Eureka, Europa!
Let me start off by saying, it’s been a while! I hope 2025 is treating all of you with lots of love. I’ve been caught up in this mixture of moving and traveling, a lot of excitement and new adventures in Chicago and navigating a new role at work- all of which I’ll be sure to share with you all soon. While I wanted a lost in “something else” article to be the next one, I can’t help that I happened to do one of the biggest trips of my life these past TWO weeks. I went to Europe with my best friend Jessica, and we hit not one, not three, but SIX COUNTRIES while we were there. The trip began as an idea a few years back after we’d both returned from our study abroad locations, London and Barcelona. As you all know from “Lost in London”, it was the experience of a lifetime, but I’d always wanted to share it with her. So we decided to plan a trip where we’d share our favorite places in the world with each other, while hitting a few other milestone cities along the way- Dublin, Amsterdam, Munich, and Salzburg. I’ve spent the past two weeks traveling some of the coolest places in Europe, and I’m back with an appreciation for the finer things in life. I might be a couple euros lighter and a couple of pounds heavier, but sometimes, you really do gotta spend your 20s exploring Europe with your best friend at your side. And in case this inspires you to book your own Serena & Blair Europe trip, I’ve noted my favorite spots and highlights for each city right here in today’s blog! We also created a ranker for each city, four weddings style (iykyk) which you can take a look at if you’re curious.
Dublin, Ireland (& other)- 2 days
Trinity College- you could definitely take a tour of this one or go one step further and do the Book of Kells experience, but Jess and I walked around the beautiful campus and that was perfect for us! I’m sure it’s just another “harvard” for the dubliners, but definitely think it’s worth a visit!
Guinness Storehouse Experience- One of the most famous experiences in Dublin, where you learn about the making of Guinness beer and taste it (twice). There’s a gravity bar at the very top that features panoramic views of Dublin too. If I was a bigger fan of beer, this probably would have been more of a highlight but I still highly recommend it anyways:)
Dublin Palace Gardens - super pretty gardens behind the Dublin Castle. If you can find the latter, since it’s sort of hidden from view at first glance
Auld Dubliner - one of my favorite pub experiences of the trip! This bar might not be as popular as the legendary Temple bar is (and that’s still worth a stop, don’t get me wrong) but the live music is insane, banger after banger. And it’s way less crowded which makes it an overall better experience imo.
Cliffs of Moher Tour- Now the reason I don’t have much info for Dublin is that I spent my only full day there not there at all, but exploring the Irish countryside via bus. We stopped at Dunguire Castle and a couple of small villages, but t most of the time was spent at the Cliffs of Moher, one of Irelands most iconic destinations. I absolutely loved the tour (best one of the trip dare I say?7
The Castle Vaults - Shockingly great Irish food (which if you saw the food score for Dublin you know is rare). They have live music (Irish folk songs) every night after 8pm and I can highly recommend the Guinness Beef Stew and Mash!
London, England- 3 days
Try the new Elizabeth line- it’s probably the nicest tube line and provides straight transport from the airport to central London!
Camden Market - we “enjoyed Camden market in the afternoon” like our bestie Taylor, and thrift shopping in the rain was so much fun! They even sell “yorkie wraps”, which are like English roast dinners in a wrap & pretty fantastic if I do say so myself
Regents Park/ Mary’s Rose Gardens are an absolutely beautiful stop for a nice day (or in our case, 24/7 pouring rain).
Bengal Village in Shoreditch- this was Jessica’s favorite food experience of the entire trip, so that’s saying something. If you’re a fan of Indian food (one of the only things London does well) write this place down for your next visit out. The food is absolutely out of this world
Night out in Shoreditch, at Ballie Ballerson & Simmons- both spots I’ve mentioned in past London entries, but two super fun bars if you’re looking for a night out in London. Ballie Ballerson is a ball pit bar, which is …. Kind of Iconic?
A Stroll through Soho, feat the carrot cake from Gail’s - tourist trap or not, a trip to Oxford Street is a must! Check out Primark and Accessorize, two of the iconic shops you’ll find there! Or go all out with a fancy afternoon tea (if I could’ve convinced Jess to do this, you know I’d be there)
See a West End Show, in this case Wicked! One of my highlights from our entire trip, I definitely recommend treating yourself to a show while in London! Mamma Mia, Clueless, and Six are also running as of now.
