Travel guides

There’s no doubt that a road trip to California leads to some amazing destinations, they are so rich, so varied, and can also be personalized and tailored to suit the individual.

Here are my top 7 highlights that I pick in my 3 weeks road trip with my friend that I would recommend to anyone that asks.

Start your road trip from San Francisco with an Alcatraz Island tour

First up is San Francisco, this was where we started our road trip and had 3 days exploring the city before we picked up the car and hit the road.

We prebooked the Alcatraz tour online before we left, which I highly recommend, so off we went and hopped on the 11 am ferry to the island and spent a few hours exploring and taking the tour. Alcatraz was both haunting and incredible at the same time.

The stories of the inmates and the escapes that were attempted were told so well in and around the island through the headsets that you were able to pause if needed to spend more time in areas of the prison. I didn’t know that the families of prison guards would live on the island with them.

Try the best chowder near Pier 39

After we left the island, we wandered around the area and stumbled across Pier 39 where I had the best chowder served in a bread roll. The restaurant was on the edge of the pier, and we were lucky enough to be sat in a window seat where we could see Alcatraz.

The staff was so friendly and accommodating and we didn’t feel rushed at all despite the restaurant looking very busy. The chowder was creamy, fresh with large chunks of fish freshly brought that morning, the roll was warm and soft with the perfect crust. I would go back to San Francisco just for this!

Yosemite National Park

We then hit the road and headed to Yosemite National Park. As we arrived at Tenaya Lodge, in Yosemite late we decided to wait until morning before heading to the park. The bit no one prepares you for is driving through the forest areas that have been destroyed by wildfire, this was truly heart-breaking to see, we had been lucky to make it to Yosemite as a few months earlier it had closed due to wildfires, this made the visit even more meaningful.

We finally made it to Tunnel View and pulled over to admire El Capitan, Half Dome, Glacier Point, and Bridalveil Fall in all their glory, the bright blue sky and the sea of green trees framing them beautifully. We spent the whole day in the park, hiking trails, animal spotting, and also paddling in the streams. It was incredible and an experience I would encourage anyone to do.

Sequoia National Park

From Yosemite National Park, we then hit the road and arrived at Sequoia National Park to visit General Sherman. Sequoia is so different from Yosemite, everything is bigger. I felt small in Yosemite but I felt tiny walking amongst the huge redwood trees including the largest tree in the world – General Sherman. The sheer size of these beautiful giants was breathtaking and having a picnic amongst them is a memory that will stay with me forever.

The Grove in LA: High-end shopping in Los Angeles

It is very different from my other highlights and it’s the Grove in LA, this was such a change of pace compared to the first week of our road trip and it was a welcome one too. We spent a very lazy day eating and drinking our way around the incredible restaurants, listening to the live music on the promenade, and spending hours chatting and reading by the fountain. This outdoor shopping center had it all and it was right next to the Farmer's Market which was a lovely way to spend a couple of hours wandering around the stalls.

Pismo Beach

From LA we headed to Pismo Beach, which is a classic beach town on California's Central Coast. It's known for its wineries and many beautiful beaches. Again, for us,  this was a very chilled part of the holiday where we spent the day reading, sunbathing, and swimming in the sea.

Days like this are needed to recharge the batteries ready for the next few days. My favorite thing about Pismo beach was the uninterrupted sunsets and sunrises. For our meal that night we sat outside on the decking whilst the sunset and blue and orange sunset over the sea is still my phone background to this day.

Whale watching in Monterey Bay

My last highlight of the trip was whale watching in Monterey Bay. This was actually our last day before heading to the airport and we spent the day wandering around Monterey, otter spotting and walking through Old Fisherman’s Wharf and docks before heading to Discovery Whale watch to board our boat. This was the most incredible few hours of my life because we saw a humpback whale feeding.

We had spent some time at sea with not much luck until we turned around to head back to the dock and there was the vast black and white tail of a humpback. We sat on the boat bobbing up and down for ages just watching the whale surface and diving deep under the surface. This experience was everything I wanted and more.

It was so hard to narrow down my top 7 recommendations for a Californian road trip as there were so many highlights but if I was to redo it – these would be top of my list.

🙍‍♀️Sarah from Oxford, UK recently try to take on the world as a solo traveler! She had been away with her friends before but now she enjoys venturing out and exploring the world! She loves to bake too!(Instagram:@sarahtrubes)

The best part of being a digital nomad is the ability to work everywhere with your laptop. This gives me a superpower that allows me to work and travel at the same time to live like locals while traveling.

For the past year and a half, I have had the opportunity to travel around, while doing my full-time job. To many of my friends who spend a lot of time in their offices, my life feels like a dream. Who wouldn’t want to travel around while keeping their job?

Although being a digital nomad is a great way to live, I have found that traveling itself is a full-time job! There’s so much to see, do and experience in whichever city or country you are! In the last year, I have traveled around many states and cities in India, each one with its own list of must-dos and do-not-miss.

But honestly, exploring a new place while working full-time does get a little tiring if you are not prepared in advance(there are pros and cons). So life as a digital nomad requires more time and task management skills to you.

That’s why I’m sharing everything you need to know about how to make a balance between working remotely and traveling like a pro in this guide.

Become a planner based on prioritizing your tasks

A lot of times, people ask me how I manage to work and visit so many places, and truly enjoy the beauty without the two clashings. My answer? Making a schedule really helps! In fact, whenever I used to make a schedule, I could never stick to it! (it is not easy). But I knew that if I wanted to make the most of my experiences, I would have to stick to the schedule I make.

