Budva and Kotor

I took a day tour here from Dubrovnik which I find easiest sometimes, as you don’t need to repack your stuff and get on a new bus, find a new hostel, etc. But if you’re headed here on your own, here’s what I suggest.

The closest to the boarder of Croatia is Budva, a small ancient walled old town with lots of shopping centers on the outside. Lots of by the water restaurants and definitely a sailing city, but not entirely worth the visit if you only have time for one.

Kotor, on the other hand, is stunning. Another small walled town, you instantly are hit with beauty after stepping off the bus. The town is situated at the base of a mountain facing an emerald bay that leads to the sea.

The town is full of history, the Montenegrins surrendered to Napoleon when he came, has two palaces, (one that belongs to the richest family in Montenegro and the other to the smartest), and if you asked yourself: “hey, does this place have a wall too?” you couldn’t be more right! It does! It’ll take about an hour and a half if you have the time to hike it, but the views are spectacular.

If you only have a bit of time, just go up to the church, the views will be good there too! It’ll cost 3 euro to get in, but worth every penny. If you’re spending the night here, head up here before the cruises dock!!

Where to Eat:

There are lots of cafes inside the walls that are fairly priced, but if you’re looking for spectacular cakes and coffee (I mean, who isn’t?) Head to Astoria, right outside the two palaces.

Interesting to Note:
Montenegro isn’t in the Eurozone, but it does work on the euro in an effort to boost their economy.

Although I could have spent another hour or two here to eat and hike up the mountain higher, I don’t think I would have needed much more time which is why the day tour is an excellent choice. You’ll get driven right back to Dubrovnik where you might already know how to navigate the city, in time for dinner.

Dubrovnik, Croatia

My trip to Dubrovnik, however early in the morning, was painless and quick, though it could have been since I was asleep for the entire ride. In any matter, the tiny airport will sell you tickets for 40 kuna for a shuttle right to the old town. If you’re coming from the bus stop, you’ll need to get a ticket for the public buses 1A, 1B or 3 going strait to the old town as well.

Where to Stay:

City Walls Hostel. Head through the Pile Gates that take you to the center of Dubrovnik’s old town or Grad. Walk down the main road and when you see an Irish Bar called The Gaffe on your right, take the stairs strait up. At the wall, make a left and take the stairs under the arch on your right and keep heading up! Once you get to the top of the walls, make a right and you’ll see a lantern with the hostel’s name on it. Navigating the inside of the walls can be tricky sometimes with its many dead ends, but if you can make it up to the top row, you’re good! The hostel is a super friendly quaint beachy feeling hostel with only one room on each floor with no more than 6 beds in each room, which makes it easy to make friends downstairs in the common room/kitchen or in your own room. You can buy beer downstairs in the kitchen from the staff or run to the grocery store, but with the best view of the ocean and bar just a couple doors down, I definitely suggest that too! There’s free breakfast and coffee every morning and staff is on from 8AM-10PM.

Being so high up, the light streams in through all the windows in the morning which is absolutely the best wake up in the world.  You definitely feel safe and taken care of here. AND worth a mention, Tyrian Lannister (Peter Dinklage) one day while filming got drunk and passed out on the couch downstairs. So you even might get a chance to bump into a cast member! All the staff is so kind and helpful you almost feel like a part of the family spending the night in this old world building. Last things to mention, the water pressure is unbelievable and hot, and the water here is drinkable!

What to Do:

Most every spot is good for GoT fans, so I recommend NOT doing a Game of Thrones walking tour as they’ll charge you so much for things you can see on your own.

Climb the walls: For 120 Kuna, you can walk the top of the walls giving you the most beautiful views of the entire town and off to the ocean.

Visit Fort Lovrijenac. It played an important part in resisting Venetian rule and is a quick walk from Pile Gate. It’s 30 Kuna to get in, but if you did the walls, you can get a 30 Kuna discount and vice versa if you head to the fort first and then head to the walls.

Take a boat to Lokrum Island. 100 Kuna to get there and back. There, you can explore olive tree fields and different gardens, take a swim in a tiny Dead Sea, or explore different coves to swim in. But be warned, the last boat will leave without a sound! And thousands of years ago when monks were forced to move for royals’ summer homes to be built on the island, they cursed it and legend says if you spend a night there, you’ll die soon after.  That was nice of them.

