Wondering where to get the best travel inspiration?

As a frequent and enthusiastic traveller, I get inspiration for my trips from a lot of different sources. I still love to read classic travel magazines as much as I love to follow a ton of great travel accounts on social media.

The main reason I love to read other travel blogs is because you can learn so much more about a destination, hotel or restaurant from a blogger then you would get from any guidebook or magazine, or a simple picture posted on Instragram.

It is the individual stories about an experience made when exploring a destination, focus on particular fields like cultural travel, local food, wine and spirits through to all the different sorts of ramblings on travel planning, travel mishaps or just life in general that attracts me to a blog.

The below list of 10 of my favourite travel blogs covers a broad range of travel styles all offering something very unique and special and that’s the reason I love to follow them. No traffic stats and follower numbers involved though several of them are award-winning blogs.

 

Anna Everywhere

Anna Karsten is a real citizen of the world. While she has travelled the world for the past 10 years, she is not your typical digital nomad. Instead, she has lived (and studied) in many of the countries she writes about and her stories not only cover destinations; Anna regularly writes about travelling with diseases (she’s been diagnosed with psoriasis), travel mishaps, how it is to travel with a pet or provides insightful information you need to know when travelling at a specific destination.

It is in particular this honest and helpful behind-the-scenes insight why I love this blog. You can be sure what you read is not just the ‘this trip is great and you need to go there as well’ typical post trying to sell you a destination or hotel. It’s what you need to judge for yourself if you might like or not like a place.

 

The Blonde Abroad

Kiersten, called Kiki, describes her blog as ‘ the go-to website for solo and female travel around the world– for all women, by women’. She has travelled to over 70 countries and writes about almost everything travel related from nature to wildlife, beaches, skiing, luxury travel, culture, road trips, adventure, food, trip planning and photography.

In addition to the inspiring travel stories, I love to follow along for her insightful travel tips covering the not so glamorous part of travelling strewn into the mix every now and then.

 

Hand Luggage Only

Lloyd and Yaya are two travel addicts who love to combine travel and food, and their travel essays are just awesome and  they cover close to every destination on the planet from Austria to Germany, Spain, the UK, Scandinavia, Canada, the US, Brazil, Morocco, South Africa, Australia, Singapore, Malaysia, Thailand and anywhere I did not mention.

Look for any place you can think of, and Lloyd and Yaya will have an awesome story on their blog and most likely tips on where and what to eat.

The main reason I fell in love with their blog and follow them through various social media sites however is the awesome photography. Looking at their photos and those I made at the same destinations is – well let’s say it that way – a constant source of inspiration!

 

Gastrotravelogue

Janine Thomas writes about and indeed combines my two favourite topics:  Food and travel.

On her blog, you will find city and destination guides, travel tips, hotel reviews and above all exciting culinary treats while travelling. From dishes you must try in Thailand, learning to make pasta in Florence, the best brunches in London or a food tour through Seville, there is something for everyone who loves to explore local cuisine while travelling.

Do I have to tell you more?

 

The Travel Bunny

Suzanne Jones writes about travel, food and adventures around the world for those that are no longer in their 20s.

Her blog covers destinations, travel tips, occasional hotel reviews and indeed lots of culinary quirks like travelling to wine regions and where and what to eat.

It’s the kind of seeking adventure and seeing new destinations coupled with the desire of a good dose of comfort and luxury in travel that I like.

 

The Wanderlust Effect

A travel addict part-time blogger working in the hospitality sector, Shannon Kircher blogs since 2009 (initially as ‘The Traveling Scholar’ but later rebranding to her current site) sharing her travel experiences from around the world.

Shannon describes her travel style as affordable luxury and her site covers destination guides, hotel reviews, cultural and culinary travel, travel tips along with fashion tips for travellers.

It’s that overall mix and the little culinary quirks that makes me enjoy following The Wanderlust Effect.

 

Whiskied Wanderlust

A very recent addition to my list of favourite travel blogs, I discovered Whiskied Wanderlust after I booked a culinary weekend packaged at one of my favourite hotels featuring a whisky and food pairing menu. Being that researcher at heart, I couldn’t go without diving into some research on whisky and that how I came across the blog.

Kelli Nakagama who describes herself as a whiskey-obsessed travel fanatic started blogging in 2010 covering food, travel and opera but along the way discovered her love of whisky and new strews in stories about distillery visits, whisky reviews and anything whisky in general.

There is also a lot about solo travel, where and what to eat, food pairings and the occasional ramblings on life in general.

It is the great mix of travel and food stories and that I have taken quite the interest in learning more about whisky myself that keeps me coming back to Whiskied Wanderlust.

 

Luxe Tiffany

Tiffany Dowd is a global luxury hotel expert and besides her blog writes for a number of well-known luxury travel publications such as The Telegraph and US Today.

What I like about the blog is the interesting mix of inside stories about hotels (more than simple reviews Tiffany often includes behind-the-scene news about new collaborations and partnerships and hotel debuts), lifestyle, fashion and beauty.

Though updates to the blog are relatively limited to about one per month, once there is something new you can count to read an awesome story.

 

Mrs O around the World

Ana Silva O’Reilly describes her travel style as “I love camping… in 5 star hotels” or rather following her mother’s advice ‘ if you are leaving home, it has to be to a better place’.

Her destinations guides, hotel and airline reviews and lifestyle products definitely matches these claims, and my preferred way of travelling!

On a unrelated topic to travel, another similarity is our respective backgrounds in real estate where Ana once worked as Marketing Director for a well-known international real estate consultancy, the same field I still work in (for a different but likewise well-know international RE consultant).

 

The Foodaholic

One of the first blogs I started to follow and still one of my most favourite. Gary Berry is the role model of the food addict traveller. His blog is full of restaurant reviews and enticing pictures of all things food. He also adds a great mix of travel writing and hotel reviews. When he does, be assured there will always be some link to excellent food too.

Though many of the restaurant reviews are from around the UK, The Foodaholic covers a wide range of destinations across Europe.

It’s the perfect blog if you love food and fine-dining and discover some of the best food stays (aka luxury hotels with a culinary twist) in Europe.

 

What are your favourite travel blogs? Do you follow or know any of the above? Let me know.