Hazel’s Travel Round Up for 2022
2022 was a great year of travel for me, and I have enjoyed putting all of my 2022 destinations in one travel round up post.
I visited more places in 2022 than ever before. The reason for this was mostly due to the Covid-19 pandemic, which caused various trips to be postponed over the course of two years, and then all my trips ended up being taken together in one year.
Most of my trips this year were solo trips, although some also included my son too. Our visit to NYC was a birthday present for my son’s 18th, although he was actually 19 by the time it eventually took place.
Here is a travel round-up of all of the places I visited in 2022.
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New York City, USA
I start my travel round up in May 2022 with New York City. This was my son’s 18th birthday present. We stayed in Manhattan near the East River and visited as many tourist attractions as possible in five days.
My son loves skyscrapers, so I made sure we visited all 5 observation decks in Manhattan! My favourite one was Summit One Vanderbilt, and my son’s favourite was Edge NYC.
Another absolute stand-out for us was the Intrepid Museum of Air, Sea and Space which was simply incredible. Easily the best museum I have visited. I haven’t written about it yet, but I will update this page when I do.
We discovered various ways to see the Statue of Liberty for free (although the Statue is also one of the attractions included on the NYC Go City pass).
We also walked the High Line from Chelsea Market to Hudson Yards, which is a lovely walk and covers two very different areas of Manhattan. We visited Brooklyn for one day too, where we went on this amazing food tour – highly recommended.
Barcelona, Spain
Ticking off the main tourist attractions in Barcelona, I found there are a lot of easy mistakes to make as a tourist visiting Barcelona. I learnt a lot from locals and tour guides, and compiled my post 20 Essential Things to do in Barcelona which also contains advice on staying safe in this busy city.
My favourite excursions included the Sagrada Familia, Gothic Quarter and this amazing tapas tour with Barcelona Taste. This was genuinely the best food tour I have ever been on.
Palma de Mallorca, Spain
I’ve been to Palma many times but I’m always happy to return. Highlights of this trip were Palma Cathedral and Bellver Castle. You can read more in my Mallorca guides here.
I particularly love the food in Mallorca, and I wrote a post 14 Things to Eat in Mallorca which highlights some of the island’s wonderful cuisine.
Rapallo, Portofino and Santa Margherita, Italy
These three Italian towns on the Ligurian coast were a wonderful sight to behold. Santa Margherita Ligure was my first stop, followed by Rapallo and Portofino. All three are colourful charming seaside towns in the popular Italian region of Liguria. A highlight for me was my boat trip from Rapallo to Portofino.
Cinque Terre, Italy
The Cinque Terre is ridiculously beautiful. The area consists of five colourful hilltop towns, all connected by local train lines or hiking paths. It has to be one of the most photogenic places in Italy (and there are a lot!)
In my Ultimate Guide to the Five Towns of Cinque Terre I provide a detailed guide to each town, including what to do there and where to stay.
Naples, Italy
Naples is a city that’s both pretty and gritty. Despite its chaotic nature, Naples has a certain charm that makes it strangely beautiful. As one of the oldest continuously inhabited cities in the world, Naples boasts a wealth of cultural and historical landmarks. From the stunning Royal Palace of Naples to the ancient ruins of Pompeii, there are endless things to do in Naples, plus I discovered many quirky and odd things to do as well.
Naples is also known for its lively and colourful street life. The city’s narrow alleyways are filled with vendors selling everything from fresh produce to handcrafted souvenirs. And the locals are always eager to strike up a conversation or offer a friendly smile.
At the same time, Naples can be a bit rough around the edges. The streets are often crowded and noisy, and some of the neighborhoods can be a little sketchy. But even in the midst of the chaos, there’s a certain energy that’s hard to resist.
Overall, I found Naples to be a city of contrasts. It’s simultaneously ancient and modern, beautiful and gritty, chaotic and charming. I have written guides on where to stay in Naples and how to spend 2 days in Naples to help you plan your trip.
Further reading: Naples Travel Guide: Tips for Visiting Napoli, Italy.
Sorrento, Italy
Sorrento is one of my favourite places in Italy. I almost didn’t visit at all, due to the slightly negative reviews I had read from other Travel Bloggers about Sorrento being commercialised and too ‘touristy’. I have to say I disagree. Granted there were a couple of touristy places, but Sorrento still retains a lot of authentic Italian charm. You can read my post 10 Things to do in Sorrento for more details.
Side note: don’t look at my creased dress in the photo below (this trip took place before I discovered travel steamers!)
Cassis, France
Cassis really won my heart. A charming little village in the South of France, Cassis is also home to the most beautiful limestone Calanques which rise majestically from the sea and make a wonderful environment for sailing, hiking, kayaking and more. I was pleasantly surprised to discover a few Italian influences present in Cassis, yet it still upholds its typically French quaintness and also produces great wine.
