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Tag: Europe Bucket Lists

  • 5 Last Minute Holidays in Europe YOU can book tomorrow!

    5 Last Minute Holidays in Europe YOU can book tomorrow!

    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.

    Also, make sure to subscribe so you don’t miss any future blog posts… we post budget travel content to showcase some of the best places to visit and hidden gems you might otherwise miss out on!

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  • Paris Travel Guide – How to explore the City of Love

    Paris Travel Guide – How to explore the City of Love

    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! After visiting over Valentine’s Day, we had such an amazing time. Being spoilt for choice with activities, and things to do, 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.

    Photo collage of our trip to Paris, including the Palais Garnier, the Palaeontology Museum and the Pantheon
    1. How long should I stay in Paris?
    2. When to visit Paris?
    3. Quick facts about Paris
    4. Where should I stay in Paris?
    5. Hostels:
    6. Best places to visit in Paris
      1. Museums
      2. Tourist Attractions
    7. Other highlights of Paris
      1. Food
      2. Shopping / fashion
      3. Souvenirs
    8. Day trip from Paris
      1. Disneyland Paris
    9. What do you think of Paris?

    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)! Trainline offer a variety of train routes in France, so definitely check them out here!

    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 are 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! Find tickets here.

    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. Find self-guided audio tickets here.

    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. Find tickets here.

    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! Find tickets here, that allow access to the summit if you want to visit!

    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! Find rooftop access tickets here.

    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. See this combined tour of the Catacombs, and a river cruise, with audio guide here!

    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. Enjoy a full tour and sightseeing river cruise here.

    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. This full guided walking tour around Montemarte explores areas around the Sacré-Cœur, visiting sights like the Moulin Rouge and the Place du Tertre. Find tickets here.

    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!

    This food tour will take you around the 16th Arrondissement with a local, allowing you to try different French pastries and chocolates, all whilst learning about famous French literature from Ernest Hemingway to Victor Hugo. Find tickets here.

    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!

    Paris is always world renowned for amazing fashion and designers, so experience luxury and create an unforgettable souvenir with Lady Gaga’s hat maker, in a truly unique workshop experience! Learn about hat making craftsmanship skills, discover pieces for by Lady Gaga, and choose your colours, shape and accoutrements ready fro your made-to measure hat! Find this experience here.

    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 of Paris?

    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!

    We really recommend exploring Europe further to see all the diverse beauty it has to offer! So, check out this 7 day itinerary for Croatia, our full guide to visiting Stockholm, or a full guide to Aarhus in Denmark!

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  • How to spend 4 perfect days in Paris – Full Paris Travel Guide.

    How to spend 4 perfect days in Paris – Full Paris Travel Guide.

    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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  • Paris Bucket List

    Paris Bucket List

    Known as the city of love, Paris is bursting with beautiful architecture, eccentric fashion, amazing food, and lots of places to wander. It is always a pleasure walking around the Parisian cobbled streets, soaking in the views.

    Paris can become a very expensive trip (and very quickly too), so we will include a range of budget activities for this list, so hopefully you will find a range of activities fit for whatever your budget is!

    We visited over Valentine’s Day and it was so fun! We would recommend planning your activities a bit more in-depth, due to costs, opening times/days and more. If possible, we would recommend to visit from Wednesday onwards, as Sundays, Mondays and Tuesdays can bring a lot of closures!

    So, check out our Paris bucket list, ready to plan your adventure to this romantic European City!

    Visit the Louvre and meet the Mona Lisa

    Take an iconic photo with the Eiffel Tower

    Visit the Musée des Arts Décoratifs, and check out the new exhibitions

    Eat a freshly made croissant and coffee

    Try eating traditional escargot

    Take in the views of the Pantheon

    Listen to street music by the Notre Dame

    Walk the streets around the Sacré-Cœur Basilica 

    Explore the underground catacombs

    Window shop along the designer streets

    Have you done any of these things?

