Can you tell, that I cannot wait to travel after COVID? There is one undeniable advantage of living in Europe - traveling to many different countries is incredibly easy! Hop on a two hour flight and you are in an entirely different country. Or get in your car and start driving. Things aren’t just comparably close, they are also comparably open. Thanks to the European Union you can drive from Portugal to Germany without showing your passport once. Growing up in Germany, we spent our summer vacations exclusively in Europe. However, there are still many places that I would love to visit - or visit again! Below is my travel bucket list - Europe Edition.
EAT MOULES FRITES and Drink Beer In Belgium (✓)
Belgium’s beer was recently named a Unesco World Heritage so that alone should convince you to go. Moules Frites is a Belgian dish of mussels and fries (*what’s there not to like?). Brussels, the capital of Belgium, is definitely worth a visit - especially during Christmas time when they play operas in the Grand Palace! A famous landmark in the Belgian capital is Manneken Pis (Dutch for ‘Little Pissing Man’), and who wouldn’t find that charming? Brussels is also home to several European governmental institutions, such as the European Parliament.
Go Yachting in Croatia (✓)
Croatia became more popular as a tourist destination during the last couple of years but is still very underrated in my opinion. The country has a long coastline on the Adriatic Sea and encompasses more than a thousand islands, which is why it is such a popular destination for yachting. The capital Zagreb has a beautiful medieval center. Dubrovnik, a major coastal city became famous as a shooting location for the HBO series Game of Thrones. Croatia also has beautiful nature parks such as the Plitvice Lakes National Park. which is a must-see when visiting.
Climb the Eiffel tower in France (✓)
No European Travel Bucket List is complete without France! I seriously think that every single part of this country is just absolutely beautiful. I love Paris with its museums and architecture. But I also love Northern France with places like Mont St. Michel and old and charming cities like Dinan or Honfleur. Also, I definitely want to see more of the Southern parts as I have mostly been to the North so far.
Discover the castles of Albania
Albania lies on the south-eastern Balkan peninsula with Adriatic and Ionian coastlines. The country is said to have lots of beautiful castles and a very pretty coastline in the Sarandë District in the south. I would love to check out this area with its nice water springs such as The Blue Eye and beautiful beaches such as Pulebardha Beach. Uh, and did you know that's where Ravenclaw's lost diadem was hidden, too? ;)
see the many islands of Greece (✓)
My mum and I have always been big fans of Greece (nothing can beat a good feta cheese, you see?). Athens is a great place to explore the countries ancient influence. Greece is also known for its beaches, particularly as it has so many islands throughout the Aegean and Ionian seas. I have been to Crete and Santorini already, but Mykonos and Zakynthos, Symi, Antipaxos, and Milos are still on my list. I think it's time for some island hopping!
Go Hiking in Iceland
Iceland became more popular as a tourist destination in recent years. I would love to explore its dramatic landscape including volcanos, hot springs, and lava fields. Another main reason I would love to go is to see the Northern lights.
Drink a Pint of Guinness in Ireland (✓)
Well, I am definitely biased when it comes to Ireland - no surprise there. Besides Dublin, Cork and Galway there are many smaller charming cities such as Westport, with tons of Irish pubs, where you can have a good time. The Green Island is all about nature, too, though. You should definitely check out the Cliffs of Moher, the Hills of Connemara (the song and the actual hills), and the Ring of Kerry while you're there.
Ride a bike in THE NETHERLANDS (✓)
There are many great places to visit in The Netherlands, such as Rotterdam, The Hague, Utrecht, or the West Frisian Islands. And of course, there is Amsterdam, famous for its canal system, narrow houses, and people such as Van Goh or Rembrandt. Supposedly very pretty, even though not so well know, is Giethoorn, a small town in the province of Overijssel, which looks straight out of a picture-book with its waterways and thatched-roof houses.
Eat Pizza and Ride a Gondola in Italy (✓)
I’ll start with the shocker upfront: I am not a Venice fan. I was very underwhelmed when I visited the city a couple of years ago - but that of course didn’t stop me from riding a gondola anyways (after all, I love a good cliche). Definitely go and see for yourself. And if you don’t like Venice, there is still so much more to see, such as Rome, Tuscany, Cinque Terre or Sicily. I definitely think that Naples is worth a visit too. And while you’re there, definitely indulge in Italian cuisine.
