Pack your bags, we’re heading off on a
Trip Over the World….
Choose a destination below, and join me to experience the places I have been and get some ideas on what to see and do when you visit these places. Inspiration for those travelling solo, just make the booking and Trip Over The World.
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If you have any questions or comments on any of the stories, or want to tell me your story, please contact me, I look forward to hearing from you.
Trip Planning
Planning a trip overseas is all part of the experience of travel, it takes a lot of research into destinations, flights, accommodation choices, what to see and do, how to get around once you are there, etc, etc, etc.
Flying into Venice
I flew into Venice Marco Polo Airport from London to begin my solo Italian Adventure in early spring, hoping to get ahead of the crowds. This trip was taking me to visit Venice, Florence, Siena, Pisa and Cinque Terre
Heathrow to London
I’ve never found arriving at Heathrow to be as daunting as some have led me to believe – it’s all well sign posted and, basically, just follow the crowd. I need the Piccadilly Line as it goes directly to Green Park.
Herd Of Hope
A herd of elephants arrived in Spitalfields back in 2020. This amazing art installation, of 21 bronze elephants created by Gillie and Marc to raise awareness of the damage caused by poachers.
Sydney to London on QF1
Flying to London from Sydney on QF1, all booked, all packed, having decided to fly on Qantas again hoping things were getting better as Vanessa Hudson, the new CEO, had promised!! And, I have enough Qantas points to apply for an upgrade
Boxing Day Walk
A short Boxing Day walk around St James’s in London learning a bit about the history of the area and walking off Christmas lunch.
Christmas Day in London
Christmas Day in London is so much better for looking at the Christmas Lights than Christmas Eve!!
Christmas Eve in London
The Christmas Lights in London are amazing!! Everywhere you look the streets are all decorated with the most unbelievable lights.
Walk Around London
The big walk I failed to do the previous day had heavy rain, light drizzle and even some sunshine
Arriving in London
Jetlagged up to the eyeballs, I set off exploring the neighbourhood
Flying with Qatar Airways
My first flight with Qatar Arways was a big success!
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As promised, a beautiful sunny Easter Sunday in Vienna ☀️☀️☀️ After being in Palermo last Easter, where it was underwhelming, Vienna really knows how to take Easter to the extreme!!!
#easterinvienna #eastermarkets #soloadventure #vienna
The gardens at the Governor Generals house in Sydney`s Royal Botanic Gardens are open to walk around most weekends.
✨️ Feels weird to go and sit on the balcony of someone else`s house and look out at the harbour, but it`s a very relaxing way to spend a bit of time!!
#royalbotanicgarden #fountains #beautifulgardensoftheworld #seeeverythingdoeverything
Strolling around Sydney`s Royal Botanic Gardens and Government House✨️ looking out across Sydney Harbour on a sunny mid winters day☀️
#rbg #sydneylocal #sydneyharbour #seetheworldthroughmyeyes #sydneyharbourwalks
Went to the stangest market in Vienna at Rathausplatz. Every one of the stalls sold wine, a few sold food, there were people everywhere in national dress, some holding, but no one playing, musical instruments......and Verstappen`s F1 car!!???
#traveltheworldwithme #eastermarkets #vienna #viennaeaster
On my solo adventure in Palermo, Quattro Canti became a familiar spot I visited almost daily ✨️ This iconic intersection of Via Maqueda and Corso Vittorio Emanuele is the center of the city`s historic quarters - Kalsa, Seralcadi, Albergaria, and Castellammare all meet here.
In the evenings, it`s the perfect spot to soak up the atmosphere and plan a night out at one of the many restaurants on Via Maqueda.
#solotravelinsicily #palermo #traveltheworldwithme #solotrip #quattrocantipalermo
A crowd gathers every hour to watch the Astronomical Clock in Prague put on a show 😂 Then some people clap and cheer, and some people laugh in an `is that it` kind of way.
#prague #astronomicalclockprague🏰 #solotravel #traveltheworldwithme #seetheworldthroughmyeyes
The best part of the day trip from Vienna to Bratislava was the boat trip back to Vienna on the Danube!! The hydofoiling catamaran was fast, about 90 minutes, the crew were great. It was freezing cold and windy outside, but I couldn`t help myself, I just had to keep going out to take photos, then running back in to sip my wine 🥂!!!
Great for solo travelers, I met so many other travellers onboard.
#cruisingonthedanube #twinliner #solotravel #traveltheworldwithme
Caught the train from Vienna to Bratislava for a day trip. Walking up the hill to visit the castle is not for the faint hearted!! And the walk back down 🥴 brutal on the dodgy knee!!! But I made it 😃!!!
