Countries To Travel To This Year

When this year started out, I told myself it would be the year that I would full advantage of living in the UK and travel to as many countries as possible. An unconventional pick, this is at the top of my list for the year. I literally just booked my flight to Ljubljana for July and could not be more excited to visit this hidden gem in the heart of Eastern Europe. The goal is to spend two nights in Bled and a day in the city of Ljubljana.

Another exciting summer destination is the South of France! Specifically for me, that would mean Nice, Menton, Cannes, Monaco and Saint Tropez! I know the south of France covers a HUGE region, which would of course mean that I need to go back more than just once (not that I mind in the slightest). With crystal blue waters and tons to see and do, it is THE perfect summer destination I plan to hit up this July!

This appears to be the most stunning and picturesque part of Spain (no offence to Barcelona lovers intended). This includes: Granada, Cordoba, Malaga and of course, Seville! Since the region has a lot of Muslim heritage and influence, I really want to explore this different aspect of Spain. The plan is to actual read up on this before I head over so I can really absorb the history and do it justice. Also, being a Game of Thrones location junkie, Seville was the main destination for Dorne!

Castles and road trips galore in my pick of Germany! Whenever I have Googled ‘top road trips in Europe’, Germany has always been at the top of these lists. With gorgeous landscape etching from Cologne down to the Bavarian Alps and then again up to Munich, it should be one gorgeous ride. Top things to explore here would be Burg Eltz, Neuschwanstein Castle, Hohenzollern Castle and the Cochem Castle. August dates all set for this road trip with the fam!

Contrary to what one may believe, the lake itself is not all there is to the famous Lago di Como. According to my very detailed research, there are a multitude of quaint and villages and towns built up against hills that are very different to one another. My top picks would be: Bellagio, Menaggio and Varenna (so instadreamy).

Not gonna lie, this was added on my bucket list cuz of my obsession with scouting Game of Thrones locations. Ireland has INCREDIBLE natural history and a GORGEOUS coastline. Causeway Coastal Route is one of the most scenic road trips in Europe so of course, it goes on my list!

Definitely more than just a quick day trip, I have been longing to spend a weekend here and am determined to make it happen. Going in the winter would be an interesting trip as well, as one would get to explore the Dachstein Ice Caves and take in the snowy backdrop of the mountains.

So long as I am living in Europe, Paris will always be on list of destinations to return to. The perfect escape from London, and a mere two hours away via the Eurostar, it is one of the easiest places to get to. Having always wanted to go with one of my closest friends, I have another Parisian adventure booked for October. It should be perfect timing and perfect weather. (strategically avoiding the peak of tourist season + the European heat wave). I shall share those adventures and my plans for the trip in due time!

One of the most charming cities in Italy, Florence is home to such powerful Italian history and art. I have always wanted to visit the famous Duomo and explore the works of Botticelli and Da Vinci displayed in the Uffizi Gallery. Most recently I watched a show called Medici: Masters of Florence, which told the tale of the Medici family and how they ran a powerful bank back in the 15th Century. I can’t wait to walk the streets and take the beautiful city in. Fingers crossed for October!

Turkish Baths, Turkish Delight, delicious food, insane shopping and so many stunning museums are enough to get you over to Istanbul! When I say Turkey, of course that doesn’t JUST mean Istanbul. There are so many different geographical locations comprising of stunning coastlines in Izmir and the rocky terrains of Cappadocia (we have all marveled at the 5am balloon rides filling up the skies), but to begin, Istanbul would be a great start. Timeline isn’t set as yet but fingers crossed for making this happen at some point in 2019!