I scheduled myself three full days in Denmark, with which I wanted to explore Copenhagen and trek to the Viking mounds in Jelling, but the last option was in the air. With a short train ride from the capital, I could see a Viking ship museum, the city and castle Shakespeare’s Hamlet were based on,... Continue Reading →
Backpacking to Bremen
Germany has always been high on my travel bucket list. Growing up, we always thought our heritage was mostly German. That is until we began to dig into the records a bit more, as well as taking the Ancestry DNA tests and finding out we are much less German than we thought. Even so, the... Continue Reading →
Layover in Lisbon: A Peek at Portugal
I seem to have a knack for squeezing as much as possible out of my trips. Previously, I wrote an article on how I like to turn layovers into opportunities to explore, in order to make the most of my time while I travel. The day I was able to spend in Lisbon was the... Continue Reading →
Laon: A Historic Scavenger Hunt
A historic scavenger hunt was not one of the things I expected when on a day trip to Laon, France. There were actually a few things I was surprised by. The stairs, the historic scavenger hunt, the view of the valley below. This ancient hilltop city captivated my interest right from the start. I arrived... Continue Reading →
Something About Saumur
It can be hard to reconcile an entire wasted day when you only have so much time. While on the train to Saumur, I tried to stay positive about the evening ahead but I would be lying if I said I wasn't a bit angry. I had completely missed both castles I wanted to see but... Continue Reading →
Ancient Rome in Arles, France
Until the past few years, I never really knew how much Roman architecture was left standing in France, especially in the south. I guess I always had a preconceived notion that most of it had been destroyed during the Middle Ages and replaced with more contemporary structures. I was pleasantly surprised, while doing my research,... Continue Reading →
France After Dark: Cathedrals and Light Shows
I'm not one to waste time when I travel. If I've set aside time for some sort of relaxing activity like a spa or the beach, that's one thing because it's part of the experience. I'm generally on the go, though, and don't like sitting around if it isn't adding to the trip. A... Continue Reading →
Carcassonne: City and Castle
I climbed every step on the way up to this ancient, wall-enclosed city with reverence. The sun was just barely above the horizon. With each step, I tried to remember the facts I had read about the long history of the city. Over time, the Celts, Romans, Visigoths, Saracens, and Franks took, fortified, and strengthened... Continue Reading →
Visit Europe In North America
It's no secret that I loved France. When I started looking through pictures of Montreal and Quebec, I realized that it's entirely possible to step into a little piece of French culture and history here in America. I'm more than excited for my next opportunity to cross the Atlantic but my budget is very tight... Continue Reading →
How Avignon Grew on Me
One of the most important lessons I learned on this particular trip was not to judge a city by its first impression. Despite all of the historic hype given to the once Papal city of Avignon, it was not an immediate favorite of mine. For some reason, my first impression just lacked that wow factor.... Continue Reading →