    Would you add anything else to this list? If you have been previously, what is your favourite thing to do? And if you haven’t been, what is your most idolised thing to do?

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  • Spending 24 hours in Aarhus, Denmark.

    Spending 24 hours in Aarhus, Denmark.

    In September 2024, we decided to take a crazy trip to Aarhus, Denmark for a trip that we only had 24 hours to spare for. Aarhus was one of the cheapest flights for the date we went (beginning of September), and wow we are SO glad we did this!

    24 hours is not a lot of time. With work, unless you book time off you only really have the weekends to do any form of activities. So, instead of doing a small, local activity, we thought why not take a short flight and have a fun adventure. It felt like we were almost doing something ‘wrong’, we managed a holiday with no time off! How crazy!

    Due to only having 24 hours it made the most sense to stick to a small city, rather than a capital, just so we could maximise our time, and to feel like we didn’t miss out on too much… so naturally Aarhus felt like the best solution! We had never been to Denmark, so this was also a chance to visit a new country!

    Below we will write about our 24 hour trip, what we got up to, and we will explain whether we would do this again!

    *This post includes affiliate links, however all opinions are genuine and our own.

    Time for takeoff!

    We had to leave at around 3am from our home ready to drive to the airport. Our flight was for 06:35, and we made sure to have roughly 2 hours before the flight for arriving at the airport.

    Due to the earliness of the flight, the airport was a lot quieter which is always nice! We flew from London Stansted Airport, so this isn’t necessarily a busy airport anyway. We chilled in the departures lounge, and got ready to board! Let’s go!

    We landed in Aarhus for 09:20, and arrived to what looked like a tent/marquee… it was surprising! This airport was nothing like we had seen, it was such a small airport- it was nice to have something chilled and not hectic, because let’s be honest most airports are insanely busy! We got on the bus to the city, after a quick passport control.

    How we spent 24 hours in Aarhus

    Arriving for around 10am, we were in the city of Aarhus! We were greeted to sunny skies, beautiful sceneries, and a vibrant atmosphere. Although we had researched a bit about this city, we didn’t majorly know what to expect.

    We decided our activities for this first day would be:

    Visit the ARoS Museum + the rainbow roof,

    Have lunch at the Street Food Market,

    Explore the local area

    Head to the hostel to check in

    Visit the Marselisborg deer park

    Have dinner, and then see what happens!

    The ARoS Museum

    Known for its spectacular rainbow roof, we had never heard much about the actual museum. Once we had arrived, we popped our bags into a locker (provided on the first floor), then went up into the museum! There was many surprises within…

    One of the exhibitions we saw was, well, interesting. It was definitely something NSFW! Let’s just say, we saw some “objects” made into things like slugs, dolls made into weird displays… it was odd to say the least! We had a giggle, definitely not family friendly but it was funny!

    Within this museum was also a range of interactive rooms, with one being a Japanese theme, lots of fun mirrors, and quirky decorated illusions!

    Something that we did see, which was a highlight for Aimee, was the “boy” sculpture within this museum. Being 4.5 metres in height, this hyper realistic sculpture truly was something to see! It was almost unsettling how real it looked. You may have seen some of the artists work online, but seeing this Ron Mueck piece here was truly fascinating!

    Our last stop within this museum was visiting the well known rainbow roof. Featuring a panoramic view of the city, this roof was made purely of rainbow glass, so as you walked around the circle room, you moved into each individual colour. Fun fact- your phone screen appeared different in each colour! We found this highly amusing!

    Street Food Market

    After our stop to the Art museum, we were hungry! We had made some food to bring on the flight but that had worn off!

    It was a slight walk between places, so Jack found a hotdog stand and brought one to munch on! We also stumbled across a smaller market hall which we wandered into. We didn’t eat here but it was fun to explore!

    Now, onto the street food market. Wow! This was so cool! Within this building were brightly coloured (and highly decorated) food vendors of all cuisines, from Japanese food, to Nepalese and traditional Danish… there were so many options!

