Planning a trip for this year and trying to decide where to go and what to see? Keep reading for my recommendations for the best places to travel in 2023.
The Burren, Ireland
Spread across 1,800 hectares in County Clare in the west of Ireland, the Burren National Park combines a rocky, grey surface with an array of flora and fauna, resulting in a stark but poetic beauty that is unique to the area.
The landscape was formed millions of years ago and is now home to its own style of farming which has a history that is more than 6,000 years old. The Burren is alive with history and tradition, as well as amazing hospitality and delicious food, and is one of the best places to travel in 2023.
One of my favourite locations in Ireland, and one of the most distinctive environments in the world, the Burren is a place which calls me back again and again, offering me something new and captivating each and every time.
The park’s information point can be found in Corofin, which is open from April to September each year and provides a free shuttle bus from May to September.
Some of the main points of interest in the Burren include:
- Poulnabrone Dolmen
- Ailwee Cave
- Father Ted’s House
Click here for my full Ireland road trip itinerary
Times Square, New York, USA
The centre of New York City, Times Square is one of the most recognisable intersections in the world. With its flashing neon signs, costumed characters and musicians, popular retail outlets and eateries, and the well-known TKTS booth, the bowtie-shaped junction of Broadway, Seventh Avenue and 42nd Street draws an estimated 50 million tourists each year, making it one of the world’s most visited attractions.
Known as Long Acre Square in the late 1800’s, the brightly lit square we know today was once nothing more than a large empty space surrounded by drab apartments. The area was renamed in the spring of 1904, and in January 1905, the New York Times moved into their new headquarters in the Times Tower, which was the second tallest building in New York at the time, built between Broadway and Seventh Avenue and 42nd and 43rd Streets.
Now the hub of the Broadway theatre district and the venue for the city’s New Year’s Eve ball drop, Times Square is a destination that has a place on most people’s travel bucket lists, and is definitely one of the best places to travel in 2023.
Port Arthur, Tasmania, Australia
Located roughly 100 kilometres outside of Hobart city in the state of Tasmania, the ruins of the Port Arthur convict settlement are a popular tourist attraction. The naturally secure peninsula is mostly surrounded by water, with the remaining 30 metre wide piece of land connecting it to the mainland being guarded by soldiers, traps and vicious dogs during its time as a prison community.
The site is one of a collection of 11 remnant penal facilities which were built in Australia during the 18th and 19th century, and one of 4 in the state of Tasmania. After it ceased its use as a prison in 1877, many of the buildings were neglected and allowed to decay, until 1979 when funding was received to preserve the site as a tourist destination.
On 28 April 1996, the Port Arthur historic site was the location of a massacre where 35 people were killed and 23 more were injured by a gunman on a killing spree., an incident which resulted in fundamental changes being made to Australia’s gun laws.
Visitors to the site can explore buildings including the penitentiary, the police station, the asylum and the church, as well as the Isle of the Dead, a small island where the colony’s cemetery is located.
Click here to visit the official Port Arthur website.
Ubud, Bali, Indonesia
Located in central Bali, Ubud is often considered the spiritual and cultural capital of the island. It is home to temples, palaces and markets, and is also an ideal base for exploring the waterfalls and rice terraces of the surrounding area.
With friendly locals, delicious food, and a huge range of tourist attractions and day trips to choose from, this lush jungle destination is almost impossible not to fall in love with. The traffic is busy but definitely less hectic than other parts of Bali, and it’s easy to see why this is a mecca for yoga, meditation, and all things spiritual.
Although Ubud isn’t actually my favourite part of Bali, as I prefer to be closer to the beach in coastal areas like Canggu, this inland paradise is definitely a must see for first time visitors to Bali, making it one of the best places to travel in 2023.
Click here to read my guide on how to spend 2 days in Ubud
What to see in and around Ubud
- Sacred Monkey Forest
- Saraswati Temple
- Campuhan Ridge Walk
- Ubud Palace
- Tegalalang Rice Terrace
- Tegenungan Waterfall
- Tirta Empul Temple
Click here to read my 2 week Bali itinerary
The Catacombs, Paris
Beneath the glamorous and romanticised city of Paris, in a labyrinth of tunnels almost a mile long, sits an underground ossuary which houses the bones of an estimated 6 million people, more than the living population of the city above.
