The best way to save memories? Pictures! When you go abroad for a semester or other period of time, you constantly see tourists snapping photos, because how else will you remember the beautiful scenes? I visited 11 countries during my time in Europe. It was a lot of traveling, but totally worth the time and money.
Here are some of my favorite photos documenting my semester abroad in Salzburg, Austria and my travels in Europe.
London, England
I did the AIFS flight package, so we stopped over in London en route to Salzburg. Of course, I had to get a picture in the iconic phone booths! We were able to explore the whole city, and then we flew together from London to Munich, then traveled by coach bus to Salzburg. I’d highly recommend doing the flight package because you get to meet some of the people on your program before you even get settled in your new accommodation.
Rome, Italy
Rome is filled with history and incredible buildings. One of my first stops in Rome was the Colosseum. Many other important buildings and statues are right near by, so you can just walk right over to them. Plus, there’s a metro stop at the Colosseum so no matter where you are staying, it’s easy to find.
Dubrovnik, Croatia
One of Europe’s hidden gems is Croatia. Croatia is absolutely beautiful and Dubrovnik blew me away. Here, I’m walking along the old city wall that encloses the entire old city. In the distance, you can see Lokrum Island, which is only accessible by water. It does cost to walk around the wall, but they have a significant student discount. Make sure to bring some water with you as the walk can take over an hour, depending on your pace.
Salzburg’s Christmas Markets
If you are lucky enough to study abroad in the fall, then you can go explore the Christmas markets throughout Europe! Salzburg has multiple markets, and this is the entrance to the Christkindlmarkt in Residenzplatz in Salzburg. There are tons of vendors selling spices, Christmas ornaments, and tons of amazing food to eat while you walk around. I also went to the one in the Schloss Hellbrunn which was equally enchanting. They also had a petting zoo! On the weekdays the Hellbrunn market is free, but on Friday, Saturday and Sunday, you pay 5 euros for entrance, and it also includes a free warm drink.
All of The Food…
I absolutely love food, and I definitely gained some weight because of it. However, food is such a big part of any culture, so I used it as a way to become familiar with each country’s culture. In much of Central/Eastern Europe, they eat lots of meat, bread and potatoes. Here is a traditional dish I ate in Prague, but similar versions can be found in Germany and Austria. This is a goulash with bread dumplings, fried onions and sausage.
Alicante, Spain
One of my favorite cities I traveled to was Alicante in Spain. It’s right along the coast and much less touristy than Madrid and Barcelona. The weather was gorgeous: 80º F and sunny! I was even able to hang out on the beach for a few hours. This picture was taken on El Castillo de Santa Bárbara, which overlooks the whole city. You can see the port on the left and the city to the right.
Schloss Hellbrunn
In Salzburg, you can visit the Schloss Hellbrunn (seen at the top of this post) and the trick water fountains that are located there. There are many sneaky tricks, so you need to be on your toes! The Prince Archbishop used to entertain his guests with the fountains. It is definitely worth a visit if you are in Salzburg while the weather is still warm.
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