If you’re seeking some creative inspiration you can’t go past these 7 best travel blogger European destinations!
Travelling to beautiful destinations is an inspiring activity for everybody, but if you are a content producer chasing wanderlust, there are some places that stand out.
Here’s a list of the best travel vloggers and bloggers Euro destinations, courtesy guest contributor Rebecca Brown.
The best travel blogger destinations in Europe – 7 faves
There is something to say about every new, and even old place you visit, since sometimes you see things you’ve already seen in a different way.
However, some places are better than others.
Lisbon, Portugal
Portugal has many hot spots, and its beautiful capital is definitely one of them.
Perfectly combining the new with the old, Lisbon welcomes all kinds of creative travel vloggers and bloggers.
Nostalgic and romantic writers can find inspiration while exploring the city’s beautifully arranged streets and admiring the mesmerising landscapes from the many viewpoints strategically located throughout the city.
Foodies have the chance to indulge in memorable culinary experiences without having to empty their pockets.
There are many affordable restaurants and cooking classes a passionate blogger can enjoy while in Lisbon. Cervejaria Ramiro is one of the locals’ favourite gathering places that recently became famous among travellers as well.
Bloggers who are passionate about travelling and history can’t miss seeing Berlin, one of Germany’s most interesting and intriguing cities.
The number of museums and historical monuments is fantastic, giving history enthusiasts the thrill they are looking for.
Art, great architecture, as well as shocking stories from WWII and other crucial moments of Europe’s past are also present everywhere in Berlin.
Mallorca, Spain
Do you want to share stories about sunny days, splendid beaches, cocktail recipes, and mouthwatering dishes, but you are also interested in cultural and historical places?
Then, visit Mallorca.
The island is paradise for travellers who dream about being caressed by the sun, enjoying water adventures, and having real island fun.
But culture and history aficionados are also welcome in Mallorca.
Palma, the capital city, as well as the great number of castles, fortresses, and historical monuments are always a delight for curious visitors. And the Palma Cathedral is definitely an inspiration for all bloggers and Instagram users who love sharing their travels through amazing photos.
Hvar, Croatia
Since we are talking about islands, Croatia is worth mentioning because it has many special pieces of land where passionate bloggers can spend memorable holidays and write great posts.
Hvar and the little, beautiful Pakleni Islands amaze the eyes of all visitors with spectacular landscapes and a multitude of secluded beaches surrounded by crystal-clear waters filled with thrilled snorkelers.
Paris, France
Whether you are interested in romantic walks, want to indulge in some of the world’s most interesting cuisine, or dream about following the steps of famous artists, Paris is the perfect destination.
The city was an inspiration for many great minds, and just wandering around its small alleys can give you enough beauty for your articles.
But if this is not enough, enjoy an artistic adventure at the Louvre Museum, climb the famous Eiffel tour, visit the imposing Notre Dame Cathedral or get in touch with your childhood at Disneyland.
Algarve, Portugal
Portugal is one of the best travel vloggers and bloggers’ countries, not only thanks to its fascinating capital, Lisbon, but also because it has so much natural beauty.
The Algarve is a region that should be at the top of your list if you love writing about your adventures.
Not only will you find some of the most beautiful beaches in the world here, but the Algarve promises to amaze you with breathtaking landscapes, small, picturesque villages, and authentic cities.
Tavira is a place you shouldn’t miss if you want to catch a glimpse of the village culture, and Lagos is a great city to observe daily Portuguese life.
If nature is your cup of tea, make sure you explore the Ria Formosa National Park, and if you are interested in spending some time by yourself and admiring the surrounding beauties, check out Ponta da Piedade and Cape St Vincent.
These are just seven of the beautiful European destinations a blogger should visit, but there are many more places waiting to be explored and added to your travel posts.
About the author
Guest contributor Rebecca is an expat and translator by day, and a traveller mostly at night. She is an expert on living with jet lag – and packing in tiny suitcases. You can read more of her exploits at RoughDraft.
