Louise’s Grand Tour (2024)

03/08/2023

On the last day of my trip I had run out of things to do in Zagreb so I decided to book a daytrip and the most popular option from Zagreb was to go to the Plitvice Lakes.

It was a 2 hour coach trip away and it wasn't cheap but I'm very glad I did because it was stunning.

*insert chemical process* has caused the formation of many waterfalls in this river creating really dramatic stunning scenes. The area is also full of greenery and the water is impossibly clear so it's just beautiful.

Apparently this is a tiny area of the whole national park but its obviously by far the most popular. It was rather busy but apparently its not so bad outside of July/August. You have to pay entry to the park and where you can walk is limited to certain trails and wooden footbridges across the lakes, very similar to Vintgar Gorge in Bled. The route we took was apparently about 8K in total but it wasn't particularly challenging and there were plenty of immenties along the route i.e. cafes, toilets and souvenir shops although these were all tastefully done in log and brick cabins. And we also got on a road train at one point and a boat to cross one of the lakes. I think it's a really interesting debate as to whether areas of natural beauty like these should be controlled and ticketed but in this case I thought the facilities were excellent and it allows them to protect the park so I had no complaints.

I was worried that I would be the only solo traveller on the trip but I definitely wasn't! And I ended up spending most of the time with a woman from Brighton and a guy from Australia, both in their twenties. Again it was really nice to socialise and share travel stories.

One of my favourite days of the whole trip! lol

03/08/2023

Monday and Tuesday were spent exploring Zagreb although it was very hot and by this point in the trip I was quite tired so they were not exactly the most jam packed days.

I explored the old town but sadly due to a 5.5 earthquake in 2020 a lot of the buildings including the cathedral and main art gallery are indefinitely closed due to damage. It happened very early in the morning and during lockdown so apparently there were hardly any casualites but the infrastructural damage was extensive.

On Monday I went to The Museum of Broken Relationships which is a very gimmicky exhibit of items that people have donated that pertain to broken relationships with plaques telling their stories. It seems to be very popular, I guess just because it is so quirky.

And on Tuesday I did, you guessed it, a walking tour. There were only 8 people and the guide it was a really nice intimate group and our guide was lovely and it was interesting to learn more about the history and culture of the town.

Otherwise my time was spent mooching around shops, relaxing in parks and sitting outside at Cafes. Also I found some incredible vegan food in Zagreb which I hadn't been expecting.

03/08/2023

Sunday in Ljubliana was exactly what I needed.

I started the day with a walking tour to get a better understanding of the city. Our guide was lovely and while on the tour I got chatting to another girl about my age and we ended up hanging out for a couple of hours after the tour ended! We went to macdonalds to grab a bite to eat, went up to a sky bar to sneak some photos and then went to a really cute bubble tea place. I was definitely in need of some socialising and it turned out that she is also a big fan of taylor swift and musicals so we had a lot in common and got on super easily. It was also just really nice to chat to a fellow traveller who I felt on the same page with and remind myself why I was travelling.

Then in the afternoon I went to the National Gallery of Slovenia. Although a fairly small gallery it was perfectly layout and had a really well curated collection so there were some stunning pieces.

Between socialising and beautiful art I was feeling renewed.

Then I went to the station to get the train onto Zagreb. I had some time to kill and wanted to get some dinner but most of the places near the station were closed because it was late on a sunday afternoon so I ended up having my second mcdonalds of the day....

And then I got the train to Zagreb! It was delayed but it wasn't too long a train in the first place so it wasn't too bad. Altough it was a little emotional to get on my last train journey of many.

23/07/2023

Unfortunately, Friday night my dorm room in Bled was filled with very rowdy Irish youths which wasn’t fun. But luckily I had already planned to go onto Ljubljana the next day so it was only one night.

So yesterday I got a coach from Bled to Ljubljana and spent the day exploring the town. I visited the famous castle but the highlight for me was definitely the market and all of the boutique shops. There’s not a huge amount to do there but the old town is a stunning as in many other European cities.

