2013 was an incredible travel year for me. If I counted correctly, I visited 20 countries across six continents. More importantly, I had the opportunity to experience some of the most amazing places (and food!) and meet some truly inspiring people along the way. Here are some of my favourite travel moments in photos from 2013. I hope you enjoy them as much as I did!
Winter 2012/2013
I’ll start with the winter in Amsterdam. It was one of the coldest winters I’ve experienced here and made for some amazing scenery.
Walking on the dike in Marken in winter as the sun sets.
A snow canal in Amsterdam.
Madrid
Another highlight was my visit to Madrid where I discovered the Mercado de San Miguel and went on an unforgettable tapas tour!
Jamón Iberico, manchero (sheep cheese) and old sherry on the tapas tour
Marrakech, Morocco
My first visit to Morocco – and a sensory overload in Marrakech!
The Jemaa el-Fna quare in Marrakech
Provence, France
I visited Marseille and Avignon in April and learned how to take it slow in Provence.
The magnificent interior of the Notre Dame de la Garde basilica in Marseille.
The Palais de Papes in Avignon
Rio de Janiero, Brazil
An unforgettable trip to a breathtaking city! I’ll never forget the sublime views of Rio from the top of the Corcovado mountain and the stunning sunset in Ipanema.
The panoramic view of Rio de Janeiro from Corcovado.
And the sunset at Ipanema was absolutely magical!
South Africa
Then, it was on to South Africa where I had the most incredible experiences dancing with the locals in Soweto, seeing the elusive leopard up close and being awed by a sunset in Bloemfontein.
Dancing in Soweto.
The leopard!
The Nelson Mandela statue at sunset in Bloemfontein.
Montréal and Toronto, Canada
It was my first time in Montréal and I fell in love with the city in an instant! I loved its laid-back style, the friendly locals and the food was in one word… superb!
The magnificent interior of the Notre-Dame Basilica in Montréal.
The Toronto skyline on a stormy day.
Emilia Romagna, Italy
I spent a week in this fantastic region in Italy. History, culture, food, beaches, mountains and fast cars – Emilia Romagna has it all! And I got to visit one of the world’s smallest countries: San Marino!
Gorgeous porticoes in Bologna.
Beautiful San Marino.
The stunning Enzo Ferrari Museum in Modena.
Kuala Lumpur, Malaysia
A quick visit to Kuala Lumpur and an unforgettable stay at a fabulous hotel, the Grand Hyatt Kuala Lumpur!
The night view from my room! I couldn’t get enough of this magnificent view!
Basque Country
My next stop was a private holiday and foodie tour of the Basque Country – gosh, the food in San Sebastian was outstanding! And the Guggenheim Museum in Bilbao was simply awe-inspiring!
Aerial view of San Sebastian.
Amazing array of pintxos and tapas in San Sebastian.
A full view of the Guggenheim Museum. Breathtaking isn’t it?
Mauritius
One week in paradise! I wouldn’t know how else to describe Mauritius!
The view from my balcony at the One & Only Le Saint Geran, Mauritius.
Lower Silesia, Poland
I spent a few days in this gorgeous corner of Poland, with its thousand castles and palaces and expansive forests. And Wroclaw was just beautiful!
The lovely town square in Wroclaw.
Gorgeous autumn colours in Lower Silesia, Poland.
Victoria, Australia
Not long after, I made the long hop to Melbourne, Australia. The city’s energy and its cultural and culinary scenes were amazing. From Melbourne, I embarked on my first ever solo road trip and that resulted in many adventures!
I strolled along the Yarra River to get over jet-lag and enjoy the beautiful views of the Melbourne skyline.
I was greeted by this kangaroo at the Ballarat Wildlife Park!
On the road to Halls Gap.
Brunei
On my way back from Australia, I stopped for a few days in this little Sultanate on the island of Borneo in Southeast-Asia. I’ll never forget that adventure in the Brunei jungle.
Towering above the trees on our jungle safari.
Malta
My last trip to 2013 took me to Malta in the Mediterranean Sea. This country may be tiny but it’s packed with a plethora of historical, cultural and natural attractions.
The imposing walls of Valletta, Malta.