Guest contributor Rebecca Brown is a traveller and a translator who publishes roughdraft.eu – she shares a little insight with us on what living and working abroad has taught her about life.
I’ve spent the last few years travelling more than I’d ever thought I’d get the chance, working as an interpreter and a translator in various countries and learning lessons that will last me for a lifetime.
Having spent most of my teen years and early twenties as a stressed, anxious person, I never even dreamed that this kind of wandering, busy adventure would give me such a fulfilling life.
Here’s what it all has made me learn.
Dreams are still important
When I was a teenager, my mom would often talk to me about the importance of education and getting the good old “steady office job.”
While her idea of steadiness was almost a nightmare for me, I wanted to please my mom and I managed to get some work right after getting my MA.
I now knew fluent Spanish and French, and it earned me a job in customer service. I longed for something else, but I tried to convince myself the idea was far too childish.
I pushed myself through several jobs that simply didn’t fit me, and stress became a part of my life.
From the moment I’d get up in the morning, to my last, exhausted thought before bed, I’d feel tense, strained, and unhappy.
The only work that I did enjoy was my freelancing, and the only thing that gave me some relief was my journal.
I’d write about the places I wanted to visit, things I’d want to do. I told myself that this was only a dream, a form of escapism, and that it didn’t mean much.
But that dream, however ridiculous it seemed even to me, gave me far more comfort than my steady office job.
It took me far too long to realise this, but as long as you’re willing to compromise and be flexible, even these seemingly ridiculous dreams and ideas are actually within reach.
Sometimes you need to push yourself to make a change
Stress changes a person. It turned me into someone grumpy and anti-social who complained all the time.
It wasn’t until I took a good, hard look at myself that I realized that I needed to stop pushing myself in this direction where I tried to please everyone, and ended up pleasing literally no one, especially not myself.
With my freelance translating, writing, and the large portfolio and connections I’ve made, the path became obvious to me – pack up my bags and accept all the job offers that I was afraid to accept before.
From human’s rights conventions and government work, to meetings and conferences, my job took me back and forth between several countries at a relentless pace. And you know what? I was never happier.
Being challenged will make you thrive
As soon as I started my new job, I knew that for the most part of the year I’d be living out of a suitcase.
I didn’t mind it, and while I became quite busy and always had a lot to do, I realised that being challenged is what made me actually work on myself and improve.
Sitting at home and being sad made me stagnate, it made me slow. Doing things that you love, however, will make you sharper, quicker, more eager to try new things.
One of the most transformative experiences I’ve ever had was when I decided to push myself to walk a part of the Camino de Santiago a year ago.
The Camino is a famed pilgrim’s path that has many starting points, and ends at the shrine of Saint James the apostle, in the cathedral of Santiago de Compostela in Galicia.
I walked almost 500 miles on my journey, and I walked for an entire month from a little port town in France, all the way through Spain to reach my destination.
Does it sound crazy? I loved every moment of it. I brought my journal with me and I wrote in it every day. This time I didn’t have to imagine anything. I could see and feel and experience all of it.
Managing your time is key
I think that travelling can suit many careers, but to pull it off successfully, you really need to learn how to organize yourself well.
People think it’s impossible to keep everything in order when you’re abroad so often and aren’t quite sure where your job will take you, but I assure you, all you need is a good planner, organizational skills, and a good self-awareness about how much you can accomplish.
I know a lot of people with steady 9-to-5 jobs whose life is a lot more chaotic than someone’s who travels and knows that they need to keep their affairs in order.
Surprisingly, travelling for work meant I got more free time in my life than I ever had before. I simply stopped procrastinating and learned how to fill up the time I had with things I really wanted to do.
That’s how I got to walk the Camino de Santiago, and that’s how I use the time when I’m not booked for anything to travel even more.
People crave to be kind
One of the things we fear the most when going to a foreign country is the strange culture and the even stranger people who, we believe, are nothing like us.
From my experience, that’s anything but true.
Not only was I always welcomed everywhere, but people went out of their way to be kind and helpful to a stranger. Not everyone will be nice, no. But most people will be.
