We have all been stuck in a rut over the year, am I right? Having the travel bug has been rough during the pandemic since you can’t go anywhere you want, and if you do go somewhere, there are rules to follow. Well, this year has been a little better for some, and for me, I was able to go on an adventure in Europe to visit my cousin who is stationed there and to also see 5 countries in two weeks!
So where did I go in these two weeks? Let me break it down for you, I started out in Germany, then Prague, Austria, Italy, the Vatican City and then France (airport, ha!). But these two weeks were more than just traveling, it was time to help get one of my cousins out of her shell and time to visit another that I hadn’t seen for a few years. Cousin bonding is great, let me tell ya. Through this, I was able to experience a lot more than I had expected, and although it was exhausting by the end, it was so so worth it and I would do it all over again! So let’s get down to business and I’ll share all about it from booking to the experience!
That window picture that we all crave…so basic, but so perfect.
Booking, what’s the big deal?
We all go through that stressful moment when it comes down to booking flights, experiences and stays, but sometimes it doesn’t need to be stressful, and I’m going to share how and keep it short and simple!
When it came down to booking our flights, I do personally have two airline credit cards, the Delta one and the Alaska one, but for this trip we actually used my cousins Capitol one card so she could get those bonus points! While we did fly Delta for our international flight using her card, I personally rack up those bonus miles during the year and then save them for something like this (Asia next year!). We booked about a little less than 2 months out ( I know they say to do it earlier for international flights) BUT we actually got better prices when we did it then. IF you have those bonus miles and want to fly in luxury, you can purchase your flight with just miles or miles + cash, but I would save that for a longer flight, just my thought! Some sites/ apps you can also use in the future for flights are going to be Hopper , Skyscanner , Expedia and Momondo. These are all great, but don’t forget, there are many more out there so make sure to find the one you love!
For our hotels, hostels, and experiences, it was pretty simple and straightforward: Airbnb and Booking for us! The nice thing when it comes to most of these sites / apps, you can use them for everything! We were able to book smaller flights from Munich to Rome, Rome to Sardinia and back, and with most of these sites, when you use certain credit cards, sometimes you get better discounts and if you actually make an account, you get points to use on future bookings!
The Experience, my favorite parts🖤
To be honest, I loved every part of being in Europe and being able to spend time with my cousins, but I am going to share just a few things from my entire trip that I loved, aside from all of the food and fancy drinks we got to try!
Germany
The outdoors, oh man, if you love hiking and beautiful scenery, Germany is absolutely amazing, and by amazing I mean, you need to go asap. 💚
Hiking out above Königssee lake after taking the Jennerbahn cable car halfway up.
Going out to Lake Königssee was an experience that everyone needs, the water is beautiful, the greenery and scenery are mesmerizing and overall, I would do it again even though I almost died during our hike ( your legs will burn, in a good way). While you’re out at the lake, you can take a boat ride all around, walk around the little shops near by, have some good food and drinks and then you can also climb up to the Jennerbahn cable car and go up part of the mountain or all the way. We ended up going to the first stop and then doing one of the hiking trails on the side of the mountain and then hiking all the way back down, and that’s what killed me…ha!
Overall, Germany had delicious food, beautiful scenery and great experiences, I would definitely recommend going hiking out there, even if you’re not an outdoorsy person, it’s so worth it. The cities are great too, so much to see and do, be prepared to walk everywhere because that’s what they do out in Europe and it’s honestly kind of nice, not having to drive 24/7! These views were to die for, as you can see below!
Prague
Oh my gosh, I wish we would have had more time out here, but let me tell you, if you ever get the chance to come out this way, do it. It was absolutely beautiful, the buildings, the people, the food and drinks, I loved it! Although we were only out here for two days and one night, it was so much fun and I would do it again! While we were out here, we did stay at a hostel, which was a bit noisy throughout the entire night… but it was still a fun experience. The first day we got there, we ended up doing a tour we found on airbnb One Tour To Rule Them All and it was Awesome! Jakub was great, not your average tour guide and he made the entire time feel like you were just friends out on an adventure together. If you find yourself looking for something to do, I highly recommend booking this one, so worth it.
While we were out in Prague on the first day, it definitely felt like home to me..in the way that it was raining our entire tour and I definitely got soaked…ha! At least I’m from the PNW so it wasn’t too much of a bother. The following morning we went out for breakfast and walked all around, it was so peaceful and fun to see the little markets set up with tons of fruits and veggies, wines, toys and trinkets, it’s not something I get to see back home that often so I found it to be really fun. In the end, I was definitely a sucker for the markets and purchased some goodies for friends and family and one of them happened to be this honey wine and boy was it delicious! They also have the worlds smallest street! It was funny and cool to see, it definitely is tiny and you can only walk across, no driving here! ha Check it out in the pictures below.
Italy
A place of many charms, but make sure to watch out, people will try to give you “free” items and then follow you so you pay for it, if they approach you like this, simply walk away and let them know you’re not interested. Italy was different from what I imagined, although it was beautiful, it was dirtier than I had expected, which was sad since I didn’t remember it being that way when I was younger. Aside from that, the experiences were great, but the weather was hot.. as in we were drenched in sweat, you saw people walking around drenched it sweat, it was great, ha! While in Italy we were actually in Rome, The Vatican City and Sardinia. Overall, I wish we would have had more time, especially in Sardinia. The water, the food and the scenery were beyond amazing.
As someone who loves the water, I think had it been a longer time spent in Sardinia, I would have done more water excursions, relaxed on the beach and found new spots to hike at. I will say that the driving out here is crazy though! I felt like I was going to die while on some of those tight roads and crazy turns, but we made it! \
Have you ever been to Sardinia? If so, what were your favorite parts? When it comes to Rome and The Vatican City, I loved it! Despite it being a little different from what I remembered, the food, tours and people were great. We were able to go on some great tours and I would highly recommend checking out Rome’s Ghosts, Legends & Gruesome Facts which was hosted by Rob who was awesome and shared some great info in a fun way. Another tour that was great was the Sunset Food & Wine Tour by the Vatican, we had Marilisa as our guide and she was so fun to talk to, even just about daily life and fashion out there. Check out some of the delicious foods and pretty views below!
Was is worth it?
Absolutely! I would do this trip all over again if I could. I would say that if you are thinking of doing an international trip, go for it, always. When it comes to money, you can always work hard and make it again, but when it comes to the experience, you may not get another chance if you don’t just go for it.
For myself, I am always that person who is ready to make new memories, work is work, we can always grind hard again when we come back. There are always ways to travel for cheap, so it’s not something that you have to spend tons of money on, just go, enjoy your time and don’t worry about others, you do you, boo!
Have you had any chances to travel at all while staying safe? If so, where did you go and how was it?
Myrrha Alexis 