I’ve already mentioned that I enjoy short but intense trips. Partly by choice, partly by necessity – as a dog and cat dad, I want to make sure I won’t miss my pets for too long.
Therefore I like to squeeze every moment away like a lemon. I prepare quite well for such trips (my wife is smiling now) so I don’t have any doubts about where and how to get to a destination, depending on the weather and other circumstances, what to avoid, where to eat, etc.

Over the past year, I’ve gone on a few of these trips, mostly with photography in mind, but I also made sure that my wife, who joined me on most of them, returned home happy as well.

I thought it would be worth sharing some tips because none of these trips was a dull thing.

Norway - Winter trip for a Landscape / Wildlife Photographer

Northern Norway is a different state of mind, especially in winter. A rugged landscape, masses of snow, cold, and the polar night. One might think that the polar night is a disadvantage for a photographer – because of no sunlight – but honestly, I’ve never seen light like that anywhere else, those few moments when the sun touches the horizon.

Four days in Tromsø is mostly enough to walk the town up and down, see the fjords, Northern Lights and orcas. Creme de la creme of the North.

Traveling to Norway can be a bit pricy. We flew with Wizz Air via Gdansk, Poland. Flights from the Netherlands to Gdansk and then further north to Tromsø were ridiculously cheap, comparing to direct flights.

We found relatively cheap accommodations on Airbnb. Our apartment was located on Kvaløya Island, about 15-20 minutes by bus from the airport, and 25-30 minutes from the city center. We didn’t decide to rent a car, and that was a good idea – the bus lines covered all our planned destinations and never let us down. The weekly bus pass wasn’t super expensive, I think around 25 euros per person.

As for food, it’s best to be practical: take what you can with you, and only dine out if necessary. I recommend forgetting about buying alcohol.

Interesting locations for photographers in Tromso and around:

fjords in Ersfjordbotn, which can be expanded into a hike above the fjords
a mountain top Fjellheisen, especially during the aurora season
city of Tromsø
whale safari - only the route to Skjervøy is one of the most beautiful landscapes I’ve ever seen

Summary: we saw the Northern Lights only from the plane, humpbacks from a distance, but we fell head over heels in love with these landscapes.

Portugal - spring trip for street / landscape photographer

Not just Lisbon, but especially the coastline (I had the chance to explore the area north of Lisbon towards Nazaré), ahh, probably all of Portugal - is just a big playground for a photographers. The light, the colors, the people. And the warmth. And the food!
You also don’t need an endless budget to travel around Portugal. Take our stay in Nazaré as an example, where we paid a little more than 30 euros per night for the two of us. Don’t let the price fool you. It was the cleanest and tidiest Airbnb we’ve ever stayed in, just 3 minutes from the beach in the city center.

Four days in Portugal can be enough to drive from Lisbon to the north (we aimed for Nazaré hoping for the world’s biggest waves), and then return to Lisbon to spend some time there.

Interesting locations for photographers in Portugal:

Nazaré in its entirety, not just Praia do Norte and the lighthouse
Lisbon’s Bairro Alto and Alfama neighboorhoods
the viewpoints around the city: da Graca and das Portas do Sol

Summary: we missed the monster waves in Nazare by a few days, but the ones we saw still made an impression.
I left Nazare my favorite Portuguese photos, the desire to return someday for a longer stay, and an addiction to vegan pastéis de nata.

Scotland summer photo trip for a loner photographer

Although I was in Scotland last spring, I’m pretty sure it would be just as beautiful in summer, though I have doubts if it would be just as empty. The vast, empty spaces and silence are definitely what made me fall in love with Scotland, and I’d love to return there someday.

I brought back some of my favorite photos from last year. And while I’m not a typical landscape photographer, taking photos during the hike on Ben Nevis brought me a lot of joy. I didn’t have much time to explore Edinburgh for street photography, but I was convinced that the city has potential. I also didn’t make it to the Isle of Skye – some might say if I didn’t go there, I haven’t really been to Scotland. But I did make it to Corrour, and I wouldn’t trade that experience for anything else.

Practical details:

flights: there are lots of cheap EasyJet flights to Edinburg or Glasgow
transfer from Edinburgh to the Highlands: Scottish railway (book ahead, sit and relax - this 5 or so long train ride will be the one of the most scenic in your life)
food for vegans: loads of vegan options at Morrisons and vegan haggis in local restaurants (so so good)

Interesting locations for photographers:

hike to Ben Nevis (definitely before sunrise)
Glencoe
Fort William and the surrounding areas
Corrour - the most secluded railway station in Great Britain, famous becasue of The Trainspotting movie, but not famous enough to become crowded - my nr one place to go to, including hikes around
Edinburgh city itself.

Mallorca - an autumn trip for a landscape / street photographer

I’ve written a lot about Mallorca lately because it was my most recent trip. I recommend this island to every photographer, especially before (or after) the season. Mallorca is like a sweet syrup from Spain. It has everything, and everything is beautiful – from the busy streets of Palma to the mountains, forests, beaches, off-road paths, and charming little towns.

Personally, my favorite part is the east (many will say the same), especially the coastal towns. But the island's interior has also its own – incredibly soothing – character.

Favorite photographic spots in Mallorca: