Europe

7 Free Places To Go To In Europe

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7 Free Places To Go To In Europe

Traveling can be expensive, especially in Europe. With the high cost of hotels and food, it is hard to stay under your budget. Luckily for those who want to stay connected in Europe, our Europe SIM is currently free until August 31.

Oslo, Norway

Make your way to the Frognerparken (Frogner Park) where you can explore over 200 sculptures of Gustav Vigeland. The sculptures are known to be unique and bizarre, make sure you get a picture of each statue!

Paris, France

If you go to Paris at the right times, you can get into Le Louvre for free. Once the residence of many French kings, Le Louvre now holds the famous Mona Lisa painting (La Jaconde). The museum is free on Friday from 6pm to 9:45pm for those under 26 and free on the first Sunday of each month and July 14 (French National Day) for all visitors.

Amsterdam, Netherlands

For all the music fans, the famous Concertgebouw Concert Hall in Amsterdam offers free lunchtime shows on Wednesdays starting at 12:30pm (September to June). Concertgebouw stands as the second most popular concert hall in the world with almost one million spectators each year.

Vatican City, Rome

If you are lucky enough to be in Vatican City on the last Sunday of the month, you can tour the Vatican Museums for free from 9am to 12:30pm. Here is where you can find some of the best works by Michelangelo and Leonardo Da Vinci.

Venice, Italy

The Piazza San Marco (St. Mark’s Square) has been the heart of the city for as long as history can tell. You can listen to string quartets, duets and orchestras as you enjoy the sight of the famous Basilica.

Paris, France

Re-live Victor Hugo’s Hunchback of Notre Dame visiting Notre Dame Cathedral free of charge. Choirs normally sing at 8am and 9am so make sure you grab an early breakfast.

Norway, Scandinavia

To catch a glimpse of the northern lights are on the bucket list of many travelers. The key is to be patient and know when to go. Tours can be expensive and can’t guarantee a sight of these mysterious lights. Plus, if you do your own research and stay in the area for a few weeks, your eventual discovery of the northern lights can be extremely rewarding. Northern lights usually appear during late autumn to early spring but the weather also plays a huge role. Some things to keep in mind are: visit during the night and visit when it is not snowing. Good luck with your sighting!

Top 6 Places You Can’t Miss While Traveling in Europe

It’s vacation season and why not add Europe to your destination list? Tourists can explore Greece’s original Olympic site (taking back to 700 BC), be serenaded down the Grand Canal in Italy, and go up the Eiffel Tower in France…all using the same currency!

  1. Le Louvre, France

    Le Louvre has been standing for almost 1000 years and was surprisingly first built as a fortress. Later, it was inhabited by many French rulers such as Louis XIV (Le Roi de Soleil or The Sun King).
  2. Olympia, Greece

    With all the excitement for the London 2012 Games this year, it would be interesting to see where the games began.
  3. Colosseum, Italy

    Another ancient structure, the Colosseum has been standing for almost 2000 years and symbolizes the imperial Rome of gladiators, spectacles and myths.
  4. Swiss Alps, Switzerland

    Chocolates are carry the symbol of it, watches and drinks are named after it, it almost subconsciously symbolizes durability and strength.
  5. Cheese Festival, Spain

    Taking place in May 2013, Trujillo is hosting the National Spanish Cheese Festival. This is when tourists can try hundreds of cheeses with wine, prosciutto and in tapas bars (perfect for chatting with some locals over appetizers and Spanish snacks).
  6. Museum Island, Germany

    A total of five museums on this island, Neues, Alte, Pergamon, Altes and Bode, Museum Island is definitely on the top of the list for many travelers. With centuries of history, the intricate architectural designs will blow you away.

Destination Unknown – Girona, Spain

While many who travel to Spain flock to the country’s well-known cities like Madrid, Barcelona, Bilbao and Seville, the area of Girona (about 2 hours away from Barcelona) is a wonderful hidden gem for those looking to do something different on their European getaway.

With its mild temperature and laid-back atmosphere, visitors have an abundance of things to do during their stay, whether your interest is sports, culture or cuisine.

Screen shot 2011-08-09 at 4.28.15 PM
Photo from girona.cat

5 Things To Do in Girona

1) Visit the Museum of Art

Spain is home to many wonderful museums and galleries, and the Museu d’Art is no exception. With a collection that spans the Romanesque period to works from the 20th Century, the most unique feature of the museum is the Museum-Pharmacy of the Hospital de Santa Caterina. The ceiling is decorated with paintings from the 19th Century, and the room contains pharmacy/apothecary jars and jugs dating all the way back to the 16th Century.

2) See the Houses on the Onyar

Brightly painted apartments line the river Onyar (which runs through Girona), and their interesting construction and unusual detailing are a sight to behold. Walk through the city and enjoy the urban scenery.

3) Take a cultural tour of the Catedral de Girona

No matter what your religious affiliation, the austere beauty of the city’s grand cathedral should not be missed. The tour includes an audioguide, and takes visitors through the Nave, Treasury and Cloister.

4) Enjoy a game of golf

An 18-hole game awaits you on a beautiful course at Golf Girona, designed by F.W. Hawtree. Packages are available in combination with several of the city’s hotels, and range from the “Landscape” pack to the “Luxury” pack. For more seriously sporty types, PGA Golf de Catalunya is also close by, and is ranked as one of the top 100 courses in the world.

5) Eat at the Casa Marieta

Offering traditional dishes like Duck with Pears, this mainstay of Girona’s dining scene uses market-fresh ingredients to prepare an unfussy array of delicious plates.

Though Girona has its own airport that receives flights from many European cities, a great way to enter the city is by train. The landscape between Barcelona and Girona is peaceful and pretty, and will help ease you into your adventure in this picturesque place.

Stay connected in Spain with Brightroam’s World SIM card, which includes wireless data services.