Where Angie Wandered in 2025: My Ultimate Travel Review

It's the end of another travel year for me, and what a great year 2025 has been.

Travel destinations in 2025 included Madeira, Indonesia, Croatia, Montenegro, Greece, the United Kingdom, Portugal, Germany, and Austria, which I would like to share with you. I hope my travel review sparks ideas for places to visit in the future.

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February 2025 – Madeira Travel Review

We had visited Tenerife in March the previous year, and we were keen to enjoy some winter sun with a visit to Madeira in February. We were hedging our bets on the weather, but I'm glad to report it was mainly sunny. The temperature was nice enough for us to wear t-shirts during the day, and it only rained a few times (though when it did, it was torrential!).

We stayed just outside Funchal at Hotel Alto Lido, which was a great base, and hired a car to explore the island. We rode the cable car in Funchal, visited the botanical garden, did several levada walks, visited the island's highest point, which was above the clouds, wandered around Fanal Forest with its witch-like trees, and checked out the old traditional houses in the village of Santana, to mention just a few of the activities on Madeira we discovered.

May/June 2025 – Indonesia Travel Review

By far the most exciting adventure of 2025 was my six-week trip to Indonesia. Indonesia consists of many islands, but the best-known are Java, Bali, Lombok, and Flores.

It was a full-on trip and full of surprises as well as dodgy tummies, but Bali Belly seems to get most people! We started in Singapore, one of our favourite destinations.

Singapore

I always look forward to a stop in Singapore for three nights or more on my way to other southeast asian destinations, and this year was no different. Each time we visit Singapore, we find plenty to do by day and by night. In 2025, we visited the Botanic Gardens, rode a bike to the East Coast Beach area, did the Singapore Street Art Trail, and discovered the neighbourhood of Katong, which I loved.

We also always include a one-night stay in Singapore on our way back to the UK at the Dusit Thani Laguna Resort, as I prefer not to rely on catching connecting flights all in one day to get me home, just in case there is a problem.

Java

Java was a cultural shock that I didn't like at first. I'm glad to say that my experience of seeing such poverty, rubbish, and the volume of people per hectare was balanced by the lovely people we met, the incredible temples we visited, and the volcanoes in East Java, which were beyond anything I have seen elsewhere.

We stayed in some incredible hotels, our favourite being Plataran Heritage Borobudur, which was a 10-minute drive from the world's largest Buddhist Temple.

Bali

Bali was not what I expected. It left me feeling underwhelmed. I travelled all around the island to get a real feel for Bali, but it didn't impress me. Villas and hotels have replaced lush green rice fields; sacred temples have become photo shoot locations rather than spiritual sites; and high-end cafes and restaurants have replaced local warungs. Pockets of Bali still hold a charm, but you will have to dig deep to find them. Head to northern Bali for fewer crowds and a more authentic experience.

We lodged for a few days at Munduk Moding Nature Resort and Coffee Plantation in the north of the island, where we enjoyed a serene stay in Bali, surrounded by untouched forests.

Flores

Flores was a dream. Manta Rays, healthy coral, beautiful landscapes and of course, Komodo National Park, home to Komodo dragons and pretty pink beaches. We stayed one night in Labuan Bajo at Seaesta Komodo Hotel before embarking on a 2-night cruise around Komodo, which let us reach places before the daily Labuan Bajo excursions arrived. If you want to see wildlife in abundance, this is where to find it.

After our cruise, I relaxed (albeit with a stomach disorder!) at Sudamala Resort, where two days of doing nothing were just what the doctor ordered.

Lombok

Finally, we headed to Lombok. Sold as the Bali of yesteryear, I am glad to say it was just that. In the north, we seemed to be the only tourists wandering around deserted temples.

Our stay at the Oberoi Beach Resort Lombok was fabulous, giving us time to relax on the golden sands and visit Gili Air for turtle spotting and snorkelling. In the South, we stayed at Somewhere Lombok and Rascals Adults Only Hotel, explored Kuta town and wandered along golden sands. Perfect.

July 2025 - Devon, UK Travel Review

We were celebrating our 35th wedding anniversary and chose to stay at Bovey Castle in Devon and explore the local area. I still love holidaying in my own country, and the South West of the UK is a stunning place to visit.

We enjoyed coastal walks and time on the beach (and even braved the freezing-cold water at Durdle Door). A visit to Salcombe ticked all the boxes for a quaint Devon seaside town, much like Dartmouth.

A visit to Canonteign Waterfall, the South West's highest, was a fabulous place to spend an afternoon. We also climbed Haytor in Dartmoor National Park, braced ourselves against the gale-force winds that swept across the moors, and admired the wild horses that roam the land.

September 2025 – Virgin Voyages Cruise Travel Review

Having done a VV cruise in 2024 and loved it, I decided to book another one this year. Last year, the Scarlet Lady cruise ship was phenomenal, and this year, I set sail on the Resilient Lady. My Virgin Voyages Cruise from Athens visited Kotor, Dubrovnik, Corfu, and Mykonos.

