Two months ago I had know idea where I would be spending Christmas, but a random email brought me to Finland, the home of Santa. It’s wasn’t my first Christmas away from Australia, but it was the most culturally different.

I was excited to visit Paris again so close to Christmas. It made the city feel even more magical. Here are some of my favourite photos from Christmas time in Paris.

Here’s five great cafes to check out when visiting Edinburgh, Istanbul, Paris, Lisbon and Barcelona.

I’ve really enjoyed having so many options to get around while travelling in Europe – planes, trains, buses and ferries. The last isn’t a popular option for a lot of travellers, but here’s five reasons it should be!

It was the most disgusting and awesome thing I’ve eaten. A sandwich filled with five kinds of meat, topped with an egg and melted cheese, dripping in a sauce made from beer and surrounded by chips. Yep, that’s francesinha.

All I knew about Coimbra when I got there was “university town, steep streets”. I left having been introduced to a quirky city full of history, traditions and pastries.

It’s been three months and the verdict on spontaneous travel is in: I LOVE IT. It hasn’t always been easy, but the experience has changed how I’ll travel in the future.

Visiting a Turkish Hamam in the town of Antakya was one of the most invasive, awkward and confusing experiences I’ve ever had.

Travelling in Serbia is fun, beautiful and incredibly frustrating. It’s a country that has yet to embrace mass tourism. That makes for a interesting travel experience, but not an easy one.

Visiting Pamukkale made me really, really happy. It is such a beautiful, natural sight and I’d never seen anything like it. The white cliffs trickling with warm water from the hot springs below the ground are spectacular. In case you never have the chance to see it for yourself, this is what it’s all about.