Europe

How to do a wine tasting in Piedmont without a tour

May 2, 2019 by Karen Turner 5 Comments

For wine lovers, Piedmont is kind of the holy grail as it is the home place of Barolo and Barbaresco. Despite the prestige of these wines, you don’t get the crowds that you get in Tuscany (for now!). After years of hearing about the wine of Piedmont from my husband who lived in Turin, we spent several days driving around Piedmont tasting Piedmont’s best wines, including Barolo. This post will be discussing transportation, tips for making it easier to do wine tastings on your own in Barolo and Barbaresco, how to get winery tours (without spending hundreds), and how to do a tasting of multiple wines at once.

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What to pack for Iceland in winter on a budget

September 10, 2017 by Karen Turner 2 Comments

If you’re planning to visit Iceland in winter, you need to plan your Iceland packing list beforehand as Iceland is expensive. We planned a visit to Iceland in winter on a budget. This is what we actually brought on our 10 day Iceland road trip in winter. If you’re wondering what to wear in Iceland in December and what the Icelandic weather in December is like, keep reading for tips for what to pack for Iceland in winter.

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How to use your smartphone in Europe without incurring roaming charges

January 14, 2019 by Karen Turner 4 Comments

As an American living in Europe, I’m a bit too used to the realities of using your smartphone in Europe. If you’re traveling from North America (or elsewhere in the world), you’ll need to do a couple of things to ensure that you can use your phone in Europe. I’ll be walking you through steps for reducing the data that you’re using, buying a SIM card (if needed), and ensuring that your phone can be used with a new SIM card.

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One day in Sergiev Posad, the perfect day trip from Moscow

July 6, 2018 by Karen Turner Leave a Comment

Moscow is a stunning city, however culture lovers cannot miss the stunning Trinity Monastery of St. Sergius in Sergiev Posad. This stunning Russian UNESCO recognized monastery is an easy day trip from Moscow and perfect for those interested in learning about the Russian Orthodox Church. Keep reading for tips on visiting Sergiev Posad from Moscow….

Russian travel tips: 30 things to know before visiting Russia for the first time

September 1, 2018 by Karen Turner 7 Comments

Earlier this year, I was invited by a Russian friend to spend New Year’s Eve with his family. I realize that my experience traveling to Russia may be atypical for other travelers as we spent the trip with friends, however I hope that my experience helps you prepare to visiting Russia for the first time.

Seeing Moscow and the surrounding areas with my friend gave me the opportunity to see a side of Russia that many tourists don’t get to see as well as some of the main tourist attractions in Moscow. I’ve included a number of Russian travel tips as well as a few things that surprised me about traveling in Russia.

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A no-nonsense guide on how to get a Russian visa for Americans

January 12, 2018 by Karen Turner 7 Comments

Getting a tourist visa to visit Russia as an American was not easy. I say this as someone who has traveled to a lot of countries, however I’m so glad that we visited Moscow this winter. When researching how to get a Russian visa, I encountered a lot of websites that are written exclusively by the vendors themselves and a lot of bad advice/advice intended for other nationalities, so I decided to write about my experience doing the Russian visa process and getting a invitation letter for Russia in order to get a single-entry Russian visa (similar for multi-entry Russian visa). The process on how to get a visa for Russia varies A LOT by country, so I’m focusing on the process for Americans.

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How to visit the South of France on a Budget: 10 cost-cutting tips

July 9, 2019 by Steve Ertrachter Leave a Comment

Considering visiting the South of France on a budget? Experienced French traveler Steve has some helpful tips for visiting Provence on a budget for first-time visitors. We include tips on how to find cheap accommodations in the South of France, budget eating tips, and how to avoid the crowds in the South of France.

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10 Paris scams to avoid and 10+ tips for avoiding pickpockets in Paris

April 4, 2018 by Karen Turner 16 Comments

Paris is a fantastic city to visit, especially for first time visitors to Europe, however you’ll need to be aware of your surroundings as there are quite a few scammers in Paris. My husband has personally been scammed in Paris and I’ve been on my best behavior while living in Paris to avoid pickpockets in Paris….

Hopefully, these tips for avoiding pickpockets in Paris and knowledge about popular scams in Paris will help you avoid being scammed in Paris. This post includes tips from other Parisian residents as well as travelers on scams in Paris that they’ve encountered.

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Your complete packing list for two weeks in Europe (or longer)

May 31, 2018 by Karen Turner 3 Comments

Trying to figure out what to pack for two weeks in Europe? As a veteran of European backpacking trips (3!) and now three years living in Europe, I like to think that I have some tips on what to pack for Europe for two weeks. I’ve tried to ensure that this packing list fits into a carry-on, so this packing list for Europe should be easy to adjust for one month in Europe if you’re only traveling around Europe with a carry-on. Keep reading for my carry-on friendly packing list for two weeks (or longer).

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Money in Europe: What you need to know about getting cash in Europe

February 11, 2019 by Karen Turner Leave a Comment

As an American abroad, one of the most common questions that I’m asked by visiting friends and family what is the best way to get cash out in Europe. It depends a bit on your country, but this post will discuss European currency, what you need to do before your trip, best practices for getting cash out at the best rates, whether you need to carry around lots of cash, using ATMs in Europe, how to get the best exchange rates, and some tips for various European countries.

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