If you want a week-long party of fun in modern surroundings with excellent food and drink and fabulous port stops, this cruise is for you.

Spoiler alert: I have already booked another VV Cruise for 2026!

October 2025 – Northumberland, UK Travel Review

On our way up to Northumberland, we stopped for one night in the Peak District at Boots and Bikes Hotel to break up the journey. It also gave us the chance to have a short walk in Edale, at the start of the Pennine Way.

I've wanted to visit Northumberland since watching The Last Kingdom, in which Uhtred seeks to reclaim his ancestral home, Bebbenburg (which, in fact, is Bamburgh Castle). The rugged landscape in northern England on the Scottish border is incredible. The sweeping golden beaches were also a welcome sight, and despite the bracing winds, we still went for a long beach walk.

Visiting Lindisfarne

Lindisfarne (Holy Island) is not far from Bamburgh, and it is somewhere I have long wanted to visit. It is the spiritual site of the earliest Celtic Christian settlers and the place where the world-famous Lindisfarne Gospels were created in the early 8th century. 

As well as visiting to uncover the island's rich history, getting to Lindisfarne is half the fun as you have to time your crossing carefully. The reason is that the tidal causeway is submerged at high tide, so crossing is only possible when the tide is out. We waited and watched as the tide subsided, revealing the concrete causeway that we then crossed. It's a super cool experience and a first for us.

While based in Wall in Northumberland, we enjoyed a walk along Kielder Water, the largest man-made lake in northern Europe, surrounded by England's largest forest.

We also visited Hadrian's Wall and Vindolanda, a sprawling museum which houses Roman artefacts excavated from the site. History lovers won't want to miss this one.

Visiting Alnwick Castle

We stayed at the newly opened Balliffgate Hotel in Alnwick, located next to Alnwick Castle. Harry Potter fans will know that this is the castle where the first broomstick flying scenes were filmed. The castle is magnificent and has been owned by the same family (The Percys) since the 14th century. That fact alone is mind-blowing.

Alnwick itself is a small town with some lovely independent shops and a fabulous Michelin-starred restaurant called Sonnet, where we enjoyed a delicious tasting menu lunch.

November 2025 - Portugal Travel Review

When I told friends I was going to Faro for a week in November, the response was, "Isn't that just the airport for the Algarve?" and 'Won't it be cold?" The answer was no and no!

There are plenty of things to do in Faro, so I believe it deserves some credit. From the old town with its beautiful cathedral, bone church and exquisite Portuguese tiles to the Rio do Formosa, a 60-kilometre wetland ideal for birdwatchers. Faro is a great little town with fabulous restaurants and an excellent base for Algarve day trips to nearby towns such as Olhao and Tavira.

The weather in Faro in November was perfect. I even managed to get into the unheated rooftop pool.

We stayed at the 3HB Faro Hotel and Spa and couldn't recommend it more if we tried. Not many hotels get a 10/10 from me, but this one was perfect.

December 2025 - Christmas Markets Travel Review

If you read my travel review of 2024, you will know that I love visiting Christmas markets in December, and so, of course, I had to do a Christmas market trip in 2025 as well.

We decided to head to Europe and split our week between two Christmas markets. Salzburg, Austria, and then Munich, Germany.

Salzburg turned out to be very festive. Its old town is a protected UNESCO World Heritage Site, so historic buildings, cobbled streets, and shop fronts have been retained, giving the city a whimsical feel. The Christmas markets in Salzburg were much smaller than the ones I had experienced last year in Vienna and Berlin, but there was still plenty to see, buy, eat, and drink, all of which added to the festive atmosphere we had been looking for.

Munich has many large Christmas markets, the biggest being in Marienplatz, the main square. As the capital of Bavaria, Munich is loud and busy, and it doesn't offer the charming vibe of Salzburg.

Nevertheless, we still enjoyed discovering the city's Christmas markets and landmark attractions like the Munich Residence, with its incredibly ornate interior halls, and seeing locals surf (yes, I did say surf) on the river that runs through Munich's English Garden. A very surreal experience to see!

My 2025 Year Of Travel Conclusion

So, my lovely readers, if you have reached this point, thank you for reading the whole travel review; I hope it has inspired you to visit some of the places I mentioned.

And what has next year got in store for Where Angie Wanders? So far, there’s a 2-week trip to Thailand booked for March 2026, five nights in Tenerife to mark the opening of Jet2's new Gatwick routes on 26th March, and another Virgin Voyages Cruise in June. Of course, I won't stop there: many ideas are floating around in my head, so stay tuned to hear more of my 2026 travel plans!

Until then, happy travels. Please let me know in the comment section below if any of the places I have visited this year are ones you’d like to explore in 2026.

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Did you miss last year's travel review? Read Where Angie Wandered in 2024.