The hostel I stayed in was super nice. It is actually a old prison but you would never know. It was all very natural and calm inside. And had plenty of spaces to hang out so I just spent the evening there.

I went to the Lidl nearby to get something for dinner and I was so excited when I saw they had veggie nuggets, although the hostel kitchen didn’t have an oven so they had to be fried. 😂

And I was in a mixed dorm again since I’d book it so last minute but every one was lovely and chilled so I was able to get a good nights sleep.

23/07/2023

Thursday and Friday in Bled!

On Thursday morning I decided to walk all the way around the lake and go up to the view point. Little did I know the view point was a 300m hike up from the lake. 🥵 But I just took my time and I stopped on my walk around the lake a couple of times to chill so it ended up taking me all morning. And in the afternoon I just relaxed by the lake and on the roof terrace of the hostel.

On Friday morning I went to vintgar gorge. A really famous walk along a stunning gorge nearby. I went fairly early in the morning before it got too busy and before the bad weather. And then spent the afternoon relaxing in cafes and the hostel hiding from the bad weather.

Bled is stunning although there’s more to do than there is to see and without any friends I didn’t really want to do any of the sporting activities. I also found it quite difficult to relax by the lake. On the side of the lake where I was staying you aren’t allowed to walk on the grass and there are limited places to sit. They’ve done this to try to preserve the natural beauty and prevent it from turning into a resort but it did make it hard to just chill which was all I really wanted to do.

19/07/2023

Today has officially been a rollercoaster.

I left Mum in the morning at Salzburg and got the train to Villach. We travelled straight through the alps and it’s was breathtaking.

Then I got a transfer onto Jesenice which was a little rustic (for lack of a better word) but was ultimately fine.

My original plan had then been to get a train onto Lesce and then a bus to Bled. However, at Jesenice their departure list was paper rather than electronic (clue 1 that I’m in the middle of nowhere) and so I asked a man working there and he said I should get a bus. I think the confusion was that I should have asked about Lesce but by the time I figured this out the train had gone so I decided to trust him and get on the bus. (which was actually a coach - again where am I ?)

However I quickly realised the bus was going to the wrong side of Bled so you can imagine how I was feeling as we climbed into the mountains, lost signal and the heavens opened and the biggest storm I’ve seen in ages begun.

However, to my immense relief, as we approached Bled the driver asked if we would prefer to go to the city centre (not that I was complaining but what kind of bus service is this) so I was very relieved and luckily the rain had lightened up a little so I was able to get to my hostel fairly painlessly.

The hostel seems fine although it’s definitely the most hostel-y hostel I’ve staying in so far so I can’t imagine I’ll be spending a huge amount of time there in the next few days.

Once I’d dropped off my stuff I went for a walk around the town. My initial impression is that, despite my journey getting here, it’s actually a reasonably developed place and it’s teeming with holiday makers to the point that it almost feels like being at one big resort. But given I’m alone here I’m not complaining, it’s means there’s plenty of activities to do and places to eat and I feel very safe.

Then, because the sunshine came out and it was still fairly early, I decided to do a boat ride to the little Island in the middle of the lake which was incredible. The views are ridiculous and the water is perfectly blue. The water actually isn’t that cold this time of year so there’s plenty of people swimming and paddle boarding.

And now I’m sat in a restaurant eating delicious gnocchi as I type this. Will have to make a pilgrimage to the supermarket tomorrow as it’s about 1K away and the small shop nearer didn’t seem to have too much. And also bc after today I didn’t fancy trying to cook in the hostel.

19/07/2023

On Tuesday we started our day with a delicious brunch that was served afternoon tea style and had a final stroll around the old town and market stalls.

In the afternoon we had booked to go on an organised coach tour to a salt mine but it turned out that there was only us and one other couple so we were taken by our guide in a minivan and given an amazing trip.

