Wanting to visit a city free of tourism while traveling Croatia? Meet Osijek! This smaller city packs a punch, and is a great place to spend 1-2 days while in Croatia! It was an amazing spot to slow down, and really take time to breathe!
So, here is our travel guide to Osijek in Croatia! We will share some things to do, places to eat, where we stayed, and some other helpful top tips!
*This post contains affiliate links, which we may earn from. This does not come at an additional cost, but helps us to pursue this dream 🙂
With Osijek being a smaller city (well, 4th largest in Croatia), it isn’t as cram packed as Zagreb, but still there are some great things to do!
Wander Ante Starčević Square
Ante Starčević Square is in the centre of Osijek city, surrounded by shops and cafes! Here you will find a cute water feature, alongside a statue of Ante Starčević himself! It is a great place to take time to relax and wander, as it is very quiet and peaceful.
Visit Petar Pan!
We’ll be honest this place was so yummy it really deserved a spot on the list! Perfect for a hot sunny day, we stopped here for an ice cream break and was not disappointed! With a menu full of ice cream sundaes, they had ones designed to look like Disney characters which was so fun. The only downside was they didn’t take card (we believe), so make sure to have some cash!
Look how cute this Pinocchio themed ice cream was! Yum!
SS Peter & Paul
This Neo-Gothic co-cathedral in Osijek is really stunning! We saw this cathedral on the walk through to the city square, and it is breathtaking! We didn’t go inside, however we have heard some great things about the people running the cathedral.
Find the 8 statues!
Find the 8 statues of Osijek! We saw three of the eight and they are really special! Some include a mum holding her baby, the Croatian Paganini, an elephant, and a writer (one of Croatia’s most famous statues)! This can be a great way to explore and take in the city atmosphere as you find all of the statues!
Franjo Krežma – the Croatian PaganiniŠetač – a writer in eternal walk
Walk along the Drava River
With a nice breeze, you will appreciate walking along the river in summer! We spotted some boats, and took this time to chat and decompress.
Osijek Zoo
We didn’t actually go to the zoo, however this is a recommended spot in Osijek. You can find tickets here! Some animals they have include lions, bison, zebras and giraffes!
Where to eat
We will be honest with you, the night we stayed in Osijek we struggled to go out due to Aimee’s health, so we got some snacks from the shop!
Mlinar bakeries
These are dotted around Croatia, but we made sure to grab snacks from here! Our top recommendation would be a chicken burek (we miss them very much)!!
Restaurants
As we didn’t visit any set restaurants, we will share a list of some recommended ones for you to try!
Travelling Osijek was pretty straight forward, but these are some top things we recommend!
Croatian eSIM
For a ‘set’ amount of data, we found Airalo to be the best choice! You can find their packages here.
You can find bundles with unlimited data, that span across the whole of Europe, perfect for those backpacking around multiple countries… Find them here at Yesim!
Google translate app
Osijek was a little harder to navigate due to not everyone knowing English (it was a lot less touristic). Therefore, having the translate app was a godsend! The best thing about having the app version is you can use your camera to scan your surroundings (think menus, signs etc), and it will translate it to your language in real time!
Pre-booked transfer
If you are flying into Osijek (yes they have an airport!!), please try to book prior transfers. We struggled to find a bus and ended paying for taxi transfer, which we aren’t sure was the best deal. This was just based on our own experiences.
Where to stay
For this trip we stayed in such an amazing airbnb! We only spent £29 for a night, which at the time was a lot better than hotels in the area at our time of searching! We genuinely are so happy we stayed here, we will leave the link here, this isn’t an affilate link, just somewhere we wish to get the love they deserve!
We hope this guide helps you for your next trip to Osijek! It is an amazing city to visit for a stop-gap, and was a place to stop and breathe.
Find our Travel Essentials!
We have a full list of recommendations for any travels! Check out our:
We also recommend using these when planning your next trip!
Trip.com– Find amazing flight deals, with over 2 million flight routes, and being one of the world’s leading online travel agencies.
Airalo – With over one million people using Airalo, it is our go to eSIM provider for our worldwide trips! Having data packs from over 200 countries, find combined area packages and deals to suit your travel style and data needs!
Booking.com – Offering over 28 million accommodations to book, we will always use booking.com! Having a rewards system built in, the more you book, the more perks you get!
HostelWorld – You cannot budget travel without hostel world! Having over 17,000 hostels, boasting over 13 million reviews, hostel world is one our of top websites for budget travel! They are now offering more ways to meet people abroad, with meet ups, group chats and more available!
Get Your Guide – Book unique (and common!) experiences and activities worldwide, including skip the line tickets to big attractions worldwide!
Eat With– Experience authentic travel experiences with locals worldwide! Use eat with to book unique and intimate dining experiences, such as dinner parties in big restaurants, big feasts with a local family, cooking classes with a local and more!
ETKA – Every age from 3 to 85 can buy ETKA’s travel insurance, offering multilingual 24/7 chat support, and your insurance policy within 2-3 minutes!
We post weekly Youtube Videos now! Please check out our Osijek Vlog here!
If you would like to support our own travel Journey, please check out all our other blogs, and subscribe to the newsletter where we are currently uploading daily blogs!
Visiting Zagreb is such a great location for adventure… From unique and quirky museums, to vibrant nightlife and rich history, this beautiful European city is one to visit! One very unique thing to do whilst in Zagreb is visiting the Grič Tunnel. What started as a World War 2 protection, this underground has became an interesting part of this city- from hosting raves, being a hot photoshoot location… we will break down why you need to visit this Zagreb attraction!
The Grič Tunnels also appear in our Zagreb Vlog which we will link below!
*This post contains affiliate links, which we may earn from. This does not come at an additional cost, but helps us to pursue this dream 🙂
Related to the second world war, this tunnel was initially constructed between 1943-44 to serve as protection for the locals. Their purpose was to help towards giving shelter during bombings during world war 2 and the Croatian War of Independence. The Grič Tunnel is only a section of all of the tunnels in Zagreb, but is the only one open to the public.
There are Croatian legends stating there was a vast amount of tunnels, which would’ve been destroyed during the 1880 earthquake, which it is said to have disappeared with all of the church gold. Whether that is true or not, this is a very cool legend to tell!
It was argued this tunnel was not worth the expense it caused, with many arguing it was unnecessary. The initial plan was larger, with plans of boasting an underground hall being discarded during the building process. The tunnel spans over 350 metres, and has a capacity of 5,000 people, which is what added to the call of it being unnecessary due to the smaller capacity allowance.
The tunnel through history
After being bomb shelter, the prior mentioned underground hall was added, and it transformed into a food warehouse space… However, shortly it came discarded and abandoned. It simply became a place where homeless people could find shelter, and space for drug users.
Interestingly, the 1990’s brought the revival of the Grič Tunnel, hosting historic raves; turning a once war shelter into a vibrant nightlife scene. With remodelling, this spot hosted one of the first raves in Croatia, with DJ’s coming from Germany, the U.K. and more!
The tunnel did however still use some of it’s intended use; due to the Croatian War of Independence, the air raid shelter was in use between the war (1991-1995), with additional temporary toilets being built to aid in this hard time.
Calls to renovate the tunnel came with the 21st century, with a historic proposal being set in 2015. With work beginning in 2016, there was three main stages to this renovation. There has still been some controversy regarding this Tunnel, since key modern safety precautions still haven’t been followed, even post renovation.
Events in the Grič Tunnel
As mentioned before, the Grič Tunnel has had some interesting key moments! Here are some of the top ones so far!
1993 Under City Rave
Hosting a ‘techno’ rave, this 1993 rave was an exciting moment for the Croatian nightlife scene! Renowned DJ’s such as DJ Mate Galic from Berlin, DJ Beamish from London, Random Logic from Slovenia, and many others featured at this great event! It was even aired on MTV.
Expecting only 300-400 people, this initial rave brought 3,000 ravers in October of 1993, at the first international rave, called the ‘Under City Rave’.
Advent in the Tunnel
During the Christmas months, this usually dark and monotone location is transformed with colourful bright lights and decorations, to create a magical advent location to visit!
From concerts to exhibitions, this space is transformed into such a beautiful surrounding- imagine winter wonderland, or the nutcracker aesthetic!
The advent causes some of the entrances to be closed off, however we think it is worth it for sure! Admission is usually free, with opening times between 9am and 10pm.
Flora Art
Hosting a beautiful flower exhibition, this is yet another breathtaking use of this war tunnel space.
Croatia je Hrvatska
In 2017, the tunnel hosted yet another interesting exhibition, this time being the Croatia je Hrvatska. Appearing as a time machine, the exhibition used projectors, props and music to allow guests to explore social, political, economic and other events of Croatian history! Featured in this exhibit was use of the central hall, creating a ‘Rainstorm’ room, with constant rain.
In 2018, this interesting exhibition was awarded the international award IIDA Global Excellence, proving the pure excellence of the space and history of this tunnel.
How to visit Grič Tunnel
With entrances at Mesnićka street, or through two other entrances in the current Art Park below Lotršćak Tower, this is a free to enter spot, that during non-event periods only takes a 5-10 minute walk.
It is open between 9am-9pm daily, and is a must visit for your trip to Zagreb!
You can get a guided tour of the Tunnel included in a walking tour, which will give you an in-depth history and explanation of the rich history of the Grič Tunnel, such as this one here.
Similarly, there is a walking tour that’ll explore the Croatian war and communism themes, in a history guided tour, featuring the Grič Tunnel, find it here.
Would we recommend the Grič Tunnel?
For such a short timeframe, yes! This tunnel might only take 10 minutes of your day, but it felt very impactful! We had never been anywhere like this, and we took time to sit on one of the sides and soak in the surrounding of the tunnel.
It is a unique place to take some photos, so it’s another reason to visit to get some interesting photos for your instagram page!
There is also a very ‘spooky’ feeling to this tunnel, with some of the closed off areas giving an eerie atmosphere… if you are into this type of thing, 100% make it a must visit spot!
We now offer custom travel planning support! Experience the pinnacle of travel planning, ensuring your journey is luxurious, well-organized, and unforgettable! Find our Basic package, Standard package, and Luxury package, ready for your Croatia trip! We have made a blog post explaining these packages further here!
We post weekly Youtube Videos now! Please check out our Croatia Series!
Our Latest Video!
Our favourite must-needed travel resources
Where to Fly
Trip.com – Find amazing flight deals, with over 2 million flight routes, and being one of the world’s leading online travel agencies.
Kiwi – Use Kiwi’s amazing service that is pioneering in the flight space! They use virtual interlining, which means they can provide seamless connecting flights into one single itinerary!
CheapOair – Being one of the fastest growing online travel companies in the US, CheapOair offers great flight deals, hotel rooms, rental cars and more!
Where to Stay
Booking.com – Offering over 28 million accommodations to book, we will always use booking.com! Having a rewards system built in, the more you book, the more perks you get!
