Category: Destinations

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Taking the Stairs: 10 Breathtaking Views to Hike to in Europe

Taking the Stairs: 10 Breathtaking Views to Hike to in Europe on North to South

Taking the Stairs: 10 Breathtaking Views to Hike to in Europe on North to South

At the very beginning of our two-month Europe trip, Ian and I made a deal. Any time stairs were an option, we’d take them. Stairs up the Eiffel Tower? Why not? Hike to the top of the Rock of Gibraltar? Sign us up! It turned out to be the best decision we made all trip. Not only did we take in some truly awesome sights, but we got loads of exercise and saved money, too!

Ready to get your heart pumping? Put on your walking shoes. Here we share our top ten viewpoints to hike to in Europe, with directions for how to reach them!  Continue reading “Taking the Stairs: 10 Breathtaking Views to Hike to in Europe”

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Hiking to the Top of the Rock of Gibraltar… all the way from Spain

Hiking to the Top of the Rock of Gibraltar via the Mediterranean Steps

Hiking to the Top of the Rock of Gibraltar via the Mediterranean Steps

Walking across an airport runway, enjoying epic sea views all the way to Africa, conquering the Mediterranean Steps, and observing Gibraltar’s resident apes. It took us several hours, but we literally walked all the way from Spain to the top of the Rock of Gibraltar… and back… and saw loads of cool stuff along the way!

If you’re the active sort with a day to spend in Gibraltar, you’ve gotta try this.  Continue reading “Hiking to the Top of the Rock of Gibraltar… all the way from Spain”

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Puffin Watching on Iceland’s South Coast (Dyrhólaey, Iceland)

Puffin Watching on Iceland's Southern Coast (Dyrhólaey, Iceland)
Puffin Watching on Iceland's Southern Coast (Dyrhólaey, Iceland)

So you’re dying to see puffins on your trip to Iceland, eh? I’m no bird watcher, but that was me, on our inaugural trip to Reykjavik this summer. Unfortunately, we discovered, they’re not as common as horses and sheep, and we almost went our whole 6-day trip without finding them.

Once we did, however, it was magical! We saw upwards of 80 birds swimming, fishing, flying and waddling, and there were always around 10 of them a short 3-5 meter distance away. If you’re visiting Reykjavik during puffin season and don’t mind a 2+ hour drive, read on for our simple tips for locating these beautiful birds and the photos we captured once we (finally) found them. 

Continue reading “Puffin Watching on Iceland’s South Coast (Dyrhólaey, Iceland)”
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Two Months, Twelve Countries, One Bag: How We Backpacked Light in Europe

Two Months, Twelve Countries, One Bag: How We Backpacked Light in Europe

Ian and I just returned from an amazing 2-month trip to Europe. We visited 12 countries in our “road less traveled” style, planning a flexible route on a reasonable schedule and budget, staying mostly at Airbnbs with some hotel stays mixed in between. And we packed only one medium-sized backpack each, weighing in at just 17 pounds (8 kg).

Whether you’re headed abroad for two weeks, months or years, if you want to pack light for an easy backpacking trip, steal our packing strategies and lists here! Continue reading “Two Months, Twelve Countries, One Bag: How We Backpacked Light in Europe”

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A Day at Széchenyi Thermal Bath (Budapest, Hungary)

A Day at Széchenyi Thermal Bath, Budapest

A Day at Széchenyi Thermal Bath, Budapest

Known for its large open air thermal pools and rowdy late night parties, Széchenyi Bath is one of the most popular thermal baths in Budapest. So even though we’re not “spa people,” visiting a bath was a must on our Budapest list, and this was our very first!

A bit nervous and with no clue what to expect, we dropped in for a day at Széchenyi. Here’s what happened next!  Continue reading “A Day at Széchenyi Thermal Bath (Budapest, Hungary)”

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How to Stretch Your Euro Trip Budget: Booking Strategies to Save You Money

How to Stretch Your Euro Trip Budget: Booking Strategies to Save you Money

How to Stretch Your Euro Trip Budget: Booking Strategies to Save you Money

Planning a Europe trip can be expensive, but smart planning can save you loads! For starters, did you know it’s possible to:

  • fly from the U.S. to Europe for under $200?
  • find friendly locals renting out lovely homes at well less than half the price of a hotel?
  • book comfortable transportation between European cities for as low as $5?

Bottom line: an awesome Euro Trip doesn’t have to be so pricey — something I discovered while planning our two-month Europe trip to 12 countries in 2016. Want to know my secrets? Follow these easy trip-planning guidelines to travel farther, experience more, and save money on your upcoming Euro Trip.  Continue reading “How to Stretch Your Euro Trip Budget: Booking Strategies to Save You Money”

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Europe Trip Planning: How to Get Around Europe for Cheap

Europe Trip Planning: How to Book Affordable Transportation within Europe

Europe Trip Planning: How to Book Affordable Transportation within Europe

Plane? Train? Automobile? A combination of all three? Planning a backpacking trip around Europe isn’t as easy as it used to be, because now there are more transportation options with a wider variety of prices. If you do your research, you’ll often be rewarded with some really great prices. But it’s a lot of work for a multi-destination trip, and it’s even trickier if you’ve never heard of the transit companies you’ll be booking with.

I recently planned out our spring Europe trip and discovered some helpful online tools that make booking transportation easier. We booked a combination of buses, trains, flights, and cars in advance, online, to get us around Europe on a budget. Now three weeks into our trip, our pre-booked transit tickets have kept us moving around Europe quickly and comfortably.

Want to get the most for your money but don’t know where to begin? Use my trusty transportation planning strategies to find your most cost-effective route around Europe! Continue reading “Europe Trip Planning: How to Get Around Europe for Cheap”

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Our Spring 2016 Europe Trip Itinerary

North to South's Spring Europe Trip Itinerary

North to South's Spring Europe Trip Itinerary

We’re going to Europe! Well actually, we’re already in Europe, but we’ve just finished planning our two-month Europe trip. We’re visiting (at least) 12 countries and 21 cities on our trip. Below, find our itinerary for our spring trip (April 20 – June 24, 2016), and let us know if you’re planning a trip to (or have recommendations for) any of these destinations. We love chatting about travel plans!

P.S. Follow along on Facebook or Instagram (hers/his) — we’re posting photos daily! Continue reading “Our Spring 2016 Europe Trip Itinerary”

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U.S. Road Trip Re-Cap: Week Eighteen (Niagara Falls to Washington D.C.)

North to South U.S. road trip recap week eighteen

North to South U.S. road trip recap week eighteen

I can’t even express what a good time we had riding the Maid of the Mist around Niagara Falls! Who knew you could have so much fun being soaking wet?

Niagara Falls has been on my Must See list forever, so when we left the Adirondacks, we headed west to experience the cool mist on a hot day. It was perfect. And after that it was back to the East Coast to finish off the week in our nation’s capital.

Note: I’m still catching up on our weekly road trip re-caps! This one covers September 6-12.  Continue reading “U.S. Road Trip Re-Cap: Week Eighteen (Niagara Falls to Washington D.C.)”