See Trsteno Arboretum. You’ll have to take a bus from the center of town to the main bus station where you’ll transfer to a 12 or 15  bus to Trsteno. It’s about a half hour ride in total and so 1000% worth it. It was absolutely stunning and 45 Kuna to get in if you’re a student. Or free if no one’s on duty which seemed to be the case when we arrived.

This arboretum was started in the 12th century when the Gozze family had visitors bring seeds of different trees from their country. Now, it spans 255,000 square meters and smells and looks like heaven. It also happens to be the filming location for King’s Landing’s gardens. It’s easy to lose track of time here exploring abandoned buildings and bridges, different trees, and small coves.

You can also do great day excursions to Split, Korcula, and Montenegro.

Where to Eat:

The best coffee spot is probably either Buzz or Glam Cafe.

Unfortunately, the city is super expensive compared to the other big cities in this area, and can be because of the amount of tourists who come in and out every day. For a cheap and good meal, check out Presa or grab a quick sandwich at the ice cream shop right outside the walls which are much cheaper than most places you’ll find around town.

Ljubljana and Around

When I decided to book a flight out of Ljubljana, I figured sure, why not. No one I know has ever been to Slovenia, let’s do it. In all honesty, this trip I booked was kind of a mess. I could have spent more days in Austria, maybe one to Slovakia, but I never really intended on staying in Ljubljana for five days. But I’m SO glad I did. The city is super relaxing, inexpensive, beautiful and easy to get around. I’m secretly glad I found this hidden gem, but you’re about to see why it’s so great.

Getting in and Out

Book a shuttle to and from the airport, which is about a half hour from the city. Your hostel would be more than happy to help you out there! There are other options for shuttles, but they might give you strange time frames like 5:30 AM-8:30 AM to be at the airport for 9 AM. (Eh, no thanks!) There’s also a bus every hour Monday-Wednesday. But the shuttle for 7-9 euro is in my opinion, the best option as the airport’s so far away!

Where to Stay

Celica Hostel – super interesting hostel…it used to be a jail converted into a hostel in the alternative area in Ljubljana. There’s a different event going on every night which is open to the public and a bar downstairs. If you’re looking for security, get a smaller room as the bigger ones don’t have lockers. It’s a great location for partying, and most everything is about 15 minutes away, but it wasn’t the safest I felt all week. The plus is there’s always someone at reception which makes for easy arrivals and departures–especially since it’s a 5 minute walk from the train station!

Vila Veselova- Oh my heart! I loved this place! Super nice staff, great location right by the park and right off the main road into the center. There’s only someone at the desk from 8am-8pm so if you’re coming in late, they’ll leave you a note or you can check in in the morning. It’s so super chill and has free breakfast in the morning! (score!) The beds are comfy and the lockers are right under your bed (with big keys so you won’t lose them everywhere you go, like me). Easy accessible outlets on every bed and a kitchen if you’re going to cook your own foods! (NOTE: Most supermarkets close at 9PM).

Sax Hostel– Also a great location, if not better. It’s about a 5 minute walk to the river and great restaurants and cafes, but it’s super relaxing and quiet. The beds are made for you when you get in which is super great and the wifi is excellent (always good to note!). There’s a bar downstairs open to the public and they often have events as well but you won’t hear anything from upstairs! Also there’s a precious bakery around the corner on the river that’s open from 6AM-12PM with inexpensive foods for the extreme budget-er, especially because this place doesn’t have a kitchen. But trust me, that didn’t stop me from making Ramen with the kettle and mugs they have for free tea and coffee! Also major plus, they do the dishes for you. ALSO you can get a sim card here. Anything you want, they’ll get for ya!

What to Do

Every morning at 11 AM is a free walking tour of the city, which I highly recommend. You’ll get the history of the city, and every guide shows you different locations so even if you go more than once it’ll be like a new experience!

Ljubljana Castle This place is super interesting, and a great hike as well. The whole castle is gutted and has different exhibits of modern art and photography and sculptures, with twists and turns. Oh, and it’s free!

Museums every Sunday, museums are free! Check ’em out.

