Traveling to Europe was one of the most incredible experiences I have ever had. The food, people, architecture, museums, beaches: everything was magical. Now that I’ve been overseas and have a few more stamps in my passport, I’m dying to go back more than ever.
Since I won’t be able to go abroad again for a while, I’ll channel that energy into giving you some travel recommendations instead! Whether you’re planning your post-grad trip, spring or summer break, or are just longing to travel like I am, these spots in Europe are an absolute must-see. I would jump on the opportunity to go back to them in a heartbeat.
All the places I picked are located near Mediterranean Europe, so if you’re looking to live your Eat, Pray, Love moment, these are the spots for you. Along with the destinations themselves, I’ve also included some recommendations for restaurants, activities, transportation, places to stay, and hidden gems, all of which I can approve of from my own experience.
Valencia, Spain
Valencia was the city I spent the most time in abroad, and I wasn’t tired of it for a second. If you don’t speak Spanish, don’t worry! The people of Valencia were incredibly understanding, and plenty of them spoke some English when I was there. The coastal city is super walkable with a historic district, shopping district, and coastline all within a short distance of one another, making it easy to hit everything in the same day or two.
Some amazing places you can spend the day exploring are the Serranos Towers, the Central Market, the National Ceramic Museum, Plaza de la Reina, and so many others. These should keep you busy for a while. You can also take a 20-minute tram ride or 45-minute bike ride from the city to the beautiful coastline. Platja de Cabanyal is the closest beach to the city, but none of the beaches in Valencia should fail you.
When dinner time rolls around, you’ll want to refuel after a long day of exploring. Some of my favorite dinner spots, with menu items ranging from paella to burgers, were La Papardella, La Riuá, Hundred Burgers, and La Terrazza.
Valencia is also crawling with Airbnbs and hostels that are located right in town, so finding a safe place to rest my head was no issue at all.
Quite honestly, I can’t find anything wrong with this place, and I’m dying to go back.
Rome, Italy
I’m sure at some point or another, you’ve known about Rome, so I won’t spend time talking about places like the Colosseum or the Trevi Fountain (although you should go to both of these spots). Instead, I’ll focus on the things you might not have known about it.
Rome is the only place I’ve been to where I’ve casually walked down the street and stumbled upon a famous landmark! Most prominent, I would spend as much time as I could dedicated to two things: history and food.
Let’s get down to business. Eat your heart out in Rome. Pizza, pasta, pastries, coffee; everything is worth eating until you burst. I mean, if you’re in the home country of cacio e pepe, you may as well have a serving or six. It was really hard for me to find bad food, but the best pasta and dessert I had was in the Trastevere area, especially the gelato! It’s on a whole other level from ice cream or soft serve, and it genuinely doesn’t get the hype it deserves. My favorite spot that sold it was the Old Bridge Gelateria near Vatican City.
Speaking of the Vatican, some of the landmarks that are not worth missing are the Villa Borghese Gardens, the Piazza Navona, St. Peter’s Basilica, and the Pantheon. Rome is overflowing with history, so try not to discount the things you may come across.
Rome is pretty walkable, and the places that are a little further away are super easy to get to by bus. If you’re going to stay anywhere, I’d recommend the Beehive Hostel. The staff is welcoming, there are plenty of tours and activities organized for getting your feet wet in the city, and the stay itself was cozy and affordable for me.
I ended up staying in the city for five days, and I still feel like there’s so much more to see. After all, it’s a classic!
Paris, France
Unironically, Paris made my list. As much as people rave about it, it’s not without reason. There are so many wonderful things to see, but the highlights of my trip were the museums, food, and landmarks.
Paris has the best public transportation in my opinion. If all else fails, you can take the metro (a reliable motto to have there). On top of that, since the city is a travel hotspot, there are plenty of accommodations to pick from. I ended up staying in an Airbnb owned by a local in the heart of the city. The local was very friendly and gave me many recommendations that made my trip even better.
Concerning food, I was able to find an excellent restaurant in every part of Paris. If you find a place full of life with a good atmosphere, its entire menu is probably going to be a knockout (I couldn’t pick a favorite restaurant). Some of my favorite eats were escargot (which I think is worth a try), French onion soup, mulled wine, and every bread, dessert, and pastry I could find.
Including the places that already get attention, Paris has so much beauty to offer. Some unmissable spots include the Eiffel Tower, the Arc de Triomphe, the Louvre Museum, the Tuileries Garden, and more.
Each of these descriptions is only the tip of the iceberg for these destinations. The best way to learn about a place is to simply go there, and I cannot urge anyone enough to do just that. However, I hope that these recommendations have offered some guidance on where to look or what to do because I know I struggled with that too. Now that you’ve got a better idea of what’s out there, I hope that you have the trip of your dreams, whenever that may be, and slay your “bon voyage era!”
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