HostelWorld – You cannot budget travel without hostel world! Having over 17,000 hostels, boasting over 13 million reviews, hostel world is one our of top websites for budget travel! They are now offering more ways to meet people abroad, with meet ups, group chats and more available!
Vrbo – Find stunning vacation rentals with Vrbo! Offering over 2 million paid listings in 190 countries, find memorable experiences with this accommodation service!
Where to Explore
Viator – A trip advisor company, viator offers over 300,000 experiences over 200 countries, including water sports, walking tours, boat trips, food tastes tours and more! Including activities for many budgets, check out Viator!
Eat With – Experience authentic travel experiences with locals worldwide! Use eat with to book unique and intimate dining experiences, such as dinner parties in big restaurants, big feasts with a local family, cooking classes with a local and more!
Get Your Guide – Book unique (and common too!) experiences and activities worldwide, including skip the line tickets to big attractions worldwide!
Where to get Connected
Airalo – With over one million people using Airalo, it is our go to eSIM provider for our worldwide trips! Having data packs from over 200 countries, find combined area packages and deals to suit your travel style and data needs!
Where to be Protected
ETKA – Every age from 3 to 85 can buy ETKA’s travel insurance, offering multilingual 24/7 chat support, and your insurance policy within 2-3 minutes!
Our Top Traveller’s Essentials
Backpack – Osprey Farpoint 40 – This backpack is a staple amongst many travellers! Being a lot cheaper than the luxury brands, this is a quality backpack from a well known brand. It boasts quality durability, is lightweight with a great framework and is a great option for most people! This backpack has a hip strap to help carry the bag, a breathable harness strap, and comes in multiple colours!
Compression Packing Cubes – Compression cubes are our favourite packing accessory! These cubes are similar to the normal packing cubes, but feature a compression zip, meaning you can compress your clothes down… this makes packing easier, limits the space you are using, and means more room for souvenirs etc!
Powerbank – Don’t lose power when travelling! It isn’t always guaranteed to find charging ports, so we would always suggest carrying a spare power bank, just incase you do run low on power when you need it!
Universal Travel Plug Adapter – Most backpackers/travellers visit multiple countries during one trip. And that means it isn’t guaranteed you will be using the same plug head during each place. A universal plug is great as it lets you switch between each plug head style all in one item! We love ours, it has USB slots meaning multiple items can be charged at once.
Thank you for reading about Visiting the Grič Tunnel
If you would like to support our own travel Journey, please check out all our other blogs, and subscribe to the newsletter where we are currently uploading daily blogs!
Want a central hostel in the heart of everything while in Zagreb? After spending one night in this traveller friendly hostel/hotel combo, we wanted to share more! The Chillout Hostel has the best of both worlds; hostel dorms for the budget friendly extrovert, and hotel and private facilities for those liking a bit more privacy!
Carry on reading to hear about our experience in this hostel, and why you should be staying here for your next Zagreb trip!
*This post contains affiliate links, which we may earn from. This does not come at an additional cost, but helps us to pursue this dream 🙂
Situated in the heart of Zagreb city centre, Chillout Hostel is in Ilica 16, right next to all of the landmarks, nightlife, shops, restaurants and more! Just on the doorstep you will found countless things to do and see! It is also near tram links, meaning easy access around the rest of the city!
The hostel itself shares areas with the Timeout Heritage Hotel, so you will enter the same entrance for both!
Private Room Experience
For our stay, we stayed in a private room, with private en-suite bathroom. This came at €60 per night for 2 people.
To begin with, the room was beautiful and extremely unique! The walls were covered in a newspaper print, with fascinating and quirky stories printed throughout! It then had green and gold accents… it really was stunning! The room had high ceilings and a balcony (somewhat communal? It was chained off between rooms but still visible to other rooms).
We had a double bed which was comfy, a full length mirror, a vanity dresser, wardrobe and fridge to keep things cool! (Please don’t forget to grab your snacks though… as sadly we forgot our chocolate in there 😦 …)
The bathroom was very clean. We had a sink with a large mirror, then a shower cubicle with a GREAT water pressure… oh the little things in life! The flooring even had glitter running throughout!
We were also given an electronic key card for entry, which also gives you additional perks which we will explain a bit further down!
Other Rooms Available
Within the Chillout Hostel, you can book a standard double en-suite (which we booked), a mixed dorm of 6 bunk beds (from around £30), or a mixed dorm of 4 bunk beds (from around £35).
The dorms include their own en-suite bathrooms, and as many European accommodations, you will need to pay a city tax additionally.
Social Areas
The hostel had many social areas!
We decided to have a drink in the rooftop terrace the evening we arrived- there is a great cocktail menu, it just depends what your budget is as most cocktails were €10+. The terrace was busy, staff were attentive, and music was playing etc!
Another area was the downstairs seating, which you would’ve walked through to reach check out! Although we didn’t sit here, we saw many people using this as a working area in the morning, but a social area in the evening!
Bunker Nightclub
Now this was fun! Additional to the social areas mentioned above, this hostel features it’s own built in nightclub!
We mentioned the key cards didn’t we? So, the entry fee of the nightclub is squashed once you show your key card, meaning free entry to their club!
Each night is themed different, with our stay falling on the 00’s disco night! However, it was mores a late 00’s-10’s music, with the odd more modern song included!
The club was split into different areas, with extremely cool neon graffiti throughout! The drinks were a little expensive, however that is to be expected in most night-clubs.
Tours available
At the hostel desk you will find different posters and leaflets, including some discounts for tours! One of the discounts included is for the museum of hangovers, something we will soon be sharing about!
Just ask at the front desk for any assistance.
There is also a group chat you can join, telling you about anything happening at the hostel!
Would we recommend staying at the Chillout Hostel?
We would recommend staying at the Chillout Hostel! It was in such a great location, with clean facilities and friendly staff. You can book it here.
Is it worth the cost?
For a capital city hostel in Europe, we did think the price was okay! In comparison to local hotels we couldn’t really complain!
There was a few cheaper options, but for this location and the nightlife we are happy with our choice!
Our favourite must-needed travel resources
Where to Fly
Trip.com – Find amazing flight deals, with over 2 million flight routes, and being one of the world’s leading online travel agencies.
Kiwi – Use Kiwi’s amazing service that is pioneering in the flight space! They use virtual interlining, which means they can provide seamless connecting flights into one single itinerary!
CheapOair – Being one of the fastest growing online travel companies in the US, CheapOair offers great flight deals, hotel rooms, rental cars and more!
Where to Stay
Booking.com – Offering over 28 million accommodations to book, we will always use booking.com! Having a rewards system built in, the more you book, the more perks you get!
HostelWorld – You cannot budget travel without hostel world! Having over 17,000 hostels, boasting over 13 million reviews, hostel world is one our of top websites for budget travel! They are now offering more ways to meet people abroad, with meet ups, group chats and more available!
Vrbo – Find stunning vacation rentals with Vrbo! Offering over 2 million paid listings in 190 countries, find memorable experiences with this accommodation service!
Where to Explore
Viator – A trip advisor company, viator offers over 300,000 experiences over 200 countries, including water sports, walking tours, boat trips, food tastes tours and more! Including activities for many budgets, check out Viator!
Eat With – Experience authentic travel experiences with locals worldwide! Use eat with to book unique and intimate dining experiences, such as dinner parties in big restaurants, big feasts with a local family, cooking classes with a local and more!
Get Your Guide – Book unique (and common too!) experiences and activities worldwide, including skip the line tickets to big attractions worldwide!
Where to get Connected
Airalo – With over one million people using Airalo, it is our go to eSIM provider for our worldwide trips! Having data packs from over 200 countries, find combined area packages and deals to suit your travel style and data needs!
Where to be Protected
ETKA – Every age from 3 to 85 can buy ETKA’s travel insurance, offering multilingual 24/7 chat support, and your insurance policy within 2-3 minutes!
Our Top Traveller’s Essentials
Backpack – Osprey Farpoint 40 – This backpack is a staple amongst many travellers! Being a lot cheaper than the luxury brands, this is a quality backpack from a well known brand. It boasts quality durability, is lightweight with a great framework and is a great option for most people! This backpack has a hip strap to help carry the bag, a breathable harness strap, and comes in multiple colours!
Compression Packing Cubes – Compression cubes are our favourite packing accessory! These cubes are similar to the normal packing cubes, but feature a compression zip, meaning you can compress your clothes down… this makes packing easier, limits the space you are using, and means more room for souvenirs etc!
Powerbank – Don’t lose power when travelling! It isn’t always guaranteed to find charging ports, so we would always suggest carrying a spare power bank, just incase you do run low on power when you need it!
Universal Travel Plug Adapter – Most backpackers/travellers visit multiple countries during one trip. And that means it isn’t guaranteed you will be using the same plug head during each place. A universal plug is great as it lets you switch between each plug head style all in one item! We love ours, it has USB slots meaning multiple items can be charged at once.
Thank you for reading our review of the Chillout Hostel in Zagreb!
If you would like to support our own travel Journey, please check out all our other blogs, and subscribe to the newsletter where we are currently uploading daily blogs!
We post weekly Youtube Videos now! Please check out our newest Vlog!
Check out our Social Media’s below! We share our daily activities, all of our budget friendly travel tips, travel inspiration and more!
Europe is full of many beautiful rural spots to look at nature. Whether it’s admiring the alp mountains or just the fields of southern France, it’s widely known to have scenic countryside views which many don’t know about. Being European, we attempt to visit Europe often to enjoy the major cities but also some of the lesser known locations and smaller towns and cities in different countries. The location of Aarhus, Denmark was one we didn’t know much about and when doing our research we came across a local park outside the city which was known for having wild deer which you could walk with… So we did exactly that!
Read more to find out about the Marselisborg Deer Park and how you can walk alongside wild deer in Denmark!
*This post contains affiliate links, which we may earn from. This does not come at an additional cost, but helps us to pursue this dream 🙂
As our Aarhus trip was a 24 hour holiday, we didn’t have much time to lose and probably would of spent a little more time in the park if we had time. You can out a bit more about Aarhus here. Alongside our 24 hour trip here!
Whilst in Aarhus you can stay at this hostel for a budget friendly (& high quality) stay!
The best way to get to the park is either through a private taxi, but as budget travellers we opted to wait for the public bus, which you can catch from Aarhus’ city centre.
As we were on a schedule, waiting for the bus wasn’t the smartest idea as we waited for an hour at least but finally the bus arrived. It’s only a 10/20 minute bus ride out of the city to a small bus stop at the Ballehage/Ørneredevej bus station . From here you walk 10 minutes into the woods following a small road which leads up to a trail. The park is by the water and is protected with fences. As you enter you are given signs of how to stay safe.
The Deer Park + Experience
The deer can be very protective – especially with the males if it is mating season. So make sure to take caution and make no sudden movements when near them. Now you have entered and closed the gate behind you, you can wander around the park and explore to see what you can find. As we were late, we only spend roughly 1 hour 30 here but would likely spend more.
