At the start of 2022, all the signs were that it would likely be another year where travel would be severely restricted by the COVID-19 pandemic. At that time travel to Canada required a PCR test, which was both expensive and difficult to get in Jamaica and tennis star Novak Djokovic was about to be deported from Australia over his stance against COVID-19 vaccinations. We certainly didn’t expect to look back on a year during which we spent a total of eleven weeks away from our home in Jamaica and visited seven different countries.
There is significant research that shows that those who spend their time and money on experiences, especially shared experiences, are happier and healthier than those prefer to accumulate possessions. A big part of this is looking back on these experiences, something that Nick and I often do. Please join us as we reminisce about our favourite travel destinations of 2022.
Table of Contents
1. Toronto, Canada
Toronto is a city that we are slowly learning to appreciate, and it’s now somewhere that we look forward to visiting. Several members of my family, both on my mother’s and father’s sides live in the area, and during our visit this year we managed to spend time with most of them, which was fantastic.
For me the highlight was the special family dinner when we got to spend time with my aunts, uncles and cousins on my Dad’s side.
For Nick, the highlight was probably watching the Toronto Blue Jays play at the Rogers Centre. He describes baseball as the “poor man’s cricket,” but I know that he appreciates games, especially when watching them live and in person.
We both appreciated gentle hikes around Toronto, which despite being a huge urban city, has many great trails and parks. Our favourites were walks by the banks of Lake Ontario and along the Humber River.
2. Madrid, Spain
We enjoyed a breathless few days in the capital city of Spain. I know that we weren’t there long, but I honestly believe that it is a city where I’d be really happy living.
It has so much for the visitor to enjoy, but somehow retains a “real” feel so that it doesn’t seem that the tourists have taken over.
For the visitor and resident alike, there are amazing galleries, historic squares, stunning parks, royal palaces, amazing food and even an Egyptian temple.
I particularly enjoyed Mercado de San Miguel. A fabulously restored wrought iron building that now offers an amazingly varied gastronomic experience. It is just a short walk from historic Plaza Mayor and is packed full of stalls offering the finest foods prepared with local ingredients.
Nick and I both loved El Retiro, a wonderful 350-acre public park located right by the city centre. Of course, I know that Nick wants to go back to spend more time at the Golden Triangle of Art, especially the Reina Sofía, which houses a fantastic collection of modern Spanish art including works by Picassos and Dali.
3. Berlin, Germany
Another wonderful European Capital is Berlin in Germany. While not conventionally pretty, it has an urban, slightly grungy charm that Nick, in particular, adored.
Maybe it’s because most of the population seemed to wear jeans and plain dark t-shirts that Nick felt he fitted in so well. It also meant that we got to spend time with Nick’s son who now lives and works in the nearby city of Potsdam in Brandenburg.
Berlin too has fabulous galleries and museums located on Museum Island, but for me the place I most enjoyed artwork was at the East Side Gallery, where part of the Berlin Wall has been preserved and now showcases murals painted by 118 artists from 21 different countries.
4. Montreal, Canada
If it took us some time to appreciate Toronto, the same can’t be said of Montreal, which we took to immediately. Despite being a large modern North American city, the largest French-speaking one in the Western Hemisphere, it has a culture and feel that is so very different from other big cities on this side of the Atlantic.
We particularly like both the Old Town and Downtown areas of Montreal, and we enjoyed some amazing cuisine both in restaurants and from street food stands.
During our visit this year, Nick decided that he no longer had an aversion to poutine, and that he now adores the official dish of Quebec. I must say that I’m not convinced by what to me looks like a soggy mess of french fries, cheese curds and gravy. But, I did indulge in Canadian’s world famous beavertail, which is a flat pastry (like the shape of a beaver’s tail), made of deep fried dough and topped with cinnamon sugar and other toppings of your choice. Yum Yum!
The walk up to Mount-Royal is a great way to burn-off a few poutine and beaver tail calories, and the views when you get there are stunning. Best of all were the people we met in Montreal. Friends from Toronto warned us not to expect the same level of friendliness as we encountered in Ontario, but to us this couldn’t be further from the truth.
5. Lisbon, Portugal
The city of Lisbon had been on our bucket list for several years and we weren’t disappointed. That said, we won’t return in August. Next time we’ll pick a time when there are fewer tourists. Of course, you can’t blame the millions who choose to visit the Portuguese capital as it is simply breath-taking.
Firstly, you have the old town and Alfama district, where you can wonder the cobblestone streets and enjoy traditional Fado music and some wonderful views.
Closer to the sea you can visit the new town, which dates back to a relatively recent 18th Century having been rebuilt after a massive earthquake in 1755. Then head slightly out of town to the Belem Tower and Mosteiro dos Jerónimos. While you are there make sure you try an original Pastel de Belém, the classic Portuguese egg custard tart.
Local travel is special in Lisbon thanks to historic trams, funiculars and Elevador de Santa Justa, a wrought iron, outdoor elevator built in the 19th Century. Wherever any of this takes you, you can be sure to find fabulous fresh seafood dishes, including the Portuguese classic of grilled sardines.
6. Ottawa, Canada
Several of our Canadian friends told us that Ottawa is boring and that everyone is tucked up in bed by 8pm with a cup of cocoa. We quickly found out that this was nonsense, and that Ottawa is a vibrant city with much to see and do both in the day and night.
