Your Essential Destination Playlist

A k S OB cz ADIA Y N B

Many of us are not exactly happy with the state of our country right now, and with travel restrictions, the desire to leave it all behind and take a spontaneous trip across the pond is more prominent than ever. Although you cannot taste the pain au chocolats in France or dance the night away in a packed club in Budapest, you can at least listen to the music of these European countries to help you live out your traveling abroad fantasies.

OSLO

You will begin your journey in Oslo. You start to explore and you can feel the effortlessly cool atmosphere of the city. As you’re looking through the location tag on Instagram for Oslo, you come across posts with local music artists. You create a new playlist and add the songs you found, deciding that in each city you visit you will add to it.

LONDON

After a short flight you arrive in London in the early afternoon. You are ready to hit everything on your itinerary, but first you need some caffeine. You stop into an inviting café, order a coffee, and sit down at a table opposite the counter. The barista strikes up conversation with you so you ask them for music suggestions of some U.K. based artists. They give you a list of songs perfect for strolling around London on a partly cloudy day.

PARIS

Next you’ll hop on the Eurostar from London to Paris. On your second day there you decide to spend it roaming the streets and admiring the beauty surrounding you. While exploring the 9th, 10th, and 11th arrondissement, you come across several vintage stores and decide to have a bit of a shopping spree. You enjoy some of the songs playing over the speakers in the second hand stores and add them to your playlist for the rest of your Parisian adventure.

Even though you love Paris, you are ready for a change. You pack up your bags, barley fitting all of your new clothes into your suitcase, and get on the next train to Munich. After a long day of travel you’re ready to get some fresh air. You start your evening at the Chinesischer Turm Beer Garden in the Englischer Garten and set up a picnic spot beside a stream, alongside several others with the same idea. A group beside you is blasting music. Not wanting to forget this great night, you make friends with the group of DJs and ask for their playlist to add to your own.

BUDAPEST

Budapest is known for its ruin bars—reclaimed abandoned buildings made into perfect places to party. Deciding that it’s a must-do while in Budapest, you get a group of travelers from your hostel to accompany you for a night out. You dance the night away to Everytime We Touch–Cascada, Gimme More–Britney Spears, Mr. Saxobeat–Alexandra Stan, since the playlist usually consists of the 2000/10s club classics. While at the ruin bar you step into the shop connected that sells local art and enjoy the music that is a completely different vibe.

It’s finally time to head home, you say goodbye to the friends you have made and get on the long flight back. Even though you can’t stay, you have your curated playlist from your travels to reminisce your adventures.