About 5 minutes into the park is an open area where the majority of the deer stay which is the best spot.
We would totally recommend spending a little to buy some fresh carrots or apples from the local shop to feed the animals. We weren’t aware of this before going but managed to find some on the floor to feed them which was adorable! At the time of visiting, there were a few calf’s running around with their mothers and playing in the park.
The deer are used to humans and therefore are happy to come up to you if you are offering food and don’t mind being toughed. It’s such a beautiful park and location that we found a nice spot to sit down and enjoy watching the deer wander. Within eyesight there must be 50/70 deer at least.
When to visit Marselisborg Deer Park
The park is usually quite busy with people from lunchtime onwards till closure, so we would recommend to visit earlier in the morning for the best experience! However, it is a nice lunchtime activity, so depending on your allotted time available it depends when is best to visit!
We visited during ‘golden hour’ which is itself was extremely beautiful.
The Marselisborg Deer Park in Aarhus
This is a must do when visiting Denmark and was such a surreal experience.
If you enjoyed this blog make sure to check out our other blogs and don’t forget to subscribe for more travel blogs. Also, if you like the blog it would go a long way to support our website!
We also post our travelling content on our social media’s which are liked down below if you would like to see what daily adventures we get up to!
Our favourite must-needed travel resources
Where to Fly
Trip.com – Find amazing flight deals, with over 2 million flight routes, and being one of the world’s leading online travel agencies.
Kiwi – Use Kiwi’s amazing service that is pioneering in the flight space! They use virtual interlining, which means they can provide seamless connecting flights into one single itinerary!
CheapOair – Being one of the fastest growing online travel companies in the US, CheapOair offers great flight deals, hotel rooms, rental cars and more!
Where to Stay
Booking.com – Offering over 28 million accommodations to book, we will always use booking.com! Having a rewards system built in, the more you book, the more perks you get!
HostelWorld – You cannot budget travel without hostel world! Having over 17,000 hostels, boasting over 13 million reviews, hostel world is one our of top websites for budget travel! They are now offering more ways to meet people abroad, with meet ups, group chats and more available!
Vrbo – Find stunning vacation rentals with Vrbo! Offering over 2 million paid listings in 190 countries, find memorable experiences with this accommodation service!
Where to Explore
Viator – A trip advisor company, viator offers over 300,000 experiences over 200 countries, including water sports, walking tours, boat trips, food tastes tours and more! Including activities for many budgets, check out Viator!
Eat With – Experience authentic travel experiences with locals worldwide! Use eat with to book unique and intimate dining experiences, such as dinner parties in big restaurants, big feasts with a local family, cooking classes with a local and more!
Get Your Guide – Book unique (and common too!) experiences and activities worldwide, including skip the line tickets to big attractions worldwide!
Where to get Connected
Airalo – With over one million people using Airalo, it is our go to eSIM provider for our worldwide trips! Having data packs from over 200 countries, find combined area packages and deals to suit your travel style and data needs!
Where to be Protected
ETKA – Every age from 3 to 85 can buy ETKA’s travel insurance, offering multilingual 24/7 chat support, and your insurance policy within 2-3 minutes!
Our Top Traveller’s Essentials
Backpack – Osprey Farpoint 40 – This backpack is a staple amongst many travellers! Being a lot cheaper than the luxury brands, this is a quality backpack from a well known brand. It boasts quality durability, is lightweight with a great framework and is a great option for most people! This backpack has a hip strap to help carry the bag, a breathable harness strap, and comes in multiple colours!
Compression Packing Cubes – Compression cubes are our favourite packing accessory! These cubes are similar to the normal packing cubes, but feature a compression zip, meaning you can compress your clothes down… this makes packing easier, limits the space you are using, and means more room for souvenirs etc!
Powerbank – Don’t lose power when travelling! It isn’t always guaranteed to find charging ports, so we would always suggest carrying a spare power bank, just incase you do run low on power when you need it!
Universal Travel Plug Adapter – Most backpackers/travellers visit multiple countries during one trip. And that means it isn’t guaranteed you will be using the same plug head during each place. A universal plug is great as it lets you switch between each plug head style all in one item! We love ours, it has USB slots meaning multiple items can be charged at once.
Thank you for reading our Marselisborg Deer Park Travel Guide
If you would like to support our own travel Journey, please check out all our other blogs, and subscribe to the newsletter where we are currently uploading daily blogs!
We post weekly Youtube Videos now! Please check out our newest Vlog!
Check out our Social Media’s below! We share our daily activities, all of our budget friendly travel tips, travel inspiration and more!
Finding inspiration for your photos can come from things as simple as pre-picking your captions (we know, that sounds extremely organised)! We love fun captions that really bring our photos to life, which is amazing for your colourful Scandinavian photography!
Let’s be honest, most people nowadays post their photos online! And having photos from travels that are super cool is the BEST reason to post! Plus an aesthetically pleasing feed is always a plus!
However, even if you have the perfect photo, a caption can completely help change a post. It can set the tone, and it can make people more likely to click on your account (and help with engagement)!
We will share our top 62 Captions for Instagram posts ready for your Stockholm Travels! Please check out our Instagram @Ourtwostepstart , and tag us in your Sweden photos and adventures!
62 Instagram Captions for Stockholm Travel
Quote inspired
“Everyone has a temper, but in Sweden, no one throws a racquet or screams. We show more manners and common sense. This is a game, not war.” – Mats Wilander
“I’ve seen quite a bit of the world, but I really like Sweden and feel like I could live there someday.” – Juliana Hatfield
“Spending time in Sweden on loan was one of the best things I ever did.” – Peter Crouch
“I love Sweden. The entire world should be like Sweden. They all like to drink and get naked, and the women are hot. I can’t think of a better nation on the planet.” – Drew Curtis
“I think one thing with Sweden is that in some way the Swedish society is a very good society, almost perfect on the surface. That is something that makes the writers forced to see what is underneath the surface, because it’s always something underneath the surface, of course.” – Alexander Ahndoril
“Swedish style? No. Yugoslavian style? Of course not. It has to be Zlatan-style.” – Zlatan Ibrahimovic
“I’ve seen quite a bit of the world, but I really like Sweden and feel like I could live there someday.” – Juliana Hatfield
“Sweden will always be my home since my childhood there was like a fairytale, so I’ll always go back to it” – Zara Larsson
“I think Sweden is known for people being a bit quieter than other cultures, and I guess it’s a mixture: shyness and leaving room for other people to talk. Of course, when people get drunk, all of that disappears.” – Jose Gonzalez
“When I went to Sweden, I sort of found out who I was.” – Christen Press
Pun-Inspired Captions
Sweden up my life
My life feels more sweden since being in Stockholm
Living the Zlatan lifestyle
Becoming a god like Zlatan in Stockholm
Can you Lund me some money?
This city is ABBA-solutely wonderful.
Mamma Mia!
Swede dreams Stockholm
Honey I’m (Stock)holm!
Cute Captions
I can now say I have been to an official IKEA
Living my ABBA fantasies out
Visiting the land of ABBA
Becoming a dancing queen in Stockholm
You either love Stockholm, or you are wrong.
Meanwhile in Stockholm…
Gimme! Gimme! Gimme! A flight to Sweden
Does your mother know that you’re out?
Land of IKEA (and meatballs)
Strike a pose in Gamla Stan
Wandering through the beauty of Gamla Stan
Finding the Nobel Prize in Stockholm
“Do what makes you happy”… So I landed in Stockholm
Stockholm Sights with Unforgettable Nights
P.S. Stockholm, I’m in love
The city that whispers beauty
Food-Related Captions
Fuelled on Swedish meatballs.
Only listen to me once I’ve eaten my Swedish meatballs.
My favourite sport? Meatball.
In need of love, travel and Swedish food.
Came for the meatballs.
Time to try pickled herring I guess…
Lingonberry bliss
Crazy for crayfish
Living for more Kanelbullar
You have Swedish pastries? Okay deal!
Inspirational Captions
Let’s get lost in Stockholm
Living in a Swedish fairytale
Finding a home in Sweden
Sweden isn’t just a destination, it’s a lifestyle.
Pretty Swede views
I loved IKEA so much I had to come to Sweden.
Island hopping in Stockholm.
Summer nights in the Swedish skyline.
I’d rather be in Stockholm
My dreams are real in Stockholm
If I get lost, return me to Stockholm
Everyday is great in Sweden
The trip that is so funny that it was banned in Norway
On my scandi-road trip
The best Scandinavian adventure
The best fairytale ending in Stockholm
It’s time to backpack my first fairytale adventure
Here is our share of the best instagram-worthy captions ready for your Stockholm snaps! Let us know your thoughts, and if you would add any! Mix these with cute emojis for the best aesthetic instagram feed!
Like this post? We also have caption ideas for Paris, and Budapest.
Sweden hasn’t always been a place we both wanted to visit. Some people have recommended the capital Stockholm as a great short week trip and one we should explore if we could find the time. But it’s never been on our radar and one we almost stumbled upon when booking. This is how we spent our trip, we hope we can inspire your own Stockholm trip!
The story goes…
Aimee has been a long-term fan of a quirky American singer called Melanie Martinez…
After much deliberation, we decided to take time out of our schedule to visit Sweden…
We have finally made it to Sweden. Me and Aimee have been excited to visit for months!
*this post includes affiliate links, which means we can earn a commission- however, this doesn’t cost you any extra, and all opinions are genuine and our own 🙂
Day 1:
After a long wait in the airport and a horrible flight (Jack with a flight migraine), we landed in the early hours and made our way to our hostel Generator Hostel.
We were both so tired so the only thing we could do was sleep.
Day 2:
There’s no better feeling than crashing after a tiring day and getting a good night sleep in a totally new country… Let’s explore!
We headed out to find a breakfast and stumbled across a quaint brunch place called STHLM Brunch Club. We shared a huuuge Cinnamon milkshake (with a cinnamon bun on top) after ordering a smoothie bowl with lots of fruit, and an avocado brekkie with poached eggs… and loads more! The best part by far was the homemade chilli jam. OH MYYY! Check it out below!
Off we went to explore city, wandering towards busy areas and stopping for a quick drink (coffee and smoothie) before setting off again.
The city has beautiful, big buildings- which light up the streets. It certainly is a place you can just stumble upon some really cool places. We found one of the best food halls and it has so much variety, that we couldn’t help but to wander!
We then settled after looking for lunch, and took some time to people watch in the city. We had smash-style Swedish burgers which didn’t disappoint, the crinkled fries are a must try at Bastard Burger (what an unusual name)!
After filling our bellies, and satisfying our appetites, we headed back to chill and get ready for the quiz night! The quiz night was awful if we are honest. It lasted 10 minutes and was hard to hear, be we didn’t let that stop us for the rest of the night.
We met up with someone from Milan who was lovely, and we have a few drinks (they were soooo expensive!!). One double cost £15… that’s more than London prices!! After things started to become quiet, we decided to venture out and see if there was any exciting events on.
