I’m always looking for scenic views. Not only do they make great pics for Instagram, but there’s just something about seeing a place from a different perspective. Especially in a big city like Madrid, it’s hard to fully appreciate the sheer size of the city when you’re simply walking the streets. So, if you like good views like I do — and assuming you’re not afraid of heights — I’ve put together a list of the 5 best places for scenic views of Madrid. [Read more…]
7 Best Places to Visit in Madrid, Spain
In the past 9 months that I’ve been living here in Madrid, I’ve had my fair share of visitors. First was Carson and Natalie, then Matt, then Morgan, then Matt again! After all this, I’ve finally learned the best places to visit in Madrid. Now I know exactly where to take my tourists so that they have the opportunity to really experience the city.
So I put it all together into a list. Some of these are “duh” items; some of them are just my personal opinion of things that make Madrid special and interesting. This list also is great for anyone planning a visit to Madrid, even if you’re not showing tourists around! [Read more…]
5 Things to Know Before Visiting Palma de Mallorca
After almost 8 months of living in Spain, I’ve finally taken my first trip off the mainland. (Yes — in case you didn’t know, Spain has lots of islands!) During Semana Santa, or Holy Week, my friend Morgan came to visit and we went to Valencia and Palma de Mallorca. Palma is the largest city on Spain’s largest island, Mallorca, also known as “Majorca” in English.
We spent about two full days there, and even though I’ve visited 10+ other cities in Spain, Palma was very different than anywhere else I’ve been. Here are some important things to know if you’re planning a visit yourself! [Read more…]
Berlin Underground: Berliner Unterwelten Bunker Tours
My last day in Berlin called for rain. Since I’d been to the city before, about six years ago, I’d already done a lot of the indoor tourist sights like museums and the Reichstag building. But as I browsed through the results of my Google search — “things to do in berlin indoors” — one particular thing caught my eye. “Berliner Unterwelten,” or Berlin underground bunker tours.
All of the reviews were positive, so I thought I’d give it a shot. [Read more…]
Trip Review: Wrocław, Poland
I had an ulterior motive when it came to visiting Poland. A few years ago, after spending a Christmas in the far northeastern Germany, we’d driven across the border to Szczecin just to say we’d stepped foot there. (And I think we ate pizza.) But since I didn’t spend much time there, I never really felt that I could say I’d *been* to Poland.
In order to alleviate this traveler’s cognitive dissonance, I kept an eye on flights to Poland over the past six months. And finally, a cheap flight to a city called Wrocław aligned with a puente (long weekend) from school. [Read more…]
7 Reasons Why You Should Visit Granada, Spain
Granada, Spain, was a city that I’d always heard about, but never gotten around to visiting. Its location — isolated in Spain’s deep south — requires visitors to have sufficient time to not only enjoy the city but travel there as well. Situated in a mountainous region of Andalusia, Granada doesn’t currently have a train station. That means your transportation options are limited to flights, cars, or buses.
One of my friends in Spain, Ellie, studied abroad in Granada two years ago. Along with our friend Sarah, we planned a weekend trip, traveling via bus. It was 5 hours each way, which was a lot, but it wasn’t horrible. From the time I set foot in Granada, I fell in love, and I think it’s my new favorite city in Spain. Here are 7 reasons everyone should visit Granada! [Read more…]
How to Make Friends While Traveling Solo
It was my biggest concern when I first decided to travel solo: would I have to spend all of my time alone? Sure, I enjoy my own company – but there’s something special about making memories and sharing experiences with friends in foreign lands. I was hoping I wouldn’t miss out on that, despite embarking on the trip by myself. I had no idea what to expect. [Read more…]
Why T-Mobile is the Best for Solo Travelers
I was 20 years old before I got my first smartphone. I was a sophomore in college. Now, if you’re older than me, you may be saying, “Big deal! I didn’t get one until I was x years old.” However, by Millennial standards, I was absolutely ancient. [Read more…]
Travel Mistakes: 4 Experiences That Made Me a Better Traveler
What are the best things about traveling? Trying new foods, meeting new people, embracing a new culture? Is it the feeling of your long flight beginning its descent, getting a new passport stamp, or watching the sun rise on a Sunday morning and the city slowly come to life?
Those are a few of the things I love — but as we know, traveling is not always glamorous. Things sometimes go wrong, and sometimes we make travel mistakes. I’ve been fortunate not to have many of these moments over the years, but they do occasionally happen. And if we’re looking on the bright side, I can admit that each of them have made me a better traveler (in their own, twisted way).
Here are 4 of my biggest travel mistakes from over the years. [Read more…]
How to Not Look Like a Tourist in Europe
There’s nothing inherently wrong with looking and acting like a tourist. You are a tourist. But in some situations, looking like a tourist can make you a target for pickpockets, scammers, and other crime — a chance that only increases if you’re traveling alone.
Luckily, if you’re traveling alone, you also have a unique advantage — one that I think is lots of fun. When you’re alone, you can pretend you’re a local, just doing local things. I know I’m succeeding at this when someone comes up to me and asks for directions in the country’s native language 🙂
Here are a few of my best tips on how to not look like a tourist in Europe.