Welcome to Our Journey!
Hi there! We are Camilla and Carina—two Swedish women in our 50s and 60s, proud mothers and grandmothers, and lifelong explorers who decided to stop waiting for "someday."
We realized that life doesn't have to follow a script. Instead of settling into a quiet retirement, we created a life centered around uncovering the hidden gems of Europe. Our mission is to share the magic of this continent with you—both through the places we’ve stepped foot in and the incredible destinations we’ve dreamed of and researched.
Meet the Team
Camilla: For the last eight years, I’ve embraced the nomadic life. My journey took a beautiful turn in 2018 when I met Carina; we became soul sisters almost instantly. Since 2019, I’ve been based in Spain, working as a customer service advisor. Remote work has been the ultimate game-changer—it turned the entire continent into my office!
Carina: Seven years ago, I left Sweden in search of a fresh start. I began my journey in Greece before meeting Camilla in 2018. Like her, I eventually found my way to Spain. After exploring different roles in sales and service, I now work fully remotely. It’s given me a sense of freedom I never thought possible.
Our Mission
Today, we can truly say we are living our best lives. Whether we are sharing stories from our own travels or writing about the most enchanting corners of Europe we’ve discovered through our research, we are living proof that it’s never too late to turn the page.
Think of us as your guides to the best of Europe—some places we’ve seen with our own eyes, others we’ve curated just for you. Join us as we write our most exciting chapter yet!
Ready to explore Europe with us?
Why We Created This Website
We know how overwhelming travel planning can feel—especially when you're trying to find the right place to stay, good locations, and real value for your money.
That’s why we created Travel Smart Europe.
While we love to travel and share stories from the places we actually visit, we can't be everywhere at once! So, we do the heavy lifting for you. We spend hours researching, vetting, and writing about the very best spots in Europe—treating every destination as if we were planning our own next trip.
Here, we share a mix of our personal adventures and carefully curated recommendations. We only write about places and hotels that meet our personal standards—spots that are:
Comfortable and well-located (no middle-of-nowhere surprises)
Worth the price (real value for your hard-earned money)
Perfect for relaxing, exploring, and enjoying life
Whether we've stayed there ourselves or done the deep-dive research to make sure it’s a hidden gem, our goal is to save you time and help you travel smarter!
Travel, But Smarter
We created this site to be your ultimate shortcut to Europe. While we love hitting the road ourselves, we can’t be everywhere at once! That’s why we spend countless hours doing the deep-dive research for you.
Think of us as your personal travel scouts: some places we visit firsthand, and others we meticulously research and curate so you don't have to.
This site is all about helping you:
Save time when planning your trips (we do the hours of scrolling so you don't have to)
Find great places to stay that are comfortable, safe, and worth your money
Travel more easily and confidently, knowing the homework has already been done
Whether you're planning a short weekend getaway or a longer stay in Europe, we want to make your journey simpler—and so much more enjoyable.