You will put things into perspective
When you travel, you get to meet so many new people and see so many different lives. Your problems become… different. Relative.
Your perspective on everything will change, and you’ll realise how meaningless it is to worry over small things, to be so constantly stressed and tense.
Having an open mind is essential for happiness
I did not agree with everyone I’ve met on my journeys. There are a lot of different cultures, a lot of different customs, and a lot of different mindsets than what I was used to. And when you’re sitting at home and complaining about people online, it’s easy to hate everyone that’s even a little different.
But when you see them, meet them, hear the reasoning behind their words, it opens you up. You embrace the diversity, you embrace the fact that we’re all so different and varied. It makes you happy.
Most of all, working abroad has taught me to relax and let things come my way.
Opportunities are all around you, but you need to open yourself up to them and take them. Being afraid of change won’t give you a better life, but taking that leap of faith usually will.
Guest contributor, Roxana Oliver is one of the Australians living overseas contingent – she’s an Aussie in Serbia who has shared her story with us
Australians living overseas: Roxana Oliver
About a year ago, I moved to a lovely town in Serbia, Novi Sad. Since I love travelling, it didn’t take me long to discover the good sides of living in this new culture.
Its hospitality, the people’s eagerness to socialise, excellent food and pubs, and, naturally, going out at 8pm and returning home at 8am!
Still, like other Australians living overseas there are things about Aus I miss dearly, and others that, whenever I think of them, give me a tiny mental pat on the shoulder for deciding to move.
Things I don’t miss
No doubt about the first one – Vegemite! Spreading yeast extract over my slice of bread has never been a treat for me, no matter how much you try to improve the taste. That brings me to another food (some) Australians insist on consuming – the witchetty grub, sold in many Australian markets. My palate can endure a lot, but wood-eating larvae is certainly not my cup of tea; not raw, not cooked, not in a soup. Just. No. Although, many say it actually tastes like chicken.
Once I’ve moved to Serbia and got used to Serbian prices, it hit me how super expensive life in Australia is. The costs are too high, even though the salaries are quite decent. Sydney, in particular, is among the most expensive cities in the world, whether you’re talking transportation, food, real estate, or clothes.
Another thing that always saddened me was that, in Sydney, I wasn’t able to experience that typical winter Christmas that you can see in so many movies.
Christmas in Australia is in the summer, and somehow celebrating it in hot weather, heading to a beach or going camping is not exactly the idyllic Christmas.
I wanted the snow (there especially for Santa and his reindeer!), Christmas lights all over town, cinnamon cookies and hot tea!
Things I do miss
Again, let’s start with food and drinks! The first thing that comes to mind here is the good ol’ Aussie beer.
Australians are, mildly put, incredibly fond of it and some of the brands there are so good that your tongue will suffer from incurable nostalgia when denied this delight for a while.
The same goes for my #1 drink of choice. As a great fan of high-quality gin, I miss certain brands of it from back home – a somewhat silly thing to miss when you’re in a country that has excellent wine and rakia.
There is the option of ordering my favourite artisan gin online, so I guess I won’t be missing that for much longer.
Chiko Rolls I still shed a tear for sometimes.
There’s something about grabbing a Chiko and taking a walk around your neighbourhood or going to watch a sports game. These delicious snacks are about as Australian as you can get – mutton, spices, and veggies wrapped in cabbage and then fried. Our version of spring rolls on the go!
Let’s be honest here and admit it’s extremely difficult to top Australia’s gorgeous beaches.
Once you’ve been to a place like Whitehaven beach, it really becomes almost impossible to enjoy any other spot on the planet. The whole place looks like a dream, from the breathtaking colours to powder-fine sand and unbelievably clear water. It makes you not want to leave – ever!
But more than anything, I miss the road trips.
In Australia, travelling from one city to another takes hours, so my husband and I would sometimes jump in the car and drive off somewhere just for the sake of another memorable adventure.
