My European Must See List

I hadn't a clue what I was getting myself into when we packed, shipped, and stored all of our belongings in the days immediately surrounding our wedding back in August. At the very least, I figured, I would get a first hand glimpse at another culture. 

In the grand scheme of things, six months isn't a large period of time. You have enough time to settle in, hardly enough time to get home sick, and daily opportunities to step out of your comfort zone. By two months in I guess I meshed perfectly already, as people were stopping me and asking for directions. This wasn't often successful for either party as German is still not my strong suit...

Regardless, this time has been filled with more than I could have ever begun to imagine. I like to think Tom and I knew each other quite well before moving to Germany. Together eight years, living together for three, totally comfortable around each other; we were fully knowledgeable about one another, weren't we? Oh but travel and ex-pat adjustment will bring you closer than you could ever imagine. Want to test your relationship? Travel constantly, live in close quarters, and be able to communicate only with each other. That will be an adventure in and of itself.

Through all of these experiences, we have built such an extraordinary base of memories and once in a life time opportunities that I simply had to share our top recommendations with you.

Favorite life long dream realized: London, England
London has been on my bucket list for as long as I can remember. London is also the one city I found hardest to leave. I am actually missing it dearly just thinking back on our four days there.

Things to see:

• Changing of the guard/Buckingham Palace
• Hampton Court Palace: You can spend an entire day there. Behind the golden leaf door at HCP's entrance was where Kate Middleton's wedding dress was made.
• Trafalgar Square: Walk from Buckingham to Trafalgar, it's so peaceful.
• Abbey Road: The iconic Beatles picture location, near St. John's Wood.
• Tower of London: Walk across the Tower Bridge and stroll along the Thames.
• Joe Allen's: Craving American food? Go here. It is also located in the theater district so you can catch a show while coming or going.

Favorite City: Ghent, Belgium
Why Ghent? Because Ghent was a total wildcard. We weren't initially planning on going there, we were thinking Brussels instead. It was on a whim, and a fantastic recommendation from a coworker of Tom's, that we ever heard of Ghent. It embodied everything I love about European cities. Ghent is located on a series of canals and had a very historical, even medieval, feel to it. A person will more than likely never go to Europe solely to visit Ghent, but if you are ever in the proximity, it may change your life.

Things to see:

• Canal tour
• Gravensteen Castle
• Shopping district: Their Zara Home store is heavenly.

Favorite country: Switzerland
Let's lead into this one with a dose of honesty. The one downside of Switzerland is the cost. It is a very expensive country to visit and, I would imagine, live in. I am partial as we honeymooned in Lucerne, but we've visited that city three times in all weather and I love it just as much.

Things to see:

• Lake tour (Lucerne, Switzerland)
• Lion Monument (Lucerne, Switzerland)
• Kapelbrucke (Lucerne, Switzerland)
• Swiss watch shops and chocolate shops

Best things in Germany:

We've done a great deal of traveling in Germany, so I had to give it it's own category.

• Heidelberg Castle: People say it's touristy, but I consider Heidelberg very worth your while. They have a 212,000 liter wine barrel. Argument made.
• Stuttgart Cannstatter Volksfest/Wasen: I have to pay tribute to our beloved Stuttgart. The Wasen is Stuttgart's Oktoberfest, and is far more fun and less touristy (says the tourist).
• Hiking behind Neuschwanstein. The castle tour is cool, but the trails are where it's at.
• Berlin's German History Museum: Easily two to three hours of reasonably priced entertainment. I promise you will learn a few things there, too.
• The Berlin Wall Memorial: There is something about this that really intrigued me.
• New Year's Eve in Stuttgart. People are blowing of fireworks, sparklers, and anything else that can get their hands on for hours. It's crazy, it's fun, and you can drink a great beer while watching.

Best things to eat in each country:

Because good food can make or break a trip.

• Austria: You must try the local wiener schnitzel
• Belgium: hot, fresh street waffle
• England: fish and chips or fresh fish, depending on your preference.
• France: Hot chocolate at a cafe
• Germany: Kase spatzle. The Swabian mac and cheese.
• The Netherlands: Dutch pancakes. Pancakes Amsterdam has huge ones, the best are the ones with whole strips of bacon cooked inside the batter.
• Switzerland: Their pizzas are on point.

Best travel tip:

We didn't have wifi abroad. Before leaving our house or hotel, we loaded the city map in our Google Map app on our phones. I would save locations of restaurants and sites on the map. Also, create a note with a list of back up plans and places with addresses. You can also load the route so it makes remembering trains and buses easier. Second best travel tip: use a backpack, instead of a suitcase, as often as possible. You can easily spend pre-train/airport time touring with a backpack.