So, to keep working and travel in a day, I know that my work is my bread and butter and enables me to travel to such beautiful destinations, so I always make sure that I'm able to meet my work deadlines. Some days are generally lesser work, so I use that time to explore a bit more, and making a schedule does help me a lot. I map out the routes to popular destinations nearby to wherever I'm working so that I can make use of my break time to go there.

Find your routine to help to work and travel in a productive way

Staying in a new city is not easy. It always needs time to adjust. So, Finding your own routine in a new environment will help you organize your day more efficiently.

For me, I make sure that when I am logging in to work, I'm always settled at a good cafe, so I can focus. As a result, I usually have an early start to my day, take a short hike or a long walk to the cafe, and do my work in the early morning time.

Around noon, I log out for my lunch break, grab a quick bite to eat, and check out one or two of the tourist spots nearby. Then I choose another cafe to work at for the second half, until I log out in the evening, and enquire about any events happening in the night to end my day. It does sound tiring, but it is even more fulfilling, and helps me to accomplish my tasks at work without compromising my fun!

Live like a local for at least a month in a place

I love exploring, not just the place, but also the culture of every state, city, or country I visit, and so I always make sure to spend as much time as I can - until my soul is satisfied, is what I usually say. On my recent trip to Himachal Pradesh, I spent more than 4 months traveling around, and about 2 months in Dharamshala itself, because the city has so much to offer! This way, while working, I can make sure to explore a little of the city and surrounding villages every day, while being able to work.

Map out your daily route in advance

Time and again, I have managed to stay on track by mapping out my route for the day, especially if I want to hang around in different villages or attend different events. Knowing where you want to go and how much time it will take will help to plan out the workday quite efficiently and reduce time loss.

Have a full logoff to make the most of the weekends

I always save the long excursions and trekking trips for the weekend so I can fully immerse myself in those experiences, without thinking about my work. If not camping, I map out my route where I can explore the most sights for the day, as well as attend some events happening. I even travel to other cities or across states over the weekend so I can explore more places without it colliding with my work. A Van trip could be another option.

Just reading about it sounds hectic, right? Well, it absolutely is! But it is truly my most treasured experience and not an opportunity that everyone gets, which is why I spend as much of my time traveling as I can. There are also a ton of challenges that I face as a Digital Nomad, but that’s a story for another time!

🙍‍♀️Born in Indonesia, raised in India, Anjali Notandas is a creative writer and editor, and traveler at heart, and has been traveling since the age of 10. She loves exploring different cultures and eating her way through every country. Her dream countries are Turkey, Italy, and Norway, and she hopes to meet NomadHers everywhere she goes! She has accomplished her dream of being able to work from anywhere and is on her way to exploring the best of the world! (Instagram:@anjali_notandas)

This summer when the pandemic is finally over, and the borders are open, my friends and I decided to plan a trip to Europe. I have done my first solo trip last year to Barcelona and arranged small group trips during my Erasmus time in 2018 so I had a slight experience with organizing a trip. And this was going to be my first ever time arranging everything from visa to flight tickets to Airbnb to train tickets for a 10 days trip.

My route was Lyon-Besançon-Paris-Geneva-Milan-Florence-Rome. (So many cities I know right?!) First of all, let me tell you, it is definitely a stressful job if it is your first time to do all of these arrangements and if you are the only experienced person in your group but do not worry nothing is impossible!

5 Steps to follow to make a plan for a trip

1. The first thing to do is define dates of travel and take your visa appointment!
2. Then the hardest part comes, which is arranging flight tickets and accommodations. This one gets a bit complex when you have a route of multiple cities which we actually had. But for the visa do not think about it so much. Find some refundable and reasonable accommodations and just buy or reserve refundable flight tickets then the rest of the trip is definitely way easier.  When things get more certain, And then you can dive into choosing Booking.com or Airbnb which are the two most helpful websites we used for our accommodations. Make sure to book places with reviews and think about the locations of each of them, making it closer to the city center or closer to the train station. Think about which is more beneficial for you. For big cities like Paris, it is hard to find affordable places in the center so you can think about places close to metro stations.
3. Preparing Visa documents, if you don’t require a visa for the EU you can just skip this :D Visa documents actually seem super hard and give us lots of stress but in fact, you can prepare all those documents within 1-2 days. It is not as hard as you think it might be. Do not stress yourself. Just start preparing for them and make sure to check every requirement to not get caught off guard in the appointment.
4. Once your visa is out and confirmed, you can now start buying intercities transportation like train tickets, bus tickets whatever you are planning to use. I would highly recommend using the Trainline app for Europe and choose train as transportation because it is comfortable and The app also tells you about delays which sometimes saves you especially if you accidentally went to the other train station which happened to us and we just trusted the delayed information and took a cab to another train station to catch our train and guess what it was a big success and the biggest fear we have lived during our trip. When it comes to buses I must say bus journeys are not super comfy in Europe if I compare it with Türkiye where I am from. because the main transportation is the bus here so our busses are actually quite comfortable and they even give you snacks here so I was surprised about busses in Europe.
5. Now it's time to prepare the remaining stuff. I highly recommend you download offline maps on Google maps and also in me or other offline map apps you have been using. Also downloading the language in the Google translate app helps a lot when it comes to translating stuff. You can live without the internet if you have these with you but don’t worry it is quite easy to find the internet everywhere nowadays.

Another tip I can give is if you do not want to buy a sim card maybe you can try Esim if your phone is capable of it, it is a really nice alternative. Download the Airalo app and buy the Esim hat that fits your destination and activate it with a wifi connection maybe when you are in the airport. That is super helpful. And here are more advice to help your trip.

Don't rush to buy museum tickets in advance

About the museum tickets, I feel like do not rush to buy them online, trips are full of surprises sometimes you just do not feel like doing it so you can just buy them when you enter the country. For example, for the Louvre museum, we split into two, and one group didn’t want to visit, meanwhile, the others just wanted to visit it and bought the ticket from the museum which was cheaper than the online one.

