Highly Recommended European Experiences
Although I haven't been everywhere in Europe, nor have I seen nearly as much as I would have liked, I have still done quite a lot of adventuring and exploring. I have seen more in the last few months than most people will see in their entire lives and I am so grateful to have had the opportunity to do it all. Obviously when you go travelling you have, at the very least, a mental bucket list of what you would love to see, experience and do. Cities like Paris, Venice, London and Rome are some of the most hyped up countries and most people have very high expectations of them. Similarly there are places that you have never heard of or don't have any expectations for that tend to surprise you and even end up being some of your favourite places.
So I thought I'd write up a list of my absolute favourite & highly recommended European experiences (keeping in mind that I'm only recommending places I've visited). If you're coming to Europe or planning a Eurotrip then make sure the following experiences are on your bucket list (in no particular order):
1. Drive through the French Country Side
Driving through France was one of my first impressions of Europe and it definitely did the continent justice! France is full of incredible villages, fields, hills, flowers, vineyards and it's almost impossible to keep your eyes on the road. We stayed in the Beaujolais wine region and it was absolutely beautiful and breathtaking. The views, the landscapes, the winding roads, the rows and rows of greenery and colour were amazing. It was one of the most scenic drives I've ever experienced and I wanted to pull over at ever turn and jump out and go exploring. I would love to go back to France one day, hire a car and just road trip through the country- if you've never watched the Tour De France, watch it once just for the scenery.
2. Enjoy the sunset at the Eiffel Tower
Grab your favourite person, a bottle of wine, some cheese (boursin garlic is my personal favourite) and crackers and find a spot in front of or near the Eiffel Tower just before sun set. You not only get to watch the last of the daylight fade behind this beautiful city, but once it gets dark the Eiffel Tower lights up like a christmas tree wrapped in fairy lights. It dances and flashes and you can't help but stare up at it in awe. It really is called the city of love for a reason- it's not only one of the most romantic places in the world, you literally fall in love with it!
Continuing in Paris... A lot of people struggle to see much of this beautiful city because it's quite spread out and large. My friends and I found bike hire available all around the city and couldn't think of a reason not to hire them. It was the best way to see a city, especially Paris. The bike stands are everywhere so whenever we found a spot we liked or wanted to see more of we could just hop off, park up and come back when we were done exploring. Riding through the arches of the Place du Carrousel to reveal the Lourve pyramid in front, gliding along the river past parisians, ancient buildings, bridges and cathedrals, circling the Notre Dame, navigating our way through the crowds on Lovelock Bridge, discovering beautiful flower markets, soaring down the Champs-Elysées, all whilst feeling the wind in our hair and the sun on our faces. It's a MUST-DO.
4. Eat & drink at a German Beer Hall
I've never been a huge beer fan but not drinking beer in Germany is basically a crime. Munich has some of the biggest and busiest beer halls in Germany, especially during Oktoberfest. Whether you're participating in the famous beer festival or just visiting on the off season, make sure you pop into one! You usually get some decent, authentic German food and a pint of beer (including half beer half soft drink mixes which will change your outlook on beer forever) for reasonable prices. They mostly always have live German music and great atmospheres with huge bench tables making it ideal for big groups or even if you're on your own it means you'll definitely meet some jolly, drunk locals or fellow travellers.
5. Bathe in Budapest
Budapest is full of thermal baths, amongst which is the most famous Szechenyi Baths, visited by over one million tourists per year. Usually they can be a bit pricey, depending on which one you choose to visit but in my opinion, if you make a day or even half a day out of it, then it's worth it. The Szechenyi Baths were huge and had a range of really hot baths inside and outside, a fun whirl pool and a cooler pool, all of which were fun. It's kind of gross thinking about how many people get in the baths each day so we did refrain from putting our heads under water. The buildings are beautiful as well though and there was just something magical about it. If you're looking for something a bit more entertaining then a leisurely float under the Hungarian sky- look no further than Magaret Island (Magrit Sziget) a fairytale-like island in the middle of the Danube river. It's HUGE, full of fountains, old ruins, food stalls, lakes, beer gardens and smack bang in the middle? An epic (very cheap) water park! The water park has heated pools, a wave pool, a lap pool, water slides and is only about 16 euro for the day. Definitely your best option during hot weather!
