SarahI am suffering from a disease not yet acknowledged by medicine. Instagram travel FOMO.
You know what I am talking about? You may like it or hate it. But you can’t deny that there is certain places that are all over Instagram.
I am talking about the most insta worthy places around the world. Those photo spots that seem to be on every travel influencer feed on Instagram. That you have not yet seen (mostly). Sometimes they are quite obvious (like the Eiffel Tower), and sometimes you have seen them but you don’t know where they are (like the Gates of Heaven)
And this is where I started. I created the ultimate Instagram travel bucket list. I collected those spots I see again and again for weeks. And then I researched on how to get to them and what you need to know in order to take that one shot you also want for your Instagram feed.
I have been to some of those places during our round the world trip, while others are still on my “Instagram to travel list”. I am sure there will be more of them in the future – but for now, I feel I finally have a collection of those dream destinations and the most instagrammables places on earth.
Read: Round the world tickets – how to plan your trip!
This post is for you, for the ones among you that also suffer from Instagram travel FOMO! Let’s not fight it – let’s embrace this little passion. 🙂
If you feel like I missed any spot, please comment on this post and I will add it. Or send me a message to [email protected]
Table of Contents
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The most instaworthy places on earth on Google Map
Yes, I created a map with Google Maps with all those insta worthy spots around the world! This will make it even easier for you to check if something is close to your travel plans!
Most Instaworthy Places in Europe
The Eiffel Tower (Paris)
And we gonna start with the Eiffel Tower – the most iconic building in Paris and probably Europe. There is myriads of guides on where to photograph the Eiffel Tower best, so I won’t add more to this.
Santorini (Greece)
Santorini is all over Instagram! People take pictures of the beautiful white-blue houses with the ocean backdrop. And then there is the famous cliffside pools. Many hotels have those pools now – so there is not a particular one that you need to get to – just get a hotel with a pool 🙂
Shipwreck Beach Zakynthos (Greece)
Another gem in Greece that became a top insta worthy place is Shipwreck beach on the island of Zakynthos. Most of the pictures aren’t from the beach directly but from a viewpoint above (marked on my map above).
The funny thing is, I was on Shipwreck Beach when I was a kid – long before anyone even thought of founding Instagram. I guess I was simply too early for my time 😀
Cavoo Tagoo Hotel (Mykonos)
Cavo Tagoos Outpools with a view over the ocean have made it become a favorite among Instagram Travel Influencers. And I have to admit – those pools look gorgeous!
Fontana di Trevi (Rome)
If you are on Instagram you might think the only insta worthy place in Rome is the Fontana de Trevi because it is so overrepresented. Luckily for you, there is even more places in this historical city! But of course, you can’t miss this fountain when in Rome!
Cinque Terre (Italy)
Cinque Terre is surely one of Instagram’s darlings. But where exactly??? Well, there is a lot of small villages along the coast that are instagrammable places. A lot of pictures are from the town of Manarola or Vernaza though. Otherwise, this blog post by Anouska might be helpful for you to find some of those small insta worthy villages!
Terme di Saturnia (Italy)
Those beautiful natural pools in Saturnia, Tuscany are absolutely instagrammable! There is only few places in the world (see below for Pamukkale) where you can get such a natural spa pic!
The baths belong to an adjoining spa hotel but can also be visited from outside guests.
Rialto Bridge (Venice)
An on to the next Instagram fairy tale place – Venice! While Venice surely has many instagrammable places, the Rialto Bridge is by far the most photographed spot in town!
Blue Lagoon (Iceland)
Iceland itself has become immensly popular as a travel destination due to Instagram. The Blue lagoon is only one of the spots that made it to the list of most instaworthy places around the world. There is an increasing number of places in Iceland that becomes more and more popular as a photo opportunity!
Getting there is pretty easy – there is a hourly direct bus from the airport that only takes 20min to get there. So if WOW Airlines has a sale and you live in Europe, you could probably hop over for a day trip and snap your shot 😀
Neuschwanstein (Germany)
It is THE fairy tale castle. The instafamous Neuschwanstein castle was the inspiration to Disney’s logo and it is actually the prettiest castle in the world in my opinion.
It is actually not that easy to get a perfect instaworthy shot of Neuschwanstein with you on it too – the easiest is from the Marienbrücke (marked path), however you get a more unique view if you follow a hiking trail called “königliche Waldwanderung”! (king’s forest walk)
Burg Eltz (Germany)
Aaaaaand there is a second castle in Germany that grabbed Instagram’s attention and this is Burg Eltz (Eltz Castle)! It is particularly instagrammable because you can easily walk towards it on a beautiful cobbled path.
