The Best European Adventures & Excursions

Since getting home, I always get asked what my favorite country was. To be honest, I have no idea. Each country brings its own challenges and adventures and comes with its own unique charm. Some countries stand out for their food and wine, while others stand out for the history or scenery. ​Walking tours & museums are a great way to learn the history of a city, but sometimes we just needed to get out and do something a little off the beaten path. Sometimes it was as simple as trying a new bar or weird attraction, but other times it meant putting on the workout gear and doing something a little more adventurous. Here are a few of the best European adventures & excursions from our trip:

Dubrovnik, Croatia:

I didn’t know much about Croatia before our trip to Europe, but I definitely didn’t expect it to be a hub of action and adventure. It wasn’t until our last day in Dubrovnik that we discovered the kayaking tours around the coast. We turned out to be the only female duo on the excursion, and you can bet we were pretty darn proud of ourselves when we completed the five mile trek around an island. The kayaking and snorkeling left us feeling pretty sore the next day, but the views, stories from our tour guide and sense of accomplishment were 100% worth it.

Naples, Italy:

Although we hated the tour company we chose, our trip to Pompeii and Mt. Vesuvius was a hike like no other. I can’t say that either of us have ever hiked up an active volcano before, so it was a unique experience to see what the inside actually looked like-sorry to say it wasn’t red hot lava. The climb to the top only took us 30 minutes since our tour bus drove us most of the way (yes, we’re cheaters). We prided ourselves on being in decent shape, but I have never felt the burn in my legs quite like I did after climbing up straight gravel. Luckily the trek came with a panoramic view of Naples and a cheap glass of wine. One more thing to check off the bucket list. 

Budapest, Hungary:

When we booked our group tour in this bustling and beautiful capital, we never expected to overcome claustrophobia or be thankful to reach only 5’3″. Once we figured out what caving entailed-squeezing, pushing and scraping our bodies through small spaces- we knew it was going to be one of our most challenging workouts yet. Crawling through holes no bigger than us wasn’t how we expected to spend two hours of our lives, but we came out sore, covered in dust and feeling like we had just conquered one heck of an adventure. 

You can find more of our recommendations for the Best of Europe here.