My best travel experiences of 2021 are directly related to nine of this blog’s travel resources: Archaeological Sites, Castles and Palaces, Gardens and Parks, Museum Guides, Religious Temples, Travel Itineraries, and World Heritage!

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Best Travel Experiences of 2021: The Countries

During 2021, I managed to travel to a total of four countries – unlike last year, when I only had the opportunity to get to know three countries. Of these four countries, the most explored was Portugal, followed by Spain!

Between vaccines, tests, masks, disinfectants, quarantines, and social distancing, traveling around Europe (and beyond) has become a very challenging and complicated, but not impossible hobby. These were the 4 countries that I visited in 2021:

• Andorra – in September
• Luxembourg – in November
• Portugal – from January to December
• Spain – in September

Best Travel Experiences of 2021: The Cities, Towns, and Villages

One of my best travel experiences of 2021 was, without a doubt, exploring nineteen cities, towns, and villages for the first time in my life. And to these, I ended up adding thirty-one repeated European locations!

• Abrantes (Portugal) – in April
• Alcobaça (Portugal) – in April and September
• Almeida (Portugal) – in June
• Almourol (Portugal) – in April
• Amarante (Portugal) – in August
• Andorra la Vella (Andorra) – in August
• Arcos de Valdevez (Portugal) – in July
• Barcelona (Spain) – in September
• Batalha (Portugal) – in April and September
• Belmonte (Portugal) – in June
• Braga (Portugal) – from January to December
• Bombarral (Portugal) – in April
• Castelo Mendo (Portugal) – in June
• Castelo Novo (Portugal) – in June
• Castelo Rodrigo (Portugal) – in June
• Coimbra (Portugal) – in September
• Constância (Portugal) – in April
• Entroncamento (Portugal) – in April and September
• Escaldes-Engordany (Andorra) – in September
• Fátima (Portugal) – in April
• Girona (Spain) – in September
• Guimarães (Portugal) – in April and September
• Idanha-a-Velha (Portugal) – in June
• Linhares da Beira (Portugal) – in June
• Lisbon (Portugal) – in April, August, and September
• Luxembourg (Luxembourg) – in November
• Mafra (Portugal) – in April
• Marco de Canaveses (Portugal) – in August
• Marialva (Portugal) – in June
• Mira de Aire (Portugal) – in April
• Monsanto (Portugal) – in June
• Óbidos (Portugal) – in April
• Ortiga (Portugal) – in April
• Penafiel (Portugal) – in July and August
• Piódão (Portugal) – in June
• Porto (Portugal) – in May
• Queluz (Portugal) – in April
• Sabugal (Portugal) – in June
• Santa Coloma de Cervelló (Spain) – in September
• Sintra (Portugal) – in April
• Soajo (Portugal) – in July
• Sortelha (Portugal) – in June
• Tarragona (Spain) – in September
• Tomar (Portugal) – in April and September
• Torres Novas (Portugal) – in April
• Torres Vedras (Portugal) – in April
• Tortosendo (Portugal) – in June
• Trancoso (Portugal) – in June
• Vianden (Luxembourg) – in November
• Vila Nova da Barquinha (Portugal) – in April

Best Travel Experiences of 2021: The Archaeological Sites

Archaeological sites are one of my least explored travel resources on my travel blog, as this type of site is not part of everyone’s travel itinerary. Nevertheless, I love both visiting and writing about them! One of my best travel experiences of 2021 was entering eleven new archaeological sites!

These were the 12 archaeological sites that I visited in 2021:

• Almofala Tower (Figueira de Castelo Rodrigo, Portugal) – in June
• Arab Baths (Girona, Spain) – in September
• Bragandelo Fort (Arcos de Valdevez, Portugal) – in July
• Castro of Monte Mozinho (Penafiel, Portugal) – in July and August
• Centum Cellas Tower (Belmonte, Portugal) – in June
• Colony Forum (Tarragona, Spain) – in September
• Early Christian Necropolis (Tarragona, Spain) – in September
• Fountain of the Idol (Braga, Portugal) – in July
• Roman Amphitheatre (Tarragona, Spain) – in September
• Roman Baths of Alto da Cividade (Braga, Portugal) – in July
• Roman Circus (Tarragona, Spain) – in September
• Roman Ruins of Villa Cardillio (Torres Novas, Portugal) – in April

Best Travel Experiences of 2021: The Castles

Like so many other travelers, castles are one of my favorite types of landmarks to visit and one of my preferred travel resources to write about on my travel blog. One of my best travel experiences of 2021 was seeing four new castles!

