1. Edinburgh, Scotland
I never intended on going to Scotland, but I heard rave reviews of its capital city, Edinburgh. A quick five hour train away from London and I was whisked away into one of the most beautiful places I have ever been. Rocky cliffs. Rolling green highlands. There is so much to see and do. The Edinburgh Castle appears to arise out of the rocks. Kind of like Hogwarts! Maybe there’s a connection… See for yourself by getting a window seat at the Elephant House— this is where JK Rowling wrote the first Harry Potters. Make a reservation ahead of time, though! Stroll down the Royal Mile to get to the Palace of Holyroodhouse. This is the Queen’s summer palace and you can explore through it pretending you, too, are royalty. If you have time, hike up Arthur’s Seat or take a quick drive to Loch Ness. Don’t forget to buy a plaid scarf while you are there!
2. Amsterdam, Netherlands
I fell in love with this city way more than I anticipated. The canals are “too adorable!” (Direct quote that I said maybe four thousand times during my weekend there). There are some sweet sites to check out like the Heineken Brewery and tour around how they make their famous lager. Or, walk through Anne Frank’s House. And bring a tissue because it will make you cry it is so powerful. It is definitely worth it. You have to check out Van Gogh’s Museum and see his famous works like “The Bedroom,” “Sunflowers,” and his many self-portraits. My favorites were his paintings of trees blossoming in the springtime in Arles, France. Just have fun wandering through this beautiful city!
3. Paris, France
A no brainer. But, make sure you give yourself a full week to explore this amazing city. There is so much to do and you will want to take your time taking in the sites rather than blazing through it and checking items off your to-do list. Spend a day at the Louvre, go to a day trip to Versailles, take an afternoon popping into every shop on the Champs-Éysées, and drink hot chocolate every day (especially check out Angelina’s after you finish at the Louvre). Another amazing day trip was to Monet’s Gardens in Giverny. I thought we were transported into Japan for an afternoon. Or inside one of his lily pad paintings. Eat a nutella crepe for me!
4. Barcelona, Spain
This city is the perfect combination of touristy and local. Don’t skip out on visiting La Sagrada Familia. Make sure you buy your tickets online at least one day ahead of time so you can skip the line! It’s an amazing modern cathedral that is still in construction. The stain glass windows flood the space with rich hues spending on the time of day and where the sun is in the sky. If you aren’t afraid of heights, go all the way up one of the two towers and check out the spectacular views of the city. It’s a spiral staircase on the way down, though! Spend an afternoon eating churros dipped in chocolate on the beach and wander through Parc Güell. Skip the eight euro entrance fee and walk a bit farther to the stone crosses. It is breathtaking at sunset. Try the seafood paella and a pitcher of sangria while you’re there!
5. Vienna, Austria
If you are abroad during the fall semester, visit Vienna in mid-November. That is when the Christmas markets open. And you will be saying “This is so cute!” every two seconds. At least I did. Booths sold all kinds of amazing trinkets like sparkling glass ornaments, fuzzy hats and gloves, and all kinds of leather goods and jewelry. Stroll around the market for a few hours with a glass of apple punch in one hand and a slice of apple strudel in the other. It absolutely comes to life at night with all the Christmas lights #lit. Walk through the palace the next day. You’ll see some striking similarities to Versailles, too.
London was the greatest city to study abroad in, but these cities were a blast to explore for a couple of days! Grab your favorite travel buddy, and go have an adventure!
Photos courtesy of Haleigh Monyek