation bucket list today!
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Salzburg: perhaps Europe’s best-kept secret and my favorite city of all. The world knows Salzburg as the birthplace of Mozart and the home of the famous Von Trapp family in The Sound of Music. Yet, for each visitor, it holds its own quiet charm as they get to experience the magic of a smaller city with just as much to do. The city is accessible from Vienna, Prague, and Munich, which makes it the perfect weekend getaway.
If you’re planning a trip to Salzburg, and you’re a fan of The Sound of Music like I am, I would recommend all of the following sites. You’ll recognize many from the 1965 film.
If you love The Sound of Music but are overwhelmed by how to accomplish all of this in one trip, Salzburg tour companies offer a variety of options. A bus tour is offered through Panorama tours for $45/person that takes you to many of the sights listed above. Furthermore, the Fraulein Maria Bicycle Tour offers individuals the opportunity to bike through Salzburg in nice weather to get the true experience of the Von Trapp children.
For the Mozart lover, you can actually go visit his birthplace in the center of the city and tour a museum of his former home. The tickets are 10-15 euros and totally worth it for classical music enthusiasts.
Additionally, be sure to check out both the Salzburg Cathedral and the Hohensalzburg Fortress. Both provide a window into the early history of the quaint city. The Fortress is a little bit of a hike since you can see it from anywhere in the city, so wear your walking shoes before you head up to this medieval castle.
Finally, after you’ve spent the day seeing these sights and taking in the breathtaking Austrian scenery, what’s left to do but eat and drink some traditional Austrian food? Be sure to order some wiener schnitzel, have apple strudel for dessert, and visit Augustiner Bräu for a beer. This brewery is run entirely by local monks and is a can’t miss while in Salzburg!
Otherwise, enjoy your trip, take lots of pictures, and Salzburg is sure to be one of your favorite things!
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My husband and I had our second wedding reception in the US and already bought our return flight from Prague to California. A few weeks after the purchase, Adam came up with the idea to do a coast to coast road trip, driving from the west coast to the east coast. That meant that we had to forfeit the return leg of our light and book another one-way ticket to Prague from whichever airport on the east coast. We used Kiwi and found cheap flights departing from New York with a short layover in major European cities, one of them is Reykjavik, the capital of Iceland. Upon seeing Reykjavik destination, Adam got another idea that we should also visit Iceland on this trip. I had been in Iceland, spending more than two weeks with an adventure tour group and camping all over the country. I had no intention to go back because first I had seen most of it, and second we packed for summer (June) California weather and would need to stuff winter clothing into our already-full luggage. Iceland was kinda on Adam’s bucket list of places to see, and after all, this was still our honeymoon trip. Finally, we decided to include Iceland into our journey and picked a flight with the longest layover in Reykjavik, 24 hours.
Reykjavik is a lovely city on its own right, but people don’t travel to Iceland to stay just in the capital. On the other hand, it’s difficult to not stick to the capital because sights in Iceland are scattered across the countries. There is no frequent and extensive public transportation network as you see in most European countries. To get the best out of Iceland, you need to join a tour or rent a car.
While one day is not ideal, but no amount of time in Iceland is too brief. You can still hit some of Iceland’s most breathtaking sights and make the most of this tight window. Before you do anything, consider renting a car. We got ours at Sixt. And now see below for the top places to hit if you ever spend a day in Iceland!
We flew into Keflavik, the fifth largest city in Iceland and home to Keflavik Airport (KEF). The city provides a more local, small-town feel to the largest city and capital of Iceland, Reykjavík. The fishing town is also close to the famous Blue Lagoon, so don’t pass it by. I recommend staying here to hit all the biggest landmarks while still maintaining incredible accessibility to the airport.
We first leaned towards staying in Reykjavík to get to see the capital more but ended up staying at an Airbnb in Keflavik. The rental was a few minutes drive from the airport, very convenient for us to drive back to the airport early in the morning and dropped off our car at Sixt.