6. Paraglide & cycle through the Austrian Alps
Austria was a country that took my breath away at every turn. Everything is either bright green or white from snow, the mountains are huge and they surround these tiny little villages like protective walls. The air is so fresh that your lungs feel brand new and it's exactly what everyone always says about "mountain air". There are heaps of tour companies in Austria that offer mountain bike tours and you HAVE to give them a try. I'm not the most confident cyclist but this was one of the best things I've ever done. We did a 20km cycle up mountains, through fields, past flowing streams, past horses and cows, through forests and it was all amazing. We came back very muddy, with very sore bums and very cold faces but again, nothing could compare with that feeling of the wind in your hair, soaring through this beautiful country and really getting to see all of it- or so we thought... UNTIL we paraglided off the mountains. Paragliding was like nothing I'd ever done before. We got a ski lift up this huge mountain, each with a passionate, enthusiastic instructor who strapped us in and geared us up. Then just as I started to feel a little nervous staring into the valley far, far below, he asked if I was ready and we RAN off the mountain edge. It sounds terrifying but you literally go from running/fast walking, to being picked up off the ground and if you've ever wondered what it was like to fly... then this is possibly the closest you'll come. I thought I saw a lot cycling through the alps but this time I was a bird soaring within reach of the clouds, wind rushing past my ears making my eyes water, gliding ever so lightly over the valley. I could see everything and without sounding very cliche, I have never felt more alive.
It was incredible.
7. Go for a Gondola Ride in Venice
Venice for me was slightly disappointing. There's really not a lot to do, every thing is really overpriced, it's extremely overcrowded, it's quite dirty, full of pigeons and very easy to get lost. It was still definitely an amazing experience to see the place, but I wouldn't recommend needing more than a day to see it all. It's one of those places that is so hyped up that when you actually get there and see it you're very underwhelmed. However, in saying that, the Gondola ride was something I've always wanted to do since I started learning Italian in grade 2, something almost everyone has on their bucket list and something you really just have to do if you're in Venice. If you get a good gondola navigator/driver/paddleman (what do they even call themselves??) that sings to you and has a comfy boat then you'll have an amazing time. Venice is a beautiful and very unique city and there's really no other way to see it than via gondola since it has more canals than it does footpaths. You feel almost like a ghost, floating through the city and under all the beautiful bridges and past the hidden little passageways. You hear the sounds of the city echoing through the walls as well as the calming lull of the water lapping against the side of the boat as you gently sway. It's very relaxing and really is an amazing experience.
8. Get a traditional Turkish bath & massage
Turkey is renowned for it's traditional baths and massages. They have these quaint bathing houses that smell like hot water, shampoo and chlorine. You are given a scrubbing/exfoliating cloth, a robe and usually some slippers or bath shoes. Unlike typical sit -down-in-a-tub-full-of-water baths, the Turkish men and women sit you on a coal heated platform, chuck buckets of water over you and scrub your sorrows away. They squeeze big soap bubbles onto your body and rub them deep into every little pore. They scrub you arms, your legs, behind your ears, you hair and it feels amazing. If your cloth comes out looking black/dark coloured- don't be alarmed, that's just all the dirt from your skin you never knew was there... yeah :/ They are very thorough but usually ask about your personal preferences like if you're not a huge fan of being touched they respect that and make sure you never feel uncomfortable (since it's all about relaxation). They're a little heavy handed but no so rough that you feel knocked about, its just a nice, intense scrub down that leaves you with a whole new layer of skin. If you've been travelling for a while too, you won't even remember ever feeling so clean! After the "bath" you can opt for a hot oil massage that feels like they soothe every muscle in your body and you come out of there feeling like a new you and the most relaxed you've ever felt.
9. Fall in love with Sangria
Spain in itself is such an amazing country that the Sangria you find there is just another added bonus. I've never been that into wine, especially red wine, but since tasting Sangria I'm a new woman. My friends and I went to a local bar in Barcelona, paid 3 euros each for 5 litres of Sangria that they brought out in these huge tanks that were almost bigger than me. We drank our fair share that night and every night after. Sangria is one of those drinks that you don't ever forget, and maybe I'm over exaggerating, but as a personal preference I feel like I could drink sangria all day every day and the fact that it's only really available in Spain (the good stuff anyway) gives me all the more reason to go back.
10. Go Inside the Sagrada Familia
La Sagrada Familia is quite possibly the most astonishing piece of architecture I've ever seen (I won't say in the world since I haven't seen it all). The outside is different from every angle and staring up at it you can't even comprehend that it started as an idea in one mans head and has been an ongoing project since 1882, not due for completion until 2020. It's almost always surrounded by hoards of tourists but if you go all the way there you absolutely HAVE to go inside. Its best to book tickets online in advance, otherwise you have to wait up to two hours sometimes for the next available viewing. The intricate details on the outside of the building are amazing enough- from the tiny little gargoyles and statues and spires and little ledges and never-ending towers and patterns- but the inside is jaw-dropping. It's huge and cavernous, with beautiful stain glass church windows, huge winding stair cases, an underground church, statues, spires reaching all the way to ceiling that you almost have to squint to see and the detailing on the roof top is out of this world. You honestly have to see and experience it for yourself.