Be flexible with changing schedule

Be flexible! You can never know what expects of you. so do not force yourself to see everything, do everything. Don’t be harsh on your body and remind yourself that nothing is more important than your health. I am saying this because I actually caught a cold during our trip and that really changed my plans about visiting some museums and places. I just didn’t push myself much and took it lightly when I was feeling exhausted. I just rested. So make sure to not let these spoil you because anything can happen during a trip, you would never know! I just took some time to heal for a few days and rested enough then felt better and our trip was still great!

Split into groups can be a good way to spend a good time with all

About traveling with a group, keep in mind that if you are in a crowded group, there is no way that every time you will share the same opinion. When it is the case that you have different opinions in the group, just be open to splitting up and let everyone enjoy the things they prefer to do. You can not always make everyone happy. So if you are traveling with a group sometimes everybody needs to compromise. Just make sure your friends are open and tolerant so you can travel in harmony. I was quite lucky with this because even though we were 6 people, we split up when needed and didn’t have any problems, everyone had a great time on their own.

Sometimes the group needs a certain someone to direct them, in these times let one person be in charge so it does not get so complex. And while choosing a location to go or eat please remind yourself that not everything you see on Instagram is real. Make sure to check google reviews of that place also so you don’t waste your time.

Keep the balance between doing research and enjoying the wonders of trips

Sometimes make sure to do your research earlier for big cities like Paris and beware of the situations you need to know about. And sometimes just go with the flow and enjoy discovering an unknown land without a single clue. Be open to everything these trips will bring you. And my favorite part of traveling is meeting new people, and locals and discovering new places.

Additionally, sometimes planning a travel destination including so many cities is not the best thing because for me the limit was 7 days, after 7 days I was tired of changing cities every day and moving to another Airbnb. Now I am thinking maybe it is better to choose a city as your base location and make day trips from that city or change maybe 1-2 cities in one trip. Otherwise, the journey is making you exhausted so better to keep that in your mind.

Organizing your own trip is definitely a hard job to do especially if you are organizing it for a group as well but it makes you learn lots of essential traveling information and lets you grow as a person.

So, a brief explanation of my travel

And lastly, let me briefly mention my trip. I took the flight to Lyon and took a train from Lyon to Besançon and the train had delayed so I arrived very late luckily I had a friend over there she hosted me and we had an amazing weekend together, very chill no stress at all. She showed me around and that was super nice.

Then I took the train to Paris and at that time I started feeling sick and cold so I made it to the hotel and rested. Then my friends came from Türkiye and we spent 4 days in Paris which was amazing, we all loved it there so much. On the final day in the early morning, we took a train to Geneva and on the same day, we had a bus from Geneva to Milan in the evening so that day was super tiring! Then we stayed one day in Milan and went to Florence the other day, and in Florence the house we were staying in was awesome so we stayed there 2 nights and went to Rome and stayed there 2 nights then took the flight and came back to Türkiye.

The weather change also hits differently. Paris was cold, Geneva was super humid. Italy was super hot that we could only go out in the early mornings or after sunset. My personal opinion is it is easier to travel during the autumn season even in winter or cold weather than on hot summer days.

If you came here to read my story, I hope you had a great time and the information was useful for you! I can’t wait to travel to whole different locations and meet some NomadHers!

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🙍‍♀️Ayse Koker from Turkey is a digital artist who loves to travel. Meeting new people and learning about cultures are her passions. Her dream countries are South Korea, Portugal, and Japan. (Instagram: @maleuglena)

My interest in travel began when I joined a youth organization during high school. This organization brought me to meet up with friends outside of school who enjoyed traveling or touring to meet, discuss, and (as a bonus) enjoy natural destinations with peers in other cities.

I love Indonesia, my country with many historical and natural destinations that you should definitely visit. My experiences in exploring different destinations in Central Java with my friends made me want to venture further places. "Travel like a local" is something I always keep in mind before deciding to visit a new place. It's not just about seeing the skyscrapers, but places steeped in history and other things that are sometimes too old are worth visiting. Here are a few notes I often make when I visit a place.

1. Visit museums or historic buildings

"A great nation is a nation that knows history" - Ir. Soekarno.

This is a quote from the first president of Indonesia. The first destination I should put on my list of must-visit is a museum or an old building that has a history. There I learn a little more about the history of the place I'm visiting.

Visiting museums or historical buildings isn't boring if you know the history or background of the collections or ancient objects in that place. Even today, there are various museums, some of which display not only historical or ancient things but also some art collections. By the way, visiting a museum can be your short escape on a weekend vacation that lasts only two days.

2. Try local or street food

When we travel, we should try something different from what we consume every day. Traditional or local food is a must when I traveled alone. Even if not all the dishes meet our taste, we can at least try one of the local dishes there. Traditional food has usually been around for a long time or even decades, so they have several generations of vendors.

Besides tasting local dishes that we don't often eat in our daily lives, I usually use this activity as a trick to get information about hidden gems or other information about places we can visit that the food vendors sometimes know because they stay in the area longer and know their surroundings very well. It's free information that sometimes isn't shared by online search engines.

3. See natural landscapes

As an archipelago state, Indonesia has many natural destinations to offer, both in the lowlands, such as beaches and in the highlands, such as hills and mountains. Enjoying nature is very pleasant and calms our minds. I always visit a nature destination in the middle of my trip.

For example, If I'm traveling for three days, I'll visit a place or destination near the city center on the first day and then explore nature on the second day before continuing my final exploration. If you decide to visit a nature destination in Indonesia, you'll usually meet locals who've lived in the area for a long time. Indonesians aren't only friendly, but also happy to offer something, especially if they know we're not locals. Don't hesitate to give them a smile as well.