Now a popular tourist attraction, the ossuary was originally a solution to overcrowding problems in the city’s cemeteries. Beginning in 1786, it took a number of months to transfer the remains from most of Paris’s cemeteries to their final resting place, where they were unceremoniously dropped down a mine shaft before being arranged into artistic walls.
In the past, queueing times were notoriously long, with lines of waiting visitors wrapping around the custom house to enter and descend the 130 steps to the underground ossuary. When I visited a number of years ago, I queued for three and a half hours in the rain. New health restrictions were introduced after the pandemic, and pre booking is now essential. Click here for ticket prices and bookings.
The maze of tunnels, with its deep history and sombre atmosphere, feels a million miles away from the bustle and buzz of the city above it, and is, in my humble opinion, one of the best places to visit in 2023.
Click here to read my tips for visiting Paris on a budget
Fraser Island, Australia
With its rainforests and sand dunes, lakes and creeks, and an abundance of wildlife including dingoes and the occasional saltwater crocodile, Fraser Island’s 1,655 square kilometres of unspoilt beauty is truly one of the most beautiful places I have ever seen.
A UNESCO World Heritage site, and the largest sand island in the world, Fraser Island is home to rainforests, eucalyptus woodlands, peat swamps, mangrove forests, sand dunes and coastal heaths. The only way to get around is by 4 wheel drive, and even then many parts of the island are still not accessible by land and can only be seen by plane.
Visitors have a wide range of tour options to choose from. I can personally recommend Adventure Free Tours, the company I travelled with when I stayed there a few years ago. Most of the tours offer one or more days of exploring the island by 4 wheel drive, and include stops like Eli Creek, 75 Mile Beach, Champagne Pools, Maheno Shipwreck, and the stunningly serene Lake McKenzie.
With accommodation options ranging from good old fashioned camping, to shared hostel style accommodation, to hotel rooms, there really is something for every style of travel, so make sure to add Fraser Island to your 2023 travel wish list.
Click here to read my 6 week Australia itinerary
Seattle, USA
My favourite city in the US, and my very first solo travel destination back in 2017, Seattle holds a very special place in my heart. Shiny and touristy, but also a little bit grimy and very, very real, the “birthplace of grunge” is a destination with many layers to discover and is full of hidden gems and surprises.
Probably best known internationally for the Space Needle, Seattle has a lot more to offer to its visitors. The Seattle Center, an active civic, arts and family gathering place in the heart of the city, is home to more than 30 cultural, educational, sports and entertainment organisations. This is where you will find the iconic Space Needle, as well as Chihuly Garden and Glass, the Museum of Pop Culture, and so much more.
Away from the shine of the Seattle Center, fans of the 90s grunge scene can explore the Capitol Hill neighbourhood, home to venues like the Comet Tavern and Linda’s Tavern, which played a large part in the city’s involvement in the rise of what has come to be known as the Seattle sound.
Venturing outside of the city itself, just a 2 hour drive away is Snoqualmie, home to the beautiful Snoqualmie Falls waterfall, and also the location for much of the outdoor filming for the Twin Peaks TV series and movie.
With so much to see and do, and such a deep connection to the music and pop culture of the 80s and 90s, Seattle is definitely one of the best places to travel in 2023.
Click here to read all about how Seattle stole my heart
Gili Islands, Lombok, Indonesia
One of my favourite places in Indonesia, the Gili islands are just a 90 minute boat ride from Bali but the pace of life is much slower. Immediately upon arriving, you will feel like you have rewound to a much simpler time.
There are 3 main islands to choose from, Gili Trawangan, Gili Air and Gili Meno, and each has its own laid back style and character to offer. There is no motorised transport available on the islands, making them the perfect place to disconnect and switch off for a few days or even a week or two.
A combination of offshore coral reefs, calm conditions and crystal clear waters makes the Gilis a perfect location for snorkelling and diving, so it’s no surprise that this is one of the most popular dive destinations in Southeast Asia.
There’s also a great selection of impressive but affordable accommodation to suit any budget and travel style. Visitors can choose from hostels, budget hotels, and private villas. Local boats make island hopping between the 3 Gilis simple and inexpensive, and the sunsets are literally next level beautiful.
Click here to read my complete guide to visiting the Gili islands
Sydney Harbour Bridge and Sydney Opera House, Australia
Sydney is hands down my favourite city in the world, and Sydney Harbour, with the iconic Opera House and Harbour Bridge is one of my favourite spots of all. With so much to see and do in and around Sydney, it’s hard to pick a favourite place, but the hustle and bustle around the Sydney Harbour area, combined with the views of the iconic Opera House and Harbour Bridge, make it a very deserving winner and one of the best places to travel in 2023.
Sydney Harbour Bridge carries vehicular, rail, bicycle and pedestrian traffic from the CBD area of the city to the North Shore, and is the tallest steel arch bridge in the world. A Sydney Bridge climb is one of the most popular tourist activities, and for anyone adventurous enough to scale the famous structure, you will be rewarded with views of the city below, as well as the World Heritage-listed Blue Mountains and the Pacific Ocean.
The bridge also overlooks the equally famous Sydney Opera House, a multi-venue performing arts centre and masterpiece of 20th century architecture. More than 8 million people visit the outside each year, with roughly 350,000 enjoying a guided tour of the building. I recommend going to see a show there if possible, as it gives a much better perspective of how impressive the venue and its acoustics truly are.
Click here to read about the best things to do in Sydney
The Giza Pyramids, Egypt
One of the original 7 Wonders of the World, and the only one still in existence today, the Giza Pyramids are as inexplicable as they are impressive. How the trio of tombs were built is an absolute mystery, with no ancient plans or other evidence as to how they were constructed.
There are a couple of logical theories as to how such impressive and enduring structures were achieved during a time when the Egyptians had only primitive tools and methods at their disposal. The two most popular of these include the Ramp Theory and the Water Shaft Theory.
There are also a number of more bizarre and ridiculous hypotheses around how and why the pyramids were built, including the speculation that the pyramids were actually built by aliens, and that the nearby Sphinx has a spaceship still buried underneath it.
Regardless of how they were built, the Giza Pyramids, and their neighbour, the Sphinx, are truly a sight to behold and are one of the best places to travel in 2023.
The Great Pyramid, the largest of the three, was built by Pharaoh Khufu around 2550 B.C. His son, Pharaoh Khafre, built the second around 2520 B.C. Pharaoh Khafre’s necropolis also included the Sphinx, a limestone statue with the body of a lion and the head of a pharaoh. The final of the three pyramids, and the smallest, was built around 2490 B.C. by Pharaoh Menkaure.
There is some concern about the safety of travelling to Egypt in recent years, due to political unrest within the country. It is a number of years since I visited, so I cannot give any guidance as to whether I would consider it safe or not. Make sure to do your own research before deciding to visit. Click here to read a recent article published by a solo female traveller about her experience of travelling in Egypt.
Prague, Czech Republic
Prague, the capital and largest city in the Czech Republic, is teeming with history, cool architecture and quirky tourist attractions. From the Charles Bridge and Prague Castle, to the John Lennon Wall and the Museum of Torture, visitors are entertained and impressed by everything that this global city has to offer.
Built on the Vltava River, and home to a population of 1.3 million, Prague has a smaller town feel than some of the other European capitals. The city is very walkable for anyone with a reasonable fitness level, and perfect for those who love to wander and explore.
Petrin Hill and Petrin Tower offer an escape from the bustling streets, and the Old Town Bridge Tower is the perfect place to catch the sunset. A thriving craft beer culture, coupled with local street food specialties like Trdelnik, means that foodies will also find plenty of options to tickle their taste buds.
Click here to read my guide on what to see and do in Prague in one day
The Grand Canyon, USA
Attracting around 5 million visitors each year, the Grand Canyon in Arizona, USA, is certainly no hidden gem or up and coming destination. It’s a well established favourite, and with very good reason. The 277 mile long canyon offers jaw-dropping views and is one of my favourite places that I have ever travelled to.
As part of a longer trip back in 2017, I visited the Grand Canyon to undertake a rim to river to rim hike. The story of the hike itself and the training involved is worthy of a post of its own. Arriving at Maswik Lodge early in the morning, having travelled overnight from LA, we were too early to check into our room and decided to go have our first peek at the canyon while we waited.
Although I had obviously seen many pictures over the years, I was not prepared for the scale and the vastness of what I saw. To this day, I still struggle to find words to describe just how impressive and awe-inspiring it is.
I completed the hike, staying overnight at Phantom Ranch at the bottom of the canyon before hiking back out the next day. It’s an experience I recommend to anyone who is fortunate enough to have the opportunity to do it, but there are also many other ways to experience the majestic beauty of the Grand Canyon.
The South Rim is the best known and most visited area of the Grand Canyon, and this is where you will find most of the hotels and lodges, should you decide to stay overnight. Click here to to see your accommodation options in the Grand Canyon. Within the Grand Canyon Village at the South Rim, there is a free shuttle bus service, making access to the various viewing points easy and hassle-free.
The North Rim, a 4 hour drive away from the more popular South Rim, is at a considerably higher elevation, so that temperatures are cooler and snow is not uncommon. Because of this, the North Rim is only open from May to October.
The West Rim is home to the popular Grand Canyon Skywalk, an open air horseshoe-shaped walkway offering views into the canyon 4,000 feet below. The less visited East Rim is said to be the hardest to reach, but also one of the most rewarding, as it has much smaller crowds.
No matter how you decide to see it, the Grand Canyon is staggeringly beautiful and is one of the best places to travel in 2023.
Irish National Heritage Park, Ireland
Situated on the banks of the River Slaney in my home county of Wexford here in Ireland, the Irish National Heritage Park is a 40 acre outdoor museum showcasing the history of this small but mighty island.
Spread across three main eras, Prehistoric Ireland, Early Christian Ireland, and the Age of Invasion, the park offers daily guided tours as well as some other very unique experiences. There is a master falconer onsite to introduce visitors to a collection of amazing birds of prey, including owls, hawks and falcons.
The Stayover Experience is one of the most unique overnight accommodation options in Ireland, with overnight visitors having full and exclusive access to the park, and sleeping in either the Viking Settlement or the Ringfort.
There are 16 reconstructed sites to visit and learn about, including a dolmen, crannogs, and a viking ship. It is a must see for anyone visiting Ireland, and one of the best places to travel in 2023.
Click here to read my full Ireland road trip itinerary
Pompeii, Italy
The ancient city of Pompeii, a previously wealthy town, was buried under four to six metres of volcanic ash during the eruption of Mount Vesuvius in 79 AD. Although a lot of detailed evidence of the everyday life of the city’s residents is believed to have been lost or destroyed during excavation, Pompeii is still a window to an ancient world and provides a fascinating insight into the art, customs and trades of the time.
Organic remains, including wooden objects and human bodies, were buried underneath the ash during the eruption. Over time, the objects decayed, leaving voids which could be used as moulds to recreate what had been interred all those years ago. The result was a collection of unique and sometimes gruesome plaster casts of figures during their final moments of life.
The town of Pompeii is just a short train journey from Naples and can be easily visited on a day trip from either Naples or Rome. Modern Pompei, the town which lies on the outskirts of the ancient ruins, is a charming spot with a central square and plenty of restaurants and little shops. Make sure to give yourself time to spend here during your visit.
Niagara Falls, Canada
A collection of three waterfalls that lie on the border between Ontario in Canada and New York state in the US, Niagara Falls is a sight to behold and one of the best places to travel in 2023. The largest of the three, Horseshoe Falls, straddles the border of the two countries, and is the most famous and recognisable.
The two smaller waterfalls, American Falls and Bridal Veil Falls, lie in the state of New York. Although Niagara Falls can technically be visited in the US without crossing the border, the town of Niagara Falls can only be visited by entering Canada, and the best views of the falls are widely believed to only be visible from here.
There are plenty of tourist attractions offering various ways to see and experience the famous waterfalls. The most popular is the Maid of the Mist boat tour which carries passengers into the rapids underneath the falls. A walk through the Cave of the Winds on the US side leads hikers to a point beneath Bridal Veil Falls.
The Journey Behind the Falls experience on the Canadian side guides visitors through 130-year-old tunnels to an observation deck that gives a unique up close and personal perspective of the Horseshoe Falls. There is also a sky wheel in the town of Niagara Falls which gives riders a panoramic view of the awe-inspiring scene from above.
Thank you for reading my guide to the best places to travel in 2023.
These are all places which I have visited and can personally recommend. I love to hear about other people’s travel experiences and suggestions, so please leave a comment if you have any recommendations for the best places for me to travel in 2023.
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