Author Profile: Valerie Streif

Málaga is a beautiful city on the southern coast of Spain, located within Andalusia. It is a beautiful place to escape to some sunshine, enjoy delicious food, and it is a small enough city that most can be seen in just a few...   view more

Praha, or “Prague,” to us English-speakers, is the capital of the Czech Republic (which I hope you already knew) and also a wonderful city to travel to. It is an accommodating, youth friendly city that hosts plenty of...   view more

Saint Augustine, Florida. The oldest city in the United States. Founded in 1565, the city once served as a seaport. Today it is a tourist town with a wide variety of shops, historical attractions and scenic...   view more

This guide is for anyone looking to experience the Macy's Day Parade in New York City, a really incredible experience during the holiday season. It is a great way to feel the spirit of shopping as well as enjoy the beautiful decorations that give the city a magical...   view more

Ever since getting a glimpse of what Ireland looks like in movies, I’ve had a strong desire to set foot in the soggy country, drink a perfect pour Guinness and discover what a big Irish breakfast was all...   view more

The largest city and capital of the autonomous community of Andalusia, Seville sits in the southwest corner of Spain, just over 500km from...   view more

Situated on the Vistula river, Krakow is one of the oldest cities in Poland, rich in history and is a gem of a city to visit in Eastern...   view more

Lisbon, Portugal, is a stunning city on the water. Full of beautiful views, delicious food and a relaxed atmosphere, it is the perfect place for a...   view more

Fez is a city with a racing heartbeat and a vibrant spirit, filled with sights, sounds, and smells unlike any place I’ve ever been to. The second largest city in Morocco boasts a labyrinth of more than 9000 streets within the medina, each offering something new just around the...   view more

Last weekend, my friend Alex and I landed in Munich, Germany, to get our fill of charming German Christmas markets, drink all the glühwein and beer that we could handle as well as consume as much hearty German food as our arteries would...   view more

For a long weekend at the end of October, I swooped a flight to Copenhagen! Because I had not yet met my new coworkers and I was planning farther ahead than anyone else wanted to, it soon turned into a solo journey to...   view more

Tucked away in Basque Country in the north of Spain is the charming city of Bilbao. While not nearly as well-known as Barcelona or Madrid, it is the fourth most populated city in the country and is full of incredible things to see, do, and in true northern Spain fashion,...   view more

I have spent over the last year exploring different brunch offerings around Madrid, and I compiled my favorites into this guide for anyone missing the comforts of home in the form of eggs benedict. I have organized them by...   view more

Spanish wine is tragically underrated. Looking back on my waitressing days, I can’t count how many times I tried to sell a table a bottles of a Spanish red only to watch them turn up their nose and pick something from Sonoma or France...   view more

Driving to the north of Spain is like entering a different country. You leave the desert landscape of Madrid and enter a world of snow capped mountains, lush green rolling hills with colorful farmhouses scattered upon the...   view more

After our one night stop-off in Oviedo, it was time to head just a little bit farther north and get to the ocean. Gijón is easily accessible by bus from the main Oviedo station. The ticket cost about €2 and the journey was less than 30...   view more

Another long weekend for us English teachers in Spain meant another opportunity for a quick trip to another country – and this time we ventured east to Romania for three...   view more

If you are making a stop in Bucharest on your European travels, it goes without saying that you’re thinking about making a day trip to visit Bran Castle, also known as Dracula’s Castle, which is a day trip from the...   view more

Bulgaria is a country that has made milestones in development, despite the fact that it still has quite a way to go in terms of standard of living and other criteria. It is a very cool country full of (mostly) friendly...   view more

The combination of the colorful houses carefully stacked on the steep green sides of the Douro River, the weaving and winding cobblestone streets and the incredibly beautiful blue azulejos tiles that adorned the sides of churches, buildings, and streets created the enchanting...   view more

If you are looking for an escape from busy city life and want nothing more than a relaxing weekend on endless stretches of beach, look no further than Cadiz. Cadiz is technically an island in Andalucia, in the south of...   view more

Tucked away in the corner of Switzerland bordering France, the city of Geneva will always hold a special place in my...   view more

I’m not sure what aspect of the city had the biggest draw on me – whether it was the conglomeration of different islands and canals that compose the city center, the beautiful, preserved Scandinavian architecture, the seamless IKEA-like design of just about...   view more