#bratislava #daytripfromvienna #daytripfromviennatobratislava #traveltheworldwithme #solotravel
✨️One of my favourite walks in Budapest was crossing the beautiful Chain Bridge, linking the historic districts of Buda and Pest across the Danube.
✨️Although the weather wasn`t at its best, the views certainly didn`t disappoint. Looking upstream towards the magnificent Hungarian Parliament Building, it was easy to see why this is one of Europe`s most picturesque cityscapes.
✨️The Chain Bridge has quite a story to tell. Opened in 1849, it was the first permanent bridge to span the Danube in Hungary and became a powerful symbol of uniting the two sides of the city. Sadly, like all of Budapest`s Danube bridges, it was destroyed in 1945 by the retreating German army during WWll. Thankfully, it was painstakingly rebuilt in its original style and reopened in 1949, preserving the city`s iconic skyline for future generations.
📍Rain or shine, this is a walk that simply has to be on your Budapest itinerary.
📌If you`re planning your own Budapest adventure, or would like to read about the hotels I stayed in during my solo journey through Budapest, Vienna and Prague, you`ll find the link to my website in my bio.
#chainbridge #danuberiver #solotravel #budapest #hungarytravel
After catching the tram across the river, I strolled through Letna Park, there are stunning views of Prague`s Vltava river, the bridges and the castle, not to mention all the flowers in the park.
#flowerseverywhere #viewsfordays #praguelife #solotrip #walkinthepark
✨ A little medieval magic in Budapest…
While exploring the grounds of Vajdahunyad Castle, I came across this beautiful little gem — Ják Chapel.
With its Romanesque arches, stonework and wonderfully atmospheric entrance, it looks as though it has been lifted straight from a medieval village in Hungary. And there`s a reason for that!
Ják Chapel was inspired by the 13th-century Benedictine church at Ják, one of Hungary`s finest examples of Romanesque architecture. The chapel we see here was designed by Ignác Alpár as part of the Vajdahunyad Castle complex, created for Hungary`s Millennium celebrations in 1896.
And with the rather gloomy Budapest weather, the medieval atmosphere was even more convincing! ☁️🏰
Another beautiful discovery in City Park. ❤️
#Budapest #VajdahunyadCastle #JakChapel #HungaryTravel #SoloTravel
The gardens at Sydney`s Government House and into the Royal Botanic Gardens on the edge of Sydney Harbour.
#royalbotanicgarden #sydneylocal #sydneyharbour #sydneylife #walkinthepark
🏰 Budapest has another castle… and of course I had to go and find it!
Even though the weather was looking a little gloomy during my time in Budapest, it certainly wasn`t going to keep me indoors. So I headed up to City Park (Városliget) to discover the city`s other castle — the enchanting Vajdahunyad Castle.
And what a beautiful surprise!
Built between 1896 and 1908 as part of Hungary`s Millennium celebrations, Vajdahunyad Castle is a wonderfully eclectic mix of Romanesque, Gothic, Renaissance and Baroque architectural styles. Rather than being an ancient castle, it was originally created as a temporary exhibition — but Budapest obviously decided it liked it too much to let it go!
Today, its fairytale towers, turrets and lakeside setting make it one of the most photographed spots in City Park.
The gloomy skies actually added a little atmosphere to the castle… although I wouldn`t have complained if Budapest had turned the sunshine on for me! ☁️😂
If you`re planning your own Budapest adventure, or would like to read about the hotels I stayed in during my solo journey through Budapest, Vienna and Prague, you`ll find the link to my website in my bio.
#Budapest #VajdahunyadCastle #HungaryTravel #SoloTravel #VisitBudapest
The beautiful streets of Valletta, some of the hills and steps are not for the faint hearted!! But it is such an interesting place you just press on regardless.
✨️To read more about my solo adventure to Malta, click the link to my website in the bio - happy travels!
#solotravelinmalta #valletta #malta #soloadventures #sreetsofvalletta
Step insde this fairly average looking cathedral and be amazed by the intensity of the interior, minimalism was not the brief✨️ Everywhere you look in St John`s Co-Cathedral in Valletta there is gold, art works, and more gold!
Built in the 1500s, the the interior revamp happened 100 years later, then the cathedral sat there happily until it took a hit in WWll. It was then restored from the 1980s until 2017.
🥂 For more ideas on things to see in Malta, click the link to my website in the bio to read about my 10 day solo trip over to Malta.
