RTW backpacking travel in Eastern and Western Europe
Golden hour hit Ronda’s gorge, El Tajo, hard that first evening—all ochre and burnt orange washing out the green countryside. Birds circled below us riding the wind, pinpricks dancing across all that open space. My son pressed his face into the viewpoint’s curved safety bars, leaning out over the gorge as far as the railing …
There’s something about crossing a border on foot that I’ve always loved—whether it’s a rickety bridge from Costa Rica into Panama or a frigid nighttime crossing between Thailand and Laos. For a place as compact as Gibraltar, my day trip felt unexpectedly big—views of Africa, wild macaques, and the strange delight of walking across an …
I spent the better part of a week in Rome this past spring with my 3.5-year-old son and my 60-something parents. Having done all the things in Rome while backpacking Europe in my 20s, I went in with modest expectations, a lot of snacks, and a toddler who has specific ideas about the pace and …
On a five-day trip to Rome with my toddler and 69-year-old parents, finding the right day trip took me hours of research. We wanted something close, low-stress, walkable, and, well, cool. It needed to address why we were in Rome in the first place: for the history. After spending a full day exploring Ostia Antica …
When I bought my two-month Eurail pass on a whim (and during a great sale), I had no firm plans for this trip with my toddler son. But I quickly decided it was financially advantageous—and fun—if I tried to hit as many of the most scenic train routes in Europe as possible. That’s how I …
View the 2025 update of the Pros and Cons of living in Spain on our sister site, Expats Adrift. Spain is one of those countries that many first visit during a study abroad program or on a train trip through Europe. Once you’ve spent even a few days here, it’s easy to wonder if living …
With a last name like O’Donnell, my Irish heritage was a vibrant thread woven into the fabric of my childhood. My parents and grandparents ensured that, long before my first trip to Ireland, I dined on a steady diet of the greatest Irish authors of all time. By the time I reached adulthood, I had …
I’ve called Spain home since 2018, with six years in Barcelona and now from my home on Spain’s Costa del Sol. I’ve also traveled extensively, training north to south, and even overland on 500 km of the Camino de Santiago, crossing the Pyrenees from France into Spain on foot. I love this country, and it’s …