    We found a bench in the middle of the hall to sit at, and we each went to a random stall and ordered something for us both to try (as a surprise). We ended up eating some beautiful rice dish from the Nepalese stall, a selection of empanadas, a traditional Danish pastry, and some Asian fried chicken! We were so full after this… however we found the ice lollies on the way out so managed to sneak one in too!

    Time to Explore

    We decided to explore a bit around the city, while also planning how we would get to the deer park! This was interesting to say the least!

    We didn’t quite read the bus spots/times very well and managed to wait a lot longer than needed to get on the right bus! We also didn’t realise we needed to buy a bus ticket (we couldn’t purchase on the bus), so this made things a lot trickier!

    While exploring, we took in the atmosphere. Aarhus feels extremely upbeat, and is so modern and youthful-feeling. It felt “fresh”, and we wouldn’t be surprised to hear a lot more hype over the next few years!

    Marselisborg deer park

    This was definitely the highlight of our trip. This was a free activity (only purchase needed was the bus ticket, and potentially carrots and/or apples if you wanted to feed the deer), and it was honestly breathtaking. The parameter of the park was fenced so there was no risk of the animals being hurt by the road, but we got to see deer roam around, watching the babies run after their mums… it was magical. We watched the sun set over the park, and the deers wandering in a pack, it’s not something we would forget. We did however forget to bring any carrots or apples… however, we did see some left on the floor, so we just used these.

    We didn’t approach the deer as it didn’t feel fair, so we only allowed them to approach us. One of the deer was extremely inquisitive and got very close to our phone, creating the cutest up close nose photo!

    The evening ahead

    Prior to this trip, Aimee added us into an Instagram group chat for Aarhus Travel, and we managed to find two people who were in our hostel!

    After checking into our hostel (we explain it further in this post here), we freshened up and got ready to meet these two new friends! We had a drink, then the 4 of us went out to find dinner! None of us were good at deciding where to eat, but eventually we settled on a Vietnamese restaurant not too far from the hostel!

    We spoke for ages, getting to know each other, and after we all ate and chilled, we slowly wandered back to the hostel. One of our new friends headed off to bed, as she’d had a busy few days, however the other decided to stay back and have a drink with us! Who else loves a hostel happy hour!

    After having a few drinks in the hostel common area, we decided to head to Kupé, a nightclub in the area. This was a great idea at the time, but remember we said we only had 24 hours?

    We got back to our hostel for roughly 3am, before Jack and our friend decided to go get pizza for us all! Very exciting, however, it was now 4am before we got ready to sleep.

    Rise and shine

    After only waking up at 8am, after under 4 hours of sleep (and a slight hangover), we got ready to check out and eat breakfast.

    This hostel was so cool.. it had an on site mini golf course! So, we had to of course get a game in before we left! We will link the hostel here if you want to check it out directly!

    Breakfast was a large spread of continental buffet food, and alongside the bottomless juices it was greatly appreciated after the night before!

    Getting ready to leave Aarhus

    We left the hostel, and made our way back to the bus stop, taking in the surroundings we would be leaving! We stopped for a coffee and cake at a cute coffee shop, before boarding our bus ready to leave! We highly recommend a Danish Kanelsnegle, it’s divine!

    Aarhus Airport

    And we were off! The airport, like we mentioned before, was so small! There was only duty free as shops we believe, then only really one restaurant! There was a kids play area, and it probably would only take 10 minutes from one end of the airport to the other (if that)! Our flight left at 13:35, ready to signify the end of our trip!

    Would we do this again?

    As a rule, the 24 hour trip was fun. It felt spontaneous, and peaked that fun side of adventure. However, Jack heading back to work the next day did not experience the fatigue after! For those who do have little time to spare around work (and general life), this was such a fun idea. You got to explore without needing additional time off! It’s fun, however probably way too tiring to make a regular activity!

