Prague, Pretty and She Knows It

Part of my delay in writing about Prague was that I just... didn't like it as much as I expected to. Maybe this was because other travellers couldn't stop talking about it. How Prague is the best. So beautiful. So amazing. All this chatter got me pretty hyped about it – and that might be why it failed to reach these unrealistic expectations.

Each city has a vibe though. A feeling. And if I'm being honest, Prague wasn't giving off the right energy for me. It was overflowing with tourists, drunken British bachelor parties, and this strange sense of inauthenticity. Like it was a scene out of Disneyworld, all staged and dolled up for the tourists to come and gape at.

To be fair, we were in that horde of tourists. And to be true to this medium, I've written up a little recap of what Laura and I did during our time there.

Vienna, A City Steeped in Royalty

Our time in Vienna was short – but I wouldn't describe it as sweet. Stunning, yes. Enchanting and alluring with its intricate buildings and royal palaces. Lively and bustling. Upscale at almost every opportunity it's given. But gritty in parts too. Authentic. Sweet is too diminutive a word for this metropolitan masterpiece. It doesn't do it quite enough justice. But don't take my word for it. See the photos for yourself.

Out of all the cities Laura and I were visiting on our trip, I was least excited for Vienna. I heard the nightlife wasn't all that great. That the locals had an airy, haughty nature about them. That everything was glazed with a "better-than-thou" patina. And yet... Vienna surprised me the most. 

One of our best nights out was here. We had the most wonderful tour guide in the form of Laura's friend. The weather was perfect. And while there were a few bumps along the way (every single restaurant in our area stopped serving food at 10 pm the night we hungrily arrived!), we both loved Vienna so much. Here's some things I recommend doing...

Budapest, Something for Everyone

Before I get into reminiscing about one of my favourite cities in Europe, I just wanted to say – hello! Welcome to the blog! It's been a while! Over the next few weeks I'll be recapping mine and my friend Laura's mini Euro trip adventure we took this past May/June. We spent two weeks travelling through Budapest, Vienna, Prague, Berlin, and Amsterdam, and now it's finally time for me to commemorate the trip and consolidate my experiences (three months later…procrastination at its finest!).

Laura and I spent 3 days in Budapest... and it was the Budabest. The tourists don't swarm here. The architecture is incredible and detailed and delicate. The Danube river that divides the two sides of the city is a perfect backdrop to pictures. The food, the wine, the nightlife, the history, the baths – Budapest feels like it truly has something for everyone, no matter what you're interested in. Here's a breakdown of some things Laura and I raved about during our time in Hungary's capital.