It is a bit off the typical touristy path though as it is close to Koblenz (somewhere between Frankfurt and Düsseldorf). It can however be combined with a visit to the wine region “Mosel”!
Rakotz Bridge (Germany)
The bridge with the perfect reflexion! I was actually stunned when I found out that this highly instaworthy place is in my home country Germany! Sometimes you need Instagram to teach you the prettiest places close to you!
Unfortunately this bridge is more or less in the middle of nowhere, in north-eastern Germany close to Poland. You could possibly do it if you are visiting Dresden and have a car and a day.
Szechenyi Baths (Budapest)
The Szechenyi Thermal Baths are immensly popular – not only under the Instagram crowd! Which means, they get crowded. Like, really crowded. If you look through the hashtags you will mostly find pictures with A LOT of people. However I have already seen angles with few people – so it must be possible!
An instaworthy alternative in Budapest is the Gellert Spa – I personally think this deserves to be seen way more often than it currently is on Instagram!
Flower Cafés in London
There isn’t actually ONE flower cafe where all those beautiful fashionista shoots from London come from. No, London has plenty of super instaworthy cafes with highly instagrammable spots to sip your coffee! My personal favorite is the “Peggy Porschen Cakes”!
A really good blog post about the different floral cafes can be found on Carmelattes Blog!
Most Instaworthy Places in the Middle East
Cappadocia (Turkey)
The region of Cappadocia in Turkey became instafamous quite early. The reason are obviously all those hot air ballons everywhere! There is not one most instagrammable place – it is pretty much every place that has a nice view! However a lot of pictures originate from the Hotel “Sultan Cave Suite” (Links: Booking.com | Agoda)
Pamukkale Thermal Pools (Turkey)
The mineral pools of Pamukkale are for sure one of the most instagrammable places in the world. With their white surface and the turquoise blue mineral pools they create an amazing background for instaworthy shots!
In order to get a good shot, stay the night in Pamukkale and avoid the crowd of daytrippers!
Petra (Jordan)
The Petra was famous long before Instagram. It was built in the 3rd century and is one of the new 7 wonders of the world. I wish more world wonders would be among the top instagrammable places around the world – but hey, at least Petra, Machu Picchu and Chichen Itza made it!
To get to Petra, you fly in at Aqaba or Amman Airport. Aqaba is closer but often more expensive – and there is a public bus from Amman City (4-5h!) if you want to save money.
The best is though to stay overnight in Wadi Nusa and walk to Petra in the morning – less stress, less crowds! How about staying in a beduin camp? Seven Wonders Beduin camp gets really good reviews! ( Booking.com | Agoda )
Or check this guide to visiting Petra!
View down on Dubai (Burq Khalifa)
The famous view down from a window over the city of Dubai is mostly shot from Burq Khalifa! Dubai with its crazy towers belongs among the most instaworthy places on earth anyway – and thus a view from the top is perfect.
There is actually three viewing platform which you can buy access to. The famous view is (unsurprisingly) from the most expensive and highest one on level 148. And worse, it is more expensive during “prime time” (ANYTHING before 7pm…) Given the substantial price difference I would think about snapping my shot at the “lower” observation level 125 for less than half of the cost.
Grand Mosque Sheik Zayed (Abu Dhabi)
Sheik Zayed Mosque looks like straight from an arabian fairy tale of 1001 nights. It is stunningly to look at and thus became popular on Instagram.
In order to get in, you need to be properly clothed. Women have to wear an Abaya, which they can get for free at the entrance. However, I would suggest to get your own Abaya before as this is also respectful to wear outside the mosque. I don’t like those rules, but as a respectful visitor I would always follow them.
Plus, bringing your own Abaya, you have your choice to get a beautiful looking and fitting one. Just google “Dubai style Abaya” for a start (just make sure nothing is transparent!)
Most Instaworthy Places in Southeast Asia
El Nido (Philippines)
We gonna stay in the Philippines for now when exploring the most instagrammable places on earth! El Nido on Palawan itself isn’t the prettiest city for sure – but there is day tours with boats to many insta worthy places!
Read: Palawan in three weeks – the ultimate itinerary
Be sure not to miss big and small lagoon, secret beach and the Martinloc shrine.
Best is to get a own boat captain and let him tour the route of tour A and tour C. Tell him to avoid the crowds – and you gonna love this adventure. (Be careful with food in El Nido – it is infamous for food poisoning…)
The Kawasan Falls (Philippines)
Yaz, finally again an insta worthy place I already visited! And no wonder they made it to being one of the most instagrammable places in the world!
