Hola! Bonjour! Hallo! Ahoj! Ciao! γεια σας!
Describing a trip to 23 cities in 11 countries, is not an easy feat. But here I am giving it my best shot. I’ve listed my daily itinerary--where I stayed, what I saw, and what I got into.
Spain: Sangria and more Sangria
Madrid:
My first stop on this extravaganza started out on a HIGH note! Madrid is the capital of Spain, and an amazing one. After 10+ hours of flying from DC to (a layover in Paris) Madrid, I kicked off my jet lag with an EF sponsored welcome mixer. My tour group headed to a small, local restaurant to get to know one another over tapas and sangria--AKA my everyday diet while in Spain. Despite the killer heatwave and taxi strike going on across Spain when we arrived we were still able to check out so much...
Where we stayed: Chueca Room 007, it's a hip hostel with a bar & restaurant, free breakfast buffet, and a quick walk from Plaza Mayor--the city center (where anything & everything good is).
Where we went: We spent hours exploring and shopping through Mercado San Miguel. We walked (& sweat!!) through the Parque del Buen Retiro, a beautiful green space with historical monuments & a pond. We checked out El Prado, a national art museum, housing some world-renowned artists like Goya and Greco. We honored the Egyptians at Templo de Debod, a 2nd century B.C. Egyptian temple, and we were treated like royalty while touring through the Royal Palace of Madrid.
What we ate: tapas and sangria (on repeat, every day) and churros--specifically from the infamous Chocolateria San Gines, AKA the best churros & chocolate of your dang life...one of my friends literally DRANK the chocolate after we were done drowning our churros in it.
Where we partied: Espit Chupitos, a 2-story bar with cool music, cool vibes, and a “hidden” bar that offers a variety of 600 flame, candy, and spicy shots. Gymnase Lounge, we day drank Aperol spritzers on this beautiful rooftop & pool lounge bar. Dancing till the sun comes up at Teatro Kapital, a 7 story club with a rooftop terrace.
After a short train ride, we quickly arrived in Barcelona. People say that New York is the city that never sleeps, and those people have obviously never been to Barcelona. How does one get up early, and stay out late, you may ask? It’s called a siesta, and it my absolute favorite aspect of the Spanish culture--it’s the loveliest mid-day nap. The perfect siesta allowed me to be up and eating breakfast at 8 A.M., and just getting back in from a night out of clubbing by 4 A.M. Barcelona is not just nightlife, it has such a rich history.
Where we stayed: We stayed at the TOC Hostel, a cute boutique hostel just a short walk away from Las Ramblas, the heart of the city.
Where we went: We gawked at 2 of Gaudi’s architectural works--La Sagrada Familia Cathedral (the infamous unfinished, centuries-long built cathedral), and Parque Guell (a Cheetah Girls 2 setting, and an astonishingly beautiful mosaic park. We headed over to Plaza Espanya with thousands of others to crowd around and watch the nightly Magic Fountain Show. We found a hidden gem in the alleyways of Barcelona, Galeria Maxo, a local gallery filled with wondrous pieces of 3-Dimensional modern art pieces. We walked, shopped, ate ate till we dropped at Plaza Real. As if the temperature wasn’t hot enough, we had a very, very hot beach day at La Barceloneta.
What we ate: We took a Spanish cooking class, mixing up paella (traditional Spanish dish full of saffron, rice, & seafood), and sangria (traditional Spanish drink mixed with red wine, juice, fruite, & spices), this was such a fun thing to do and I absolutely recommend taking an authentic cooking class when visiting a new place! We shopped and snack-ed on gelato at the most beautiful (and busy) markets I’ve ever been to, La Boqueria Market.
Where we partied: We cooled down at Ice Barcelona, an ice bar on a beachfront, with a small entrance fee you are provided a parka, and two drinks served in ice glasses. Opium is one of the most famous clubs in Barcelona, its crazy packed with famous artists from around the world performing on the reg.
France: French Kissing with the Mona Lisa
Paris:
I boarded a quick flight so that I fall in love with all the well-dressed French boys. Ah, the city of love. What’s not to love about the city of love? It’s a bustling city full of residents, a stunning skyline, and endless macaroons.
Where we stayed: We stayed a few nights at the Generator Paris Hotel, it was just a quick subway ride into the busy city. There was a great rooftop bar atop the hotel, and a bar-restaurant area on the main floor.
Where we went: Obviously the first stop was to the Eiffel Tower, which I visited twice more just for the stunning view. I spotted it the first time in the morning while on a Seine River boat cruise. We had to visit a second time, during the night to see it sparkle (happens every hour, on the hour). And lastly, we actually climbed the Eiffel Tower, prepare for lots of steps, but it is worth it for that view! My group went sightseeing to the Arc de Triomphe, the Notre Dame Cathedral, and the Les Halles and Rue Rivoli. I took a day to myself and visited the Sacre Coeur Basilica (stunning architecture), Jardin du Luxemborg (absolutely breathtaking), and the Louvre (duh?!).
What we ate: I checked off all the four major food groups in Paris. The champagne, the macaroons, the snails, and the crepes. We bought some beautiful macarons at Lauduree (xoxo Gossip Girl), and then next door at Pierre Herme. We had some traditional French cooking at Bouillon Chartier, I ordered the escargot (aka the snails), and duck confit (yummy yummy).
