Best Attractions in Edinburgh, Scotland

Scotland has been at the absolute top of my “To Travel To” list for YEARS.  While I did not have even remotely enough time there, there will be plenty of opportunities in the future to visit again. 

I loved almost everything about the city of Edinburgh.  The culture, the kind people, great history, and let’s be honest, those adorable Scottish accents.

Here is a list of some of the top attractions in Scotland that I visited and adored.

Edinburgh Castle

Scott Monument

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

Tours:

• St Giles’ Cathedral & The Hub: My friends and I walked by both of these and they are stunning and worth spending a few minutes admiring!
• Edinburgh Castle:  This was one of the neatest things that we saw in Scotland.  Taking a tour of this castle while in Edinburgh is a must.  Not only is the history amazing, but the tour guides answer all of your questions and are extremely nice.
• Ghost tour:  This tour was an absolute blast and one of the most fun things I did in the UK.  I am a huge baby when it comes to ghosts.  I would love to tell you that I sucked it up and was not scared, but that would be a lie.  My friends and I did the double-decker tour with the City of the Dead company.  This meant that we went underneath the city, the Greyfriars Graveyard, and into the Covenanter’s Prison where there was a poltergeist.  It was one of the best experiences I had there.  I learned so much history about the town that I would not have learned about had I chickened out. 
• Royal Yacht Britannia:  I debated for a while if this was something I wanted to do because it was so much money, but it was for sure something that surprised me.  It was really interesting walking through the yacht and listening to all of the histories of the royals and the time that they spent on that yacht.
• Holyrood Palace:  This is somewhere I myself did not get to visit because I wanted to walk along the Edinburgh beach instead.  However, I had a couple friends who did a tour of the Queen’s palace and loved it.

If you are on a budget:

• Arthurs Seat: Absolutely my favorite thing that we did in Edinburgh!  This was a short hike, yet a very steep one.  I did not feel like I had my fill of hiking in England so when I finally got to do this hike, I felt alive.  The entire trail was absolutely beautiful and picturesque, and although a bit difficult at times, not as bad as it looked like it would be.
• Museum of Edinburgh:  If you are on a budget and need to kill a little bit of time, this is a cool place to visit.  The museum is free, and although small, is very interesting and has some cool little nuggets about the town.
• Calton Hill:  It was a little bit of a hike to get to the top of the hill, but it had a spectacular view.  Architecture nerds, do your research before you go up here.  At the top is the National Monument which has a pretty neat history.
• Beaches:  Hit up one of the local beaches!  While the water may be freezing, even in the summer, it is fun to walk along the shoreline and people watch.

Where to eat:

• Deacon Brodies Tavern:  We ate here for lunch one day, and I absolutely loved the food I ordered.  I had a selection of fish that was a marvelous choice because of how fresh it was, along with a local beer that was great.
• Elephant House:  Harry Potter fans!  You have to do see this.  The Elephant House is the coffee shop that JK Rowling wrote the books in.  Too cool!

 

Even if you are on a budget, there are some great things that you can find to do in Edinburgh.

What do you like about this great city?  Comment below!

 

With love,

Mattie

Items I Forgot At Home That I Wish I Had Studying Abroad

Hello all!  I can’t believe summer is almost over.  While I had an amazing time studying abroad in the first half of the summer, I have been working every day this last half.  It has been nice to get back into my work routine.  While I have been doing this, I realized that there were many items to which I found myself saying “wow that would have helped”.  Here is a list of things I wish I had brought (or was really glad that I did) in my travels:

• Carabiners
  • These came in handy so many times.  Whether I needed to swing my Chacos or my water bottle onto my purse/backpack, they were always helpful.
    • Bonus, they hardly take up any room and you can leave them hanging on your bag because no one really wants to steal a couple of carabiners
• Refillable water bottle
  • My Nalgene was used to its full capacity in Italy.  It was so nice to have a water bottle to fill up, especially in 105-degree heat.  I did not want to spend 6 euros on water every hour.  Filling this up at the water fountains helped keep me hydrated.
    • Bonus, pack this by stuffing your socks or other small items in it to save space in your suitcase.
    • Yes, I did drink out of fountains that I probably shouldn’t have been.  But drinking potentially dangerous water is better than becoming dehydrated, right?
• Watch
  • This was something I did not have but really wish I did.  While walking at a fast pace, it was time-consuming to have to stop and dig my phone out of its secret hiding place in my purse.  It was so easy for my friends to just check their watch to see if we were on time en route to our next location.
• Data
  • I totally cheeped out on buying data and wish I hadn’t.  I waited two weeks before I decided to buy a sim card for my phone- a sim card that I later had issues with and ended up not having data anyway.  If you are in another country longer than or up to 3 weeks, I would highly recommend buying a sim card (if your phone is unlocked).  It will allow you to be free from relying on other people, will make it much easier to travel, and you will know you can call the authorities if you were ever in an emergency.
    • Bonus: If you get lost or have something scary happen to you like me, it will really be helpful. I blogged about my crazy experience in Paris, if you haven’t read it you can find it here.
• Day pack instead of a purse
  • I made the mistake of choosing fashion over convenience.  While my purse was nice to have, I constantly wished I had a bigger bag.  Two of my friends were carrying Kavus and it made me wish I had my little day hiking bag with me.  They could carry water bottles, their wallet, chapstick, etc, along with bigger items like jackets.  I, unfortunately, could barely fit my wallet and other little things in my bag along with my water bottle.  Even then, I would not be able to close the top of my purse.

• Good walking shoes
  • Similar to my purse, I wish I had only brought my comfortable walking shoes.  I brought two pairs of boots that I only wore once (read why I didn’t get to use them in this post), a pair of flats, and my Chacos.  The only time I really wore my flats was in London and my feet killed me.  By the end of the night, I would get back to the hostel with bruises on the soles of my feet.  At the end of the 6 weeks, I was down to just using my Chacos.  When I was in them, my feet were perfectly fine.

Don’t forget these things when you head out on a big or small trip anywhere!  They will make your trip a little bit easier.

 

With love,

Mattie

The Dazzling City of Paris

Below is a list of some of my favorite sites that I got to explore while in Paris.  Skip to number 11 if you want to read about my absolute favorite area!

Related: Paris, the City of Lights, Pickpockets, and Undercover Cops: Part One

1. Louvre Museum: This is the museum everyone has heard about or seen a picture of, and it was one of my favorite things to see in Paris!  I absolutely love art and was sad we only had 2 hours to explore.  I ventured in the greek sculptures for most of my time in the museum.  If you have time after walking through the museum, check out the gardens that are right outside.  They are beautiful!

Pro tip: if you are a European student you can get in free with your student ID!

2. Les Deux Plateaux:  This is a really cool area outside of the Lourve museum and is a great picture spot!  Take your friends here and get a couple of pictures to remember your time in Paris.

 

 

 

 

 

 

3. Take a cruise on the river Seine:  This is a great way to briefly see some of the most famous attractions in Paris.  We did a cruise at sunset with the Bateaux Mouches company and loved the entire ride.

4. Take some time to just walk along the river:  This was so interesting.  On an afternoon when it had cooled down a bit, my friends and I walked along the river and people watched.  There were tons of people out visiting, playing instruments in big groups, and just having a good time.  Some of the best street art was along the river as well.

 

 

 

 

 

5. Obviously, go see the Eiffel tower:  There is not much to say about this one, I am pretty sure this is on most peoples’ bucket list!  The most important thing is to make sure to see it during the day and at night if you can.  Both views are equally spectacular.

 6. Arc De Triumph & Champs Elysees:  Make sure you stop to see the Arc De Triumph and if you have a bit of time, make the hike to the top for a spectacular view of the city.  I decided to do this instead of going up the Eiffel Tower because I wanted the Tower to be apart of my spectacular city view.

Pro tip:  Buy your tickets ahead of time, or even online right outside of the Arc, because it will save you so much time getting in.  Two of my friends decided last minute that they wanted to go up with us, so they bought their tickets online right there and skipped a huge line of people who were waiting just to get a ticket.

