My 30 Day European Adventure

In September of 2023, I took a huge leap of faith and flew solo to Europe. I had no idea what I was going to do or how I’d handle going to the other side of the world by myself for a whole month. I've traveled solo before and I love it, (check out my solo travel article) but I was still nervous. New adventures and things that take you outside of your comfort zone will always give you butterflies. And it ended up being one of the best experiences I could of ever dreamed of.

I took a couple months to plan the trip, it wasn’t just something booked on a whim. I looked up safe places to travel, best places to go in September, best food, best sightseeing, transportation, weather, easy routes, then spoke with a travel agent to finish planning and booking details.

Let me just say that I have a great job and wonderful bosses that allowed me this time off- I work in the service industry and don’t have paid time off. Before my trip to Europe, I traveled quite a bit. 15 cruises, plenty of beach trips and a few hiking trips totaling 28 states + DC and 16 countries- but I’ve never been over seas.

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My Itinerary

Dublin (four days)

The first thing I noticed here is how nice and welcoming the people are- everyone was very welcoming and seemed happy that people wanted to visit their country. There's so much to do in this cute city of Dublin. The first thing I did was run to the famous Madigan's Pub for some bangers and mash. The food isn't what Dublin is known for, but I'm not missing an opportunity for scratch made things like that.

A don't miss would be the Guinness Brewery. You can get a guided tour or a self-guided tour. I did the self guided tour and went at my own pace around the seven levels. They show you the beginnings, how to put together a bourbon barrel, the steps of the wheat barley and much more. But the best part is when you get to the top and you're able to get a free pint of Guinness while you sit and enjoy the panoramic views of Dublin.

The Jameson distillery is also something that should be high on your must-dos. You get a look into all of the different ingredients and process they go through to make the fine whiskey. You get a taste of three different kinds and have the chance to buy a bottle of Jameson that isn't allowed to be sold in the USA, which just happened to be my favorite of the three I tried.

I took a day-trip down to the city of Bray, only about a 35 minute train ride from Dublin, to do the famous "Cliff walk" hike that takes you 1,000 feet up and gives you outstanding views for miles. I made the mistake of climbing over the fence blocking the path (it might have said closed, do not enter) and I ended up getting lost. So a four mile hike turned into a six mile hike. I made it down to the bottom but by that point I had ripped my pants, was out of water and exhausted.

The Temple bar, Dublin Castle, Trinity College, St. James park and the Dublin Zoo were all part of my itinerary. But even with the day-trip to Bray, I had plenty of down time and gaps in between my days.

my recommendation: three days

Amsterdam (four days)

No trip is perfect, there's always the chance for problems. When attempting to make my way to Amsterdam, the bus that was supposed to take me to the airport ended up being 25 minutes late. I couldn't wait any longer so I had to take a cab and running to my gate that happened to be all the way across the airport. Luckily I had cash because cabs there do not take cards like the taxis here do. A stressful start, but I made it. On my first day I almost got ran over by bikes four times because I failed to realize that the main method of transportation is bike riding. But the wonderful beer and excellent Stroopwaffles made up for it.

You have to take a canal ride when you're here. Mine was only an hour but the small group made it fun and more interactive. They take you down waterways that you didn't know were there and at one point you're even able to see the point where all seven bridges meet.

Amsterdam is like a museum heaven. For people like me that could spend hours or even days going through all the different art and history museums this is the place for you. I got up super early one day to make sure I could hit them all. Luckily, most of them are in the "Museumplein", which also has plenty of places to sit and relax while listening to the live music.

• Rijsmuseum

• Moco museum

• Van Gogh museum

• Royal Palace

• Anne Frank House

If you're a big foodie- which who isn't, Foodhallen is like a dream. There's so many different types of food to chose from. They are small plates, which gives you the opportunity to try multiple stands. Then there's a bar in the middle to grab a drink. When you're done eating, go out the back way and take a look at the stands selling homemade jewelry, clothes and paintings.

