Barcelona is among the most artful and vibrant cities I’ve ever visited. Every corner you turn…
The outer market is where you’ll find over 400 retails shops, grocers and small restaurants, crowded into only a few narrow alleys around the giant fish market.
Just an hour outside of Lisbon, you can escape the crowds and find yourself in the coastal town of Cascais. Cascais was the beachfront getaway for much of Lisbon’s aristocracy throughout the 1800s and as such, it still to this day remains one of the most elegant and relaxing cities to visit outside of Lisbon. From the town of Cascais, you can take the road less than 30 minutes up to Cabo da Roca, the westernmost part of continental Europe and visit a few of the most picturesque beaches on your way back into town. Who knew all these could be found just an hour outside of Lisbon.
Having just returned from my trip to Lisbon, I wanted to put pen to paper right away to share all the things I learned when travelling to Portugal for the first time! Lisbon is just as wonderful as you hear it is, the streets are as vibrant as the personalities, and it’s a tremendously laid back and yet bustling city all at the same time. I was so busy leading up to this trip, so I felt more unprepared than usual and as such made a few blunders which I felt like needed to be shared for other, just as unknowing travellers, to learn from.
Fraser Island is one of the magical places you can only find in Australia. It’s one of the most unique landscapes in the world and a must-see for any traveller visiting Australia. Located on the southeast coast of Queensland, stretching over 120km, you’ll discover towering rainforest trees hundreds of years old, deep pools of crystal clear water in the middle of a sandy dune stretching hundreds of yards, breathtaking wildlife and, if you’re lucky, you might even spot one of the island’s most camera-shy residents, the infamous dingo.
Xochimilco is the Venice of Mexico. It’s an enormous network of canals which spread across this southern district of Mexico City. There are over 170 km of canals which spread out in all different directions. Before the Spanish arrived in Mexico City, the indigenous people of Mexico had created an incredible network of canals which they used as both a means of transport and as a way to ensure there was a constant supply of water throughout the country. Xochimilco means “Floating Gardens” and stands today as a UNESCO World Heritage Site as it preserves ancient Aztecs technology.
Golden Lane is one of Prague’s most picturesque streets. Located inside Prague Castle, this fairytale like laneway of pastel coloured homes was built in the castle’s fortifications at the end of the 16th century. To access the Golden Lane, you need to purchase a ticket for Prague Castle. Almost every different circuit ticket includes the Golden Lane and for a good reason, since no visit to Prague castle is complete without visiting Golden Lane.
If you’re looking for a peaceful day trip from Tokyo, Enoshima is the ticket. This tiny little island off the coast is one of the most serene and beautiful places I had the chance to visit on my last trip to Japan. It was so perfect and quaint it felt like a cartoon seaside village from a Miyazaki film. Hiking up and down the island you’ll be able to see stunning shrines, perfectly manicured parks, a secret garden, and if you’re VERY VERY lucky, a wonderful view of Mount Fuji. Mount Fuji is known as the shy mountain so don’t expect to see anything but feel lucky if you do. The island itself is inaccessible to vehicles, making it an incredibly quiet location, and walking up the hills, sometimes the only sounds which can be heard the birds and wind through the trees.
When I first visited Washington D.C. I thought it would be nothing more than plain white political powerhouses and generic American architecture. Boy was I wrong! I was shocked to see what a beautiful city this was. The central sightseeing portion of this city is extremely walkable so its easy to just wander around from place to place taking snapshots of the bright, bold and brilliant art and architecture which makes Washington such an incredible place to visit.
One way which I love to explore a city, especially for the first time, is through their works of art. Both historical and right up to modern day. Art teaches us about the culture of people who made it. What was important to them, what moved them, what inspired them? Even what shaped them.
Over the years, I stopped trying to see all the “top attractions” and instead started to explore smaller areas of the city. I stayed in one spot and dug in deep there. I stopped paying attention to the things that bothered me and instead focused on the beauty of what was around me. While I’m never a fan of avoiding certain touristy things just because they “popular”, there are definitely some things over-hyped parts of town. I’ve learned from exploring New York so many times what’s worth avoiding and what’s worth your attention, time and money.