Firstly, we stopped off at a lookout point as you can see in the photos. Then we were taken over the border to Germany to the salt mine where we donned boiler suits, went deep inside the mine on a train, had to go down slides and crossed a lake in the middle of the mine! Photos were allowed so I’ve included some from their website to show you what I mean.

And then we stopped off at a v quaint little mountain tour where we had free time to buy plenty of souvenirs and chocolate.

And in the evening we went to a delicious Italian restaurant near our Hotel before getting a relatively early night!

19/07/2023

On Monday, after a slow morning as we waited out a storm, we decided to climb up to Fortress Hohensalzurg. Mum googled the route and decided we should take a slightly roundabout route that ‘avoided stairs’. Obviously that was a lie. And to make matters worse (funnier) as we reached the top, I said imagine if there’s a funicular we could have taken, and lo and behold a minute later we spotted it.

The Fortress itself wasn’t particularly interesting but the views from the top were spectacular.

Afterwards we got the funicular back down to the old town and visited the birth house of Mozart, which given I knew next to nothing about it, was rather interesting.

And then we had yet another chilled evening of reading, dozing, drinking gin and eating tasty food.

17/07/2023

After

17/07/2023

Day 3 in Munich!

We started the day by going to Westpark so that Mum could indulge her park run obsession. I, the supportive parent, sat under a tree and read.

Then, after a freshen up at the hotel we had a very chilled afternoon as it was very hot 🥵. We popped our heads into Asamkirche, the most ornately decorated church in Munich, and went into my personal choice of worship place, the Haribo store but otherwise we just relaxed on our balcony and went out for a really nice dinner in the evening.

16/07/2023

Day 2 in Munich!

Somehow persuaded mum we should hire bikes and cycle around the Englishen Garten. It felt so good to be back on a bike and was a great way to see the park given it’s so big. And mum did excellently for her first bike ride in around 20 years and even enjoyed herself! Obviously with stops for coffee, ice lollies and reading.

Then we had a very chilled afternoon. Had a Munich beer. Explored the market some more and relaxed on our balcony before going to a Vietnamese place for dinner.

Me and mum both agree that Munich is an incredible city. It has all the conveniences of city life, is extremely walkable and easy to navigate and yet is full of nature and doesn’t feel at all industrial. It immediately feels like the kind of place people are meant to live in.

13/07/2023

Day 1 in Munich!

We had breakfast at a really cute cafe near our Hotel and then briefly explored the Victuals Market (will defo be coming back) and spontaneously decided to climb the tower of St Peter’s church which was a lot of steps but did have a lovely view from the top.

Then we went to our main stop of the day, the Munich Residence. We walked around the main complex and saw over 100 ridiculously impressive ornately decorated rooms.

In the afternoon we mostly just relaxed and read our books in the Hofgarten and Finanzgarten.

And then this evening we went to a lovely restaurant near our Hotel. I introduced mum to Aperol spritz. And we sat on the balcony of our hotel room, a lovely suprise that we weren’t expecting, and read and drank some more!

13/07/2023

Yesterday, Wednesday, I checked out of my hostel in Prague and spent the morning in the national museum. Most of the long term exhibits are on natural historical which I wasn’t particularly in the mood for but the museum had a truly excellent free app and they had an audio guided route about the history of the museum itself so I followed that. The building itself is stunning as you can see in the photos.

Then after lunch in the cafe, best lemon meringue pie I’ve ever eaten, I got the train onto my next stop, Munich!

The journey was scheduled to take 5 1/2 hours, as despite not being too far it doesn’t seem to be a particularly popular route, however due to weather we were delayed by over an hour so it took almost 7 hours. 😶

Luckily I had my first class ticket so I had a very cosy seat in a little cabin and was joined by an elderly couple who were lovely and I actually spent a lot of the time chatting to the man. He grew up in the US but now lives in German so we were discussing all of the political and social differences.

And then when I finally got to Munich, I met my mum at the train station! Her plane had also been delayed due to bad weather so we got some food at the station before pretty much going straight to bed!