Our Airbnb accommodation in Keflavik
Sixt and other car rentals
Keflavik seafront
The Blue Lagoon is the most famous spa in Iceland and open year-round to travelers wishing to bathe in its warm seawater averaging 102 degrees Fahrenheit (39 degrees Celsius). The lagoon is known for offering treatments for skin conditions such as psoriasis, and it renews the waters in it every 48 hours, so it’s always fresh. It’s perfect to enjoy late at night in the summer or under the Northern lights in the winter.
On the way to the Blue Lagoon, we found this site
The blue lagoon
On the Reykjanes Peninsula, in the southwest corner of Iceland, a bridge now connects two pieces of land that were formerly the continents of Europe and North America. The peninsula exists on a major tectonic plate boundary: the Mid-Atlantic Ridge. As the plates have continually separated, the bridge was built to symbolize the connection the two continents. Definitely worth a visit!
The Bridge between continents
In the same region of southwest Iceland, you can find the area of Gunnuhver. This spot is named after a female ghost who haunted the area until she was trapped by a priest and fell into the spring. Now, you’ll find mud pools and steam in this geothermal field. Although a bit eerie, this is a great spot to visit and travelers stay safe on the wooden observation platforms nearby.
The hot spring is apparently active
Finally, no trip to Iceland is complete without a trip to the capital! Reykjavik is full of landmarks and things to do. Hallgrímskirkja Church is a must-see with its unique design that can be spotted from almost anywhere in the city. The church features a remarkable pipe organ inside and a massive statue of Leif Erikson, the first European discoverer of America, outside. In the city center, walk down Laugavegur, one of the oldest streets in Reykjavik. The street is home to restaurants, shops, bars, second-hand and vintage stores. Grab a bite to eat with an Icelandic twist right here. Finish off your visit at the seafront. A famous statue, the Solfar Sun Voyager, can be found here and is meant to inspire dreams, imagination, light, and hope.
Hallgrímskirkja – the Lutheran parish church in Reykjavík
Walking downtown Reykjavík at midnight
Reykjavik at midnight
Interested in learning more about Iceland? Plan your own trip and be sure to check out all of the highly recommended spots above!
If you don’t mind having a few hours of sunshine during the winter and money draining so fast from your pocket, then Stockholm, Sweden’s cultural, political, and economic capital is your next travel destination in Northern Europe. Spreading over more than a dozen of islands and connected by bridges, Stockholm is tourist-friendly with a broad range of public transport including trams, buses, metros, trains and ferries. This bustling city surely has got the look and a bit of everything for everyone from elegant boutiques, fine craft stores, cozy cafes and restaurants to impressive sets of museums including the famous ABBA Museum.’
Swedes, like Norwegians and Finns, are more reserved and introverted, so don’t expect them to start a conversation or be the first to lend out a helping hand. However, I find Swedes polite and helpful when I needed help. You jut have to ask for it. Swedes’ perfect English is a major plus because if you understand English, you will feel at ease traveling in a foreign country.
Plan your day wisely if you travel to Stockholm not in the summer when the days are much shorter. Allocate your budget for the trip and be aware that Stockholm is ridiculously expensive. What you spend for a weekend trip here can last you at least a week in Eastern Europe.
There are many things to do and see in Stockholm, and you will find different travel tips from other travel websites and travel blogs. Below my list, and I hope you find it useful while planning your trip to Stockholm.boo
Prague might not be the place you come to find good food. However, if you crave exceptional Vietnamese food in Prague and love to go off the tourist map, then you should visit Sapa, the largest Vietnamese market Prague.
Be prepared for a culture shock. Once you enter Sapa, you feel that you’re no longer in an EU country. Sapa’s rundown and unkempt appearance might make some of you feel unsafe, but there’s more to the market than the crappy environment that will be yours for the next hours.
My name is Cindy, also rhymes with travel junkie. A friend said I was probably a gipsy in my previous life. One of my many secret missions in life is to convert you to run off every once in awhile.