We came across a seemingly boring pub which had no real attraction but once we entered there was a karaoke room which kept us entertained! Some song choices were questionable, but some allowed us to sing our heart out into the night before we decided to end the night around 1:45 am and trot back to the hostel before hitting the pillow.. HARD!
Day 3:
After a longer than anticipated night, we woke up rather late and quickly got ready before leaving for midday. We made our way to the southern part of the city, but made sure to stop off at 7eleven on the way to grab much needed snacks for the day (this must be a key traveller shop).
It was then time to grab a proper meal as we stopped off at a Swedish cafe called Brön and Salt. Jack made his own salad of assortments while Aimee grabbed a colourful yogurt bowl.
We then wandered further before taking the subway further south to a photography museum. But before we got there, we did an ‘Aimee’ stop and took some photos of the artworks in the subway (something you should see)! All the subways are decorated differently, which is so unique!
The photography museum was a fun activity which we both enjoyed. We then headed to the top floor for a picturesque view and to share a charcuterie board and some really really strong (and expensive) spirits. The views of the archipelago was worth it, but the food was also so amazing! Find tickets to the photography museum here.
We then found a banksy museum and nipped in to write and etch our name into the scribble wall. I mean why not!
We wandered back across the water front to find a place for dinner and came across a small Indian shop where we ate till our hearts were content. We both had a Tikka Masala with Aimee’s being a mango flavour and mine garlic. The food was so amazing!
After spending some good time together at dinner, we headed back via the subway and grabbed some more much needed snacks on the way to our hostel. We were so tired, we decided to stay in the room, snacks in hand, and played quizzes, joked about and listened to music until midnight. Luckily we didn’t have any neighbours in our dorm so we were free to do as we like. We even made a fort… haha!
Day 4:
Today, Jack had a secret breakfast planned! We quickly left the hostel; barely finishing getting dressed and headed about a 15 minute walk into the centre. From the outside, it was full of construction works, but inside was like walking into a little girl’s fairy tale dream.
The walls were soaked in petals, a soft but standout pink colour that lit up the whole room. This place wasn’t small either, it had a long straight walkway with an L-like curve and seating all up one side.
There was literally no visible wall, it was all petals!
The design so was different and the food was perfect for our sweet tooth. It was filled with pancakes, waffles and more pancakes.. which were smothered in toppings, sauces- basically anything you could think of! You could make your own little slice of heaven.
We decided to share our meals so we could experience most of their food. We ate so much that our stomachs were full, and we couldn’t even look at another sugary delight.
We headed then out and found some local markets which we wandered through. Each market had different offerings.. some meat only, but some with beautiful colours of autumn with pumpkins and flowers! The area in which we found had many surrounding market. There were markets location inside buildings which spanned multiple floors, perfect for us to spend a few hours wandering and deciding where we could eat for lunch!
After leaving the markets we found Ahlens which was similar to UK Selfridges. Basically an expensive large shop full of luxury brands. This isn’t normally our way of spending our time but was nice to see the brands they had and to just generally wander around the centre of Stockholm!
As we walked, we started to get hungry so we were on the hunt for a perfect lunchtime spot. The weather wasn’t too enjoyable with odd spats of rain and gusts of wind but we came across a quaint Mexican restaurant in the heart of Stockholm called Tres! It was a beautiful stop for us to get food and was well priced compared to other local places.
As we entered we were taken to our table and were delighted to see that they were a pet friendly restaurant! One thing in Sweden to note is a lot of shops, public areas and restaurants in Sweden are dog friendly which is always a bonus! Aimee decided she wanted to enjoy some cocktails but they had such a good deal on it made sense to get 3… so she says!
We both opted for tacos, with Jack getting mixed meat tacos and Aimee getting Chicken Birria. As always we would try each others foods and they were both lovely, filled with sauces and gave a lovely authentic flavour of tacos! As we began to finish and get ready to pay the bill, we were welcomed by a couple who brought their young puppy with them who was trying to cause chaos but was super adorable! They sat in the booth next to us and we couldn’t help but watch the cute puppy.
We soon headed out and decided that we would wander further into the markets once more to see if we can find anything we haven’t already before heading back to the hostel and giving our feet a well deserved rest. For the evening, we once again visited the local Sushi place opposite our hostel as the food was AMAZING earlier in the week! We treated ourselves to their lovely food once more and we can’t recommend this place enough!
It is ran by a sweet lady who makes all the food in house! The restaurant/takeaway is called Bang Sushi so if you are ever in the area we would definitely say to check it out! The Sushi there was beautiful!!
Day 5
We woke up bright and early to start the day as we had a lot planned! However, there was no plan for breakfast and as we usually do, we look for a new place to try! After searching online and seeing what’s local, we found Cafe Pascal which was a hotspot for their croissants!
The Cafe was full of people, so full it we had to wait for a seat. The food was lovely and it’s a great place to relax with a hot beverage. We swiftly moved on and headed to Gamla Stan which is the Old Town in Stockholm. We took the train as it was located roughly a 60 minute walk south of our hostel. Upon arriving at our final stop on the train, we had a 10 minute walk into Gamla Stan and it was totally different to the rest of Stockholm!
The Old Town was tight, dark streets which had vintage shops full of various offerings. The buildings either side where tall and made the streets seem even more narrow. Walking around the Old Town really made you feel like you went back in time 100s of years ago! The streets were beautiful and we decided to head to a busy spot in Gamla Stan which had the Nobel Prize Museum.
This was recommended to visit while in the Old Town but for us, it was underwhelming. It was cool learning about some of the amazing historical figures who really impacted us with their work, but in general was a very small building, which was very crowded inside and didn’t offer too much explanation with some works. For the price of roughly £15 each we wouldn’t recommend it and believe there are better ways to spend elsewhere in the city.
Outside the Nobel Prize Museum was a popular row of colourful houses which was a located on a market square. We took in the beauty of these buildings before heading off to explore more.
One thing we did do in Gamla Stan would be witnessing the change-over of the King’s Guard! This is something we stumbled upon as we were wandering around the streets and came across a large government building which had Guards standing outside. We spend a few minutes here admiring the building as it had some beautiful historical architecture but we then heard music coming from the distance.
As the clock was striking the hour, a marching band was announcing through fine rhythm and music that the king’s guards were changing over. It included an announcement from one of the guards before the new guards went on duty. This lasted roughly 30 minutes and created a crowd on onlookers.
Once we left we headed to look for some much needed lunch. There was an all you can eat Asian buffet which we found a few days prior and decided to head there! The buffet was awesome- it had a range of Asian foods to eat. As expected, Jack focussed on the Sushi as it’s his favourite, whilst Aimee enjoyed won tons and noodles! The food was so nice and it was reasonable for the quality of food and options available. Unfortunately, due to time constraints for a concert we had booked in the evening, we have to scurry out of there and head back to the train station towards the venue!
If you know anything about Aimee it’s that she LOVES Melanie Martinez! We had tickets to see her perform live in Stockholm and it was really the catalyst to why we decided to visit here in the first place.
It’s not really Jack’s type of music but in the end it was a decent concert. Aimee of course loved the experience and it was well worth seeing! The music was good, the professional dancers and performance was really good and the venue was amazing! A real experience going to a concert abroad and definitely one we would recommend for others to do!
The concert finished at 11pm which left us hungry and a 20 minute train ride from our stay! We hopped on the train and looked for a great place to stop for food to fill us up for our walk back to the hostel. We managed to find a burger joint which is seemingly popular in Sweden… Max Burger! The small burgers were really cheap and we decided to almost order the whole menu to fill our appitites. We gave our legs a rest and sat down to pig out with our meals, and the burgers were really good!
If you are looking for a good burger place in Sweden we would go here over the usual Burger King or McDonalds! We the waltzed back to our accommodation and went straight sleep as we seemed to be on our feet all day. We were definitely tired!
Day 6:
This was our final day and we were gutted to be leaving Sweden! Went spent the morning back at the shopping centre looking to pick up some novelty souvenirs for family members, and stopped for breakfast. As we were still tired from the day before and knew we were travelling home today, we stayed local. Jack was still looking for his Swedish meatballs as it’s definitely a top dish for him!
We’d managed to find a canteen at the top floor of one of the shopping centres called Nordiska Kompaniet where Jack got his meatballs which he was so excited for! They did not disappoint!! The food was lovely and it was really a fitting way to end the holiday. Aimee try a fish stew which was rather rogue for Aimee but enjoyed it all the same and we just reminisced on the best parts of the trip.
We find that when we are towards the end of a holiday it’s always nice to look back at the experiences and activities that made it unforgettable! After an hour or so it was time to head off from the centre, and back to the airport for our evening flight ready to come back home. We had a safe flight and had such an amazing time in Stockholm!
Want to live this experience? Watch our YouTube Vlog from our trip below!
We hope you enjoyed our personal experiences from Stockholm and would recommend visiting here if you like European cities and cool museums! There’s a lot of places to shop too so would be great as a friends getaway if you LOVE shopping!
Thank you for checking out our blog and be sure to see other blogs that we have made talking all things travel about Europe, Asia, Central America and everything in-between!
If you enjoyed then make sure to subscribe for more blogs as we plan to post fresh content every other day and provide top quality travel tips!
You can also follow our travelling journey on our Social Media’s below!
Sweden (or just Stockholm) hasn’t always been a place we both wanted to visit. Some people have recommended the capital Stockholm as a great short week trip, and one we should explore if we could find the time. But it’s never been on our radar and one we almost stumbled upon when booking. This is how we spent our trip, we hope we can inspire your own Stockholm trip!
The story goes…
Aimee has been a long-term fan of a quirky American singer called Melanie Martinez…
After much deliberation, we decided to take time out of our schedule to visit Stockholm…
We have finally made it to Sweden. Me and Aimee have been excited to visit for months!
*this post includes affiliate links, which means we can earn a commission- however, this doesn’t cost you any extra, and all opinions are genuine and our own 🙂
Day 1 in Stockholm:
After a long wait in the airport and a horrible flight (Jack with a flight migraine), we landed in the early hours and made our way to our hostel Generator Hostel.
We were both so tired so the only thing we could do was sleep.
Day 2 in Stockholm:
There’s no better feeling than crashing after a tiring day and getting a good night sleep in a totally new country… Let’s explore Stockholm!
We headed out to find a breakfast and stumbled across a quaint brunch place called STHLM Brunch Club. We shared a huuuge Cinnamon milkshake (with a cinnamon bun on top) after ordering a smoothie bowl with lots of fruit, and an avocado brekkie with poached eggs… and loads more! The best part by far was the homemade chilli jam. OH MYYY! Check it out below!
Off we went to explore city, wandering towards busy areas and stopping for a quick drink (coffee and smoothie) before setting off again.
The city has beautiful, big buildings- which light up the streets. It certainly is a place you can just stumble upon some really cool places. We found one of the best food halls and it has so much variety, that we couldn’t help but to wander!