Where we partied: Under the Eiffel Tower of course! There are so many people gathering underneath this national landmark that it is a party. There are plenty of street vendors walking around with knick knacks, and more importantly, champagne that it’s like you’re getting literal bottle service (glasses not included, lol). If you negotiate with them enough you’ll be able to get that overpriced 40€ down to 5€ , heck they’ll even take US $$ if you have it.
England: Mind the Gap!
London:
After a single week of attempting to speak in Spanish & French, London was a beautiful change in the language barrier. London is like the D.C. of Europe, it’s got a great subway system, an eclectic population, and free museums which I took full advantage of.
Where we stayed: We stayed at the Ibis Canning Town, and I honestly can’t remember much about this hotel other than that their breakfast was fantastic--complete with warm butter and chocolate croissants.
Where we went: Right off the bat, you know you need to snap a photo with a red telephone booth, check out the Tower of London and Big Ben, watch the changing of guards at Westminster Abbey, and take a spin on the totally overpriced London Eye. We walked across Abbey Road in honor of The Beatles, and rode on a double decker bus all across town. With so many museums to see, and so little time we chose the Tate Modern contemporary art museum (amazing!! fit with a terrace bar on top), and the National Gallery which housed the likes of DaVinci, Van Gogh, and Warhol.
What we ate: Fish & Chips were a given, we were recommended to dine at Poppie’s Fish & Chips, a whole in the wall with greeeeeat food. We went to the Borough Market, that is a foodie’s dream...so many picture-esque options that you can munch on while listening to live music on the streets. Indian food has become widely popular in England because of the growing cultural influences, tikka masala has become a national dish in Britain, and we just had to stop in and see what the big fuss was about. It was my first time trying Indian, luckily one of my friends is an avid lover of Indian food, so she was able to help us place our order. We got curry, garlic naan, samosas, and my personal favorite--butter chicken.
Where we partied: Pub Crawl #2. I can never turn down a good pub crawl, for just a handful of euros you get a guided tour to 4-5 of the best bars and clubs around town, complete with an entrance shot and waived cover fees--we also got free t-shirts! Our last stop of the crawl was at HEAVEN, which was just as great as it sounds--they had DJ’s that played great popular and house music, and had lots of dance floor space for a great and long night!
Netherlands: Dam, what a country
Amsterdam:
I hopped aboard a massive ferry, as we sailed from England to Amsterdam. Sleeping on a boat is NOT easy, so naturally we stayed up all night drinking moscato and just hanging out together. Short moment of silence to the now removed “I Amsterdam” sign that we were lucky enough to snag a picture with!
Where we stayed: We stayed at the Meininger Hotel Amsterdam City West, which was the absolute perfect location! It was directly next to the train station, and there was a bar-restaurant right across the street. Bonus points because when we got there, they were hosting a dog show...if you know anything about me, then you know I love dogs.
Where we went: My assumptions of this city revolved entirely around the Red Light District (if you’re wondering why there’s no pictures of the RLD...it is highly frowned upon, and can lead to a bucket of water...or other liquids being dropped on you). I was pleasantly surprised by so much more. We went to the A’DAM Lookout, which is Europe’s highest swing at over 300 ft, it was exhilarating and amazing all at once. We had the Heineken Experience, visited Brouwerij Het Ij, a microbrew pub, and walked across Dam Square. Rainy day called for a day of shopping, we went to Primark (for about the 5th time because it is the most amazing) and visited little market shops like Bloemenmarkt, a hanging flower market. I bought tulips bulbs for my mom and grandma before we checked out the Jewish Historical Museum, and Verzetsmuseum, dedicated to the Resistance movement.
What we ate: Food in Amsterdam is a little bit funky. One of their most popular dishes is herring, the delicacy of raw fish. Alongside the fishy dish, is an order of Oolong fries, which is simply french fries with mayo, peanut sauce, and raw onions atop. I’m not sure what the obsession with raw food is, but I stayed away from those two and stuck to their sweetest treat of all, stroopwaffels--a thin waffle with a layer of caramel inside, I tried a stroopwaffel ice cream sandwich...and it was to die for.
Where we partied: Soooo back to the iconic Red Light District, streets packed full of bars and clubs. Again, we went on another bar crawl, this one also came with a cool free t-shirt and welcome shots from bar to bar, and best of all--free shots for the first hour. This night was so long and so crazy, I honestly can’t remember the exact names of the pubs and clubs that we stopped in, but either way the Red Light District is a beautiful sight at night that is sure to be a fun night. Warning: a long night out + an early train ride the next morning may cause you to rush pack everything and forget your phone in your bed (: -- I may or may not have experienced this!
4 countries down..writing this took me so much longer than I ever expected it too. My absolute favorite aspect of the trip was the people I met along the way. In particular I befriended a group of gals: Janeth, Megan, Sarah, & Sindy that helped keep me sane, awake, and moving throughout this adventure. I love these girls so much, and I was able to catch up with 2 of them when they came down to Nashville to see me this past weekend. Seeing them again inspired me to finally finish this post and get on with the rest of my European posts. Love you beautiful ladies, hope to see you all again soon!
Thanks for keeping up with part 2 of my European adventure, part 3 will start off with Germany! As always, wait and see what we'll do next!!
Comments
Post a Comment