Can you avoid tourist mayhem and still get the "Europe Experience"?

I've had stress on my mind a lot lately. It must be the holidays. I've also been going through our photos and videos from the last few years of traveling around Europe. The funny thing is, behind every one of the pictures and videos is a set of stories, some of them hectic, some of them more pleasant. As humans, we never like to show the hard times, only the good ones (isn't that the 'fun' of Facebook? :) ). While reflecting on these experiences, I realized that there were quite a few places to visit that purported to provide that classic European Travel Experience, but that were too exhausting to actually enjoy. Paris, Rome, London -- each of these were incredibly stressful, and we traveled during the offseason. Don't get me wrong, they're worth the visit and I wouldn't recommend skipping them altogether, but we just found that traveling as a family with 4 kids, there were more enjoyable, less exhausting experiences that still provided that uniquely European cultural experience.

So, with those happy memories brewing, we put together a new video on our favorite places to travel as a family in Europe--the places we definitely plan on going back to on our next visit. Watch the video (above) and get our two cents on each place below:

[OBLIGATORY SPOILER ALERT LINE, in case you haven't watched the video yet]
---------------------

5. Tarragona, Spain. 

The Mediterranean coast of Spain used to be a Roman settlement, and Tarragona has, perhaps, the best preserved sites. Add in the beautiful beaches, and this place was perfect. It was like being in Rome without the crowds, pick-pocketers, smelly subways...well you get it. No, it doesn't have Rome's splendor (we've done Rome, and there is no substitute) but we really enjoyed it as an ancient Rome experience. And what we enjoyed even more was how inexpensive it was to see it all.  We paid more for parking in a garage for the day than we did to visit all the Roman ruins. The Tarragona Family Card was under 50 Euro for the whole family, and we got admission to all the major Roman sites. Definitely worth it.

4. Black Forest, Germany.

Tour guides will tell you that Black Forest was therapeutic for those overburdened and facing stress-born illnesses. It only takes one visit to realize just how therapeutic the place is. A collection of beautiful Bavarian towns and throw in some waterfalls, an open-air museum, and, our favorite, a toboggan ride, and you'll not want to leave. People there are extremely accommodating as well. When we went, our AirBnB fell through and it didn't take much frantic searching before we found a place to accommodate us (and we have a family of 6!) Locals were happy to suggest homes and families we could talk to. Take a drive around the Black Forest for an enjoyable experience.

3. Rovinj, Croatia. 

Every stress-free trip list should feature a shanty beach town with beautiful views and ample places to relax, swim, etc. Rovinj is our favorite. We had originally booked a few days in Pula, but venturing 20 minutes into Rovinj made us realize that we had chosen the wrong place to stay. So much charm, and the local boat rides can be had for deep discounts if you ask, and if you travel in the offseason. Added bonus: the people of Croatia are incredibly hospitable. Some of the nicest people we met in Europe.

2. Lucca, Italy.

There's nothing big about Lucca. It's a small Italian town with the usual small Italian town delights. So why is it so high on our list? I don't know to be honest. We just really enjoyed it. Whether it was biking around the city walls or popping into a local pizzeria, it just felt like the complete Italian experience, minus the hubbub of tourists.

1. Salzburg, Austria.

Ok, we know what you're thinking: how can we put a major tourist destination atop this list?  Parking can be difficult in the city and there is a lot of foot traffic. But for us, the Salzburg Card made all the difference. For under 100 Euro, our family of 6 got to see all the best sites, plus we had full access to public transportation, making our visit to the city quite easy. Plus, how can you not feel relaxed in the city where the Hills are Alive with the Sound of Music.

Hope you enjoyed our list. Don't forget to subscribe to our YouTube Channel and leave a comment on places you'd like us to profile!

Sneak Peak at New Expatriate Snippets!

We just got back from our most recent escapade in Europe: 6 weeks in Spain, Ireland, the UK, Germany, Austria, and Slovenia. New videos are on their way. Enjoy this sneak peak and Subscribe to get the latest videos!

Sunday Excursions

With the plethora of cultural and historic experiences available here in Europe, one of our favorites has been attending Church on Sundays. In the last 6 weeks, not only have we attended a different Ward or Branch (LDS-lingo for a congregation) each week, but we've attended in a different country each week as well.

Despite the differences in culture, language, and history of each place we have visited, the gospel message in each congregation has been the same.

It has also been fun for the boys to see that it doesn't matter where you meet, the Gospel is still the same. Some branches have met in an apartment building, others in a  business building, and very few in a stand-alone chapel.