Here are the 20 castles that I visited in 2021:

• Abrantes Castle (Portugal) – in April
• Almourol Castle (Vila Nova da Barquinha, Portugal) – in April
• Castle of Almeida (Portugal) – in June
• Castle of Belmonte (Portugal) – in June
• Castle of Castelo Mendo (Portugal) – in June
• Castle of Castelo Novo (Portugal) – in June
• Castle of Castelo Rodrigo (Portugal) – in June
• Castle of Linhares da Beira (Portugal) – in June
• Castle of Marialva (Portugal) – in June
• Castle of Monsanto (Portugal) – in June
• Castle of Óbidos (Portugal) – in April
• Castle of Sortelha (Portugal) – in April
• Castle of Torres Novas (Portugal) – in April
• Castle of Torres Vedras (Portugal) – in April
• Castle of Trancoso (Portugal) – in April
• Guimarães Castle (Portugal) – in April
• Montjuïc Castle (Barcelona, Spain) – in September
• Moorish Castle (Sintra, Portugal) – in April
• Sabugal Castle (Portugal) – in April
• Vianden Castle (Luxembourg) – in November

Best Travel Experiences of 2021: The Gardens

Not everyone knows but gardens are one of my most recent travel resources added to my travel blog. This is because my niche history, culture, heritage travel, and gardens are often part of the outdoor and adventure travel niche. One of my best travel experiences of 2021 was strolling in seven new gardens!

These were the 10 gardens that I visited in 2021:

• Bacalhôa Buddha Eden Garden (Bombarral, Portugal) – in April
• Cerco Garden (Mafra, Portugal) – in April
• Garden of Saint Barbara (Braga, Portugal) – in April and July
• Garden of the Villa Sassetti (Sintra, Portugal) – in April
• Gardens of the Abrantes Castle (Portugal) – in April
• Gardens of the National Palace of Queluz (Portugal) – in April
• Gardens of the National Palace of Sintra (Portugal) – in April
• Horto de Camões Garden (Constância, Portugal) – in April
• Love Garden (Alcobaça, Portugal) – in April
• Municipal Garden of Torres Novas (Portugal) – in April

Best Travel Experiences of 2021: The Museums

Did you know that museums are one of the original and most written-about travel resources of my travel blog? I even consider them one of my keystones! One of my best travel experiences of 2021 was visiting forty-two new museums!

Here are the 49 museums that I visited in 2021:

• Abraão Zacuto Luso-Hebrew Museum (Tomar, Portugal) – in April and September
• Alberto Sampaio Museum (Guimarães, Portugal) – in April
• Amadeo de Souza-Cardoso Municipal Museum (Amarante, Portugal) – in August
• Aquiles da Mota Lima Matches Museum (Tomar, Portugal) – in April
• Archaeology Museum of Catalonia (Girona, Spain) – in September
• Baroque Interpretation Center (Arcos de Valdevez, Portugal) – in July
• Biscainhos Museum (Braga, Portugal) – in May
• Carlos Reis Municipal Museum (Torres Novas, Portugal) – in April
• Casa Batlló (Barcelona, Spain) – in September
• Casa de la Vall (Andorra la Vella, Andorra) – in September
• Casa dos Crivos (Braga, Portugal) – in July
• Casa Milà (Barcelona, Spain) – in September
• Casa Vicens (Barcelona, Spain) – in September
• Casino Luxembourg – Forum of Contemporary Art (Luxembourg) – in November
• Cinema Museum – Tomàs Mallol Collection (Girona, Spain) – in September
• Clérigos Museum (Porto, Portugal) – in May
• Early Christian Museum and Necropolis (Tarragona, Spain) – in September
• Egyptian Museum of Barcelona (Spain) – in September
• Fátima Wax Museum (Portugal) – in April
• Grand Duke Jean Museum of Modern Art (Luxembourg) – in November
• Holocaust Museum (Porto, Portugal) – in May
• Jewish Museum of Belmonte (Portugal) – in June
• Joan Miró Foundation (Barcelona, Spain) – in September
• Luxembourg City Museum (Luxembourg) – in November
• Machado de Castro National Museum (Coimbra, Portugal) – in September
• Municipal Museum of Penafiel (Portugal) – in July
• Museum of Jewish History (Girona, Spain) – in September
• Museum of the Basilica of the Sagrada Familia (Barcelona, Spain) – in September
• National Art Museum of Catalonia (Barcelona, Spain) – in September
• National Coach Museum (Lisboa, Portugal) – in April
• National Museum of Ancient Art (Lisbon, Portugal) – in August
• National Museum of Archaeology (Lisbon, Portugal) – in April
• National Museum of History and Art (Luxembourg, Luxembourg) – in November
• National Museum of Natural History (Luxembourg, Luxembourg) – in November
• National Railway Museum (Entroncamento, Portugal) – in April
• Neumünster Abbey (Luxembourg) – in November
• Palace of the Dukes of Braganza (Guimarães, Portugal) – in May
• Picasso Museum in Barcelona (Spain) – in September
• Poble Espanyol (Barcelona, Spain) – in September
• Praxis – Beer Museum of Coimbra (Portugal) – in September
• Sant Pau – Recinte Modernista (Barcelona, Spain) – in September
• Stock Exchange Palace (Porto, Portugal) – in May
• Templar Interpretation Center of Almourol (Vila Nova da Barquinha, Portugal) – in April
• Three Acorns Museum (Luxembourg) – in November
• Treasure-Museum of the Braga Cathedral (Portugal) – in May
• Treasure-Museum of the Porto Cathedral (Portugal) – in May
• Victor Hugo House – Literary Museum (Vianden, Luxembourg) – in November
• Villa Vauban – Art Museum of the City of Luxembourg (Luxembourg) – in November
• Wine Museum of Alcobaça (Portugal) – in September

