Our Best Instagram Photos from Japan, Montenegro and Italy

This selection of our best Instagram photos has links to some exciting destinations and travel experiences. Click the links to read associated posts from the blog.

Nara, Japan

Nara attractions include Kasuga Taisha shrine, Daibutsu (giant buddha) and free roaming deer. This is the place where Japanese culture evolved and the quick 35 – 45 minute Kyoto to Nara train makes a Nara day trip, or even half-day trip a valuable addition to your Kyoto itinerary. Shintoism is the original and enduring Japanese religion (along with the more powerful Buddhism) and Shinto beliefs dictate that deer are the messengers of the Gods. This is an entrenched Japanese concept, hence the 1200 semi-tame deer that roam Nara-koen.

Kasuga Taisha shrine – one of Nara’s top three attractions.

 

Kasuga Taisha Nara’s special shrine is famous for its lanterns. They are donated by worshippers. They are lit twice each year at a lantern festival. One in February and one in August. As well as these hanging bronze lanterns there also are hundreds of standing stone lanterns. Have you been to a lantern festival?

A post shared by Jan Robinson 🌍 (@budget_jan) on Jul 10, 2017 at 1:20am PDT

Perast, Bay of Kotor, Montenegro

Perast on the Bay of Kotor is one of those picture-perfect places and the Bay of Kotor is stunningly beautiful in an undeveloped way. A lot of people like to stay in Perast in preference to the busier town of Kotor. Perast would be a beautiful place to stay after hours, but during the day parking is a nightmare and busloads of people visit what is in reality a tiny town. We lucked out and were there when not many others were. We had a lovely little table right by the water where this pretty boat was collecting people to take out to Our Lady of the Rocks church in the middle of the Bay.

 

Perast is one of those cute as a picture kind of places. Sipping a morning coffee while this scene unfolded before us. Am I dreaming. Bay of Kotor. Montenegro.

A post shared by Jan Robinson 🌍 (@budget_jan) on May 24, 2017 at 3:58pm PDT

Sicily, Italy

Drawing a line from Siracusa, through Noto and Modica to the fishing town of Scoglitti, cordons off a fascinating corner of Sicily. A road trip is an excellent way of exploring the nooks and crannies of the island that Italy kicked into the Mediterranean. Baroque towns, sleepy fishing villages, abandoned refugee boats and exquisite seafood, together with the seductive streets of Siracusa is what I remember most about this corner of Sicily.

This Instagram photo highlights the plight of the many refugees that arrive in Sicily each year.

 

Santuario Madonna Delle Grazie Church in Modica housed a series of amazing photos of refugees in May 2015. ⬆️ for Sicily post.

A post shared by Jan Robinson 🌍 (@budget_jan) on Mar 20, 2016 at 10:17pm PDT

 

Hover over photo to PIN THIS.

Scrolling back through old Instagram posts is a great memory jogger. The images that I consider to be our best Instagram photos are not necessarily the most liked by others, but they have the ability to jolt me back to the experience in an instant. And I love that. What do you consider to be your best Instragam photos?

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