Tallinn is the capital city of Estonia, the northernmost of the Baltic states. It has a medieval charm to it, as it wasn’t bombed out during WWII. Tallinn has an extensive history of occupation by foreign powers – Scandinavian nations, Nazi Germany, and the...   view more

I am proud to say that this is my 200th post on my blog, and how appropriate that I can dedicate it to one of my favorite cities in the whole wide world –...   view more

Next stop on the Baltic tour – Riga, Latvia. About four hours from Tallinn, this city is brimming with art nouveau architecture, restaurants, bars and coffee shops. It’s situated on the Baltic Sea and is the largest city in all the Baltic...   view more

The third and final stop on my tour of the Baltics was a two-night stay in Vilnius, Lithuania. The small capital of the small country was an amazing retreat from a normal city experience. It gave me the same feeling that I get when I drive up to northern Minnesota for a...   view more

Warsaw was never high on my list of places to visit. The name stirs up images of concrete and glass buildings, stacked Brutalist reminders of the reaches of the Soviet Union. I penciled it into my 5-week Europe trip solely because it made geographical...   view more

If you take the time to examine a map of Europe, you begin to realize how small the continent is, and how close together various cities...   view more

Thanks to Game of Thrones, Instagram, Mediterranean cruises and killer marketing strategies targeted at young travelers, Croatia has become a popular tourist destination for people spending the summer in...   view more

I must admit, I didn’t take many pictures while in Chicago. I was deeply enjoying my time spent with two of my favorite people who had recently moved to the windy city, and I didn’t think to get out my camera very often. It was an awesome...   view more

Melbourne is a special city. There is always something to do, an amazing restaurant to check out, or a mind-blowing coffee to drink on any given day. You can eat cuisine from any country in the world. The streets are full of people with different heritages and it’s a haven for traveling...   view more

I’m in Australia, and I’m loving it! It’s been hard to find a moment to write a post summarizing my experiences because it’s all been a whirlwind so far and I still have a lot of time that I’ll be spending in this...   view more

The air is cooler, and the atmosphere is much more relaxed. If you’re spending time in Morocco by way of Tangier or Fez, I’d highly recommend at least a one-night stop in this enchanting city. I’ve been lucky enough to visit...   view more

Close to the Atlas Mountains and a few hours from the foot of the Sahara, it is a beautiful oasis known for its various excursions, shopping and important buildings from imperial history. My trip to Marrakech in 2017 for our Holy Week vacation was certainly an action-packed, memorable...   view more

Ljubljana, Slovenia, was one of my favorite stops on my month-long trip around Eastern Europe and the Balkans. Here are 7 things you NEED to experience while in...   view more

Of all the cities I’ve traveled to over the past couple of years, if I had to pick one that was the most “memorable” or one that I learned the most from, it would hands-down be Sarajevo, the capital city of Bosnia and...   view more

Last month, I spent three glorious weeks relaxing in Cairns, in Queensland, Australia. Cairns City is known for sunny weather, warm winters, and for being the gateway to the tropics of...   view more

The city is magical – it draws you in and makes you want to stay to experience all the hiking, history, food, and culture. There’s so much to do in and around Cusco, you won’t be bored even after an extended...   view more

With a stunning abundance of restaurants and cafes, Cusco is a fantastic place for foodie travelers. Prices are so reasonable, even at higher-end establishments, and there’s a vast variety of cuisines to enjoy in addition to Peruvian...   view more

While Auburn isn’t at the top of most people’s “Travel Bucket list” it’s still a cool city to explore as part of a road trip, or if you find yourself in the city for a variety of...   view more

Sometimes, you need a place to unplug and relax, and not feel rushed to run around and see and do everything under the sun. And February 2019 was a time in my life that I really, really needed...   view more

We grabbed a beer at the National Hotel, a cornerstone spot in the city, and I was instantly convinced that Fremantle would be my spot for the next month. Thanks for rescuing me Hayley, you’ve saved me as a camper and as an...   view more

A tiny island country south of Sicily and east of Tunisia, stepping into Malta is like a stepping back in time. With incredible old, historic buildings, surrounded by sparkling blue Mediterranean waters and densely populate city areas, it is a very unique place to venture to for a...   view more