After looking for lunch, and taking some time to people watch in the city, we settled at a really cool burger spot! We had smash-style Swedish burgers which didn’t disappoint, the crinkled fries are a must try at Bastard Burger (what an unusual name)!
After filling our bellies, and satisfying our appetites, we headed back to chill and get ready for the quiz night! The quiz night was awful if we are honest. It lasted 10 minutes and was hard to hear, be we didn’t let that stop us for the rest of the night.
We met up with someone from Milan who was lovely, and we have a few drinks (they were soooo expensive!!). One double cost £15… that’s more than London prices!! After things started to become quiet, we decided to venture out and see if there was any exciting events on.
We came across a seemingly boring pub which had no real attraction but once we entered there was a karaoke room which kept us entertained! Some song choices were questionable, but some allowed us to sing our heart out into the night before we decided to end the night around 1:45 am and trot back to the hostel before hitting the pillow.. HARD!
Day 3 in Stockholm:
After a longer than anticipated night, we woke up rather late and quickly got ready before leaving for midday. We made our way to the southern part of the city, but made sure to stop off at 7eleven on the way to grab much needed snacks for the day (this must be a key traveller shop).
It was then time to grab a proper meal as we stopped off at a Swedish cafe called Brön and Salt. Jack made his own salad of assortments while Aimee grabbed a colourful yogurt bowl.
We then wandered further before taking the subway further south to a photography museum. But before we got there, we did an ‘Aimee’ stop and took some photos of the artworks in the subway (something you should see)! All the subways are decorated differently, which is so unique!
The photography museum was a fun activity which we both enjoyed. We then headed to the top floor for a picturesque view and to share a charcuterie board and some really really strong (and expensive) spirits. The views of the archipelago was worth it, but the food was also so amazing! Find tickets to the photography museum here.
We then found a banksy museum and nipped in to write and etch our name into the scribble wall. I mean why not!
We wandered back across the water front to find a place for dinner and came across a small Indian shop where we ate till our hearts were content. We both had a Tikka Masala with Aimee’s being a mango flavour and mine garlic. The food was so amazing!
After spending some good time together at dinner, we headed back via the subway and grabbed some more much needed snacks on the way to our hostel. We were so tired, we decided to stay in the room, snacks in hand, and played quizzes, joked about and listened to music until midnight. Luckily we didn’t have any neighbours in our dorm so we were free to do as we like. We even made a fort… haha!
Day 4:
Today, Jack had a secret breakfast planned! We quickly left the hostel; barely finishing getting dressed and headed about a 15 minute walk into the centre. From the outside, it was full of construction works, but inside was like walking into a little girl’s fairy tale dream.
The walls were soaked in petals, a soft but standout pink colour that lit up the whole room. This place wasn’t small either, it had a long straight walkway with an L-like curve and seating all up one side.
There was literally no visible wall, it was all petals!
The design so was different and the food was perfect for our sweet tooth. It was filled with pancakes, waffles and more pancakes.. which were smothered in toppings, sauces- basically anything you could think of! You could make your own little slice of heaven.
We decided to share our meals so we could experience most of their food. We ate so much that our stomachs were full, and we couldn’t even look at another sugary delight.
We headed then out and found some local markets which we wandered through. Each market had different offerings.. some meat only, but some with beautiful colours of autumn with pumpkins and flowers! The area in which we found had many surrounding market. There were markets location inside buildings which spanned multiple floors, perfect for us to spend a few hours wandering and deciding where we could eat for lunch!
After leaving the markets we found Ahlens which was similar to UK Selfridges. Basically an expensive large shop full of luxury brands. This isn’t normally our way of spending our time but was nice to see the brands they had and to just generally wander around the centre of Stockholm!
As we walked, we started to get hungry so we were on the hunt for a perfect lunchtime spot. The weather wasn’t too enjoyable with odd spats of rain and gusts of wind but we came across a quaint Mexican restaurant in the heart of Stockholm called Tres! It was a beautiful stop for us to get food and was well priced compared to other local places.
As we entered we were taken to our table and were delighted to see that they were a pet friendly restaurant! One thing in Sweden to note is a lot of shops, public areas and restaurants in Sweden are dog friendly which is always a bonus! Aimee decided she wanted to enjoy some cocktails but they had such a good deal on it made sense to get 3… so she says!
We both opted for tacos, with Jack getting mixed meat tacos and Aimee getting Chicken Birria. As always we would try each others foods and they were both lovely, filled with sauces and gave a lovely authentic flavour of tacos! As we began to finish and get ready to pay the bill, we were welcomed by a couple who brought their young puppy with them who was trying to cause chaos but was super adorable! They sat in the booth next to us and we couldn’t help but watch the cute puppy.
We soon headed out and decided that we would wander further into the markets once more to see if we can find anything we haven’t already before heading back to the hostel and giving our feet a well deserved rest. For the evening, we once again visited the local Sushi place opposite our hostel as the food was AMAZING earlier in the week! We treated ourselves to their lovely food once more and we can’t recommend this place enough!
It is ran by a sweet lady who makes all the food in house! The restaurant/takeaway is called Bang Sushi so if you are ever in the area we would definitely say to check it out! The Sushi there was beautiful!!
Day 5:
We woke up bright and early to start the day as we had a lot planned! However, there was no plan for breakfast and as we usually do, we look for a new place to try! After searching online and seeing what’s local, we found Cafe Pascal which was a hotspot for their croissants!
The Cafe was full of people, so full it we had to wait for a seat. The food was lovely and it’s a great place to relax with a hot beverage. We swiftly moved on and headed to Gamla Stan which is the Old Town in Stockholm. We took the train as it was located roughly a 60 minute walk south of our hostel. Upon arriving at our final stop on the train, we had a 10 minute walk into Gamla Stan and it was totally different to the rest of Stockholm!
The Old Town was tight, dark streets which had vintage shops full of various offerings. The buildings either side where tall and made the streets seem even more narrow. Walking around the Old Town really made you feel like you went back in time 100s of years ago! The streets were beautiful and we decided to head to a busy spot in Gamla Stan which had the Nobel Prize Museum.
This was recommended to visit while in the Old Town but for us, it was underwhelming. It was cool learning about some of the amazing historical figures who really impacted us with their work, but in general was a very small building, which was very crowded inside and didn’t offer too much explanation with some works. For the price of roughly £15 each we wouldn’t recommend it and believe there are better ways to spend elsewhere in the city.
Outside the Nobel Prize Museum was a popular row of colourful houses which was a located on a market square. We took in the beauty of these buildings before heading off to explore more.
One thing we did do in Gamla Stan would be witnessing the change-over of the King’s Guard! This is something we stumbled upon as we were wandering around the streets and came across a large government building which had Guards standing outside. We spend a few minutes here admiring the building as it had some beautiful historical architecture but we then heard music coming from the distance.
As the clock was striking the hour, a marching band was announcing through fine rhythm and music that the king’s guards were changing over. It included an announcement from one of the guards before the new guards went on duty. This lasted roughly 30 minutes and created a crowd on onlookers.
Once we left we headed to look for some much needed lunch. There was an all you can eat Asian buffet which we found a few days prior and decided to head there! The buffet was awesome- it had a range of Asian foods to eat. As expected, Jack focussed on the Sushi as it’s his favourite, whilst Aimee enjoyed won tons and noodles! The food was so nice and it was reasonable for the quality of food and options available. Unfortunately, due to time constraints for a concert we had booked in the evening, we have to scurry out of there and head back to the train station towards the venue!
If you know anything about Aimee it’s that she LOVES Melanie Martinez! We had tickets to see her perform live in Stockholm and it was really the catalyst to why we decided to visit here in the first place.
It’s not really Jack’s type of music but in the end it was a decent concert. Aimee of course loved the experience and it was well worth seeing! The music was good, the professional dancers and performance was really good and the venue was amazing! A real experience going to a concert abroad and definitely one we would recommend for others to do!
The concert finished at 11pm which left us hungry and a 20 minute train ride from our stay! We hopped on the train and looked for a great place to stop for food to fill us up for our walk back to the hostel. We managed to find a burger joint which is seemingly popular in Sweden… Max Burger! The small burgers were really cheap and we decided to almost order the whole menu to fill our appitites. We gave our legs a rest and sat down to pig out with our meals, and the burgers were really good!
If you are looking for a good burger place in Sweden we would go here over the usual Burger King or McDonalds! We the waltzed back to our accommodation and went straight sleep as we seemed to be on our feet all day. We were definitely tired!
Day 6 in Stockholm:
This was our final day and we were gutted to be leaving Sweden! Went spent the morning back at the shopping centre looking to pick up some novelty souvenirs for family members, and stopped for breakfast. As we were still tired from the day before and knew we were travelling home today, we stayed local. Jack was still looking for his Swedish meatballs as it’s definitely a top dish for him!
We’d managed to find a canteen at the top floor of one of the shopping centres called Nordiska Kompaniet where Jack got his meatballs which he was so excited for! They did not disappoint!! The food was lovely and it was really a fitting way to end the holiday. Aimee try a fish stew which was rather rogue for Aimee but enjoyed it all the same and we just reminisced on the best parts of the trip.
We find that when we are towards the end of a holiday it’s always nice to look back at the experiences and activities that made it unforgettable! After an hour or so it was time to head off from the centre, and back to the airport for our evening flight ready to come back home. We had a safe flight and had such an amazing time in Stockholm!
Want to live this experience? Watch our Stockholm YouTube Vlog from our trip below!
Visiting Stockholm
We hope you enjoyed our personal experiences from Stockholm and would recommend visiting here if you like European cities and cool museums! There’s a lot of places to shop too so would be great as a friends getaway if you LOVE shopping! Are you planning on exploring Europe? Check out the best areas to stay in Crete, or a full guide to visiting Paris!
Thank you for checking out our blog and be sure to see other blogs that we have made talking all things travel about Europe, Asia, Central America and everything in-between!
If you enjoyed then make sure to subscribe for more blogs as we plan to post fresh content every other day and provide top quality travel tips!
Check out our latest YouTube Video!
Our favourite must-needed travel resources
Where to Fly
Trip.com – Find amazing flight deals, with over 2 million flight routes, and being one of the world’s leading online travel agencies.
Kiwi – Use Kiwi’s amazing service that is pioneering in the flight space! They use virtual interlining, which means they can provide seamless connecting flights into one single itinerary!
CheapOair – Being one of the fastest growing online travel companies in the US, CheapOair offers great flight deals, hotel rooms, rental cars and more!
Where to Stay
Booking.com – Offering over 28 million accommodations to book, we will always use booking.com! Having a rewards system built in, the more you book, the more perks you get!
HostelWorld – You cannot budget travel without hostel world! Having over 17,000 hostels, boasting over 13 million reviews, hostel world is one our of top websites for budget travel! They are now offering more ways to meet people abroad, with meet ups, group chats and more available!
