On October 12th, 2016, I got onto a plane in Minneapolis and moved to England. It was the culmination of a dream I’ve had for what seems like forever, and it was the chance to finally get to live legally in the same country as the person I love. EDIT: This is now one of… Read More 15 Harsh Truths About Living In England
It’s been nearly a year since I moved to England. What a year it’s been! But those who know me will know that I’ve already lived in England before, for a year during my study abroad in Nottingham. Somehow, I happened to pick two cities that couldn’t be more different if they tried. So in… Read More A Tale of Two Cities: Nottingham vs. York
The last destination of my big trip this summer was Varna, Bulgaria. After 6 weeks of traveling through Eastern Europe, we planned to end the trip with a few days of R&R at the beach on the Black Sea. While this wasn’t my first trip to Bulgaria (I visited Sofia and the Rila Monastery this… Read More Varna: Bliss on the Black Sea
So many people skip over the capital of Romania, Bucharest, in order to visit the more popular tourist destinations in Transylvania (like Brasov). If I had to pick between the two, I’d definitely pick Brasov and Transylvania. But I am also so glad I also got to spend a few days in Bucharest at the… Read More A Quick Guide To Bucharest
During my time in Romania this summer, I was based in Brasov for half of it. I stayed at Kismet Dao Hostel, which I really enjoyed! Here’s my full review of the hostel: Location: Kismet Dao Hostel is in an excellent location for exploring Brasov. It’s a 10-minute walk to the Old Town, a 30-minute… Read More Hostel Review: Kismet Dao Hostel, Brasov
Brasov is at the heart of Transylvania. A region that is shrouded in mystery and secrecy, and almost always associated with vampires. What so many people don’t tell you is that Transylvania is also bursting with the natural beauty of the scenery. I was based in Brasov for several days, to explore both the city… Read More Brasov: An Introduction To Transylvania
I really struggled with what to write about Moldova. I spent 5 days here, based in the capital, Chisinau (pronounced Kish-in-ow), between time in Ukraine and Romania. Flying in from Kiev, I took a minibus across the border to Iasi. So I’ve done a mixture of both story time, and things to know before you… Read More Moldova: The Last Undiscovered Place in Europe?
Every once in a while, I stay at a hostel that is done right. There’s no other way to say it—it’s just good. Dream House Hostel in Kiev, Ukraine, is like that. You can clearly tell this is a professionally-run hostel, and it definitely made my stay easy. Here’s my full review! Location: Dream House… Read More Hostel Review: Dream House Hostel, Kiev
On my most recent trip to Kiev, I knew that one of the main things I wanted to do was visit the Chernobyl Exclusion Zone. It’s perfectly safe to visit today, with security checks in place, as well as restrictions regarding how much time you can spend in certain areas due to the level of… Read More Visiting The Chernobyl Exclusion Zone In Ukraine
If there was one place this summer that stole my heart, it would be Kiev. I don’t know what exactly it was—the laid back atmosphere, the surprising beauty of the city, the passionate people who love their country, or the fact that it was insanely affordable. But something about Kiev clicked with me, and I… Read More A Guide To Kiev
Another hostel review! One of my goals is to start creating a resource of accommodation reviews here on Away With Maja. I love hostels and always prefer to stay in them during trips. Here’s my review of Revolucion Hostel in Minsk, Belarus! Location: Revolucion Hostel has a great location right in Minsk’s city center. It… Read More Hostel Review: Revolucion Hostel, Minsk
Two of the most popular places to visit in Belarus are located just outside of the capital, Minsk: Mir Castle and Nesvizh Castle. While it’s (fairly) easy to get to either of these from Minsk, it’s tough to see both in the same day without joining a tour. There is virtually no public transportation between… Read More A Daytrip to Mir Castle From Minsk
Minsk is the largest city in Belarus, the country touted as “Europe’s last dictatorship.” With strict visa restrictions and relatively unknown attractions, Minsk sees very few tourists. But now with visa-free travel for 5 days, Belarus may soon be seeing more visitors than ever! Chances are if you’re headed to Belarus, you’ll be visiting the… Read More 17 Things To Do In Minsk
I’ve stayed at a lot of hostels during my travels over the years. Every once in a while, one comes along that you just absolutely love. A hostel so great you just want to keep it to yourself, and you find yourself planning trips just to stay there again. Naughty Squirrel Backpackers Hostel in Riga… Read More Hostel Review: Naughty Squirrel Backpackers Hostel, Riga
Riga, the capital city of Latvia, is an absolute gem in the Baltics that should not be missed on a trip to Eastern Europe. I’ve got a whole lot of love for this city—it was the location of my first solo trip in continental Europe (excluding Britain) and my first solo trip to Eastern Europe,… Read More 24 Hours In Riga, Latvia
As part of my goal to review more accommodation and hostels on the blog, I thought I’d do one on the hostel I stayed at in St. Petersburg. This location, Friends on Dostoevskogo, was part of a popular chain called Friends Hostels—while the hostel I stayed at had a fair few downsides, I think the… Read More Hostel Review: Friends on Dostoevskogo, St. Petersburg
With a city as rich in history as St. Petersburg, there’s no wonder that there’s plenty of great daytrips outside the city center. One of the most popular daytrips is to Tsarskoe Selo, literally “tsar’s village” in Russian, in the town of Pushkin, about 25km (~15 miles) away. Here’s everything you need to know before… Read More A Daytrip To Tsarskoe Selo From St. Petersburg
Peterhof is Peter the Great’s grand palace, located on the Gulf of Finland outside of St. Petersburg, Russia. On my first trip to Russia, I unfortunately missed visiting, due to getting sick and losing several precious days. I told all my friends who visited or studied in St. Petersburg that they absolutely had to go… Read More A Peterhof Daytrip: One of My Favorite Places in Russia
St. Petersburg is one of my favorite cities in the world. It really is yin and yang to the Russian capital, Moscow. Beautiful architecture, picturesque churches, and charming canals—what more could you ask for?! And no time is better to see the city than during White Nights, when the sun goes down for just a… Read More 25 Things You Must Do in St. Petersburg
Red Square is synonymous not just with Moscow, but with Russia itself. Located at the heart of the Russian capital, Red Square (or “krasnaya ploschad” // “Красная площадь”) is a massive square filled with some of the most noteworthy attractions in the country. Red Square is an enigma. You could easily spend several days here,… Read More Red Square: Your Guide To Moscow’s Top Attraction