The Kawasan Falls are absolutely breathtaking and are best visited by day trip from the neighboring town of Moalboal. Get a scooter and go here early in the morning before the group tour crowds arrive and you will have this insta paradise all to yourself!
Read: Instaworthy Kawasan Falls – how to make the most of your visit
Kayangan Lake (Palawan)
The funny thing about Kayangan Lake is that most of the pictures aren’t actually Kayangan Lake!
I am sure you have seen the perspective above – this is NOT the lake itself, it is the viewpoint with the view on the ocean! In order to get to Kayangan Lake, you simply take an organized tour from Coron, Palawan. At Kayangan lake boat stop you have to climb a few steps up from the bay and you will get to a view point. (No chance to misss the viewpoint. It is clearly marked and probably there is a queue of people waiting to snap their instaworthy shot) and then you go down again to the actual lake.
Read: Palawan in three weeks – the ultimate itinerary
Kayangan Lake itself is an instagrammable place as well – just not as instafamous as the view on the lagoon next to it!
Twin Lagoon Coron (Palawan)
Twin Lagoon is indeed absolutely gorgeous – not only on the photos! You get there by boat with an organized tour from Coron, Palawan.
Same as in El Nido, the best is to get your own captain and tell him to avoid the crowds. It is normally combined with Kayangan Lake. You can probably also do a stunning lunch stop on a secluded paradise beach if you ask your captain – three instaworthy spots in one day! 🙂
Bali Swing (Ubud)
Yes, the swings are heavily touristy. And yes, the picture is soooooo cliché. And yes again, you have to line up for quite a while to get your shot of this instaworthy place! But hey, that’s what the whole list here is about!
In order to get your perfect Bali swing shot, you need to head to Ubud. There is lots of cheaper swings in Bali, but the original place is where they also have those “nests” that are also all over Instagram. The swing opens at 8am but they don’t do the hotel pickups before 9am – so you know when is the sweet spot to go there 😉
“Walk my world” has an excellent blog entry about the various different swings in Bali!
Nusa Penida (Bali)
I am honestly not sure why this particular beach made it to becoming one of the most instagrammable places in the world. It is pretty, but not that special in my opinion.
Anyway, in order to get there, your best bet is to take a day tour from Bali. You then need to get to Kelingking Beach, which can easily be done by hiring a moped at the harbor. You will drive up to a restaurant Warung Krishna/Kelingking and then you can hike down a few steps at the marked cliff view point to get your shot!
Gates of Heaven (BalI)
This place totally looks like from another world. The gates are called “the Gates of Heaven” and the mountain behind is Mt. Agung. The temple they belong to is “Pura Lempuyang”.
In order to get there, you will need to take a taxi from Ubud or Canggu (both around 2-3h). Luckily, Taxis are cheap in Bali. The gates are already at the entrance of the temple! Be sure to bring a sarong and cover your shoulders as this is mandatory in the temple!
Ayana Resort and Spa (Bali)
The Ayana Resort and Spa is so popular on Instagram now that they invented a social media and photography ban at the pool. But don’t worry, it is only in place from 9am-5pm. You can still snap a shot early in the morning (7am-9am) or later after 5pm!
Underwater Statues near Gili Meno (Indonesia)
Those underwater statues are not a relict of past times nor are they remains of Atlantis. They were indeed placed later shortly off the shore of Gili Meno, Indonesia. They are there to give growing ground to corals and will soon be covered with those beautiful animals (yes, corals are animals, not plants!)
As you can see, you can snorkel there – no need to dive! You also don’t need a boat, you can simply swim here from shore. In order to get a slit pic like above, you need a GoPro with a dome!
White Temple (Chiang Rai)
The White Temple you can often find on Instagram is in Chiang Rai, Thailand. It for sure is absolutely impressive in its color and details – no wonder it made it to the list of most instagrammables places on earth!
Visiting is easy – just remember to cover your knees and shoulders when visiting!
Anantara Kihavah Maledives
Not only the overwater bungalows with their fishnets and small infinity pools are all over Instagram – one particular swing in the ocean is especially well photographed here! The white sand beach and the turquoise water simply offer the most “wow” effect and ensure a nice amount of likes on Instagram too.
Hurawalhi Maledives
Hurawalhi Maledives is a very expensive, luxurious 5* hotel with breathtaking beaches. It is extremly popular among big influencers who often get invited for free by the property to take a picture there. But we all have to admit that the simple hammock on the beach looks stunning!
