As a traveler, 2016 was without any doubt one of my best years. Even though I must admit that I didn’t discovered many new destinations, this year gave me the opportunity to rediscover some that I have already visited but looking at them from different perspectives. This is the reason why I decided to recap some of the most amazing experiences I lived in 2016 traveling. These were my favorite 5:

1. TBEX Europe

Since Summer 2015 I was preparing myself to attend my first TBEX. I have already read so much about TBEX, some great experiences, others not so great. The truth is that once I left to Stockholm (for third time) I knew that experience was going to be unforgettable.

Stockholm and TBEX made possible the fact to meet so many wonderful online people offline and at the same time to reunite with some I have already met before. Its always exciting to meet someone new and say “Hey, I read your article!” Its finally being able to meet the human being behind those articles you have already enjoyed.

TBEX took me for second time in my life to ABBA The Museum, that as you might have read before, is one of my favorite museums. While attending TBEX I also had the chance to be part of two Pre-Tours: one about the art on the Stockholm subways station and a Sodermalm Food Tour. As well, I had the opportunity to go on a Post-trip to the city of Norrköping (city I almost missed).

All the experiences I lived during those days in fact were some of the best things that happened to me in 2016.

2. Spend my birthday in Perugia, Italy

Definitely, this was the best birthday of my life. I arrived to Perugia two days before my 27th birthday and I knew exactly what I was going to do: enjoy the food, walk, discover a lot more of Perugian views, and visit the Baci Perugia chocolate factory. I spent my birthday doing the chocolate factory tour and I gave myself a half kg of Baci chocolates.

As you might imagine, I also ate a lot of gelato there but also, pasta, pizza and those famous italian apperitivi. I never stop saying that Perugia is my favorite city in the world.

 * Shame on me that my post about the Baci Perugina chocolate factory tour is still not available in English. If you want to check it out in Spanish, press here. Hopefully, in a few weeks this will be available in English. UPDATE: You can find the English version here.

3. Moving to Girona, Spain to start my Masters Degree

Mi primer día en Girona

While I was celebrating my birthday in Italy I received the best message ever: I was admitted to the Cultural Tourism Masters in the University of Girona. I knew this was something I wanted to do, because it represented a lot of benefits in my careers as a blogger and also, it will teach me a lot of lessons needed to be an entrepreneur in the fields I love the most: traveling and cultures. In that exact moment, Girona represented a question mark for me. It was a city I have not visited before. The closest I had been until that moment was Barcelona, and that was way before I considered blogging.

Three months laters after arriving to this city, I still think this has been one of the best decisions of my life. Everyday is a new opportunity to become a better human being and professional.

Check the reasons why I prefer living in Spain rather than Miami.

4. Going back to Italy

Thanks to a well known airline that had a sale from Girona to Pisa, Italy in 11€ roundtrip, I was able to go back to Italy in November. This time I visited the north of the country. Thanks to my friend Johanette, I had the chance to visit Udine, Cividale del Friuli, Grado and Aquileia. Over there I got to try some of the most amazing Italian food I ever tried (and it was different, because it was authentic food from the region of Friuli, not the traditional pasta!)

Spaghetti Alle Vongole in Grado, Italy

The amazing Friulian Frico (Made of potatoes and cheese)

After those days in northern Italy (and after having planned that I would come back by Pisa) I decided to go back to Perugia for the love of volleyball, Luciano De Cecco and Aleksandar Atanasijevic. It was in that moment that I decided to reschedule my bus trip and spent 15 hours in the bus (with no food, I admit I’m bad at packing food!) just to see my favorite team playing. It was worth all the effort.

The Argentine setter of Perugia, (This isn’t the best day of the year, but of my whole life! My biggest crush in the world!) Luciano De Cecco.

My serbian love, Aleksander Atanasijevic

5. Going back to Oslo in Summer and exploring the museums

Thanks to the support of Visit Oslo, I had the opportunity to explore the city of Oslo for the third time in my life and rediscover places that I have already been to discover for the first time. Of the places I visited, my favorites were the National Library which had an exposition about Nora, the character from Henrik Ibsen’s “A Doll’s House” and the Ibsen Museum (pretty obvious I’m a fan of Ibsen’s theater, right?) and the Folkmuseet.

View this post on Instagram

A post shared by Brenda 🇵🇷 Escritora | Viajera (@traveleira)

If you want to read more about the top things to do in Oslo

The “not so good” about traveling…

The worst thing about traveling so much was feeling completely alone in certain moments. I always travel on my own, but that feeling of extreme loneliness was something new. It was for that reason that I discussed it on this article I wrote for Huffington Post.

In general, 2016 was an amazing year. I’m anxious to know what 2017 will bring when it comes to travel and new experiences.