Eating in Paris

From a close friend who spent her fall abroad in Paris, a list of favorite places to eat-

DINNER RESTAURANTS :
For classic, bistro-y French food :
1) L’Ardoisse : near the Opera Garnier ; nice restaurant w/ simple atmosphere but very authentic & EXCELLENT French food.
2) Restaurant le Christine : in St. Germain, cute, small, a little funky, & great, creative cuisine.
3) Le Rotisserie d’en Face: across the street from le Christine
4) Relais du Comptoir : also in St. Germain, *must get reservations. I’ve never been, but it’s super popular, & looks like a warm, bustling place. Food is apparently great.
5) Le Grand Colbert : by Bourse ; in the movie « Something’s Gotta Give, » high ceilings, brass fixtures, very french looking, need a reservation. Haven’t been; atmosphere may be better than food.
6) Robert & Louise: a charming, tiny steak place in the heart of the Marais, supposedly cozy & great
7) Bofinger: By the Opera Bastille, apparently a very classic French Bistro, w/ all the brass & red banquettes, classic bistro food, pretty classy; owned by a bigger company so may have a slight commercial air to it? I wanted to go here, though.
8) A la Petite Chaise: apparently the oldest restaurant in Paris,
9) L’Orangerie: on ile St. Louis (so, would be pretty to walk & see lights of Notre Dame on Ile de la Cite); went here w/ my grandparents; mix of modern & traditional atmosphere, chic, modern French food.

Ethnic Food:
10) **404: My favorite restaurant in Paris! In the Marais; very hip with an amazing far-east ambience & friendly staff. Great mojitos, cous cous, & tagines (Moroccan stews- get the Lamb & Prune!). Either an 8 pm or 10:30 PM seating… do the 10:30 if you want a better crowd. (Andy Wahloo is an apparently very cool, small bar right next door)

Hipper, more contemporary:
11) Des Gars dans la Cuisine: on Rue Vielle de Temple in the Marais (same st. as Robert & Louise, w/ great bars all around). Went w/ my fam- small, modern, & hip but cozy, w/ inventive, yummy food.
12) Georges: On top of the Pompidou Center, apparently $$, super trendy, & really cool, w/ a great view of the city. Anna went w/ her family & loved it.
13) Café Charbon: went here w/ a big group- in Oberkampf, bright, brassy, big, loud, & crowded; I had a great meal.

FOR LUNCH:
1) La Duree: as you know, famous macaroons. Good for $$ lunch or tea, at either the Champs Eylsee or St. Germain branch (smaller, but equally lovely)
2) Angelina: on Rue de Rivoli. Go here before/after the Louvre for the world’ best hot chocolate (SO rich, but amazing). Food is too $$$.
3) Cosi: great casual sandwich/ salad place in St. Germain, w/ amazing bread (not the coffee chain!)
4) Café Flore or Les Deux Magots: across from eachother in Place St. Germain. They’re Parisian institutions where Hemingway, etc. used to always go. Pretty average food, but worth saying you’ve been.
5) Chez Marianne: Right off of Rue de Rossiers (the cobblestoned jewish street) in the Marais. Great if you want falafel & ethnic food but want a nicer atmosphere.
6) L’As de Falaffel: World famous- if you want the REAL Parisian Falaffel experience!!
7) Nectarine: for brunch in Place de Vosgues, a beautiful brick square in the Marais.

Destination: Prague

PRAHA ON MY MIND. That’s one saying I identified with, being born in Atlanta where our state license plate reads “Georgia on my mind”. It was there, in that Golden Lane touristy shop on a freezing day the last weekend of October, that I smiled to myself.

Prague was the last stop on our fall break vacation—first Budapest, then Vienna, now the Czech Republic’s capital. I had been once before with my family, but that was back when I was 13 and all I could remember was seeing Owen Wilson in a bathrobe and slippers at our hotel’s brunch.

Before returning back this time, however, it was clear to my friends and I that Prague was a tourist destination in eastern Europe not to be missed. We had, in fact, planned our trip around it. Everyone that I talked to—in France and back at home in the US—seemed to rave about the city. Was it the tourist attractions? The food? Or the fact that it was perhaps very accommodating to Americans? Only time would tell…

We first checked in at our hostel, the Czech Inn (get it?), the nicest we had stayed at during our 2 week trip. What an awesome morning brunch they served. If you happen to stay there, we ate dinner at a great local spot the first night—Nakozacce.

Things to do during your trip
-Definitely start off with the Free Walking Tour of the city: the morning one starts at 11am and lasts 3 hours but that includes a 20 minute bathroom stop where you can also grab food if you forgot to eat breakfast. Great tourguide and perfect way to get a real feel for the city. Did I mention it is completely free?

-Sites include: the Old Town Square & Astrological Clock, Charles Bridge, House of Black Madonna & Museum of Cubism, Church of Our Lady before Tyn, Prague Castle & St. Vitus’ Cathedral, Old Jewish Quarter, Old New Synaogue & the Golem, Spanish Synagogue, Czech Philharmonic, St. Nicolas’ Church, Kinsky Palace, Wenceslas Square, Art Nouveau Municipal House, Power Tower, Statue of Jan Hus, WWII Prague Uprising

-Walk across famous Charles Bridge: our walking tour guide Colin had previously mentioned that it when it was made, the builders threw cheese, eggs, and wine in it! Just an interesting sidenote

-Visit the Jewish Quarter and Museum
-The museum is full of artwork done by Jewish children in the ghetto before they were taken by the Nazis or escaped
-See the Old/New Synagogue
-Beautiful old cemetery from the first half of the 15th century, holds over 12,000 bodies