11. Climb to the top of the Duomo in Florence
Europe is rich with amazing views from high places. You get beautiful sunsets, city views, mountain views, ocean views, you name it. The most satisfying views are those you have to work for and the Duomo in Florence definitely comes under that category. To get to the top view point tourists must use the old workmen stairs and tunnels, as there were never any stairs or lifts built for visitors, let alone room for them. It was never intended to be a hot spot for tourists but of course most of them never were. The experience of climbing up the almost 460 stairs can be a challenging one, but definitely rewarding. The first leg of the journey takes you up lots of narrow winding stair cases that lead you out onto a balcony/platform overlooking the inside of the Duomo's cathedral. From here you get a good glimpse at the amazing ceiling art and the church below. You then follow the narrow platform (all fenced in of course without any danger of falling) up into cave-like passages and steep rock-like steps (tall people watch your heads). There are a number of small windows looking out over the city that definitely motivate you to get to the ultimate view. One last steep, almost ladder-like stair case brings you out onto the roof top and you now have a 360 degree view of the incredible, old city. Sunsets over Florence are especially stunning from this view point, but you can also see mountains in the distant, flower fields, the old orange tiled roof tops stretching for miles, the bridges and rivers and tiny ant-like people. Do a loop around and try to take it all in.12. Explore the ruins of Pompeii
13. Get high in Athens
The view from the Acropolis/Pantheon looks over the city of Athens that seems to continuously stretch in every direction. It's an amazing view but hardly a view without the Pantheon itself in it- almost like that Idiot Aboard quote "I'd rather live in a cave with a view of a palace than live in a palace with a view of a cave" (personally I'd live in the palace but in this particular scenario I can see where he was coming from). My tour group and I were fortunate enough to watch the sun set over Athens one evening and enjoy the city come to life, and light, around us. We'd enjoyed the view of the city from the Acropolis earlier that day, but at night it was even more beautiful. To top it all off our tour guide pointed out the Pantheon lit up in the distance, high up on the cliff face above the rest of the city almost looking like the temple of the gods that it was built for. So whether you're visiting the Acropolis and enjoy the view from there or are fortunate enough to find a high rooftop in the afternoon, Athens is a city most stunning from a height.
14. Visit a concentration camp
As a bit of a history nerd/lover I have always aimed to visit a concentration camp after learning about World War II. I visited an Austrian one called "Mauthausen" which was an experience I can't really even begin to describe. I stood in an ex-gas chamber imagining how many innocent souls were murdered in that very room. I walked through the barracks where the Jewish people were forced to sleep, crowded together either freezing or sweating bullets. We saw the steep steps they had to climb, carrying tonnes of heavy rocks even when they were ill. Most of all, I remember it was very quiet. As if no one wanted to be disrespectful and speak. It was kind of surreal and touching and upsetting all at once. I couldn't begin to imagine what life would have been like for those poor people. There are a number of concentration camps in Germany and Austria, and even places like Poland, France, Latvia, Ukraine and more. If you get the chance, even if you're not a huge history buff, I would recommend walking a mile in their shoes and experiencing a concentration camp.
15. Hire ATV's & explore Ios
16. Pay your respects at Anzac Cove
If you're not a kiwi or Australian then you might not know that ANZAC stands for Australian and New Zealand Army Corps, and ANZAC cove is where our troops landed in Gallipoli during World War 1. What was crazy to me was that this cove, where so many died and so many lost loved ones, was such a beautiful place. It was almost wrong to admire it because of this. It should have been really ugly and gruesome, maybe with black grass and a dried up beach. But the grass was green, the flowers pretty, the beach picturesque and the hills where the Turkish troops fought from stood behind us looking innocent. At every memorial day they play little clips and the traditional trumpet music "The Last Post" and we have our moment of silence- but for some reason as I sat on that beach looking up at the looming hills behind, the sound of the waves crashing quietly on the beach were oddly familiar to me. Maybe they'd played it in the back ground of music before during the memorial services but it was instantly like a very unique wave sound that just belonged here. There's a wall of plagues that tell the ANZACs story and one that really stuck to me was a quote from a New Zealand soldier; "Sir, this is a sheer waste of good men"- because it was and wars always are. There was a tear in every eye and it really is a surreal experience if you've grown up remembering the ANZACs.. lest we forget.