Best Travel Experiences of 2021: The Palaces

Like so many other travelers, palaces are one of my favorite types of landmarks to visit and one of my preferred travel resources to write about here on my travel blog. One of my best travel experiences of 2021 was seeing seven new palaces!

These were the 11 palaces that I visited in 2021:

• Biscainhos Palace (Braga, Portugal) – in May
• National Palace (Barcelona, Spain) – in September
• National Palace of Mafra (Portugal) – in April
• National Palace of Queluz (Portugal) – in April
• National Palace of Sintra (Portugal) – in April
• Palau de la Música Catalana (Barcelona, Spain) – in September
• Palace of Giela (Arcos de Valdevez, Portugal) – in July
• Palace of Raio (Braga, Portugal) – in July
• Palace of the Dukes of Braganza (Guimarães, Portugal) – in April
• Palau Güell (Barcelona, Spain) – in September
• Stock Exchange Palace (Porto, Portugal) – in May

Best Travel Experiences of 2021: The Parks

Not everyone knows but parks are one of my most recent travel resources added to my travel blog. This is because my niche history, culture, heritage travel, and parks are often part of the outdoor and adventure travel niche. One of my best travel experiences of 2021 was strolling in five new parks!

Here are the 10 parks that I visited in 2021:

• Barquinha Park (Vila Nova da Barquinha, Portugal) – in April
• Bonito Green Park (Entroncamento, Portugal) – in September
• Ciutadella Park (Barcelona, Spain) – in September
• Fence of the Monastery of Saint Martin of Tibães (Braga, Portugal) – in August
• Mouchão Park (Tomar, Portugal) – in April
• National Forest of the Seven Hills (Tomar, Portugal) – in April and September
• National Hunting Park of Mafra (Portugal) – in April
• National Park of Peneda-Gerês (Arcos de Valdevez, Portugal) – in September
• Park Güell (Barcelona, Spain) – in September
• Pétrusse Parks (Luxembourg) – in November

Best Travel Experiences of 2021: The Religious Temples

Religious temples are one of my least explored travel resources on my travel blog, as this type of site is not part of everyone’s travel itinerary. Nevertheless, I love both visiting and writing about them! One of my best travel experiences of 2021 was entering forty-one new religious temples!

