Dubrovnik

Whether we were climbing the city's panoramic, fort walls or diving off the rocky cliffs of little nearby islands, every moment we were in Dubrovnik we found something amazing to do.

This is a city that you will never get bored of and while there are tourist activities galore, for me it was the War Photo Limited exhibition that found its way to the top of my must see list. In a time when Croatia is enjoying a rapid rise in tourism and a particular popularity with those there purely for the beautiful beaches and nightlife, this exhibition was a sobering reminder of the region's complex and devastating history. With a series of stunning images by a range of world renowned photo journalists, I would challenge any traveller to leave unmoved or uninspired.

While the breathtaking natural beauty and fascinating history of Dubrovnik had already well and truly won me over, the fact that we literally didn't have a bad meal the entire time, firmly cemented it as one of my favourite places of the whole trip.

Every random cafe and restaurant we wandered into in both Split and Dubrovnik delivered absolutely amazing food, from mussels coated in rich tomato and garlic sauce to the perfectly crisp and insanely generous pizzas, so big that they overflowed off the edge of our giant plates. I'm just going to say it, I had better pizza in Croatia than I did in Italy. I know, blasphemy, but it's true. And while Italy still holds the best gelato title, we definitely had to search much harder for the kind of amazing meals that we continuously stumbled upon in Croatia.

Almost every person we met on our travels had either been to Croatia or was on their way and after nothing but rave reviews, our expectations were high. However we were absolutely not disappointed and instead completely devastated to leave, and already desperate to go back.

Split

Even after arriving in Split at the crack of dawn, fresh off an overnight ferry, it didn't take me long to find a hundred reasons why I never wanted to leave.

The early start gave us the unexpected treat of stumbling upon the fish markets which are only open for a few hours of the morning till about 10 am. Just through the open doorframe you'll find giant slabs of stone acting as rows of tables, all covered in glistening plies of squid, buckets of prawns and huge tunas being sliced into steaks right in front of you. The markets are officially located on Neretvanska Ulica and following your nose towards the pungent smell of the sea that wafts through the far side of the old town is definitely worth it.

Amazing seafood was a theme that continued throughout our stay and Split absolutely delivered some of the best meals of the entire trip. If you're on a budget and looking for a quick delicious meal, Fife was the recommendation of almost everyone we spoke to. Packed with locals and with massive portions of a range of simple and fresh seafood, it definitely lived up to its reputation with our waitress even running across the road to buy us a block of local chocolate (free of charge!) when we found out they were out of dessert.

Our next amazing discovery was a more hidden restaurant called Konoba Varoš which we found on Ban Maldenova just out of the old town where Fife and most of the cheaper and less touristy places were located.

This is definitely a place for sharing which is perfect because the menu is filled with so many delicious sounding possibilities that making a decision, as an already indecisive person, was torture. But despite my food envy of the massive seafood platters around us, and the boys' stuffed veal snitchel, my cuttlefish risotto was possibly the best thing I've ever eaten. While dinner was slightly pricier than our usual picnic meals, it was still amazing value for the insanely good Dalmatian specialities that you get.

When we weren't eating, we found ourselves exploring Split's beautiful coastline, whether it was climbing up to Prva vidilica look out point, or following the trend of avoiding the harbour side man made beaches and instead lying out on the rocky cliffs' edge, lounging in the sun with a few of the stray cats that seemed to own the city.

Wandering through the old town was also a perfect was to spend an afternoon. Climbing to the top of the bell tower provided perfect panoramic views of the city and harbour below but was seriously challenging, especially if you're not comfortable with heights, thanks to the combination of the ancient, slippery stone steps and the new rickety metal ladders that shock with every step we took.

With the abundance of other holidaying Aussies, curious kittens and crystal clear water, there was something about Split that felt comfortingly like home, while still being completely different to anywhere I've ever been before, making leaving just as hard as I'd thought it would be.

Barcelona

Barcelona is definitely best enjoyed with friends, and that's exactly what we did. This incredible city absolutely bursts with life but still hides away little pockets of peacefulness with its maze of lane ways which are perfect for getting lost in when you want to escape the heat and hordes of tourists.

