Home again and the same question keeps popping up from family, friends and strangers – where was our favourite place? Eight months together has given us many, many hours to debate the pros and cons of each destination, and rank our favourite memories of what has been another epic trip around the globe. Some of our top places were new to us, others we were revisiting and loving again. Some we got to share with family and friends which are experiences that will be cherished forever.
So, looking back on 37 weeks of adventures we have (sort of) narrowed it down to our top 10. Thanks for following along on this journey – we hope we have inspired you in some way to plan your next trip or simply learn more about some of the amazing places we got to experience. We truly live in a beautiful world.
10. Bratislava, Slovakia
We loved old world Bratislava for its food, the architecture and the Danube cutting right through the middle. A very pretty Eastern European town full of colour and energy.
9. St Vincent & the Grenadines, Caribbean
SV&G is for yachties not cruise ships which means it is under-developed, food options are limited and pricey, and island hopping is challenging. On the plus side it is postcard perfect, pristine and feels like another world – a true castaway island experience.
8. Big Sur and NYC, USA
NYC is a classic and did not disappoint on our second visit, but the highlight of our 3 weeks in the US was the Big Sur coast – a stunning stretch of cliffs, rolling hills and ocean that has sparked a desire to get back to California one day. Sharing these experiences with Jane, Mell and Dion was icing on the cake and created memories we will talk about for decades to come.
7. Sarande and surrounds, Albania
The wild card of the year and we loved it! Yet to be discovered by too many tourists, Albania is in a time warp, and its beaches and eastern euro cuisine made the overnight bus trip from Macedonia well worth it. It’s not for everyone, it can be hard work to venture too far out of the town of Sarande but very rewarding when you pull it off. Definitely on our return list, and before the crowds get there too!
6. Sint Maarten/Saint Martin, Caribbean
Two for the price of one for your airfare here, and there is no question the French side in the north is our fave. Saint Martin has everything you want in an island holiday – great restaurants and nightlife, incredible beaches (with oceanside bars!) and nature, and easily accessible day trips to surrounding islands and reefs. It is one of the more developed islands in the region which has pros and cons, but overall its great fun and easy.
5. St John – US Virgin Islands, Caribbean
We almost didn’t come to St John which would have been a huge mistake – the beauty of this island blew us away. Stunning white sand beaches, the best marine life we had seen in the Caribbean and a great range of restaurants, bars and fresh produce for self catering. It’s not easy to get to – we arrived via ferry from British Virgin Islands next door, but its remoteness is what makes it so special. Unlike Saint Martin there are not multiple 747 aircrafts landing every day and we hope it stays that way!
4. The Festival of Andrew in Italy
A milestone birthday celebrated with a marathon of food, wine, aperol spritz and a road trip through picturesque northern Italy. You simply can’t travel through this area and not fall in love – the magic of Venice and Siena impressed us once again, and now Orvieto and Verona have captured our hearts too. Birthdays don’t get much better than this!
3. Budapest, Hungary
A new European city for us, and one we would love to return to. Budapest is an incredible blend of history, architecture, art, food and people and although we were in the city for 6 days we barely scratched its surface. Making the week extra momentous was our 3 day pass to the Formula 1 race which was loads of fun, and the vibe of the city in summer was infectious. We would definitely recommend you get this city on your next Euro-itinerary.
2. QLD coast road trip, Australia
Eight weeks of sunshine, travelling with some of our best mates and more beautiful beaches than any other country we have ever visited. If you have never taken a QLD road trip get on it – there are so many gems along the route, some we knew about and many we stumbled across. The highlight was the 10 days up on Cape York as we made the pilgrimage with the two Gary’s to the tip of the continent – an epic adventure and a corner of our country that is very special. Camping on Whitehaven Beach was pretty spectacular too.
1. Croatia – Country of the year!
You could probably guess from the fact we spent 6 weeks there, Croatia was our top destination of the year. What a country – the food is good everywhere, the coastline stunning, the roads easy to navigate, the cities buzzing and beautiful, the islands are spectacular, its cost effective and the sun shines every day in summer. It’s the complete package!
The top pick was definitely the island of Hvar – a playground for the mega rich, beautiful, wanderlusters, backpackers and everyone in between. Some of our best meals in the last 6 months were in Hvar (and Croatia in general) and we got to experience it for one night at least with Steve and Binni during our week long island sailing cruise. To travel with these two in celebration of the boys turning 40 was a week of fun and adventures we will never forget, and while every week in Croatia was great the sailing expedition took us to some of the best places we visited.
Other highlights were the gorgeous harbour town of Rovinj and the city of Dubrovnik – both full of life and busting at the seams in high season. We really can’t recommend this country highly enough – for couples, for families, for beach lovers or history buffs. It has something for everyone, and we can’t wait to get back there.
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