These were the 50 religious temples that I visited in 2021:

• Basilica of Mafra (Portugal) – in April
• Basilica of Our Lady of the Rosary (Fátima, Portugal) – in April
• Basilica of Saint Felix (Girona, Spain) – in September
• Basilica of Santa Maria del Mar (Barcelona, Spain) – in September
• Basilica of the Holy Trinity (Fátima, Portugal) – in April
• Basilica of the Sagrada Familia (Barcelona, Spain) – in September
• Beit Eliahu Synagogue (Belmonte, Portugal) – in June
• Braga Cathedral (Portugal) – in May
• Chapel of Saint Benedict of Cando (Arcos de Valdevez, Portugal) – in July
• Chapel of Saint Michael of the Castle (Guimarães, Portugal) – in April
• Chapel of the Apparitions (Fátima, Portugal) – in April
• Church of Colònia Güell (Santa Coloma de Cervelló, Spain) – in September
• Church of Our Lady of Conception (Piódão, Portugal) – in June
• Church of Our Lady of Consolation and Holy Steps (Guimarães, Portugal) – in April
• Church of Our Lady of Mount Carmel (Guimarães, Portugal) – in April
• Church of Our Lady of Oliveira (Guimarães, Portugal) – in April
• Church of Our Lady of the Remedies (Batalha, Portugal) – in September
• Church of Saint Esteve (Andorra la Vella) – in September
• Church of Saint John the Baptist (Tomar, Portugal) – in April
• Church of Saint Mary (Óbidos, Portugal) – in April
• Church of Saint Mary of the Castle (Castelo Mendo, Portugal) – in June
• Church of Saint Nicholas (Vianden, Luxembourg) – in November
• Church of Santa Maria do Olival (Tomar, Portugal) – in April
• Church of the Holy Spirit (Arcos de Valdevez, Portugal) – in July
• Church of the Trinitarians (Vianden, Luxembourg) – in September
• Clérigos Church (Porto, Portugal) – in May
• Convent of Christ (Tomar, Portugal) – in April and September
• Convent of Mafra (Portugal) – in April
• Convent of Saint Francis (Coimbra) – in September
• Convent of the Capuchos (Sintra, Portugal) – in April
• Expiatory Church of the Sacred Heart (Barcelona, Spain) – in September
• Girona Cathedral (Spain) – in September
• Hermitage of Our Lady of Fetal (Batalha) – in September
• Jerónimos Monastery (Lisbon, Portugal) – in April
• Monastery of Alcobaça (Portugal) – in April
• Monastery of Batalha (Portugal) – in April
• Monastery of Saint Martin of Tibães (Braga, Portugal) – in August
• Monastery of Saint Mary of Aguiar (Figueira de Castelo Rodrigo, Portugal) – in June
• Monastery of Saint Mary of Coz (Alcobaça, Portugal) – in September
• Monastery of Serra do Pilar (Vila Nova de Gaia, Portugal) – in May
• Notre Dame Cathedral of Luxembourg (Luxembourg) – in November
• Porto Cathedral (Portugal) – in May
• Saint Michael’s Church (Luxembourg) – in November
• Sanctuary of Our Lady of Peneda (Arcos de Valdevez, Portugal) – in July
• Sanctuary of Our Lady of Piety and Holy Steps (Penafiel, Portugal) – in July
• Sanctuary of Our Lady of the Rosary of Fátima (Portugal) – in April and September
• Sanctuary of Penha (Guimarães, Portugal) – in April
• Santiago Church (Belmonte, Portugal) – in June
• Synagogue of Tomar (Portugal) – in April and September
• Tarragona Cathedral (Spain) – in September

Best Travel Experiences of 2021: The UNESCO World Heritage Sites

Did you know that UNESCO World Heritage sites are one of the original and most written-about travel resources of my travel blog? I even consider them one of my keystones! One of my best travel experiences of 2021 was visiting four new UNESCO World Heritage sites!

Here are the 13 UNESCO World Heritage Sites that I visited in 2021:

• Archaeological Ensemble of Tarraco (Tarragona, Spain) – in September
• City of Luxembourg: its Old Quarters and Fortifications (Luxembourg) – in November
• Convent of Christ in Tomar (Portugal) – in April and September
• Cultural Landscape of Sintra (Portugal) – in April
• Historic Centre of Guimarães (Portugal) – in April
• Historic Centre of Oporto, Luiz I Bridge and Monastery of Serra do Pilar (Portugal) – in May
• Monastery of Alcobaça (Portugal) – in April
• Monastery of Batalha (Portugal) – in April
• Monastery of the Hieronymites and Tower of Belém in Lisbon (Portugal) – in April
• Palau de la Música Catalana and Hospital de Sant Pau, Barcelona (Spain) – in September
• Royal Building of Mafra – Palace, Basilica, Convent, Cerco Garden and Hunting Park (Tapada) (Portugal) – in April
• University of Coimbra – Alta and Sofia (Portugal) – in September
• Works of Antoni Gaudí (Barcelona, Spain) – in September

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