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Adrien is Belgian, and we have spent the last seven years living there together, so we have gained quite a bit of insight into this country. It's a paradise for beer and chocolate enthusiasts! Belgium is also steeped in history, offering a wealth of fascinating information about both the nation and the European Union. However, if you're seeking a nature-focused getaway, you might want to look elsewhere.

Convenience

Rating: 4/5

Belgium is generally very convenient for getting around. Public transportation can get you to most destinations in a reasonable time, often more efficiently than by car. Additionally, car-sharing apps like Bla Bla Car enhance travel options within Belgium and across Europe. One downside is that tap water is not free—this is, in my opinion, one of Belgium's greatest disappointments. Public restrooms also come with a fee, typically ranging from 50 cents to 1 Euro, and they are not always readily available. In desperate situations, I’ve been known to purchase a snack or coffee at a café just to gain access to the restroom.

Dog Friendliness

Rating: 3/5

While Belgian cities may lack traditional parks or grassy areas for your furry friends, the locals are generally welcoming to dogs. Most bars and many restaurants will allow you to bring your pet if you ask first, and there are often outdoor seating areas available. You can take your dog on the train, but keep in mind that if your dog cannot fit in a bag on your lap, you will need to purchase a ticket for them.

Long Trips & Short Trips

Rating: 2/5 and 4/5

While it is possible to spend an extended period in Belgium, especially with a car, we wouldn’t recommend it. Belgium is ideal for a short visit to see major attractions like Ghent, Bruges, and Brussels, but after that, we suggest exploring one of the neighboring countries: the Netherlands, Germany, France, or the UK.

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Croatia is a remarkable country with so much to offer. The ability to embark on a challenging hike in the morning and enjoy a refreshing swim in the ocean by afternoon is truly a unique experience in my opinion.

Convenience

Rating: 3/5

We traveled exclusively by car in Croatia, and it was quite easy to navigate the country using this mode of transportation. However, parking in Croatian cities can be more challenging than in other locations, often requiring us to park a bit further out and bike into the city. On the plus side, the roads are well-maintained and easy to follow.

Finding large grocery stores open during regular hours can be a bit tricky, particularly in smaller towns. We also learned the hard way that making restaurant reservations in advance is essential! During peak season, it’s nearly impossible to find a place to eat without calling ahead.

Dog Friendliness

Rating: 3/5

Traveling with our dog was a breeze. Many restaurants welcomed us on their terraces (and sometimes indoors), and we had plenty of hotel options that were pet-friendly. While public trash cans for pet waste aren’t always available, we managed just fine.

One crucial factor to consider when traveling with a pet is the heat. We visited Croatia in July, when temperatures could soar to nearly 40 degrees Celsius (102 degrees Fahrenheit). We had to be diligent about ensuring our dog had access to water and shade, which can be challenging on beach days. At times, we chose to leave our dog at the hotel if we couldn’t create a comfortable outdoor environment. The heat is the main reason why the rating is 3/5 otherwise, it would have been 4/5. 

Our dog tends to bark for a few minutes when we leave without him, but no one seemed to mind—just another testament to the dog-friendly atmosphere!

Long Trips & Short Trips

Rating: 5/5

Whether you’re a fan of the beach or the mountains, Croatia is the perfect destination. You can choose to stay in one town and find plenty to do, or you can explore multiple towns over the course of weeks, which is exactly what we did.

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Egypt was such a crazy and amazing experience. The history of this country is so rich. If you love this aspect, you can explore forever. If you're the kind of person that sees one pyramid and you feel like you've seen them all, you might get bored relatively quickly. 

The funniest thing we discovered is that everyone is a tour guide. Even when you're walking in the middle of a random field, the farmer will drop what he's doing, run up to you and ask if you need a taxi. The constant harassment for "tips" can be a bit tiring, because you feel it's hard to have a simple genuine conversation. Even at our hotels, we couldn't feel like there wasn't an ulterior motive to any question we might have had even though we were already paying them.   

All this to say is when you find someone or a place you can trust, hold on for dear life. We did manage to find some amazing restaurants, but that's easy because Egyptian food is delicious. 

There are other things to do in Egypt that we did not plan on our short trip: cruise on the Nile, resort stay, camel trips in the desert. 

Convenience

Rating: 3/5

Egypt offers a variety of transportation options that make it relatively easy to navigate the country. We found apps like Uber to be incredibly helpful, allowing us to avoid the hassle of negotiating fares each time we needed a ride. However, we encountered challenges with certain calling apps, such as Skype and WhatsApp, which do not function in the country. This became a significant issue when our credit card was blocked, and we were unable to contact the bank for assistance. Thankfully, we had some cash on hand, but without it, we would have faced a difficult situation. On the topic of cash, USD and EUR are widely accepted, so if you prefer to avoid dealing with local currency, you can conveniently pay for hotels and many other services directly in dollars.

It can also be difficult to walk to different destinations within a city and as a result, you definitely need to plan ahead when it comes to where you will eat, how you will get there, etc. 