4.  Local/public transportation

In the big cities in Indonesia, there are some public transportations that we can use to move around the city and explore places. If you want to travel through several provinces on Java Island, you should take the train. Not only because the train is cheap, but you can also see the places and landscapes you pass by better than if you take a plane.

Exploring the city? You can use public transportation, busses, traditional vehicles, or maybe the short-distance trains that are available. So far, I've always relied on the train when I wanted to go somewhere. Otherwise, you can use a transportation app that can give you a ride whenever you want. In some cities like Semarang, Solo, Yogyakarta, and Jakarta, there is a sightseeing bus that you can use to explore the city. Good luck!

5. Try to speak the local language

There are many local languages in Indonesia, even on the island of Java. The Javanese language I use also has many different accents, so sometimes the locals themselves can feel the difference even though they're still in the same province.

Try to remember a few words like greetings or thanks in the local language or at least in Indonesian if you aren't an Indonesian citizen. These little things often help people to respect each other. Or we can even make new friends on the trip. You will get new information from new friends, right?

These are my notes that I hope are useful for you, and have fun exploring Indonesia!

Enjoy your time and  I'll be happy to know if you have plans to travel to Indonesia. Especially in the regions closest to where I live in Semarang (Central Java), like East Java, West Java, or maybe Yogyakarta. Happy to hear your opinion about Indonesia when we meet. Don't forget to always travel safely, NomadHers!

👩 Ulfa Isnaini is an intern at one of the private universities in Semarang and also a private tutor for students in her spare time. She loves traveling and having new experiences along her trip. She likes having a talk and making new friends also who have the same interests as her. Her Instagram: @ulfaisnain_

Barcelona is the perfect combination of the big city, beach, and mountains which makes the city one of the world's leading tourist destinations. Barcelona has a lot to offer from its culture, history, and art to gastronomy, architecture, relaxing parks, and not mention the world’s oldest magic shop, speakeasy bars, and secret restaurants. Yet, the greatest value to me is the kindness and compassion of Spanish people who can make your stay unforgettable.

✳️ Best time to visit

▪ May ~ mid-September

If you want to enjoy the beach this period is the perfect time to visit Barcelona. I would avoid August since by usually this time the sea warms up and jellyfish are present.

▪ October-May

If you prefer a more pleasant climate, less-crowded places, less waiting time at tourist attractions, and cheaper accommodation, recommend visiting during October - May. You still can go to the beach (open & free) but the sea will probably be too cold for a bath.

▪Fun fact

Barcelona is heaven for those women who are looking to undergo IVF treatment due to the excellent public & private healthcare system, advanced technology (Barcelona is a Health Tech hub), high success rates, and multilingual medical professionals.

✳️ Safety

Most of the countries have a consulate in Barcelona (embassies are in the capital) so make sure you have their contact details in case of lost documents or any other emergency.

▪Areas to need to avoid: La Rambla, the port & the district of Raval at night or when there are no people around. If you like legends, there is one about the Vampire of Raval.

▪Pickpocketing: Barcelona is generally a safe city. However, pickpockets are the main crime problem (generally not violent) mainly in the city center and near major tourist attractions. Keep your bags in front of you when walking in crowded places. In the metro, no wallet in your back pocket, and don't put phones, or cameras on tables at cafes and restaurants. It’s also an issue on beaches so if you plan to swim, I recommend renting a locker for your belongings.

✳️ Public transportation

If you prefer to discover the city on your own and create your own itinerary, the Barcelona public transport will be your best friend since it’s very convenient, reliable and you can get to the attractions easily.

You have the options:

▪Hola Barcelona Travel Card: It provides unlimited journeys on public transport for consecutive periods. ▪T-casual ticket: Individual 10-journey ticket, one journey is valid for 75 minutes when changing lines or mode of transport.

▪T-dia ticket: Individual ticket for an unlimited number of journeys in one day.

▪Moovit app: This is the app I use for public transport since it shows real-time arrivals. With this app, you can be completely independent and save money on the taxi ride.

✳️ Things to do on the first day

To start the first day in Barcelona, looking around the entire city can be a good choice. They guide you to some historical sights and famous attractions. It helps your understanding of new places at once. Here is information about the walking & bus tour.

▪Barcelona Free Walking Tour

▪Hop on Hop off Bus Tour

▪ Barcelona Night Tour Bus

✳️ The apps to help organize your trip

▪Barcelona beaches: This is the website of the city and provides real-time updates about the occupation level, sea conditions, water quality, and jellyfish presence on the Barcelona beaches, and you’ll also find useful info about activities, living, and working in Barcelona.

▪Nextdoor app: If you’d like to discover and connect with people in your neighborhood or exchange recommendations, check this app out

▪My 112 app: I haven’t used this app but it can be an interesting option. If you call the emergency operator from the app, it automatically sends your location to the operator so they can locate you more quickly (only works in Spain).

👩 Alma Schiffer(IG: @almaporbarcelona) lives in Barcelona. Traveling and learning about new cultures is her passion. Recently, She creates some great designs that she gets inspiration from the famous Korean drama called Extraordinary Attorney Woo. Do you want to follow up on her next trip? Then find her in the NomadHer community. She is waiting for women travelers to share their travel stories and inspiration right now! You can connect to her through the NomadHer community now!

During more stressful times, one thing that relaxes me is thinking about future travel. I stayed in Dublin🇮🇪 for five days with two friends and my little brother (16). Here are my suggestions to travel to Dublin which is the capital of Ireland and has lots of attractions. It includes transportation, bar & restaurant, and main highlights to go. hope you will enjoy them!  However, I’ve discovered that Dublin is more than pubs, it has a fascinating history and is surrounded by nature.

