Castles in Germany

Germany certainly has no shortage of castles perched upon hills overlooking many scenic rivers and valleys.Castle spotting is definitely a favorite past time while driving through the country on a road trip. Some castles are as romantic as any homeless romantic could possibly imagine and even inspired Walt Disney, some are unique and no less impressive while others lie in ruins but still hold a special charm.

Some are called a ‘Burg’ and others are called a ‘Schloss’. So, what’s the difference, you might ask?

A Burg:

is usually a fortress that was built for protection during the Middle Ages by the nobility. During this time, things were unsteady and turbulent, so the nobility needed protection from unwanted visitors. In the beginning, these Burgen (plural) started out as just a watch tower where people took refuge and gradually, over time expanded the towers into a strong, steady and fortified “castle” accommodating those seeking shelter within.

A Schloss:

is much more elegant and romantic than a Burg as these were generally built after the Middle Ages and usually were built as a residence for the nobility. They were not constructed to be a fortress for protection against outsiders. This was because the turbulent times from the Middle Ages had relaxed a bit and the nobility no longer felt the need for massive fortresses for protection. Instead, the nobility built these palaces for to impress, as is seen immediately upon entering the Grand Hall of many palaces.

200th Post: A Celebration of CG’s Posts

While recently reading a favorite blogger of mine, Travelsewhere, it dawned on me, I was just a few posts away from writing my 200th post on California Globetrotter!!

I definitely can’t believe I’ve written so many posts and shared so much of my life with strangers who have become loyal readers and cyber-friends! What started out as a simple journal on Facebook (I know, who does that anymore!?) turned into an unhealthy obsession.

So I’d like to take the time to say thank you to my readers, my family and friends (Hi Mom! Stephanie? Pam? Cheri? Are you out there?) who keep me motivated to share our travels, tips and secrets to some of the best places in Europe which I’d like to share my FAVORITES with you again in celebration!

25 Inspirational Travel Instagrammers

It’s no secret. I’m ADDICTED to Instagram! I’m not ashamed to admit it! It’s the place I go to, to escape reality and dream of our future vacations. I love scrolling through endless travel inspiration posted by others. It is my absolute favorite tool for finding new Bucket List travel destinations!

Instagram has also helped me to become a better photographer and taught me so much. On days when I am filled with travel nostalgia, I love to go back and scroll through our memories.

So, I’ve gathered 25 of my favorite travel Instagrammers who I personally follow. Some accounts are small and should be better known and others have a plethora of followers. Some simply focus on the art of photography and others love personalizing their photos and sharing their travel memories. Others simply show their home country!

Main Sights to See in Augsburg

Situated at the confluence of the Lech and Wertach rivers and is Northern Swabia’s principal city, Augsburg is the third largest town in Bavaria, as well as one of the oldest. As early as 15 BC, this was the site of a Roman camp. It grew to be one of the richest towns until the Thirty Years’ War ended their prosperity. It’s also one of many towns found along the Romantic Road (stay tuned) that runs from Würzburg to Füssen. During the Second World War, Augsburg was heavily destroyed on February 24th & 25th, 1944 and almost everything has been meticulously reconstructed to its former glory.

Augsburg is definitely one of the lesser known towns and in my opinion, doesn’t get swarmed by non-native tourists as it sits between Nuremberg and Munich with post people opting to visit both of these. We found even for an early spring day (in February!), there were lots of people walking around the town for shopping, enjoying the sunshine and drinking coffee outside, but as for tourists, they seemed far and in between, granted we visited during off season.

So, if it’s not overly popular with tourists why should you consider going? Well, let me introduce you to 10 of the most interesting sights to see in Augsburg which will tickle your interest!

Ultimate List of Day Trips from Munich

Whether you live in or around Munich, or are visiting somewhere near Munich, there are PLENTY of places to go if you’re looking to take advantage of a beautiful day!

If you don’t mind getting up and leaving your house around 6am, driving no more than 3-3 1/2 hours (one way), you CAN manage a FULL day in any of the following locations. I know, because I’m crazy enough to have managed many of these in a single hit and run, wham-bam-thank-you-ma’am kinda day trip! Especially during the summer months when the weather is great and the nights are long.

