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51 Photos of Europe from 6 Months of Travel

May 13, 2016 2 Comments
Home » Travel Guides & Tips » 51 Photos of Europe from 6 Months of Travel

51 Photos of Europe from 6 Months of Travel

The beautiful architecture, history, and different cultures of Europe have interested me since I was a kid. This was the destination of my first trip abroad and I keep finding new reasons to visit. Usually those reasons start with a few great photos of Europe, perhaps of somewhere I haven’t been yet.

This time around I spent 6 month and visited more than 20 countries. Having already done much of the western portion, I started in the north and headed throughout the central and eastern regions. First, I saw landscapes in Iceland that looked like scenes out of a sci-fi film. Later, I learned about local culture while couchsurfing in a small village in Estonia. I was even taught how to say Cheers! in more than a dozen new languages.

I did my best to take in the beauty of each place I visited. Here are some of my favorite photos.

 

Iceland

Beautiful and wild, Iceland remains one of the most incredible places I’ve seen. Waterfalls, volcanoes, glaciers, the midnight sun in the summer months, Aurora Borealis in the winter. Iceland has it all and more.

Photos of Europe
The sun begins to rise as my first flight of the trip nears Reykjavik.

 

Photos of Europe
The Sun Voyager sculpture near Reykjavik’s harbor. I climbed Mount Esja (pictured in the background) the next day.

 

Photos of Europe
Geysir, from which the English word ‘geyser’ originated, is one of the most popular stops along the Golden Circle.

 

Photos of Europe
Driving east along the Ring Road Skogafoss came into view. It was around 9pm but still bright outside.

 

Photos of Europe
A brief hike led me to Svartifoss. The receding basalt columns make this one of the most impressive waterfalls in the world.

 

Photos of Europe
Continuing along the south coast, this lagoon came into view. As glaciers from the highlands of Iceland melt and break off each summer, they make their slow journey from rivers to this place, then finally out to sea.

 

Photos of Europe
One of the many horses indigenous to Iceland. Their long hair gives them a lot of personality.

 

Scotland

Photos of Europe
Hill climbing with friends to the top of Cruak Ardrain (1,046m). A tough hike but the view and the company were well worth the effort.

 

Photos of Europe
Edinburgh, as seen from the top of Arthur’s Seat. A short hike with new great friends and a beautiful view.

 

Denmark

Photos of Europe
The colorful buildings of New Harbor. Though touristy, the view is free and across the water is Paper Island, where I enjoyed some of the best food of the trip.

 

Photos of Europe
The Overload Surf & Turf Burger at Fisch Art Street Food on Paper Island. One of my favorite meals in Europe.

 

Sweden

Photos of Europe
Exploring the beautiful parks of Gothenburg.

 

Photos of Europe
Stockholm is notoriously expensive but also full of free picturesque views like this one.

 

Estonia

Still off the beaten path for many travelers to Europe, Estonia offers beautiful buildings, a great nightlife, friendly locals, and great food.

Photos of Europe
A view of the old city in Tallinn. With its architecture, friendly locals, and affordable cuisine, I fell in love with Estonia. One of my favorite cityscape photos of Europe.

 

Photos of Europe
A day trip to Keila waterfall in the countryside.

 

Photos of Europe
I Couchsurfed in a tiny village of around 200 people, just outside of Tallinn. As we walked her dogs through the family’s farmland one night a breeze turned into gusts of wind. A  storm rolled in. I snapped this picture with my phone (not the best quality) as her collie led us along. I still remember the sounds of the wind blowing through the wheat fields.

 

Lithuania

Photos of Europe
Wandering through the old town district of Vilnius. Beautiful churches and cathedrals like this one are around every corner.

 

Photos of Europe
Hill of Crosses in northern Lithuania is where Christians used to escape religious oppression under Soviet rule. It was burned down multiple times but was continually rebuilt.

 

Hungary

Photos of Europe
Budapest is one of the undeniable party capitals of Europe. It’s also one of the most beautiful and largest cities to explore. This was taken while walking down the Danube at sunset.

 

Croatia

Photos of Europe
Trekking along the castle walls of Dubrovnik. Later we kayaked the coastline to a hidden bay for cliff jumping and snorkeling. Then we watched the sunset as we paddled home.

 

Montenegro

Photos of Europe
Walking along the paths that wind around Budva’s coastline. The old city where we stayed is in the background.

 

Photos of Europe
Montenegro is made up largely of coastline and high mountain peaks. Here is a view looking down on the town of sleepy city of Kotor.

 

Albania

Photos of Europe
There is much to see and do in Albania. Though I wasn’t able to spend time along the beautiful coastlines, I did explore the capital city of Shkoder. This is Rozafa Castle from which one can look out over the entire city.

 

Bosnia & Herzegovina

Photos of Europe
Most people are not aware that thousands of innocent people died during the Siege of Sarajevo in the 90s. During my time there I learned from a family who survived regarding the terrible events that took place. Sarajevo is truly a melting pot of cultures and had some of the kindest locals I met on my journey.

 

Photos of Europe
Mostar was also largely damaged during the Siege of the 90s and is still being rebuilt. The name Mostar comes from mostari, meaning bridge-keepers. After the war they rebuilt this bridge.

