Let’s be honest, last year we all had big plans for the end of the pandemic. But little did we know that the pandemic was not over at all!
Sure, the year was not entirely bad, and we did enjoy a little bit of traveling. Personally, I had the chance to tick off some of the places on my bucket list, like Naples in summer. But it was far from a “normal” year.
So for 2022, I decided to repeat the yearly travel bucket list, but make it a (tiny) little bit less optimistic.
I don’t usually like to play small, but to avoid the frustration of canceling plans and constantly refreshing the pages with travels regulations, I will stick to much more realistic expectations.
Don’t get me wrong though, these are not all the places I wish to visit, as I have already programmed trips to Venice, Kassel, and Phristina for 3 major exhibitions taking place during summer.
And then again, we don’t know what the future holds, so let’s take this as a general reminder to appreciate whatever comes our way and don’t stress too much over things that are supposed to bring us joy. At the end of the day, traveling is a wonderful way to get to know different places, people, and cultures and should never be a source of stress.
So, without any further ado, here is my 2022 travel bucket list.
Lisbon, Portugal
Let’s start with a well-known destination. It might be because I am currently wearing at least 3 layers of winter clothes, but all I want right now is a summery, warm weekend by the Ocean. And Lisbon to me is the perfect destination. My plan is to travel there during the ARCOlisboa week, so I can pair the visit to the city, with an art fair and all the art events it brings.
I was in Lisbon a few years ago, and I totally loved it for its relaxed vibes, great museums, and amazing food, so I am really looking forward to my next trip to the Portuguese capital.
Give me a shout if you are going to be in town for ARCOlisboa and we might go gallery hopping together!
Tallinn, Estonia
If I have to be honest, Tallinn made it to my 2022 travel bucket list because I was planning to go to Helsinki last year. The original plan was to fly to Tallinn and then travel by boat to Helsinki. But while I was doing my research, I realized Tallinn itself is a wonderful city to visit and definitely deserves some time. I mean, the city itself has 44 art museums, so there has to be plenty to see!
With an incredible number of art centers, museums, and exhibition spaces, it is said to be one of the most up-and-coming cities in Europe and some people also called it the new Berlin. So, before it becomes overly popular, I feel 2022 could be a great year to experience it!
Rome, Italy
From a young, up-and-coming city, to the Eternal City, it is quite a huge change. But I haven’t been to Rome in a long time and it has recently seen a surge in independent and artist-run spaces, that I surely need to visit. So 2022 seems the right time for a comeback. The last time I passed through Rome was at the end of March 2020, amidst the first lockdown of the Covid pandemic, and it was quite a surreal experience, with the city completely empty and just my taxi driving around. I look forward to experiencing the warmth and chilly vibes of the most beautiful city in Italy and discovering all the new spaces opened over the past few years.
Los Angeles, USA
Let’s venture out of Europe, but still stick to a relatively easy country to travel to. And let’s continue with the “sun and ocean” trend for 2022, cause it is the very essence of Los Angeles. I have been planning a trip back to LA for a while, but it has been on my mind even more recently. Not only does it have the perfect climate and beach vibes, but ever since the start of the pandemic, it has seen an increase in spaces and museums dedicated to contemporary art. With galleries and collectors looking for bigger space and less crowded cities rather than New York, Los Angeles is fast becoming a real contemporary art hotspot in the USA. And with never-ending spring and sunny weather, it could be a great destination for winter 2022.
Edinburgh, Scotland, The UK
Last but not least, this year I want to return to Edinburgh. I recently wrote an article on its contemporary art scene and it reignited my love for this beautiful city. I had the pleasure of studying there for a while when I was in high school and I still hold the city dear to my heart. So I guess this could be the perfect destination for this coming year. I could plan a trip in summer, during the magnificent Fringe Festival, or maybe in autumn and soak up all the fall vibes, colors, and smells of Scotland. I can already picture myself, drinking tea wrapped up in a beautiful tartan scarf and going from museum to museum, and gallery to gallery, visiting all my favorite places.
Cover image by Airam Dato-on on Unsplash
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