Find meaning and make memories on this journey from Rome to Istanbul

Cooperativa Coraggio is a 22-hectrare farm dedicated to multifunctional agriculture and environmental education, accessible with public transportation. Take a tour or simply enjoy a picnic on one of the tables that overlooks the farm’s sprawling fields that grow cereals, vegetables and other products.

On your way back to Rome’s city center, stop for a slice or two at Bonci Pizzarium, a cult-favourite pizza shop that uses ingredients grown at Cooperativa Coraggio. 

Round out your agricultural tour of Rome with a stroll around the stalls selling fruits, vegetables and more at the Campo dei Fiori Market in the city center. 

Book lovers of any age — but especially those with kids — will love L'Aquilone Libreria per Ragazzi, a children’s bookshop in the city center.  

10 minutes away is Bottega Della Gina, a portal to pasta heaven. The shop is best known for its fresh tortellini, offered in over a dozen varieties.  

For a memorable night out in Verona, check to see if there’s a concert scheduled during your trip at the nearby Castello Scaligero, a castle-turned-music venue accessible by bus from Verona.  

Catch a bird’s eye view of the city with a walk or funicular ride up to Ljubljana Castle, perched on a hill overlooking the center.  

Browse the outdoor Central Market for seasonal snacks to take on your next train ride; on my last visit, strawberries were in season, and I purchased a carton to share among my travel companions.  

If time allows, take a day trip to Lake Bled and Lake Bohinj, easily accessible by train and bus from Ljubljana.  

Get your bearings with a walk up to the Schlossberg, a mountain with a clocktower that overlooks the city.  

Come face to face with the city’s “Friendly Alien” — a nickname for the uniquely-shaped Kunsthaus Graz, a museum of contemporary art.  

Dive deeper into the Graz’s creative culture by booking a tour or a workshop at tag.werk, a youth employment project that runs monthly creative classes like screen-printing and card-making. 

Experience life on both sides of the Danube with a stroll across the Széchenyi Chain Bridge, and up to Buda Castle.  

You’re midway through your trip — and if you’re in need of an energy boost, make a beeline to New York Café, Gerbeaud, or another of Budapest’s famously ornate coffee houses.  

Searching for a souvenir? Look no further than Budapest’s Central Market Hall, where you can browse for gifts and afterwards enjoy local specialties such as goulash and lángos. 

Walk along Vidin’s riverfront — you can’t miss Baba Vida Fortress, a massive castle situated along the Danube.  

Don't leave without trying banitsa, a Bulgarian pastry dish found in restaurants across Vidin.  

Make a day trip out to the Belogradchik Rocks, a unique, 230-million-year-old rock formation (with cave art!) accessible by bus from Vidin. 

Savor traditional Bulgarian cuisine at Staria Chinar and Pod Lipite, a restaurant which produces almost all of its ingredients at a nearby farm.   

Slow down and relax at the Crystal Garden, a park popular among locals and travelers alike. 

Shop for hand-crafted ceramics, textiles, jewelry and other gifts at Nahıl, a shop run by an organisation called Kadın Emeğini Değerlendirme Vakfı. “Women producers come and get support to develop their products,” said Gokcen Durutas, responsible for communications and fundraising at KEDV. “Each product has a different story of women's empowerment.”  

Navigate Istanbul using its vast network of public transit options, including ferries. On our visit to Istanbul, we crossed the Bosphorus several times, even catching a waterside sunset from the ferry boat.  

Feeling the urge to keep traveling? From Istanbul, you can reach Ankara (and all of the smaller cities you pass along the way) in under 4.5 hours. From Ankara, you can embark on the Dogu Express, a famously scenic train that takes travelers all the way across the country, along the Euphrates River, to Kars.