On this page, I want to share some of my favorite things I’ve seen in some of the places I’ve visited and loved! Many of these were on my “must see” list, and add lots of enjoyment to any trip!

Barcelona and Catalunya

Barcelona is my all-time favorite city! I fell in love with it at a young age, and going for the first time cemented the feeling for me. I would absolutely adore living here one day. Here are some of my highlights!

  • Museu Picasso – The Picasso museum! I am a huge fan of art in general, and adored this closer look at the works of one of the masters.
  • El Mercat de la Boqueria – this it the famous market! You can find anything at La Boqueria – there’s restaurants to eat at (like El Quim and Bar Pinotxo to name a few!), there’s lots of tasty items to purchase to cook at home, and my favorite? The candy stall! I enjoyed wandering around town munching on some delicious sweets I picked up to tide me over til mealtime!
  • Teatre-Museu Dalíˆ – this is the famous theatre/museum that was central to Salvador Dalí! If you’re a fan of surrealism or art, you will really enjoy this! The master is buried in a crypt under the main floor, and you can go downstairs to pay your respects. A bonus to the art in the museum is Joies, which is the mini museum of jewelry designed by Dalí right next door. These are located in the town of Figueres, which is an easy train ride from Barcelona!
  • Casa-Museu Dali – Further up the coast in the town of Portlligat, right next to Dalí’s beloved Cadaqués is the Casa-Museu Dalí. This is another amazing place to visit, as is the town of Cadaqués. I took a guided tour so that I could avoid worrying about transit, so not only did I get to enjoy the art at the museum and on its’ grounds, but I also got to explore the beautiful seaside of Cadaqués. If you have the chance to visit, you will absolutely not regret it! The beauty of Cadaqués is one that I have yet to find a real rival of in my travels.

Iceland

I am hugely interested in volcanos and what better place to visit than an island that is full of them?! When I visited, the volcanic activity was nowhere near as happening as it is now, but I did get to experience some cool things on my two trips so far!

  • Inside the Volcano – this was a real splurge but a really cool thing for me! I did this excursion during my summertime visit in Iceland. Not only did I get to hike across a very interesting lava field landscape, but I got to go down in a mine cart and explore the inside of a real (but dormant!) volcano called Þríhnúkagígur! After we spent some time down in the heart of the volcano and came back to the surface, we were treated to a traditional Icelandic lamb stew and we got a special bonus as well — there was a baby arctic fox calling the base camp its’ home at that time too! It was a very interesting experience, and one I am very glad I got to have.
  • Golden Circle – this is actually three really amazing places in one, and a tour I’ve taken twice now. The components are: Þingvellir National Park, the site of the first general assembly and many other important moments in Icelandic history as well as the place where you can see the tectonic plates separating, Gulfoss, a gorgeous waterfall with beautiful views, and Geysir, the geothermal park where you can see the geysers that gave the town its’ name shooting off their beautiful spouts of hot water. A bus tour is perfect for visiting all these amazing sights, and many tours have extra places thrown in — one of the ones I took had a stop at the Hellisheiði geothermal power plant and a historic church called Skáholt, another had a stop at the Laugarvatn Fontana wellness center, which was also a very relaxing place to visit.
  • Reynisfjara Beach – in the south of Iceland near Vík, you can find the Reynisfjara beach, which is famous for its’ black sand and beautiful basalt columns. It’s a wonderful place to explore, but beware — there are deadly sneaker waves there, and you should not try to go swimming! Also nearby is Dyrhólaey, which fans of Game of Thrones will recognize! There are some neat sights nearby as well, and some restaurants worth stopping in at!
  • Waterfalls – On the trip that took me to Reynisfjara, I was able to visit Seljalandsfoss and Skógafoss, two breathtaking waterfalls that are sure to impress. At Skógafoss, there are 527 steps up a hill (not for the faint of heart!) where you can experience even better views. You can go behind the waterfall at Seljalandsfoss and enjoy the view from the other side.

More favorites to come! If any of these suggestions sound like places you can’t miss, reach out and I can help you plan your own visit there!