Quite personally, I find that many Germans don’t actually travel much around their home country, let alone leave their hometown that often. Ok so I travel a bit obsessively, but why wouldn’t you want to get outta your 20 mile radius and explore more!?! And ok…many of these could be extended into a long weekend trip, but when you’re itching to get out, 3 hours is nothing!

People always think I’m crazy for driving somewhere 3+ hours and now make it a weekend trip, but for me I grew up in California where driving 3 hours and you’re still in the same town because you’re sitting in traffic! Driving 3 hours in Europe and you’re in another state or another country!

A Delicious Guide for Coffee & Cake in Vienna

Before you go to Vienna, you should be forewarned, there will be A LOT of coffee and cake breaks as this tradition is and has been a large part of Viennese culture dating as far back as 1683. This tradition is so ingrained into the culture that UNESCO has declared it as an “Intangible Cultural Heritage” since 2011. And seeing as it was my birthday, what better way to eat my cake!

3 Bavarian Towns Surrounded by Medieval Walls

Germany certainly has no shortage of historic towns, practically unchanged since the Medieval times. And let’s admit it right now, many of us when traveling to Europe look for that authentic, historic feeling that will transport us back to a time that is long since gone. Many of us want to take a walk through a storybook town, that is beyond anything we have ever known.

But of all the picturesque, fairy tale towns in Germany, there are only three towns left still completely encircled by their Medieval walls all found in Bavaria. Luckily, all three are on the trail through Bavaria known as the “Romantischestrasse” (Romantic Road) which stretches from Würzburg to Füssen.

All relatively close together, they could easily be combined into a long weekend road trip if you’re as obsessed with half-timbered towns as I am.

The question now remains, which one should you visit if you’re short on time? Or which which one is less touristy but offers the same authentic feeling?

A Beginners Guide to Oktoberfest

It’s a new year with lots of new adventures that lay ahead! Maybe people are getting out their Bucket Lists and checking which things to tick off this year! I’m sure most of you have always dreamed of going to the world’s largest street fair with all the beer imaginable!

Between late Spring and early Autumn, it usually implies that somewhere in Bavaria, a beer festival can be found. ‘Gemütlichkeit‘ is in full swing from Regensburg’s Dult to the world’s most famous beer festival: Munich’s Oktoberfest and beyond!

What is normally a simple oval meadow is turned into the world’s largest, boisterous beer drinking festival with stalls, marquees, funfair, loud music and tons of people. For two weeks every year this folks fest takes place at the feet of the Bavaria statue, the patron saint of Bavaria, or as the locals call it, the “Weisn”.

How to TRAVEL Like a PRO with GPSMyCity

You’ve just read the most awesome travel article of some far off place you plan to visit soon. Sure you could go ahead and pin it and then scroll through endless posts to find it again. But that would require using your data, and possibly cost you roaming charges or you might just be headed somewhere with limited internet access. Then comes the hassle of sitting down and looking up the locations wasting even more data and precious time!

But why take the risk of missing out on hitting up some of those amazing places you just found in that awesome post when you could just use a GPS-Guided Travel Guide!!?

What’s a GPS-Guided Travel Guide, you might ask?

Easy Wall Murals to Find in Nashville

Not only is Nashville home to Country Music and is nicknamed “Music City”, but it’s also home to A LOT of amazing Wall Murals / Street Art.

We recently visited Nashville, on the day before Christmas Eve, a Friday night and discovered it was a pretty sleepy town before the holidays. The bars weren’t quite hopping as one would expect and the next day, Christmas Eve, turns out all the touristy locations are closed! Who’da known!? So, we decided to make an afternoon out of it and find as many wall murals as we could!

Prior to discovering the wall murals in Nashville, I had read a lot of posts about amazing street art popping up all over the world. Some of it I really enjoyed and other bits, I couldn’t see what the big deal was.

Creative and innovative artists are taking to the streets to express themselves and transform an empty, plain side of a building into a masterpiece and people are flocking around the world to find these amazing murals. I have to say, I have quickly become OBSESSED and now search for street art everywhere I go! Plus, the make for the perfect Instagram moment!