Salzburg, Austria

Paris, France

Rijeka, Croatia

Rijeka, Croatia

One of our favorite experiences was in Croatia, where we attended during a fast and testimony meeting--the LDS meeting where members share their beliefs. The Branch was extremely small, but it made for an even more intimate and enjoyable experience. When the meeting started, one of the missionaries said he would translate for us if we wanted to share our testimonies. So we did. After the meeting, the missionary told us that it was the longest testimony meeting they had ever had :)

We've also enjoyed the openness of the small branches we've visited. Coming in with our party of 6  can be a sight to behold, but every time we come to a new branch, we're welcomed with open arms and accepted as part of the branch almost immediately. In fact, today we went to church in La Spezia, Italy, and one of the leaders had Parker fulfill his Bishop's messenger duty as a Deacon.

La Spezia, Italy

Selfies

I invented the selfie. Years ago I was doing selfies in Time Square (with everyone else).  Ok, so maybe I wasn't the first, but why the topic is trending now, when everyone else has been doing them for years, I have no idea. Traveling in a group of 6, we don't often need to do selfies. When Curls and I want a picture, Agent P is our unofficial photographer.

Still, I have caught the kids taking selfies quite a few times....

On the Salzach River in Austria:

In the Salzburg Fortress:

It looked fun, so I decided to give it a go. I had forgotten how fun it was.

The Austrian Alps:

Some tower in France:

And my personal favorite, a selfie with my bestie:

The Salzburg Card: Can you really do it all in 24 hours?

Every big city here in Europe seems to have its own “see-it-all” card, and Salzburg is certainly not out of the loop on having one. We were a little skeptical about the card, primarily because Rick Steves dubbed it “too expensive”. Our opinion—Rick couldn’t be more wrong…and that’s coming from two extremist bargain hunters.  For a 24-hour card, it’s 26 Euros for Adults and 13.50 for Kids. You have exactly 24 hours to use the card (from the time you enter you activate the card by using it) but it gets you into nearly everything you can think of doing in Salzburg. What makes it a good deal is you only have to do two things to get your moneys’ worth out of the card.

So, instead of “Is it worth it?” the question becomes, “Can we do it all in 24 hours?” The simple answer is, No. There’s far too much to do. But if the question is “Can we do all of the stuff that counts in 24 hours,” then the answer is “Most definitely,” but if you want the real experience, you should probably have 2 days in Salzburg, using the Salzburg Card for 1 of those two. Here’s how we did it:

Day 1: Walk around the city, seeing the free sites. The Cathedral is a must-see visit, especially if you have a chance to see it on Sunday morning at 10 AM. I may not be Catholic, but the music reverberating through the cathedral is heavenly. You also get traditional Austrian culture on display. There are a lot of Sound of Music places to visit that are free within walking distance of the town center, including the Mirabell Gardens (Do-Re-Mi), the St. Peters’ Cemetery (the Escape Scene), and a few scenes during the “I Have Confidence in Me” Song. You can also see the Liesl-Rolf Gazeebo outside of the Hellbrunn Palace for free, but that’s a 20 minute bus trip away (Bus #25).

  

Day 2: After you’ve gotten the lay of the land, you can dedicate Day 2 to using the Salzburg Card. Here’s a general schedule:

10:00 AM: Buy Card. Unless you can get it at your hotel (we couldn’t), you have to get one at the Tourist Information office right down the first street of the historic old town. It’s a few doors down from the Mozart Birthplace.

 

10:15 AM: Tour the Mozart Birthplace. Rick Steves recommends skipping it in favor of the Residence House, but we liked it. It’s short and features quite a few unique Mozart items, including scores of music, pianos, and even a lock of his hair. It’s a short visit with kids, about 20-30 minutes.

11:00 AM: Pick up tickets for the Salzach River Boat Tour. The first tour of the day is at noon, and we recommend doing just that. While you’re waiting for the tour, walk across the lock bridge to the Mozart Residence. The attendant will tell you it’s an hour+ experience, but with kids, it’s only about 30-40 minutes. There are only a handful of rooms, and you’ll find yourself skipping through some of the audio content they give you.

11:55 AM: Line-up for the Boat Tour. It’s a 40-minute tour, and well worth it. If you hit it at the Summer season, the skippers do a boat dance where they spin the boat in circles to a waltz. Our kids loved it.

1:00 PM: Get lunch. Because you have to eat too. For bargain hunters, there’s a grocery store across the street from the boat tour and a few doors down from the Burger King, (I know, a sacrilege in and of itself). You can pick up sandwiches and plenty of other goodies for half the price of the food at the cafes and the squares only a street over. If you want the experience, do what we did: Get your lunch and sit on the steps of the Cathedral in Domplatz.