#stjohnscocathedralmalta #soloadventures #solotraveller❤️ #malta #traveltheworld
Walking from Bratislava train station to the town centre takes 15 minutes, passing through a park and by the parliament buildings before reaching the historic cobblestone streets.
This is where the touristification of the town kicks in, every shop is a restaurant or souvenier shop.
Even the castle is a remake of what they think tourists want to see....we actually want to see the original castle!!
#bratislava #streetsofbratislava #solotravel #seetheworldthroughmyeyes
🌶The magnificent Budapest Central Market Hall has been welcoming shoppers since 1897 and is the largest and oldest indoor market in Budapest.
🌶With its distinctive Zsolnay tiled roof and impressive Neo-Gothic architecture, it`s just as beautiful on the outside as it is bustling on the inside. The building was severely damaged in WW2, and sat in ruins until 1997 when it re-opened to much fan-fare.
🌶Standing outside the market, you`re also treated to lovely views of the iconic Liberty Bridge, one of Budapest`s most recognisable landmarks spanning the Danube.Step inside and you`ll find two floors packed with stalls selling everything from fresh fruit and vegetables to Hungarian sausages, local wines, handmade souvenirs and, of course, paprika! Available in sweet, hot and smoked varieties, paprika is Hungary`s most famous spice, the essential ingredient in Hungarian Goulash.
🌶Whether you`re shopping, sampling local flavours or simply soaking up the atmosphere, the Central Market Hall is well worth adding to your Budapest itinerary.
✨️If you`re planning your own Budapest adventure, or would like to read about the hotels I stayed in during my solo journey through Budapest, Vienna and Prague, you`ll find the link to my website in my bio.
#budapest #solotravelwoman #budapestcentralmarkethall #soloadventures
The Vivid Sydney light show in Argyle Cut, looking along Argyle St from Cumberland St, The Rocks.
#vividsydney #traveltheworldwithme #sydney #seeeverythingdoeverything #seetheworldthroughmyeyes
A quick ferry trip across the Grand Harbour from Valletta to the area known as the Three Cities. Grab a seat up on the top deck forthe best views. Vittoriosa, Senglea, and Cospicua are all worth exploring on foot, cobbled streets, little parks, the maritime museum just near where the ferry arrives, and the Knights of St John HQ at the amazing Fort St Angelo, not to mention the harbour full of yachts of all shapes and sizes.
Read more about my solo 10 day trip over to Malta by clicking the link to my website in the bio.
#malta #valletta #threecitiesmalta #solotravelinmalta #solotravelwoman
Budapest was an amazing place to begin my solo adventure to Central Europe.
✨️ Hotel President was in a great location for exploring, walking distance to most places, or handy to the metro or buses.
✨️For more info on the hotels I stayed in click the link to my website in the bio.
#hotelpresidentbudapest #solotravel #solotrip #soloadventure #budapest
More sculptures in the streets, and I found another one of the minitures that are dotted all over the city. It`s hard to tell what it is, but perched on the wall near the castle, the little guy in the last photo is looking through his telecope at the city below!!
#streetsculptures #budapest #artinthe streets #solotravel
Beautiful Prague in spring was the next stop on my recent solo adventure to central Europe, where I stayed at Hotel Grandium ✨️ Lovely place in a great location and nice and close to the station, perfect if you arrive by rail.
✨️Check out the hotels I stayed in by clicking the link to my website in the bio.
#grandiumprague #solotravel
I spent 10 fantastic days exploring Malta 💖 A great place for solo travellers who love history and endless exploring.
✨️ Read about the places I visited by clicking the link to my website in the bio.
1. St Ursula St, Valletta
2. Victoria Gate, Valletta.
3. Upper Barraka Gardens, Valletta
4. The view from my hotel over The Grand Harbour
5. Victoria Gate, Valletta
6. Valletta street scene
#malta #solotravelinmalta #solotravelwoman #valletta #historylovers neverstopexploring
Aimlessly wandering around the streets of Prague - beautiful💖
#prague #praguelife #solotrip #praguearchitecture
Back to Schonbrunn Palace to see the Imperial Apartments. Gold was definitely the order of the day ✨️ but I reckon I could live there quite comfortably with a few more mod cons!!
#schönbrunnpalace #imperialapartments #traveltheworldwithme #solotrip
Czech artist, David Cerney, famous for his politically opinionated art works.
✨️Here showing King Wencelas riding an upside down dead horse into battle. Hanging in the Lucerna Palace, Prague.
✨️Then 2 men (politicians??) pissing on the Czech Republic!! This one is outside the Kafka Museum across the Charles Bridge.