7. Notre Dame:  It was so sad to see the cathedral scarred from fire.  However, it was still worth walking by.  You can also see this on one of the river Seine tours.

 

 

 

 

 

 

8. Cool bridges along the Seine: One of the most famous bridges we walked across was the Pont Alexandre III.  It is gorgeous!  Two more in the area are Pont Des Art and Pont Neuf.

 

 

 

 9. Versailles:  I was personally not a fan of Versailles.  To me, it was not worth the 27 Euros (30 USD) because there just wasn’t much to see.  I am not crazy about big, gaudy mansions that rulers built when they could have been helping out so many other people in need with that money. 

That being said, if you are a big history fan this may be a place you want to visit.  However, make sure you are buying the right ticket.  It is was too far out of the way from central Paris to get there and realize you bought the wrong ticket!  My favorite part of Versailles Palace was the gardens.  I lost my friends at some point and my friends quickly found me wandering the gardens (if you know me, you know that looking outside is the best place to start when I get lost).  They were magnificent! 

10. Sacre-Cœur:  This was so interesting and stunning.  Beware, it is a little bit of a hike to get to the top.  My friends and I were feeling the incline because of the fatigue from not getting much sleep.  We noticed several groups of people who were stopped on the side catching their breath.

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

11. My absolute favorite place in all of Paris, Montmartre: This is a little city at the top of the hill just behind the Sacre-Cœur.  Everywhere we walked here, seemed like it was straight out of a fairy tale.  The streets were exactly what I dreamed Paris would look like.  I could go on and on about how gorgeous they were, or I could show you.  Below are some of my favorite pictures that I felt like truly explained what we saw.

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

Let me know, what sights of Paris are you excited to see?

With love,

Mattie

All In God’s Timing

I am sitting here, writing this on a 2-hour bus ride in London. As I stare out the window and think about all of the memories I have made, I can’t help but be so grateful for the places, people, and cultures I have been able to experience. I remember as a young girl, dreaming of the day I would go to Paris, London, Scotland, etc.  I had ugly pink posters with the Eiffel tower plastered on the front and dreamed of the day I would get to fly to Paris. As a little girl I wanted to travel so bad, I would write “Paris, London” on everything, believing that Paris was a city in London.  Imagine my surprise when I learned London and Paris are in two different countries entirely.

Today is the day I am going home. To be with my family and friends. While I am going home to great things, I am going to miss the memories I have made here like no other.

I have laughed, cried, been lost, and had a multitude of other events happen that have made me grow in ways I didn’t think I could in such a short time. This trip has made me a better world traveler and has ultimately changed my world view.

Most importantly, this trip has reassured me of how great God is. He blessed me with such amazing friends that I was able to spend this time with and He brought me to places that I truly have dreamed about visiting for years.

It wouldn’t have been possible without God. I have heard so many times: The Savior blesses those who serve Him.  It is refreshing to watch Him change my life as I have come to know Him better.

I didn’t think this trip would be possible for a long time, but He always pulls through.

Ask and you shall receive, in His timing. I had my ups and downs, but God was having me wait to begin traveling for this specific time in my life. He always has a plan!

For those who keep asking how I was able to make all of this happen, I have only one thing to tell you- All glory goes to God for this amazing trip.  I worked full time this past semester, went on a major financial budget, and applied for so many scholarships.  However, through the difficult times, He is the one who provided me with the will, strength, and opportunities so that I could travel throughout western Europe.  I couldn’t have done it without Him and the people that He strategically placed in my life when I needed strength!

It is so easy to pray and pray for things to change, and then as soon as they do forget who is actually behind the result.

Don’t forget God is on your side and He is the one who is blessing you.