2:00 PM: Catch the #25 Bus to Hellbrunn Palace. You can catch the bus at the Rauthaus stop only a few paces down from the Grocery store. Once you get to Hellbrunn (you can’t miss it), sign up for the…

2:30 PM: Hellbrunn Palace Tour. It’s about 45 minutes, and well worth every minute of it. The Palace was designed to be a Fun House for the melancholic 400 years ago. You’ll probably have heard of the trick fountains, but it’s much more than that. With so many satirical and quirky grottos, statues, and mechanical devices, it’s quite the diversion from the normal “serious” history tours. Definitely worth it. Once your tour is over, check out the inside of the palace. From there, you’re steps away from the…

4:00 PM: Zoo. This was the only part of our trip that we probably could have skipped. The Zoo was a little too under-construction for us, and we spent all of 15 minutes walking up the hill before we exited and waited at the bus stop for #25 to take us back to town. In the end, we decided it would’ve been better to go see the Liesl and Rolf Sound of Music pavilion on the outside corner of the Palace.

5:00 PM: Get Dinner. Salzburg is dead by 6pm (we learned this the hard way on Day 1), so it’s best to get food before everything closes up. We opted for some inexpensive ginormous pretzels next to the cathedral for 2 Euro each. Really, most of the food in Salzburg was very reasonably priced.

6:00 PM: Catch the funicular to the Fortress to make it in time for the…

6:20 PM: Last tour of the day for the Hohensalzburg Fortress. This is a fairly easy audio tour, but worth a trip because it takes you to the top of the fortress where you get an awe-inspiring view of all of Salzburg. The whole thing closes at 7pm, but they tell you that you can stay up as long as you’d like, or at least until the last funicular which is at 9 (otherwise you’re walking down, which isn’t all that bad, actually). Either way, you get the whole area around the fortress pretty much to yourself. Our kids enjoyed the chance to do their own courtyard races.

Day 3

Because you bought the card after 10AM, you still have until 10AM to use the card on the next day. Many options open around 9AM, with others opening at 10, but the option we chose was probably one of the best we found, and it opens at 8:30—The Cable Car. A 10 minute ride up to the top of one of Salzburg’s tallest peaks, the views are spectacular. You have the rest of the morning to roam around at the top of the mountain, where there are plenty of hiking trails, and cafes if you need a bite to eat. Depending on when you bought your card the day before, you’ll want to make sure you check in for the ticket back down before the 24 hours are up. You can check in right when you get up to the peak and then take a later cable car down (or so they told us).

If you’re keeping track at home, that’s 8 of the possible activities done in 24 hours (and we did it with 4 kids!). Of course there are a plethora more things to do, including art museums, etc., but with kids we figured we’d skip those options. Money-wise, that makes the Salzburg Card about 3 Euro per adult per activity, and less than 2 Euro per kid per activity—and we have yet to see such a bargain in Europe!

Proof

Someday, many years from now, we’re going to need proof for our kids. Proof that we actually did all these crazy trips in a 3-month span. Proof that the whole experience was as rewarding as it was challenging. Proof that this world has so much excitement to offer.

What I’m finding though, is a different kind of proof, one that I wasn’t expecting:  Proof that being away from our everyday lives and going on an adventure like this leads to closer family ties.  Now, it’s not totally true that I wasn’t expecting this…I hoped being together in a foreign country would bring us all closer, and, especially, would further build a bond between the brothers. But for all I knew, the extra close, non-stop contact might also burn us all out.

Now, of course there have been battles, and it hasn’t been all roses, and sometimes you need proof that things were hard, people were grumpy, and everything wasn’t perfect:

 

But in spite of the difficulties, every once in a while you see something like this:

or this:

or this: 

And you say to yourself, there’s proof that this was all worth it.

Driving in Europe: Austria Edition

Here’s where I provide my own cautionary tale so others don’t have to make the same mistake I did. This past weekend, we decided to set out for Salzburg Austria (as, undoubtedly, you will have figured out by the plethora of blog posts about Austria that you’ll be seeing in the next few days).

In getting our preparations together, we planned our route, our place to stay, and all of our activities. We had everything covered…everything except for one thing. And it could have been avoided if we did a simple search online for “Driving in Austria”. So without further ado, the highs and lows of driving in Austria. We’ll start with the low, because pretty much everything else was a high:

The Autobahn Vignette

In the US, we pay for tolls on the road as we drive. Lanes that require a sticker are clearly marked. This is not the case in Austria. Driving from Italy through the Brenner Pass (which is amazing) and just past Innsbruck, the Austria Autobahn requires a sticker, called a Vignette, to drive the roads. It’s a basic sticker that costs 8 Euro for 10 days. Not pricey at all. The problem is, it isn’t terribly clear that you need one, unless you’re fluent in German, of course. I only happened upon it searching information about a location we hoped to visit. The penalty for not having a sticker is steep: 120 Euro steep ($156). It took me 2 days to figure it out too (so 240 Euro steep for me).  The way they catch you? Cameras. Or at least, you hope they catch you with cameras, because if a cop pulls you over, they can demand 200 Euro in cash on the spot, plus the ticket you will get in the mail later. I can be grateful that I probably only have 1 or 2 pictures coming in the mail, and that the police didn’t notice my naivete. Apparently, the Vignette is also required in Switzerland, Slovenia, and Germany, among others.