I packed a lot of things in this four day period, but I didn't feel overwhelmed with everything I did. I still had time to sit back and relax, read and enjoy the scenery.

my recommendation: four days

Berlin (four days)

The history seeping out from the cracks of this city is incredible. So much information will be crammed into your head from the moment you arrive to the moment you leave. There's endless monuments and museums to visit and to learn about the history of Berlin. Checkpoint Charlie, Berlin Wall Memorial, Berliner Siegessäule and the Memorial of the murdered Jews are all significant historical spots that give you an outstanding amount of historical information. I learned more from the monuments than school could of ever wished to teach me.

As I mentioned before, I love museums. Berlin has its own area called Museum Island. There's five outstanding museums that could take a whole day to explore. My favorite was the Altes Museum that was all about ancient Egyptian history and how it connected back to German history.

The Berlin Cathedral and the Charlottenburg palace are both beautiful places that blew my mind. The architecture, the structures, the art, the colors, the sheer size of both of these places are something like I've never seen before. Tickets are cheap and the two hours spent in each place are worth it. The Tv Tower, Reichstag Building, Brandenburger Tor and the Berlin Mall were all nice places to spend your time as well.

I was hoping to see the old buildings that pop into your mind when you think of old-town Germany, obviously staying in the middle of a city- no matter how old- you won't get that. Luckily there's a cute little town called Potsdam that was only a 45 minute train ride from Berlin. I spent all day basking in the old red brick buildings and cottage style homes and especially the Cecilienhof castle. I'd recommend spending a day here as it's probably the most beautiful part of "Berlin".

As much history as there was to bask in, if I didn't take a day trip to Potsdam I'm not sure I would have had much to do on my last day in Berlin.

my recommendation: three days

Prague (four days)

I cannot say enough about Prague. This place ended up being my favorite out of the seven on the trip. There was a beautiful building around every corner. I would make a list of things I wanted to do for the day and things I wanted to see but everyday that would just go straight out the window. I would be walking trying to find my way around and see something that catches my eye.I didn't want to miss it so I'd go tour it or at least take a peek. The next thing I knew, I was hours behind the schedule I had set for myself for the day.

I got lucky enough to have a wine festival going on when I was there. It was located at the Botanical gardens. The $10 entrance fee got you a beautiful wine glass and a ticket to the gardens. I spent more than three hours there trying a bunch of different types of wine made in Prague, as well as enjoying snacks and live music.

Along with the wine being some of the best I've ever had, the food was to die for. It was definitely different- things I've never thought about trying before or even heard of. But, I'm in a new country and open to trying new things to get the full experience. Nutella is also very big in Prague and they like to top all their desserts with it.

If you're looking for a nice place to relax and have dinner but also have outstanding views, Old Town Square and the quarters with the Prague Castle are a must-see. I spent upwards of two hours each place just admiring the clock towers, churches and old buildings surrounding me.

Lastly, don't miss out on the Praha Zoo, if you're an animal lover like me- you won't regret it. I jam packed a lot of things in the four days I was there and I still felt like I missed out on a lot more.

my recommendation: six days

Vienna (four days)

You want to talk about stunning? I'll tell you about stunning and it starts right here in Vienna. Just like Prague, there was a breathtaking building around every corner. Fresh food markets, beautiful gardens, butterfly rooms, aquariums, cathedrals like no other, history museums and the desserts. It's never ending. There are so many great things about Vienna.

A must do when in Vienna starts and ends with a day exploring the Natural History Museum and the Art History Museum. Each take about two hours to explore but it's so easy to get lost in the painting, sculptures, designs and architecture that you don't even realize it's been over an hour and you still have two floors left to explore. These buildings are known as the most eminent museums in the world and are located in the heart of Wien.

A cute thing to do that most people skip over is the Hofburg Palace that houses a cute little butterfly sanctuary called Schmetterlinghaus. It's only $9 to get in and the butterflies are free to roam wherever they want. They aren't shy- a lot of them will land right on you or next you. It only takes about half an hour to get through this wonderful gem, but there is no time limit. You can hangout with your winged pals as long as you please.