Getting Away

I’m a big fan of the day tour. And while there are some great tour companies, this one stood out for me with the most options and the most helpful and knowledgeable tour guides! Roundabout Tours

I took two tours with them, but could’ve done so many more! The first was a half day tour to Lake Bled. You go up to the lake, visit the church on an island, and visit the castle (all only if you want to) you can get a chance to taste the famous Bled Cake at Park Hotel (which is a secret recipe), and make a stop at the most precious little town stopped in time. Depending on your tour and time of year, you can pay a visit to Vintgar Gorge and massive waterfall!

The second was Korst and Coast.

We started the day early in the morning and headed to Skocjan Caves. I didn’t get a chance to go to the famous Postojna Caves, but after these I don’t think I’d want to! Walking into these massive caves made me feel like I was Indiana Jones. It took millions of years for the stalagmites and stalactites to grow and cross a bridge viewing the River Reka 200m below the surface. It was incredible and I highly suggest it to everyone, on the tour or on your own.

Then we went into a restaurant where we tried local wine, Teran and Karst prosciutto accompanied with sheep and cow’s cheeses. I’m not lying when I say this was the best prosciutto I’ve ever had. It was amazing. And while I’m not a huge red wine fan, this was wonderful. Sweet and not too dry, and got me tipsy off one glass! But, I’m a lightweight anyway.

We made a quick trip to see the white Lipizzaner horses and where they’re bred. We then drove down to the coast to Piran and had time to explore and have lunch. It’s a beautiful teeny town reminiscent of Italy. You can actually see Italy and Croatia from the shore! Which is pretty crazy! Try some grilled calamari or gelato along the edges of the Adriatic Sea.

The last stop we took was to Predjama Castle which is situated in the mouth of a cave with secret passageways. Unfortunately when we went, it was closed for the season but will open for the summer with new activities like spelunking and jousting matches! It’s a long day, but so worth it—I mean look how much we did! Totally worth waking up for and you’ll get plenty of coffee breaks!

Roundabout does other day tours like rafting on the Emerald River and day trips to Venice which is just a couple hour’s drive away. If I had more time, I’d do them all!

Where to Eat

Check out my list of coffee spots in Ljubljana.

But, for something different, try heading to a “gostilna” which serves traditional fare. Gostilnas often serve dishes prepared to old recipes using local ingredients. I had a foal goulash with dandelion pudding at Sestica. It was soo good and the first time I felt full in a about a week. It was wonderful.

Pizzeria Ljubljanski Dvor great pizza on the water. Like, GREAT pizza.

Slovenska Hisa serves great coffee, lots of drinks and great meat and cheese places and cheap wine.

Weekend in Vienna

Airport: Vienna International Airport | Currency: Euro  | Language: German

In my haste, or messiness if you want to call it, I gave myself two full days in Vienna over a span of three. So, if you’re just passing through on your way somewhere else, or only have a bit of time here, these are the things you definitely must do!

1. Coffeeshop hop  in one of the traditional coffee houses. Check out my post on all the ones you’ve gotta try!
2. Make your way to Belvedere. The name literally means ‘beautiful view’ so you know you won’t be disappointed!
3. Check out Freud’s old apartment where he started seeing his patients! They have a student discount as well. Here you can roam the rooms of his first studies that made him the psychologist we know today.
4. Tiergarten Zoo. Sure you might’ve been plenty of zoos before, but can you say you’ve been to the oldest one in the world?!
5. While we’re on the topic of animals…check out Shmetterlinghaus (butterfly house) or the Spanish Riding School
6. Hofburg Palace. Right in the center of the city, you can roam the museums and might get a glimpse of the Austrian President as well!
7. Schoenbrunn Palace. I am still kicking myself that I didn’t make it over here. Note, it closes at 5 in the off holidays and 6:30 in the summers. So make it a priority, if it is a priority for you!
8. Try and get to see something at the State Opera House. The city is where Mozart composed a lot of music so walking the streets he did and listening to the music he wrote while standing where you are is huge! Best to plan in advance though!
9. Hundertwasserhaus. A place equally as strange to say as it is to see! Vienna had architecture to make me fall in love with facades, but this one takes the cake!
10. Naschmarkt. If you’re anything like me and love food, this is the place for you. An outdoor market with different ethnic foods and just to walk through is a wonder for the eyes! And although they’re open from around 6 am-7:30 pm on the week days, they close early on Saturday and are closed on Sundays.
11. Demel which is a famous bakery, pastry and chocolaterie established in 1786.
    

