Hi everyone, it’s been a while! There is so much to share and so many new travel memories to recount. First, let me share some big life updates that have transpired recently!!
- I graduated from college. This whole post-grad thing is really new, and I am learning so much
- I traveled to Europe for the first time everrrrr! To put it simply… it was dreamy. I had so much fun and really got to immerse myself in the different cultures
- I moved out of my college apartment ☹, but I can’t wait to gain new decoration inspirations for my next one
Ok, I think those are some of the big updates. Now, on to the fun part… sharing about my trip to Europe, on a budget of course! This trip to Europe was full of firsts. My first time in Europe, my first time on a cruise, and my first time on a flight longer than 5 hours (not so sure that I enjoyed this last first though).
My dream of traveling to Europe originated in middle school. I remember the days where my friend Paige and I would dream up elaborate trips for when we got “older.” Well, we are officially “older” and made our dream become a reality. We also picked up a special friend along the way, her name is Meredith. The 3 of us are inseparable and I value their friendships so much.
Our trip consisted of a 12-day cruise, 2 days in London, and about 2 days in travel time. I admit, I wasn’t sold on the idea of a cruise at first, but let me tell you, it was the BEST and most COST EFFECTIVE way to see Europe for the first time. Some of our destinations included:
- Gothenburg, Sweden
- Rostock, Germany
- Tallin, Estonia
- Stockholm, Sweden
- Kiel, Germany
- Copenhagen, Denmark
Can anyone guess which stop was my favorite?? I know this may sound clique, but if you said “all of them” you are correct! Each stop was so unique and inspiring in its own way, and I looked forward to learning new things everywhere we went. Below I will share some of our favorite activities we did at each place:
- Gothenburg, Sweden
- Visited Gothenburg, Cathedral
- Visited the Haga District (Old Town) and tried some of the best matcha and rolls we have ever had
- Walked around downtown Gothenburg and visited local cafes and shops
- Rostock, Germany
- Took the train from the port to Rostock, about a 30–45-minute ride
- Walked around the city and looked at all of the beautiful architecture
- Ate at a great restaurant called “Old Western” and met some new people along the way
- Tallinn, Estonia
- Visited a famous cathedral called “Alexander Nevsky Cathedral” The architecture and setting of this cathedral is simply beautiful
- Walked around the cobblestone streets and felt like we were in the movie “Mamma Mia”
- Explored the old town of Tallinn and discovered the CUTEST café. You had to enter though an old arched channel way and then you walk into a fun, eclectic café. The coffee we ordered was truly amazing. For sure the best coffee I had on the entire trip, and maybe even just in general. That is also coming from a coffee connoisseur
- Visited “Rummu Quarry”, which is a pretty view with white sandstone cliffs. Our Uber driver Gleb was so kind and shared a lot of the history of Estonia with us
- Stockholm, Sweden
- Visited the Royal Palace
- Walked around the city (the city is such a great mix of new and old)
- We went to the famous “Ice Bar” in Stockholm. Yes, it was quite cold, however, it was such a fun and unique experience. Many pictures were taken
- Kiel, Germany
- We strolled through the streets
- Visited the pier and watched the cruise ships roll in
- Grabbed a delicious coffee at a café
- Surprisingly, my friends got tattoos! Also took many pictures on this stop and will be a memory I will tell people for a long time
- Copenhagen, Denmark
- We took a bus tour throughout the city (a great and cost-efficient way to see the city)
- Walked through the historic site “The Citadel”
- Ate at a charming sandwich/pub shop
- Ran back to the bus so we didn’t miss the cruise ship
Although it’s so much fun to share the amazing parts of this trip, I also want to share how it was done in a financially economical fashion. To start, the main way that we saved money was by cruising through Europe. Although a cruise may seem more expensive up-front, the “all-inclusive” aspect helps save you a lot along the way. Meals, coffee and basic drinks, and all activities on the boat were included. Also, not to mention, the ease of not having to take our bags everywhere we went made the cruise really handy. A few specifics of how we kept costs low:
- Efficiently planned out eating meals on the ship during land days
- For me, I made sure I only bought one coffee a day (or any frivolous drinks)
- I kept my souvenir buying to a minimum (I made plans and lists prior to visiting the countries)
- We planned transportation in advance to ensure the lowest prices
- I made a detailed itinerary to find small ways to cut costs
- We ate breakfast on the ship every morning before going on land
Overall, I am overjoyed I took some time to follow my dreams. Not only did the memories make it more than worth it, some of the lessons I learned along the way helped too. I can’t wait to share more specific details with you, so be sure to keep your eyes out for more blog posts coming soon! The TacticalTraveling girl is signing out for now, talk to you soon!!