Grab pictures next to THE telephone booth by Big Ben and Westminster Abbey - Jess put me on to this. Yes, it’s 100% a tourist trap, but the pictures turn out good, what can I say? And you’re in one of the best parts of London architecturally, so that doesn’t hurt. Enjoy the beautiful river Thames, London Eye (but don’t actually go inside it, that’s stupid), and prime picture taking spot.
Grab an Old Mout Cider- this is apparently a brand from the Netherlands, but I remember the Berries & Cherries flavor being one of my favorite alcohol choices during study abroad, and it hasn’t changed one bit. So knock one back at the local pub!
Go to Flat Iron - it’s a chain, but I can confirm the Covent Garden one did not disappoint. 15 pound steak needs to be acknowledged and it deserves all the recognition
Explore South Bank - Borough Market (if you don’t pull a silly like us and forget it’s closed on Mondays), Shakespeares Globe, the Tate Modern, and Mercado Metropolitan (a lesser known food market that was essential to my study abroad experience).
Amsterdam, the Netherlands- 1.5 days
More of a PSA, but be sure to take a look if there are any transportation strikes happening during your visit! This airport was quite the disaster and we waited for an Uber for about 45 minutes, which was not fun at all
Try Amsterdam Fries! We went to Vlaamse Frites but the sauce combinations with the salty chunky fries are one of the city’s specialities
Walk or take a bike tour of the canals
Go to The Black Dog or Gio Cucina for yummy eats
Admire the beautiful buildings, like the palace, Rjiksmuseum, and Central Station
Walk the Jordaan district, a beautiful area with marvelous cafes and shops
Visit Anne Franke’s house - while it’s devastating to witness firsthand, it’s worth the visit. You won’t quite believe it until you see and hear about the family’s experiences with your own eyes
Admire the cities “coffee shops”- iykyk
Get Brunch at Pancakehouse Upstairs, an Anthony Bourdain endorsed crepe house which is so exclusively quaint that it only houses four tables in a tiny little room. The variety and flavor of these is impeccable- wins a medal from me over the entire trips food
Try some delicious Gouda cheese at the cities countless cheese shops or go for some mini pancakes, another Dutch specialty
Go to the Van Gogh museum and admire some of his most famous works
Check out the sprawling Vondelpark, a beautiful landscape of nature for walking and biking alike
Go on a canal tour! We did this one but there are countless options that let you hear about the city’s culture, learn some wild stories, and drink and take in the sights while doing so
Salzburg, Austria- 2 days
Take the train (DB) from Munich central station - trust me you won’t be disappointed! It’s an absolutely beautiful train ride and the views are to die for
Can highly recommend a stay at Hotel Imlauer & Brau, this was our favorite hotel of the bunch & you really can’t beat the location for the price, especially if you want to stay close to Mirabel Gardens
Go to Cup & Cino (it’s a chain) and try their banana toffee coffee!
Go on the Sound of Music bus tour! Absolutely unbelievable experience and probably ranks as our #1 because we’re old ladies who’ve been dreaming of this day forever. But if you’re a fan of the movie, you should absolutely book this. The tour takes you to the multiple sites for the filming of the Von Trapp residence, shows you around Untersberg mountain, lets you wander the church Maria got married in, and even plays the songs so you can look out the window at the mountains and sing your inner child proud along the way
Visit the Mirabel Gardens and Resideplatz to walk the most popular song scenes from the movie, Do Re Mi and I have Confidence
For extra measure, visit Schloss Frohnburg, the site of “I have confidence” and stage your own broadway production! There is even a Fraulein Maria Bicycle Tour you can take, which we didn’t have time for but I’m sure would have been a blast
Dinner at east Salzburg- Get a break from the European and enjoy some Udon and Sushi at one of our other fav spots of the trip!
For my final day, I visited Hallstatt, a beautiful town about 1.5 hours away that - fun fact- actually inspired the kingdom of Arendelle in Frozen! I walked the beautiful streets, took the most picturesque pictures of the entire trip, and took a cable car up to a UNESCO world heritage viewpoint unlike any other. It was a climb in the hot weather but so well worth it and there always the crystal clear waters to take a soak in or enjoy a boat trip around. This was a quick half day bus tour which, like in Dublin, I absolutely loved!
