12 Gorgeous Photos of Vienna, Austria

Vienna is an incredible city to be in any time of year. It's draped with Christmas lights during the holiday season, though even when the decorations come down, the ornate details on the old town architecture are a delight to see. This truly is one beautiful European city that offers much more than the eye can see. Until you experience it firsthand, however, here are some photos to lust over in the meantime.

platz vienna

vienna, austria

st stephens church austria

st stephens church vienna

city center vienna austria

Naschmarkt Vienna Austria

Christmas bow decoration vienna austria

Austria

Parliament Building Vienna Austria

Vienna Austria Christmas Markets

vienna

Vienna Austria

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5 Periscopers To Follow For Major Travel Inspiration

Periscope is my new favorite app. I love "traveling" to other places and interacting through the comments with the person broadcasting. Though Periscopes can be about anything, the ones I tend to watch the most are those who show their city or where they are.

A few of my favorites:

5 Periscopers To Follow For Major Travel Inspiration

@BaseGiulioBase

Giulio is literally the happiest, most optimistic person ever, always telling us to "look at the beauty!" A film director from Rome, his 'scopes include walks around his home city, other parts of Italy - and my recent favorite - Cannes during the Cannes Film Festival.

@EuroMaestro

Euro is a Parisian who shows us around Paris. Walking along the Seine with Euro had me reminiscing about my trip to Paris last year and it felt like I was back there too. A couple of days ago he took us up to Sacre Coeur as well as Versailles - two things I didn't get around to doing on my trip - so I was very happy to get to experience it through Periscope.

@moeinteractive

Moe lives in New York and broadcasts tours around NYC's favorite spots. He'll take us around and show famous landmarks such as the Empire State Building or the Brooklyn Bridge, oftentimes talking to people along the way. He always seems to stumble among the coolest happenings too - such as street performers or a filming location for a movie.

@carpediem

I first found Carpe Diem when she was streaming on the beaches of Cancun. It took less than ten seconds for me to bump up Cancun and the Yucatan Penninsula on my travel list. Those white sand beaches!

@GlobalPeriscope

@GlobalPeriscope is always suggesting awesome 'scopes around the world to watch. I never get bored opening up one of their suggestions.

Some of Periscope's recent updates include an app for Android, the ability to create an account without connecting to Twitter, and searching for broadcasts in both list and map form.

Learn more about Periscope here, and make sure to follow me @allyarcher!

Lenses for DSLR Cameras: It's Not Always 'All About That Base'

Choosing a DSLR Lens

Almost five years ago, I upgraded my point-and-shoot to a DSLR camera. My lovely Nikon D3200 (formerly the D3100 prior to a rain-and-coffee-spillage-incident in Germany) has been my companion on every trip I've taken.

Even though my iPhone 6 has a great camera, the quality of photos I get on my Nikon beat the phone every single time, to the point where it is worth the extra weight of bringing the camera on outings.

Pomegranate Juice Istanbul Turkey

The Nikon D3200 is a starter or "beginner" DSLR camera. I haven't considered upgrading to a more advanced camera because I'm not a professional by any means and still have a lot to learn in the likes of photography.

Also, I've learned that oftentimes you can get the shot you want just by switching out the lens. I've even heard some Youtubers suggest something along the lines of investing in the lens, not the camera base.

I have three lenses for my Nikon:

- A standard lens that came with the camera, 18-55mm f/1:3.5-5.6G

- A zoom lens that also came with it, 55-200mm f/1:4-5.6G

- A macro lens, 40mm f/1:2.8G

Dalmatian-Coast-Croatia

The Types of Travel Photos I Use These Lenses For

The Standard Lens

beginner nikon lens 18-55mm

This lens came with the camera (if you're buying the actual camera, you don't need to purchase this lens separately). By playing around with the settings, you can really do a lot with this lens. I've shot everything from landscapes, group photos, some closeups, and HD video with this lens.

The Beautiful Amalfi Coast, Italy

Purple Flowers Amalfi Coast

The Zoom Lens

af-snikkor 55-200 mm zoom

Having a zoom lens has really come in handy for certain types of shots. This lens can go FAR. And no matter how zoomed in the photo is, the quality is still spectacular.

a

I took the photo of St. Peter's Basilica from atop Castel Sant'Angelo, across the street. The photo of the Pope during the Pope's Blessing was taken from down below in the audience.