    Our tips

    Are you thinking about taking an extremely short trip abroad? We would recommend having low expectations for having a cram packed itinerary. This might sound strange, but if you are “running around” you don’t always appreciate and take in your surroundings. We suggest making a list of all the activities you would be interested in, and making a “hierarchy” list. Start with your most favoured activities, then if you have more time, find what things are nearby and work your way around!

    For us , we were most excited to see the deer park, and the museum. The street food hall worked great due to needing lunch, and if anything else could fit in then we would’ve, but these were the most important to us!

    We hope you liked our overview of our trip to Aarhus! If you would like to see more blogs, please subscribe to our newsletter for daily blogs and follow our journey on our Social Media down below!

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  • 56 Instagram Captions for Your Trip to Paris – Quotes, Jokes and Quirky Captions

    56 Instagram Captions for Your Trip to Paris – Quotes, Jokes and Quirky Captions

    Let’s be honest, if you went on a trip and didn’t get any photos… did it really happen?! Clicking away to get those picture-perfect moments is always so fun, and is one thing we always try to do when we go away! We get that perfect photo, edit the colours, brightness etc… but then it’s time for the caption (something that can always be so difficult on the spot)!

    When we visited Paris, we knew there were SO many photo opportunities, and we wish we’d thought of some fun captions to pair with these images! And honestly, some captions help inspire the photos!

    So, as you get ready for your trip to Paris, or maybe you have just came back with a full camera roll of photos (lucky you!), we will be sharing some fun captions ready for your instagram uploads!

    56 Instagram Captions for Paris Travel

    Quote-Inspired Captions

    1. “I like The Eiffel Tower because it looks like steel and lace.” ― Natalie Lloyd
    2. “Even the pigeons are dancing, kissing, going in circles, mounting each other. Paris is the city of love, even for the birds.” ― Samantha Schutz
    3. “There is but one Paris and however hard living may be here…the French air clears up the brain and does one good. ― Vincent Van Gogh
    4. “A walk about Paris will provide lessons in history, beauty, and in the point of life.” ― Thomas Jefferson
    5. “To know Paris is to know a great deal.” ― Henry Miller
    6. “Secrets travel fast in Paris.” ― Napoléon Bonaparte
    7. “As an artist, a man has no home in Europe save in Paris.” ― Friedrich Nietzsche

    Pun-Inspired Captions

    1. This is in-Seine!
    2. Quite frankly, I couldn’t give a Notre Dame.
    3. I can’t wait to escargot back to Paris.
    4. Eiffel hard for Paris
    5. Straight away Eiffel in love
    6. Holy crêpe, what a trip!
    7. Seine-sational
    8. What’s not to Louvre?
    9. Paris, till we croissant paths again.
    10. I’m in Paris, I give zero faux.
    11. I’m in Louvre with you
    12. From Paris with Louvre
    13. Oh crêpe, here’s another photo!

    Cute Captions

    1. Dreaming of Paris…
    2. Je t’aime
    3. Wandering in the City of Love
    4. Will always be obsessed with Paris
    5. Can I go back now?
    6. Give me a bow and a coffee
    7. In Paris, I am home
    8. I am all for the Parisian lifestyle
    9. It’s the beret season
    10. All these clothes… how could I resist?
    11. Window-shopping in the fashion capital
    12. Call vogue
    13. Loving Life in the City of Love
    14. It’s called fashion, darling
    15. Au revoir Paris
    16. Merci Paris, until next time

    Food-Related Captions

    1. Coffee and Croissants
    2. Teatime in Paris
    3. All we need in life is good coffee and French baguettes
    4. Is it crêpe time yet?
    5. Coffee, crêpes and croque monsieur
    6. Cannot get enough Crème Brûlée
    7. Oui Oui Baguette
    8. Sippin’ wine in France
    9. Squashed grapes are the best
    10. Squashed grapes are my kind of juice
    11. I met a real ratatouille
    12. Remi made my food
    13. Biting on Baguettes in Paris
    14. Croissant obsessed

    Inspirational Captions

    1. Paris is only step one…
    2. Paris is the city where my dreams were made.
    3. Working for that Paris lifestyle.
    4. Livin’ it up in Paris
    5. One day, walking these streets won’t be a trip, but rather home instead.
    6. Paris is the place where anyone can find themselves, and this is that place for me

    Here is our share of the best instagram-worthy captions ready for your Paris snaps! Let us know your thoughts, and if you would add any!