11/07/2023

This morning I did a tour of Klementinum, which included getting to peek into this Baroque library which honestly I have no words for and climbing the astronomical tour where I got to see even more stunning views of the city.

In the afternoon I didn’t do anything in particular, just let myself soak up the sunshine and the vibes of the city. I revisited the town square and walked across the Charles bridge again to see it from another stunning angle. I drank lots of iced tea and read and browsed some shops.

But most importantly, today I succeeded in getting Taylor Swift tickets! 🤣

11/07/2023

Sunday was a very relaxed day. After a slow morning I said goodbye to Haris at Berlin HBF 😢 and got the train to Prague! It was a 4 hour train journey and by the time I got there it was already 9pm so I had a cheeky Burger King and went straight to my hostel.

Hostel here is lovey! In a 4 bed female dorm again! Super clean and modern. There are communal bathrooms on our floor but they’re actually also super clean and modern and it’s nice to be able to take a slightly longer shower without worrying about hogging the only one. And there’s an amazing kitchen area and laundry!!

On Monday I explored the old town, and walked all the way up to Prague castle. The highlight of the day for me was definitely Charles bridge which I climbed the tower of and then walked across. Given this was admittedly one of the stops I was least bothered about, Prague has blown me away with its beauty. Weather here has been a bit crazy, super warm and humid and freak moments of rain and storms!

Also popped my head into many a church as there’s one on every corner and they were good place to shelter whenever it rained. I’m not a religious person at all but the grandeur and beauty of the churches in this part of the world is undeniable.

I had a famed chimney cake for lunch. I choose one with ice cream given it was so hot but honestly it was a mess to eat. 😅

Had a really chilled evening back at the hostel. Washed my clothes, made use of the kitchen to cook dinner (obviously I made pasta as that’s the only thing you’re allowed to cook in Hostels but mine included 3 types of veg and 2 types of cheese so it was actually very tasty), and sat on the terrace and read. 👵

09/07/2023

Mum found some photos of baby Louise in Berlin when I was 11 (the only other time I’ve been here)

09/07/2023

Yesterday was definitely one of my favourite days of the whole trip so far. 😁😁

We started the day with vegan donuts from Brammibal’s which absolutely lived up to the hype.

Followed by a visit to the Alte Nationalgalerie which had a really good selection of art and an exhibit on the ‘Successions’.

Then in the afternoon we went on a boat Cruise along the Spree on a solar powered Catamaran !!

And that ended near the East Side Gallery so we obviously had a look around there and got burgers from Burgermeister before going back to the hostel where I promptly collapsed into bed after such a long day. 😅

p.s. we’re now half way through the trip which is honestly crazy that we’re only halfway!!

08/07/2023

Day 3 in Berlin started with the Futurium museum which is all about sustainability and future technology and innovation.

Then we went spent an hour or so in the tiergarten relaxing before going in search of ice cream. We found a place called Delabuu that does those ice cream roll things and omg it was delicious!!

Then in the afternoon we went to Schloss Charlottenburg. We didn’t go inside but walked around the gardens which were very impressive.

And then in the evening we found a Poke bowl place for dinner before sitting on our little balcony to drink wine and play cards.

p.s. I know I said I wanted the sunshine back but this is lying on a sun lounger doing nothing weather, not city break exploring weather 😅😅😅

07/07/2023

Day 2 in Berlin was super exciting bc my best friend arrived to join me for the weekend! 🥲😁

We went to the Berliner Dom (Cathedral) and you can walk around the top which had incredible views. Definitely worth the climb although there’s no elevator. 😅

We found some massive tasty vegan burritos for lunch and vegan Vietnamese food for dinner! Berlin really is proving itself as the vegan capital!

And then in the evening we had a drink on the rooftop terrace of our hostel!

p.s. The last time Haris came to Berlin was exactly 5 years ago when he was interrailing himself and he thinks we’re staying in the same hostel! Which he didn’t realise in advance as it’s changed owners and been renovated.

