Florence, or Firenze as the locals call it, was one of our favorite spots in Italy. It stands out as more of a hidden gem, maybe a little less popular, in terms of bigger cities in Italy. We were able to stay in a 4-star, boutique Bed and Breakfast called Residenza Castiglioni at 33% off thanks to our amazing travel membership. This hotel was so quaint, staff was incredibly friendly and helpful, and the breakfast was delicious!

Lindsay’s Aunt Carol live in a small coastal town in northern Italy called Imperia. It definitely has a small town feel, everyone saying hello to one another, local businesses, everything closes when it rains, and WiFi comes on an internet stick that plugs into your USB drive. They just got a McDonald’s a few months ago! About 40,000 residents, but a quick 30 minute drive to Alassio (a popular Italian tourist town) and an hour train ride to Monte Carlo in Monaco.

On the way to Milan we were on a train, a plane, and a bus all before 9am. But that has its advantages because we got an extra full day without having to travel. We were able to check in the Ibis Centro early and hit the ground running.
We went straight to the Duomo square where we had lunch and a glass of wine. The food was good, but it was pricey due to the location. But the view was great. The Duomo is located in the heart of Milan next to all the high fashion shopping. Lindsay had a blast window shopping and looking at all the clothes! We also got swindled by some fellas from Kenya, but we got nice bracelets out of it. Haha.

We arrived in Rotterdam just in time for dinner. A short walk from Hotel Rotterdam was a modern area full of restaurants and shops. We had the plan to eat at FG Restaurant which is the 5th best in Netherlands, but they were full so we walked to the end of the building and found Opporto. Amazing seafood!

The city of bikes is an understatement. We’ve never seen so many in one space. Be careful when crossing the street, they may not stop. Be careful riding a bike, watch out for cars, especially when in a small side street. The cars may hit you with their mirror – thankfully Lindsay wasn’t knocked off her bike or injured. We found that Green Budget Bikes was the least expensive, only €9 for 24 hours. They have a few locations in central Amsterdam, so it’s really convenient. It truly is the only way to get around.

We only had time for one stop in Belgium and most would think Brussels would top that list, but we heard so many good things about Antwerp and wanted to check that out instead. We were not disappointed. It’s called Antwerpen in Belgium so we made the joke we were Antwerpin’ the whole time we were there.

London is like the NYC of Europe. A city that never sleeps and there’s more to do than our mere day and a half allotted for. We always take to the streets and do as much walking around the city as possible.

We decided to take a short detour to Cardiff for a bucket list item. We found out the Wales rugby team was playing the New Zealand All Blacks! When we were in New Zealand a couple years ago, it wasn’t rugby season so we weren’t able to catch a match, unfortunately. So we jumped on the chance to see the famous Haka!

Ireland is tops! We had a meaningful few days there because we are both part Irish.
Our first question to a Dublin local was “Where can we get traditional Irish food and dancing?” The answer was O’Neill’s, which was a short 5 minute walk from our hotel in Temple Bar (super touristy area, but full of tradition and fun!). This bar is incredible. It’s very easy to get lost as it’s a huge place. We found a cute corner table right next to the bar where we had a delicious corned beef meal and local pints of cider and red ales. About 9pm, we headed upstairs where a table right next to the band was waiting open! We listened to Raglan Trail play some wonderful Irish music and were treated with traditional Irish folk dancing (River dance what?!). Lindsay got pulled on the dance floor – see video on our IG page.

From the 8th floor of our hotel room, we noticed a market going on down the block. We immediately got ready to head out for the evening and made our way to Buchanan Street – a place filled with shops, lights, restaurants, nightlife, and this amazing Christmas market. We wandered around admiring all the booths, drooling over the food, and listening to several street performers. One such duo of singers captured our attention with their medley of Chainsmokers songs. We listened to these guys for at least 30 minutes, dancing and singing along. Splendid – only wish we caught their names.

Iceland is like something out of a dream. You have to see it for yourself, but we will try our best to describe it and give you some tips along the way. Also, the language is difficult if you aren’t familiar, so please forgive if something is spelled wrong.