✳️Transport

The EU is easily accessible because you need only your ID card, don’t worry if a border policeman says otherwise -it happened to me. The airport isn't far from the center and Ireland also has its own air company, Aer Lingus. Check if they have sales.

💳 Transport pass

Online or at the airport, you can buy the Leap Card, a convenient transport pass. There are different types, be careful. Both the center and suburb are well-connected. For example, if you want to do a day trip to Howth you can reach it by bus -as I’ve done- or by train, the DART. On every bus, you can charge your phone in a USB socket!

✳️ Food and drinks

Dublin is famous for the Guinness beer, but give also a try to other beers and alcohol such as whiskeys! 🍴Irish food is based mainly on meat and fish. Some traditional dishes are the Irish Stew, Seafood Chowder, and their generous breakfast. For lunch, almost every restaurant is closed, but you can still find some international restaurants, cafes, and fast-food chains.

🍻The Brazen Head: The oldest pub in Dublin, they serve traditional food and Irish beer (we loved Kilkenny beer)

🐟 King Sitric Seafood Bar: It offers yummy and fresh fish in Howth port.

🍩 Offbeat Donut Co: There are a lot of lovely donuts and even one vegan option, my advice is to buy one and eat it in a park, you will not regret it!

🍗 Nando’s Dublin: Chicken chain restaurant with tasty plant-based options. Ask for tap water, you will save money.

For better food advice, ask locals, some of them also have a list of favorite restaurants.

✳️Places to visit in Dublin

• Visit the city center, in particular, Temple Bar, the Trinity College Library, St.Patrick and the St. Christ Cathedrals.
• Spend an afternoon in Phoenix Park and look for fallow deer.
• Go to Howth, there are seals in the port and amazing walks.
• Learn how Guinness beer is made and drink a pint in the Guinness Storehouse.

Other information when you look around

• Notice that almost every museum/church/clothing store closes at 5 p.m.
• Remember to book tours or other activities, in particular the Guinness Storehouse.
• In pubs, underage (18) can’t stay after 10 p.m., even if with an adult, and in many pubs you must be at least 21 years old.
• Some national museums are gratis, the others have student discounts.

✳️Accommodation

I’ve stayed in Dublin One Hotel and I really recommend it. It’s twenty-minute from the center and, when I looked, it was cheaper than hotels and hostels. In addition, it’s clean and comfortable and it has delicious breakfast/brunch options, even vegan, so book the breakfast too.

✳️Safety

I felt pretty safe during the day and people are very kind, if you need anything ask them! In the evening you have to be more careful because there are plenty of drunk people, stay on busy streets and check around you.

To sum up, I really enjoyed Dublin and I hope to return to Ireland soon!

👩 Valentina Gianotti(@Valentina Gianotti) is from Italy. She loves art, travel, and animals. Now, she expects what’s next on her journey.  Do you want to follow up on her next trip? Then find her in the NomadHer community. She is waiting for women travelers to share their travel stories and inspiration right now! You can connect to her through the NomadHer community now!

I’m proud to say that I’m a female solo traveler. I’ve always been very independent, but I’ve never had the courage to make a solo trip abroad, until April 16: on that day I went on my first solo travel abroad to Bucharest, the heart of Romania.

This travel was a double challenge for me: demonstrating that I’m capable of traveling alone and, most of all, demonstrating to everybody that Romania is absolutely safe if you’re a female solo traveler.

I guess I could talk about this experience for an entire day, but I’ll try to keep it short and give you important information and tips to arrange a solo trip to this beautiful city that just needs to be discovered!

✳️ Is Romania safe for solo female travelers?

All I can say is that I’m so grateful to have chosen this city for my solo trip: I’ve never felt unsafe walking alone, Romanians are very welcoming, and be sure that if you need help, you will find a Romanian ready to help you. Romania has so many things to offer, it’s only up to us to go there and discover them all.

And I guess that on a solo trip you never stop meeting new people and that day I had the chance to meet so many of them, especially the guide who knew that I was there alone and, therefore, we spent all the free time together talking (in my funny Romanian) about so many different things.

✳️ Can I use Euro in Romania?

Even though Romania is in Europe, they don’t have Euros. Instead, they use a currency called the Romanian leu. But don’t worry because a credit card is accepted everywhere, so you can survive easily without changing your money.

✳️ How can I go downtown from the airport?

The airport “Henri Coanda” is well connected to the city center with 🚌 the 783 bus that goes back and forth every 20 minutes, so let the adventure begin: I got on the bus and in half an hour I arrived at the hotel (Tip #1: always book a hotel located in the very city center so you would feel safe going out at night or simply coming back to the hotel after dinner, and in this city, you can find a lot of good-for-value hotels).

✳️ Where are your favorite places in Bucharest?

After checking in, I immediately started to explore the city Bucharest has a lot of streets full of cafes, cute shops, and beautiful places.

1. Grand Café Van Gogh

The most beautiful cafes in Bucharest

2. The Carturesti Carusel

One of the most beautiful libraries in Europe.

3. Parliament of Romania

The Parliament is actually the heaviest building in the world (Tip #2: it’s definitely worth a visit inside, the interior is very pompous and if you’re a student the ticket is only 4€). It was quite far from the city center. But, despite all, I’ve never felt unsafe walking down the street alone and the Romanian people, 😀as I expected, were so kind, some men even changed the sidewalk so they wouldn’t give me the impression they were following me and I really appreciated it.