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  • Our Top 3 Bucket List Locations : Europe Edition.

    Our Top 3 Bucket List Locations : Europe Edition.

    As travellers, Aimee and I have highlighted many… and I mean many places we both want to travel and explore. I mean for me it’s every country in the world, and Aimee’s isn’t far off! So, we tasked ourselves to find the top 3 countries we would like to visit in Europe.

    As I am working full time, it is hard to plan many trips throughout the year, and we really are limited to picking and choosing when, and most importantly where, we go to maximise the time. So, creating this Blog doesn’t only help you learn more about some European countries (and get your tastebuds tingling for more travel), but also helps us work out how we can plan our trips/holidays for the year!

    Below we have detailed 3 top locations each in Europe, with the reasons why we are looking to visit each spot. Our aim for the year is to try and tick off one place from each list!

    Jack’s List

    Iceland

    First up on my list is Iceland. I think the country speaks for itself to why it was on our list. There are so many things to do! From whale watching, to swimming between tectonic plates, to waterfalls, riding snowmobiles and so much more! The list is endless on things we want to do here.

    Funny story: during the end of lockdown and covid-19, Aimee and I spontaneously booked a 4/5 day trip to Iceland and we had a plan to try do everything we wanted here. I mean what’s not to love about the place! However, due to money constraints and work issues, we were unable to get on that plane. This leaves Iceland as the country “we almost went to” which makes me want to go even more!

    One of the main issues with Iceland I have noticed is the cost of travelling in Iceland. From research, it seems to cost a lot more than your average cost around Europe which over 4/5 days can stack up to a pretty hefty cost!

    Even with all this, the country has so much to offer, and has been on my to do list for some time now. As a lover of Astronomy, nothing excites me more than the Aurora Borealis. It’s something I saw when I was younger, and I have been fascinated by ever since. I couldn’t think of anything better than laying in the middle of nowhere, at night, marvelling at the sky. This is also a reason I want to visit Morrocco and do the same in the desert – this is a story for another blog!

    The lagoons are picturesque and so beautifully placed in the natural lava fields; a place to relax which is completely different to anywhere else in the world. We would normally find a beach and enjoy the heat from the sun, but here… no! It’s naturally heated pools from lava. It doesn’t get better than that!

    All in all, it’s a country that is probably top of my list and one we plan to visit within the coming years. It’s a difficult one to plan as the itinerary is likely to require at least a week in the country so we would need to save ALOT to afford this trip.

    However, this trip for me is a once in a lifetime holiday, one that I would recommend to anyone so for me, it is so worth it!

    Switzerland

    Now, Switzerland for me is a rogue one. From choosing a cold country like Iceland, to a cold country in the Alps, it seems like I don’t like the warm (not true). Switzerland is a country that seems to fall under the radar for a lot of people, and certainly looks beautiful no matter where you visit there.

    There are 2 main reasons why Switzerland is included for me..

    1 – is the beautiful countryside and astonishing views you get with the lakes and mountains. I truly believe that I could live in some of these locations- and no matter how sad I am, the view could change my mood. Aesthetically, it seems like one of the most beautiful parts of Europe and one I do not want to pass up on. Also, it’s important to note how beautiful some of the towns and buildings are!

    The 2nd reason is because I have always wanted to try skiing or snowboarding. I hate the fact that I am 25 and still haven’t experienced it yet. The Alps seem like the perfect place to experience this to the fullest! I mean I could of chose a few countries in this region that have amazing Skiing and drop-dead views!

