The White Nights (Белые Ночи, “Beluye Nochi”) is the term for the time of year in summer, from early June to late July, where northern cities in Europe like St. Petersburg experience very long daylight hours. While many other northern countries (particularly Scandinavia) will experience this as well, St. Petersburg is famous for its White… Read More A Guide for St. Petersburg’s White Nights
One of my goals from this big trip is to review more hostels here on the blog. I love hostels—I almost always stay in them, either in dorms or in a private room. I’ve stayed at Godzillas Hostel in Moscow both on my trip three years ago, and again on this trip. I was even… Read More Hostel Review: Godzillas Hostel, Moscow
The Moscow Metro opened in 1935, and is the fifth-longest in the world. It carries up to 9 million people every day! While it serves a practical purpose for daily commuters, it is also one thing you absolutely must do on a trip to Moscow. You can get on and off at as many stations… Read More 10 Moscow Metro Stations You Must Visit
Moscow. The capital of Russia. The biggest city in Europe. Red Square, Stalin’s Seven Sisters, politics and history everywhere. There is a whole lot to see and do in Moscow (pronounced “Moskva” in Russian) that you might not even be sure where to start with a city like this! Have no fear, this is the… Read More 25 Things You Must Do in Moscow
Russia is an absolutely massive country, and one that so many people shy away from visiting due to the complicated visa process and the general “foreignness” of the language and customs. My trip to Russia was absolutely some of the best moments of my life, and definitely worth visiting! Since I only went to Moscow… Read More 20 Practical Tips For Traveling In European Russia
Britain is home to some of the most quaint scenery and cute houses. The county of Yorkshire is no exception! Of all of the charming villages I’ve been to, Thornton-le-Dale in North Yorkshire might be the most picturesque I’ve seen. I combined my daytrip with a great hike in beautiful weather. Thornton-le-Dale is one charming… Read More Thornton-le-Dale: Why You Need To Visit This Charming Yorkshire Village
In February, the country of Belarus in Eastern Europe introduced a new 5-day visa-free scheme. As Belarus is one of the most closed-off countries in Europe, this was a huge change and one that I knew I wanted to take advantage of. There is next to nothing available (short of the official government websites) about… Read More Visiting Belarus Visa-Free For 5 Days: Everything You Need To Know
The start of this trip in Russia was an absolute dream. With the visa process taken care of, I was so incredibly excited to go back to one of my favorite places in the entire world. There is so much to see and do in Russia, but with limited time I decided to go to… Read More My 30 Favorite Photos From My Trip To Russia
Three years ago, I was studying abroad in Nottingham and our group went on a long weekend trip up north. As we were driving from Fountain’s Abbey to York, Bob the bus driver made a detour and drove us in a quick loop around Ripon. I saw the magnificent cathedral, and (since we couldn’t stop)… Read More A Daytrip To Ripon
Russia is the largest country in the world and one of the most fascinating, beautiful, and diverse places on earth. But so many people don’t visit it for one simple reason: every person needs to have a visa to enter Russia. And the visa process is complicated and can be quite tedious. I’ve done this… Read More How To Get A Russia Tourist Visa In The UK
Personal post time. Three years ago, I visited Russia for the first time. It was the trip of dreams: two weeks solo in Moscow and St. Petersburg. Russia was my greatest dream. I’ve loved Russian history since I was a kid (thanks in part to the animated Anastasia movie), and as I’ve grown up I’ve… Read More On Returning To Russia
England is full of vibrant cities, charming towns, and quaint villages. On my most recent visit to Northwest England, I finally had the chance to explore the town of Chester properly. I’d visited Chester, in the county of Cheshire, previously for just a couple of hours, and it definitely wasn’t enough time. I’ve also spent… Read More Chester: Northwest England’s Hidden Gem
Since moving to York in October, I’ve made it one of my missions to explore as much of Yorkshire as possible. Before moving here, I had barely spent any time in the area—I went on a group trip when I lived in Nottingham to York (and Fountain’s Abbey). But I hadn’t traveled anywhere else. And… Read More Beverley: One Place You Can’t Miss in East Yorkshire
The Peak District National Park is quickly becoming one of my favorite places in England. The scenery is stunning, the villages are charming, and there is so much you can do in terms of outdoor activities. On my most recent trip to the Peak District, I was based in Edale and spent most of my… Read More The Peak District: Hope Valley, Castleton, Mam Tor, and More
Of all the things I wanted to see on my trip to Bulgaria, I really had my heart set on just one: the Rila Monastery. I’d seen photos of it everywhere, this magnificent monastery complex nestled in the mountains. And it definitely didn’t disappoint. This is a UNESCO World Heritage Site, the largest Eastern Orthodox… Read More Visiting The Rila Monastery, One Place You Can’t Miss In Bulgaria
I finally visited the Lake District for the first time last month! This national park has been on my list for years, but due to lack of gear, and the amount of time it would take to get there when I lived in Nottingham, it just never happened. And despite spending lots of time in… Read More Hiking The Old Man Of Coniston In The Lake District
Having fallen head over heels in love with the Balkans last year, I was determined to get to Bulgaria this year (and conveniently visit my friend living in Sofia). I was based in Sofia for my trip, but definitely didn’t have quite as much time to explore the city as I would have liked! I’d… Read More A Quick Guide To Sofia
Having spent large chunks of time living and traveling in Europe over the last few years, I’ve learned a whole lot of lessons. The US is so different from Europe, and there’s lots of basic information Americans should know before traveling to make their experience less stressful. Some of these may be natural for Europeans,… Read More 12 Things Every American NEEDS to Know About Europe
Now that I’m permanently living in England, I’m slowly but surely making my way through my local bucket list—seeing as much of Yorkshire as possible! So on a beautiful sunny day, I set off for the sea, to see the coastal town of Scarborough (and yes, I did sing the Simon and Garfunkel song “Scarborough… Read More A Sunny Day In Scarborough
Let me say it loud and clear: Vilnius is awesome and the Lithuanian capital surprised me in the best ways. Vilnius is a city that isn’t on the radar for lots of people traveling to Europe. But that means that it’s not inundated with tourists, and will give you more breathing room to explore. The… Read More What To Do In Vilnius, A Hidden Baltic Gem