12 examples of travel blogs with beautiful design

These are some of the travel sites I admire most on the internet.

So many travel blogs look exactly the same.

Or even if the design of the blogs isn’t identical, they are all hijacked with the same intrusive ads, peppered with the same stock images and follow the same ‘tips’ that are designed to make them rank in search.

A lot of travel bloggers follow advice from other travel bloggers, which means they end up using the exact same WordPress theme for their websites. When those travel blogs are also all pushing the same affiliate links (for Discover Cars, Viator, and other popular affiliates) the websites are pretty much indistinguishable from each other.

This is one of the reasons I love Squarespace — it’s so much easier to build a customised website that is unique to you.

One more quick rant — most of the ‘best blog’ lists out there cover off the same travel blogs that have been kicking around the internet for a decade. There are so many more than the biggest travel blogs though (I’m thinking of websites like Nomadic Matt and A Blonde Abroad), and many newer sites have more elegant design.

My background is in digital content management for travel brands like Tourism New Zealand, which means I’m more familiar with UX, SEO, and other elements of web design than a lot of bloggers. It has been a huge advantage in getting traffic and making a living from my own travel blog.

This also means I’m more critical of a lot of travel websites. I want to see great content, excellent UX, and creative design. It’s a lot to ask, I know. But there are some travel blogs out there absolutely killing it.

For me, the best travel blogs have:

• Original storytelling

• Original photos

• Clear layouts

• A unique point of view.

So, who meets the brief? These travel blogs are all gorgeous in design and easy to navigate.

1. Along Dusty Roads

Not long ago, I went on a hike with a new friend I met in a coliving space in Tenerife.

On the drive to the trailhead, we discovered we both run our own travel sites. Getting deep into industry chat, we started discussing our favourite travel blogs — and almost immediately we both brought up Along Dusty Roads.

These guys set the bar in terms of photography, site design, and the depth of their content.

Such a great example of a travel blog doing what a travel blog should do; providing genuine travel advice and inspiration.

2. The Common Wanderer

The incredible photography and sleek design of The Common Wanderer travel blog make it one of my favourites on the internet.

Mark and Mim seem to make a great team — together they have built a very beautiful travel website. They seem so genuine to me, and I love that they include more personal stories in with their travel guides.

Their print and preset store is also epic.

3. Petrina Darrah — A New Zealand travel blog

Beautiful design has been a big focus of my travel blog (yes, I’m nominating myself).

Design doesn’t necessarily help search performance, but it definitely enhances the experience of anyone who visits my site. I regularly get feedback from readers that they enjoy how visually appealing my website is.

My aim with my travel blog is to build a long term business I’m proud of, so having a beautiful blog design is part of establishing a strong brand for myself.

4. Sommertage

Built with WordPress

Sommertage is a travel blog by Kathi and Romeo, “Free spirited Wanderers and Freelancers” from Austria.

I love the visual nature of their blog, which has stunning photos and a gorgeous pastel colour palette.

I also really like that they seem to have monetised their site through sponsorship content, which means it’s free of ads (right now, anyway). It really changes the look and feel of the site when there aren’t intrusive ads everywhere.

Kathi and Romeo say they want to focus on giving their honest opinions about places, and from what I can tell that’s what they have done. The number of destinations seems to be focused on places they have actually visited, and the posts themselves are genuinely geared towards providing helpful information — at least, that’s the impression I get from reading their New Zealand content. I can usually tell if someone hasn’t done all the activities they talk about in a post!

5. Petite Suitcase

Built with WordPress

Scarlett, the woman behind Petite Suitcase, is a travel photographer. Her website is full of photos from Italy which are evocative and dreamy.

I love her tight focus on her adopted country of Italy, and the way she writes feels genuine and heartfelt.

Her travel blog design is simple and straightforward, putting her images at the forefront.

6. illumelation

Mel Legarda is the London-based blogger and content creator behind illumelation, a slow travel and culture blog.

Her photography is gorgeous, and her travel blog is a nice mix of service-style writing with informative blog posts (itineraries, comparing eSIMs) and more personal stories.

Mel is a British-Filipino blogger, which I appreciate — I am well aware of the whiteness of this list. It’s nice to hear Mel’s perspective on travelling in the Philippines.