The Finale of Alice's Adventure

Prague- Walking tour of the city and The Lennon Wall.

This piece of wall is the only that it is completely legal to graffiti in the city.

Copenhagen- This was a city for wandering! Obviously, find your way to the docks and snap a pic with The Little Mermaid... and all those random elephant statues they have there. I also highly recommend Tivoli Gardens. This was the most influential theme park Walt Disney visited in his trips around the world. He considered it a huge inspiration for his Disneyland, in California.

Not exactly what you get in the movie.

Edinburgh- My favorite city in the WORLD!!!! While the walking tour here is amazing, what I highly suggest is the HAUNTED walking tour. I also suggest hiking up Arthur's Seat, the view is well worth the walk!

This natural wonder takes you high about the city, allowing you to spy down on the Royals if they're in town!

Zurich- Most of Zurich's sights are located within the area on either side of the Limmat river, between the Main railway station and Lake Zurich. The churches and houses of the old town are clustered here, as are the most expensive shops along the famous Bahnhofstrasse. The Lindenhof in the old town is the historical site of the Roman castle, and the later Carolingian Imperial Palace.

Luxembourg- Places of interest include the Gothic Revival Cathedral of Notre Dame, the fortifications, the Grand Ducal Palace, the Gëlle Fra war memorial, the casemates, the Neumünster Abbey, the Place d'Armes, the Adolphe Bridge and the city hall. I think top on my list would be the Luxembourg American Cemetery and Memorial, because I'm so patriotic.

Budapest- I have not yet had the pleasure of exploring this city, but a good friend told me that it took her breath away- even in the dead of winter. I highly recommend getting a little lost in this one! Take a walk in the evenings down the great Danube and stop in a street side cafe. Explore the culture and visit Castle Hill, the historical castle and palace complex of the Hungarian kings.

Istanbul- Don't miss the Silahtarağa Power Station, now the art museum SantralIstanbul. Then hit the shops! Istanbul has numerous shopping centers, from the historic to the modern. The Grand Bazaar, in operation since 1461, is among the world's oldest and largest covered markets.

Alice's Adventure Continues!

Pisa- Go ahead, take the silly picture! You know you want to and besides, everyone else is. It's OK to be cliche every once in a while. Now get out of my way, we're in Wine Country!!! I know I'm excited to see it all for myself this month.

Venice- Everyone scrambles to pay a fortune for a brief ride in one of those gonadals, but I say forget 'em! I had the best of times simply strolling along the many streets and dipping into the shops. You have to try Carpaccio! I thought it was going to be gross, but I loved it. 

Rome- "When in Rome..." you've got two options: Cliche or Once-In-A-Lifetime! Since Sandman Tours doesn't extend into Italy you probably thought you were off the hook for a walking tour, right? Think again! Be prepared for a taste explosion on this unique style of tour: Eating Italy. Are you brave? Do you have a death wish? Rent a scooter and do as the Romans do... run red lights!

Florence- Great places to walk include along the Arno and across any of its bridges; through narrow, medieval back streets in the Santa Croce area; and in the Oltr'Arno - on the south side of the river, in many ways like Rome's Trastevere or Paris's Left Bank - but far, far smaller. There are also superb shopping streets, such as the Via Tornabuoni, the Via del Parione, and the Via Maggio.

Milan- what makes Milan interesting compared to other places is that the city is truly more about the lifestyle of enjoying worldly pleasures: a paradise for shopping, football, opera, and nightlife. Milan remains the marketplace for Italian fashion. Must See's:
         the Duomo, one of the biggest and grandest Gothic cathedrals in the world
         La Scala, one of the best established opera houses in the globe
         the Galleria Vittorio Emanuele, an ancient and glamorous arcaded shopping gallery
         the Brera art gallery, with some of the finest artistic works in Europe,
         the Pirelli tower, a majestic example of 1960s modernist Italian architecture
         the San Siro, a huge and famed stadium
         the Castello Sforzesco, a grand medieval castle
... Sorry, that was way more than 2 things!

