Everywhere Bucket List Travel Review : 2018

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We are a hop skip and jump away from 2019, so it’s time to do a travel review of the best trips taken in 2018 by Everywhere Bucket List!

I love to look back on fond travel memories and appreciate what experiences I’ve had along the way. Whilst we are always striving for more, and always looking to that next trip – it’s important to sit back and remember what we’ve already been lucky enough to do!

So with that said – lets take a trip down memory lane and check out our best trips taken in 2018. We hope it inspires you to continue your travels, and to always appreciate what you’ve done!

Australia – Palm Cove & Melbourne

Blog Post: How To Spend One Week In Cairns & Tropical Far North Queensland

We spent 4 weeks in Australia at the end of 2017 and start of 2018! January 1st 2018 was spent on a local beach near my parents house sweating the hang over away to the sound of crashing waves. I couldn’t think of a much better way to spend a hangover!

On January 2nd, we went to see a fantastic show at Shakespeare’s pop-up Globe in Melbourne’s Botanical Gardens. My London life was one where I spent many an evening at the theatre, and countless of those inside Shakespeare’s Globe along the Thames – so getting to experience this in Melbourne was surreal!

We did a day trip down the Victorian coastline from Melbourne to Geelong and finished along the Great Ocean Road by Port Campbell. Along the way we saw waterfalls and stunning scenery, including taking a helicopter ride to see the famous 12 Apostles! This was an experience I’ll never forget!

After that, we spent a week up in Queensland’s Far North, staying in the breathtaking town of Palm Cove for the week whilst we explored the region, snorkeling the Great Barrier Reef, spending a day on Fitzroy Island, and checking out the Daintree Rainforest!

The last full day of our Australia trip was spent at one of the greatest events Melbourne hosts each year – the Australian Open! If you’ve never been to a grand slam – put the Aus Open in Melbourne on your bucket list – it’s just the best day out!

Slovenia

Blog Post: How To Spend A Weekend In Slovenia

We went for 3 days to Slovenia in mid-March whilst the weather was still around 8-14 degrees celcius each day. With only 3 days, we split our trip into 3 areas of Slovenia – the capital city Ljubljana, region of Bled, and region of Postojna.

With a day in Ljubljana and 2 day trips we made the most of our short time and covered a lot of ground! Because of this, Slovenia has become one of my favourite places yet! The city of Ljubljana is outstanding, whilst the scenery in this small country packs a punch!

Giethoorn Day Trip (Netherlands)

Haven’t heard of Giethoorn? Neither had I before moving to The Netherlands! Giethoorn has gained notoriety in recent years for being a village connected entirely by canals, with no roads! It also gets called the Venice of Holland.

We drove there one weeked for a day trip to see what all this tourism fuss was about. Giethoorn is an adorable village, with every garden impeccably manicured. As there are so many waterways, you can also rent boats to drive around and better see the village.

For me, Giethoorn was not worth the visit, especially with what felt like the rest of the planet also visiting on the same day we did. There was so many people once it got past lunch time we could not really enjoy the place anymore. However, if you want to go to see this very picturesque village, please arrive in the morning and enjoy it!

Rotterdam

Being an Amsterdammer, I don’t often visit Rotterdam. However, with a travel blogging conference this year (Traverse) being based in Rotterdam, it was the perfect opportunity to see more of Rotterdam. My main focus for the weekend was learning and networking! I had an absolutely great time and made some friends along the way! Shout-out to Female Hemingway!

Athens

Blog Post: How To Spend 3 Days In Athens20 Photos to Inspire You To Visit Athens

Wow what can I say about Athens?! We traveled to Athens for a long weekend in May, before the crowds of tourists hit and I have to admit – it was a great decision! The weather was a balmy 32 degrees every day, the sun was shining, and the tourists were at a level I can deal with! In fact, it really felt like low season.

Our first day we went straight for the Acropolis, checking it off our bucket list, only to re-add it to the bucket list because it’s just that great! In my blog post I give my tips on how best to see the Acropolis AND how to capture it without any other tourists in your shots! And no – it does not include cropping!

The rest of our Athens trip was just as great as the Acropolis visit, and we spent 3 days in some crazed state of bliss as we wandered the streets getting to know this gorgeous ancient city!

South of France & Costa Brava

This year we spent 5 days in the south of France in August for the Dutchie’s brother’s wedding! We stayed at the beautiful Chateau Escudes and celebrated in style! With 100 acres of land, a pool and tennis court and it being an ideal venue for throwing an epic wedding bash, it certainly was a trip to remember!

After our 5 days in France, we drove South East into Spain’s Costa Brava! I was not expecting to find so much to love about the Costa Brava, with it’s reputation as a party destination for English lads and lasses. However, the Costa Brava is a beautiful region with lots to do!

We spent our time on some some of the most stunning beaches, explored the easternmost point of Spain’s mainland, ventured into the lovely city of Girona and had a Game of Thrones moment, as well as marvelling some of Salvador Dali’s artwork inside his museum in Figueres, as well as dining on some pretty fantastic food along the way!

Lisbon & Sintra

Blog Post:

Our 4 days in Lisbon were spent with the Dutchie’s brother, wife, and our 11 month old nephew! With so much time to explore Lisbon, we also decided to spend one day in Sintra to check out this famous area!

We stayed in an Airbnb in Lisbon’s Bairro Alto area which is the perfect location to base yourself whilst travelling. We ate Pastel de Nata in Belem, Viewed the city from some amazing viewpoints, dined at some great spots, including the Time Out Market, watched a military parade, enjoyed drinks along the Tagus river, and soaked up the culture and relaxed lifestyle of the portugese in Lisbon.

Our day trip to Sintra was packed with 3 beautiful sights – Pena Palace, the Moorish Castle and Quinta de Regaleira castle! Only a 40 minute train ride outside of Lisbon, Sintra is the perfect day trip to take whilst in the region!

London Trips

We finally made it back to London in November to see some friends who have since moved back to the USA. Our last hurrah weekender with them was as per usual  – AWESOME. We spent Friday evening enjoying dinner locally in Finsbury Park, Saturday morning at Bad Egg’s Bottomless Brunch, Saturday afternoon celebrating American Thanksgiving, and a Sunday morning brunch to top off our weekend of eating, before our flight back to Amsterdam!

 


I’d love to hear where you travelled to in 2018! Tell me below! Any highlights?!

Inspired to book your next trip?!

 

PS – don’t forget to Pin it for later!

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