    Greece

    I have visited Greece before.. Well, some of the islands (that have been amazing and so fun in their own right). But mainland Greece is on this list for a whole different reason.

    Mainly, I want to visit mainland Greece to learn more about the history, and to visit the old ruins that have stood for thousands of years. I have visited Rome to see the Colosseum and local ruins which was something I really enjoyed. And I want to do the same with Greece!

    Greece has a rich history but unfortunately a lot of the structures have been destroyed through historic battles, or natural erosion over the years. However, there are still ancient buildings such as the Acropolis (which is such a great monument).

    The Greek people have always been kind and fun to be around, and the food is to die for! Tzatziki, Souvlaki & Gyros are some amazing foods which I love to eat when in England so when we travel to Greece, it will be at the top of my list to try and experience! I love trying new foods, so visiting Greece for this reason is exciting! Also, with it being on the mediterranean, the fish and fresh foods will be so worth the trip.

    Greece has so much to offer, from the ancient history to beautiful islands and warm waters, to yummy foods – it’s definitely a place I can explore for weeks and never get bored.

    Aimee’s list

    Italy

    Italy is a place I have wanted visit since I was young. The food alone is enough to draw myself to the country… as some of my favourite food is pasta and pizza! I literally cannot get enough of it! A creamy carbonara is my favourite.. but imagine how nice it is from Italy! Going here would just be us eating pasta and pizza, with Jack drinking Italian wine, what’s not to love?

    The country has so many regions that speak to me. Rome and it’s architecture. Florence and it’s artwork. Milan and it’s fashion! The Amalfi coast too?!

    I feel like each area of the country is divided into different experiences, and would be the perfect place to travel for months as it would feel like you are entering new countries for every city you visit.

    One thing for sure is the buildings ad architecture is something that I have admired across Europe, and something I definitely want to marvel at in Italy. There are so many picture-perfect spots in Italy, places to just wander and find little niche shops, whether it’s fashion, food spots, gelato parlours, you name it. There’s so much to explore round every corner, and is a place I do not want to miss out on.

    Albania

    A beautiful mediterranean country which I have only recently discovered. Everyone knows about Greece, Italy, and some of the local islands in south Europe but many do not mention Albania- and I’m unsure why!

    From research, the cities are colourful and scenic with spectacular views. It has a perfect balance of luscious countryside’s, picture-perfect beaches and traditional cities which are just awaiting to be explored. There is such variety in the country- each day can be so different from the next.

    It is also known to be such a friendly place with some amazing architecture and markets which are perfect to explore in the cities.

    There aren’t many countries that offer such variety when visiting and therefore it definitely deserves a spot on my list, and a country I cannot wait to visit!

    Turkey

    This has been a place close to my heart since I was little. It was a popular place for my family to visit which we met locals that I have been friends with for years. However, I never really explored the culture/city side of the country. It would usually be sun, sea and all-inclusive holidays!

    Since getting older, I have learned a lot more about the rich history in Turkey, and it has made me fall in love with the country more. Istanbul is a city full of adventure, beautiful stories and markets, which I can only dream of exploring. The architecture and religious mosques are stunning and something I would love to witness when visiting.

    As I have been Turkey many times, I have had the pleasure to eat many local dishes which always taste as good as the first time I tried it. A particular favourite being the sweet treat baklava! Something on my bucket list would be to find local street markets and delve into their culture and cuisine to immerse myself into such a beautiful country.

    When writing this blog, we really had to evaluate many countries as there are many, we dream of visiting which weren’t included into this list. We honestly could sit here for hours researching, writing, and daydreaming of being in all these countries. That’s why they call it a dream!

    I mean this is just a little snapshot of our reasons to why these places are the top of our lists and many other travellers. Sometime in the future – hopefully soon – we will be writing about our experiences in each of these countries and how AMAZING each one of these were! But for now, let’s just dream of being there.

    A few honourable mentions that just missed out on this list are Croatia, Germany, Poland & Estonia!

