Ljubljana, Slovenia

Ljubljana, Slovenia (pronounced loo-blee-awn-ah) is one of my favorite cities ever. I am in love with this country. It’s unbelievably clean (I didn’t encounter a single piece of trash the whole time I was there), the people are friendly, and everywhere I looked was absolute beauty.

Ljubljana is full of bridges with interesting names, such as the Cobbler’s Bridge, the Ugly Duckling, the Tripoli Bridge and the Dragon Bridge. Each one was more interesting than the last! My personal favorite was the Dragon Bridge. The dragon happens to be Slovenia’s national mascot!

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The Chocolate Train: Switzerland

A 20 minute train ride away from Lausanne, Switzerland is the Montreaux train station. From this station, the Chocolate Train leaves every morning to ferry people away to a land of endless chocolate. I’m convinced this is as close to the Willy Wonka experience as I’ll ever get, and I’m good with that.

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Flaneurs: Strolling Around Europe

Some cities are not full of typical tourist attractions, but are gorgeous and worth visiting for other reasons. Specifically, I’ve found some cities ideal for simply walking around, seeing what there is to see, and soaking up culture. There might be one or two spots worth a visit, but primarily, it’s about enjoying just being where you are. Essentially, this is the art of flaneurs, the art of strolling. Flaneur is a French word, one which I think perfectly captures a method of delighting in travel; it emphasizes strolling around, noticing little details, and focusing on where you are and your surroundings. While strolling can be practiced anywhere, a few cities I’ve visited are especially great for embracing the art of flaneurs: Dubrovnik, Kotor, Tirana, Stavanger, Brasov, and Bratislava.

1. Dubrovnik, Croatia

The southern tip of croatia hosts this gem. Old Town, Game of Thrones castles, coastal walks, rocky beaches, and clear teal-blue-green water delight the eyes as you stroll around the city.

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