06/07/2023

My first full day in Berlin!

In the morning I visited the Brandenburg Gate, the Reichstag (although the view was ruined by construction 😅) and the Memorial to the Murdered Jews.

For lunch I had a vegan hot dog which I didn’t realise until I received it was literally a carrot in a bun. Even more confusingly, it was actually really tasty. 🧐🤣

In the afternoon I went to Checkpoint Charlie and also went into a panaromic art exhibit nearby that recreates an everyday scene living next to the wall.

On the way home I obviously had to stop at a stationery shop (that I’d seen when I arrived but was closed at that time) and spent far too much money.

And for dinner I sat outside at a lovely little place near my hostel and ate this entire tasty pizza while reading my book before getting an early night. 👵

05/07/2023

Apologies for not posting for over 48 hours!! I know you’re all desperately awaiting updates.

I spent Monday and Tuesday exploring Hamburg with my dad. We did lots of window shopping and explored St Pauli and the Harbour and drank lots of iced tea and coffee hiding in cafes from the rain. 😅 Weather is due to get good again soon though so I’m excited!

And now I’m in Berlin! Arrived very late last night so I haven’t done anything yet. There’s 8 girls in my hostel room here and only one bathroom between us so definitely the most chaotic hostel experience so far. And no laundry which I was hoping to use 😢. Hostel seems really nice otherwise though and I’m I’m only in the dorm for one more night anyway until Haris joins me. Also listening to them talking last night reminded me how very uncool I am (some of them came to Berlin purely to get into go out every night at crazy nightclubs). What do you mean you didn’t come here to explore the museums and parks??

03/07/2023

Yesterday we found a cute cafe for breakfast where they served these wonderful breakfast plates and then we meet up and with Andre and Heike and went to Hamburg Dungeons which was very fun although we did the tour in German so I can’t say I understand half of it 😅 and then after a walk around Hamburg harbour we went back to their house in the afternoon to chill and had a bbq for dinner!

It’s a been great couple of jam packed days with the Germans although my German has really been put to the test since they hardly speak English. I’m glad I did what little practice I did before I came on holiday although I wish I’d done more! Also it’s surprisingly how much it takes out of you to constantly be trying to understand a different language. Excited for a calmer day today😅😅

02/07/2023

Heute, ich habe nicht so viel Foto machen, aber wir haben viele Spaß machen.

Heute morgen wir haben zu Cafe gehen, um zu Frühstuck Essen and dann wir haben am Schiff ein Fleetfahrt gemachen.

Dann wir haben zu dem Haus von meine großtante und großonkel gegangen!

Und in der abend, wir haben zu Sportsbar gegangen um zu Pool spielen.

01/07/2023

Yesterday Linsey came to meet me in Utrecht one last time and we had delicious brunch before I set off on my long journey to Hamburg! I don’t have much to report as I spent most of my day on trains but I was met at Hamburg HBF by Dad and Andre and Heike! And they treated us to dinner before taking us to our hotel. Had almost forgotten how nice hotels can be after a week of hostels! And after a long journey I slept like a baby. 😅

29/06/2023

Today has been lovely although I once again failed to take many photos. Spent the day exploring Utrecht with linsey, browsing shops and eating lots of tasty foods!!!

28/06/2023

I hardly took any photos today but my Dutch friend Linsey came to meet me in Amsterdam and we went to a delicious sandwich shop for lunch and then on a walking tour (although our guide was a little crazy I won’t lie) and then after a quick look around the shops we went back to her home town of Utrecht where I’m staying for the next couple of days (in a hostel) and had dinner there! I have been craving a burger all week since Gemma had one in Paris (there were no veggie options then 😢) and this absolutely hit the spot!

28/06/2023

My first full day in Amsterdam and I’m already in love with this city. 🥺

Started my day by getting up early to do some washing since there aren’t that many machines in the hostel and then I had a quick Ocado call bc the recruitment team won’t leave us alone.