17. Sail to Santorini to watch the sunsets
Santorini is famous for it's breathtaking views and incredible sunsets. Its set on a cliff and as you would expect, the higher you climb the better the views get. From every little view point and every little turn there is an amazing view of either the ocean, the surrounding islands or those prominent blue and white buildings. The sunsets are without question amongst the best in the world and if you get high (view high not drug high) then you'll appreciate it even more. There's just something about watching the sun disappear behind the ocean whilst standing amongst the greek buildings and feeling the last warmth of the day on your salty skin.
Ahhh Ireland. The bright green they are so famously identified with (leprechauns, four leaf clovers, their flag) is ever present in their beautiful landscape. The grass really is greener in Ireland and not just literally. Ireland is home to some of the friendliest people (also some of the drunkest), the most enthusiastic night/pub life and historically rich lands with castles and ruins at every bend. The people are so passionate about their history that you almost feel like a character in their stories. My absolute favourite moments were; seeing the Cliffs of Moher, enjoying the view from the cliff above the Giants Causeway, patting wild horses and ponies during an exploration stop along the coast, being introduced to fairy rings and leaving our problems inside them, exploring small towns and finding hidden treasures like little bays and crystal clear waters and so many more. The small pub crawl in Galway introduced us to so many fun people, the coastlines took my breath away and although Ireland is notorious for bad weather, I swear the sun shone almost every day for our visit. Ireland is one of those places that you just want to explore from tip to tail and one day I will.
19. Tag along on a Berlin walking tour
In a previous blog post I talked briefly about free walking tours. My boyfriend and I at the time of our trip were quite unenthused about these tours and hadn't experienced one on our. When we got to Berlin however, and realised just how large a city it was, we jumped at the chance and are so glad we did. Berlin's metro system was particularly difficult to figure out (or maybe we're just quite dumb) and taxi's were on the pricey side so what better way to explore the city than with a guide who knows it inside and out. It was also nice to have everything explained in such a casual kind-of-chatty way. Our guide even pointed out the hotel where Michael Jackson hung his baby out of (not a high light). Some amazing parts of the tour were; seeing the original Berlin wall (not really what you expect- literally just an old brick wall), experiencing and getting lost in the amazing Jew memorial (A MUST!), learning/re-learning so much of Berlin's history and getting to see so many notable buildings like the old SS headquarters, the military building and the Reichstag. Along the way we also passed little things that would usually go unnoticed like old churches, a car park where apparently (miles and miles under the ground) Hitler's bomb bunker was at the end of World War II and all kinds of intriguing museums for cars, the war, Berlin in general and even one for curry sausages.. (who wouldn't want to visit that?). So I would definitely recommend tagging along on a walking tour, either tag along on a free one (www.newberlintours.com) or pay a bit of money to hopefully experience an even more dazzling tour of an incredible city.
20. Enjoy Edinburgh
And last, but not in the slightest bit least, the ever enchanting, engaging and endearing EDINBURGH; the Scottish city that is basically home to Harry Potter. J.K Rowling got her inspiration for Hogwarts from the castle, wrote the most of the first book in a few of the local cafe's and even found the names of some of her characters from an old graveyard. It really is a quaint little town that looks like a snap shot from the middle ages- in saying that there are lots of modern things to do but the history is so interesting and its almost as if you've gone back in time. Edinburgh is also notorious for being one of the most haunted cities in the world. It has a series of underground vaults running beneath the city which used to be used for storage (as back in the day the city was very crowded with limited space) and later was used to illicit activities like drug dens, brothels, black market deals, etc. Lots of people were thought to be murdered down there, lots of people were publicly executed in the main streets during the 1600s and onwards , lots of people died from diseases in the middle ages due to the lack of sewerage systems and lots of rats and even more prominent, the witch trials which took place in the late 1500s and onwards. Again, due to limited space and poor people, bodies were often dumped in large quantise at once so when you go into most of the graveyards, although there aren't large amounts of gravestones, there are literally hundreds of thousands of bodies beneath your feet. Other than the fun "city of the dead" walking tours that take you through graveyards and the underground vaults at night, there is so much to do; walking tours of the city, castle tours and a variety of choices for pubs, restaurants, museums, parks, mountains, ruins, you name it. I definitely aim to revisit Edinburgh as I felt like there was so much to see and do that I really didn't get to appreciate it all, and I am making it my goal to book a Scottish Highlands tour to really see the country properly for all of its glory.
Tags:
General Travel
0 comments