Barcelona's nightlife is legendary, and while the crazy night we spent at the beachfront mega clubs was awesome, it was the tiny bars and restaurants where far too much sangria and tapas were consumed that was the highlight for me. We found ourselves in the backstreets of a little area called Born, which is amazing for shopping during the day, and where drinks were cheap, delicious and occasionally even on fire by night.

As you wander down the main tourist strip know as La Rambla, make sure to stop at the famous La Boqueria food markets for a fantastic assault on the senses. As I pushed my way through the crowds of both locals and tourists, I just wanted to touch everything and had to fight hard to resist the urge to stick my hands deep into the giant vats of seeds and nuts letting a handful trickle back through my fingers Amelié style.
The mix of warm bread and buttery pastries, rich dried meats and salty seafood buried in mountains of ice, meant that there was always an incredible smell to follow as we wound through the tiny aisles.

Countless stalls showed off a rainbow array of fruit and veggies in perfect piles and freshly squeezed juices in every flavour combination you can think of, although Ella's recommendation of strawberry and lime was definitely the winner.

The city really has something for everyone, whether it's wandering through the harbour side area of Barceloneta and sipping iced tea on it's packed beach, admiring the epic Sagrada Família church and the other surreal works of Gaudí which litter the city, or even taking a day trip to the serene seaside town of Sitges, I'm yet to meet someone who hasn't been blown away by this crazy beautiful city.

Madrid

Before arriving in Madrid, my stereotype of Spain was vibrantly full of colour and bursting with life, and it was a stereotype that proved to be completely true, we just had to wait for it to get a little dark first.

As a chronic napper back home, I was actually excited for the famed Spanish tradition of siesta, but even I was shocked by how seriously it was taken. We thought we were doing well by waiting until 10ish to finally eat, but it wasn't until midnight that most of the locals seemed to be sitting down to dinner.

We spent the quiet days exploring the city's impressive art galleries and lying in the shade of the oasis-like gardens and parks to escape the blistering heat.

We chose one of the many free walking tours on the first day which was a fantastic way to get our bearings on what seemed to be an endlessly confusing city and pack in many of the impressive historical sights. However the majority of my highlights in Madrid, as in most of my life, were centered around food. Tapas and churros were obviously abundant, as were the little delis where we joined the locals standing at the bar, sampling the deliciously simple staple of cold cut meats and cheese in shiny bocadillo rolls.

Come nightfall the city suddenly snapped to life, and streets that had been dead quite at 4 pm were bursting with life by 4 am, not only with those drinking and dancing but with friends picnicking in the park and families wandering along with young children skipping through the streets and babies giggling in strollers.

While Barcelona was probably the more memorable city, Madrid had an ease to it that immediately made me feel at home and was a brilliant introduction to what are hopefully many more Spanish adventures.

Moscow

After the glitz of St Petersburg, arriving in Moscow gave us a glimpse of what was perhaps a grittier side of Russia, but a side that I absolutely adored. We had been warned that Moscow would be unpleasantly dirty and challenging but what I found was a much more honnest and intriguing facet to this seemingly endless country.

Once again the language barrier was significant but we more than managed and when you get down to it, it's amazing how far a basic phrase book, some serious charades and a smile can go. While the tourist attractions were well worth the time, what I loved the most was the hours spent wandering the back streets, exploring quirky little neighbourhoods and stumbling across street art, pop up exhibitions and forgotten monasteries. Russia's communist past was also far more obvious here with hammer and sickle symbols popping up everywhere we looked.

The city itself is completely inspiring but completely crazy. Cars weave through roads the width of five lane highways with absolutely no lines or road markings, while the skyline is dominated by beautifully intricate domed cathedrals and churches which I just couldn't take my eyes off.

It was amazing to see the kinds of people that an epic city like Moscow attracts. While we were from every corner of the earth, we had all be attracted to the sense of mystery and harsh honesty it seemed to exude and even while feeling the wrath of a serious night of Russian vodka, I still couldn't get enough of this truly incredible city.