It's been another busy year of travel for me, with 11 overseas trips to seven different countries, three of them for the first time (Poland, Hungary and Peru). I've been back to Toulouse, Amsterdam and Berlin, which have all been on my return-visit list for many years. I also visited Kraków; Austin, TX; and Budapest for the first time, completing the Inca Trail during my stay in the latter. And, of course, I managed a few visits to New York, Washington DC and Cannes.

Have you ever bathed in a 16th century Turkish bath with a stained-glass ceiling? Stayed in the residence of a former prime minister? Haggled for cherries and paprika in a historic market hall? These are just a few of the experiences that Budapest — the ultimate city of two halves — has to offer.

With its rich history, beautiful architecture and soothing thermal baths, Budapest comes high on many travel buckets list. And after the Specialty Coffee Association's 2017 World of Coffee event in the Hungarian capital, I realised the city's growing specialty coffee scene gave me another reason to visit.