4.  Bran Castle

It is called Dracula’s Castle

5.  Peles Castle

The most beautiful castle I have ever seen so far. If you come to Bucharest, you need to visit these two castles. So the next morning I took part in this tour to the two castles and the city of Brasov, and visiting these places covered with snow was the cherry on the cake. Romania is one of the most beautiful countries to good to go to during the Christmas season.

6. The ethnographic museum of Dimitrie Gusti

On the last day, I left the hotel early so I could have one last walk to the city that, apparently, at 10 am is still sleeping and I walked for almost 10 km until the last attraction: the ethnographic museum of Dimitrie Gusti. This is an open-air museum where there is a village made of small houses coming from all parts of 19th-century Romania. The ticket is only 4€ euros and I’ve been there until the afternoon when I took the bus to the airport and said goodbye to this city.

✳️ Could you recommend a restaurant that is good to go?

🍷 Caru' cu bere restaurant

Finally, dinner time has come and I want to be honest with you, I was a little bit “afraid” that people would judge me for going to a restaurant alone, but I was wrong because basically, no one looked at the in a bad or “pity” way.

I went to the restaurant Caru’ cu bere which is considered one of the most beautiful restaurants in the city and it really was. The food is amazing, the waiters were very kind, and every now and then there were dancers and singers going around in the restaurant and interacting with customers.  

After dinner, on my way back to the hotel, I decided to have a walk through the cute streets of the center taking some pictures.

If you are planning to go on your first solo trip, I strongly recommend Romania as the country that you are looking for. As a woman traveler,  you feel safe, see beautiful scenery and meet kind people. You feel welcomed wherever you go.

👩 Denise Laniro is from Italy. After her first solo trip to Romania, she falls in love with this country.  She loves to travel around the world and meet people. Do you want to follow up on her next trip? Then find her in the NomadHer community. She is waiting for women travelers to share their travel stories and inspiration right now! You can connect to her through the NomadHer community now!

In June 2021, I got my driver's license, and a month after I got a car, a little Peugeot 206 all red. As soon as my new car was in my pocket, I had only one idea in my head: To go on the road with it!

So I decided to get it done! With the help of videos on Youtube and my imagination, I started a little notebook where I wrote down what I needed and wanted that would fit in the space of my vehicle. My car being small, everything had to be thought out to be optimized as much as possible.

Once the calculations were done, it was time to move on to the construction! For that, I salvaged or bought some wooden boards, and hey presto, it was on! I made a few mistakes and had to tweak my cutouts by hand but I finally got it just the way I imagined it.

✳️ To start the first van trip in earnest

Within a week it was ready to go on a van trip and I was off on an adventure, by the Atlantic Ocean! Not too far from my home, in a place where I used to go, just to test my layout and to be able to go back more easily if something went wrong. This first week allowed me to see what was and wasn't right, what I needed to revise or redo (my shutters for example), what I needed to provide more of (water supplies for wild places), or what I could get rid of (I had taken way too many clothes).

✳️ New experiences with traveling with my van

1.  I can discover new experiences every time during the van trip

Once the adjustments were made, I was off on my adventure again, in the city or in more remote places, for two days or ten, in winter or summer, with sun or rain, the main thing being to go. I discovered new places, went to places I knew by heart, and slept in forests and commercial parking lots. I went to the beach, I went hiking, I went to concerts and on top of that, I admired lots of sunsets and starry skies.

2.  Solo road trip makes me independent

I met all kinds of people along the way, especially curious people wondering how my layout was made and how this 1m72 girl could fit in such a tiny car. By the way, many people told me I should be careful, going off alone, being a woman, but I tried to listen to their words as little as possible so as not to parasitize my motivation. I once had a bad encounter (a man hovering around my car in the late afternoon but I sent him packing and that was it). And on the contrary, going alone has strengthened me and made me want to travel alone even more. There is nothing stopping me anymore!

3. I love the fact that I can travel anywhere and anytime.

What I like most of all with this kind of adventure is that I feel really free (if we put aside my addiction to gasoline and it's not a very eco-friendly aspect). I can go where I want and when I want, change places, stay there for several days or finally move 5 minutes after settling down! I'm like a turtle who moves quietly within his house. Plus, I don't have to answer to anyone since I organize myself as I wish and it's much cheaper than going to hostels or hotels. Of course, I don't have the comfort of a van or a camper, but simplicity and resourcefulness suit me just fine!

I haven't done any long road trips for various reasons, mainly financial and family, but I do plan on going on a long trip one day! Maybe with this car or maybe with another one, I'll see but going on an adventure for several months and/or in a country other than France tempts me a lot.

✳️ Tips to think about before starting your first solo van trip

▪ Water

Each time I go on a road trip, I take a 10L water reserve in order to be a minimum of autonomous if ever there is no drinking water point where I venture. I use this water for drinking but also for cooking and washing. Until now I was rather lucky because I always found water in free access! then my reserve was useful to me "in more" (for example the night when I have the laziness to go to the water point).

▪ Food

To cook, I stock up on food before leaving (not too much either because I don't have much room in the car or a fridge so I don't want it to spoil!). I also take a lot of starch (pasta or rice) because it's the easiest to store and it provides me with the most energy, perfect for hiking! For vegetables, I have fresh ones at the beginning of the road trip and then I eat canned vegetables. I have all kinds of seasoning (oils, spices, etc) so I eat with many different tastes, it avoids me to get bored even if I eat for several days a row the same vegetables.

▪ Stove

I use a stove that I bring with me with several gas bottles in reserve, it is used to make hot meals (but I make very few since I leave more often when it is hot, I feel more like a salad than soup!) or to make myself tea or hot chocolate for breakfast. And I am always careful when I light my stove to make sure that no sparks fly, especially when I am near shrubs or other trees, so as not to start a fire.

