1. Budapest - Hungary
You may have already seen my post about planning my second trip to Budapest for the beginning of June and there is obviously a reason I want to go back! Budapest for starters is cheap, so so cheap I remember being amazing at how little drinks cost and for those of you that do drink alcohol you'll know that this adds massive expense to any trip. Just one night out can blow the budget for a whole city in some places where as Budapests ruin bars won't do that to you. They are also far more interesting than your average bar with so much to explore, weird art features, open courtyards, multiple levels etc... You're on for a great night in a ruin bar. Budapest is also famous for their baths which will live up to expectations this was probably the most expensive thing on my trip costing €15 euros but well worth it for the heated pools. I went to the Szechenyi baths. If you have a bigger budget theres also the Spartys, which are massive parties held in the baths every Saturday but tickets are €50+. Locals also go here meaning you can integrate with the culture far more than in some areas. Apart from that theres the house of terror museum, undercover market, various free walking tours, the castle, shoes on the Danube and much more to see here!
1. Szechenyi Baths 2. Falafel 3. Parliament from the Danube 4. Cathedral
2. Barcelona - Spain
After spending 4 days in Lloret De Mar which is famous for it's parties and definitely lives up to this me and my friends wanted a relaxed few days and Barcelona delivered. There is so much to see in Barcelona and unfortunately I only had 1 and 1/2 days here and the first day was spent sleeping to catch up on what we missed however we did sample some amazing food for lunch and dinner and for such a major city we didn't pay much around €15 per meal and one of those was n Las Rambles the main tourist road where prices are highest. As with most major cities there are lots of activities including free walking tours which I found great so so informative and captivating, the history of Barcelona is incredible! Of course when talking about Barcelona I have to mention the beach which is gorgeous the only down side os the amount of beach sellers meaning it can be hard to relax when you're being asked to have a massage, or henna or a mojito ever 2 minutes but unlike in a lot of places they weren't pushy and moved on quickly. Unfortunately I didn't have much time in Barcelona so will definitely be going back but it made a good impression very quickly.
1. Barcelona Beach 2. Las Rambles Dinner 3 - 4 Free Walking Tour
3. Crete - Greece
Crete will always hold a place in my heart, I visited this island many time with my family growing up staying in an area called Stalis and later visited Malia with friends which is the party area of the island. My sister also lived on the island for 3 summers in a row working which is what encouraged my family to visit. Its just such a beautiful place, being an island you are never far from a beach and you can see form one side of the island to another from the beaches! There something for everyone here and its only a short bus ride to get from one area, and they are not your typical public transport buses. They are air conditioned coaches and last time I was there only €2 per person. This means you can go from secluded relaxed pool time in Stalis to crazy paint parties in Malia to the markets in Heraklion in no time. You also can't beat the people they are beyond friendly, most of the bars and restaurants in Stalis are family owned and they work so hard to accommodate and ensure you're having the best time this included free bread, and i mean free not we'll put it on the table and then add it to the bill later. Unfortunately I don't have any photos of my own from Crete that I can find so I have included the one below and as you can see it is just stunning! However it is now a very large tourist destination so be prepared for either relaxed pool holiday or part holiday compared to a cultural experience.
4. Krakow - Poland
Krakow is somewhere I never would have thought to have visited but it happened to be on the one and only Contiki that I did. To start with Krakow is so close to Auschwitz that its the perfect city base to go to if you want to visit this site which I feel is a must for most people. Apart from that though Krakow has some amazing things of it's own to offer, when I was there I spent the morning exploring the city including going to the castle and Bagel Mama the for the best bagel sandwich I've ever had! I also visited the uncover market in the main square. The square has a beautiful church, carriage rides and is surrounded by side streets full of shops, cafes and restaurants. While here I also went on a trip to the salt mines, it's a little way out so you need to have a car or go on a organised tour. The mines while slightly strange (lots of weird rooms and installations) was also amazing especially one section where it's pitch black and they use lights to show you the depth. The mine is definitely worth a visit if you're there. I also had the chance to go to a Perogi making evening where we got to make our own Perogi and try some made by a proffessional. The night life in Krakow is great as well, as with Budapest it's very cheap with lots of bars and clubs to go to! I think Krakow is on my list because it surprised me, I wasn't excited to go here in particular so it really surprised me how much fun I had here!
Krakow is somewhere I never would have thought to have visited but it happened to be on the one and only Contiki that I did. To start with Krakow is so close to Auschwitz that its the perfect city base to go to if you want to visit this site which I feel is a must for most people. Apart from that though Krakow has some amazing things of it's own to offer, when I was there I spent the morning exploring the city including going to the castle and Bagel Mama the for the best bagel sandwich I've ever had! I also visited the uncover market in the main square. The square has a beautiful church, carriage rides and is surrounded by side streets full of shops, cafes and restaurants. While here I also went on a trip to the salt mines, it's a little way out so you need to have a car or go on a organised tour. The mines while slightly strange (lots of weird rooms and installations) was also amazing especially one section where it's pitch black and they use lights to show you the depth. The mine is definitely worth a visit if you're there. I also had the chance to go to a Perogi making evening where we got to make our own Perogi and try some made by a proffessional. The night life in Krakow is great as well, as with Budapest it's very cheap with lots of bars and clubs to go to! I think Krakow is on my list because it surprised me, I wasn't excited to go here in particular so it really surprised me how much fun I had here!
1. Krakow Castle 2. Perogi Making Dinner 3. Bagel Mama 4. Club
5. Lake Bled - Italy
Unfortunately I only got to spend a few hours at Lake Bled on my way to Venice, but it was honestly one of the most beautiful places i've been. Such stunning views across the lake with a fairy tale castle on the hill opposite and crystal clear waters. There's also the famous Bled cake that is a must have for anyone visiting just to say you've had it. Its a sort of sponge cake with cream. Also if you're into fishing like one of my fellow travellers Eli theres loads of interesting fish to see (although i'd say catch and release like he did so save the fishes) I feel that I don't really have much to say about Lake bBled it's beauty really speaks for itself and whether you go for a quick pit stop like me or whether you stay in the area its just too beautiful not to visit if you're in Italy and is the perfect place to relax and recharge.
1 - 4 Lake Bled
Whats your favourite place in Europe? Tell me in the comments!
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