Everyone dreams of traveling to Europe, and there's a reason why. Whether you're taking your first solo trip, on a girl's euro tour, looking for a ritzy getaway, or wanting to explore new cities and cultures (don't forget about the food!) Europe has something for everyone.
I suggest you plot your itinerary on a map to see if it makes sense. If it seems like you are crossing back and forth too much, you might want to see if you can simplify the route.
We started our trip in Barcelona which was the furthermost city and traveled our way around until ending up in Rome. For us this itinerary worked, we left out some key cities as we tried to cater for both our interests, for me this was my third time to Europe so I wanted to explore some places I hadn't been before, and for Jacob this was his first time so we tried to cover some of the main cities, the best thing is, we have so much more to see. This makes our future plans so exciting.
Our Europe trip was a whirlwind, we tried to fit in as much as possible while still being able to explore and enjoy each city at our own pace. We were able to visit 6 cities in just under 3 weeks.
I've decided to share our travel itinerary with you guys to show you how it’s possible to get away from the Australian winter and bask in that all mighty, carroten-scented, European sun.
BARCELONA
4 nights
It was my second visit to Barcelona
and from my past experiences I knew I wanted to stay close to Las Ramblas.
Right in the center of all the action. Las Ramblas is a pedestrian street smack bang in the center of town and
while cruising down this street the atmosphere is buzzing at all hours
especially during the night. But be careful because among all the flower stands
and human statues theres also pick-pocketers and bag snatchers.
We stayed at the H10Metropolitan which was great! The breakfast
here was probably the best we had in all of Europe and our room had a cute
little balcony facing the street.
Must see's
Day
1
Park Guell
Sagrada Familia
Day
2
Camp Nou
Day
3
Casa Battlo
Bouqueria Markets
Day 4
Picasso Museum
Dinner and Drinks at the W hotel at
Barceloneta beach is a must! Start your night off at the Eclipse bar on level 26,
then make your way down to Michelin star restaurant La Barra, and end your
night at the WET deck bar.
I find it super convenient to buy a 48 hour pass for the Hop on Hop off bus, (its approx 40 euro) and it’s the best way to see the entire city and stop off at each top attraction. For me, it beats the train/subway/bus/taxi/bikes/uber..... yes, its super touristy, but I kinda like that.
Tip Before exploring Barcelona make sure you read up on Antonio Gaudi. He's work is on display all around the city, including the breathtaking "Sagrada Familia".
MALLORCA
3 Nights
We stayed at Hotel CoronadoThalasso & Spa in Paguera, with Cala Fornells right on our door step. I decided on Paguera as the town we'd
stay in for its traditional-Spaniard-holiday-destination vibes. The beaches and restaurants in Paguera are super beautiful and ideal for couples and families. If you're keen on partying during
your time in Mallorca, I'd recommend you look at staying in Magaluf.
Caló des Moro is undoubtedly a show
stealer, and I was so glad to be visiting this tiny cove with its turquoise
waters, as it had been on the top of my list of beaches to visit for a while!
Palma itself has a cool vibe about it,
and of course, being Spain, there are plenty of restaurants and bars to enjoy
the fresh local seafood or enjoy a glass of local wine with Tapas. The main
attraction here though is the Santa Maria Cathedral, in the evening; it lights
up and reflects on the water, it is honestly a magical sight.
Tip I strongly recommend hiring
a car to move around all the towns around Mallorca. We drove to several towns
and loved it.
PARIS
3 Nights
Our 3 days in Paris were a romantic
bliss. Not because Paris is actually romantic, as it is portrayed in the
movies, but because we made it special for ourselves. We wanted to explore the
French capital walking hand in hand, eating fun desserts and hunting for epic
photo spots. When visiting Paris you will quickly realise the capital itself
can be a bit overwhelming, busy and filled with smoke. But Paris really has a
romantic side to it; you just have to know where to look.
Paris can get really crowded, but
there are ways around it. For example, if you wake up really early (like first
light, before the sunrise early), you can get many great pictures of Paris
without any tourists in them.
Must sees:
Day
1
Eiffel Tower
Louvre
Day
2
Moulin Rouge
Tuileries Garden
Day
3
Disneyland
I believe you should invest in a good
hotel in Paris. Location is everything and a great hotel can be the difference
between a good holiday or a brilliant holiday in Paris. Hotel La Clef Champs-Elysees in incredibly beautiful and in an idyllic location.
Tip You'll
find that cafes and shops are more expensive the closer they are to the main
attractions such as the Eiffel Tower and the Arc de Triumph. Walk a few blocks
from the main areas to find more authentic and less expensive establishments! And
do yourself a favour; try French onion soup if you haven’t already, its
delicious.
PAROS
3 Nights
Parikia is the capital of Paros and
where we choose our base, we stayed at the stunning Anna Platanou Suites.
The main town of Naoussa is about 10 minutes’ drive
and considered the place to be. After Mykonos, and Santorini, Naoussa is the
most lively and cosmopolitan destination for the summer. In the center of
Naoussa, you can find countless boutiques, restaurants, cafes, bars, clubs –
you name it. During the night hours the town is packed with tourists shopping
or looking for a place to eat or drink. In my opinion it is worth exploring the
town also in the early morning when the streets are empty.
Must sees:
Day 1
Naoussa town
Santa Maria Beach
Day 2
Punda Beach
Lefkes Village
Day 3
Antiparos
Tip Lunch in Antiparos at Soros beachclub is a must! The Saganki there is out of this world!
PUGLIA
3 nights
Located on the “heel of the boot” of
Italy, Puglia is becoming more known to those who are open to venturing
somewhere a little different in Europe. Of course I still love Positano and
Cinque Terre but Puglia is hot on the toes of those coastal Italian towns.
There were countless occasions every
day where I just had to stop and remind myself that I was actually in Italy,
not on some fantastically designed film set version for tourists. Puglia is
breathtakingly beautiful and pretty sure will become the “next big thing” for travelers exploring Italy.
We stayed at Santo Stefano Home& Breakfast in Polignano
a Mare.
Getting a car to drive around Puglia is a great idea; there are so many beautiful towns to explore. One of my favourites was Alberobello.
Getting a car to drive around Puglia is a great idea; there are so many beautiful towns to explore. One of my favourites was Alberobello.
Must sees:
Day
1
Cala Porto (Also known as Lama Monachile)
Truli houses in Alberobello
Day 2
Il Capitolo beach
Monopoli
Day
3
Ostuni
Tip If you can afford it (and by afford it I mean, 180 euro pp excluding
drinks) the Grotta Palazzese hotel in Polignano a Mare houses a restaurant
in a natural cave overlooking the sea, considered among the top ten most exclusive
restaurants in the world, it’s definitely worth a visit and unlikely you'll find anything like it in Puglia.
ROME
3 nights
One
of my all-time favourite cities in Europe! It is absolutely jam packed full
of sights, with thousands of years of history layered upon itself – you’ll find
everything here from Roman ruins to Renaissance art. It’s also home to
fantastic food, the Vatican City and sights like the Trevi Fountain, the
Coliseum and the Spanish Steps.
Must sees;
Day 1
Trevi fountain
Piazza Navona
Piazza Navona
Pantheon
Zuma bar
Day 2
Colosseum
Marco Martini cocktail bar
Day 3
Vatican City
Spanish steps
Da Gino’s Restaurant
3 days in Rome is not enough to see absolutely everything
that the city has to offer, but it’s definitely enough to see all the
highlights if you manage your time well enough.