Now on to the high points…

Side of the Road Wonders

Driving across country in the US usually reveals side of the road rest stops and deserted gas stations. However, in Europe, rest stops and deserted gas stations are replaced with deserted castles and rest “villages”. The drive from Italy to Austria also includes trips through the Dolomites and Alps. Plenty of side of the road photo ops, or if you’re like us, out the window photo ops.

 

Driving (and Drivers) on the Autobahn

If you listen to Rick Steves, you’ll avoid the Autobahn because he makes it into a hair-raising experience. If you’re like me, however, you’ll look forward to every chance to use the Autobahn, because you’ll find the best drivers in the world on it. I’m not kidding either. The rules are simple, if you’re slow, stay in the right lane. If you’re slow in the left lane, you get over. If you don’t get over, you deserve to be honked at or at least have lights flashed at you. And the best part, everyone gets it. Not once did I mutter out loud my usual rants in the car while driving in the US: “Get out of the way!” “Why are you going so slow” or, most importantly, “At least go the SPEED LIMIT!” (any one who has driven in the Midwest will appreciate that one). Even better, trucks are not allowed in the fast lane! The Autobahn is a perfect system where fast drivers can enjoy their freedom in the left lane and slow drivers can do whatever it is they do in the right.

Speaking of drivers, there’s one peculiar thing missing from the Autobahn that we regularly see on US Freeways: Skid marks. That’s right, I didn’t see one skid mark (and broken light fragments were curiously absent as well). Either the Austrians reallyknow how to clean a highway, or people are more attentive while driving. I suspect it’s the latter.

No Speed Limit

This is a bit of a myth, there are speed limits on the Autobahn, but there are also stretches where the speed limit isn’t restricted. In fact, instead of having signs that indicate the new speed limit, the signs indicate when the old speed limit is over. My GPS told me that those “no speed limit” stretches had a limit of 130 km/hr, but I can tell you that I had cars pushing me much faster than that…What can I say, when in Rome (or Austria)…

Stop Lights

Now this doesn’t have anything to do with the Autobahn, but Curls and I noticed something very efficient about traffic lights in Austria. Green lights begin to blink when they’re about to go to yellow, and even better, the light turns yellow when it’s going from red to green (just like in races). There’s no guessing, you know when to start revving your engine (and believe me, everyone does on the yellow light). Curls and I both agreed that the US should adopt this as soon as humanly possible.

Gas prices and Cost

I put this under the good side of driving despite the fact that you pay 1.29-1.59 Euro per liter (not per gallon). Cars here have much better gas mileage than in the US. For example, we drove from the Treviso Italy area to Salzburg (5 hours of driving) on a half tank of gas (which is about Euro 40). I don’t care how you slice the gallons to liters ratio, that kind of mileage and price is unheard of in the US.  Also, another highlight of Austria is gas is much cheaper there. 1.29 in Salzburg vs. 1.59 in Treviso.

In the end, the cost to drive from Treviso to Salzburg was 18 Euro in tolls and a tank of gas (about 70 Euro). For 6 people, that’s much better than taking the train.

 

Overall, driving the Autobahn was more than a bucket list thing, it was invigorating. It would’ve been even better had I done a little homework about the Vignettes beforehand.

Mozart and Mozart Balls: Salzburg is Mozart Crazy!

In Austria people are crazy about Mozart...and even crazier about Mozart balls. Mozart balls are creamy chocolate delight with a flavorsome inside. They have Mozart balls in all different packages. But Mozart balls are very expensive in the main stores. If you go to the market near the cathedral they sell Mozart balls 3 for 10 Euros. But if you go to a Hofer (which is Aldi in the US), you can get a packet of 10 for 3 Euros. Personally, I think the Mozart balls are delicious. They're not overrated just because they have Mozart on them. My younger brother wanted them so bad on the way there he was singing about Mozart balls. My brother thought Mozart balls make the world go round.  

Of course, there is more to Salzburg than Mozart balls. The old town is breathtaking.  There are so many places you can see. My favorite is the Mozart house. I love the Mozart house because it has some of his personal things. They had his wallet, his violin when he was 6, his personal pictures, and even a piece of his hair!