City Guides Archives - Page 9 of 12

Photo Diary: Portorož, Slovenia

Western Europe gets a lot of hype—as it should. Western Europe is home to stunning places from big, bustling London, England to small, charming Najac, France. But it’s a big continent, and there’s so much more that meets the eye than on social media. I remember receiving an email, asking me if I’d like to take part in a work conference in Portoroz, Slovenia. Always looking to travel more, I said of course! After I sent that response, I proceeded to open up Maps to locate exactly where this so-called Slovenia is. Let’s just say it’s been a long...

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What to Do in Najac, France

“There goes the baker with his tray like always…” I could almost hear Belle singing as I walked through the castle town of Najac; I’m convinced Beauty and the Beast was inspired by this idyllic French village (although there is some debate). Also one of the most beautiful villages in France, Najac is sure to enchant you with its cobblestone paths and castle views. Here’s how to spend an afternoon in Najac: Sunday market The Sunday sun beat down as we strolled past stall after stall from goat cheese to jewelry. Swantje, my roommate, and I ventured off while...

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Soul Searching on the Road: a Journey to the West Coast

With her teddy bear, her boyfriend and some photos, she left home and wouldn’t return for over five months. After a difficult year of panic attacks and a loss of motivation, Guinevere Sheafer knew she needed to stop her college studies to prioritize her mental health. “While I met some influential people and learned quite a bit during my time in school, my mental health was suffering greatly,” she said. “I isolated myself due to my constant state of sadness and feeling overwhelmed.” On June 16, 2017, Sheafer left Missouri with her boyfriend, Ryan Lupardus, in pursuit of the...

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City Guide: Montpellier, France

Over 24,000 steps and five hours of travel time later, I can say I’ve experienced the charming city of Montpellier in the south of France. In 2017, I took my first day trip to Montpellier, France, to meet up with my French pen pal, Wendy. But since moving back to France in 2020, I wanted to explore Montpellier even more. My good friend Kelly lives in Albi, and Montpellier was more or less the halfway meeting spot for us. This quaint, little big city is sure to charm you with its cobblestone streets and boutiques. After several mini trips,...

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Inside the Life of an Au Pair in Europe

Traveling abroad often costs a pretty penny, but several women found their way around that hurdle. Becoming an au pair opens a door into another culture, and it includes a paycheck. (Now we’re talking!) Abano, Italy, made sense for Kasey Ervin after enjoying her family vacation to the country several years before as well as studying Italian at her university. “The country, the sights, the language and the food are all too perfect,” she said. “I wanted to experience the language firsthand and improve my listening and speaking skills.” Like Ervin, Atti Hauer found her job on aupairworld.com. After...

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My Weekend in a French Castle

I couldn’t even have dreamed it. I have big plans for my life: to see the world, to make a difference in my community, to be bilingual. But never in my wildest dreams did I conceive of spending the night in a castle. Too far out. Too expensive. C’est trop. Cultural immersion isn’t always easy, but it opens doors to experiencing life abroad on a deeper level. When you’re in the culture, you meet people and do life with them. And one of these people happens to have a family castle in Aveyron. Words can’t describe my excitement when...

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A Weekend in the French Pyrénées

“Let’s get rich and buy our parents homes in the south of France.” Ingrid Michaelson sure knew what she was talking about in her song “You and I” because the south of France is absolutely stunning. (But sorry, Mom and Dad, because I’m buying a house for myself in the south of France before I buy one for you…) Even the views from the seemingly mundane highway were breathtaking with little sneak peeks on the mountains and sheep grazing in the fields. But I couldn’t have prepared myself for the beauty headed my way from the Pyrénées: The mountains...

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Photo Diary: Toulouse, France

It’s a big city but also a small town. I’ve never been anywhere like Toulouse: a bustling city with multiple metro lines yet boasts a small town charm. This city and its culture are incredibly beautiful, and these few snapshots can’t even convey all of its glory. Jardin des Plantes This garden had been recommended to me several times, and I thought, hmm gardens, okay, I guess that’s cool. I casually decided just to stroll through one day and instantly fell in love with this park-meets-carnival-meets-mini-hike-meets-playground. It’s the perfect spot to read a book, sip an Orangina or eat...

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Night at the Museums

Three museums in four hours? And all for free? Oh yeah, baby! It hadn’t even been a week of living in Europe, but I hit up La Nuit des Musées (Night at the Museums) with several friends. On this night hundreds of museums open for free in France and several other countries, and this day only comes once a year. And I’ve never experienced anything quite like it! Musée des Augustins Step into a world from centuries ago with its medieval, chateau-like architecture. This museum showcases statues, sculptures and a beautiful courtyard. Swantje, Caroline and I enjoyed the craft set...

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