Europe

Europe Travel Blogs

These are all of my Europe travel blogs!

From luxurious road trips in Italy, to the freshest food in Spain and exciting travel adventures in Scandinavia and The Baltics,  find out the best places to travel to in Europe here, in my Europe travel blogs.

Happy exploring!

Visiting Stockholm, Sweden – Viking Tours And More

Tallinn History

Find out more about visiting Stockholm in Sweden.

When I heard we were taking an overnight ferry from Riga to Stockholm for stop 3 of our Busabout adventure, I pictured something similar to the Dover to Calais ferry. What we boarded was a huge cruise ship filled with shops, bars, restaurants, a spa and entertainment. While the cabins were small, it was an entertaining evening, and the time flew by!

Check out Part 2 of the video of my Scandi-Baltic Adventure now, and scroll down to read all about my time in Stockholm.

Stockholm is one of my favourite cities. I’ve got to know it reasonably well over the last few years as my sister lives there. During this trip I was keen to revisit a few tourist areas, but also explore some new hidden gems.

Busabout Scandi Baltic Adventure Part 2 04 One of my favourite activities was the Viking Walk. Buda The Ballbreaker led us through the streets of Gamla Stan (Stockholm’s old town) telling us everything from the Viking origins of the city, political setup and the royal family (including their scandalous relationships with ex-Big Brother contestants and personal trainers!) to Schnapps, Smorgasbords and Swedish santa – Tomte. Whilst exploring the beautiful old town, we donned Viking helmets and scared off other tourists!
Busabout Scandi Baltic Adventure Part 2 09

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Busabout Scandi-Baltic Adventure: Riga, Latvia

Riga, Latvia

Time to travel around Riga in Latvia.

Stop two on my Scandi-Baltic Adventure was Latvia’s vibrant capital. Riga’s reputation preceded it… I knew it was a prime location for rowdy British stag dos looking for a cheap weekend with buzzing nightlife. Thankfully, I found there was plenty more to the city.

Check out Part 1 of the video of my Scandi-Baltic Adventure now, and scroll down to read all about my time in Riga.

We stayed in the old town, close to the picturesque 17th Century Powder Tower – previously used to store gunpowder. Around a third of the population of Latvia live in the capital, but it didn’t feel congested or horribly built up. I think this was partly due to the number of squares and green spaces (particularly Bastion Hill Park by the Freedom Monument) – something very important to the Baltic and Scandinavian countries. Latvia’s treacherous past was visible – with the Latvian Riflemen Monument and the Freedom Monument standing tall in different parts of the city.


Busabout Scandi Baltic Adventure Part 2 02
Unofficial “tourist attractions” include the Radisson Hotel – which, as the tallest building around, was once inhabited the KGB. McDonalds also holds some significance in Riga as it was the first to be opened in the Baltic countries. It was seen as a symbolic moment – marking the end of communism. In fact, the queues on its first day stretched around the block!

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Travel In Lithuania

Vilnius Cathedral Square

Time to travel around Lithuania.

When I jetted off to Lithuania’s capital Vilnius to start my Scandi-Baltic Adventure with Busabout, I didn’t really know what to expect. Over 8 days I would be visiting 4 countries I’d never set foot in… along with one of my favourite places – Sweden. The whistle-stop tour was designed to provide an introduction to The Baltics and Scandinavia… but with so little time, how much would we really get to see? And with 9 other tour mates – would we all be looking for the same kind of adventure?

Check out Part 1 of the video of my Scandi-Baltic Adventure now, and scroll down to read all about the first part of my trip!

In all honesty, when I told friends I was flying to Vilnius, I was met with rather blank expressions. Is that Bulgaria? Romania? Poland? I’ve travelled a lot over the last few years, but The Baltics had remained something of a mystery to me. Not obvious holiday destinations, and not at the top of my bucket list. However, this trip has really opened my eyes to some countries I’d like to explore further, and a few I would return to in a heartbeat.

Busabout Scandi Baltic Adventure Map Our Busabout guide was bright, bubbly South African Pasqual, who was full of enthusiasm and information, and created a well-balanced tour – with time for learning, relaxing and partying.

Wanderlust Chloe Busabout Scandi Baltic Group 2015 1
Scandic-Baltic group with Busabout guide Pasqual (in red)

Over the next few blogs and videos, I’ll be revealing all about my trip, and recommending some amazing places to add to your bucket list! First stop… Lithuania…

LITHUANIA

Vilnius’s medieval old town is packed with beautiful architecture, large squares, tall spires and cobble streets. While walking along the main street, I checked out the market stalls, which sold locally-made items including woolly boots and hats, and pretty bags. I’d seen photos of Cathedral Square before, and was looking forward to seeing the tall white bell tower for myself. This is where crowds gather at Christmas and New Year, when you’ll also find an enormous Christmas tree! The bright white glowed against the blue sky.

Wanderlust Chloe Lithuania 1

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A Day Trip From Split To Krka National Park, Croatia

Day trip from Split to Krka National Park

Natural beauty, stunning waterfalls, and you can swim there too – Find out all you need to know about travelling from Split to Krka National Park in Croatia.

Here I was with a BIG dilemma. I only had one day free in Croatia, and couldn’t decide whether to book a tour from Split to Krka National Park or Plitvice Lakes? They both looked like incredible places – but I only had time for one…

In the end, I went for the Split to Krka tour. I’ll admit it was partly because the journey time was shorter! The tour would take me to see the famous waterfalls, the amazing panoramic view of Visovac Monastery, and then stop in the city of Šibenik to see the UNESCO Cathedral. Plus, it included a lunch of some delicious, local Dalmatian food.

Day Trip From Split To Krka National Park 

Leaving Split at around 8am, it takes a few hours to drive to the entrance to Krka National Park. However, with a chatty tour guide outlining the history of Croatia, and telling anecdotes about everything from wine production to his wife being a beautician, the time flew by!

The views from the window of the coach were mind-blowing. Towns of red-roofed houses perched above the Adriatic Sea. Early morning swimmers taking a refreshing dip, while luxury yachts manoeuvred the coastline.

 

Journey from Split to Krka National Park
Journey from Split to Krka National Park

As we reached the national park we saw huge sweeping canyons, topped with thick green forests. At the bottom was mysteriously calm water. As we followed the River Krka, the water changed from a dark shade of blue to a vivid green. I’d never seen anything like it.

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