Pope

The Macro Lens

af-s micro nikkor 40mm

As the newest addition to my collection, this macro lens is my favorite one to use. It's great for super close shots of food, objects, people (love getting the blurry background), or for getting just the subject very in focus. I also really enjoy how lights look when using this lens.

Grom Gelato New York

Manhattan

The AF-S option allows both manual and auto focus and is compatible with my Nikon. Having both options makes this lens quick to use in a pinch with auto focus or more tailored to my preference with manual focus. All three of the lenses in this post are AF-S.

Nikon Macro Lens

Christmas Lights - Macro Lens

Even though I'm not a professional photographer I've really enjoyed having these lens options to photograph my travels. It makes looking back on my memories that much better because of the quality, which is reason enough for me to invest in my DSLR. Plus, it's fun to learn new tips and try them out along the way.

What are your tips for travel photography and/or choosing a lens? I'd love to hear your suggestions!

Can't Decide Where To Go? 7 Steps On Choosing Your Next Destination

If you have a serious case of wanderlust with a bucket list that's pages long, you're like many others who love to travel. There are so many places to see in the world and it can be tough to narrow it down to your next must-go-to destination, especially when your growing travel list becomes overwhelming. If you are having trouble deciding which place you should visit next, it helps to break it down into steps. Once you've figured out where you want to go, you can actually begin the planning process.

Starting with a destination in mind will get the ball rolling so your dream trip isn't an idea that seems far away...it becomes a plan that's happening in the near future.

1. Make a list of the top 5 destinations you want to visit most

Download your FREE worksheet here!

Don't think about money, time, or anything else that might hold you back. Paris? Buenos Aires? ...A remote, nomadic village in Mongolia? ...A research base in Antarctica? Other than passport/visa restrictions, no place is off-limits at this point.

2. For each destination, list 1-2 reasons why you want to go there

What makes you excited about this particular place? Is it the opportunity to see friends or family? To take a relaxing break from the stresses of everyday life? To work or volunteer? To meet people from other cultures? To seek adventure? To find yourself?

3. Then, list the number one activity you want to do while you're in each destination

If you were only at these places for a day each, what is the one thing you'd have to do? This could be taking a tango lesson in Argentina. Or drinking wine in Tuscany. Or volunteering at a local school in Nicaragua. Or surfing in Australia. Write out your "must-do" activity for each destination on your list. Now that you've defined some reasons for why you want to go to your top destinations as well as some things you'd do, it's time to narrow down the list.

4. Remove a destination from the list

While they all sound exciting, deep down you know which one you prefer less than the others. It doesn't mean you'll never make it there. Removing one location will get you closer to your decision, and ultimately, your trip. You should now have four locations on the list.

5. Do some quick, surface research for each location. Find out:

• When peak travel season is as well as the shoulder season

• Average cost of roundtrip flights from your home city to each destination

• What the visa process is and if you need to apply or pay for one

• The currency conversion rate of the location to your home/general consensus if it is expensive or inexpensive

• Cost (if any) of your top, number one activity from Step 3

6. Duke it out, bracket style

Write out the first two destinations on your list in a column on one side and the other two on the other side. After having considered the factors from your research - as well as listening to your gut feeling - choose only one from each column as the winner. Then, have the winners on each column battle it out for number one. Choose the winner based on your gut feeling, deep down, where you see yourself most. Then...

7. Yeah! You've chosen where to go! Now comes the fun part: planning

Is your chosen destination seemingly expensive, time consuming, or has some other factor that feels overwhelming? Don't give up yet! You generally have an idea of what the trip will cost and when most people go. Look into many ways to budget travel and see which time fits best with your schedule. Also, decide when to go. If you can't make a finalized decision yet, start with "this year" or "next year" AND choose the month. Saying "Oh, I guess I'll go to Marrakech next year" isn't a very motivating goal, but "I'm going to Marrakech this September" is. This ensures you have a time frame to start out with which will help you research and plan. It's okay if it changes later on. Get my free worksheet!