Visit the national parks in Montenegro
Montenegro is another European country I find very underrated. The Balkan country lies just South of Croatia and has rugged mountains, medieval villages and nice beaches. I would love to explore Durmitor National Park and Sveti Stefan, a small islet on the Adriatic coast just south of Budva.
Eat Smørrebrød in DENMARK (✓)
The Danes are supposedly one of the happiest folks on earth so Denmark definitely needs to be on everyone’s European bucket list. The country’s capital Copenhagen offers many sights such as Tivoli Gardens, the queen’s winter residence Amalienborg, The Little Mermaid, as well as Nyhavn, a 17th-century waterfront. While you are there, I recommend trying Smørrebrød, the Danes' famous open-faced sandwiches.
Search for the Hogwarts Express in Scotland
I would love to hike through the Scottish Highlands and see the Royal Botanical Garden in Edinburgh - it looks like it came straight out of a fairytale. My #1 hiking adventure is to see the Glenfinnan Viaduct on the West Highland Line in Invernessshire. It became famous because of the Hogwarts Express scene from Harry Potter - sure thing I want a ride! And while I'm around I might spot Nessie! And I've heard they have excellent Whiskey, too. Cheers!
Eat Churros and tapas in Spain (✓)
Even though I have been to Spain a lot, there are definitely many places on my bucket list that I still need to pay a visit to. I can recommend visiting Barcelona, Valencia, and Madrid and I definitely would like to go to Alhambra, Sevilla and San Sebastian. While Mallorca has a bit of a bad reputation amongst Germans (it is to Germans what Ibiza is to the Brits), I have heard that the island is very underrated in terms of hiking and nature. I am also quite a big fan of Spanish food - I love tapas and who can say no to a portion of churros?
Go Skiing in Switzerland (✓)
Growing up as their neighbor, I have been to Switzerland several times and nearly accepted a Ph.D. position at one of their universities. However, I've never been on a real Swiss vacation. The country offers various amazing vacay adventured such as skiing, hiking, or amazing spa retreats during the wintertime.
Have afternoon tea in the UK (✓)
Harry Potter World. That's all I have to say about that. But for the sake of completeness, I also want to add Doctor Who, Love actually, Mary Poppins, and - of course - 22B Baker Street. There is really no reason to not have the United Kingdom on your European Bucket List.
Norway
There is an archipelago in Norway, which is called Lofoten, and famous for its incredible scenery. Norway also offers glaciers and deep coastal fjords that are worth a visit, too! In Oslo's Viking museum you can find Viking ships from the 9th century! Another place I would like to visit there is the city Bergen with its colorful wooden houses and Sognefjord (which kind of looks straight out of a Lord of The Rings movie, right? Europe's New Zealand!).
GO to Oktoberfest in Germany (✓)
Yes, definitely go and visit Oktoberfest in Germany. But also drive on Germany’s "‘Romantic Road’ to Neuschwanstein Castle, which is the original Disney castle. Germany’s North also has cities to visit and cross off your bucket lists such as Hamburg or Berlin. And, well, if you need any tips, you know who to contact!
Ride the tram in Lisbon, Portugal
While other cities have landmarks and museums, Lisbon has delightful tramps looping around the cobblestone. I hope they ride past a bakery for some egg tarts, which is also a must-try when visiting Portugal.
Celebrate Midsommer in Sweden (✓)
I have visited Lund, Malmö, Örebro, and Stockholm already, but I would love to go back to Sweden and celebrate Midsummer. Midsummer involves a never-ending lunch party, flowers in your hair, dancing around a pole, singing, and drinking. What’s there not to like? My favorite author as a child, Astrid Lindgren, was from Sweden as well, so I would definitely take a book or two and read about Pipi Longstocking or Karlsson-on-the-roof.
Visit the hot springs in Turkey (✓)
Even though I have been to Turkey before (my super-secret travel tip when going to San Francisco is taking a flight via Istanbul which is really stupid time-wise but really great cost-wise) I would like to go again and visit Pamukkale in Denizli. Pamukkale means cotton castle in Turkish but is also a county in the West of the country with famous hot springs and travertine terraces.
Did I miss any must-sees on my European travel bucket list?
Kate recommends: When travelling around Europe, bring a copy of Night Train to Lisbon by Pascal Mercier. The Swiss author published the book about a Portuguese doctor originally in German, before it was translated into English in 2008 and made into a movie by Danish film director Billie August. It can’t really get more European than this, can it?