Where (in Europe) Should I Go?

I will be in Paris for a few weeks next month on business. (I know, it’s a rough life, right?)

After I meet and hang out with my new Parisian colleagues, I am taking a week off. This will be the first time in my life (believe it or not) that I will be traveling solo. I am excited.

I believe we should all continually push our personal boundaries… if just a little… for personal growth.

Pushing our boundaries is also a great way to learn more about yourself… to discover who you really are… beneath all the lies we sometimes tell ourselves.

I enjoy the sense of adventure and endless possibilities. Like that time we sat at the bus stop in Bosnia as the time approached midnight and wondered whether our bus was going to show up. Would we have to navigate the streets after midnight in a strange city looking for a place to stay the night? Ok, that one took MissTIC a bit past her comfort zone. There were some worrying tears shed, but we got through it. Together.

So, I need your suggestions… Where should I go to hang out for a week?

Some direction about me and my travel preferences:

Since I only have a week, I am thinking a single destination (or one or two cities in close proximity to one another) that I can explore
In keeping with the ‘stretch your boundaries’ theme, I’d like to go someplace I have never been like:
- Scandinavia
- the Baltic states
- Central Europe (Czechia, Hungary, Slovakia)
I prefer the south of Europe for the warmer weather, but since it is summer, I might consider taking the opportunity to explore the north
I am an independent traveler… I refuse to follow the herd behind the woman carrying the little blue flag! LOL!
I am generally a budget traveler, so very expensive destinations would not necessarily be my first choice
I will likely stay with Airbnb
I travel light; carry-on only (but when my inner foodie kicks in it’s possible I gain a few pounds 🙂
I really don’t want to have to rent a car; I prefer the train, bus, and regional discount airlines

My top choices at the moment:

Budapest/Bratislava
Coastal Montenegro and Albania

If anyone has connections in Budapest, Montenegro or Albania, please reach out!

If you have been to any of these places or have other suggestions for me I would love to hear them. Please give your suggestions in the Comments below.