Amsterdam was an incredibly beautiful city with a feel of romanticism and sophistication. Gone are the days of the city being so ubiquitously tied to the Red Light District as a dirty city of prostitution. While there’s plenty to do, this was the perfect city for a long weekend (we probably could’ve used one more day. Our experience was quote diverse given that we went from the post-impressionistic works of Van Gogh to a tour of the red light district with a former sex worker. The city is brimming with restaurants of different genres and equally charming wine bars. It’s a very walkable city and one that can be visited at any time of year depending on your weather preferences. We were there in February and had to pack for the colder temperatures, but it was actually a very cozy and enchanting time of year to be there.

This charming little city is the perfect weekend trip. It was just my mom and I, celebrating Mother’s Day with a girls only jaunt. After a quick flight and ride to our hotel, we hit the ground running. Given that it’s a relatively small city, we walked pretty much everywhere with the exception of one bike ride. I loved the contrast of the beauty of the old city and its rich history and the vibrancy of the newly gentrifying neighborhoods. There’s something for many here, but I would recommend Charleston even more so if you have an appreciation of great food.

The Douro Valley is to Porto what Napa Valley is to San Francisco. About an hour’s drive outside of the city, you’ll feel like you’ve been transported. The wines are bold and dynamic, and the terrain is like nothing I’ve ever seen before and clearly creates a completely unique landscape for grape-growing. If you are going to be driving, be forewarned that the roads are narrow and windy. I would recommend a driver if you plan on packing in a lot of wineries in one day as these roads require hyper-focus under the most sober of circumstances. Our drive to one of the wineries, Quinta do Monte Bravo, was harrowing to say the least. The other option would be to take an organized tour from Porto so you don’t have to worry about driving or even planning for that matter.

If only we had more time in this city. I will say that despite only being here one night, we did manage to pack quite a bit in. It’s a relatively small city, so I don’t think you need as much time as you perhaps would in Lisbon, but I would definitely stay longer on my next visit. This trip, we did one in Porto and three in the Douro Valley, and I would probably swap that in hindsight. To be fair, though, I’m more of an urban explorer than a “relax and sit still” kind of traveler. But this city had incredible character and history and, of course, stunning views right on the Douro River.

Barcelona is an ever-lively city with much to see, from the works of Gaudi to the varied street art. It’s a city where you can spend time in the beach or strolling through the streets. I’ve had many memorable meals, often having a bite here and a bite there, which is the beauty of tapas-style eating. While there is plenty to keep you busy in the city itself, it’s also worth a trip to Penedès wine region, about an hour or so southwest of the city. The region is classified as DO and produces many wines, most notably Cava. After France, Spain produces the second highest volume of sparkling wine created using the Champagne Method. Barcelona is also a great springboard for a drive north to the Costa Brava.

I kept hearing about Berlin, namely from the Europeans I worked with, but also in my tireless travel reading. The more I read, the more I wanted to go, from the rich history to the incredibly diverse food culture. I called my best travel buddy and booked us another round of girls-only airfare, and off we went. Who cares if it was the coldest time of year there and we needed a few extra layers? We were on the move so much that it didn’t even matter. Berlin is an easy city to get around, whether you’re walking or taking the bus or metro. Nearly everyone speaks English, so if you need to be pointed in the right direction, you won’t have to look far. The population is very young and very diverse. A melting pot reminiscent of New York, the liveliness at night made me feel right at home. Between the history, food, culture and art, this city is not to be missed.

I hadn't been to Florence since I was much younger and was presented with the opportunity to go for work. Those of you who know me also know that I'll never say no to Italy. I only spent three nights here, but even having work obligations, I managed to fit a lot in. It's a small city, making it totally manageable to get around on foot. I love this about Florence and never got in a car while I was there until my ride to the airport. Florence really is a thing of beauty and has some of the most stunning, regal architecture. Foodwise, I didn't have a bad bite, but I also did a fair amount of research and talked to several locals prior for their recommendations. As in love with Italian food as I am, I am not one to believe that you can't have a bad meal in Italy - you can. If you're a meat eater, you can't visit Florence without also ordering a bistecca alla Florentina, or a Florentine steak, along with trippa (tripe) or lamprodetto, which I talk more about below. This is not a city to eat lightly in, but then again, why would you? 

Portugal was an unexpected adventure that I could not be happier came to fruition. There are a lot of incredible resources in the country that are not necessarily recognized. From what I could gather, there was not as much of an openness to tourism until recent years. 

The Algarve has some of the most beautiful beaches I've ever seen. The food is also out of this world. Combine the two, and it's pure paradise. We stayed in Moncarapacho but had a car and moved around the coast easily. We did various day trips and even an late-night, impromptu trip across the Spanish border to Ayamonte, where we found an incredible wine bar. You could also park yourself on the beach and, I would imagine, be pretty content spending your time that way. Whatever route you go, you can't really go wrong when the surroundings look like they do here. 

What a magical city. The beauty of Paris combined with the magnificence of Champagne with some of my favorite people set the stage for an incredible trip. I don't think we could've possibly packed one more thing in, except perhaps on Sunday when we were moving a bit slowly due to being overserved. 

I almost forgot how much I love this city. I had been to Rome multiple times before, but I hadn't been in several years and was traveling with locals who offered a different perspective on the city. Thought this was a work trip, I managed to fit in a bit of sightseeing and am impressive amount of eating. I went to some of the staples, like the Pantheon and Trevi Fountain, which is a complete tourist trap. I think Romans' feelings on Trevi Fountain are similar to New Yorker's feelings on Times Square. If you've never been, it's beautiful and worth seeing.  If you have, explore the more uncharted territory of Rome, which there is a lot of. I also happened to be there on a Sunday, which afforded me the opportunity to see the Pope do mass in Vatican Square. This is quite an experience regardless of what religion you are. In terms of the major cities in Italy, Rome is at the top of my list right now, and I can't wait to go back and continue exploring. 

This trip was given by a birthday gift, but I ended up having just as much fun. There's such a feeling of camaraderie and spirit. 

Copenhagen was one of those trips that just kind of happened. I was checking my Gmail, and a banner ad popped up for cheap flights to Copenhagen via Norwegian Air. I had read bits and pieces along the way about Copenhagen but never seriously considered going until that fortuitous advertisement was staring me right in the face. I called my favorite woman to travel with, my mom, and we booked flights that night. Copenhagen exceeded expectations in pretty much every way. It's a beautiful city with a vibrancy that we truly appreciated. What can I say? Sometimes a girl just needs a spontaneous European getaway. 

Napa is one of my favorite places. After my first trip out there, I was hooked. The beauty of it combined with the incredible wine and food is not to be missed. 

San Sebastien is all about pintxos (or high-end, Michelin-starred restaurants). I believe they actually have the most Michelin stars per capita than any other place in the world. The old city is absolutely stunning and easy to walk around in.