Then I spent my morning exploring Amsterdam on foot and doing some window-shopping. Between the architecture and the canals the city is just beautiful.

Then I went to Vondelpark to relax and read and journal and eat some lunch. I was very jealous of everyone riding bikes through the park but I don’t really have the time.

In the afternoon I went to the Van Gogh Museum which was low-key a spiritual experience. He’s definitely one of my favourite painters, especially his landscapes, and to see so many of the paintings in their full vibrant glory was magical.

My trip back to the hostel afterwards involved a tram and a ferry! Imagine!

And then in the evening I went on a canal cruise which was really lovely!

Potentially my favourite day of the trip so far.

26/06/2023

Not too much to report today!

I was hoping to go to an art museum in Brussels this morning but all the museums are closed on Mondays 🤦‍♀️ so I ended up just sitting in a cafe and reading and journaling and had one last wonder around the town and shops before heading to Amsterdam!!

My hostel is only 10 minutes from the central train station but you have to get a little ferry across the river which is fun! My room is not quite as luxe as the one in Brussels was, but the communal spaces and facilities are 10x better so swings and roundabouts. Cooked my first hostel meal (of ravioli and sauce - v. technical although I don’t think I dare do anything more in a hostel kitchen) and they had some art supplies set up so obviously I got myself a drink and painted some nectarines bc I am nothing if not predictable.

An early night tonight but tomorrow should be a bigger more exciting day!!

25/06/2023

Day 2 in Brussels! Started the day with a quick look around the flea market at Place du Jeu de Belle which was very cool although turns out these things aren’t as interesting when you’re not actually looking to buy anything.

And then, coffee in hand, I did a walking tour of Brussels! Guide was amazing and although we covered the same sights I saw yesterday he pointed out things I never would have noticed and gave us so many interesting facts and histories. Defo the highlight of Brussels. Can’t wait to do many more walking tours across Europe.🤓 Also had a lovely chat with a woman from Ireland in the break!

And then in the afternoon, after a bit of a chill back at the hostel, I got the tram out to see the Atomium sculpture. The sculpture itself was very impressive although I decided to save my euros and not go up and honestly there isn’t much else to do around but I found a park to read in for a bit. Someone randomly offered me an icecream bc they had bought a multipack and had too many and I politely (stupidly) declined as I was thrown and confused but honestly what kindness.

And then I headed back to the hotel and started chatting a bit more to one of my dorm mates and after a bit more reading and chilling, I invited her to join me for some dinner and we ending up talking for about 3 hours! She is from Finland and we mostly talked about cultural and language differences but it turns out that she is also a vegetarian who loves second hand shopping and reading but honestly what solo female backpacker isn’t.

Such a nice day of serendipity and proud of myself for initiating some conversations. For my first full of day of solo travel it’s been nice to have so many wonderful interactions !!

Now gonna go sleep for 12 hours after such a long day in the heat.

24/06/2023

Said goodbye to Gemma at Gare du Nord and went on to Brussels! Got to make use of my first class ticket and the first class Thayls experience was lovely.

I had planned on today being very chilled but I ended up doing far too much walking around exploring and have already seen The Grand-Place, the Galeries Royales Saint Hubert and Parc de Bruxelles.

As you can see from the photo the Hostel room is lovely and extremely clean although cooking and clothes washing facilities are next to none existent but you win some you lose some!

Louise’s Grand Tour

03/08/2023

03/08/2023

03/08/2023

23/07/2023

23/07/2023

19/07/2023

19/07/2023

19/07/2023

17/07/2023

17/07/2023

16/07/2023

13/07/2023

13/07/2023

11/07/2023

11/07/2023

09/07/2023

09/07/2023

08/07/2023

07/07/2023

06/07/2023

05/07/2023

03/07/2023

02/07/2023

01/07/2023

29/06/2023

28/06/2023

28/06/2023

26/06/2023

25/06/2023

24/06/2023

Address

Website

Alerts

Shortcuts

Share