You can read more in my post 7 Things to do in Cassis, South of France.
Rome, Italy
This was my third visit to Rome, and the main reason for this visit is because I wanted my son to see all of the ancient Roman ruins and at least know he had been there and seen it. I’m not sure he loved it that much, but he might look back on it in the future and feel glad he visited. As ever, the Colosseum never fails to amaze me and I recommend anyone to go see it.
You can read my guide 17 Things to Know About Rome to find out lots of important things you need to know before visiting.
Silverstone Formula One Grand Prix, England
I am a huge motorsports fan, and Formula 1 is the most exciting category for me. I have attended Silverstone Circuit many times solo, but this was my first time glamping on site. This time I spent 5 days at the event and had an amazing time.
I am not sure if my readers will have an interest in this sort of topic, but I may write a post on how to visit this prestigious sporting event in future.
Cornwall, England
I spent a long weekend visiting a friend in Cornwall, which is about a 6 hour drive from London. I have been to Cornwall over 20 times, and I could never get bored of the beautiful scenery. My friend lives in Padstow, and we also visited Wadebridge, Crugmeer, Bedruthan Steps (pictured below) and did some long hikes across the coast to Trevone. I will be visiting again in summer 2023.
I have not written about Cornwall yet, but I will update this page when I do.
London, England
You may be wondering why I have included London in my travel round up, since I live right outside the City. The reason London has got a mention here is because I am currently trying to write an e-book on the top 100 London tourist attractions, so therefore I need to visit them all first! This year I have visited a few places in Camden, Belgravia, Hammersmith and Canary Wharf.
I’m a long way off visiting 100 London attractions, but in the meantime you can read my guide 20 Best London Tourist Attractions for First Timers.
Edinburgh, Scotland
I have travelled to Edinburgh around 6 times this year, but unfortunately all of those trips were work trips, and I had barely any time to see the sights. I intend to change that next year. The parts I have seen are simply stunning. Even the airport is excellent and contains lots of authentic Scottish stores selling traditional products and clothing. I bought this authentic Scottish cashmere scarf which cost way more money than I would ever usually spend on a scarf, but a) I was cold, and b) it’s a beautiful scarf!
Cyprus, Europe
This was my main solo trip of the year. I really threw myself into this one and wrote many posts on visiting Cyprus. Many people don’t realise Cyprus is a war-torn country. It is partly occupied by Turkey, and there is a high military presence on the island. I crossed the border in to the Turkish-occupied part of Cyprus. I learnt a lot and I found it a really sobering experience.
Cyprus is also a country of stunning natural beauty – again not always what you hear about when people talk about Cyprus. I am so glad I visited.
Here is a list of my Cyprus posts:
- 8 of the Best Towns to Visit in Cyprus
- 10 Great Things to do in Cyprus
- How to Visit Famagusta, Northern Cyprus
- 12 Important Monasteries in Cyprus
- 10 Things to do in Paphos
- 26 Photos to Make You Want to Visit Cyprus
- 12 of the Best Beaches in Cyprus
- 25 Stunning Sights to See in Cyprus
- Guide to Visiting Cyprus
Fuerteventura & Lanzarote, Canary Islands, Spain
Last on my travel round up for 2022 are these two Canary Islands, Fuerteventura and Lanzarote. A winter solo trip, this took place in December and I chose the Canary Islands for two reasons: a) It is the warmest place in Europe in December, and b) I wanted to see volcanoes. I based myself in Fuerteventura and took a day trip to Lanzarote for the Lanzarote volcano experience.
Related Reading for the Canary Islands
- Which Canary Island is the Best? All 8 Islands Reviewed.
- 10 Great Things to do in Fuerteventura, Canary Islands
- 14 of the Best Beaches in Fuerteventura
- 10 Best Things to do in Corralejo, Fuerteventura
- Lobos Island Fuerteventura: The Ultimate Guide
- 14 Amazing Things to do in Lanzarote
- 20 Stunning Photos of Lanzarote
Travel Round Up: Looking ahead to 2023
In 2023 I intend to visit more regions of Italy (specifically Puglia and Naples), along with Madeira (Portugal) and maybe a quick trip back to the Amalfi Coast. I will also attempt to see more of Edinburgh than just the inside of an office, plus tick off more of London too.
For my travel blog, I still have many more countries to write about and hundreds of articles in my head waiting (not so) patiently to be written. As ever, it is slow progress, due to work and family commitments, but I am sticking with it and am hoping for a productive year ahead.
See where I travelled in 2023.
You may also be interested in The Benefits of Travelling Alone: 10 Reasons to Travel Solo.
Realted Reading: a year of travel
2022 Travel Round Up – Pin for Later
Travelling soon? Check my 20 Must-Have Travel Essentials post before you go.
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You are reading Hazel’s Travels – an online publication and travel blog which aims to provide advice and inspiration for travel in Europe, the UK and USA.
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