-Go to the John Lennon Wall, right off of the Charles Bridge

-Spend a half-day exploring Prague Castle: on our way there we stopped at the Church of St. Nicholas in Mala Strana (The Little Quarter) which had awesome Baroque interior
-The area includes a guard walk, St. Vitus’s Cathedral, St. George’s Basilica, Old Royal Palace, the crown jewels, and Golden Lane which is full of touristy shops

Eating
-Bohemian Bagel: MUST GO
-U Bulinu
-Klub Architektu: awesome restaurant that was literally an underground cave, menu was huge and so many local specialties it was hard to decide what to eat
-Cantina: craving Mexican? Go here (it’s right off of the John Lennon Wall)

Going out
-DEFINITELY do a pub/bar crawl. We stuck with all the other Americans our age in choosing “Prague’s Hottest Bar Crawl” but in a foreign city that I didn’t know much about, I wouldn’t have done it any other way. The crawl met at astrological clock at 9pm and between then and 2am, it took us to four different places—a truly amazing way to see the city and what the nightlife was like. Spots included Molly Malone’s (pub), Nebe (cocktail and music bar with underground lounge), Chapeau Rouge (all underground), Club Roxy (techno dance party)
-Zlaty Strom: this is where we celebrated Halloween. Had many different rooms, even some dancers

Destination: Budapest

We visited Hungary’s capital on the first few days of our two-week fall break, les vacances de Toussaint. Flew out of Geneva and arrived in Budapest later that afternoon, with no idea what to expect other than the fact that Eastern Europe would be different. And change it was—Budapest was a lot larger than I imagined, had culture and industry and the rich and poor mixed right together, was surrounded by locals who spoke a complex tongue with a harsh accent, and the food was definitely unusual. It was also my first experience in a hostel, and to make stories even better, we soon learned where the place, Casa da Musica, got its name…. it doubled as a dance studio.

Things to do
-Visit the Hungarian National Museum: it holds the largest collection of Hungarian relics (from the Rakoczi War of Independence to 1990) and the downstairs is the Lapidarium (with Roman, Medieval, and early modern stone collections). Overall, the museum plays hosts to much armor, crowns, pendants, furniture, musical instruments, and art

-Go to a concert in St. Stephen’s Basilica: you’ll see tickets being sold on the stairs near the entrance. We did a one-hour classical performance called “Ave Maria Air Alleluja”. Come here for a concert, take in all the architecture and beauty inside the church, then eat out for dinner in the surrounding area

-Spend a half-day wandering through the Castle District. Make sure to stop at Matthias Church and the Fisherman’s Bastion during your trip (which has great views that overlook Buda, if my memory serves me correctly). Watch out for a throng of tourists

-Go to the baths or a spa. But be warned—a few friends and I decided to visit the famous Gellert Hotel and Spa and there was definitely a miscommunication when we asked and paid for a traditional foot massage (1600HFT). Our afternoon consisted of us (essentially) putting our feet in a bin of hot water. There was no massage involved. The attendant also called Hannah’s feet a catastrophe during her “pedicure”

-Walk across the famous Chain Bridge—the country’s first bridge monument, has lights at night and quite an impressive view of the Castle District in the background

-Look at all the tourist vendors (seen on any of the main streets) to get an idea for the products the country specializes in—porcelain, embroidery, etc.

-Go to the Ecseri flea market outside Budapest for a morning of antique and vintage shopping

Eat
-Definitely branch out and try the traditional delicacies like goulash in its many forms (soup, stew, beef). Hungary also known for stuffed pancakes called palacsinta. The hot spice paprika is usually served on dishes
-Coffee Heaven, with the logo “good food, good mood”, quickly became our local Starbucks

Night-life
-Irish Cat Pub was close to the area of town with the Hungarian National Museum—relaxing pub to grab a few beers. This is where Ann started her coaster-collecting trend
-Simpla was really cool—half indoors and the other half outdoors, with a good crowd of 20-year-olds and fun music, even had empty bathtubs and tall, funky lights as decorations
-Morrison’s Music Pub was awesome—we walked from Simpla which felt like it took about an hour but it was well worth it and cover charge (everything in Budapest is cheaper than central Europe, by the way). Had cool underground tunnels with a different type of music in each room

Destination: Marrakech

My roommate Elyse had always wanted to go to Morocco after hearing how much our friend Isabel enjoyed visiting that previous summer. She was constantly on the lookout for cheap EasyJet flights and, one day, found a roundtrip from Lyon to Casablanca, convincing me and our other friend Callie to jump on board. Though traveling doesn’t fully summarize what made up our journey in Marrakech, it surely is a subject worth mentioning since it ended up being a large part of our adventure, much to our surprise.

We visited this cultural town of Morocco the first weekend of December, and witnessed and underwent some of the most drastically new and unusual experiences of our lives. Hands down, when mentioning this trip to friends, is one I would say “made” my semester abroad. Therefore if you’re in Europe, especially in some of the southern countries like France or Spain for example, I absolutely URGE you to book a trip to Morocco. We chose Marrakech because of its proximity to our city of arrival (Casablanca), but I have also heard that Fez is another popular tourist destination full of culture and vitality.

To do BEFORE you arrive
-Watch the movie Casablanca if you haven’t already seen it!
-Book your accommodations at a Ryad/Riad— these are former guesthouses and essentially modern day bed-and-breakfasts. I’ve heard hostels are something you want to steer clear of in Morocco, and our representative at the Ryad, Youssef, essentially served us as an amazing chaffeur and guide to the city we couldn’t have survived without
-It is a good experience to stay near the big Market in the old part of the City.
-If you do decide to travel do so with your friends, not alone. The people are friendly and many speak English but it is such a poor country that everyone is trying to sell you something and some can be aggressive.