Belvedere might be one of Vienna's most known attractions. The grounds are huge and the palace is outstanding, inside and out. After you tour the Palace, there's lovely gardens and a restaurant on the grounds so you can continue enjoying the scenery.

The Austrian National Library, St. Stephen's Cathedral, Parliament Building, St. Charles Church, Votive Church and especially City Hall (Wiener Rathaus) are must-sees if you come to Vienna. Make your way to the Naschmarkt for home-grown veggies, house-made candy and some great food. Don't forget to get their famous dessert Baumkuchen. Fried dough tossed in cinnamon sugar or whatever else you want and inside it's filled traditionally with Nutella, but places offer so many different combinations- it's to die for!

I had felt like I could have done more exploring and found some more hidden gems along the way if I just had the time. Four days was nice but a bit rushed for this wonderful city.

my recommendation: five days

Budapest (four days)

A tale of two cities. Two sides that come together with outstanding bridges in between. Not so much of a hustle and bustle like other cities I've visited but that's probably what made it so special. Most things land in the heart of the city, so that's a good place to start. Freedom square, the Hungarian Parliament, Shoes on the Danube, the Chain Bridge and St. Stephen's Basilica are all eye catching sights that are worth visiting.

How about some local food? Stop by the famous Great Market Hall for an unlimited amount of booths selling amazing fruits, veggies, meats and some treats only known to Hungary. Make your way to the second floor where you can get fresh hot food made right in front of you. Step out of your comfort zone and get the best food in Budapest called Lángos.

A full day of activities could be spent in one place. Lots of walking but most definitely worth it. Matthias Church, Fisherman's Bastion and Buda Castle Cave are must sees. Restaurants, cafés, and outstanding views all mixed up in one area. Most people pass up a gem of a museum that is in the same area, but I highly recommend visiting since it was my favorite one of the trip. Sziklakórház Atombunker Museum is an unground hospital that has been preserved since 1935. The history of this place is mind blowing and it's only a short walk from Matthias Church, making it an easy add on to your itinerary.

The Buda Castle, Hungarian National Gallery, St. Stephen's Hall and Matthias Fountain could also be a whole other day of exploring, also located on the Buda side of the city. More to see on the Pest side would be the Dohány Street Synagogue, Danubius Fountain, Michael Jackson Tree and Ferenciek Tere. I also recommend doing a Danube river cruise, I did one on my last night in Budapest. I relaxed with a drink and listened to the sound of the river while learning a lot about the history of the city.

Again, nothing transportation wise can go right for me with a little bit of stress. My plan was to take the train from the main station to the Budapest airport but it broke down after the first stop. Outside of the city, a lot of people don't know English. So I had to figure out a way to the airport. I walked half a mile to the bus station and took an 45 minute bus ride to the airport. I had 20 minutes to spare to make my flight. Talk about anxiety.

The time I spent in this city didn't feel rushed or cramped. I know I missed out on some things like the thermal baths, but the amount of time I was there felt good to me. I could have added another day to get in a couple more things.

my recommendation: five days

Paris (five days)

I flew from BUD to CDG. A two and half hour flight was easy, but the main Paris airport is quite large and confusing to navigate. it’s also a 45 minute train ride on the RER B to the main Gare train station in Paris. But I was in Paris, France. The city of love, the most visited city in the world, the city with some of the most known monuments ever. I was so excited I could contain it. Nothing was going to bother me. This was the place I was most excited for. I also speak French, I'm not fluent but I understand my fair share and was ecstatic to be able to have conversations for the first time in a while in French.

I'm not the type of person that likes to plan too much ahead, but I quickly realized that I was going to miss out on a lot of activities because I decided not to plan ahead. Not sure if it's luck, or un-luck but when I was in Paris, fashion week and the Rugby tournament was there so it was a little more packed than normal for the end of September/ beginning of October but there was more activities to take part in.

