Chestnuts crackle over an open fire, jingle bells echo through the air and snowflakes melt on your finger tips. Winter in Europe is as magical as it looks on the silver screen.   Whether you’re a Love Actually fan or prefer The Holiday’s quaint British countryside, I can guarantee you’ll find the Christmas spot of your dreams on this continent. I’ve lived here my entire life – from Austria to Russia – but winter has always been less about travel and more about spending time with my family. This year I decided it was finally time to explore the best winter destinations in Europe. To really exp ..read more

I trace the outline of Ursa Major with my index finger, barely seeing its tip in the midnight darkness of Kielder Forest.  It’s the only star constellation I’m able to recognise. The Plough. Big Dipper. The Great Bear my family’s dog, Ursina, is named after. For someone who loves nature so much I know very little about it. My dad always wanted to teach me to recognise every tree by its leaves and every bird by its song. But somehow we never got around to it. “I’m a city girl,” I would say whenever someone brought up living in the countryside. “I think I’d go crazy.” Something changed within ..read more

When Trek America invited me to explore the Deep South on one of their epic road trips, I didn’t have to think twice. My vigorous “yes” may not surprise you but it shocked me. I’m usually not a big fan of organised tours. I like being in charge if my schedule and being able to retreat inside my hermitty shell whenever necessary. I’m not an introvert by any stretch but I do need a lot of alone time to be a fully functioning member of society, i.e. someone who doesn’t feel the urge to bite strangers when they ask how I make money or if I have a real job. But Trek America seemed different. They ..read more

Imagine you could just break open your piggy bank and make up for all your past crimes against the environment.  You’re right, that would be ridiculous. The world doesn’t work that way and saving our beautiful planet from climate change is going to take a lot more than throwing money at it. But if you’d like to own up to your environmental boo-boos and help the world in the process, there is a solution. It’s called carbon offsetting. Dozens of companies now let you calculate your carbon footprint and then donate to various environmental projects. These mainly focus on clean energy generation ..read more

From its two thousand year old aqueduct to the Alcazar which supposedly inspired Walt Disney’s Cinderella Castle, Segovia is the stuff of fairy tales.  I arrived at Madrid Airport sweaty and tired from weaving through the crowds in Venice. My legs shook as I dragged my gargantuan suitcase behind me, trying not to flatten anyone’s feet with its broken wheels. I’d been travelling nearly nonstop since April and it was starting to catch up with me. It all started innocently enough, with a quick jaunt to England and Wales. But things got a little of control as I continued onto America – exploring ..read more

Not all Shires are alike, but girl would a hobbit feel at home in this part of Wales! From lush green hills to tiny colourful houses, Pembrokeshire is one of those destinations that make you pinch yourself in disbelief. How is this place even real and – more importantly – why am I only hearing about it now? The sad truth is that Wales rarely gets the attention it deserves. Most people visiting Britain stay in London and a trip to Edinburgh is pretty much as adventurous as it gets. I know, look who’s talking. It took me three years of living in the country to venture further north than Bath ..read more

I’ll be honest – Mallorca wasn’t high on my list of places to visit. But I gave it a chance and now I can’t shut up about how amazing it is!  My decision to visit was based on simple math. How could I add sunshine to my life without subtracting too much money from my bank account? The flights to Mallorca from most of Europe are very cheap and this was especially true in February when I was planning my trip. So I packed my suitcase, said auf Wiedersehen to rainy Vienna and hoped for the best. If you enjoyed this post, please PIN me! After spending ten days on this lush Spanish island I came ..read more

“Don’t look, don’t look,” I shouted as my boyfriend swerved onto a windy dirt road. “I can’t drive with my eyes closed.” Touché. It turns out it’s hard to take someone to a surprise location while asking them to drive themselves there. Planing a surprise trip to Mallorca for my boyfriend’s birthday wasn’t easy for two reasons. For one, I kept worrying I’d blow my cover because I was so damn excited. But more importantly, it was my first trip since publicly making a commitment to responsible travel and I didn’t want to let you – or myself – down. In the end it all worked out. We hiked the Serr ..read more

The Greek island of Santorini is a playground of the rich and famous. How could a place so beautiful not be? My Instagram feed is constantly flooded with photos from the island, full of infinity pools and restaurants where all I can afford a glass of water. But don’t let the luxury fool you – Santorini is accessible to budget travellers and backpackers as well. When I last visited I was still a university student struggling to pay her bills. But girl, did I have a wonderful time! Santorini left an imprint on my heart but hardly made a mark on my bank account. If you enjoyed this post, please ..read more