 

Serbia

Photos of Europe
Capital city Belgrade is home to an up and coming street art scene, great restaurants and an impressive nightlife.

 

Bulgaria

Photos of Europe
The Alexander Nevski Cathedral in Sofia did not disappoint. Though seeing this was one of the reasons I came to Sofia, I stayed for more than a week to explore, attend a free food tour (yes, free) and got to know several new friends. Bulgaria is also one of the most affordable countries in Europe.

 

Macedonia

Photos of Europe
Some say there may be more statues in Skopje than people. Bridges and buildings are covered with them. While locals fear for the debt that’s being created, it is one of the most unique places in Europe. It’s also incredibly cheap with $2-4 meals at restaurants, $1-2 street food, and many hostels under $10.

 

Photos of Europe
After Skopje I headed to Ohrid to relax on the lake for a few days. Another bargain city with great food and locals, I loved my time here. I learned this city’s mix of cultures and churches have earned it the unofficial title of the Jerusalem of Europe.

 

Greece

Photos of Europe
Overlooked by many travelers to Greece, Meteora is an open valley with jutting limestone cliffs. Atop six of them lie beautiful monasteries with breathtaking views.

 

Photos of Europe
The Temple of Hephaestus is one of the most incredible ancient buildings that still exists in Athens.

 

Photos of Europe
Though cluttered with construction equipment due to renovation, the Tempe of Aphrodite Urania and the rest of the Acropolis is incredible.

 

Photos of Europe
Known for its sunsets, the sunrises on Santorini are also amazing. After my ferry arrived just before 5 am, I walked just outside of town just in time to spot this view.

 

Photos of Europe
Of course the sunsets are every bit as beautiful as you would imagine.

 

Turkey

Photos of Europe
Galata Tower near the bustling area along the Bosphorus in Istanbul.

 

Photos of Europe
The tall minarets of the Blue Mosque.

 

Photos of Europe
Basilica Cistern, an ground water storage built in ancient times, not far from the Blue Mosque.

 

Photos of Europe
Hot air balloons at sunrise over the region of Cappadocia in central Turkey.

 

Romania

Photos of Europe
Fall leaves in Brasov, eastern Transylvania.

 

Photos of Europe
One of the many castles throughout Brasov in Transylvania

 

Ukraine

Photos of Europe
Monastery of Caves in Kiev was packed with beautiful architecture and history.

 

Photos of Europe
St. Volodymyr’s Cathedral by night.

 

Poland

Photos of Europe
Some of the first snow of the season dusted the rooftops of the Christmas markets in Main Square, Krakow.

 

Photos of Europe
Eating a zapiekanka prepared by my new friend in the Kazimierz District of Krakow.

 

Photos of Europe
Zakopane, about an hour south of Krakow, had received a fair amount of snow before I arrived. Ski season was only just starting to pick up.

 

Photos of Europe
Trekking through a snowy valley in Zakopane. The tiny image of a couple down the path in front of me shows the massive size of the evergreens.

 

Czech Republic

Photos of Europe
Eating langose (a sort of fried bread pizza) in a Christmas market in Prague. One of my favorite food photos of Europe.

 

Photos of Europe
The moon rising over old city Prague.

 

Photos of Europe
Geese and ducks swim along the Vltava River with Charles Bridge in the background.

 

Germany

Photos of Europe
The architecture of Dresden’s old city just after sunset.

 

Photos of Europe
East Side Gallery in Berlin. One of my favorite places in the world and my last stop in Europe. A fitting end to an incredible 6 months in Europe.

 

My Favorite Europe Posts

Here are some of the most read and some of my favorite posts from my time in Europe.

  • Copenhagen Street Food & Danish Dishes
  • 12 Things in Kiev Under $5
  • Budget Tips for Cappadocia Hot Air Balloons
  • 10 Reasons to Love Street Food in Europe

 

Recap

I’m currently sitting in a hostel in New Zealand, sipping hot tea on a rainy day. My journey around the world started in Europe and is nearing its end. Each of these photos of Europe holds a special story. Looking back at them now sparks a thought that puts me back in the moment. Perhaps it was an adventure with a new friend, a view that took my breath away, or a humbling experience getting lost or failing to understand the local language.

Each experience, each image, taught me something and helped me to grow.

If you have any questions about where I took a specific photo of Europe or want to know anything about long term travel, please comment below. Also, if you know anyone who’s thinking of taking a trip, please feel free to pass this along.

As always, thanks for reading.

Terviseks! (Cheers in Estonian)

– Cam

 

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2 Comments

  1. Sam Reply
    July 19, 2016 at 7:27 am

    Great photos! I bet there are many interesting stories behind them. The balloon trip looks great. 🙂
    And I love the horse photo. I’d like to travel to Iceland one day.

    Cheers.

    • Cam Reply
      July 21, 2016 at 10:20 am

      Sam,

      The hot air balloon in Turkey was one of the best days of the trip. It helped I had some amazing friends with whom I could share the experience. I highly recommend Iceland. The wild sense of beauty there is hard to find anywhere else. Thank you for sharing your thoughts and for the kind words! Cheers!

      – Cam

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