The Notre Dame, Basilique Du Sacré-Cœur, Opera House, Place Vendôme, Musée de l'Orangerie, Petit Palace, the Grand Palace, Musée d'Orsay, Louvre, Arc de Triomphe and of course the Eiffel Tower. All places that people make sure they visit. But there is plenty of things that people don't know or don't make a top priority to see or do when in Paris.

Don't just go and see the Eiffel Tower during the day- go at night and see it sparkle at the top of every hours from duck until midnight. Take a blanket and buy a bottle of wine from the vendors walking around. I promise it'll feel like you're in a dream.

Make sure you make time for the Tuilerie Gardens, Notre Dame archeological crypt, Musée Carnavalet, Latin Quarters, Luxembourg Gardens, Museum of Natural History and Paleontology Gallery.

I enjoyed everything even all the walking, there was so much walking. I probably averaged 10 miles a day while in Paris. I was so tired by the end of each day that after dinner all I wanted to do was go lay down- so I did- either in my hotel room or in the Parc du Champ de Mars to enjoy the Eiffel Tower.

If you're looking to get great coffee and croissants (yes I know all of Paris has great coffee and croissants), check out Bo & Mie in the 5th Arr. and Latin Quarter. It's small but always packed. Salon de thé Reglait is a hidden gem in the 5th Arr. also one of my favorites- they make the best fruit tarts I've ever had. Lastly, don't miss out on the famous macaroons sold all over Paris, Ladurée. It's a bit pricey, pretty sure I paid $45 for 12 macaroons and a raspberry tart, but totally worth it, you won't get anything like these back home.

I felt at home, at peace, happy and alive while in Paris. I loved it there, I know I missed out on a lot of things I wanted to do- especially the Catacombs- by not planning ahead. I know for next time to do so but it was fun and spontaneous. I hope everyone can make it to Paris at one point in their lifetime. I spent five great days there but it was no where near enough. I needed much more time to be able to slow down and see way more.

my recommendation: eight days

Trains and Public Transport

Before leaving on this trip, I was very nervous to use inner city transportation and long trains between countries. In America, public transportation isn’t used like it is in Europe. It's not looked at the same, most people drive everywhere. I've never used public transportation before so I didn't know what to expect. I ended up feeling ridiculous for ever being nervous to begin with.

Inner-city public transport was a breeze. The train stations, bus stop and tram stops are easy to navigate and everything runs constantly. There's multiple lines throughout the city that takes you different spots. Sometimes, you need to connect to other lines or above ground busses and trams to get to your final destination. If you're someone that doesn't want to always walk for hours at a time, its a perfect time saver. Europeans walk everywhere. Every city I visited was new to me, so I was willing to do a lot of walking. By the end of the day, I was exhausted and ready to relax, it was a nice option to have. Passes for public transportation can be a day, three days, a week or a month. I bought passes in every city and they cost me anywhere from $8 to $35.

The larger train stations that take you between countries are a little different and can get a little confusing. Walking into Berlin HBF was a bit overwhelming and I was a bit stressed. Luckily, I got there early to give myself time to navigate the station. There's plenty of perks of taking a train between countries. There’s no checking bags, no security, no lines for boarding to deal with. You find your platform, then find your cart and make your way to your seat. Most trains now have mini kitchens for you to be able to order food or drinks since they do tend to take longer than other types of travel, but the extra time can save you money since train travel tends to be less expensive.

Would I do it Again?

Absolutely I would! I loved Europe so much. It was a totally different experience and I can't wait to do something like this again. Honestly, I cried a little when I left. I felt like I was leaving a part of me in Europe. Other than a month flying by- I learned so much, I had so many great experiences, I met some awesome people and I was genuinely happy to be where I was. I enjoyed some of the best food and saw the most beautiful sights. I'm mentally planning another trip in my head- of course to all new places, and ones where I can possibly take the trains between each destinations. I wouldn’t say I am a whole new person but this trip changed me and gave me a new perspective.