-Transportation:
-Make sure you’re on track with your way of getting from point A to point B—FYI trains in Morocco tend to run late and 2nd class tickets DON’T guarantee a seat, just a spot on the train. Actually claiming a seat in 2nd class is determined by the number of people taking the train that day, whereas paying a little higher will get you a reserved place in the first class cabins
-Whenever you get in a cab or carriage, settle the price BEFORE you get in

Once there:
-Eat in Djemma el Fna, the center of town. Some places feature terrace views where you can eat on the top, outdoor patio of the restaurant and overlook the expansive area below
-We ate in this area every night, it’s always packed and while the stands all serve about the same type of food (bread and salsa type dish to start, then meat or vegetable taboullah), they sure do try to convince you to dine with them
-Nightime is also full of tons of entertainment like snake charmers
-With this, though, be aware—they’ll make you pay for anything they can (i.e taking a picture, holding them even if they offer you)

-Explore the Souks: outer markets and stalls surrounding Djemma el Fna
-There is a lot of shopping and site seeing but it is all through tiny, narrow streets
-Definitely bargain! They’ll expect you to – don’t pay more than 50% of what they ask – they’ll act indignant and offended, but just walk away if they do – there are 50 other vendors selling the same thing.
-When purchasing, I’ll always remember how Youssef stressed the importance of quality
-Things to buy: there are many straw bags and purses, shoes, scarves, and leather goods of several designs and colors. Also be on the lookout for spices, jewelry, precious metals, wooden boxes, and other ornaments

-Invest in the three building pass at the Mederssa Ben Youssef – go explore then visit the “herbologist” store near the entrance! The cutest man runs it and I had the best time in there, we even came out with free “magic” lipstick

-Visit the Jardin Majorelles: they are owned by Yves Saint-Laurent and Pierre Bergé, and are a beautiful garden collection featuring vegetation from 5 different continents

-Ride a camel: we went in the Palmeraie, but make sure to bargain wherever you go!

-Take a donkey carriage ride instead of a taxi

-Have their specialty green tea at the end of dinner

-Never went but heard a day trip to the Atlas Mountains was another recommendation


From Isabel:
-Eat at Grand Café de la Poste – it is the inspiration for Rick’s café
-I didn’t get to do it when I was there, but everyone told me to go to a hammam and get a Moroccan massage, as long as you don’t mind basically being felt up
-Take a LOT of cash!!! You’ll want to buy things and practically NO ONE takes credit cards there

-Casablanca: a pretty industrial city, which is why we chose Marrakech as our principal destination. The only tourist attraction Elyse, Callie and I visited on our way back from Marrakech to the Casablanca airport was the Hassan II Mosque, but it was quite a site to see!

A few other notes:
-There are plenty of tourists around
-It is a good idea to bring a scarf to wear over your shoulders, jeans and comfortable shoes are fine. Another idea for protection for girls was to wear a ring on their wedding finger
-Only drink bottled water as well

Destination: London

Recommendations from a friend in the art world! All the architecture to see in London--

Houses of Parliament—so, so obvious but risk taking a tour, get inside, a colossal masterpiece and one of the most influential buildings in modern times.

Banqueting House, Inigo Jones, 1619-22—the most chaste and elemental form of delicious Classicism. Nobel and sumptuous at the same time. Rare feat. Near St. James Park—very sweet area.

Museum of Natural History—Alfred Waterhouse, 1860-80. A giant among museum buildings. The empire at its full flowering, world straddling, avaricious and strangely obsessed with organization.

St. Paul's by Wren 1675-1710. A perfect expression of architectural genius, engineering inventiveness, National pride, Nazi-surviving glory. All this and one of the most inspiring and peaceful places on earth.

Sir John Soane's House museum, near Lincoln Inn Field—one of the most intriguing, quirky, idiosyncratic, bold, arresting, talented, elegant and never disappointing homes in the Western world. Ever. Yes, ever.

St Martin in the Fields, James Gibbs, 1722—as important as it is for London and England (and it is) it also inspired scores, if not hundreds, of churches in the early, naive, inchoate and derivative United States.

Whitechapel Art Gallery, C. Harrison Townsend, 1897-1901. An exuberant burst of late Victorian/early Edwardian creativity. Odd, beautiful, recently restored and in Jack the Ripper's neighborhood to boot!

Cadogan Square (above the Museum of Natural History and all of Albertopolis, ask anyone smart in these things). A fabulous 1880s neighborhood of exquisite and charming (almost overly charming) late Victorian homes—many for artists and architects themselves.

All Saints, Margaret Street, William Butterfield, 1859. A titan, profoundly influential and a strong-willed, risk-taking, no-nonsense, overly-ambitious, critic-hated, and hugely successful artist. The exterior is almost (and undeservedly) lackluster now but the interior, especially on a good day, is literally overwhelming in its detail, complexity, masterful execution and unexpected and convincing harmony. Wow.

Tower House, 29 Melbury Rd, William Burges, 1872—his own house and once Jimmy Page's (Led Zeppelin). Both drug-addled aesthetes at their peak. Demure exterior but a dynamite interior. The neighborhood has many, many architects and artist houses. You can get a guide. A wonderful walking tour and then lunch at Harrods.

Also here see Debenham House, 1906 on Addison Road and Lord Leighton House, 12 Holland Park Road. Now a museum 1884. Exotica (Arabian) at its most wonderful and convincing. What a painter. Fashion and current tastes be damned!

Destination: Zermatt

I had never heard of this place before but ended up having an amazing trip here… which is why, looking back, it’s hard to imagine my fall semester without Zermatt. My friend Annie was the one who invited me to her aunt and uncle’s “chalet” in this wonderful, small mountain town in Switzerland. It took three separate train rides, about a half a day in travel time, and I was all by myself (aka if I ever got lost I doubt anyone would have been able to locate me), but it was a great weekend with several close friends that couldn’t have been more memorable.

