Are you the type of traveler who loves to get off the beaten path? Who values experiences over things? Who believes travel goes deeper than a fantastic meal? Then the Postcard Academy travel podcast is for you.
Each week, I interview people who packed up everything to start a new adventure in another part of the world. You’ll get their insider travel recommendations on the best food and cultural experiences in the most interesting places around the globe. You’ll also discover travel hacks to find cheap flights and travel deals, and hear personal expat stories that offer guidance on how to live, work, volunteer, and travel abroad.
I’m your host, Sarah Mikutel, an American who’s been living, working, and traveling around Europe since 2010 (and visiting long before that). Enjoy the show!
Thinking of moving or traveling to Iceland? American expat Kaelene Spence did just that and shares her tips on how to land the job you want in a new country; the best and worst things about living in Iceland; and all her favorite off-the-beaten path travel recommendations in Reykjavik and beyond. Kaelene writes the blog Unlocking Kiki, a very useful resource for anyone planning a long or short trip to Iceland.
Read MoreWhen I was 19, my friends and I hopped off a train in Pisa, snapped a photo of the Leaning Tower, and then hopped back on another train out of there. What a wasted opportunity! Pisa has Bologna's activist energy (without all the graffiti and snobbery of the punkabestia and well-to-do); Florence’s beauty (without all the tourists); and Naple’s timeless wildness (but a little less wild and less petty crime). This town has so much more to offer than just a photo of at the Leaning Tower of Pisa. Spend at least a full day here, if not a few days.
Read MoreEnough with Florence and Siena already. You should be walking the medieval walls of Lucca; eating aperitivo in Pisa; sipping Chianti at Castello di Brolio; or lounging by the sea in San Vicenzo. We cover all this on the Postcard Academy podcast episode: “Lucca, Pisa, and Other Towns in Tuscany You Must Visit.” To make things simple, here I’ll focus on the best things to eat and see in Lucca, Italy.
Read MoreFor decades, Glasgow, Scotland had a reputation for being a down-on-its-luck former industrial hub. But the Glaswegians worked hard to turn their city into a world-class tourist destination with museums, opera, ballet, and more. In 1990, Glasgow was named the European City of Culture and since then travelers from around the world have visited to enjoy its cozy pubs, great restaurants — which include a lot of veg-friendly options, delicious food markets, designer shops, and, of course, cultural offerings.
Read MoreNew Orleans celebrates its 300th anniversary this year, and since it’s almost Halloween, I thought this was the perfect time to talk about this haunted Southern city. On the Postcard Academy podcast, Hope Kodman, a tour guide with French Quarter Phantoms, joined me to talk about the history of the Big Easy; the origins of Mardi Gras; the difference between cajun and creole; and other fun stories. Of course, we tell you where to find the best: food and drinks, quirky shops and museums, burlesque, jazz, ‘female-owned romantic boutique,’ and more.
Read MoreYou may know that Munich was the birthplace of the Nazi movement and that 80-90% of Munich was bombed in World War II. In the decades since, Munich has rebuilt itself into one of the most livable cities in the world. On the Postcard Academy podcast, Munich resident and tour guide Maxine Ryder shares her best insider travel tips on what to do in the old town and outside the city.
Read MoreBarcelona has eight UNESCO sites, beaches, mountains, a beautiful historic center, tons of restaurants and boutiques, and art everywhere you look. No wonder it’s one of the most visited cities on Earth. On the Postcard Academy podcast, Paulina Grzeszczyk, of Devour tours, shares her insider tips to beat the crowds and discover the best the capital of Catalonia has to offer.
Read MoreAll summer, the streets of Florence swell with tourists, tired and hungry from museum binges and promenades under the Tuscan sun. Desperate for something to eat, they settle for stale panini in the city’s worst tourist traps. More than 10 years ago, American expat Toni Mazzaglia said, “Basta!” and started the food tour company Taste Florence to help visitors discover the best food in her adopted city. Here are her top recs.
Walk around Macedonia’s capital city, Skopje, and you’ll find yourself in three primary areas: the bohemian district, the old town, and the redeveloped downtown, which has been compared to Vegas kitsch on steroids. After snapping your photos of the 72-foot-tall (and unofficially named) Alexander the Great statue and those of his parents, you’ll want to focus your time on the first two areas.
Read MoreIf you need a break from Europe’s overcrowded hotspots (how many tourists can squeeze into Dubrovnik's city walls before they burst?), head to Bosnia’s capital Sarajevo. 🇧🇦
Read MoreBelize Zoo (really an animal sanctuary) offers a hands-on internship program that lasts from two to four weeks. Just want to visit? The money from your ticket will go to taking care of beautiful creatures like Junior Buddy, the zoo’s 11-year-old jaguar.
Read MoreBerlin, Europe’s ‘poor but sexy’ city, is still recovering from World War II and the Cold War. The postcard? Think street art, low buildings, and people chilling in parks everywhere. There’s something for everyone, whether you like clubbing all night or hitting museums in the morning.
Read MoreBritish expat and Berlin tour guide Chloe Dalrymple shares some of her favorite places to eat and drink around Germany’s capital city.
Read MoreIf you’ve visited Berlin on vacation, you might think Germany is all hipster coffee shops and fingerless gloves (these are called stulpenand I love them). But go outside the city, and you’ll learn Germany isn’t one big liberal love fest welcoming immigrants with open arms. What I learned from celebrating Easter in former East Germany.
Read MoreThis year’s World Happiness Report just came out and, once again, all the Nordic countries are at the top of the list. The one I haven’t been to yet is Sweden, so I called up Eric Wall, an American artist living in Stockholm, to get his advice on the best things to see and do in Sweden’s capital city.
Read MoreMy friend, Cristal Dyer, aka the Tofu Traveler, and I just spent four perfect days eating ourselves silly in Oaxaca City, which is also famous for its beautiful handicrafts and colonial architecture. We share our ridiculous adventures in this food capital, as well as a detailed travel itinerary for you, in the Postcard Academy podcast episode: Mexican Food Lovers’ Paradise: Oaxaca.
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With its low cost of living, growing economy, and charming landscape and villages, Romania has become a desirable location for expats. Yet, many people outside of Europe know nothing about this country, and those inside Europe, at least in the U.K., have a very low opinion of this former communist state.
Read MoreRomania is the next big thing for expats and travelers seeking to get off the beaten path. Why? To start, you can live an awesome life there for $1,000 a month. Theater, opera, and other culture pursuits are cheap or free and accessible to everyone (Romania's Communist past means less elitism than you find in other European countries). History lovers will love wandering the medieval cities. And then, there's Dracula's castle.
Read MoreSlovenia is a land of fairy tale castles, baby dragons (more on that later), and delicious moonshine. You may also know this former Yugoslavian republic as Melania Trump’s place of birth. But Noah Charney, an American expat and Slovenia resident since 2006, says his adopted country deserves to be known for so much more.
Read MoreI expected to find falafel in Istanbul, but I was fantastically wrong. To set the record straight on Turkish cuisine for other travelers, I asked food and travel writer Robyn Eckhart to come on the Postcard Academy podcast to discuss traditional Turkish recipes and Istanbul food culture. We have a lovely chat about her new cookbook: Istanbul and Beyond: Exploring the Diverse Cuisines of Turkey, and create a food guide for your next trip to Istanbul.
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