▪ Hygiene

Speaking of washing, let's talk about my hygiene!

Before my very first departure, I bought a portable shower: it's a kind of big bag that you fill with water and that has an opening tap.

The problem with the portable shower is that it has to be held up so that the water flows out. Except that all alone, it is not very practical. So I finally decided to simply take - a glove! Yes, the dish and laundry basin also serve as my sink (so three in one!). So since I can't always get water under pressure, I put water in the basin and wash with a glove, which is more than enough for a daily wash.

▪ Wash the dishes and clothes

As for the dishes, I have a basin and a Marseille soap, which I also use to wash my clothes! Yes, two in one. The advantage of leaving with few things is that the dishes and the laundry are quickly done. I always take enough clothes with me but I like to wash them as I go along so that I don't have too much dirty laundry accumulating.

▪ Wash hair

During van life, to wash my hair, I use solid shampoos without harmful products for the environment and I sprinkle my hair with water once (by tipping the basin on my head), then I lather my shampoo, and finally, I rinse using my basin again (hence my 10L water reserve).

▪ Take a shower

As a woman traveler, The most complicated issue for me is privacy during my shower. As my car is small, I can't get inside and wash away from any prying eyes. To remedy this, I always put myself close to vegetation and park precisely so that I can hide between it and the car. I usually wait until the evening or wash early in the morning, so that I don't run into anyone when I'm butt naked.

However, when I go in the summer, there is no problem washing next to my car in my bathing suit; everyone in the area is in their bathing suit! On the other hand, when the temperature is colder, not only I don't have hot water (I don't feel like heating it and I got used to cold water anyway, it dynams me!) but I don't feel like taking off my clothes to wash so I go faster than the summer to not be too cold for too long.

✳️ What else do I bring to the van trip

▪ Clothes & Books

Concerning the things to choose, I think it's very personal and very different depending on where I decide to go and for how long. In my case, I initially brought too many clothes and as I finally do my laundry as I go along, the following times I limited myself to only a few tops and bottoms. On the contrary, I decided to take more books at the following times because I don't use my phone or my computer too much during my trips and I like to read at night before going to sleep!

▪ Solar battery

By the way, to charge the batteries, I have a solar battery that I use for my cell phone and I charge it up fully before I leave. If ever it is empty, I recharge it while driving (I recharge it rather than my phone because it lasts longer!).

▪ Laptop converter

For my laptop, I had bought a converter to put on the cigarette lighter but it failed me very quickly.

▪ Camera

For my camera, I didn't have a solution to recharge the battery of my reflex because I need a plug on the mains. It was the biggest black spot of my trips. But I just changed my camera for a hybrid (which can be charged directly) so I could charge it like a phone with my solar battery.

What I love most of all is the journey of the road trip with a van and not the destination, so it doesn't matter where I put my luggage (well my car) as long as I discover new things along the way. I really recommend this way of traveling if you can, it's really fantastic because you take the time to discover what's on your way, and even close to your home you rediscover new things, while simply traveling with little.

Emma Couloudou is from France. She loves to travel around the world and meet people. She likes discovering new cultures and new ways of living. Also, she loves taking photos. Her trip will continue to Alexandria soon! Do you want to follow up on her next trip? Then find her in the NomadHer community. She is waiting for women travelers to share their travel stories and inspiration right now! You can connect to her through the NomadHer community now!

Alsace is a region on the Eastern side of France, on the Rhine river, at the border with Germany and Switzerland. In fact, the Alsatian dialect is very similar to Swiss German, although most Alsatians primarily speak French.

Alsace is mostly known because of its enchanting villages and for its wine routes. Anyway, during Christmas time, the magical atmosphere of the Alsatian little towns raises thanks to the colorful lights and creative decoration (like in the pictures below) and the lovely Christmas markets. For this reason, I decided to spend there a week of my Christmas holiday.

✳️ Transportation of Alsace

I stayed in Strasbourg the capital city of Alsace and from there I took public transportation to move around and visit other places.

It is important to plan transportation in advance because the area is not very well connected (which was different from what I expected). In fact, my plan was to visit three of the small villages around Strasbourg: Riquewihr, Eguisheim, and Ribeauvillé, but there were only a few buses per day leaving from Colmar going to these places, so I had to choose only one of them.

If you feel comfortable driving, my suggestion is to rent a car, since it is the easiest and fastest way to explore the area. If renting a car for yourself is too much considering your budget, It is one of the ways to find travel companions to travel through the NomadHer community.

✳️ What to see in Alsace

▪️In Strasbourg

Strasbourg is the capital city of Alsace and it’s famous to be one of the four main capitals of the European Union (along with Brussels, Luxembourg, and Frankfurt).

Its historical center is situated on an island of the Ill river (Grand Ile) which includes the most typical headquarter of the region, the so-called “Petite France” which is part of the UNESCO world heritage site.

The main attraction of the town is the majestic gothic Notre-Dame cathedral (in the picture beside). In the square of the cathedral, there is the Maison Kammerzell. Today, this building is a beautiful restaurant, but in the past, it was the house of a rich merchant. Its amazing façade dates back to the 14th century.

There are many interesting museums to visit, but the most popular is the Palais Rohan, which is a classical palace designed by Robert de Cotte in 1730 for the price-bishops of the town. The other three museums you could visit are The Museum of Fine Arts, The Archaeological Museum and The Museum of Decorative Arts.

I suggest taking a tour of the town by boat. It is very interesting and you will discover more about Strasbourg, thanks to the audio guides (in many languages). There are various tours by boat, so you may choose which one you prefer. To avoid long lines, it’s suggested to buy tickets online on the Batorama website, where you will also find more information. There is always a way to enjoy a new city like Explore Paris in an Outstanding Way.