#davidčerney #politicalart #prague #solotrip
A day trip from Valletta to Gozo is very easy, taking the fast ferry gives great views all the way up the north coast of Malta. You can then get around on buses, or the hop on, hop off bus, and plenty of walking.....I wish I could have spent more time there, next time I stay for a few days✨️
Click the link to my website to read about my 10 day solo adventure in Malta
#solotravelinmalta #soloadventures #gozo #malta #solitravel
The house where the Governor General lives in the Royal Botanic Gardens on the edge of Sydney Harbour. I`m thinking of applying for the job!!
You can wander around the gardens and go on free booked tours of inside parts of the house most weekends - I love the way we all look around as if its a property inspection and we`re looking to buy it😂
#governmenthousesydney #sydneyrbg #sydney #sydneyharbourwalks #seetheworldthroughmyeyes
Finally a sunny day in Budapest, strolling on Margrit Island, great weather, no complaints, perfect!
#margritisland #budapest #soloadventure #seetheworldthroughmyeyes
Hofburg Palace, the Habsburgs` stunning Vienna residence until 1918. Emperor Franz Joseph I and Empress Elisabeth (Sisi) indulged in royal luxury here and spent summers at Schonbrunn Palace. What a life!
#hofburgvienna #sisimuseum #soloadventure #vienna
Discovering Segesta`s Doric Temple, built in 420BC ✨️, and the adjacent Greek Theatre on a hillside. On this Palermo daytrip, we covered Segesta, Trapani, and Erice (previous posts have more). Apparently, some believe the temple remained unfinished, evident from the unfluted columns and remaining construction blocks.
#segestatemple #daytripfrompalermo #sicily #solotravelinsicily #sicilianhistory
Having mastered the very efficient bus system in Malta, after visiting Lower Barraka Gardens and the War Rooms in the tunnels under Valletta, I headed off out to Tarxien to the pre-historic temples, then out to the east coast to the beautiful fishing village of Marsaxlokk to see the traditional fishing boats.
To read about my 10 day solo adventure in Malta, click the link to my website in the bio.
#solotravelinmalta #solotravelwoman #malta #traveltheworldwithme #tripovertomalta
St Paul`s Cathedral dome as seen from the top of 1 New Change, the shopping centre across the road. I walked down Ludgate Hill, Fleet St and The Strand, coming across the Royal Exchange, Australia House, the dragon marking the boundary of London City. Every building along this street has incredible history.
#stpaulscathedral #royalexchange #australiahouse #londondragon #historiclondon
After visiting the Design Museum I strolled up Kensington High St doing a bit of window shopping, and came across St Mary Abbots Church and Kensington War Memorial on the corner of Kensington Church St. There has been a church on this site since 1262, but this one is quite modern - dating back to 1872.
#stmaryabbotschurch #kensingtonwarmemorial #kensingtonhighstreetlondon #london #solotravelinlondon
The streets of Valletta, Malta. Endless hours of exploring this amazing place. A wonderful place for solo travellers, easy to get around and very safe. Something for everyone, especially for history buffs!!
#solotrip #traveltheworldwithme #seetheworldthroughmyeyes #solotravelinmalta
Sydney is having an unbelievably warm winter so far, all blue sky, blue water and sunshine today ☀️!!
Sunrise on my last day in London, after a few very cold, cloudy days, today we are going with a freezing 2 degrees, and sunshine ❄️❄️❄️
#sunriseinlondon #seetheworldthroughmyeyes #londonlife #coldmornings❄️ #solotrip
After visiting the Easter Markets at Schonbrunn Palace , I went for a walk up through the gardens, all the way up to the `Gloriette` at the top of the hill way off in the distance.
The Gloriette was built in 1775 for no other reason than the view - when the Habsburgs were sitting on the balcony of their summer Schloss, they wanted something nice to look at, so they had the Gloriette built along with a few ponds and fountains. The world became a better place!!
#schönbrunnpalace #schönbrunnschloss #solotravel #habsburgfamilyresidence #vienna
Budapest`s streets are full of art✨️ apparently there are mini sculptures scattered everywhere, and I`ve found one of them so far!!
The hunt continues.....
#artinthestreets #budapest #solotrip #neverstopexploring
On a chilly Budapest morning, but the blue sky was a nice touch ✨️. I was planning to visit the Hungarian Parliament Building today... but Saturday crowds got the best of me! The exterior of this building is stunning, can`t wait to explore the inside.