    
    

    
12. St. Stephen’s Cathedral built in 1688 is “the mother church of the Roman Catholic Archdiocese of Vienna” and the seat of the Archbishop of Vienna. Plus it’s got a really cool tiled pattern on the roof.
13. Wiener Riesenrad is a giant Ferris Wheel at the edge of the city with great views. And who doesn’t love Ferris Wheels??
14. Check out views of the Danube.
15. And if all of that’s too much, just hang around the Museumsquartier and take in the sights, people and check out the museums in this area.

Where to Stay

MEININGER Hotel There are three different locations scattered around the city and is not only a hotel but has dorm rooms as well so it’s a hotel/hostel. It’s got all the perks of a hotel and a hostel in one which is super great. Bar crawls, breakfast in the morning, and some of the coziest beds and wonderfully clean showers. I’m not messing, when I finally got into bed, I crashed and slept through the night about 12 strait hours. It was amazing. The staff are there 24 hours which is super helpful as well and they’re great if you need anything at all.

Another great option is Wombats Hostel which also has two locations in the city in prime locations. They also have  breakfast in the morning, and has the same deal with hotel/hostel vibes and rooms. One of the locations is right next to Westbahnhof so it’s really convenient for coming in and out of town.

Getting In and Out

There are a couple train stations around the city if you’re planning on getting in that way. But make sure you know which one you’re leaving from if that’s the case. The U-Bahn is super easy when maneuvering around the city. Make sure you buy a ticket before you get on though. Sometimes the police don’t check and sometimes you’ll get a 100 euro fine. The choice is yours!

You can take a rapid CAT train into the city from the airport and out as well, or a bus that leaves every 20 minutes. There are SO many options, so check ’em out here.

Happy Travels!

 

Why You Need to Take the Trip to Hallstatt

Surely there are a plethora of day tours you can take from Salzburg to Hallstatt. But if you’re like me and have dreamed about going to this spot for a while, I’d 100% recommend spending the night there in one of the quaint hotels along the lake. First of all look at it:

I mean, c’mon. It’s like a freaking fairy tale. I could post a blog post just with pictures and you’d be packing a suitcase and booking a flight.

The town is remote.  You can only get there by a boat from one edge to the other of the lake or taking a walk/car from the small train station in Obertraun or to Hallstatt itself.

This means it’s super peaceful. Still waters, quiet streets, (not many in fact), wifi everywhere. It’s a dream.

I stayed at a small hotel in Obertraun on the south east side of the lake. Promptly after dropping my stuff in my room, I walked the mile to the Hallstatt ship for 5 euro return. The ship works on the train’s schedule and the last ship to the other side is at 6:15 (18:15). If you do choose to stay in Obertraun, there is one, yes you heard correctly, one restaurant. So eat early or make sure the restaurant is open, or that you have food with you.

The next morning, after a free breakfast at the hotel, I decided to walk to Hallstatt before my train to Slovenia at 3:25.

 

It’s only 4 KM~ 2.5 miles to walk the bottom of the lake up to Hallstatt and a gorgeous walk at that. It’s got a foot path the whole way and especially at this time of year there was no one around so I got the peaceful walk through the mountains and lakes to myself.

In town, there’s a money shot view point a short walk to the right of the dock. There are good hikes as well, but definitely not necessary if you’re looking for good pics.

There are a couple of squares, parks, a museum and a grave yard where the bodies are uprooted often enough and the skulls and graves are decorated which is honestly not as creepy as it sounds. And there’s not much more! I should have just posted the pictures in this post. Those are the reasons you should head over to Hallstatt. A city halted in time and one of the most breath taking places I’ve seen from every angle!

Weekend in Bucharest

Before and after going on my Transylvania tour, I spent two days in Bucharest taking in the city and the coffee shops (as always). The city is very walkable so here are some things you can do to while you’re there for a short break!

Getting In

Super easy, just jump on a 783 bus from the airport into town. It takes about a half hour depending on traffic and goes down the main roads and is an easy walk to any hostel or hotel.

