I haven’t updated my blog for two weeks, but for a reason – we decided to move back to Bulgaria and were busy selling stuff, packing stuff and moving stuff back to our apartment in Varna. As a result, we had to take our car with us and decided to make a little European road trip through Nuremberg, Vienna, Budapest, and Castelul de Lut in Romania.
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European road trip start point: Utrecht
Before leaving Utrecht for our European road trip to Romania, I made a last ”tour” of the city through all my favourite places and would like to share them in case Utrecht is on your travelling radar. Amsterdam is a must-see for sure, but Utrecht is worth visiting as well.
Utrecht city walk
First, If you have half a day or one day only, I would advise you to have a walk on the Oudegracht – the main street over the canals. Likewise, if you prefer to explore the city by walk, continue in the direction of the Dom Tower to get more of the feeling of the city. Further, once you pass the Dom Tower, you’ll see a cosy square with a lot of cafes and shops. Check out Dille and Camille store for presents and souvenirs. On the other hand, if you are an art addict, I would recommend you yo visit Schoonheim De Vink Gallery – the paintings they sell are amazing!
After this tour around the city, it’s time for some food! The Netherlands is not a gourmet destination, but in Utrecht, you can have the best fast food ever! With this in mind, here are my best fast food recommendations of all times. The first place is for the Frietwinkel – the best French fries ever! Next comes Mario pizza or brootjes – best Italian pizza with homemade dough, cheese and basil or signature Mario’s brootjes. Buon appetite! Also, for all burgers’ lovers, I would advise not to miss out Meneer Smakers Burgerbar – the best burgers in the whole universe!
European road trip, first stop: Nuremberg
Nuremberg is an amazing place with a very beautiful historic city centre. It was exactly what I expected: medieval buildings, fort walls, little craftsmen shops, and winter fairy tale atmosphere! Lovely! I will definitely come back in the summer or in 2025 when Nuremberg will be European Capital of Culture ):
European tour countinues in Vienna
My must-do experiences in Vienna include: admire Gustav Klimt’s “The Kiss” in Belvedere; go on a historic walk tour and learn more about the architecture of the city; have a morning Viennese coffee; take a break and enjoy Apfelstrudel at Sluka in the afternoon; listen to classical music in Mozart’s city; explore the city in a horse-drawn carriage. Needless to say that Vienna is magnificent and offers so many things to see, explore and remember! One of the most beautiful cities in the world!
Next stop on the road: Budapest
As Budapest is not far away from Vienna, that was our next stop. Unfortunately, the weather was bad and we had to ”visit” the city from indoors. We started with a traditional Hungarian lunch at Firkasz and had a steak from Mangalica – a Hungarian breed of the domestic pig, goulash soup and veel. Afterwards, we walked along the Danube river and made photos around the Parliament, the symbol of the city. Consequently, we were wet from the rain and embarked on a boat trip on the Danube river. That’s how we managed to warm up an could see the Buda Castle, the Fishermen’s Bastion and the Citadel. I regret that we couldn’t make it to the Gellert Baths and Spa Budapest, but let’s have a reason to come back one day!
Eurpean road trip, final stop: Castelul de Lut in Romania
Our final stop was in Porumbacu de Sus – a Romanian village nearby Sibiu. We stayed at Pensiunea Negoiu guesthouse and I have to say that this was the best accommodation we’ve ever stayed! We had such a great time there – we spent the night in a remote, quiet area in the middle of the snowy Carpathian mountains, we went for a walk to see Castelul de Lut and we saw deer roe hinds jumping in the snow on our way, we had a homemade dinner with Papanasi for dessert, we slept in a king-size bed and all this for a very affordable price and great attitude from the owners of the house. I highly recommend you to visit the place, you won’t regret it!
European road trip end: home sweet home – Silistra in Bulgaria
Our journey finished in Silistra – our hometown! The weather was warm and the sun was shining. It’s so good to be at home again!
Did you enjoy my review? Do you plan to make a European road trip this year?
Thanks for reading!