The year comes to an end, and these round-up posts are always helpful. Apart from counting the places I visited in the past twelve months, they also make me appreciate travel blogging. My 2023 year review is not that different from the ones you’ve read in the past. I only expect the tone to be different.
For example, in 2020, I sounded worried; in 2021, I was frustrated; only in the 2022 recap did I feel relieved and alive again. However, 2023 allowed me to travel freely and also to focus on what mattered to me the most. No, I didn’t travel to that many places compared to previous years. However, I handpicked each destination carefully and tried to make the most of it.
Therefore, in my 2023 year review, you will find the places that impacted me and my travel blog. As always, I visited these places following my gut feeling or curiosity. No matter what, I always had in mind that I wanted to present these places to you, the readers of Letters to Barbara.
So, let’s begin with the 2023 recap and the places I visited.
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The 2023 Year Review: Some Proper Travel Blogging Days
So, here are the places that marked this travel blog in 2023. In the following section, you’ll also see the few videos I filmed during the last twelve months.
January 2023: The plains of Arcadia
The year started with a journey to the hometown of my father. This family trip to Tripolis in the prefecture of Arcadia has been discussed for a long time. And although January is always a relatively cold month in Greece, it was a real pleasure to enjoy some sunny days in the heart of winter.
The city of Tripolis is compact, but the reason to visit it is the impressive mountainous landscape surrounding it. Although that’s not totally clear from the photo I chose, there’s a chain of villages in the nearby mountains, and each deserves a visit. However, one of the most interesting spots is located in the plains of Arcadia, next to the archaeological site of Mantineia.
I’m talking about Agia Fotini Church, which is one of the most unusual churches you’ll find in Greece. Combining different architectural elements and its location in the middle of nowhere makes it a place to see. I wrote an article about it, and you can read more about the story of Agia Fotini Church here.
February 2023: That dictionary in Kassel, Germany
Although the month’s lowlight was that I got Covid for the first time and, subsequently, lost the biggest part of the Berlinale, I’d like to focus on a dictionary. Well, it’s actually a museum that resembles a dictionary. If this sounds confusing, I can assure you it’s not.
The German city of Kassel welcomed me with extreme cold and cloudy skies. However, I was curious to see the museum dedicated to the Brothers Grimm. The iconic duo contributed some of the best fairytales in world literature but also the most comprehensive dictionary of the German language. As a tribute, there’s a museum in Kassel dedicated to their oeuvre, and big parts of it are set in the style of a dictionary.
If you happen to be on this side of Germany, make sure to add Kassel to your bucket list. Although the city feels sleepy and mainly makes it to the news because of the world-famous Documenta, the Grimm Brothers Museum is a must-see.
You can read my article about the Grimmwelt Kassel here.
March 2023: Snowy days in Bergen, Norway
The 2023 winter seemed neverending and insanely cold. I admit that it wasn’t a very rational decision to visit Bergen this time of the year, but I’m glad I did. I always had a thing for Norway, and although I’ve even been to the country’s very north in my predigital days, I always failed to visit Bergen. However, in March, I booked a flight and landed at -10 degrees.
Despite the cold, Norway’s second-biggest city impressed me. I stayed long enough in Bergen to see as much as possible, and I returned with a handful of articles for my travel blog. Just to give you an impression:
- I took a fjord cruise to Mostraumen.
- One day, I shot fish portraits at the Aquarium.
- And, of course, I wrote an extensive travel guide to Bergen.
Great locals, delicious food, and some cold yet sunny days. I’d love to return to Bergen soon. If you have it in your travel plans, you can find all my Bergen articles here.
April 2023: At the most underrated city in Germany
Most people know Frankfurt as the city of commerce and usually see only its airport. However, Frankfurt is a beautiful city, and it deserves a visit. The city’s neighborhoods are beautiful, the river promenades are pure joy, and it’s a paradise for cycling and strolling around.
Yes, my latest article about it is a guide for people on a Frankfurt layover. However, I must say that Frankfurt is much more than this, and I plan to revisit it soon to write an extensive travel guide.
May 2023: The first time at the sea
At the beginning of May, the sea was still cold in Greece. As I wrote earlier, the winter was long; as you can imagine, I was craving some warmer days. In May, I visited Sykia, a small waterfront village in the Peloponnese -and decided it was time for the year’s first swim.
The sea was freezing, and the absence of people made jellyfish move closer to the shore. Luckily, I escaped them and stayed in the water for almost half an hour. Sykia itself is picturesque and located close to the resort town of Xylokastro. The days at the small village marked, somehow, the beginning of the summer.
You can read more about Sykia here.
June 2023: To Kalymnos and Leros
After spending a month in Germany, it was time for the first islands of the summer. Barbara and I traveled to the Dodecanese and visited for the first time Kalymnos and Leros. The Dodecanese might not be as picturesque as the Cyclades, however, they are beautiful and significantly greener.
We found a hidden paradise in the small beachfront village of Emporios and spent some much-needed lazy days there. Kalymnos is known as the climbers’ island due to its impressive rock formations. It’s a big island, and you can find everything: I chose the easygoing days after a tough year and enjoyed it very much. You can find my guide to Kalymnos here.
Afterwards, it was time to visit Leros. I always wanted to visit it -and this was more of a gut feeling. Despite the bad publicity it received in the 90s due to the psychiatric clinic (or, as it appeared to the news, asylum) and the incidents taking place there, Leros is an equally beautiful island. The landscape is not that dramatic, like in Kalymnos, but Leros has interesting architecture and nice beaches. I also wrote about it, and you can find my Leros guide here.