At the end of the “Petite France” quarter, there are the Covered Bridges. Beyond its towers, there is the Vauban Dam which has a terrace where you can enjoy a nice view over the town. If you go during Christmas time, it is nice to walk around the streets in the evening and enjoy the special holiday atmosphere created by the markets and the Christmas lights.

▪️In Colmar

Colmar is one of the jewels of Alsace and one of the most beautiful towns in France. It is located less than 70 km south-southwest of Strasbourg, you can reach it in less than an hour by train.

Its most scenic and romantic quarter is called “Petite Venice”. Because of its intersection of channels. It extends from the Koïfhus to the bridges Turenne and Saint Pierre, which are wonderful spots to take photos.

The Koïfhus is situated in the Place de l’Alsacienne and is one of the most typical buildings of Colmar. In the past, it was a customs house. In the historical center, in Place de la Cathedral, there is the St Martin’s Collegiate which dates back to the 13th century and was built on the ruins of an ancient Romanic church.

The wonderful Rue Merciére, one of the best streets in town, is worth a visit: there are typical houses and shops and bourgeois houses, such as the famous “Maison de Tetes”, which is decorated with more than 100 heads, and the “Maison Pfister”.

In addition to Strasbourg and Colmar, I visited Riquewihr(photos below), a small Medieval village, with few inhabitants but it was listed as one of the most beautiful places in France.

This small town makes you feel like in a fairy tale because of its little houses with wooden roofs and colorful walls. In fact, rumors have it that Riquewihr was the inspiration for the village of “The Beauty and the Beast”. It is also one of the villages along the Alsace Wine Route and it is located 15 km northwest of Colmar.

Just a walk in Rue Charles de Gaulle (the main street) is a special experience, thanks to its colorful architecture. This rue leads to the Dolder, a term that in the Alsatian dialect means “the highest point” and is the name of a 25-meter tower built in pink sandstone from the Vosges. Today, its first three floors host the local Museum of Art and Popular Tradition.

Another attraction is the Palais du Pain d’Épice(photos below), a museum of gingerbread in Gertwiller, a very small town. The museum is very picturesque but the village is very isolated and doesn’t have restaurants or bars. It can be reached by train. It takes around 40 minutes if you get the direct one. The museum, which has also a shop, is decorated as it were in Hansel and Gretel’s tale. In the shop, you can find souvenirs and gingerbread products.

If you like wine in France, there is wine tasting in the houses of the village, you can ring and ask how it works. You can try the Gewurztraminer wine which is typical of the area. I would suggest going there if you have rented a car because it’s easier to move around. There are not many trains and in winter, waiting outside for the train you can feel cold.  

At the border with Alsace, there is the German town Freiburg im Breisgau, which is easy to reach by Flixbus. This town is considered the door to the Black Forest, which was the landscape of many stories written by the Grimm brothers.

The main attraction of the town is the gothic Cathedral (Münster) with the high bell tower. Next to the Cathedral, there is the Kaufhaus, a red elaborated building that was the house of corporations and merchants in the 16th century.

Another impressive building is the Martinstor, Martin’s gate, the older of the two gates of the town that have been preserved since medieval times.

To add a little adventure to the visit to Freiburg, you can hike Schlossberg, a tree-covered hill of 456 meters located east of Freiburg’s Old Town which belongs to the Black Forest.

If you don’t like hiking or you have little time, there is a funicular railway(photos below) that links the city center with Schlossberg hill. Because I didn’t have much time, I hiked only halfway down the hill, anyhow the view of Freiburg was amazing also from there. If you have more time, also Eguisheim, Obernai, Ribeauvillé, and Kaysersberg are worth a visit.

✳️ What to eat in Alsace

The traditional Alsatian cuisine is a blend of French and German dishes.

The national dish of Alsace is the Choucroute garnie, a mix of regional cured meats (all the best meats of Alsace, bratwurst, boudin blanc, and smoked pork) served with choucroute (sauerkraut, which is a German cabbage) and boiled potatoes. It was delicious and very filling, so much so that I had a hard time finishing it.

Another traditional dish I tried was the Flammekueche, a thin layer of dough covered with sour cream, cheese, onions, and bacon. It’s crispy and tasty. It is considered the Alsatian equivalent of a pizza, even though it’s very different.

Then, there is the Baeckeoffe, a casserole made with layers of sliced potatoes and onions with two kinds of meats (beef, and pork). Other ingredients that are commonly added are leeks, thyme, parsley, garlic, and carrots for flavor and color. It is often eaten for a special occasion, such as Christmas.

Furthermore, in Alsace, you should try their delicious Bretzels: fresh baked and soft pretzels with a generous amount of salt. They can be found in the Christmas markets and they are of a different kind: with melted cheese on top and accompanied by smoked salmon or ham.

Also, in Riquewihr I stopped in a nice salon de to take a coffee with a Bûche de Noël: a French traditional Christmas dessert covered with chocolate or coffee cream and icing and usually filled with jam. It’s called the Yule log because of its shape.

😊Who is NomadHer writer

Sofia Antognoli is from Italy and can speak 4 languages like Italian, English, Spanish, and French. She has lots of curiosity about the world. That is why she has lots of countries that she wants to travel to in the future! also loves festivals too! Do you want to hear more stories about her perfect fairy-tale trip to Alsace, France?  You can connect to her through the NomadHer community now.

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✈️ Are you planning to Alsace, France?

Join other solo female travelers heading to Alsace, France, and meet local women!  Meet women travelers on NomadHer App and ask questions about traveling solo to Madeira, Portugal. You can join the NomadHer community by downloading the app. Also, You can see have a quick look at what’s going on right now by following  @nomad_her