Vrbo – Find stunning vacation rentals with Vrbo! Offering over 2 million paid listings in 190 countries, find memorable experiences with this accommodation service!
Where to Explore
Viator – A trip advisor company, viator offers over 300,000 experiences over 200 countries, including water sports, walking tours, boat trips, food tastes tours and more! Including activities for many budgets, check out Viator!
Eat With – Experience authentic travel experiences with locals worldwide! Use eat with to book unique and intimate dining experiences, such as dinner parties in big restaurants, big feasts with a local family, cooking classes with a local and more!
Get Your Guide – Book unique (and common too!) experiences and activities worldwide, including skip the line tickets to big attractions worldwide!
Where to get Connected
Airalo – With over one million people using Airalo, it is our go to eSIM provider for our worldwide trips! Having data packs from over 200 countries, find combined area packages and deals to suit your travel style and data needs!
Where to be Protected
ETKA – Every age from 3 to 85 can buy ETKA’s travel insurance, offering multilingual 24/7 chat support, and your insurance policy within 2-3 minutes!
Our Top Traveller’s Essentials
Backpack – Osprey Farpoint 40 – This backpack is a staple amongst many travellers! Being a lot cheaper than the luxury brands, this is a quality backpack from a well known brand. It boasts quality durability, is lightweight with a great framework and is a great option for most people! This backpack has a hip strap to help carry the bag, a breathable harness strap, and comes in multiple colours!
Compression Packing Cubes – Compression cubes are our favourite packing accessory! These cubes are similar to the normal packing cubes, but feature a compression zip, meaning you can compress your clothes down… this makes packing easier, limits the space you are using, and means more room for souvenirs etc!
Powerbank – Don’t lose power when travelling! It isn’t always guaranteed to find charging ports, so we would always suggest carrying a spare power bank, just incase you do run low on power when you need it!
Universal Travel Plug Adapter – Most backpackers/travellers visit multiple countries during one trip. And that means it isn’t guaranteed you will be using the same plug head during each place. A universal plug is great as it lets you switch between each plug head style all in one item! We love ours, it has USB slots meaning multiple items can be charged at once.
We would recommend Norrmalm area. Really anywhere just north of Gamla Stan as a central place. Most things should be a 30/45 minute walk max and we would totally recommend using their metro which is cheap and quick! Also they have cool patterns which are different at each station!😍 we stayed at Generator Hostel which was nice and we would recommend! You can find it here https://hostelworld.tp.st/YFFgFoC0 😊
London is one of the most visited cities in the world! People from all over the globe dream to see London’s bright lights and witness the busy life that the city exuberates. Over 20 million (pre-covid) visit London each year internationally, and it’s flooded with tourists daily!
When visiting London it really is difficult to pinpoint the best things to do and places to see. We know people who have lived there for 5-10 years and still have so much they haven’t discovered yet. So, someone who is visiting on holiday, or for a long break often feel overwhelmed with activities, places to eat and sights to see.
This is also coupled with the prices of London being exceptionally high and trying to make the most of your visit and not spend all your savings.
Just for reference, we live an hours train from London and when we visit you can easily find yourself spending £150 on food for 2, £100 on a stay for 2 and £100 for two activities in 1 day! This is not sustainable and when we go London we make sure to find the best budget options so we can maximise our experience whilst not breaking the bank each time!
*affiliate links are included in this post. It does not cost you anything extra, but means we can earn a small commission to help us continue this journey 🙂
Best Times to Visit London
As expected, the best times to visit would usually be nearing Christmas/New Year or during the summer months.
On the lead up to Christmas, there will be decorations lining each street, festive activities including winter wonderland and markets that will definitely get you in the festive spirit! However, during these events prices are likely higher as it is an annual event that a lot of people go to.
The summer is more so for the beautiful parks and walks you can do and also enjoy some of the activities like the London eye or visiting Buckingham Palace with lovely weather. During the summer, it’s common to rent bikes and go for cycle rides in local London parks or settle for a picnic and enjoy your surroundings which you definitely cannot enjoy all year round.
Best Activities to do in London on a Budget
All the mainstream activities in London do come at a premium price. Everyone comes to London to see the main sights like the London Eye and Tower of London Tours but are these the best things to do in London?
Local Markets
There’s 2 reasons why we would visit London markets! Firstly, the food is really high quality, fresh and more budget friendly compared to local restaurants in the areas. In London there are so many markets you may just stumble across some! It’s the perfect place to look for your lunch/dinner while not using all your savings! The markets below are the ones we would recommend but there are so many more!!
Borough Market
Spitalfields
Portobello Road Market
Covent Garden
Camden Market
These markets are great to wander around and see some amazing and abstract things you may not otherwise see! You may not be hungry but you can marvel at all the stalls and potentially pick up something like local honey or jams that you can enjoy later in the day. Each market is full of character and have many different options of food for all to try. The main problem is usually deciding where to eat!
Our favourite market of choice would be borough market. It has some great lunch options including a generous portion of mussels, Thai street food bakeries and more! With perfect and take homes like homemade jams, rich cheeses and some desserts like Ice Cream and dedicated dessert stalls like humble crumble! Even if you aren’t looking for food, its a great place to wander and experience a true local market in the heart of London.
Hire a bike!
Many people may not know this but London is HUGE! You simply cannot see everything as all the main sights are dotted across the Capital. Most use the Underground which is a cheap and convenient way of moving across the city but can be tough to navigate unless you are a local. Even we struggle sometimes.
An alternative would be to hire a bike and ride across London. This will limit your time going to the underground and moving from point to point without experiencing the whole of London. Some of the best parts of the city is truly wandering and stumbling across some unique and cool places. Whether it’s quirky shops, street artists or performers, food stalls… anything really!
There is nothing better than a gentle bike ride across the riverbank admiring the views and seeing the sights the city has to offer. There are many locations where e-bikes are available for renting. All you need to do is download the app and scan the bike and you on are on your way! When finishing with the bike, you will need to drop it off at a bike stop and they are really cheap to rent out!
Walking tour
Walking tours are dotted throughout the city and is a great way to learn more on the history or sights throughout London.
If you aren’t familiar with the history, and are interested then it may be worth while to get a walking tour in your specific interest to learn more! An example would be the London Dungeons or a Jack the Ripper tour where you can learn more about what life was like in London centuries ago and how people lived. On these tours you would be taken to locations with significant importance and told facts about the topic at hand. Find our top pick of the Jack the Ripper tour here.
They usually last for an hour or two and you are able to ask questions and learn more about the topic. Included in the tour may be breaks which will allow you to grab food and drink or nip to the toilet when required. It’s a really good way to learn more about the rich history of the city as not all historic locations will include further details like a tour.
These would be aimed towards people who are maybe less familiar with the history and are visiting London as a holiday.
China Town
China Town is a beautiful part of the city. When you enter, you feel like you have teleported to busy Chinese streets with many food vendors and luscious smells. The streets are decorated with traditional Chinese markings and the food there is cheaper than most of London and has the authentic taste! The area will host events including the Chinese New Year there which would be great to witness.
All the surrounding streets are small local food stops which have traditional Chinese foods which is a great place to stop for lunch or dinner. When visiting London is it usually a place we visit as we love the flavours and authentic taste and it’s just a beautiful area to walk through and soak up the atmosphere!
Museums
There are many museums across London, so many in fact that you can’t realistically see all of them.. even if you lived there! As it’s a city, there is museums for all kinds of things and no matter your interest, there will be one tailored to what you like! As you may not know, most museums in London are free to enter – this includes all public displays. However, each museum does provide private viewings, usually temporary and seasonal, which you would be required to pay for.
These are normally worth while being around £10 – £20 and usually around a famous person or time in history. We have visited many of the museums in London and it is definitely a great way to spend some time to learn about topics you are interested in and a great way to keep costs down while in London.
We would recommend these Museums as these are the ones we have visited and enjoyed the most:
Natural History Museum
Science Museum
National Portrait Gallery
Victoria & Albert Museum
These museums offer a lot of variety of interests and a lot of cool viewings that could keep you busy for a few hours in London.
For us personally, our favourite in the National History Museum and is something we would recommend for all travellers to London to experience!!
Festivals throughout the year
London is well-known for the festivals and events they have throughout the year. Some are so large that people visit from around the world to experience them like new years or the London marathon which is a great time to visit. The atmosphere is very different with a lot of visitors either cheering on runners and enjoying the weekend or celebrating the turn of a new year. It definitely adds a new aspect to visiting London that many people don’t experience.
However, there are many festivals throughout the year that people are almost unaware of and stumble across. These can be music festivals or food festivals. For example, in June this year there is a Taste of London festival in Regent’s Park. This will include top restaurants showcasing their top dishes to onlooking and offer free samples to taste. This would be great to have a wander through and experience some top quality food. You could maybe even use this to find the best place to eat dinner later. It’s perfect as you can decide how much you want to spend or spend nothing at all, it’s totally up to you!!
Across London, no matter the time of year you visit there will be events occurring you just have to be in the right place. Sometimes it can be a simple google search away or you may just stumble upon one! As it’s such a large, vibrant city, we would always recommend to look out for any events, even if it’s just something to experience and walk through as you never know what you might see!
We really could talk about so much London and all that it’s offer but these would be our top picks when visiting London and keeping to a budget!
Accommodation recommendations
We have also provided our best recommendations on the different accommodation in London. Some budget friendly, medium priced and luxury hotels as well as a hostel option for your trip!
Hostel Option
This hostel is a great option for backpackers who want award winning accommodation for a fraction of the price. The reviews on this hostel are generally SO positive, with some stating this hostel is ‘perfect’. Located near Tower Bridge, you need to check this spot out! Find it here.
Budget Option
London can be an extremely expensive place to visit, especially for accommodation reasons- these rooms are a great budget friendly option! Working out at about £34 (based on two people sharing a room) each, these rooms have communal area kitchens, however these do have community bathrooms rather than private – this isn’t a problem for many, and we think this is a great option! Find it here.
Mid-Range Option
This modern hotel is only a 2 minute walk from Tate modern in the heart of London, and is a beautiful option for your trip to London! This hotel has its own app system, so you can control your room’s lighting and ambiance, amongst access to Disney, Netflix and more, this hotel boasts many impressive features ready for your stay! It will cost roughly £78 per person (based on a room for 2), and is such a great find! Find it here.
Luxury Option
Want the luxury life in London? This hotel serves world class treatment, with an onsite spa and health club (including a roman-style swimming pool), and is only a short 15 minute walk to Covent Garden and Leicester Square. Costing roughly £133 per person (based on 2 people sharing), this hotel is the best option for your celebrity style London adventure. Find it here.
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Being at home can be stressful – even when there is nothing stressing you out. Whether it’s the thought of going back to work, seeing family and friends- or just wanting a change. A lot of people really live for the weekends and take that time to destress. You might just have 2 duvet days watching films and eating takeout.. and we don’t blame you! Some may do local city breaks, or a trip towards a simple weekend away from the cities. We all have different preferences when it comes to getting away. For instance, Jack likes to be active, whether it’s swimming, hiking, exploring etc, but Aimee would be more than happy with a 2 day spa break with a massage ,and maybe a museum break or two. We all are different in what we enjoy but one common thing is we like to travel!