Where to Stay

I stayed at two great hostels that were super chill and accommodating. The first of the two were Umbrella Hostel super close to everything and so centrally located. I had a snorer in my room the second night and the employees there were so cool with my switching rooms for the night. (If you’ve been following for a while, you know how I feel about snorers!!)  It’s in a beautiful 1920s House, recently restored and even has a washer and dryer!

The second of the two was Doors Hostel. A little farther away, but closer to the Old Town. It was even more chill than the place before, if possible! It has a tearoom with endless amounts of options and a room filled with pillows to relax in! OH! and also they have cats to cuddle with. So A+!

What to Do:

The Village Museum in the biggest park in the city, real houses have been lifted from their spots in the country so you can walk by and see what real Romanian homes used to look like in the past!

Had to take a shot of this since it reminded me so much of a witch’s hat haha

Walk by Palace of Parliament or take an hour long tour just to take in just a bit of the building’s three-million-plus square feet (there are more than a thousand rooms!). You’ll have to call ahead of time to get a reservation.. but the hostels are more than happy to do that for you!

Drink your way through the Old City: with so many bars and different things going on every night, this area is the best place to go for authentic 21st century, Romanian night life.

Take a city walk and get your eyefull of strange architecture with influences from Germany, Ottoman Empire, Communist times right on top of each other!

Scope out a beautiful and hidden gem like Carturesti Carusel, or Ceainaria Infinitea.

What/Where to Eat:

Check out my post on Bucharest’s coffee houses…

but also check out these tourist spots (Caru’ cu Bere and Hanu’ lui Manuc) for authentic Romanian foods like stuffed cabbage rolls, pork and polenta.

 

 

Weekend in Transylvania

While browsing the internet for my next place to visit I was thinking: “where will I probably never visit if I weren’t living in Europe?” I knew I’d visit London, Paris, Greece, places like that in my lifetime. But, without a massive trip planned, I figured, maybe Romania. So, on a whim, I decided to pay a little visit to Dracula. I worked with the amazing tour company TravelMaker for a relaxing two day tour of Transylvania. Our tour guide, Gabriel was extraordinarily informative. I learned SO much about the area, about Vlad the Impailer (Dracula by nickname, not the guy who wants to suck your blood) and the amazing history of Romania. Whether or not you decide to book with a tour, (which I HIGHLY recommend. There was so much about Romania I never even thought to ask about) or renting a car to get to these spots, here are the spots that are worth a visit.

I was picked up from my hostel and we drove the two or so hours north to Sinaia where we visited a monastery and Peles Castle which was one of the most intricate and high tech ancient castles I’ve ever seen–massive 10 corded vacuums, wood carved walls top to bottom, different country themed rooms and secret doors included!

Then we made our way to the old town of Brasov where we visited the Black Church which was burnt down and because it was made of stone, the entire church turned black. It was 9 lei to get in and I would suggest it was passable and instead take a walk up to the old tower that overlooks the city. The old city was beautiful and colorful… but nothing compared to Sighisoara!

This spot is where we spent the night in the old citadel that dates back to the 13th century in Casa Wagner. Surprisingly, there were a handful of hotels and hostels in the citadel! It was a good two and a half hour drive but so well worth it! We had dinner in a wine cellar just right across the street. It built in the 1600’s where we had Papanasi (Transylvanian donuts made with sour cream and fresh blueberry jam).

The next morning, we had a tour of the citadel in daylight before the tourists arrived. It was unbelievable how gorgeous and well kept these buildings were. The city tour ended at the top of the clock tower with a beautiful view of the city. (Sidenote: Vlad the Impaler was born here!)

Then we drove back to Bran Castle, where the famous legend of Dracula was said to have lived. Buttt, unfortunately, author Bram Stoker got the facts a bit (okay a lot) wrong and while The Son of the Dragon (Dracul in Romanian) was kept there as a prisoner, and later used it for military planning, he never actually lived there, much less owned it. Beautiful none the less, it draws tourists from all over the world to see a bit of Dracula’s world.

We stopped for a great lunch at Vila Bran Resort with an amazing view of Bran Castle in the mountains and more papanasi that rivaled the one from the night before. It was about a 3 hour drive back to the city where we were dropped off at our hotels. Dreams of Dracula dancing in our heads.

