Before the start of the pandemic, I was luckily able to visit the southern city of New Orleans, Louisiana back in March 2020. It was before all the necessary lockdowns and restrictions were put in place; before all the chaos occurred and life changed as we all know it. It was my latest trip, and I attended a school conference for marketing undergraduates. New Orleans is a charming and seriously underrated city, and to be frank, I would deem it has America’s hidden gem. The city is full of live music, being known as the birthplace of jazz. It also has unique and lively people, old-fashioned French inspired architecture that perfectly captures the combination of history and modernity. Here are some of my recommendations to visit in New Orleans.

To conclude my 2019 travel diaries, I want to reminisce on the most romantic and artistic city of all time: Paris. Paris has my heart because everything about the city embodies romanticism, independence, and genuine class. You will definitely have to brush up on your french to navigate your way around Paris. While strolling the arcades of Paris, you will feel like a true native Parisian.

After my Spring holiday in Italy, I had one more month of studies and interning in London. My study abroad experience was about to end, and I had a taste of the British equivalent of “finals week” with final exams, presentations and reports. If you aren’t familiar with the British education system, your final marks (aka grades) solely relied on your final exams. After I worked hard and received great marks, I was excited to travel again. But I started to feel bittersweet about leaving this new life behind and all the friends that I made. My family planned to visit me in London, and when they arrived, I was filled with joy. Our last trips in Europe consisted of Barcelona, Paris and exploring the cities of London and Portsmouth. Our first destination was Barcelona, Spain, a vibrant city full of: history, kind people, great food, and unique art. Let’s explore some of my top recommendations in Barcelona.

In continuation of my past holiday in Italy, from Milan, we took a train from Milano Centrale to Naples. After arriving in Naples, for a few hours we explored a bit of the city before our connecting train to… Salerno, Amalfi Positano. The Amalfi Coast of Italy (again) has been a place I so desperately wanted to visit and I’m so grateful to have it checked off my bucket list. Let’s explore some of my recommendations in Salerno and Amalfi Positano.

After a few months of further studying in London, we were nearing our Easter Holiday, which in essence was the equivalent to spring break in the U.S. However, unlike a week-long spring break we had almost three weeks off! It was an exciting time, and as most study abroad student were, we were all planning on where we were going to go travel next. My friend and I decided to travel to Italy for our last true holiday abroad! Follow along as I recommend the top places to visit in fabulous Milan, Italy.

After Amsterdam, my friends and I took a trip to Antwerp, Belgium in April 2019. From Amsterdam Centraal Station, you can catch a 2-hour train ride to Antwerpen-Centraal Station. You will be in awe at the site of this train station! The station is widely regarded as the finest example of railway architecture in Belgium. Antwerp is a city in Belgium, a province in the Flemish Region. It is a quiet and beautiful city with friendly people… it’s the Dutch way! Let’s explore some of my recommendations in the diamond capital of the world.

Amsterdam was one of the cities I always dreamed of visiting, and I am so grateful to have it checked off my bucket list. The city is rich in history of the legacies of the city’s 17th-century Golden Age. It is also known for its narrow houses with gabled facades and elaborate canal system. Here are a few of my recommendations with clickable links if you are interested in traveling to Amsterdam.

On January 2019, I studied abroad in London where I attended London Southbank University. As cliché as it sounds, this experience truly changed my life forever. London is one of the most unique and coolest cities in the entire world, and this is not an overstatement *I promise. London is the perfect combination of exquisite history and modernism as exhibited by their architecture and distinct boroughs. Although, I can only remember these places fondly through the perspective of a broke-college-exchange-student who devoured meal-deals from M&S on her lunch-breaks, these were some of the best memories I ever made. I can probably go on and on about all the great places you can visit in London, but then this blog post would be extremely long so I’ll try my best to list out the top places you need to visit when you are in London with clickable links so you can have a little taste of what it’s like.