    We would be interested to learn any countries that are a MUST DO for us in the future! Please let us know your top 3 countries to visit in Europe are!!

    Thank you for reading this blog post and we have fun on your travels!

    If you want to keep updated with our journey, you can follow us on our social medias below!

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  • Aarhus, Denmark – The Ultimate Travel Guide

    Aarhus, Denmark – The Ultimate Travel Guide

    When we were researching somewhere to go last minute late last year, we stumbled across this hidden gem of a city called Aarhus. We managed to find flights that were incredibly cheap… and went on a crazy 24 hour holiday! After taking off at 6am, we landed a few hours later, ready to bus into the city! And wow what an incredible surprise. Sadly we left at 2pm the next day (it was intense but fun!), we could’ve easily stayed a lot longer!

    Considering Aarhus isn’t the capital, this Danish city is the perfect weekend break location, and somewhere we would definitely visit again. It is bursting with colourful sights, boasting an urban and youthful atmosphere – and has so many unique activities it’s always worth a visit! So, after finding our newfound love of this city, we wanted to share a complete guide with you to inspire you to visit this upcoming location!

    *This post contains affiliate links, but all opinions are our own!

    How long should I stay in Aarhus?

    We would recommend not following our route of only 24 hours! This city would probably be best for a 2-3 day break, however it could be done slower or faster, depending on your preferences and time frame! If we were to go again we would likely stay 3 days. If doing a European road trip, this location could likely be shortened into just over 1 day or 2!

    When to visit Aarhus?

    We visited Aarhus at the start of September, which for us was great. The weather was good, it wasn’t too hot, the sun was out and was very green all around!

    Due to a vast amount of outside activities, we would recommend visiting this city as a spring/summer trip, rather than a winter destination.

    Quick Facts about Aarhus

    Currency : Danish Krone (DKK). We didn’t once use cash, as we found card-usage everywhere we went. We used an international card and it worked great for us!

    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.

    Where should I stay in Aarhus?

    This city is home to one of the best European hostels we have stayed at! Having a full mini golf course within the hostel, alongside a sauna and bar facilities, this hostel was for sure a unique one! Included in our stay was a buffer breakfast, and a very different sleeping arrangement!

    This was our choice of room (they do offer ‘standard’ size hostel dorms, alongside private rooms)… but they have a 46 bed room! How insane! We decided to stay here to see what it was like and it was really cool. It felt weirdly very private and quiet considering the amount of beds! There seemed to be a noise-reducing barrier between the room and the social areas, as the room was so peaceful.

    The bed came with a keycard entry, and also a keycard-locked locker in the room (which was a nice surprise). Everything felt extremely safe and comfortable, and we would recommend it even as a solo traveller.

    We will link this hostel here, we would be back here in a heartbeat if we were to stay in Aarhus again! We will also include a few photos below!

    What to do in Aarhus? A comprehensive list!

    ARoS Art Museum

    Known for it’s rainbow roof art instillation, this museum holds a lot more than just this! We hadn’t seen much hype for the museum apart from the roof, so we were surprised to see some of the stuff we did. We met a giant! Home to the artwork by Ron Mueck, this museum is home to ‘boy’ which is a 4.5 meter sculpture… wow. It was huge! The attention to detail was really special and made it a key feature of our trip.

    There was also an exhibition space of an extremely NSFW collection… but we will let you investigate that one!

    Visiting the Marselisborg Deer Park

    Considering this is a free activity, this was probably one of the best experiences we’ve had!

    You have to take a bus to slightly outside of the city centre, and then have to do a lot of walking to get into the actual deer park… but it was so worth it! This isn’t really an accessibility friendly location sadly, but for those who can do it… it’s so amazing.

    Displaying facts and information surrounding being near the deer, this park gives you the opportunity to be up close to wild deer- you can see them interacting together, and we even saw babies! We chose to only let the deer approach us as we didn’t want to cause any stress, but the experience was really unique. You could purchase carrots and apples to take in and feed them, or there are always the odd few laying about to grab!