 

 

Impossibly Dreamy Castles to Visit This Year

Neuschwanstein Castle, Schwangau, Germany

In German, New Swan Stone Castle, is a palace intended as a personal refuge for the reclusive king, who was obsessed with swans, Luwig the II. It was supposed to be destroyed after his death, but it was opened to the paying public just 8 weeks after his death in 1886.

Chateau De Chambord,Chambord, France

 The château was built to act as a hunting lodge for King Francis I; however, the king spent barely seven weeks there in total, that time consisting of short hunting visits!

 

Prague Castle,  Prague, Czech Republic

According to the Guinness Book of Records, Prague Castle is the largest ancient castle in the world, and the castle buildings represent virtually every architectural style of the last millennium.

Peles Castle, Sinaia, Romania

Communists closed this entire estate between 1975 and 1990, during the last years of the regime. The area was declared a “State Protocol Interest Area”, and the only persons permitted on the property were maintenance and military personnel. It is of course now open for viewing.

Catherine Palace,  St. Petersberg, Russia

More than 100 kilograms of gold were used to gild the sophisticated stucco façade and numerous statues erected on the roof. It was even rumored that the palace’s roof was constructed entirely of gold.

 

Kylemore Abbey, Connemara, Ireland

Kylemore Castle was built as a private home for the family of Mitchell Henry, a wealthy doctor from London whose family was involved in textile manufacturing in Manchester, England. The abbey was founded for Benedictine Nuns who fled Belgium in World War I.

Mont Saint Michel, Normandy, France

The structural composition of the town exemplifies the feudal society that constructed it: on top, God, the abbey and monastary; below, the great halls; then stores and housing; and at the bottom, outside the walls, houses for fishermen and farmers.

Its unique position — on an island just 600 metres from land — made it accessible at low tide to the many pilgrims to its abbey, but defensible as an incoming tide stranded, drove off, or drowned, would-be assailants.

Schwerin Castle

The palace’s ghost Petermännchen (“little Peterman”) is said to roam the halls of the Schweriner Schloss.

 

Eltz Castle

It is still owned by a branch of the Eltz Family that lived there in the 12th century, 33 generations ago. The Rübenach and Rodendorf families’ homes in the castle are open to the public, while the Kempenich branch of the family uses the other third of the castle. The public is admitted seasonally, from April to October.

 

Corvin Castle

It is one of the largest castles in Europe and in February 2007, Corvin Castle was on the British paranormal television program Most Haunted Live! for a three-night live investigation into the spirits reported to be haunting the castle. In 2013, the television show Ghost Adventures filmed an episode at the castle as part of their Halloween special. Nothing has been proven though… hmmmm…

Balfour Castle, Shapinsay, Orkney

Okay, okay, so it’s a hotel BUT Shapinsay, whose name in Norse reputedly means ‘helpful island’ because of the safe harbor that offered to the Viking longship fleets, is today home to a population of approximately 300 people. And just look at it! It’s so freaking stunning!

How NOT To Make All The Mistake When Traveling

I’ve been around the block once or twice when it comes to traveling; I think that’s pretty evident. And the more you do something, the more chances you have to mess it up. This past year, I’ve traveled more than I ever have before in my four years of traveling alone, and I have messed up in SO many ways, in ways I never had before. We’re all human, we DO make mistakes, no matter how much practice you get. So I’m here to help you at least attempt to prevent the inevitable!

Bring more than one debit card/credit card

I was SO close to being smart here. When I arrived in Peru, I had my debit card and my credit card. Whatever happened, if I left my card in the ATM machine, or if it strait up ate my card, a couple minutes later I was in a panic because I had my cash but where the heck was my card!? Thank goodness I had my credit card as back up or I wouldn’t have made it the week with any money for food or water… you know, necessities.

If your bank lets you open a second debit card, totally take advantage of that as well.

If you have a credit card, make sure you can take cash out of a machine with it.