For a weekend in Zermatt, or another ski town in Switzerland:
-Zermatt is small, almost all of the buildings are “chalets”, and there is no street traffic other than the standard taxi and shuttle cars. If you end up in a small town like this, then, make sure you don’t pack too heavy and that you have comfortable shoes for some good walking around
-Go in the wintertime so you can experience the Christmas markets and perhaps some snow too!

-Take advantage of the Swiss Alps—definitely go both hiking and skiing. The scenery is absolutely breathtaking and unlike anything you have ever seen before. There are probably plenty of other winter sports in your area, too, such as snowboarding, tobogganing, and ice climbing

-Have or make a big breakfast: pancakes, eggs and bacon, etc. in order to gear up for your big day out
-Spend an afternoon in at your chalet/hotel/hostel so you can relax with a movie, puzzle, or some hot chocolate

-Explore the shops in the center of town. Walk around or just window-shop if you’re on a budget (in a small, ritzy type place like Zermatt many of the stores carry expensive merchandise). Check out any of the local markets, festivals, etc.

-Collectibles to come back with:
-Swiss chocolate, obviously
-Hats and scarves, any winter clothing really
-From the markets: ornaments, wooden trinkets, think about holiday gifts

Destination: The French countryside

My friend Callie had her entire family over to Lyon for Thanksgiving. They weren’t planning to celebrate the holiday in France, however, their plan was to rent a car and drive to Switzerland, trek through the Black Forest on their way up north, and somehow end up at the well-known Christmas markets in who-knows-where in Germany. Before this adventure, though, they wished to explore a bit of the French countryside. And I was the lucky fifth passenger in their small Peugeot who opted for a free afternoon of wine and cheese over my French class on gender and politics. Who wouldn’t?

Suggestions for a spur-of-the-moment, no-concrete-agenda journey through the French countryside:

-Visit in the fall or spring when the weather is warm and the leaves are out. The colors are magnificent, and you’ll witness romantic hillside villages and beautiful scenery

-Have somewhat of a plan on transportation even if you aren’t completely sure where your afternoon will take you: train or car, and if it’s a vehicle make sure your driver is equipped to drive stick shift unless they specifically rented an automatic

-Make sure you have a GPS, iPhone or map to roughly guide your way through

-Of course keep in mind when it’s going to get dark and when you want to be driving back home

-Take pictures of everything from a small plant, to grape vines or an orchard field

-Walk inside an old church or town hall if it’s open

-Go wine or champagne tasting

-Have a relaxing lunch for at least an hour or two, soak up the view and have a taste of the good life

-Ask locals for their recommendations about what to do and where to go next. It was actually our waitress at lunch who gave us the name of a wine producer and then took us to his home for tasting

-Afternoon snack: try a charcuterie plate with lots of different meats and cheeses, have a baguette or two, and the local wine

Some site recommendations:

-Perouges: and old medieval city, must try a galette (a flat cake, almost like a crepe)

-Oingt: the name is just amusing to pronounce. Another small beautiful town, and this one was covered in buildings bathed in orange and golden colors. We hiked up to the top part of the town where there was a school, courtyard, and old church. The expansive view of fields and fields covered in purple and blue was breathtaking

-Beaujolais: we were fortunate and lucky to be in this region at the time of Beaujolais’s well-known annual festival

-Champagne

-Look for small specialty shops, museums and artwork, the town center or ancient monuments, churches, and local markets or festivals

Destination: Geneva

Geneva was the first trip I took during my fall semester abroad. It was also the first trip (out of the United States) I had taken where I was solely responsible for my accommodations, food, and activities to do during the day. No one else was going to tell me the itinerary, or to eat here or visit this… it was all up to my two friends and I to plan, or plan last-minute plans throughout our stay.

I still remember the first thing my host director said to me when I told her I’d soon be off to Geneva that weekend: “Oh that place is for old, boring people!”. I looked the other way, having already bought my ticket and honestly very excited about my first journey out of Lyon, and on my own (with the exception of two other girls).

Looking back on the trip I’ll be the first to admit that Geneva wasn’t amazing. At a short glance, or perhaps overall, it is a historic town full of lots of serious business people. At the same time, though, it has a charming town square, a handful of diverse museums, and tons of things it’s globally known for like watches, Swiss army knives, and of course chocolate.

If you’re traveling from France, you might select Geneva since it is so close to the east part of the country. That (only 2 hours away from Lyon), and the cheap train tickets (about 10-13 Euros each way), is why we chose visit the city. A visit to Geneva is definitely worth a trip but overall I would firmly state that you can see most of what you want in a weekend’s visit, and to recommend that you make it one of your first trips abroad because a)it is a nice baby-step into traveling, and b)because you will see a lot more exciting things in future places.

My recommendations for a 2-3 day visit:

-Go to the lakefront (which overlooks Lake Geneva) and you’ll see the Jet d’Eau, a large water fountain that is one of the city’s most famous landmarks

-You can also take boat tours from this area

-Explore the old part of town: you will catch the market in the morning. Plan to have breakfast or lunch there and, if the weather permits, sit outside!

