UNSEEN TRAVEL AGENCY

  I’m no stranger to the magical wonders of German Christmas markets, but if I were to pick a single city last year that really wowed me and spun me into borderline obsession, it would be the Esslingen Christmas Market & Medieval Market, located near Stuttgart. There’s musical performers on stilts! There’s liquor peddled in potion bottles! There’s vendors decked in costume! Mix that all with the half-timbered backdrop of Esslingen, and it’s about the coolest and most unique Christmas market in the country. I visited Esslingen last year and found myself immersed in a time-warp wonderland of feltmakers, blacksmiths and basket weavers. But that’s not all – Esslingen actually has two separate markets: the traditional Christmas market and the Medieval market, together offering hundreds of unique stalls selling everything you can imagine. It’s all a bit overwhelming, but in the most wonderful way. So, what did I see? Where did I ...

COLOGNE HOSTELS:  Best Overall  |  Best for Solo Travelers  |  Best Cheap Hostel Interested? PIN NOW, read later! If you are on a backpacking adventure through Germany, you will likely pass through Cologne, Germany. Good decision! Set on the gorgeous Rhine River in Western Germany, Cologne is a 2,000-year-old city with some of the finest examples of Gothic architecture in the whole country. Cologne is the regions cultural hub and a fantastic place for backpackers to spend a couple of days (or more!) Down to the important brass: which hostels are the best hostels in Cologne, Germany? Like most big cities in Europe, Cologne can be a bit expensive for backpackers on a budget. At the same time, Cologne does not have nearly the number of hostel options as say Munich or Berlin. Finding a nice cheap hostel in Cologne isn’t always easy as the popular ones tend to book out, especially in the summer. That is exactly why I wrote this insider guide to the best hostels in Cologne !...