Dubrovnik- Croatia is Top on my bucket list currently. I read an article in Food & Wine that Croatia was producing the best wine in the world in 2012. So 1st thing to do: DRINK WINE! Walk on the walls around the old town, great views. It is highly recommended to visit the walls during the early morning hours or the late afternoon hours during mid-summer months as it can become hot.

Athens- Mythology is a passion of mine and no one tells a story like the Greeks. If you're there during the summer attend an event at the Athens and Epidaurus Festival. It runs during the summer and offers a wide spectrum of events covering almost every taste. Try to attend a performance at the ancient theater of Epidaurus -a truly unforgettable experience. See the Parthenon before it crumbles.

Vienna- There are 21 marketswith stands and small characteristically Viennese hut-like shops that are open daily (except Sunday). Additionally many of these have true farmers' markets, often on Saturday mornings. There is a large variety of sellers and markets, from the upscale to the dirt cheap. You have to try some Schnitzel!

Munich- Guess what?! We've back in Sandeman land! Which means awesome walking tours for FREE. Get excited people. The tour begins on Marienplatz (Mary’s square) at 10:45am and 1pm every day in all weather. Have a beer! The Hofbräuhaus may be the most famous (and certainly the most touristy) beer hall, but there are countless more beautiful beer halls scattered throughout the city.

Berlin- This is a big city, so you might be VERY tired after the 3.5hour tour. Still, it's worth it: The start point for this tour is in East Berlin at 11:00 AM and 1:00 PM at the Brandenburg Gate, in front of Starbucks. (S/U-Bahn Brandenburger Tor). If that's too much, then grab one of those hop on and off buses. You can cover a lot of ground on those without exhausting yourself too much. You can't come to Germany without trying Döner, it is a flat bread, filled with Lamb or chicken meat and vegetables,you can get it at many Turkish stands.

Frankfurt- I'm completely biased since I lived here for 8 months. I love the city, it's a beautiful blend of modern and historical. The Rhomer is in the heart of the city and you should see it, but my must-sees will take you out to the far sides of the city. The Palmengarten is one of my favorite hideaways in the city. It's acres and acres of beautiful gardens. A relaxing way to pass the afternoon. Then grab a traditional bite: Currywurst at my favorite little dive- Culux. It's about a block and a half north on Oeder Weg from the Ubahn station Eschenheimer Tor.

Alice's Adventure

I've been working on this post for a while now, so enjoy it!
My friend Alice has been planning a big backpacking trip for Europe this summer. Since she reads this blog pretty often she's agreed to let me post her travel destination agenda. And I am going to list my top two suggestions of Must Dos in each city. This is a big trip, so it's going to be over the course of 3 blog posts! I mean the girl is going to 25 cities. It takes a lot of planning to utilize all her time wisely.

Amsterdam-Take a walk and grab a bite! Now you can take the free walking tour, of course but I highly suggest paying the 12Euros for the red light district tour. The cafe is Kriterion, a canteen for & completely run by students… a kind of co-op social program commune. I'm not normally into hippies, but the food was great!

Brussels- what first comes to mind? BEER!!!! Of course! But there's more to this lovely city than a good pint. Ascend to the top if the Atomium, a beautiful sculpture that reaches into the sky. Take a stroll through Old Town, especially the Grand Place.

Paris- I really don't care for this city... it's dirty and over-run with tourists, but it's a must-see for any traveler. I suggest paying the well-spent 12euros and touring the montmartre district, better known as the Hill. The tour takes you from the Red light, all the way to the Basilica Sacré Coeur and back. The 2nd is visiting Notre Dame. I regret not climbing to the top... I'll go back some day.

The true main character of Victor Hugo's book was the Cathedral.