July 2023: Skyrian ponies and folk art
Skyros was another island that I wanted to visit. It was also a gut feeling that sent me to Skyros this summer, and I must say I was glad I reached its welcoming soil. Located in the middle of the Aegean Sea, Skyros is among the greenest yet least-visited Greek islands. Part of it is used exclusively by the army, and that’s probably why its tourist development is slow.
However, the food is delicious in Skyros, and the locals will make you feel at home. I enjoyed some carefree days under the Greek sun and the extra layers of depth the island’s folk art offered. Apart from that, Skyros is connected with the English poet Rupert Brooke, who died on its soil, and its world-famous for the Skyrian ponies. The latter is a breed of dwarf ponies that only exist in Skyros.
As I wrote in my guide, Skyros remains undiscovered, and I encouraged the readers of my travel blog to visit it. You can read my Skyros guide here.
August 2023: Peloponnese, again
Although I usually save the summer months for Athens, I craved some days outside the capital this year. The historic heat wave that hit the city contributed to my decision, and I spent the last days of July and part of August in Zacharo, Greece.
That’s the place where my parents go on vacation, and this year, I decided to spend some days with them. Located in the Western Peloponnese, Zacharo enjoys the cool breeze of the Ionian Sea and features a beautiful stretch of sand. Ancient Olympia is not that far, and the nearby Lake Kaiafas is among the area’s highlights.
Although there aren’t many things to do in Zacharo, I decided to write an article about it. It’s more of a tribute to my lazy summer days there, and you can read more about Zacharo here.
September 2023: Anafi
If it’s not your first time on this travel blog, you probably know I have a thing for Anafi. The remote Cycladic island is the place where I spent several summer vacations, and this didn’t change this year. In mid-September, Barbara and I reached once again Anafi and spent some carefree days.
We ate local food, spent hours at the beach, swam, and strolled around -and we repeated this daily. There’s nothing more to ask when the winter is ahead, and Anafi is always our shelter.
I wrote several times about Anafi in the past, but this year, I only shot a Polaroid diary. You can see my Anafi Polaroids here.
October 2023: To Venice, after all
I had planned this journey to Venice for so long. During the past years, something has always occurred, and I have had to postpone it. I went to Venice in 2008, and I have wanted to return ever since. And finally, this October, I made it.
I know what you think: “But, George, you always complain about overcrowded places and mass tourism.” That’s true. However, Venice is so beautiful, and the sense of walking in a sinking city is unique. Moreover, the wealth of places to see and things to do make the Serenissima one of the top places in Europe.
I spent many days in Venice,, which gave me breathing space to do sightseeing and enjoy local life. To give you an impression:
- I saw the Architecture Biennale 2023.
- Despite it being touristy, I went on a gondola ride.
- I commuted endlessly with the Vaporetto and wrote a guide about it.
And so much more. It’s now two months after the journey, and I still have so many things to write about the floating city. I’m sure the first months of 2024 will have lots of Venice content. I suggest you visit my Venice resources often for the latest articles about this magnificent city.
November 2023: Yet another Berlin Cold War Site
Although Athens enjoyed a relatively warm autumn, this was not the case in Berlin. I always spend the winter months in Berlin, and the short, cold days stress me. However, riding the bike daily is refreshing (see my Berlin by bike guide), and visiting exhibitions and locations are part of my everyday life in the city.
Due to its turbulent 20th-century history, there’s no lack of Cold War sites in town. In November, I decided to visit the DDR Museum, which was extremely interesting. Despite its size, the museum offers lots of information about life in the former East Berlin. Although the iconic Trabi receives most of the attention, the museum is interactive, and you can see up-close (and use) items from the once-divided city.
If the city’s history fascinates you, then visiting the museum is a must. You will soon read more about the DDR Museum in Berlin.
December 2023: Christmas in two cities
Although I initially planned to travel in December, I decided to stay put. The reason is that I traveled between Berlin and Athens a couple of times, and I thought of taking a break from traveling. It was a change of plans that actually forced me to travel between the two cities where I live, and that’s why I skipped further traveling for the month.
However, it is the first time I’ll travel on Christmas Eve. After a brunch with friends in Berlin, I’ll fly to Athens. And that is, somehow, special by itself.
The 2023 Year Review: Videos
I thought I’d be more productive with videos this year -I know, I said that last year, too. The truth is that my Osmo Pocket got damaged, and I have just decided to replace it. However, my 2023 year review wouldn’t be complete without some videos.
It’s just a small section, and the Venice videos are taken with my smartphone, hence the big difference in quality. However, I believe that you can still get a glimpse of the places. And I promise to use my new Osmo Pocket next year and show you videos from where I’ll travel.
You can follow me on YouTube here.
A video from my Bergen-Mostraumen fjord cruise
It was a sunny yet freezing day in Bergen. I must admit that I suffered filming it, and it was the first time in my travel blogging years that I thought of not shooting a video. However, watching it now from the warmth of my sofa, I’m glad I shot it.
The videos from Venice: Gondola Ride and Murano Glassmaking
As I wrote earlier, these two videos were taken with my smartphone. Here’s the POV video from the gondola ride.
And here’s a short clip from my visit to a Murano glassmaking demonstration.
Here’s to a great 2024!
I hope you enjoyed reading my 2023 year review -and hopefully, you found some travel inspiration for your 2024 journeys. I want to thank you for being part of my travel blog and for showing so much love to Letters to Barbara. Your encouragement keeps me going, and I’m happy to share my journeys with you. So, thank you, dear readers, for being here.
I promise to continue the good work and share whatever catches my attention in my journeys around Europe and beyond. I wish you a happy 2024 and all the best for you and your loved ones!
Read more: All my “Year in Review” articles
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Last Updated on December 23, 2023 by George Pavlopoulos