-Place du Bourg-de-Four is the very heart of it

-See Place Neuve: it includes the Grand-Théâtre (the opera), the Conservatory of Music, and the Rath Museum

-Take a look at Saint Peter’s Cathedral: only 157 steps will take you to the summit of the cathedral’s north tower

-Tourist attractions: we visited The UN and Red Cross/Red Cresent Museum, both definitely worth a visit especially because they are right across from each other! Others recommended:

-Art and History Museum on Rue Charles-Galland: has archaeology, fine arts, and applied arts

-Rath Museum: another for fine arts

-National History Museum: the largest in Switzerland

-MAMCO: museum for modern and contemporary art

-Conservatory and Botanical Gardens

-Shop: for watches, jewelry, and many high quality Swiss and imported goods

-Walk inside a chocolaterie and buy a bunch of goodies for your trip home, or a wrapped package to send to friends and family back in the US

-Other traditional eats: filets de perches, the Longeole (a pork sausage spiced with wild fennel, garlic, muscat nut and white wine) and Cardons (a thistle-type-stalk vegetable that tastes like artichoke and is best served au gratin)

-Nightlife:

-Start off at a pub, like the one we went to: Mr. Pickwick’s. It’s the oldest English club in Switzerland and has two floors, the bottom one hosts live music

-The pub introduced us to two guys who then took Elyse, Ann, and I to a late-night club called Java. It was the first club we had ever gone to in Europe so needless to say we were instantly entertained and amazed

*** Know that Geneva is the third top financial center in Europe, and rather expensive. Maybe that’s why all the old and serious people live there.

Destination: Barcelona

Barça, Barça, Barça, or, as the Catalonian pronunciation sounds… Barthhhalona. The people have such a thick, strong accent that almost makes the word “Barcelona” seem like it is spoken with a lisp. My friends and I visited this hometown of the well-known Antoni Gaudi the first weekend of November and what a whirlwind of a weekend it was… I felt like we were always on the go—cramming our time by jumping from one tourist attraction to the next, trying to find a reasonable and normal place to eat, and of course the nightlife is famed for starting at midnight and going into the early hours of the morning. Though it had been less than a week since we arrived home from Toussaint, our two week long fall break, we had stumbled upon this cheap EasyJet flight from Lyon to Barcelona earlier in the year, and thought, yes, Barcelona is one of those places you just have to visit.

Things to do:

-Go to La Boqueria: the huge food market that occurs daily. You’ll see everything from fresh fish and seafood to pigs’ legs, fruits and vegetables (get your own fruit smoothie!), breads and pastries, wine, candy, and even restaurants. Most of the vendors there are the third and fourth generation of salesmen in the market, and it is most definitely one of the city’s most popular attractions

-Walk down Las Ramblas, one of the busiest streets in central Barcelona full of tourists and locals alike. Street performers, flower stalls, even pets for sale…

-Be aware it’s a prime area for pickpocketing, much like the rest of Barcelona!!!

-Visit at least one of Gaudi’s masterpieces, they so much represent the pride of Barcelona and its people. Everywhere you go, you see and hear of him…on postcards, magnets, etc. Sites include:

-Casa Batlló and La Pedrera: two of the houses he was hired to build, really cool and unique architecture

La Sagrada Familia: walk all the way around it, there’s always construction going on so it’s up to you if you want to pay to go inside and navigate but it’s equally amazing from the outside

-Park Guël: take the metro to Valcarca on the green line, just follow signs when you get off and you will hike up a little hill with escalators, park is awesome, go in the afternoon or sunset before the it gets dark!

-Spend an afternoon in el Barrio Gotico (The Old Gothic Quarter): try it for lunch and shopping. The main street Passieg de Gracia has some of the huge department stores (Zara, Mango, etc.) but as you wander further and further in, you’ll see lots of little boutiques, vintage shops, market stalls, chocolate and ice cream shops all along the narrow streets

-Spend an afternoon here for lunch or shopping

-You can find great jewelry and scarves here

-Go to the Picasso Museum: 6 Euro entry, it has key art of Picasso’s times in Barcelona— early in his career up to the Blue Period, as well as in 1917 and other days when he again visited. I have to admit I was a little disappointed not to see more of his significant and well-known works like The Three Musicians or La Guernica but this exhibit did have a very cool 44-piece interpretation of Velazquez’ Las Meninas

-Another place to visit is the Barcelona Maritime Museum, beautiful old Gothic building and worth the time if you check it out

-Experience Barcelona’s spectacular waterfront: grab a few beers and walk through the various ports (Vell y Olimpico) around sunset

-Drink champagne—called “cave” in Spanish. The area around Barcelona is well-known for it,and if you have the time, you can take a very inexpensive, short, and fun trip (40 minute train) to one of the vineyards for Champagne tasting

-Nightlife:

-Spain has at least 10 bars on every street so start out by going anywhere to get tapas and drinks

-Another option is going to grocery store along Platja Barceloneta (Barcelona Beach, Port Olympic area) and buying the food and drink of your choice to chill on the beach and pregame. (Drinks will cost you 12 euros in the club)

-After dinner, we began our Friday at Chupitos, a really fun shot bar where you can choose from quite a variety… the Willy Wonka (Baileys, whipped ream, M&M’s) and the Girl Scout (shot is lit on fire with a marshmellow on a stick) are just a few

-Right off the beach is the club area, lots of cool places like Opium, Shoko, Razzmatazz (little overwhelming because it’s 5 clubs in one) that you’ll want to go to. They all close around 6 so make sure you’re rested up for a big night!

-Dow Jones is a really fun little bar where the beer prices work like the stock market and there are "crashes" and the prices are really cheap.

-Another night we went to this Indie-type placed called Club Elephant

**Beware of pickpocketing**

It’s especially bad in Barcelona so just make sure you have your hand on your bag and eye on your belongings all day/night. Be especially careful on the metro (after coming home at night) and Las Ramblas/touristy areas. Didn’t have any serious problems except my friend (who was coming home on the metro at 6am) got his wallet pickpocketed from behind… somehow, he ended up chasing the guy down and getting his things back but obviously that is something that no one wants to experience

Travel Tip: My Best Advice

A list of the top recommendations, suggestions, and tips I could give to someone about to study and travel abroad, from personal experience and friends and family, and in no particular order...

