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Journal, Yearly Recap

The Best Places I Visited In 2019

Every year, I like to do a few recap posts to sum up my best and worst travel moments, and the favorite places I visited. I’ve already written about my top experiences in 2019, and my worst travel moments in 2019! But I always like to talk a bit about some of the destinations I’ve been to.

Whitby Abbey with its reflection in the water in Whitby, England.

In 2016, I loved visiting Zambia and New York City. In 2017, some of the best places I visited were Russia and the Lake District. In 2018, I fell in love with Iceland, Georgia, Gdansk, and the Scottish Highlands.

Gray's Court Hotel and York Minster from York's City Walls, York, England.

There are no specific criteria for what can be on the list. It can be a city, or a country, or just a general area or region. It can be somewhere new to me, or it can be a destination I’ve been to before. It just has to be a place that I enjoyed visiting, and that I think others would enjoy visiting too. So here you are: the absolute best places I visited in 2019!

Views over the Quirang on the Isle of Skye, Scotland.

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The sandy beach and clear blue waters at Coral Beach on the Isle of Skye in Scotland.

The blue water of Loch Coruisk with the looming Cuillin mountain range in the background on the Isle of Skye, Scotland.

The Isle of Skye, Scotland

Jaw-dropping and stunning scenery abounds on the Isle of Skye. This is one of the most popular destinations in Scotland now, and with good reason. It’s just so beautiful. Despite the big crowds (and parking jams) we encountered at some of the popular places, it was still possible to get away from it all and end up somewhere remote with no one around for hours. Skye is worth the hype—if you haven’t been yet, put it on your bucket list!

Read More: The Best Wild Camping Spots On The Isle Of Skye, Alternative Isle Of Skye: 4 Ways To Avoid The Crowds, Staying In The Camasunary Bay Bothy On The Isle Of Skye, A Ferry Trip From Elgol To Loch Coruisk On The Isle Of Skye

The view from the helicopter looking down on the snow-capped peaks of the Canadian Rockies in Canada.

A river with pine trees and a snow-covered mountain in the distance in the Canadian Rockies, in Alberta, Canada.

A snowy Bow Lake with mountains in the background in Alberta, Canada.

The Canadian Rockies

I had an amazing time on my first big work trip this year—I went to Canada! I did the Rocky Mountaineer train through the Rockies from Vancouver to Banff, and WOW. What a place! The scenery really is so beautiful. Immediately after getting into Banff, I knew that I needed to plan another trip back here. I wanted more time, so I can do the area justice and really get to experience the place. I even got to do a helicopter ride over the mountains to see them up close and personal!

Read More: All Aboard The Rocky Mountaineer: Vancouver To Banff! Highlights From Banff And The Surrounding Canadian Rockies

The statue of Skanderbeg in Skanderbeg Square in Tirana, Albania, with the minaret of a mosque and the Albanian flag behind it.

Purple flowers in the foreground with Lake Shkoder and the Albanian Alps in the background.

Striking mountain cliffs at Lake Koman in Albania.

Albania

No country or destination surprised me as much as Albania did. I spent about a week in Albania during my trip to the Balkans this summer: a few days in Tirana, and a few days in the north, staying in Shkoder. The scenery was gorgeous, the capital Tirana was funky and cool, and prices were low. I loved it all. Albania is now one of my favorite countries in Europe, and a fantastic value-for-money destination if you’re looking for a beach holiday. Next time when I go back, I want to do some major hiking in the Albanian Alps, and get down south to the Albanian Riviera!

Read More: 13 Things You Must See In Tirana, Albania, The 8 Best Bars In Tirana, Albania, Visiting Berat As A Daytrip From Tirana, A Daytrip From Shkoder To Blini Park And Lake Koman: The Craziest Day In Albania! Why You Should Visit Shkoder, Albania

The narrow streets with flags hanging from the balconies of Valletta, Malta.

Blue fishing boats in the village of Marsaxlokk in Malta.

A pretty blue door and matching window in Sliema, Malta.

Malta

My trip to Malta in April was a real highlight during this year of travel. While lots of Europeans do visit Malta, it isn’t really on the radar for many international tourists—yet! Malta has it all: sunshine and warm weather, a charming capital city (Valletta), great food (I’m still dreaming of qassatat!), and it’s nowhere as expensive as other popular destinations in Western Europe like France or Italy. I definitely want to go back to Malta—I was only there for a few days, so didn’t manage to get out to the other islands!

Read More:  All The Doors Of Malta, How Much Does It Cost To Travel Malta For 5 Days? Visiting Malta By Public Transportation: Tips And Tricks For Getting Around!

The poles and lights showing the Arctic Circle at Santa Claus Village, just outside of Rovaniemi, Finland.

Maja with her arms outstretched after crossing the Arctic Circle at Santa Claus Village in Rovaniemi, Finland.