So as this story progresses, I had an AMEX card that wasn’t able to get cash out because I didn’t register it. After panicked emails and FaceTime calls to my mom, we finally got a pin on my card to get cash out if I needed. Also, I had an AMEX card. Notttt a lot of places take AMEX in the world but AMERICA. As in American Express. Duh, Liza. SO:

Open more than one credit card (with rewards)

In the event of losing your card(s), it’s always safer to have a backup. So in addition to my Amex, and my debit card, it was time to open yet a new card. A shiny new VISA card! (Which is accepted in most places on the entire planet and not just America…serious facepalm moment, I swear).

Anyway, my AMEX was a Delta Flight Miles card. When I opened it, they had a deal that you’d spend $3,000 in the month and they give you a serious amount of miles. When I opened my Capital One Visa card, I chose a cash rewards card (cha-ching either way!).

If you’re not thirsty, drink anyway

If you’ve read my first day of my Peru guide, you know I had a mess of a first day. In the messiness of this card/money situation, I also got seriously dehydrated. When I was in Israel, they told us any problem you had drink water. Headache? drink water. Stomachache? drink water. Your arm cut off? drink water. Just kidding, but seriously do NOT stop drinking water. You’ll get caught up in the sites and the excitement of being in a new place and flying definitely doesn’t help with dehydration. You don’t want to get stuck sick on your vacation, plain and simple.

Once you make a plan, write as you go

Sometimes I go back and forth as how I like to do my trips. Sometimes I just get on a plane and we go from there. Sometimes I book a trip with tours so everything’s taken care of for me. Recently, I reverted to planning a week long trip in all its details myself before flying. In this time, I booked a train ticket twice for the same exact trip because I didn’t write it down in my itinerary the first time I booked it. I flagged it in my email and thought it was enough. Wrong-o. Itineraries are wonderful because it’s all written and organized in one smooth piece of paper. Just make sure it’s all there!

Double check BEFORE you book

This morning, I got an email from booking.com saying the countdown was on for my hotel booking in Hallstatt in 5 days. (Ummm what? No! I’m going to Hallstatt in a month from now, silly!) So, getting online, I saw I booked my hotel for the wrong freaking day. A month and a day difference.  And since it was 5 days out from the booking I couldn’t cancel without paying the full price. Total brainfart. I’ve been in the process of booking this trip for a good month or so, so I knew it was definitely not February. Just a mess up. It happens. It sucks…but everyone’s done it.

Double check AFTER you book

I have this weird thing where I second guess myself with times ALL the time. My alarm clock is set for like 3 different 5 minute difference times, whether it’s on AM or PM, whether they’re actually turned on…you get the point. So, in…everywhere…they use military time. So that totally messes me up and the dreaded triple check flipped me up. All day I knew my flight was at 17:20. 17:20. 17:20. So I checked just one more time and looked at the wrong flight time, the time I was supposed to arrive..18:40. So, as I ran up to the Ryanair desk huffing and puffing when I saw the wrong time when I checked AGAIN on the train to the airport, I was told they’d already started to close the gate and I missed my flight. Check as many times as you need to to feel sure, as many times as you freaking need to!

Keep your bag close and closed

Seems pretty elementary for travelers, but recently in Lisbon, I caught a couple basically with their hands IN my bag. I had a small purse that was such a pain in the butt to close with my wallet and passport and phone and I had my charger with me. The charger was kinda poking out of the top because I couldn’t be bothered to zip up my bag. When I felt a tug, (I’m super sensitive to anyone touching me when traveling alone for this reason!) I whipped around faster than he could pull his hand away. BOOM. Caughtchya. But really I should’ve been smarter and just closed it in the first place.

Even if it seems legit, you can still get ripped off

I came in contact with a guy who seemed pretty cool in Vietnam. He had a book of all these people from America who got a tour from him, hand written and everything. “They were American, so this guy probably was pretty safe” I thought. After I wrote my heartfelt entry in his book after getting a tour from this guy, he ordered an amount of money, like 4 times higher than we agreed on originally. When I said no, he grabbed my camera and told me I wouldn’t get it back unless I paid him. Thankfully it was just a money trade and eventually I dealt with it after nearly missing my bus to Cambodia. Easy enough fix: if you’re taking a tour, make sure it’s with a company and not a guy who comes up to you on his motorbike. Seems logical enough. (Serious facepalm moment)

Hostels are your friend, snorers are not

One of the best thing about hostels is that there are so many people around to chat to who are all travelers as well and are most likely super friendly. Bad thing, you might be sleeping in a room full of strangers. Now, I’ve never had an issue with anyone stealing things, (except maybe a scarf…a good chance I misplaced it somewhere) but I have had issues with HORRIBLE snorers. If you’re traveling with friends, try and get a room that fits just you guys. If you’re alone, it’s super easy to switch rooms or to get to a smaller one. It just makes the night restless, if it’s as bad as this dude was, and it’ll make your next day of exploring difffficult.