-Visit the tourism office for free maps, brochures, and pamphlets on what to do in your city and when special events are coming up

-Always ask for student discounts when purchasing tickets (especially passes for travel, museums, and plays)

-Take advantage of the free festivals and exhibits your town has to offer, like the ones that happen every week on the same day or only once a year

-Celebrate at least one of your country’s national holidays

-Decide what is going to be your best way of communication with friends and family back home and new acquaintances you meet abroad—a Skype plan, computer, local cell phone

-For cell phones in France, try Orange or FNAC

-Not only will you use Skype to communicate with people back home but you’ll be amazed how useful it is when talking with your abroad friends—the chat box serves as an instant messaging system, and it’s essentially free to call up a friend computer-to-computer which will help you save tons on your phone’s mobicarte

-Figure out the metro system: the station closest to you, what routes you will take, what kind of pass you will need. Note what kind of money is accepted for tickets, in Lyon for example you can only purchase individual tickets with coins

-With this, always HOLD ONTO your tickets until the END of your journey. The metro in Paris, for example, requires you to re-submit your stub upon exiting the train. Just be aware of what the policies are in every place you visit

-Eat out and try as many different types of foods as you can. Obviously you’ll probably be the most adventurous with this at the beginning of your trip when you don’t feel as broke as you will in a few months…

-First, make sure you try the specialties your city/region is known for. Not sure what all the famous dishes are? Just ask the waiter or a local for their recommendations

-Same goes with your purchases at the grocery store—branch out from what you would normally buy in the US!

-After a big visit at the grocery store, save your receipt and practice learning the words of all the things you just bought

-Go to a foods store to purchase a variety of delicious items to then have a picnic outside

-Go to a European sporting event. We went to a Olympique Lyonnais soccer game in the fall, the fans were ridiculous

-Collect something; postcards, maps, coasters, museum brochures, coins, magazines/newspapers, stickers, even an item as mundane as a subway ticket… it’s pretty cool to see what you accumulate during your time abroad and who knows, you could later turn this into a collage, photo album cover, or put it under a glass table top

-Have a 5-10 pocket deep folder contraption to store any of your above collections as well as travel tickets, itineraries, copies of important documents like your passport, etc.

-Write in a journal, or keep a scrapbook or blog

-Take as many pictures as you can

-Before you leave, though, make sure you know how many pictures one of your camera card’s can hold. And don’t forget to charge your camera before a trip

-If you’re allowed to take pictures of art at museums, go for it. It saves you the cost of buying postcards and honestly will help you remember some of the pieces much more

-Travel by train (one of the top reasons I love Europe)

-Put a note in your bag/purse that you’ll always have with you that says “If you found me, this belongs to your name. I am currently studying abroad in place, but traveling in place for duration/days. I hope you know how much I would appreciate having this personal belonging back. You can reach me at email/phone number, or send it to home address (apartment or home stay). Thank you for all the help, I hope the favor is paid back to you one day when in need. Sincerely, your name.

-This was an idea my friend Emily did during our 2 week fall break. Luckily she returned with everything in hand, but it doesn’t go without saying

-Have a dinner party

-Do a pub or bar crawl

-Go to an international party (look at what your study abroad school has to offer). Or at least host a pregame with guests from several different countries—tell your American and French friends to invite other friends and you’re sure to have a good mix of people

-Be aware of “cat-calling” in Europe. Our school host said it is best not to make eye contact or any forward motions, but to absolutely not be disrespectful or talk back or try to provoke the person into acting far more aggressively

-Shop (or window shop) in the country’s well-known department stores

-In France, for example, try Printemps, Zara

-Make friends with the locals. This will help improve your sense of the foreign language and give you a much better taste for what your town really represents

-I’d recommend meeting them through a program your school might offer, or trying out at night (unbeknownst to me, my friends and I actually had some good luck with that)

-After meeting someone and having a nice conversation together, give your phone number out! If you hit it off, or even if you didn’t, French people are surprisingly great about texting you the next day and keeping in touch

-Visit the museums, center of town, churches, city hall, parks

-Spend an entire afternoon by yourself (this means putting away your computer and cell phone, too). If you’re adventurous you could try this out on a weekend trip…

-Take a cooking class (in the language of your country)

-Go to the markets: fresh produce, arts and crafts, flea and vintage, holiday ones (especially the Christmas if you are in Germany)

-Pick up a local newspaper or magazine

-Test out an internet café, even if you have wi-fi at home it is nice to get out of the house and explore a new place

-Go to the movies to see a film produced from your country (and in that original language if you speak or are learning it)

-Same goes for a play, concert, ballet, classical music orchestra, etc.

-Go to a McDonalds, Starbucks, or some other American restaurant or café and see what it’s like in a foreign country…note similarities yet overall many differences in the menu (take size, for example), and look who all is there and what kind of food they are eating. Sounds cheesy but is an interesting way to gain perspective

-Get on the metro, ride it to a completely random area, and explore that part of town

-Departure: if you have a late flight out and are all packed up the night before, do something meaningful on your last day. Go to your favorite restaurant, or the one you’ve always been wanting to try. Or test out that art museum you never got around to visiting. Or take a stroll down the most scenic area of your town and soak up the memory of your experience living abroad there one last time

Destination: Paris

Paris… the city of light, among other nicknames.I can just hear that solo musician—a middle-aged man, raggedy clothes, dark hat, thumping his feet— playing what is to me soothing yet upbeat, happy, and quintessentially French music on the street right now. This image/sound is so stuck in my head at the moment that I had to find a clip to share: http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=XP758fDX9j4 Anyways, if you’ve never been to Paris or to France before, make sure that when you do go, you spend a moment to take in this music. I’d fly all the way back to the country this instant just to pick up a croissant and stroll around the boulevards, taking in the sounds, people, and atmosphere all around.