After a month staying in an Airbnb apartment we decided to try our hand at housesitting and when we got the opportunity to spend two weeks looking after Tyler, a 13-year cat in Ottawa, we jumped at the chance.
Ottawa is somewhere that every Canadian should visit at least once in their life. The classic attractions around Parliament Hill and along the Ottawa River and Rideau Canal are all essential sights.
We were lucky to be in town for the annual tulip festival, the largest in the world, and I know that Nick enjoyed his afternoon in the National Gallery of Canada. We took an evening stroll across the lovely Alexandra Bridge into Gatineau, which is in the Province of Quebec. Many evenings were spent in the Byward Market area where there were bars, restaurants and street performers. If this is boring, I want more of it and not a mug of cocoa in sight!
7. Amsterdam, Netherlands
While I had visited Amsterdam some years ago, I was amazed that Nick had never been there before, despite visiting all the bordering countries and transiting through Schiphol Airport about a dozen times. He put this right this summer, as we spent five days in the Netherlands’ capital.
Rather like Lisbon, Amsterdam can be packed full of tourists in August, and it was especially busy when we visited, as it was hosting Pride Amsterdam, an annual festival that celebrates freedom and diversity. It differs from other Gay Pride events which began as demonstrations for equal rights, which probably says something about Dutch attitudes towards inclusivity. The highlight for us was definitely the canal parade, with hundreds of gaudily decorated boats and equally gaudily dressed passengers and crew.
There is something special charting the course of the life of a genius through his artistic output.
8. San Cayetano and Pinoso, Spain
The primary purpose of our trip to southern Spain was to visit Nick’s family: his parents in San Cayetano and his brother and wife who live near Pinoso. We spent most of the time staying at his parents’ house, enjoying lazy days and leisurely lunches, which to Nick’s delight were dominated by fresh seafood.
The city of Murcia, the capital of the region of the same name is definitely worth a visit. The centre of the old town is pedestrianised and most of the major sight are walkable, including the gothic style cathedral, completed in 1465, and the city’s oldest bridge, the Puente de los Peligros.
We also enjoyed the city of Cartagena, which is situated on the Mediterranean coast and has a beautifully preserved Roman theatre that was built between 5 and 1 BCE.
Our trip to Pinoso to visit Nick’s brother and to celebrate their parents’ diamond wedding anniversary allowed us to enjoy a wonderful drive through the Spanish countryside and spend a couple of nights in a gorgeous bead and breakfast in the tiny hamlet of Caballusa.
9. Quebec City, Canada
Our final Canadian destination of 2022 was Quebec City , a relaxing three-hour train trip from Montreal on VIA Rail. Quebec City really is the closest you can get to a European style getaway without leaving North America. We spent a packed weekend in Quebec City and there really is so much to see and do.
Much of your time will likely be consumed wandering around the cobbled streets of the old town and Petit-Champlain, which are both storybook pretty.
You also won’t want to miss the Quebec Citadelle and the Plains of Abraham, which are full of history. Of course, the centrepiece of the city is the impressive Chateau Frontenac hotel, which dominates the Quebec City skyline from every angle.
A short drive outside of the city are the magnificent Montmorency Falls, which are 30m higher than the falls at Niagara. You can easily spend a whole day here, as there are hiking trails, a cable car, ferrata routes (iron walkways), a vertigo inducing suspension bridge and an amazing 300m zipline.
10. Szczecin, Poland
Our shortest trip of 2022 was a day trip from Berlin by FlixBus to Szczecin, the third largest city in Poland and former capital of West Pomerania. It’s often described as the cultural showcase of Poland because of the number of festivals and events. So maybe it was no major coincidence that we picked the sailing festival ‘Sails 2022’ for our whistlestop visit.
The town has a lovely old town cobblestone square, with several delightful restaurants serving extremely filling polish dishes.
Unfortunately, despite the convincing look, it’s not genuine as the city was completely destroyed in the Second World War and only reconstructed in 1994. It’s a similar story, with the nearby Pomeranian Dukes’ Castle, which was originally built in the 1570s and which required significant reconstruction after the war. Nevertheless, enough of the original castle remained intact or was reclaimed to make it a worthwhile visit.
The highlight for us was the Chrobry Embankment, where three stately buildings, including the National Museum, sit atop a 500m observation deck that affords fabulous views across the Oder River. From there you can’t miss the giant ferris wheel on the island of Łasztownia.
Looking back, 2022 turned out to be a much better year for travel than we had expected when we celebrated the new year quietly at home. Of course, we didn’t get to go back to Asia, Africa or South America, but we have high hopes to return in 2023. What about you? Have you been to any of our 2022 destinations and, if so, what do you think of them?
Author
Monique Abbott
Hi, I ’m Monique, founder and editor-in-chief of Yes2Yolo, travel addict, lover of home makeover projects among many other passions, including creative and inspirational writing to embolden us to live our best lives. At my core, I am a creative artistic being and I believe that creativity knows no end.
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I’ve explored over 60 countries with my husband Nick. Together we’ve partnered on some truly exciting projects such as creating and running a successful Airbnb business, chairing condo boards, purchasing fixer-uppers and renovating them from scratch on our own while balancing all of this with full-time jobs and family.
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While my personal passions are travel and home décor, I am, by profession, a lawyer with over 17 years experience.