Nice- The Nice pedestrian zone, or "zone pietonne," is a hub of activity. This is the place if you need to load up on souvenirs. Street entertainers frequent this area. There are gourmet shops, clothing shops, news stands, bookstores and more. Nice Archaeology Museum and Roman Ruins is an amazing place as well. 

Lisbon- The Calouste Gulbenkian Museum is a sight to see.  Treasures from the East and the West collected by one man is now one of the world's finest private art collections. It includes works by Rembrandt, Rubens, Monet and René Lalique. St. George's Castle- From the millennium-old battlements of this castle you have a bird's-eye view of the city in the company of roaming peacocks. Inside is a small archaeological museum and down the hill are a couple of terraces with perfect postcard views over Alfama, the city's medieval village-like neighborhood.

Barcelona- Stroll on La Rambla, but watch your pockets! If you are in great shape, take a bike tour- the hills are a killer, but you get to see so much!
Madrid

So behind!

Hey Travelers,
I am so behind and very sorry if you've been waiting on me. It seems like every day is something more challenging. Good news in my quest for travel is that I've got my tax return back so I'll be able to go to Italy after all! My friend would have killed me if I missed her wedding.
Life moves ever forward and last night I stayed in my very first Deluxe Disney Resort: Wilderness Lodge! A friend of mine owns a Disney Vacation Club membership and we had a lovely girls night in a 5th floor deluxe studio. I highly recommend it!
So here's the skinny: I'm soooooo broke! And I'm sure many of you are in the same situation. But being broke doesn't mean you can't travel. Why just this morning I found a flight from Orlando to Bogota, Columbia for $379 rt!? Sure it was for two weeks from now, but when you're poor you have to be flexible. With that in mind, here are some brilliant ideas on keeping busy while keeping your money in the bank account.

1. Design your own walking tour.
     So your planning a vacation on the cheap, you have so much you want to see but you can't afford one of the hop-on-and-off trolleys! So go to the library or use your google and design your own tour. I promise you'll see so much more of the city- maybe even stumble upon a great find!

2. Create a travel play list.
     Set the mood and jump into a culture. Design a play list that will help you relax and maybe bring some of your destinations spice to you day. It will be a nice way to jam through a long flight!

3. Pair up your outfits.
     I own more clothes then I will ever where, but unfortunately every day I travel it looks like I've gotten dressed in the dark! ...And sometimes I have, because if your in a multi-bed hostel you do NOT want to be that person diggin' around with the lights on at 7am! So plan ahead and build your wardrobe. Then once you've started packing you'll know exactly which pieces you need.
     Note: This can also help you condense your luggage. If you have 3 outfits that use the same pair of jeans, you just save yourself some major space!

4. Build a bucket list.
     Don't have your next destination picked out yet? Well that's not my style, but I did say be flexible. By having a general idea of where you'd like to go you can book as soon as you see the flight drop in price!

5. Smash something!
     Now don't go all Hulk on your house or anything! I'm talking about Smashbooks. They're like scrap booking from dummies, which is something I need! They don't take all the crazy supplies like a homemade scrapbook and it's still a great way to store all your memories of that trip: plane tickets, museum brochures, a napkin or menu...

6. Pin project.
     Make those pins a reality. Pinterest is an addiction, but all those ideas are just that if you don't follow through. Build a camping kit, or make a piece of art. Nothing is more inspiring then someone else's imagination ;)

Well I hope that's enough to get you off the couch... or on the couch if you're just making a play list. I'll write again soon. This whole once a month thing is just not going to work out for me!
Travel on, and remember:

They're coming to the States!!!!

Today I read some amazing news! The world's best tour company, Sandmans New Europe will soon be adding New York City to their list of exciting destinations. I've talked about their walking tours before and I'm so pumped to make a trip to NYC just to see if this tour is just as spectacular as the other one. Check out their website: http://www.neweuropetours.eu/ I follow their blog pretty closely, so any new destinations will be posted here!