I’m a little bit torn about traveling in Europe while I’m in Nice. On one hand, I want to completely immerse myself in the French Riviera and create a life there (read: I have to make limited funds stretch for six months). I want to spend my free time exploring the area around me: Cannes, Monaco, Menton, Corsica. And, of course, I’ll find a way to make it to Paris–if only to try and sneak in a meeting with my favorite expat bloggers, like @LostNCheeseland. On the other hand, being a mere train ride away from some of the hottest destinations in Europe is hard to pass up.
With that in mind, here’s my wishlist of places I’d like to hit up if I stumble across a few 100 Euro bills on the ground.
1. Munich, Germany: I want to check “drinking a beer in a dirndl at Oktoberfest” off my bucket list. What better time to do that than during its 200th anniversary? Plus, having a friend who’s living in Munich means I can sleep on a free couch. It will be embracing my German heritage at its fullest.
2. Amsterdam, Netherlands: My favorite flower is the tulip and my favorite mode of transportation is the bicycle. So, from what I’ve heard, Amsterdam could easily become my favorite city. Rex, one of my best friends from high school with whom I traveled to Italy during the summer of 2006, might be studying in northern England- a ferry ride away from Amsterdam! If so, he’s agreed to ride bikes with me and I’ve agreed to accompany him to the red-light district (aka make sure he stumbles home safely).
3. Wherever Maria is living: I met Maria during the summer of 2007 while studying French at the Alliance Française in Paris. Maria is half-American, grew up in Norway and Belgium, spent her summers in Provence, did her undergrad studies in South Africa, went to grad school in London, and is searching for a job anywhere in the world. She is fluent in English, Norwegian and French, and yes, I’m a little obsessed. I visited her twice in London, and we always have fun together. If she’s working in Europe while I’m there, I fully plan on visiting (I’m crossing my fingers for somewhere in Scandinavia).
4. Croatia: My ex-boyfriend’s family was Croatian, and he was all about being the “Croatian Sensation.” I didn’t really get it. Then I saw pictures of Croatian beaches. Now I get it, and I’m dying to spend some time island cruising (especially after reading the account of hot Aussies on a boat via Twenty-Something Travel). Bonus: I’ve heard that it’s not quite as touristy (read: irrationally expensive) as the Greek islands, so now is the time to go.
5. Spain: I also made friends with a group of Spanish girls while studying in Paris. I absolutely loved hearing about their culture, eating their home-cooked meals at 10 p.m. and not starting our nights out until past midnight. One of my close friends studied abroad in Alicante, Spain last fall, and six months later, she’s still Spain-sick. Side reason: her host family had a pug named Lola that I kind of want to meet in person. While I don’t think I can hang with the Spanish nightlife–just making it to 2 a.m. closing time is a stretch for me–I still want to see the Barcelona beaches and the Madrid museums.
What do you think are the must-see destinations in Europe for a traveler on a budget? I’d love some input as I plan a few side trips.
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