Life is so busy that we struggle to find the time to dedicate to travelling. We are limited to weekends and that really isn’t enough time to get on a plane or train to a new country. We even tried it and it is so crazy busy that it isn’t a time to relax. Put it this way, you are more tired than when you were before you left! Our Trip to Aarhus is here – it’s something we would totally recommend but it isn’t for the faint of hearts. You allocate such little time to a major city so you have to choose a location that has only 1/2 days worth of activities otherwise you will miss out on some of the best things to do there.
So you need to make the most of your time off and maximise your trip time. Give yourself long weekends (3/4 days) at new locations. As we are in England, we have done short trips to Paris, Aarhus, Stockholm and Budapest! Jack books off time from work to give us enough days to do short city breaks to explore somewhere new.
It’s a common feeling for young adults to feel stuck and lost in the busy life they become accustom to. To make things worse, we never really allow ourselves to stop as we book up our evenings and weekends with the things we want to do leaving us with no time to relax our bodies. That’s why you NEED to give yourself something to look forward to – even if it is a local break for a few days every few months to regenerate.
Here, we have highlighted some budget last minute holidays in Europe that are the perfect getaway to destress and recoup your energy. We recommend these places as they are some of the best for activities but you can also just enjoy the city and spend time not doing a whole lot!
*This post contains affiliate links, where we can earn a commission. This comes at no extra expense for you, and all views are genuine.
Poznan
A central location, this Polish City is a great place to visit! The streets are clean and colourful, with some beautiful spots to try out their local foods! Some popular polish foods include bigos and pierogi, and being a budget location means you can try even more! The city isn’t too popular for tourists, so it is a great place to explore and local cultures and learn more about the city, without the usual crowds.
A flight from England to Poznan starts from £40 which is affordable, and it is a cheap place to drink alcohol- roughly £2 for a pint! There is a lot to do and is a place we would recommend for that short trip you are really needing!
There is a local market square which includes a multicoloured stretch of houses. This is a perfect place to find a local café and soak up surrounding views. Also, there is a croissant museum… YES you read it right! At certain times, bakers will make fresh croissants in front of you, and you learn the history of the croissant. At the end of the session, you are given a taster of the freshly made croissant which is the perfect way to end the activity.
The city is also littered with castles, cathedrals and churches. The architecture and sculpture work is incredible and intricate, which can be seen across the Poznan skyline. We would recommend seeing the Imperial Castle, the Town Hall and The Basilica of Our Lady of Perpetual Help! For any history lovers out there, there is also an Archaeological museum and History Land.
History land is a cool unique experience where you the exhibits are depicted through Lego creations, whether it’s battles, buildings or more!! This is an experience that doesn’t exist in many other places so would definitely be worth checking out!
Accommodation Options
Luxury option : A hotel and wine bar, with the opportunity to have an in-room jacuzzi or hot tub, with being extremely spacious and clean. Find it here
Budget Hotel : Being in a close location, this hotel starts from around £34 a night which is SO good! It’s known to be a quieter hotel, boasting friendly staff and 24 hour facilities. Find it here
Hostel option : This cinema themed hostel is great for the budget traveler! This hostel offers private rooms starting from £22, in the centre of Poznan. Friendly hostel, with great facilities and location! Find it here
Bratislava
Another central European city that is full of life, this city boasts many impressive castles and historic buildings, and is an amazing place to just wander. A popular activity in the city is to rent a bike and cycle around to explore the whole city. The city is perfectly sized to travel around on a bike, and can be a cheaper alternative than other modes of transport!
Across the city are quirky statues, including a depiction of a man climbing out of the sewers. It is a city where you can wander; find local shops, activities and indulge in the culture of the city. The local foods include a selection of meats and layered cake (Prekmurska Gibanica).
One of the attractions to the area is wine tasting! This is a country known for it’s wine and there are many tours – one including wine tasting at a castle – which would be awesome to check out! This is located at Devin Castle, which is perfectly located on the bank of the well known river, The Danube. This is a great break to enjoy the suburban views, have a drink with your fellow holiday-goers and soak up the castles history!
This location would be great for a long weekend break to see new sights and escape reality for a short period before coming back to reality.
Accommodation Options
Luxury option : Stay in a 5 star luxury hotel along the river, with rooms offering panoramic views of the Danube River or Castle Hill. It has free gym access, the opportunity to book into their spa (some options do include this), breakfast, lunch and dinner facilities and more! Prices start from around £160+, and you can find it here
Budget Hotel : This hotel is such a great find, with one night (inclusive of breakfast), only costing roughly £60 a night! You can use their salt cave and fitness facilities free of charge, and the hotel boasts a good location, being in the old town. The interior is really pretty and is a very highly rated place right now! Find it here
Hostel option : This hostel is such a unique one! Being the first NFT hostel, full of NFT styles and artwork! With an unforgettable industrial style, it has capsule style dorms of 6-10 bunks, starting from around £22 a night! There is an option for private accommodation within the hostel for those who don’t like dorm style rooms. Find it here
Cologne
Cologne is a beautiful city in Germany that isn’t a massive hotspot for tourism. The city offers all types of reasons to visit: there are many castles to visit, popular brewhouse tours, and even an old town to visit! It is also a great spot to use as a ‘middle ground’ for travelling to other spots in Germany, such as Dusseldorf.
Many people may not know this, but Cologne have a chocolate museum! And you know we love food museums!! This is a great place to learn the history of Lindt… well let’s be honest. Everyone is there to eat as much chocolate as possible. But it is interesting to learn how the chocolate is made.
Also in Cologne, there is an Ice Bar. Now, if you haven’t experienced this before, then it is a rather strange but cool experience! Basically, you are in a typical bar but instead of being in normal decor.. The decor is all Ice. You are in an Ice room! You are provided with a snow coat to keep you from getting frostbite and can enjoy cocktails. Even the seats and tables are made from Ice. Legit everything is! This is a great place to enjoy with friends and family that is different!
This city offers some picturesque places for photos and is a perfect location to explore as a short break! Germany is always a great winter option, especially with the infamous Christmas markets yearly- this is a great travel option for anyone’s bucket list! As it’s known for it’s beer, there are opportunities to do a beer tour and during certain times of the year, you could enjoy some beer festivals!
Accommodation Options
Luxury option : This hotel is a beautiful option for visiting Cologne! Local to many attractions, this hotels offer breakfast, and focuses heavily on sustainable options! Find it here
Budget Hotel : This modern option is a great hotel for a lesser price! It’s part of the ibis chain, and offers buffet breakfast as part of their packages. The hotel can be found here.
Hostel option : We had to include this one! This hostel has rooms each decorated with their own unique theme! Choose themes such as Bollywood cinema, cabin in the woods, and a 60’s theme pod. It’s so cool and is a great budget option at roughly £24 a night! Find it here
Cordoba
A beautiful Spanish city that is full of culture. The sun is always shining here and has a beautiful old quarter to explore- it was an important Roman city, and a major Islamic centre during the Middle Ages, meaning it is full of culture and history to learn! The city is full of tight streets with quaint restaurants, cobble streets and traditional Spanish houses.
You are only going for a short break so you need to make the most of relaxing.. with an Arabian bath. This is with a traditional setting of pillars and an enclosed large bath perfect for sinking your toes in or relaxing by the baths. The rooms are lit up by candles and create an aroma that can cure the mind of any stress you are feeling.
As a Spanish City Cordoba is rich in architecture with many castles, Catherdral’s and Churches to explore. It is one of the oldest and most historic cities in Europe so it’s one of the best places to get lost in the history, learn about the people and culture, and immerse yourself in it’s beauty.
May is a month full of traditional fiestas, with the beautiful smell of jasmine and orange blossoms filling the spring air! You can go out for yummy tapas, enjoy a flamenco show and immerse yourself in the local atmosphere.
Accommodation Options
Luxury option : Stay in a converted 18th century mansion in the city centre, showcasing traditional and original structure! You can get breakfast included, with options to explore the two courtyards… it really is a beautiful option. Prices seem to start from roughly £170, but it is such an amazing luxury find! Find it here
Budget Hotel : Right in front of the Cordoba Mosque, this hotel is a great budget option! You can include breakfast at an additional cost, with great reviews praising the staff and customer service. Check it out here
Hostel option : This hostel is a vibrant option to stay within Cordoba! There is a pool, common areas, no curfew and online check in! They have dorms with 4, 8 or 10 bunks, starting from roughly £22 a night! There is also an option for private rooms within this hostel from £90. Check it out here
Riga
The capital of Latvia is a beautiful, historic and architectural city that is traditional in its setting. The city has many museums and sculptures to see- which are great to capture some memorable pictures! This city also boasts nice parks and scenic places to relax yourself and watch the world go by!
The city of Riga has a good spread of food markets throughout the city. A local dish to try is the Karbonade- this dish is pork that is pounded thin and fried for a crispy finish. This is usually served with flavours on top to maximise flavours. For the locals, this is washed down with a traditional Rye Bread pudding. Who would of thought that the Latvians are so big on Rye Bread? It is very popular in Riga and is a must try when in the city.
A perfect place to unwind is visiting the Art Nouveau district. This area is spread with museums showing off famous pieces for this time. We would recommend to take a stroll to the area as it is dotted with vibrant and structurally brilliant buildings which are elegantly designed. This is a great place to take a detour – wander – and see where the road ahead takes you.
Latvia isn’t necessarily a mainstream European location to visit, however we know many who LOVE this location. There is a pedestrian only old town, where you can find plenty of shops and restaurants, alongside the well known Livu Square, with a range of bars and nightclubs
Accommodation Options
Luxury option : Find a four star spa hotel from only £65! This is an amazing deal for a luxury hotel, which is also riverside with amazing views, and great spa facilities. It is so close to some major attractions that you can see them from the hotel. You can include spa access within your booking which seems very worth it! Find it here
Budget Hotel : This hotel is only from £25… with full private facilities. Rooms are somewhat basic, but some offer inner courtyard views. But for £25 who can complain! Find it here
Hostel option : An authentic hostel offering self catering cooking facilities, in a great location in the middle of the old town. They offer dorms of up to 14 beds, with the option of female only rooms too. Dorms start from £15 a night… what an amazing price! Find it here
These short breaks are the perfect way to regenerate the body and experience a little dose of some smaller/lesser known areas of Europe. A lot of these picks are cheap places to travel and stay in, making it realistic for people who are looking to travel on a budget.
These places are definitely on the top of our list for places to visit in Europe and would love to know more about people who have visited!
We hope you liked our picks and if you have any other suggestions, do let us know in the comments.
