5 WAYS TO WANDER: 🚲Bike Dutch, Budget Flights 101, & Bathroom Nostalgia
14 March, 2025 | Welcome to 5 Ways to Wander. Here are five fresh ideas to inspire your next adventure!
#1 This Week’s Travel Hack:
✈️ Mastering Europe’s Budget Airlines. Low-cost airlines like Ryanair and Wizz Air make European travel ridiculously affordable… if you know the rules.
Here’s how to avoid paying more than you planned:
✔ Check in online. Or they’ll charge you.
✔ Travel light. Mostly, only a carry-on is permitted and extra baggage is expensive.
✔ Watch for sneaky airports. They often land at secondary airports which are F-A-A-R from the city.
✔ Bring your own snacks. Unless you enjoy €5 Pringles.
[You Might Like: The Ultimate Guide to Cheap Flights in Europe]
#2 Destination of the Week:
🇲🇹 Valletta, Malta. Tiny but mighty, Valletta is the EU’s smallest capital , yet it packs more history per square meter than most entire cities.
Built by the knights of St. John in the 16th century, this golden-hued fortress city is a UNESCO World Heritage site with grand baroque architecture, meticulously gridded alleyways, and phenomenal harbor views.
As you walk through its honey-colored streets, you stumble upon ornate blue-green-red balcony boxes, expansive courtyards, and historic sites like St. John’s Co-Cathedral (which, btw, houses a Caravaggio ).
There’s history, sunshine, and that vibey Mediterranean charm – all in a city you can cross on foot in 30 minutes.
[You Might Like: How to Spend 3 Amazing Days in Malta + Travel Tips]
#3 Cultural Insight:
🚲 Dutch Bicycles: A National Obsession. Did you know that the Netherlands has more bikes than people?
Biking in the country is a way of life. With 23 million bicycles for 17 million people , the Dutch pedal everywhere – rain or shine, in suits or skirts, to run errands, or for a night out (often balancing a crate of beer on the back rack).
➡️ Bike lanes? Immaculate.
➡️ Helmets? Not really a thing (but somehow, everyone survives).
If you ever find yourself in Amsterdam, don’t make the rookie mistake of wandering into a bike lane – you’ll be shown no mercy.
Why the popularity? Because it’s fast, eco-friendly, and in a country as flat as a stroopwafel, it just makes sense.
[You Might Like: Why Visiting this Popular European City Left Me Disappointed]
#4 Travel Quote to Ponder:
🌍 “Not all classrooms have four walls.”
― Anonymous
[You Might Like: 42 FREE Things to Do in Manchester (Especially #37!)]
#5 Question for You:
❔What’s the most bizarre bathroom situation you’ve encountered on a trip?
(I once ended up in a bathroom in Norway with a microwave 🤔)
[You Might Like: How to Visit London, Paris, Rome – Without Leaving Home]
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Read the past issues of 5 Ways to Wander below.
| 2025 | |
| March 14, 2025 | Bike Dutch, Budget Flights 101, & Bathroom Nostalgia |
| March 7, 2025 | How Fairytales are Written & Souvenir Skills |
| February 28, 2025 | Fries Done Right & No-Cost Museums |
| February 21, 2025 | A Secret Season & Dragons in the City |
| February 14, 2025 | A $5 Meal Hack & a Greek Party Trick |
| February 7, 2025 | A Rule to Break & a City to Love |
| January 31, 2025 | Smarter Travel, Brighter Days, & Quieter Evenings |
| January 24, 2025 | Master Packing, Alpine Allure, & a German Toast |
| January 17, 2025 | Venetian Secrets, Kissing Etiquette, & Overrated Cities |
| January 10, 2025 | Walking Tours, Cozy Vibes, & That One Travel Blunder |
| January 3, 2025 | A Quick Packing Tip & a Place That Feels Like Home |
| 2024 | |
| December 27, 2024 | No Free Bread, a City You Missed, & a Thought to Ponder |
| December 20, 2024 | Fly Frugal, Fashion Meets History, & Take a Coffee Break |
| December 6, 2024 | A Tote Trick, A Sensory Feast, & The Origins of Karaoke |
| November 22, 2024 | Simple Navigation, A Timeless City, & Question Your Next Meal |