Orval Abbey is a Must Stop on a Belgium Road Trip

When visiting a Trappist brewery in Belgium, most of our experience was simply seeing them from a distance- picking up beer just inside the gates of Westvleteren or a tourist-oriented museum with bar and restaurant at Chamay. Getting on the grounds of a Trappist producer is, well, quite impossible most of the time.

But there was one Trappist brewery whose historic grounds were (mostly) open to explore, and that was Orval in southern Belgium. Although we went out of our way to check this one out, we'd do it again in a heartbeat as it was one of the biggest surprises of our trip!

Read more

Where to Stay in Flam – In Town Or Nearby?

When it comes to planning a trip around Norway's western fjords, odds are good you will have Flam as a stop on your itinerary.

This town is one of the most famous spots for tourism in western Norway for its gorgeous fjord, train ride up to the mountains, and so much more.

But in being high on virtually everyone's list, so come the crowds. Although we still recommend visiting Flam when traveling in Norway, the simple truth is that you may not want to stay in Flam proper on your itinerary.

So in this one, we thought we would share a bit more why you may want to stay in Flam and also why you may want to stay in another town nearby.

Read more

5 of the Best Winter Activities in the Arctic Circle in Sweden

When we traveled to the Arctic Circle in Sweden (Kiruna, specifically), our primary goal was to attempt to see the northern lights for the first time.

But before we booked our accommodation, we had a decision to make- do we go fully remote for the best light viewing while being away from towns and cities or do we stay in a bigger area, possibly to some light detriment, to enjoy the many fun activities in the Artic Circle in winter?

As this was our first time this far north in winter, we chose the latter. Our logic? If the weather didn't behave for northern lights we could always come back, but we may as well have a full vacation experience while we're at it.

So if you're looking for some fun attractions in the Arctic Circle to round out your trip, we've got you covered here!

Read more

Marg & Bein Review – A Prix Fixe Local Experience in Bergen

Marg & Bein is a prix fixe fine dining restaurant located in Bergen, Norway, that utilizes only Norwegian meats and produce in their 4, 6, or 9-course menus. On our visit we tried the 6-course menu with wine pairings and, although each dish was rather small, the creativity and flavors were outstanding.

The sleek and minimalist typical Scandinavian decor, combined with their hyper-local focus, offers a truly unique and of-the-moment dining experience.

Read more