2016 – a year full of adventures

New Year’s Eve is the perfect time to take a look at the past year. 2016 was full of various adventures for us – sometimes frustrating, sometimes really surprising and unusual – one thing is certain – it wasn’t boring! What happened in 2016? Which travels inspired us the most?

In January, we went for a short stay in Allgäu region, located between southern Bavaria and Baden-Wittenberg. It is famous for its extremely picturesque landscape – we fell in love with lake Hopfensee. But something else here attracts hundreds of tourists every day – Neuschwanstein Castle, probably the most famous castle in the world. It was an inspiration for Disney’s Sleeping Beauty castle. Covered in snow, it looks magic… just like in a fairy tale!

In February, I moved to Munich permamently. To celebrate it and get away from the beautiful (sarcasm…) Bavarian weather, we headed for 5 days in Mallorca. This time of the year is so perfect – no heat or tourists. You can enjoy the beautiful landscape of Majorca without crowds and admire fresh Spanish oranges. Winding roads among mountains rising from the Mediterranean Sea on the way to the of Cap de Formentor, impressed us a lot.

March and April are the months in which we focused on exploring Bavaria and the Alps. Our best discovery of this period is Mittenwald – the perfect alternative to the crowded Garmisch Partenkirchen. The picturesque gorges, beautiful alpine scenery and spring sun – what more could you want in life?

May turned out to be a good choice for visiting Paris. It was before the holiday season, so the only crowds we came across were these in front of Mona Lisa in the Louvre. The best memory? Picnic under the Eiffel Tower! We organized ours with Paris Picnic – they deliver your picnic basket to any desired location. A bottle of champagne with a view of the Eiffel Tower is a great idea to spend romantic time in the city of love.

In June, we went to Greece, as we promised to ourselves that each wedding anniversary we gonna visit another Greek island. This time we decided on celebrity island – Mykonos. Although I was there only 5 years ago, I couldn’t believe how much it has changed. Formerly it was Ibiza-style island –  full of young people partying till dawn in the numerous clubs and on the beaches. I know, it has always been extremely popular with celebrities across the world (as well as Ibiza), but I have the impression that within a few years Mykonos had lost all its charm for cosmopolitanism. Have you seen Loius Vuitton boutique on any other Greek island? Fortunately, cats in Mykonos are still amazing.

Taking advantage of the good weather in July and August, we decided to continue exploring Alpine routes. We found the most beautiful part of Bavaria – absolutely unique lake Konigssee. Crystal clear water (the cleanest in Germany!), which reflects the Alpine peaks. Lake is famous for its unusual echo – be sure to go for a boat ride, during which you will hear shooting a cannon and trumpet playing… not once but 7 times – the famous echo repeats every sound several times, giving the impression of a battle, or brass band concert.

We spent September and October on our dream trip through 4 states of the US West Coast – California, Arizona, Utah and Nevada. This tour is really amazing – every day you have a chance to see something completely new – from the Nevada desert, the green Yosemite National Park to the wild, rocky Pacific coast. You can read more about our adventures in the US here. I think, it is a trip of a lifetime!

We spent November planning our next trips in 2017. Where? Read about this next year 😉 We also decided to finally set up our blog!

December was very busy for both of us. However, we managed to jump on the plane and fly to Milan for a weekend. Although many Italians have told me that “Milan is ugly Italy“, this city was a very pleasant disappointment. When it comes to less obvious attractions, I was impressed by Prada shop in one of the world’s oldest “shopping malls” Galleria Vittorio Emanuele II – it had nothing to do with impersonal luxury boutiques, full of cold steel and glass, I felt rather like visiting an apartment of wealthy Italian merchant, filled with antiques. Michal was impressed by cannoli from Ammu, that’s true – it is a dessert from Sicily, but who cares – it didn’t stop him to come here twice… he could buy a one-kilo cannoli in the first place (the seller told us that it is special US size :-)! Cannoli was really special, pistachios used to prepare it grew on the slopes of Etna volcano, goats and sheep, whose milk is the basis of the filling – ricotta, were eating grass nearby. December was also the time for visiting Christmas markets in Germany. Yummy!

We hope your dreams come true – not only these linked to travelling – and you will live in good health! All the best in 2017 (to be better than 2016!) And today – have the best party of this year!

HAPPY NEW YEAR!