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Hiking in Phoenix Arizona: Camelback, Papago, and Pinnacle Peak

hiking in arizona

The Southwest USA is filled with red rocks and natural wonders that look like they'd be from a different planet. It's amazing how beautiful our world is. Within the USA alone you can go hiking through pretty much every terrain imaginable.

While lush forests are the first to come to mind when you think "hike," you may (or may not) be surprised that the only plants you'll see on Phoenix hikes are wispy trees and cacti.

Three fun Phoenix area hikes include Camelback, Papago, and Pinnacle Peak.

Camelback Mountain

Difficulty: Intermediate (Cholla Trail) or Advanced (Echo Canyon Trail)

View from top of Camelback

Phoenix's most popular hiking spot is Camelback. Situated next to Downtown Scottsdale just northeast of Phoenix, it provides easy access in terms of getting there from anywhere in the Phoenix area, especially if you're staying in Scottsdale.

The Cholla Trail provides great exercise for those in shape but still provides a challenge. Echo Canyon is said to be for those more experienced.

Read more about tips for hiking Camelback here.

Hiking Camelback Mountain

Papago Mountain

Difficulty: Easy

Papago Mountain Phoenix

Papago is more of a rock formation that you can walk around on than a mountain and is a great spot for checking out views of Downtown Phoenix from afar.While the address is technically Phoenix, Papago is more in the Tempe area.

Young kids and families with dogs were easily able to get around this area.

DSC_0178

Pinnacle Peak

Difficulty: Moderate-intermediate

Pinnacle Peak Hike Scottsdale AZ

Situated in North Scottsdale, Pinnacle Peak is a good spot that provides variety to hikers. Parts of the trail are more flat, parts of it are steep, and there are good lookout points along the way. If you're in Phoenix from out of town, you'll love all the cacti scattered up close around the well-maintained trail.

The intensity varies at times - while you definitely get more of a workout on Pinnacle than Papago, it's not as difficult as the Cholla Trail on Camelback.

Pinnacle Peak Arizona

Photos of an Amazing Rooftop View in New York City

If you don't live in a big city, a trip to New York will have you awestruck at all the skyscrapers. Rooftop patios, bars, restaurants - you name it - on a nice day, these are some of the best places to be if you're looking for a nice view. Here are some photos from my hotel in Midtown that provided panoramic views of tall buildings - you don't have to look out at Rockefeller or the Empire State Building (or pay $$$) for views like this.

Brunch at Friend of a Farmer in New York

Sunday brunch is one of my favorite weekend activities. There's something so relaxing in catching up with friends mid-morning with a nice meal and a mimosa.

My friends and I were on the hunt of doing just that during our Sunday in New York City and ended up at Friend of a Farmer in Gramercy.

This restaurant has "farm fresh" food and has a charming country feel. From the second you step inside, it feels like you're transported temporarily from the city to a quiet country home.

While one of the servers was a little short with us, the others we interacted with were very kind and helpful. Right when we were about to grab a seat at the bar, a table opened up.

We sat in the upstairs side portion of the restaurant which was decorated with baskets, pots and pans, and other old-town-feel trinkets.

To start, we ordered lemon bread with apple butter.

For our meals we each got a different type of stuffed omelet. Each omelet came in a hot griddle with potatoes and sauces on the side. And of course, the girls got mimosas.

That mimosa was seriously the best I've ever had. Maybe it was because the orange juice tasted extremely fresh, or maybe it was because the restaurants I've had mimosas at previously are trying to disguise a $10 glass of Korbel and Minute Made.

Keep in mind that the bar doesn't open until noon - we were sat around 11:45-ish so our mimosas didn't come right away, which was totally fine, though something you'll want to keep in mind if you get there earlier in the day.

While it was a little pricier than what I'm used to back home - $36 each, including tip - (though that is to be expected from New York), I'd definitely return on a future visit to New York. The combination of the fresh mimosa, hearty omelet, and lemon bread should be enough for anyone to try out this place in the city.

Address: 77 Irving Pl., #1, New York, NY 10003