Top 10 Travel Experiences in 2023
Follow along as Bethany Explores her top ten travel experiences through seven new-to-her countries in 2023.
As 2023 comes to a close, I am having fun reminiscing about all of the fabulous travel experiences I have had this year. I was able to do two different cruises in 2023: the Carnival in Rio cruise on Azamara in February and the Istanbul to Venice cruise on Crystal in September. It was definitely difficult to narrow everything down to a top ten list, but here it goes!
1. Rio de Janeiro: Carnival Samba Parade
Top of the charts in 2023, no questions asked, is definitely my night (and early morning!) at the Carnival Samba Parade in Rio de Janeiro. I did this as an excursion through the cruise line (Azamara) and everything was top notch. This experience was an absolute joy from start to finish. The colorful costumes, the rhythmic music, the festive atmosphere, and the wonderful people all came together to give me a night that I will never forget!
2. Argentina and Brazil: Iguazu Falls
My second favorite travel experience in 2023 came at the end of my Carnival in Rio cruise. After two absolutely amazing weeks in Argentina, Uruguay, and Brazil on the Azamara Pursuit, I disembarked and headed to part two of my trip: two days at Iguazu Falls. This adventure took me to both sides of the falls: the Brazil side on the first (very rainy!) day, and then the Argentina side on the second day. It was so much fun to explore the falls from both sides. The Brazil side gives a more panoramic view of the massive falls. The Argentina side allows for more up-close exploration of the falls. The sheer size and breathtaking beauty of this amazing natural wonder blew me away.
3. Istanbul, Turkey: Mosques
My time in Istanbul before my Crystal cruise landed at number three on my list. I thoroughly enjoyed two days exploring the fantastic city of Istanbul in September 2023. The highlight was definitely visiting two absolutely amazing mosques: The Sultanahmet Mosque (a.k.a. The Blue Mosque) and Hagia Sophia. I was quickly drawn in by the stunning beauty of each building. But hearing the fantastic stories that my local guide, Atakan, told me about each mosque definitely enhanced my experience even further.
4. Kuşadası, Turkey: Ephesus
Next on the 2023 list is another stop on my Crystal cruise in September: Kuşadası, Turkey. Here I got to visit the fabulous ancient city of Ephesus. I had a great time exploring Ephesus during the day. Our guide took us through the ancient city and active dig site, and I got to walk along the same marble paths that people have been using since the 10th century BC. As fantastic as it was during the day, however, was dwarfed by how absolutely amazing it was to return after sunset to enjoy a private classical music concert. To sit in front of the Library of Celsus on a gorgeous early autumn evening, sipping wine and nibbling on hors d’oeuvres while listening to the talented musicians perform some beloved classical music, was simply divine.
5. Montevideo, Uruguay: Wine Harvesting
Number five on the list takes us back to the Carnival in Rio cruise on Azamara. With two days in Montevideo to start the cruise, I had a lot of time to explore a few different things in this vibrant city. My favorite excursion here was harvesting at the Pizzorno Winery. This hands-on excursion was so much fun! The day included an opportunity to actually harvest some grapes from the beautiful vineyard and then stomp them in large tubs. Our hard work in the very hot sun was rewarded with an interesting tour of the (very cool and comfortable!) cellars before tucking into a delicious Uruguayan lunch and wine pairing.
6. Venice, Italy: Wandering the City
A fabulous day of exploring Venice, Italy makes it to #6 on my 2023 list. I had a general list of a few main sights I wanted to see in my short time in Venice, but for the most part I simply spent my time wandering through this enchanting city. Venice is a fantastic city to “get lost” in. For one thing, it’s an island, so the chances that you get completely lost are slim to none. But for another, it is a beautiful city full of amazing sights around every corner. I was immediately mesmerized and quickly fell in love with this fantastic city.
7. Buenos Aires, Argentina: City Tour
Number seven on the list is beautiful Buenos Aires, Argentina. I had a bit of time here before embarking on my Carnival in Rio cruise, but I spent a much fuller day here on the day I disembarked after the fabulous cruise ended. This was my first time using ToursByLocals, and the local guide I booked for the day was simply amazing! She gave me a fabulous tour of all of the main highlights of the bustling city, with plenty of informative stories along the way. It was wonderful to explore the city with a knowledgeable local.
8. Dubrovnik, Croatia: City Tour
Another fantastic day in an amazing city made number eight on my list. The city tour of Dubrovnik that I took as an excursion on my Istanbul to Venice cruise was fantastic. The medieval walled city is a charmer, for sure. I have never seen a single episode of “Game of Thrones,” but the others on my tour who have were very excited to see several key locations along the way. For me, I thoroughly enjoyed the beautiful architecture along the tour. The city itself is extremely easy to navigate, the people are friendly, and the food is delicious. What’s not to love?
9. Parati, Brazil: 4×4 Tour
Number nine on the list is an adventurous and fun-filled 4×4 tour in Parati, Brazil. This excursion was a unique experience, taking me on a grand tour of pretty Parati, Brazil on a rugged 4×4 vehicle. There were several stops along the way, including a fun tour of waterfalls (with a fabulous opportunity to swim in one of the waterfall pools!), an informative and delicious tour and tasting at a cachaça distillery, and a visit to the Gold Trail.
10. First Cruise on Crystal
Last but not least, my first-ever cruise on Crystal rounds up the list at number ten. While the cruise itself was a bit out-of-the-ordinary, I thoroughly enjoyed the experience from start to finish. I was originally booked on Crystal for my 50th birthday cruise in 2022, but it got cancelled when the Crystal parent company went bankrupt. When I heard they had been bought out by another company and were resuming service in 2023, I jumped at the chance to book a cruise! I sailed on just the second leg on Crystal Symphony after she returned to service. The ship was only about half-full (which made it a bit unusual), but the crew were all absolutely fantastic. It also didn’t hurt that I got upgraded from my solo traveler cabin to a fabulous suite due to some construction issues! Needless to say, I enjoyed the cruise fully and I have two more booked on Crystal in 2025.
Conclusion
It was rather difficult to narrow down the fantastic experiences I had in 2023 to just the top ten! The two cruises I did were both absolutely amazing. Each day on each cruise brought a new adventure (or two!). I had so much fun adding seven new countries to my list: Argentina, Uruguay, Brazil, Turkey, Greece, Croatia, and Italy. Now that 2023 has come to a close, it’s time to look ahead to new adventures in 2024! Stay tuned as Bethany Explores even more in 2024. Cheers!
Links
Want to learn more about my explorations? Click the links below:
