The most impressive trips of the year? This year?! Yes, even in the year of the pandemic, there are some trips to look back to, even if some feel like they have been in another time, before the virus change the way travel looks like today.

This year I managed to fly 14 times, stay outside of my home for 26 nights and use ferries and trains outside my own country. This also marks the first time ever that my husband has stayed abroad longer than I have, as he spent 6 weeks in India!

If you are interested in seeing the lists from previous years, you can find them all here:

10.Lačkroga quarry

Called the most beautiful lake in Latvia, Lāčkroga quarry is in fact, what the name suggests – a quarry. The water is relatively more blue color, sometimes even compared to that of more exotic places. It is on the smaller side, and needs good weather and light conditions to be really enjoyed, and by enjoyed I mean – if you want to take incredible pictures here!

More about the other clear blue water places in Latvia, here.

9.London, UK

The first trip of the year was to London. I have been to London a few times these past few years, but usually not even outside my hotel room or train, this trip was special that even though it was not long, I still had a chance to explore a little bit outside my hotel, even if in walks to the nearby conference center!

8.Katvaru manor linden trees

Katvaru manor linden trees near Limbaži is one of the beautiful palces I got a chance to discover this year, and this location will guarantee stunning Instagram pictures! More about quiet nature places in Latvia, here.

7.Solothurn, Switzerland

At the beginning of the February I had a chance to visit Switzerland again. So it happens that I usually come to places not that widely known or visited, I have been to Davos and Neuchatel before. This time, I had a chance to stay a few nights in Solothurn, enjoying beautiful views from my hotel window, wonderful walks by the river and tasty dinners!

6.Līču Laņģu cliffs

We have wanted to visit Līču Laņģu cliffs for many years, and this year, with all that extra time on weekends, we finally did! Beautiful trail that takes you through some of the most stunning cliff formations in Latvia! See what other places you should visit in Latvia in this article.

5.Cīrulīšu trail

Cīrulīšu nature trail is the place where we have spent most of the time outdoors in Latvia this year. Once we heard that there are kingfishers nesting there, we just had to see him! So for several weekends, sometimes spending 6 h sitting on the ground, we finally got a few pictures of these beautiful birds! Cīrulīši trail is very beautiful also in the winter!

4.Hamburg

My second home, Hamburg. Who knew that in February I’d be visiting it for the last time for the foreseeable future? My favorite restaurants, hotels, my best chocolates and spicy chips for my brother. I miss Hamburg! Read more about it from a time I visited it as a proper tourist.

3.The meadows of Dviete

Driving by the border with Lithuania, we visited the meadows of Dviete in spring, when travel outside of the country was far from possible. At that time, all the nature trails around the capital city were full, yet this one, over 100km away from Riga, was as empty as it gets! Except for the beautiful wild cows and horses that live here! Read more about some of the other places you can visit in Latvia here.

2.Finland near Helsinki

Our last trip abroad for the year was in June, when situation was getting better everywhere and we had a chance to go abroad to Finland! We had wanted to go for years for a proper trip, and this was the best year for that! Visiting the Giant’s kettles, bright blue lakes, blooming flowers and massive rock formations. I am so happy we dared to go there! Read more about Finland here.

1.Seeing brown bears in the wild in Estonia

The title of the most amazing trip of the year, without any doubt, goes to the roadtrip to Estonia to see the brown bears in the wild! At the time, in May, we had the Baltic travel bubble and the borders had just started opening up again. As soon as we heard about the opportunity to go there, we didn’t hesitate the least! Seeing bears, racoon dogs, moose, doe, visiting bogs an watchtowers, this was an incredibly memorable trip!

Bonus: Sometimes, you don’t need to go far – if I had to pick one favorite photo spot for the year, this would be a sunflower field near a highway on a semi cloudy August evening in Latvia!