Portugal had long been on my list to visit for many years, but somehow despite living in Europe for over seven years, I never managed to make it over there. I have heard so many great things about Lisbon that I knew I had to make it happen, so last year my boyfriend and I decided it was time to book our tickets.

It’s nearly St Patty’s Day, but if you love Ireland, you don’t need an excuse to visit—the country or the culture. Whether you make an actual visit or armchair traveler visit, it’s always worth it.

If you’re not able to fly in to Dublin or Belfast just now, you might enjoy the excerpt below, from Adventures in Belfast: Northern Irish Life After the Peace Agreement, a nonfiction book about life in Belfast, past and present.

I love winter in Norway, because the weather changes almost every day. In the morning it can snow, but at evening, it can rain. You see animals of different kinds, moose, eagles; there are a lot of things to shoot pics of. And I especially love the winter storms, aurora, and the sunsets.

Take a look...