Travel, Life & More
As the year (and decade!) comes to a gradual close, it’s time to review my travels of the year. And it’s safe to say that 2019 was by far my biggest year yet for travel!
Every year I seem to fit one or two extra trips in for one reason or another, so it’s crazy to think that by the end of the year I will have visited eight places. I’ve come a long way from one all-inclusive holiday a year!
In fairness, this year had to be significant on the travel front because the next two years we’ll be slightly more reserved as we move house and save for our 2021 wedding. But then there’s the honeymoon to plan…
So what did 2019 look like? Read on to see the trips I took this year!
Read more: My Year in Travel 2018 Edition
The year started with a trip to Budapest. We arrived on a snowy Saturday morning and spent two days exploring the city, eating lots of local food and warming up in the thermal baths. This trip was a Christmas gift from Darryl and I was SO thankful for it!
Read more on Budapest:
Budapest Travel Guide: How to Plan Your Trip
Cheap Eats Guide: Where to Eat in Budapest
Budapest Airbnb: Staying in a Cosy Apartment Downtown
I still can’t get this country out of my mind, it is honestly unreal. We went for four days in March, hired a car and explored as much of Iceland as we could in that time. Highlights were spotting the northern lights, travelling a long way over to the Glacier Lagoon and Diamond Beach, and seeing endless natural beauty on our road trip.
Read more on Iceland:
Iceland Travel Guide: How to Plan Your Trip
4 Days in Iceland: The Ultimate Road Trip Itinerary
A Guide to Seeing & Shooting the Northern Lights in Iceland
Iceland Airbnb: Staying in a Rooftop Spa Apartment in Reykjavik
In April we celebrated my mum’s birthday and retirement, so the two of us went to Salzburg for the weekend. We had two nights there, and spent one day in Salzburg and the other exploring Lake Fuschlsee. We didn’t have the best weather but it was a fun little escape with plenty of food and wine!
Read more on Salzburg:
Salzburg Travel Guide: How to Plan Your Trip
A Luxury Stay at the Sheraton Fuschlsee Salzburg Hotel Jagdhof
3 Days in Salzburg: The Ultimate Long Weekend Itinerary
This is another trip that has really left me with incredible memories. I’d wanted to go to New York City for so long, and spending out eighth anniversary there was amazing. We ate too many pancakes, walked a crazy amount of miles and did all the cheesy bucket list things that you have to do when you visit the Big Apple.
Read more on New York City:
New York City Travel Guide: How to Plan Your Trip
Cheap Eats Guide: Where to Eat in New York City
A Boutique Stay at the Freehand New York Hotel
4 Days in New York City: The Ultimate City Break Itinerary
This really was a trip of a lifetime, which I didn’t really expect from Barcelona! Darryl and I fancied a last-minute summer break, so we visited this beachside city for three days when the weather was at its peak. What I didn’t see coming was the proposal from Darryl overlooking the city at dusk! Barcelona will always be special to me because of that.
Read more on Barcelona:
Barcelona Travel Guide: How to Plan Your Trip
A Luxury Stay at the Melia Barcelona Sky Hotel
3 Days in Barcelona: The Ultimate City & Beach Break Itinerary
Sri Lanka was a bit of a wild card booking last year when we spotted a good Black Friday deal. Especially because we booked a group tour for the first time ever! This trip was incredible and I saw things, and did things, that I never would have if we’d just travelled solo. Sri Lanka really is the most beautiful country.
Read more on Sri Lanka:
Sri Lanka Travel Guide: How to Plan Your Trip
Sri Lanka Uncovered: My Group Tour Experience with TruTravels
Ahead of Halloween we returned to Poland for our second Polish wedding! The wedding was in Tarnów, but we spent day three of the trip exploring Kraków with slight hangovers. I’d love to go back to this city when it’s all Christmassy.
Read more on Kraków:
I’m heading to Edinburgh right at the end of the year, so I’ll update this section following my visit!
So far I have two trips booked for 2020, which I’ll talk more about in a post that’s coming in the New Year!
Where did you visit in 2019? Let me know on Twitter!