With love,

Mattie

Tips for Traveling in a Foreign Country As a Newbie Traveler

1. Always plan to spend more money than you think you will.  When budgeting for my six weeks abroad I planned for food, travel accessories, coffee, shopping, transportation, etc.  I stayed on track for my extra shopping and travelings.  What took the biggest hit on my bank account was my money for food.  I calculated meals every now and then when I would not want to eat meals at school, and then two meals a day for my weekends.  What I didn’t anticipate was disliking the food that was provided at the hostels so much that I would end up buying three meals a day on my trips anyway.  Not only that, but we were walking so much that I found myself becoming hungrier faster than I do at home.  There were times when the only options around were super higher-end restaurants for miles.  That meant sometimes we would have to sit down and split a meal with someone and still end up spending 20 euros (about 23 USD) apiece at the cheapest.
2. Really know the public transportation system that you will be taking before you leave.  Know how much it will cost.  Loosely know how far each subway stop is from the next.  Most importantly, know what your limits are.  If you can only walk 3 miles a day before you are doing more than your body can take, you need to know that.  You do not want to ruin your trip running to get from place to place and then you are too exhausted to finish everything you wanted to do while have fun doing it.  My friends and I were averaging 10-12 miles a day.  10 miles isn’t bad at all.  Except we were walking in uncomfortable shoes AND on cobblestone streets.  You hear about how much European streets will hurt your body, and everything you hear is true.  10 miles feels more like 15 on those streets.  If you have a handy map of the city’s public transport system, a basic understanding of how it works before you go, and an idea of how much public transport you will be using, you will make your trip much less stressful and hard on your body.
3. Plan your days.  One of the most important things, that my friends and I began to understand after 4 days in London, is to know what you want to do each day you are traveling.  I am a bit of a planner…okay maybe a lot of one…so I like to know what I want to do.  More so that I don’t accidentally forget about a spot that I really wanted to visit, a bridge I wanted to photograph, or a coffee shop I wanted to try.  I created a spreadsheet, looked at a map, and planned what day we would- whether it was the north side of the city, the side across the Thames River, or the west side of the city.  Just having a loose plan ensured that we were not wasting money going back and forth on the tube to get to different sides.  We were saved a lot of money by picking one area each day so that we were exploring one area of the city instead of wasting time riding the tube.
4. Know the local weather based on research, not your friends.  I cannot stress this enough.  If I had looked more into England weather, I would have packed completely different outfits.  The most important thing is don’t listen to other people who have been there.  They cannot predict the weather based on when they went three years ago in a different season than you will be there.  I originally packed summery clothing because I was going to be mostly in England in June and I am a person who is just naturally hot all of the time.  After talking to people who had been to England, France, Italy, and Scotland, they all warned me that I would be freezing with the clothes I currently had.  After several people, I finally began to believe them and switched some of my favorite clothes for colder weather clothes.  I completely regret it!  Even though the weather is typically chilly in the UK even in the summer, I happened to be there in the middle of a heatwave.  I was burning up almost every day.
5. Find the best student deals.  There were so many places that I thought I would have to pay to get in to see, and ended up getting in free because I was a European student.  For example, I heard many people saying that students can get in free to the Louvre museum on Saturdays.  However, I did not believe them as it is such a big and expensive museum.  I went to the museum expecting to pay, and ended up getting in for free with my student ID!  A similar thing happened to a friend of mine at the Versailles Palace where they got in free.  However, another group of friends tried the same thing and they had to buy a ticket anyway.  Make sure not to 100% trust other people and don’t go without money.  Sometimes getting in free depends on the person behind the counter when you are trying to get in.  If you hear a museum might be free for students, try it before you knock the idea yet also be prepared in case things don’t go as planned.
6. Don’t be afraid to ask for help/directions.  Sometimes, you have to suck up your pride and ask for help.  There were multiple times when I got lost, both with and sometimes without my friends, and without data had no other choice than to ask someone for help.  When traveling in a country that speaks another language, it is especially hard to navigate by memorizing the directions to an area.  You don’t want to stick out like a sore thumb, but you absolutely do want to make sure you are heading the right way before you get too far on the wrong track.

For those of you who have traveled in a foreign country before, how accurate is this list?  Did you run across any of the problems?

To read about some of my favorite travel spots in London, click on this link.  Wishing everyone a fun and cool summer!

With love,

Mattie