The year 2018 is slowly coming to an end. It’ll be Christmas in just two weeks time and then we are not far from New Year’s Eve either. It has been a good year.
I’ve managed to fit in a good bit of traveling this year. In May a few friends in work and me traveled to Spain for a mini break. Literally a mini break, we arrived Friday night and left again Monday night but to be honest it was plenty of time to get a tan, go swimming and have a few drinks.
During the Easter holiday we set off to the UK to visit Legoland, Paulton Theme Park and the Zoo. We’ve done the same the year before but the UK is so expensive that we won’t be doing it again.
During the Summer Karo and me met up in Hamburg for a little bit of sightseeing. Even though I used to only live just over two hours from Hamburg, I had actually never been. It was a longer weekend where we also celebrated her birthday.
Later on in the year, in September I flew to Berlin to visit Karoline for a longer weekend and to meet up with an old friend in my hometown.
Over the Summer, in August we took a few days out of work and traveled to County Kerry with the kids. I managed to fit in a few sights that were on my bucket list for Ireland. The kids really enjoyed themselves too, particularly the bike ride.
Next year I am planning to do a few little city trips around Europe. When you have kids, there are only so many days away you can have I suppose. The more exotic ones will have to be placed at the bottom of the list for now. It’s handy when there is a bank holiday which means I have one less day to take off. This is what I did this year. It’s all about the planning.
Lisbon
Portugal has been on my list for such a long time. For holidays as well as for exploring on my own. Our next Summer holiday will more than likely be in Portugal hopefully. Lisbon has plenty of attractions and tours to offer as well as sun and sea. Sounds like a perfect trip to me. One of my goals is to get one of the trams that is running in the city of Lisbon. It’s planned to go in January or early enough of next year before the whole tourist season starts and the flights get more expensive.
Budapest
There is plenty of cities I want to explore located in the far East. It’s a bit of a track, flying from Ireland but I’ll get there. It would have been a lot easier as well as cheaper when I still lived in Germany. Budapest has a lot to offer and a longer weekend would be required to cover it all. The thermal waters will have to be first on the list.
Amsterdam
I have been to Amsterdam before and done the canal tour, however I was only about nine years of age, if not even younger. I need to refresh my brain and visit again some time next year. January seems to be the season everyone is visiting as flights aren’t cheap so I will wait a bit until flights get cheap and then go for it. During my research I came across a lot of cat related things. They have cat cafes, cat museum, cat boats and even cat pubs. I am in heaven. The clog workshop has to be on my list, purchasing my own clogs.
Brussels
Manneken Pis, Mini Europe and Atomium are some of the sights I would love to visit. There are probably a few other sights you may stumble across while there depending what your interest is. As museums are not my thing at all, a weekend in Brussels would be enough time for me to explore.
Paris
The only ever time I was in Paris was when my mum and me went to Disneyland. I was only about seven or eight years of age so it’s been a while. I am planning to take the kids in the next year or two. Right now I just find they are still a bit small to appreciate it particularly Chloe. High up on the list is the Eiffel Tower for me obviously. But I would also like to see sights like the Louvre, Arc de Triumphe, Montmatre and take a boats tour on the river Seine. I am hoping my friend Sandra will be my tour guide as she is from France.
Copenhagen
There isn’t a specific itinerary for Copenhagen other than enjoying the port and wandering around Copenhagen. There are plenty of hidden gems and lovely sights to find. There are no shortage of beautiful buildings like the Kronborg Castle or Christiansborg Palace. Probably more of a place I like to enjoy when it’s a little warmer.
Dubrovnik
My granddad used to travel to different places in Europe at least once a year. One of these places was Dubrovnik in Croatia. I remember seeing photos of the place and it’s absolutely stunning. Again this is something more for the Summer to enjoy, or close to it anyway. Beautiful beaches, ports, cable car and not to forget the historical walls.
What is your itinerary next year?
