My 3 Favourite Citytrips in 2015

As the year 2015 is drawing to an end, it’s time for me to start looking back at my travels of the past 12 months. First up is a roundup of my 3 favourite city trips this year. Having a full-time job makes it difficult to travel for longer periods. Short city trips are perfect for exploring new places on the weekends and keeping my travel lust under control until the next big trip comes along.

Edinburgh

A Bank Holiday in the UK meant a long weekend away for us. We travelled by train to Edinburgh from London and stayed in a beautiful cosy flat 10 minutes outside the city booked through Airbnb.

We only stayed in Edinburgh for 1 day and 2 nights, spending the next 2 days travelling around Scotland. Edinburgh is a beautiful city with a history dating back to the bronze age. Our time in the city was spent visiting the typical tourist spots such as the castle (a must!), the Royal Mile, The Princes Street Gardens, Calton Hill and Arthur’s Seat.

It was a beautiful sunny day, and the street artists were aplenty. My favourite part was walking around the cobbled streets with grand stone houses on either side and the sound of bagpipes in the background.

We enjoyed a cheeky bottle of Whiskey after hiking up Arthur’s Seat, a hill on the outskirts of Edinburgh. Sipping the delicious drink while enjoying views over Edinburgh was another highlight of this citytrip.

Why you should visit Edinburgh

– The cobbled cosy streets
– Historic sites such as the castle
– Great restaurants, you won’t leave hungry!
– THE Festival city in the world
– Great base to start your Scotland road trip

Read more

• 12 Hours in Edinburgh

Venice

Venice, the city of romance, hordes of tourists and expensive food, drinks and accommodation. This year was my 4th visit to the Italian city, but the first time I actually stayed the night. Many people complain about how touristy and expensive Venice is, and I do agree to some extend, but I still love this city nonetheless.

I spent 3 days and two nights in Venice this summer. Under the scorching sun, I was exploring parts of Venice I had never seen, walking along the small cosy streets, drinking litres of water while popping in and out of shops hoping for some aircon. The heat was unbearable, but I still enjoyed strolling around the not so touristy areas of Venice, trying on a few Venetian masks and eating delicious Italian food.

The highlight of my visit was an evening gondola ride along the canals. The sun was setting, the canals were less busy and the temperature was bearable.

Why you should visit Venice

– The small cosy streets
– The beautiful canals and picturesque bridges
– A gondola trip
– Celebrate Venetian Carnevale

Read more

• How to enjoy Venice without breaking the bank

Barcelona

I have been to Barcelona twice before, but this time, I felt like I had properly explored the city. We stayed at a beautiful hotel a little outside the centre, and used the sightseeing buses extensively to get around.

Barcelona has something to offer for everyone: We strolled around the old town, with cosy small streets (you probably have noticed by now that I love cosy small streets), visited some of Gaudí’s architectural masterpieces, such as Casa Batlló, Park Güell and la Sagrada Família, ate tasty tapas and seafood and drank delicious Sangrias.

The highlight of this citytrip was watching the magic fountain of Montjuïc’s near the National Museum of Art de Catalunya. A beautiful display of water, music and lights.

And the food of course. The food was amazing!

Why you should visit Barcelona

– Delicious tapas
– Gaudí’s architecture
– Seafood
– The beach
– Barcelona’s old town with cosy streets