    Aarhus Street Food Market

    Perfect for a social lunchtime, this food spot is full of varied international cuisines which are all SO yummy! We think this spot is great for groups to go to, as you could get dishes from each place and share them all to try all the worldwide flavours!

    We tried food from ‘The Everest Kitchen’, which was Nepalese cuisine, Chicken from ‘Super Bao’, homemade popsicles from the self titled ‘popsicle’, and a traditional Danish pastry called ‘tarteletter’ from Mormors Køkken.

    Imagine living locally and being able to stop here for lunch! We are so jealous! Food in Aarhus was good, but this spot was probably one of our favourites.

    Go on a night out

    Whilst at our hostel we met someone from America who we got on really well with, and ended up deciding for all of us to go ‘out out’!

    Being a very youthful-feeling city, the streets felt vibrant and were buzzing! We decided to get ready at our hostel and chill there for a bit, then headed out to a local nightclub called Kupé. The music was a lot more modern, so not necessarily catered to all tastes, however we found the atmosphere to be great! We all ended up dancing with some Danish people we had never met, and it just felt like such a fun atmosphere.

    Now, here is where 24 hours wasn’t enough… we left the club at around 2am, then went for a slice of pizza… let’s just say we went sleep at around 4am, ready to wake for 8am in time to get ready for the flight home. (It probably wasn’t our wisest idea)

    Den Gamle By

    Sadly, we didn’t have time to experience this place. However, we did feel like it deserved a place on this list. Den Gamle By is an open air museum depicting the history of Danish market towns over 4 time periods. Immerse yourself in the past, and learn about the life of a local through history.

    Entry is roughly 125DKK (so around £14.30/€16.70/$18.00), and looks amazing. Under 18’s go free, and there is a student discount!

    The Infinite Bridge

    Another place we didn’t manage to visit was the infinite bridge. It does explain itself- it is a bridge that doesn’t have a start and an end, and it partially over water. It is a really beautiful spot, and would be so lovely on a summer’s day!

    We have seen some amazing photos of this over social media, and for drone flyer’s this spot would be so good!

    Where will your adventure take you?

    We hope you enjoyed our travel guide to Aarhus, and that it helps with your future (or current) travel planning! Let us know below what you thought of our list!

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  • Budapest Bucket List

    Budapest Bucket List

    When travelling, being unorganised can be a blessing, but also a curse! Spontaneity is always fun, and can be great when meeting new people… However, you can miss out on seeing things you’d planned on due to lack of time, and ending up needing to reorganise and prioritise plans!

    We have found that creating a bucket list of things we wanted to see and do really helped in prioritising while travelling!

    While on our trip to Budapest, we made a list of things that were more important to see, and once we’d met new people, we shared this list with them! This also then made organising plans with others easier, since we already had ideas!

    We have altered this list slightly to cater to more people than just our preferences… so let us know your thoughts! We will plan to make a more in-depth review of Budapest (imagine a full travel guide), but for now, this is our Budapest Bucket List!

    So, here is our Budapest Bucket List

    Visit the Fisherman’s Bastion

    Learn about Soviet History at the House Of Terror

    Take in the view and architecture of the St Stephen’s Basilica

    Dance in Szimpla Kert in a ruin bar

    Try a traditional Chimney Cake

    Pay respects at the Shoes on the Danube

    Have a stroll around the Hungarian Parliament

    Relax in the Thermal Baths

    Cruise in a boat along the Danube River

    Eat some Hungarian Goulash

    Have you been to any of these places? What are your thoughts? Would you recommend any other places, or leave out others?

    Where to stay!

    Don’t know where to stay? We stayed at this hostel, which is in a great central location! It has great transport links, and is extremely budget friendly. Want to know more? Find it here *

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    Anything marked with an * is part of an affiliate program, where we earn a slight commission. However, these are genuine recommendations and views 🙂