Europe

A local’s guide to the best things to do in Glasgow, Scotland

January 29, 2019 by Karen Turner Leave a Comment

When fashioning the ultimate Scotland itinerary, there’s no better place to launch your travels than Glasgow. While its close neighbour of Edinburgh, just an hour east, is the undeniably prettier of the two cities, Glasgow’s where the heart of modern Scotland beats.

What makes Scotland’s biggest city so intriguing isn’t that it’s chock-loaded with typical tourist sites (that’s Edinburgh’s thing), but that it’s ever-evolving from its rich historical past to express the present & future of the Scottish nation. Ready to discover this quirky and often underappreciated Scottish city? Get started with this quick city guide to Glasgow with the best things to do in Glasgow, Scotland.

…

Efteling Theme Park: The best theme park in the Netherlands

September 11, 2018 by Karen Turner 4 Comments

As a lover of the strange and unique, it took me a long time to visit Efteling. Too long. In case you haven’t heard of Efteling, the Efteling theme park is one of the best theme parks in the Netherlands and truly one of the most unique. I grew up going to Disney every year and I have to say that Efteling is truly one of the best amusement parks that I’ve been to. Keep reading on why you need to visit Efteling, how to get to Efteling, and the best attractions at Efteling.

…

One perfect day in Alkmaar, a cheesy day trip from Amsterdam

April 11, 2019 by Karen Turner Leave a Comment

One of the most popular spring/summer day trips from Amsterdam has to be Alkmaar. Maybe I’ve been a bad resident of Holland, but I somehow had never visited Alkmaar. Alkmaar is a charming city about 35 minutes from Amsterdam by train. This is a one day guide to Alkmaar with the best things to do in Alkmaar (including the Alkmaar cheese market!) and practical information on how to get to Alkmaar from Amsterdam by train.

I include some choices for breakfast as well as lunch! I was really surprised by Alkmaar, which reminded me of the coziest parts of my favorite Dutch cities (e.g. Amersfoort) due to its pretty canals, numerous cats, and lovely cafes! (You can follow this guide as if it was a self-guided walking tour of Alkmaar although it might be easier to save these places onto Google Maps.)

…

Catspotting: A crazy cat lover’s guide to cats in Amsterdam

October 17, 2018 by Karen Turner 21 Comments

I love cats. This is a detailed guide to my beloved Amsterdam with the best places to meet cats in Amsterdam, officially and unofficially, with my favorite cats. If you’re a fan of Catspotting, you’re going to love this guide to Amsterdam. I’m a crazy cat lady and meeting cats when traveling is one of my favorite hobbies.

While living in Amsterdam, my husband and I hunted down the locations of cats in Amsterdam because we are that cat crazy. We found cats living at one of the cat cafes in Amsterdam, roaming the halls of a historic canal house/cat museum filled with cat art, cozying up to potential owners on de Poezenboot (the Catboat), sleeping in various shops, or even breaking into museum gardens.

This also includes coffeeshops with cats…. That said, I was not successful in petting them all. Keep reading for our favorite cat locations in Amsterdam with a map.

…

Your perfect itinerary for a weekend in Luxembourg road trip

March 15, 2019 by Karen Turner 1 Comment

I’ve been so curious about Luxembourg for so long! This past week, I took a road trip with my parents-in-law to Germany and Luxembourg, which included a weekend in Luxembourg by car. This itinerary is a bit relaxed compared to some other Luxembourg itineraries, but I hope that it gives you the chance to see this lovely country. A weekend is just the right amount to get a taste of Luxembourg.

…

Where to eat in Delft by a local for breakfast, lunch, and dinner

June 1, 2023 by Karen Turner 8 Comments

Jacob’s work means that both of us find ourselves in Delft quite often. Luckily, there are some great restaurants in Delft, far beyond the typical tourist fare. I hope that this guide to the best food in Delft helps you find a good and reasonable meal in Delft! I indicate vegan-friendly spots in Delft with a * next to their names to make it easier for those with dietary restrictions!

…

The best places to visit in Slovenia: Insider tips for avoiding the crowds

July 14, 2018 by Karen Turner 5 Comments

In the past years, Slovenia made it to the top of the bucket lists of many travelers and internet is bursting with advice on where to go in Slovenia and what to do in Slovenia. Most guides to Slovenia mention major Slovenian tourist attractions, such as Lake Bled, Ljubljana, Piran and Postojna caves. However, these places to visit in Slovenia are full of tourists during the summer.

For a small country, Slovenia has many beautiful places to visit. After living in Slovenia for seven years and exploring the country, Tereza hopes to show you which Slovenian tourist attractions are worth skipping and some alternatives to the most famous places to visit in Slovenia. …

Ein Tag in Haarlem: ein perfekter Reiseplan mit Aktivitäten in Haarlem

December 1, 2018 by Karen Turner 7 Comments

Wenn du die Niederlande besuchst, musst du von Amsterdam nach Haarlem fahren, einer typisch “niederländischen” Stadt. Haarlem ist ein sehr einfacher Tagesausflug von Amsterdam aus, nur fünfzehn Minuten mit dem Zug. Diese ikonische niederländische Stadt mit hübschen Kanälen, weniger Touristen, entspannter Atmosphäre und beeindruckender Architektur ist ein Muss für Menschen, die nur wenig Zeit in den Niederlanden haben. Lies weiter, um herauszufinden, was du in Haarlem unternehmen kannst, inklusive einem kompletten Tagesprogramm in Haarlem (mit Karte). Am Ende findest du eine ausführlichere Liste von Aktivitäten in Haarlem.

…

Where to find the best vegan food in Amsterdam by locals

October 25, 2018 by Karen Turner 1 Comment

As someone who has to skip Dutch cheese due to my IBS, I eat vegan quite often, however I’ve somehow never written about my favorite vegan places to eat in Amsterdam. I was recently in touch with Desmond and Karim, two Amsterdammers passionate about vegan food, and we’ve put together a helpful guide to the best vegan restaurants in Amsterdam.

…

Durbuy Belgium: The most beautiful day trip from Brussels

November 9, 2017 by Karen Turner 9 Comments

Durbuy, Belgium is a beautiful Belgian city in the province of Luxembourg in Wallonia (the southern part of Belgium). Before seeing a photo of Durbuy online, I had never heard of this picture perfect Belgian city, however, when I took a road trip through Belgium, we hightailed it to Durbuy to ensure that we had time to explore this beautiful Belgian town. Keep reading for the best things to do in Durbuy, Belgium, one of the most beautiful places in Belgium!

…