The Arctic Circle, Finland

I planned my trip to Finland to visit my best friend in Oulu. Knowing that I’d be so far north, I had to go to Rovaniemi, and cross the Arctic Circle! This was one of the coolest experiences I had during the year. The Arctic Circle is located at Santa Claus Village, where you can send a postcard from the North Pole, and even meet Santa himself! If you’re visiting Lapland, you can’t miss it!

Maja sitting looking out over Derwentwater and the view from Catbells in the Lake District, England.

The view from the summit of Crinkle Crags over Langdale in the Lake District, England.

The white Kirkstone Pass Inn high up in the green scenery of the hills of the Lake District.

The Lake District, England

Of course, one of my favorite places in the entire world is just a few hours away from where I live: the Lake District National Park. I had two trips to the Lakes this year, one in June with my parents, and one in September for my birthday. Both were phenomenal. I loved showing my parents one of my favorite places on earth—we stayed at a gorgeous guesthouse, hiked Catbells, and lucked out with great weather. In September, I finally visited Langdale for the first time, hiked up Crinkle Crags, and stayed at the Kirkstone Pass Inn—the third highest pub in the country! This is a destination that I’ll continue returning to, time and time again.

Read More: Hiking Catbells In The Lake District, Review: Ellas Crag Guest House, Lake District, Staying At The Kirkstone Pass Inn In The Lake District

The view at sunset from the fortress in Ohrid out over the town and water, North Macedonia.

St. John at Kaneo Church on the edge of Lake Ohrid in North Macedonia.

Maja looking out over a bay in Lake Ohrid, North Macedonia.

Lake Ohrid, North Macedonia

For stunning natural beauty, you can’t get much better than North Macedonia’s Lake Ohrid. This was definitely a favorite destination on my trip to the Balkans this summer! Ohrid itself is fairly busy with other tourists and souvenir shops, but my favorite part of visiting was just walking out of town and going swimming in the gorgeous water. I also loved getting to see the monastery at Sveti Naum after wanting to go for years! Lake Ohrid was definitely one of the best places I visited in 2019.

Read More: A Guide To Exploring Lake Ohrid In North Macedonia

The hexagonal stones at the Giant's Causeway, looking out to sea, in Northern Ireland.

The ruins of Dunluce Castle on the cliff along the Causeway Coast in Northern Ireland.

The Torr Head peninsula at sunset with Scotland in the distance along the Causeway Coast, in Northern Ireland.

The Causeway Coast, Northern Ireland

I visited Northern Ireland for the first time in 2011, on my first independent trip abroad. I absolutely loved getting to go back and road trip around the Causeway Coast, and explore it properly! This is such a beautiful part of the UK, and seeing the Giant’s Causeway at sunrise was a huge highlight for me. While it might not be as visited as other parts of the UK (or in Ireland), definitely give yourself a few days to explore the Causeway Coast.

Read More: How Much Does It Cost To Travel Northern Ireland For 5 Days? Exploring The Giant’s Causeway At Sunrise

Maja sitting in the O of the Newborn monument in Pristina, Kosovo.

The Bill Clinton Statue (and banner with USA flag behind) in Pristina, Kosovo.

The bar and interior of Soma Book Station Cafe in Pristina, Kosovo.

Pristina, Kosovo

Another of my favorite destinations from my trip to the Balkans was Pristina. Pristina is effortlessly cool. There are so many fun cafes and bars, and as there’s so many young people here, the city really comes alive during the summer evenings. I could have easily spent a week or so just hanging out and relaxing here. While there aren’t a huge number of tourist attractions to tick off a list, the city is really best experienced by taking it slow. I already can’t wait to return here!

Read More: What To Do In Pristina, Kosovo: One Of Europe’s Coolest Cities, The Best Cafes And Bars In Pristina, Kosovo

Maja with the Colosseum in the background in Rome, Italy.

The Trevi Fountain at night in Rome, Italy.

The view from the dome of St. Peter's Basilica in the Vatican, looking out over Rome, Italy.

Rome, Italy

The Eternal City needs no introduction. I spent a week in Rome over Christmas and loved every second of it. The history, the culture, the architecture, the FOOD… I loved it all. Rome is busy with other tourists, but get away from the main streets and sites and you can still find peace and quiet. And did I mention the food?! Because Rome is a city where you should arrive hungry. If you haven’t visited Rome yet, trust me when I saw it’s well worth the hype.

The view of the Orange Gardens in Rome, with the dome of St. Peter's Basilica in the distance, in Italy.

So there you have it! These are some of the best places I visited in 2019. I’ve had so many wonderful opportunities, and got to visit some truly wonderful places this year. I can’t wait to see what the next year has in store!

Over to you! What were the best places you visited in 2019?! Share your experiences in the comments!

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