Things to do during your visit:

-Do a bike tour through the company called “Fat Tire”, it lasts about half a day and is an awesome way to start getting acquainted with the city while also seeing some of the main attractions it’s been known for. Every stop gives you an interesting and funny history lesson so you’ll actually enjoy the tour and learning a few facts. You start off at the Eiffel Tower and go to the Louvre, Napoléon’s Tomb, Alexander III Bridge, Musée D’Orsay, break for lunch at the Tuileries Gardens, then continue onto Les Invalides, Grand & Petit Palais, Ecole Militaire, and Place de la Concorde

-Pick up breakfast at an authentic boulangerie. Purchase lots of different types of pastries to taste and share. They are so good you won’t be satisfied with just one

-Make sure you sit at an outdoor café for either lunch or an afternoon coffee

-Have dinner at an authentic French restaurant

-Might I recommend “Le Grand Colbert”, I was with my parents who were visiting friends and I in the city that fall, and they took us to this special place… I remember large seafood platters, chicken and fish dishes, and wine and dessert. It has also been featured in the movie “As Good As It Gets”

-My parents were renting an apartment in the 7ème and loved all the Constant Restaurants

-Pregame in front of the Eiffel Tower. ‘Nough said.

-Visit the touristy things you came to Paris to see

-Divide and conquer with museums, pick one or two (not seven) for your day(s) visit and get the most out of them

-After visiting the Louvre a few times already, my friends and I ventured to the Musée d’Orsay. What an amazing collection of Monet, Van Gogh, Renoir, etc…

-Walk down the Champs Élysées for window shopping, and once you’re at the end, cross the street to the underground passageway and you’ll pop up in the center of the Arc de Triomphe. It’s truly magical

-Visit Montmatre, the Marais, the parks

-Go to a daily foods market (usually in the mornings) or a flea market (“le marché aux puces”—my parents and I went to one about 30 minutes outside of Paris in Saint-Ouen)

-Versailles: quite the “hunting lodge” Louis XIII had back in the day. Make your journey there an afternoon visit so you can see all the salons, king and queen’s chambers, gardens, and of course the Hall of Mirrors

Travel Tip: Hostels

1. Use www.hostelbookers.com and www.hostelworld.com to do your main research
1. For Europe’s famous hostels, check out www.famoushostels.com/europe-hostels
2. Begin booking your hostel AS SOON AS you know your trip’s dates of arrival and departure
1. The sooner you began looking into which hostels to stay at, the better availability you will find (hence, the easier the process will be). I recommend reserving your room at least 3 weeks in advance
2. Write down your hostel booking number in a safe location.
3. The most important thing about hostels is LOCATION—you want to make sure it is either a)close to the place you’ll be arriving (i.e. airport, train station) or b)close to the area of town you will be spending most of your time (i.e. center of town, cultural part of the city, where you will be going out at night). Best case scenario is finding a hostel that meets both of these demands. Location is key because you’ll always be thinking of the transportation required to get to and from your area
4. Before you go, check to see what amenities the hostel offers (i.e. morning breakfast, directions, tourist recommendations, internet services, transportation to and from the airport or town center, cubbies in the bedroom, towels, toiletries/hairdryers). Your hostel can sometimes have a lot to offer, but, on the flip side, you want to make sure you never arrive unprepared
1. It’s usually a good idea to bring your own towel (one for face and one for bath), earplugs, eyemask, snacks, waterbottle, and a lock for your locker
2. Take advantage of the free maps, brochures, advice, and potential gatherings/parties that the front desk of your hostel might have to offer
5. Don’t forget to rank the hostels on their websites after your visit, help out students like yourself who will visit that place in the future!

Destination: Munich

Munich

It only happens once a year… Oktoberfest. This was the significance of my friends and I’s trip to Munich, and how we justified purchases like one liter steins for $11 a piece and felt absolutely in our element when chanting “Omp-pah!” with the locals.

Guide to surviving Oktoberfest:

-Book EARLY, as in months in advance. This includes transportation (flight, train, etc.) to the city, hotel or hostel, and (unless you plan to wing it) tickets for a table reservation at the beer gardens and tents.

-The festival actually begins in late September, but runs for three weeks in a row. Obviously prices on the weekdays are cheaper but if you’re a tourist you’ll most likely be visiting on a weekend.

-The schedule

-Beer is served from 10am to 10:30pm during the week and from 9am to 10:30pm on the weekends. Tents usually close at 10:30pm but food and amusements continue until midnight. The grounds at Oktoberfest close at 1:30 am, reopening at 6 the next morning.

-In order to get a table for a beer garden or tent, it’s best to arrive before noon on that day, or make a reservation months in advance.

-What to do

-Go to the beer gardens during the day and early evening (to take advantage of the warm weather) and the tents at night.

-Placed we visited: Augustiner-brau, Hippodrom, Hofbrauhaus, and other small gardens

-Explore the amusement park. There are some of the most interesting attractions and rides you’ll ever see.

-Drinking

-Everything is on draft. Oktoberfest brews are pale ales which are about 6% alcohol.

-Toasting: Everyone at the entire table drinks together, and cheers are made before each round of steins. Toast with the bottom of the glass (which is thicker) and then clink. Eye contact should made with everyone at the table as well as the cheers, “Prost!”