#solotravel #hungarianparliamentbuilding #budapest #budapestarchitecture
In Erice, I stumbled upon Sicily`s ultimate pastry haven, but what should I try??? The struggle to resist buying it all was very real😋 I was not disappointed with my choice!!
#ericesicily #grammaticomaria #solotravelinsicily
Wandering through Palermo in search of the bus to Monreale in the hills, I stumbled upon Porta Nuova, the ancient gate to Palermo. Which was a good find as it was the land mark I needed to make sure I was heading in the right direction.
#palermo #portanuovapalermo #solotravelinsicily #sicilytravel
Budapest Central Market Hall built in the late 1800s, extensively damaged in WWll, left in ruins until the late 1900s when it was returned to it`s former glory.....only to now be mainly selling tourist trash.
#budapestcentralmarket #budapest #traveltheworldwithme #solotravel
Budapest... you certainly know how to make a first impression!
After checking into Hotel President in the heart of this beautiful city, I couldn`t wait to start exploring my local area before darkness fell.
My afternoon took me past the magnificent St. Stephen`s Basilica, the lively Budapest Eye Ferris Wheel, the stunning Hungarian Parliament Building, past to the iconic Chain Bridge, and to the moving Shoes on the Danube Memorial, a powerful tribute to the thousands of Jews murdered on the riverbank during World War II.
Of course, no walk around Budapest would be complete without rubbing the shiny belly of the jovial bronze "Fat Policeman" statue for a little good luck. Whether it works or not remains to be seen... but I wasn`t taking any chances! 😉
As evening fell, and the jet lag started kicking in, there was only one way to finish my first afternoon in Hungary – with a steaming bowl of traditional Hungarian Goulash. Rich, hearty and full of flavour, it was the perfect welcome to this incredible city.
If Budapest can pack this much into just a few hours, I was looking forward to what this adventure has in store for the rest of the week.
If you`re planning your own Budapest adventure, or would like to read about the hotels I stayed in during my solo journey through Budapest, Vienna and Prague, you`ll find the link to my website in my bio.
#Budapest #SoloTravel #SoloFemaleTraveller #exploringbudapest #Hungary
After visiting Monreale Cathedral and marveling at all the gold✨️ I enjoyed a serene walk around town. With most people still attending the service, I had the place almost to myself.
#monreale #monrealecathedral #solotravelinsicily #traveltheworldwithme #neverstopexploring
Budapest... you certainly know how to make a great first impression!
✨️After checking into Hotel President in the heart of this beautiful city, I couldn`t wait to start exploring my local area before darkness fell.
✨️My afternoon took me past the magnificent St. Stephen`s Basilica, the lively Budapest Eye Ferris Wheel, the stunning Hungarian Parliament Building, past to the iconic Chain Bridge, and to the moving Shoes on the Danube Memorial, a powerful tribute to the thousands of Jews murdered on the riverbank during World War II.
✨️Of course, no walk around Budapest would be complete without rubbing the shiny belly of the jovial bronze "Fat Policeman" statue for a little good luck. Whether it works or not remains to be seen... but I wasn`t taking any chances! 😉
✨️As evening fell, and the jet lag started kicking in, there was only one way to finish my first afternoon in Hungary – with a steaming bowl of traditional Hungarian Goulash. Rich, hearty and full of flavour, it was the perfect welcome to this incredible city.🥂
✨️If Budapest can pack this much into just a few hours, I was looking forward to what this adventure has in store for the rest of the week.
✨️To read about the hotels I stayed in on my solo adventure to Budapest, Vienna and Prague, click the link to my website in the bio.
#Budapest #SoloTravel #SoloFemaleTraveller #exploringbudapest #Hungary
The Design Museum over in South Kensington, the `Malta` paving stone was front and centre!!
#londondesignmuseum #southkensington #seeeverythingdoeverything #londonlife
Had a quick run around Prague after a 4 hour train trip from Vienna. I was last in Prague 9 years ago, all seems familiar except Wenceslas Square....apart from the statue of Good King Wenceslas on his horse, the rest of the square that used to be an elegant collection of historic buildings, hotels, cafes, etc......has now turned into Oxford Street, London...Primark, C&A, Half Price, the list goes on......who thought that was a good idea????
#prague #solotravel #traveltheworldwithme #charlesbridgeprague
The moon stole the show at Vivid Sydney, rising up over this tree in front of Governnent House near the Sydney Opera House. Always need a full moon when there is a light show in Sydney!!!
#vividsydney #fullmoon #sydneyoperahouse #sydneyharbour #seetheworldthroughmyeyes
