Well, Europe came and went and I am now back to my peasant life of the 9-5 job in Dallas. Obviously the trip was incredible. As if we had any doubts. Here's my recap for all you global travelers out there:
Remember, my travel style is local. It's not important to me to eat at super fancy restaurants. My goals are to immerse myself in the culture as much as possible!
Paris
When I first got to Paris, I thought it was super overrated. It's a bit dirty on the outskirts and sort of chaotic. But the more time I spent there, the more I fell in love. We stayed in the heart of Paris, near Notre Dame. And at its core, Paris is far from dirty. It's certainly busy, but in a way that gives you energy.
Must See: Notre Dame, Luxemborg Gardens (take a bottle of wine and a baguette!), Louvre
Overrated: Eiffel Tower (go see the park, but honestly waiting in line and going up wasn't impressive), Love Bridge (they're starting to remove all the locks)
Where to Stay: Air BnB. It's the best way to live like a local and explore the city. I'm obsessed with where we stayed and would absolutely stay there again.
Where to Eat: Le Lutece, Le Paradis de Fruit, Le Petit Medicis
Monaco/Monte Carlo
I absolutely loved Monaco/Monte Carlo. My favorite meal of the trip was in this tiny little sunken restaurant in an alley in Monaco. It's a very clean area of Europe and we arrived right after the Grand Prix so we got to see all the cool setup without the crowds.
Must See: Monte Carlo Casino, Palace at Monaco. Walk from Monaco to Monte Carlo and back. It's hilly, but gorgeous and gives you the full views.
Overrated: Monte Carlo Casino. It's not the same glitz and glam it used to be. Go see it, snap the photo, but other than that, it's not worth your time. Aquarium of Monaco. I'm from California so I've gone to the Monterrey Bay Aquarium many times. Nothing else compares. Wasn't worth the $16.
Where to Stay: We stayed at a Marriott a block outside of Monaco. If you have points, I highly recommend using them here and springing for the ocean view. It was nice to have a normal sized shower and A/C at a hotel.
Where to Eat: The best pasta I had on the entire trip was at La Taverneta.
Nice
Surprisingly Nice was my favorite stop of the trip. We stayed here as a last minute sort of pit stop and ended up falling in love with the beach, the food, and the town square. If I could do the trip over again I'd dedicate at least 4 days here.
Must See: The town square area where the farmer's market is and the majority of the local restaurants is stunning. Just go walk around here and if you're staying longer than 2 days, go to the market for the best fresh fruits, veggies, cheese, and fish and cook yourself a local meal.
Overrated: The main strip of restaurants right before old town are so awful and really touristy. Walk on by this area directly to old town.
Where to Stay: Highly recommend the Air BnB we stayed in. 2 blocks from the private beach we loved and in a super safe building/area.
Where to Eat: Di Piu (huge portions, really good food), Bistro DiAntoine, Farmer's Market!
Amalfi Coast
Everything here looks as it does on Pinterest. Seriously. My favorite village was Positano hands down but I also really enjoyed where we stayed in Amalfi itself. They're all sleepy coastal towns with cobblestone roads and breathtaking views. It was also significantly less expensive here than France.
Must See: Hike to Ravello (extremely difficult, we didn't make the entire 6.5 miles, but the views are incredible and its quiet), Positano, Do a boat trip around the area (best part of the trip)
Overrated: Capri, Salerno
Where to Stay: Air BnB is significantly cheaper than any hotel. The one we stayed at was the perfect location, it was huge by European standards and had one incredible patio. I'd stay in Positano if I were to do it again.
Where to Eat: Il Tari, Lo Smeraldino, Stella Maris, Restaurant Marina Grande
Rome
Rome is incredible. As a history nerd, I couldn't get enough of the history of everything around us. You literally see the modern world built on ancient Rome. It's an incredible place to go if you love to learn. Not to mention the food is divine and its the easiest city to navigate.
Must See: Colosseum, Cesar's Compound, honestly just walk everywhere you can
Overrated: Trevi fountain
Where to Stay: Hotels here are insane expensive, again, do Air BnB. The place we stayed was HUGE and had an incredible private patio. It was also super cheap for what we got. Amenities were decent and service was just OK. The location was great though, I'd stay again purely for the size, patio and location.
Where to Eat: We got lucky and got into this tiny restaurant off an alley that is literally booked for weeks straight. Plan in advance and get reservations to Osteria Barberini. Hands down best service we ever had on the trip and the food is to die for. Very fresh and very local.
Tips for Overall Travel
My number one tip, research. I'm a planner by nature. I was lucky enough to travel with one of my best friends who had previously planned a similar trip so she knew a lot as well. Basically, you're not going to Vegas. Understand that traveling abroad is an undertaking so educate yourself as much as possible so that when you're there, you have time to enjoy.
Transportation: Norwegian Air. Buy the regular peasant class and bid for an upgrade. In Europe fly EasyJet. It's cheap, it's easy, and its comfortable. The train is also an awesome way to get around Italy and wasn't too difficult to navigate. Otherwise, walk as much as you possibly can in the cities you stay in. It's the best way to see the sights as a local.
Lodging: Air BnB is so easy in Europe and the best way to live like a local. You often find really good local tips where to eat and what to do when you ask your hosts. You also get to meet locals this way!
Finances: Get Euros in advance. Most places take card, but you really would do better to have Euros just in case. It also makes you stand out less! Please do not try to split bills either if eating with others. It’s rude. Also, nobody tips in Europe. If you do for exceptional service, it’s more like 10%.
Packing: I did everything in a carry on. Highly advise doing this to make it easier to get around. Most places have a washing machine you can use as well for free. I'm not a backpacking girl so some of you may be able to do a big backpack for this trip, but I'm a hard case roller bag kind of girl.
Language: Learn the basic phrases for whatever countries you go to. It's important to respect the culture and country you're visiting. Please don't be like our President and make us look like asshole Americans. Learn please, thank you, and basic travel phrases like where's the bathroom and how to ask for water.
Bottom line? Epic trip. Can't wait to keep adventuring. Stay tuned for what's next, we are thinking a yacht trip!