While I was down and out from a big surgery in January, I decided to make the most of my time spent moving from the couch to the bed, and back to the couch, by....
PLANNING A TRIP TO EUROPE!
I, of course consulted my wonderful hubby before doing so, and he was 100% on board! So the booking and planning began :)
John graduates from Duke in May (!!), and he does not begin his job in Princeton until July, so we thought this was the perfect chance to pack our bags and explore Europe. So many of our friends and family encouraged us to "go now, before it's too late" (i.e. no money, no vacation days, babies and kids).
It didn't take a whole of of convincing.
We were sold :)
And now, we finally have the whole expedition planned out, and I am so excited to share this exciting news with you all! This will be a trip of a lifetime and John and I are absolutely overjoyed at this amazing opportunity we have. Both of our parents have graciously and generously helped with this dream, and it will be a graduation (John), birthday (me), and anniversary (us) gift that we are so incredibly thankful for.
So here's our itinerary!
We will be gone for 26 days!
Any world travelers out there that have been to these places?
Suggestions or recommendations of what to see/do/eat while in these cities?
Also I am looking for good (somewhat chic?) traveling shoes/flats...help!?!
THANK YOU!
XOXO
18 comments:
Hey I have been to Paris and I live in London ... Paris is cool very chic ! x
Fun!!! We will be taking out first trip to Europe this summer too!! It's funny, my questions would be the same as yours... Visit advice and style advice.. !!
Ah that is SO amazing!! I live in Paris and can definitely help with anything you need! I have been to Munich and adore it. Go do Lenny's or Mike's free bike tour. Go to the Englicher gardens, Chinese Beer Garden, Hofbrauhaus, and see the Glockenspeil. Florence...just eat as much as possible. I live in my Tom's shoes. They are great for walking and they are cute :)
i've been to prague 3 times and it's amazing! make sure to check out the St. Charles Bridge, the Prague Castle and the astronomical clock. All are very touristy but really cool.
So fun!!! Penel and I had so much fun when we did a similar trip. Here's some advice I would give.
-- Europe is cold in May. Pack warm for the north. Although it is an unseasonably warm year this year :)
-- Don't spread yourself too thin. Prague is actually pretty far away, so make sure you have enough time to enjoy each place. Also, trains get slower in Italy.
-- Consider adding in some small mountain villages on the way in Austria or Switzerland. You'll soon get tired of cities and the Spring alps are gorgeous!
-- Rent a scooter on the Amalfi coast. Dangerous, but beautiful.
-- Consider going to Sicily and Mt Etna - amazing. May be too far, but less touristy than the rest of Italy. Also, Italy gets more "rustic" aka dangerous as you go south (PS stay away from Naples).
--Bought these for walking around SF
http://www.rei.com/product/830816/reef-rainforest-shoes-womens
How EXCITING!!! This will be there perfect time for you both! Yay!!! I can't wait to hear all about it and then see your pictures! Eeeek! :)
I think each place sounds lovely, and Positano has been on my list for years! One of my goods fiends has been back a couple times for the past couple years she loves it so much, and my parents say it is one of their favorite spots and they have been pretty much everyone around the world...so I think that is a safe bet!
Florence and Vienna are beautiful and Paris is always something to see with fun outdoor cafes and shopping...I have yet to get to Rome, but that is on my list too!
So, I recommend all either form personal experience or family and good friends...this means you must go to each! ;)
Lucky! Excited to see pics and stories from your trip. Miss you!
Wow! Sounds BEYOND amazing!! How exciting!! I'm dying to visit all of those places! It's great you're going now...before ife gets in the way! :)
No wayyyyy!! 26 days, what a trip of a lifetime!!!!!
26 days!!! That is awesome, holy crap! That is so nice to be able to spend more time there than just a week or two!!
o.m.g. totally jealous of your trip. you will have an incredible time! I've been to Rome, Florence, and Munich and they are still my favorite european destinations. A few suggestions:
- Rome is very touristy and many of the restaurants hike up their prices in the main squares. be sure to venture down side streets and check out some hidden gems. you won't be disappointed. and don't forget to eat gelato every.single.day. stracciatella and tiramasu were my favorites. Also, explore Rome at night, especially the trevi fountain - it's magical.
- Florence: my favorite place in italy. less touristy than rome. be sure to shop at san lorenzo market (where all the leather is!) and don't be scared to bargain with them. i got a 2 for 1 deal on great leather purses that i still use to this day (i went in 2006).
- Munich: I went to Munich for Oktoberfest so unfortunately you won't get to experience that event, but everything else was just as amazing. definitely stop in the famous hofbrauhaus for some beer and live music. We did a 6 hour tour to Dachau concentration camp which was really powerful and eye opening that i'd recommend. Be sure to stroll around Marienplatz -the town square and there is a church or tower (i forget) across the street that you can climb to the top and it has magnificent views of the city. Finally, i'm not sure how long you'll be in Munich, but while we were there we did a day trip to Salzburg. If you have enough time, DEFINITELY do this. Salzburg is beyond gorgeous!!
I can go on for hours but i hope this is helpful!
xoxo
Wow, this trip sounds absolutely amazing and such a once in a lifetime opportunity to see so many places! I agree with the advice to bring enough warmer clothes. I was in Paris in June/July and had to buy a new jacket and scarves bc I was constantly freezing. I'd love to go to Positano someday. Off to dream of European adventures. ;)
oh my goodness, I am overcome with jealousy right now, not going to lie!! 26 days in some of the most beautiful places in the world! LUCKY!
Shoes- toms, rainbows, and eliza b flip flops would be great. They all seem to have some support. I wore my rainbows and eliza b flip flops while on our cruise destinations this past christmas and had NO problems!
What an amazing trip! Just found your blog, and am so glad I did...looks like it's going to be a very interesting one where we can follow your travels yay!
this is amazing and so exciting for y'all! i can't wait for the full recap when y'all return stateside!
JEALOUS! 26 days I had no idea it was that long, I was thinking 2-3 weeks. DAAANG that's like 4 weeks! A whole month. You are basically going to be living abroad. Your trip sounds fantastic!!!
Wow 26 days! So stinkin' jealous! You must be so excited!! :) Can't wait to see pics.
Definitely check out the Schonbrunn Palace in Vienna -- so gorgeous! Also -- currently loving the J.Crew Tova Sandals -- they come in a million colors and just need a little breaking in. Have fun!
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