Try going for a sunset and stargazing trip up this famous volcano in Tenerife, the Teide, with champagne and dinner served in the TUI Collection "Teide by Night." Or if you're more the daytime sightseeing type, I took part in an all-day tour of excursions around the island (wine and lunch included) with the "Masca and the King's Wine" tour. This was incredible, and the views like this one were just some of those captured by my lens and heart that day.

If you're in the mood for hiking and exploring the many trails through this sacred area, I loved 11 km climb we did with private guide Syliva from Wanderjule (for the German, Spanish or English speaking customers) through Los Órganos. She even provided a market-fresh, Spanish picnic at the summit which overlooked endless landscape nestled by an ocean of clouds. 

After a major glute and hamstring workout to climb through the steep inclines indigenous to the medieval city and trails of Monchique in the mountains of the Algarve region, we made it to the old convent. It is not open to the public and the outside is marred by spray paint telling visitors to keep out, but the groundskeeper invited us in for a peek and ceremoniously plucked a rose from the courtyard for me where a gorgeous tree still grew. This was a strange, erie and yet beautiful experience.

Sometimes while flipping through inspirational coffee table books, Pinterest or Instagram, I come across destinations that skyrocket to the top of my bucket list. Sometimes, I just book them and go. This picture is from our five hours cliff and beach hike on the western coast of the Algarve region of Portugal. I didn't think I had any breath left to take, but that process kept repeating. There is an entire national park alongside this coast of St. Vincentine just waiting for you. 

If you're a lover of hiking, adventure, and gasp-worthy landscapes like me, then you will love Tenerife, an island in the Canaries with the famous volcano Teide in the middle. Some of the best stargazing in the world happens up here because these clouds block out any and all light pollution for a spectacular view of the cosmos. Living here was a blast and I'll definitely be back! 
Our guided tour up here was purposefully kept to a maximum of 8 and she treated us with a Spanish picnic fresh from the market at the top. Perfecto. Check them out if you get the chance.