The breeze, dusk-coloured landscapes, your song playing in the background, the excitement of knowing that beyond what your eyes can see, nothing else matters at that moment…
Something I’m able to experience only back home and nowhere else.
No matter where you go, certain things are bound to charm you, and others will leave you feeling disappointed or indifferent.
The trick for Australians living overseas or any other expats, is to focus on the things that make you happy, regardless of whether you’re home or abroad.
About
Roxana is a travel enthusiast and lifestyle consultant from Sydney and she loves to write about her adventures. She is all about the healthy lifestyle, loves to run with her husband and dogs and has fun cooking exotic meals for her family.
Being a typical Aussie, she often hits the waves and loves beaches and sunshine! You can find out more about her writing following her on twitter. She is also one of the editors at Higstylife Magazine.
Italy is a country which is packed with inescapable beauty, whether you’re flying in for Milan in a day, off on a Tuscan road trip or taking a train around the country.
From the stunning architecture of the Milan Cathedral in the north all the way to quaint beach side towns or Naples and Palermo in the south of the country, Italy is always a good idea.
The sights are beautiful, the traditional cuisine is scrumptious and the weather, especially in the summer months, is warm and lovely.
People come from all over the world to soak in the rich history of Italy’s iconic cities like Rome, Venice or Siena.
Milan is a major European fashion capital, and the beach side cities draw a large crowd of tourists every year.
Every city in Italy, whether it’s in the north or south, has something special to offer visitors and Northern Italy is packed full of unique sights and tourist attractions.
If you’re planning a vacation to Northern Italy, you may be overwhelmed at how much there is to do and see! Hopefully this guide will help.
Following are tips on how to enjoy Milan in a day, as well as five of our top picks for the best of northern Italy.
Milan in a day – visit the Cathedral
Among the many things to do in Milan in a day, visiting the Duomo is certainly the most important and memorable one.
The Duomo di Milano, which translates to the Milan Cathedral is a key monument that attract millions of tourists every year.The original building was constructed in the late 14th century and it took a full six centuries to complete, with construction finally ending in 1965.
However, there have been several renovations since then, with the most recent taking place in 2009.
The Duomo of Milano is the largest church in Italy and the third largest in the world, under only St. Peter’s Basilica in the Vatican City and Basilica of the National Shrine of Our Lady of Aparecida in Brazil.
The architectural style of the church features broad naves, flying buttresses, openwork pinnacles and spires, as well as the highest Gothic archways of any fully completed church.
When visiting the Milan Cathedral make sure to take a trip to the roof, the most amazing sculptures are located there and you will get to admire the entire city from above.
Certosa di Pavia
Another fantastic place located in the Northern Italian region of Lombardy is the Certosa di Pavia – a beautiful monastery with a rich history.
Its construction took 100 years and was finished just before the turn of the 16h century.
“Certosa” is named after a group of Carthusians, who were typically known for their plain architectural style. However, the Certosa di Pavia, ironically, is one of the most exuberant and intricate buildings in Italy.
It has features of both renaissance and gothic architectural styles, evident in the Latin cross path and gothic arches.
The massive building has several paintings done by famous artists, as well as decorative stained glass windows.
If you love architecture and history this is a perfect place for an interesting afternoon.
After visiting the Certosa it is highly recommended to head south and explore the lovely town of Pavia located just 15 minutes away.
Autodromo di Monza
If you aren’t as intrigued by the rich history of old buildings and architecture, there are still plenty of places to visit in Northern Italy- one of which is the Autodromo di Monza.
This historic race track is located to the north of Milan and third purpose-built motor racing circuit to exist in the entire world.
The Autodromo has three tracks and several races take place there annually. For all car and race-track fans, visiting the Autodromo di Monza could be an absolute dream come true.
Lake Como
If you ever see any pictures of Italy featuring a crystal blue lake in a valley, surrounded by lush green hills and white-capped mountains, that’s Lake Como.
Set at the base of the Alps, Lake Como is a posh resort area. Located in the Lombardy region, Lake Como is one of the largest and deepest lakes in the country, measuring 146 square kilometers in area and 400 meters in depth.