Munich, Germany- half a day(lol)
****FYI, acknowledging we were just here to transfer by train to / from Salzburg, and that we were here on a Sunday, which is when everything is unfortunately closed*****
Marienplatz Square- we just so happened to be there during Munichs birthday, which was super cute! They had a festival called the Benno fest going on in the plaza. Marienplatz also features the towns most beautiful buildings however!
Town Glockenspiel- Not only is this an absolutely beautiful building, but it features daily musical performances by the little figurines at the top at 11 and 12 (and 5pm during the summer!)
Munich Cathedral- super beautiful and free access to visit!
DO & CO - fantastic mixed food menu, highly recommend the Kofta meatball sliders from here!
Barcelona, Spain- 3 days
Have the best breakfast of your life at Citizens Cafe- um, so it might be an over-exaggeration, but this was one of my favorite meals of the two weeks. Their eggs benedict (complete with the most incredible bacon I’ve ever tried) and European fresh squeezed OJ blew my mind
Meet the pigeons of the Plaza de Catalunya
Slide into Beauty- Passage de Gràcia has a Sephora that you literally slide into! Also check out the Zara there, which I swear looks like a national monument, it’s that regal
Admire Gaudi’s talented architecture (the casa Batllo, La Pedrera) - it’s not just Sagrada that’s out there, trust me
Take the Barcelona Metro! I thought the Tube would surely win the trip transportation, but the Barcelona metro ended up being up there for me too! Super convenient and easy to use
Parc de la Ciutadella - an absolutely stunning park with beautiful monuments, a gorgeous fountain, really everything your heart desires
Barceloneta and Somorrosteo Beaches! Listen, in 90 degree weather, you just gotta go swimming, and these two beaches were clean, warm, and the most relaxing part of our trip by far
THE Sagrada Familia- it may be an expensive trip inside, but it is SO worth it. The inside is made to look almost like a fortress of architecture, which is incredibly special, coupled with the gorgeous stained glass windows and magnificent facades. You can download an audioguide and get your tickets on the Sagrada Familia app
Bunkers del Carmel- this might feel slightly out of the way, but especially if you’re already planning a trip to Park Güell, this is just an 8 min drive away and an absolute gem! You can climb to the top if you’re feeling brave, or (in our case) a taxi can drop you off a few sets of stairs from the top. Just a short climb later, you’ll be stood at the very top of the city of Barcelona, with all the beautiful buildings (including Sagrada) and the beach down below!
Have lunch at Boqueria- Barcelona’s most famous market, which features fresh seafood, gizpacho, Ibérico ham and Spanish cheese, but really every kind of food you could imagine! Highly recommend getting some ham sliced right off the leg- it’s a pretty delicious experience if I do say so myself!
Walk the Gothic Quarter, an absolutely beautiful area that houses both the Barcelona cathedral and tons of beautiful shops and houses! A highlight of the city without a doubt!
Walk along the pier and grab some pics by the giant Christopher Columbus monument next to it
Colom- has the best paella I’ve personally ever tried. We basically licked the plate clean. Well worth the wait!
Visit the Corgi Cafe- dogs + coffee + a cute brunch spot? Sounds pretty good to me!
Montjuïc Castle by Cable Car- a must do! You’ll see some epic cannons; beautiful sprawling gardens, and best of all, it’s all reachable via cable car
Venue steakhouse- we wrapped up our trip by cooking some steak up at an AMAZING “hot stone” style restaurant near Sagrada Familia. Highly recommend!
And lastly, a night out at Espit Chupitos (a famous shot bar chain with some pretty wild concoctions) and Razzmatazz, which is pretty much the IT club of Barcelona. Nothing could have prepared me for the insanity inside, but as a sneak peek, the doors don’t even open here until 12:30 am and the party keeps going till 6am. There’s a billion different rooms with different types of music blasting, lights bouncing off the walls, amazing dancers, and the whole thing just feels pretty surreal. If you’ve ever read Percy Jackson, getting out of there is kind of like trying to leave the Lotus hotel, though. Pretty spectacular.
Well mate, only one thing left to say.
Consider this my Irish goodbye, my cheerio, my Auf Wiedersehen, my hasta luego - until the next one. So long & farewell, my fellow sound of music fans!
Sincerely,
Sharon