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Known as the city of love, this French capital is bursting with amazing things to do and see. Perfect for last minute vacations, or to find amazing luxury hotels of world, or even to just see lots of tourist attractions, Paris has it all.
We visited in February 2023, and it was such a beautiful trip! We visited over Valentine’s Day, and we did have such an amazing time. We were spoilt for choice with activities, and things to do, so we still couldn’t fit in everything we wanted in a 4 day period!
We couldn’t find many blog posts that shared a variety of activities, and things to do, so we have decided to make our full comprehensive guide, to help others in the same situation! We will share the best places to visit in Paris, the best tourist places in Paris, what to eat here and more!
*This post includes affiliate links, where we might earn a small commission, however all opinions are genuine and our own.
How long should I stay in Paris?
This is such a tricky question, because there isn’t really a right or wrong answer. Due to being such a famous capital, along with the location, the prices are not cheap… This definitely isn’t a fully budget friendly spot!
We would suggest if you have a flexible budget, to aim for roughly 4/5 days, including room to go to Disneyland Paris (if this is of interest to you). With this you can focus on a lot more sightseeing, alongside seeing some more unique places to visit!
However, if you are on a tighter budget, we would recommend a 2 day break (maybe just a weekend getaway), so you can still see your most important highlights, but you aren’t having to worry as much about the costs around you! Sadly, money doesn’t stretch far in Paris.
When to visit Paris?
This again is very much down to preference. We would mostly suggest the spring and autumn months, due to the crowds being slightly smaller, but the weather being a lot more pleasant! Prices always increase around holidays so this would help with keeping a lower budget!
Quick facts about Paris
Currency : Euro €. We found card usage extremely easy here, and didn’t once handle cash!
Data while abroad : We used international roaming, which was part of our sim-contracts in the UK (most providers offer this so check with your contract).
SIM card : If you do not have roaming opportunities, you can buy an e-sim from as little as $4.50! We usually use Airalo which you can find here. They also offer a Europe-wide sim starting from $5, so we will link this here for those backpacking around Europe!
Closures : Paris is known to have some different opening hours/days. Most shops are open Monday – Saturday from 9am to 7pm, however some smaller shops have limited (or none) opening hours on Mondays. Most museums are also closed on Tuesdays. In the lesser touristic areas, a lot more places (including restaurants) are closed on Sundays.
Transport : There is some great transport options, with the metro being something we used heavily. Just make sure you are getting the right tickets, as we thought we’d found a great discount, which turned out to be the wrong ticket (and we got charged)
Where should I stay in Paris?
This trip we were lucky enough to stay with a friend of Jacks, however Paris is full of options for accommodation!
We are huge advocates of hostels, due to the lower costs, the access to social areas, and generally have found the experience a lot more enjoyable!
We will share 3 hostels below, for those who like a budget-option, those who like some privacy, and those who want to be in the centre of the city!
Hostels:
The budget traveler – Jo&Joe. This hostel is honestly such a great value for money, with dorms starting from only £19. They do offer all-female dorms also if this is something you would be interested in! There is an option for a ‘private space’ from only £24. There is lockers and USB ports within your accommodation, and you can get breakfast included as an option whilst booking! This hostel is on the outskirts of Paris, and the centre can be easily accessed by a train. Find this hostel here!
The Private Room – We chose this accommodation for it’s great location, the Plug Inn Montmartre by Hiphophostels is a great private option! These private rooms have private bathrooms (which isn’t always a guarantee when visiting regular hostels), and has an impressive location, being only 3 minutes away from the Sacré Coeur, and 2 minutes from the Moulin Rouge. This option is more pricey, being around £90 a night, with the addition of a damage deposit being required. You can find this hostel here.
The Central Option – Being only a rough 20 minutes walk from the Eiffel Tower, this hostel is great for being central, whilst not breaking the bank! The 3 Ducks offers dorm rooms from only around £33, and fun fact- this hostel is the oldest in the whole of France! You can pay additionally for breakfast whilst booking, alongside offering free wifi, maps of Paris, safety boxes and aircon. They offer live music, due to being attached to a bar, so is great for social travellers! Find this central hostel here.
Best places to visit in Paris
Museums
The Louvre – Home to the Mona Lisa, the Louvre is a world-renowned museum that is a must visit for Paris trips. With entry from €22, there is some budget options here! For the first Friday of the month, after 6pm, visitors can have free entry! There is also free admission for under 18’s, under 25 year old residents of the European Economic Area, and Disabled visitors, Art teachers, journalists etc, with valid proof. This museum is very big, so we suggest leaving a lot of free time to explore! Also be ready to walk a lot! We suggest this museum towards the start of your trip, when you have more energy!
The Centre Pompidou – Being home to the largest modern art collection in Europe, the Centre Pompidou is a cool museum to explore. The architecture is unique, and is known to be a massively revolutionary museum of it’s kind. Tickets start from roughly €15, and they offer reduced tickets €12. On the first Sunday of the month, admission to the permanent collection, and the Galerie des enfants is free for all visitors. This museum is a great for modern art lovers, however it might not be everyones cup of tea.
Musée D’Orsay – Sadly, we never found time for this amazing museum, but we still had to include it! Housed in a train station, this museum hosts an impressive collection of artwork, from artists such as Van Gogh, Renoir, Monet and Toulous-Lautrec. It also holds sculptures and a range of arts from the art nouveau era. Admission is €16, with a reduced fee of €12 on Thursdays from 6pm. The first Sunday monthly is free admissions for all visitors, however booking is necessary. There is also free tickets for those with disabilities (with a carer), those under 18, and EU Citizens under 25.
Musée des Arts Décoratifs – Housing a large textile collection, for fashion-lovers keep an eye on this spot! We recommend checking their exhibition collection for your trip dates, as some of their guest exhibitions have been impressive! Aimee was lucky enough to see the Christian Dior exhibition here a few years ago, alongside some others such as : Barbie, Harpers Bazaar, Thierry Mugler and more, with a current exhibition being for Iris Van Herpen. We would suggest going for the exhibitions, which tickets are roughly €15, which is inclusive of the permanent collections admissions too.
Galerie de paléontologie et d’anatomie comparée – Who said museums had to be just art? We visited this museum for the first time last year, and it was a great surprise! We haven’t seen this museum on many recommended lists, so we wanted to shout it out! Part of the French National Museum of Natural History, this museum is a unique one, showing the bones of many animals, and explaining the science! We saw the bones of a giant sloth which was cool, alongside dinosaur bones- how cool! Tickets are from €12, with reduced and free fares offered, similar to those mentioned above.
Tourist Attractions
The Eiffel Tower – Let’s start this list with arguably one of the most famous landmarks worldwide. The Eiffel Tower is a distinct monument, and one to tick off your list! We must say, our unpopular opinion is that we weren’t overly fussed with the Eiffel Tower, however, if you have never seen it we would suggest still making that a highly on your itinerary. There is options to go up the tower, alongside restaurants, if your budget permits this!
The Arc de Triomphe – Would you believe we found this by mistake last trip! We were walking along some of the designer shops ‘window shopping’, and ended up coming across this! It was stunning! This is a monument for those who fought and died during the French Revolution and the Napoleonic wars. We saw it at nighttime, and being all lit-up was really pretty. It a great sight to see and take a photo of, and you can also go into it! Entrance is €13 (or free for certain groups), and is great to see the skyline of Paris!
The Catacombs – Not for all, but the underground catacombs of Paris is something on our to do list! Containing the remains of over 6 million people, the catacombs is an underground maze under this famous city. Only a small amount has been explored and is open to the public. It is believed it was made due to relocation of the Parisian cemeteries. Admission is from €29, and audio guide purchase is recommended. Reduced and free rates are available for certain groups.
The Notre Dame Cathédrale – Due to the tragedy of the fire, not all of the Notre Dame has yet been rebuilt. It is due to be reopened in December 2024, but we still recommend going by if you can. We saw some amazing street performances nearby, and it is still something great to see.
The Palais Garnier – This opera house is beautiful. This historic opera house is a sight to see, with intricate architecture and stunning interiors. Entry is not free, however there is a chance to still see shows here, which if within your budget would be amazing! Even just to view outside is great.
The Sacré-Cœur Basilica – Being one of Aimee’s favourite Parisian spots, the basilica is such a sight. A roman Catholic Church at the summit of Montmarte, this building is an impressive 83m and is beautiful inside and out. We aren’t religious, but anyone can appreciate this for sure! Entry is free, however due to being up the hill, it is a little tricky to get to! So keep this in mind.
Other highlights of Paris
Food
Let’s be honest, we all know there is many foods to try in France! From sweet treats, to famous dinner dishes, there is a lot to try!
We would always suggest visiting a bakery, and trying fresh croissants, pain au chocolat, and baguettes- it’s a favourite of ours! We once brought a fresh baguette and ate it while on the metro (maybe we did get some odd looks but SO worth it)!
For lunches we suggest trying a croque monsieur, which is one of Aimee’s favourites! If not, just a nice fresh baguette sandwich is always so nice. Be sure to try some meats and cheeses- it is Paris!
For dinner if you feel up to it, escargot is a well known food from France. Alongside cuisses de grenouille… which we would know as frogs legs. Would you be willing to try these? If not, maybe opt for something like coq au vin, or a French onion soup!
Shopping/ fashion
This isn’t one of the fashion capitals for no reason! Paris is the best excuse to shop till you drop, with so many different places to browse! You will find so many shops, from big scale designers, to small brands you’ve never heard of (but will surely fall in love with)!
Maybe you would be lucky enough to visit over fashion week and get a ticket to a show! Some big designers do offer off-calendar tickets during Fashion week for others to see (who wouldn’t usually be invited), so if this is your type of thing definitely keep an eye out!
One other little thing to note is walking along the river, and browsing through artist’s prints and postcards. There is some major talent, and walking here is beautiful and interesting. Maybe you can get a tote bag of a beautiful French painted scenery!
Souvenirs
We wanted to add this fun little addition. Some great souvenirs of course include a little Eiffel Tower (usually a keyring), a beret (so iconic!), little music boxes, and snow globes! We also love postcards to collect, and since Paris is full of so many monuments there is such a massive variety of postcards to choose from!
Day trip from Paris
Disneyland Paris
We wanted to add this as an addition, since we don’t think many people think of doing it this way!
Within the centre, there is an option to train it straight into Disneyland itself! You can from there then purchase a day ticket to explore one, or both parks! Make sure you leave early to make the most of the day!
You can also book into the themed restaurants, which we did for a buffet dinner!
Let’s be honest Disney isn’t a cheap trip, but this option of doing it as a day trip does help a bit with that. Disneyland is a magical place, and definitely did enhance our trip even more. You can embrace your inner child for a day! The magic of seeing your favourite characters never dies.
What do you think?
Paris is a beautiful city filled with amazing things to do, just remember to budget well, and keep costs in mind!
We hope this guide helps to build your perfect Paris itinerary for your cheeky trip to the city of love! Let us know your thoughts below, and if you would add anything else!
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