The lake stretches to meet the cities of Bellagio, Como and Brunate, amongst many others. For those interested in visiting, you can see Lake Como during a day trip or opt to stay in accommodation like lakeside villas.
The Brunate Lighthouse, also referred to as the Faro Voltiano di Bronate or the Volta Lighthouse, is located in Brunate near Lake Como.
The lighthouse was named after Alessandro Volta, a famous Italian physicist and chemist who made significant contributions to power and electricity.
It was constructed in 1927 on the 100th anniversary of Volta’s death. Brunate Lighthouse stands a whopping 29 meters tall and features a light that flashes red, green and white that can be seen as far as 50 km away. The colors symbolize the invention of the battery, which is said to have been invented by Volta. Though a steep climb, the trip to this large octagonal structure is well worth it.
Sacro Monte di Varallo
A sacro monte is a mountainside building used by Christians to worship Christ. Directly translated as the Sacred Mountain of Varallo, the Sacro Monte di Varallo overlooks the quaint town of Varallo Sesia.
Varallo Sesia has a population of just over 7,000 people and is located in the Northern Italy region of Piedmont.
The Sacro Monte di Varallo grounds are fascinating, as they are surrounded by a garden, several chapels that narrate the life of Christ and many statues and sculptures that do the same. If you are interested in history, religion and culture, you won’t want to miss this place.
About Barbara
Barbara Mazz is the founder of crabintheair.com, a travel blog where she shares her passion for exploring the world. She loves writing about all the hotels visited, the wonderful cities discovered and the unique people met along the way.
Guest contributor Dan Whitehouse explores how technology is impacting on learning for travellers, and looks at what might happen in the future…
Technology is having a significant impact on how travellers learn about the places we are visiting.
In the past, we were quite reliant on tour guides to learn about the history and significance of the places being visited. Now, travellers can get all this information on a mobile phone right over the internet. Not only that, technology allows travellers to get accurate street directions in the new places they are planning to visit.
This is surely a step up from when we had to stop at the local gas station and ask the clerk behind the counter for directions. Often times, the clerk didn’t speak English and a weary traveller would become lost and annoyed. Technology has added convenience to our experience because we can find any location on a mobile phone and even discover new locations in the area we’re visiting.
Twenty years ago, nobody could have predicted the kind of learning tools that travellers have today.
It is hard to imagine what technological innovations there will be in the future to help travellers learn even more than they do right now.
One possibility is that we will be able to travel and learn about various places in the world without even leaving our homes.
Imagine a virtual reality program where people can actually purchase tickets to go on a tour through a virtual simulation of a real-life location. People who haven’t got the budget or mobility to travel to exotic locations will no longer have to miss out. If they can get their hands on a virtual reality headset, they’ll be able to travel anywhere in the world without having to worry about airports, hotels and car rental.
At the same time, anyone can learn about a foreign location too, with more access than just being ‘broadcast’ to via a book or other media.
As for those who will still travel for real, holographic tour guides will likely replace human tour guides.
One of the biggest inconveniences with tour guides now is they are always booked and people have to schedule a tour weeks in advance.
But with the holographic tours of the future, a 3D computer-generated tour guide will be able to show you all the sights and explain them to you the way a human tour guide would.
This will be set up through a series of holographic devices that are placed in different areas of a tour, and some areas of the world are experimenting with this tech now!
Guests can walk to different rooms or locations and see the holographic tour guide appear.
Of course, this might make it harder for human tour guides to get a job, but by then hopefully there’ll be other options that our brains are better equipped for, and we’re probably also better at conversation (at least for the time being).
What do you think?
What’s your view or prediction on how travel and learning will be impacted by smarter tech? Let us know in the comments.
By Dan Whitehouse
Dan’s writing from Into Forward, a technology and future-trend predictions blog. Into Forward uses a special blend of machine learning and search data for all their trend predictions. The site shares details on ‘the next biggest thing’ in technology, the markets, green tech and more.
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