This past weekend, my friend and I took a four day trip to Germany.

Before leaving, a lot of planning had to be done to ensure we optimized our time and money. We found wonderful deals for a flight to Berlin and a flight coming back to Rome from Munich for a total of €100/person. After figuring out our flight details, I found a great deal on an overnight coach bus going from Berlin to Munich for €22/person. Once transportation was finalized, I searched for the best places to stay in Berlin and Munich. I booked two beds at St. Christopher’s Inn, a very clean, cheap and centrally located hostel in downtown Berlin for only €11/person. In Munich, I found an airbnb with trustworthy reviews for €30/night.

After all of the accommodations were booked, my friend and I looked forward to our trip and started to think about the items we needed to pack for Germany. In order to meet the size and weight requirements of our luggage, we had to efficiently pack our backpacks. On the day of our flight, we dressed heavily wearing our black winter coats, boots, scarves, and sweaters. Our backpacks contained: one pair of leggings, two additional sweaters, one t-shirt, slippers, an umbrella and plenty of socks. I also packed a small traveling blanket to use just in case I became cold on the planes or trains. This light packing allowed for us to bring back essential German delicacies.

Our early planning allowed us to explore beautiful German cities and meet wonderful people. We had an enjoyable weekend and can’t wait for our next trip in a few weeks.