-Don’t be alarmed if you find yourself dancing on the tables later into the night…

-Food

-Hearty meats are a favorite at Oktoberfest with all the beer drinking going on, make sure you try one of Munich’s specialties—white sausage

-Other things at the festival that are must-tries: a large, doughy pretzel, gingerbread heart cookies, candied almonds, chocolate covered fruit on a stick

-Attire: be prepared to encounter a mix of different people, from 5-year olds to grandparents, and the lederhosen

-Other sites of Munich, apart from Oktoberfest I visited and would recommend: The English Gardens, New Town Hall, the real Hofbräuhaus

Destination: Vienna

This city was one of my absolute favorites during my travels abroad, and a complete and pleasant surprise. With only Salzburg and “The Sound of Music” originally on my mind, I was hesitant about my trip to Vienna this past October and had no idea what was in store. Little did I know that this city would have many things up my alley in addition to amazing classical music and plays—coffee shops and art museums; everywhere. I also failed to mention that Vienna’s architecture is warm and beautiful, its streets some of the cleanest I’ve ever seen, its people proud and friendly, and who can resist authentic sauerkraut or wienerschnitzel?

Things to do during your stay:

-Go to the Opera House for a performance. If you don’t want to pay full price, you can get standing tickets (in the top balcony) for very cheap, only about 5 bucks. You might think standing for an hour or two will become long and boring, but trust me, if you’re able to watch anything like Swan Lake, you’ll immediately become mesmorized.

-Wander in and out of every public church. Beautiful and orante Baroque features as well as tall and impressive classical architecture are everywhere.

-Visit the Hofburg Palace. We did the pass for 3 exhibits; the Imperial Apartments, the Sisi Museum, and the Silver Collection. All the girls and I loved the story behind Sisi and the mystery of her life.

-Visit the Albertina Museum at the Royal Palace. When I was there, it had an incredible Impressionist exhibit featuring Monet, Renoir, Cezanne, Degas, and Lautrec.

-The Leopold Museum was equally astonishing, and huge! I believe 5 floors or so. The first exhibition had Schiele and Klimt, comparing their personal lives and artistic backgrounds. The second included Munch, Ensor, Goya, Bocklin, Gauguin, Moreau, and featured themes such as the unconscious, dreams and nightmares, spirits and visions, and the uncanny.

-Take the Ring Tram tour around the city, it is what they call the “Ringstrasse”. Attractions will include city hall, the Hofburg palace, Parliament, and Burgtheater. Cheap entry and takes about an hour, there is a tour guide on the bus as well as monitors with images that show each site.

-Go to at least one coffee shop! For breakfast or an afternoon snack. I had some of the best apple streudel of my life at the Leopold Hawelka. The boss personally came out to meet my friends and I, and the atmosphere in the coffee shop was very artsy, cool, and intellectual.

-Visit the Belvedere, Prince Eugene of Savoy’s summer residence in the 18^th century. Absolutely breathtaking in style and monumentality. Inside features several art exhibitions, most notably Klimt’s famous “The Kiss”.

-Going out: Our first night started and ended at The Lion Rampant Irish pub, a little outside the city but that was because we were meeting a friend who had been spending his semester in Vienna. Great selection of beers and very comfy velvet couches, perfect for a comfortable night with a group. The next evening we went to Waxy Murphy’s Irish pub—young, cool crowd and we all split bottle service. We then moved onto Irish pub number #3, Charlie P’s, for more of a late-night. Our last evening in Vienna we spent at Le Passage, a former subway station later turned club.

Can I go back?

Travel Tip: Additional Packing

Packing- Besides your usual shirts, shorts, pants, sweaters, and jackets, here are some essential MUST-BRINGS for traveling abroad:

1. Comfortable shoes—you will walk everywhere! Think about it—you won’t be showing up for class or a meal via car like you’re used to in the US.
1. For girls- Many of my friends recommended I bring cowboy or leather boots and in the end, I was so glad I did. Also know that with all the little European cobblestone streets, heels are truly not that practical. Think comfort and durability, and the fact that you’ll be wearing the same pairs of shoes over and over—so also make sure you like them!
2. One solid jacket and a lighter option such as a fleece. Also don’t forget a good durable raincoat and umbrella. Some might advise deciding between the two but I really enjoyed having both pieces.
3. 5 t-shirts that will be good for exercise, lounging, and sleeping, but also that you’re not too attached to. Plan to leave them abroad at your journey’s end—that’ll leave extra room in your suitcase, and trust me, the shirts will probably be worn out by the time you depart.
4. Do the same with an old set of sheets and a pillow case. (Obviously this doesn’t apply if a host family provides these for you, or if you’re traveling via hostels/hotels the whole way through).
5. Your pillow from home, or a travel pillow.
6. All the tech stuff you can’t live without—your laptop, camera, iPod, headphones, ever necessary cord and adapter, etc.
7. All the official abroad papers and documents you are required to have during your stay: passport, student visa, health insurance, photo id’s, etc. Consult your school, program, or country’s government for this information.
8. A backpack or large purse for carrying your belongings to class. A small purse or sack for everyday use.
9. A weekend bag that is small enough to carry on for flight purposes- either a small roll-away or over-the-shoulder. This will become a go-to for 3-5 day trips.
10. Other miscellaneous:
1. Earplugs. Depending on where you live and what the street noise/nightlife is like, these can really come in handy.
2. Buy a hairdryer (and/or straightener) when you get over there. If you are living with other Americans, you and a girlfriend can even go in on this to split the cost.
3. Sunglasses, a hat.
4. A durable and portable waterbottle such as a Nalgene—I carried mine with me everywhere, filling up at water foundations or restaurants, and this helped save a lot of money.
5. Any American food (granola bar, peanut butter, gum, and other snacks) you know you can’t live without for a while and wish to stock up on while you can.
6. American DVDs of your favorite movies.
7. School supplies abroad is different (the paper size, the number of rings in a binder), so bring some of your own if you are particular and have room. I also had a pocket folder I kept records of all my trips in, it was a great way to collect everything and keep brochures, postcards
8. Photos from home or a calendar, to decorate your new room or keep in a safe place.
9. A blank journal, notepad, or scrapbook.
10. An open mind and eagerness to explore and try new things!