Italy has been on my mind more than ever these days. Each country is experiencing their own pain, but there’s something about Italy that makes theirs hit deeper. Maybe it’s the fact they were the first after China to be crushed by death and isolation.

Ah Croatia. This was a place at the top of our list for as long as we’ve known each other. As we were planning out the week, it was difficult to narrow down our route. In the end, we had an absolute dream trip, so I will confidently tell you how you should spend a week in Croatia.

Since we moved to Amsterdam, we’ve been to the coast multiple times, feeling the mist of the North Sea breeze on our faces, and pedaled our road bikes past windmills, canals and lighthouses to tiny Dutch villages. There is no denying the beauty here, but growing up in Colorado and Alaska, there is an element we miss deeply…Mountains.

Who loves sunshine?! Same. Unfortunately, the Netherlands keeps the sun in hiding most of the year. It’s rough. Especially for this spoiled, West Coast baby. Winter felt like it would never end, but I can’t blame it all on the grey, rainy skies.

Amsterdam has been our home for just over 9 months now and, since summer is right around the corner, we wanted to create a quick guide. It feels like we’re still scratching the surface of all there is to experience here; there is so much to do, see and eat in this canal city!

Some holidays are easy to plan (or not plan and just wing it), while others take quite a bit of research and what feels like advanced puzzle work. Which is why when someone tells me, “OMG THIS WAS ONE OF THE COOLEST TRIPS WE’VE EVER DONE.” I steal it from you.