Tours are the best

Honestly, I used to think going on lead tours meant I was weak as a solo traveler. That could not be more incorrect. You can learn SO much more from tours about cities and the culture, plus it’s basically free transport from place to place, AND you might meet some cool people to hang out with or even travel around more with! Just because you’re not roughin’ it on your own doesn’t mean it’s not the best option sometimes!

Best Day Trips from Dublin

Howth and Other Seaside Towns

Take a DART up to Howth to enjoy some amazingly fresh fish and chips, take a small boat out to Howth Head or wander around Howth market and you’re guaranteed to have a lovely afternoon. While you’re riding the dart you can also visit Portmarnock for beaches, Dun Laughaire for sailing, Dalkey or Killiney (more on them later!)

Wicklow Mountains

You  can take any amount of tours that will bring you up to the sites of PS I Love You or take a public bus out for a hike. While you’re out there, you can see Braveheart location Sally’s Gap and Guinness Lake. When you’re done, stop by Avoca on your way home for amazing food, coffee and home goods.

Glendalough

Also called “the land of two lakes” Glendalough is home to one of the most important monastic sites in Ireland. Take a walk from one lake to another for absolutely gorgeous sights in the mountains.

 

Malahide Castle

You can easily take the DART up to Malahade as well. This beautiful castle dates back from the 12th century along with the botanical gardens and Malahide Abbey.

 

Trip to Trim

Tours will take you up to this stunning and massive Norman castle. There will be other stops along the way like the Hill of Tara which holds tons of Celtic myths and the ruins of Monasterboice, but the castle is truly breathtaking.

 

Powerscourt

This massive estate has so much to offer between a golf course and spa, a range of hotels as well as a beautiful 121 meter waterfall. The last entrance to the waterfall is at 3:30 and closes at 4, but if you missed it like we did just take the short drive to the highest pub in Ireland, Johnnie Foxes. So grab a pint and some dinner while you listen to traditional pub music! It’s not to be missed!

Killiney Hill

Take a hike up to Killiney Hill for a gorgeous view of the ocean. It won’t take you too long and the views are well worth it for a short little trip from the city.

Cliffs of Moher

If you don’t have too much time in Ireland, this is one of the trips you MUST take. If you find yourself with extra time in Galway, take a tour from here because it’ll be a much shorter drive which means you’ll be able to do more out on the west coast. But you can take a day trip to the Cliffs of Moher from Dublin. It’ll take about 3 hours to get out there but definitely is one of the most beautiful places I’ve ever been.

Connemara

Another place that’s much more do-able from Galway, but if you’re crunched for time, Connemara is stunning. You can visit places that have small villages where people only speak Irish, sheep farms, learn about the myths of fairies but the best of the trip is Kylemore Abbey. This stunning castle like home sits on a lake and has a magical garden in the back which overlooks mountains with snow year round.

Belfast Day trip

It will be easy enough to get to Belfast in under 2 hours by bus to explore the city, and see landmarks or see the Titanic Museum. The best part is, you’re in a new country in just a couple of hours!

Giant’s Causeway

A definite bucket list location on lists upon lists of ‘must sees before you die’ locations. A lot of these tours will also include stops in Belfast if you want to kill two birds with one stone!

Cork/Blarney Castle

If you’re going in on your own, a train or bus is an easy trip down to cork. While you’re down there, definitely take a trip to Kinsale, a gorgeous little seaside town with TONS of color.  If you’re looking for a guided tour, which I’m always in favor of, they’ll take you from Dublin to Blarney Castle where you can kiss the Blarney stone while basically hanging upside down, and get guided tours of surrounding locations as well.

Day trips are more on the cheaper side and daytours.ie is seriously well located and great prices!