Dog Friendliness

Rating: 0/5

Bringing a dog to Egypt would be quite challenging and uncomfortable. The streets are often crowded and bustling, and there are many stray dogs around. Managing yourself in such an environment is already difficult, so handling a dog—unless it’s a tiny purse-sized breed—would be nearly impossible.

Long Trips

Rating: 4/5

The historical richness of Egypt is astounding! You can easily spend several days exploring the ancient pyramids, tombs, and artifacts. A camel ride through the desert followed by some relaxation at a resort by the Red Sea is a fantastic way to experience the country. While we didn’t partake in the relaxing aspect of Egypt, we know it’s a popular choice among travelers!

Short Trips

Rating: 4/5

During our five-day stay in Egypt, we found it to be a relatively short visit, yet we believe it’s possible to enjoy several three-day trips throughout the country. You could easily spend three days in Cairo alone, two days in Luxor, and another two to three days at the resorts. While flights from Europe to Egypt can be on the pricier side, the overall affordability of everything else in Egypt helps to balance the costs!

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This is a work in progress

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This is a work in progress

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This is a work in progress

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This is a work in progress

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This is a work in progress

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This is a work in progress

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This is a work in progress

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This is a work in progress

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Norway is a fantastic destination for nature enthusiasts! The breathtaking landscapes across the country consistently impress, and the fjords are simply awe-inspiring. Given that nature is a major attraction here, it’s also a wonderful place to visit with a dog! If you’re anything like us, many of your activities will be outdoors. We found that hotels, ferries, and buses were very accommodating for pet owners.

Convenience

We rated convenience a 3 out of 5 because, let’s be honest, Norway isn’t the easiest place to reach unless you fly. If you choose to drive, you’ll need to take a ferry from Denmark or Sweden, or cross the bridge from Denmark to Sweden and then drive into Norway. We opted for the latter. Once in Norway, you’ll encounter numerous ferries and toll roads. While the tolls aren’t excessively high (though they can add up quickly), navigating the ferries can be tricky. Some operate on a first-come, first-served basis with frequent departures, while others run only once or twice a day and require advance reservations. This necessitated a level of planning that we weren’t prepared for, leading us to often choose longer routes that only involved tolls.

Interestingly, if you want to reach the northern islands of Norway without taking a ferry, your only option is to drive to northern Sweden and then cut across northern Norway. This was quite surprising to us! It also adds an additional five hours to your journey. A little tip: if you plan to visit the northern islands, you can reserve a spot on the ferry from Bodo to Moskenes, but there’s a 250 NOK service charge for that. It seems a bit odd that you’d be penalized for not reserving in advance. Additionally, they only reserve up to 50% of the ferry’s capacity, after which it’s first-come, first-served.

Finding hotels at reasonable prices can be challenging, but if you choose to camp or rent a camper van, there are plenty of fantastic free camping spots available! We utilized the app Camp4Night to discover vetted locations, but since wild camping is permitted in Norway, you can easily locate a suitable spot as long as it’s at least 150 meters away from any inhabited building, not on private property, and there are no signs prohibiting camping.

As for restroom facilities, you won’t have to worry. Clean and comfortable bathrooms are commonly available and free of charge! This is certainly an advantage not found in many other parts of Europe.

Dog Friendliness

We rated dog friendliness a 4 out of 5, thanks to the abundance of outdoor activities! Hotels, buses, and ferries are generally very accommodating. Norwegians are typically dog owners themselves and are quite relaxed around pets. While dogs aren’t allowed in certain places like museums and most restaurants, this is something most dog owners expect.

When you book a hotel, just be sure you mention that you have a pet. A lot of hotels will have specific pet-allocated rooms and there will usually be a 100-200NOK charge for having a dog. 

Long Trips & Short Trips

We rated long trips a 5 out of 5 and short trips a 2 out of 5. Norway has so much to offer, and traveling from one point to another can take considerable time. Therefore, it’s definitely a destination for longer trips. It took us five days to truly start appreciating what Norway has to offer. In just 2-3 days, you’d likely only have time to explore one city and perhaps one popular natural site, which barely scratches the surface of the country’s offerings. However, if your goal is to see Oslo, then 2-3 days would be sufficient.

Convenience        ​

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This is a work in progress

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Dog Friendliness

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Convenience        ​

Dog Friendliness   ​

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This is a work in progress

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Dog Friendliness

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Dog Friendliness   ​

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This is a work in progress

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There are many things I can say because of course the US is my home country, so I might be biased! 

Convenience

Okay okay okay I put 3/5 and I'll explain why it lost points in just a second, but I want to say that 

Dog Friendliness

The US is definitely a country that loves their dogs! Of course they are very strict on not letting dogs in places that serves food, but in the majority of town and cities you will find bars, pubs, and other locations that allow dogs and will also allow you to bring food or order food to the establishment. 

Long Trips

Short Trips

The reason why I put 5 stars for shorts trips in the US and not other places (like Norway) is considering how many large cities and large national parks there are with easy access with public transportation. You have amazing cities all over the country that give you many short trip options to choose from! Even cities like Denver or San Francisco with nearby access to some beautiful natural areas.