Supertree Grove (Singapore)
The Supertree Grove in Singapore is a place that combines nature with human architecture in a way that nothing else does. They are a popular motive for Instagram – one reason being that they are one of the few free things to do around the Marina of Singapore!
You possible can’t miss it – be sure to get a ticket for the paid walkway as well as you can also snap instaworthy shots here!
Rooftop Pool Marina Bay Sands (Singapore)
Oh, the most famous rooftop pool in the world! There is myriads of blog entries from people trying to sneak into this pool area for an instaworthy shot. They are very strict though and this is Singapore.
In my opinion, it is not worth the risk – you either pay for a night or you choose another option for a rooftop shot. We decided against Marina Bay Sands and chose Andaz Singapore instead! ( Booking.com | Agoda )
Most Instaworthy Places in Oceania
Byron Bay Lighthouse (Australia)
Byron Bay Lighthouse is one of the most insta worthy places in Australia! And the good thing is, the town and the beach itself are beautiful as well! This is definitely “the hip part” of the Gold Coast!
When we visited, the lighthouse was quite crowded – but if you go down the road, you can snap a shot without too many people!
Macquarie Point (Sydney Opera+Harbor Bridge)
The best place to photograph the iconic Syndey Opera isn’t actually at the Opera itself – it is opposite at MacQuarie Point! From there you get a perfect instagrammable shot with both the Harbor Bridge as well as the Opera!
Bronte Ocean Pools (Sydney)
Bondi beach may be more famous from the name – but it does not win against Bronte Ocean Pools when competing for being one of the most instaworthy places around the world!
The best thing about Bronte Ocean Pools thus is that they are completely for free! Just take public transportation from Syndney or go by car (if you are on a roadtrip)
Hobbiton Movie Set (New Zealand)
If you ever wanted to step into the world of Lord of the Rings or the Hobbit, you need to go to New Zealand anyway. But there is one place you particularly can’t miss and that is the Hobbiton Movie Set!
Exploring New Zealand is best done by renting a car and going on a roadtrip – so getting to the Movie Set is fairly easy!
Most Instaworthy Places in North America
Antelope Canyon (USA)
This canyon definitely looks like from another planet! It is so gorgeous that you don’t have to wonder why this place made it to an Instagram favorite!
A trip here can perfectly be done with a roadtrip in the US – both Vegas as well as the Grand Canyon and Zion National Park are roughly 200km from Antelope Canyon. An awesome blog article with extensive information about the Canyon can be found on Capture The Atlas Blog!
Brooklyn Bridge (New York)
Ney York isn’t short of iconic insta worthy places anyway – but Brookyln Bridge definitely trumps most! You can either take a stunning shot on the bridge or with the bridge as a background.
In order to find the best place with the bridge in the background, head to the neighborhood of Dumbo (Water Street)!
Angel wings (Los Angeles)
There is actually quite a few amazing instaworthy walls in Los Angeles Arts District! Among them are a lot of those Angel Wings. The most famous ones (due to @pilotmadeleines profile picture) are the ones at 453 Colyton St, Los Angeles, CA 90013!
Wynwood Walls (Miami)
Wynwood walls is street art at its finest! This place is absolutely perfect for some fashion-focused instagram shots! The most instagrammable place at Wynwood Gallery is impossible to name though – there is something in every color to match your dress!
Most Instaworthy Places in the Carribean
Exhuma (Swim with Pigs)
Exuma officially calls itself “Home of the swimming pigs”. And while it seems to be incredibly funny to go swimming with those pigs, you can also snap an instagrammable shot! Please be careful not to feed the pigs as this is bad for their health! Exuma can also be visited by a day trip from Nassau.
Compass Cay (Swim with Nurse Sharks)
And if we are already talking about swimming with animals in the Bahamas – let’s not forget about sharks. No, not dangerous white sharks – swim with cute, non-dangerous nurse sharks at Compass Cay. You can reach this island by boat within 40min from Nassau!
Atlantis Bahamas (Nassau/Paradise ISland)
You surely saw the monumental Atlantis Resort on Paradise Island (Nassau) already on Instagram! This gigantic hotel complex comes with numerous insta worthy places and many fun adventures to do (e.g. swim with manta rays).
The Pink Lagoons (Las Coloradas)
Those lakes are really pink without editing! There are actually many lakes in colors from all hues of orange to pink here.
Be careful to ensure your guide will not only take you to the “brownish/orange” ones if you choose to go by boat. It is actually not that easy to get here – but it is definitely possible by bus from Valladolid. It took us almost four hours and then we had to haggle with the boat captian – but it was well worth it!
Note that you are not allowed to enter the lakes – so sadly, you can leave your pink flamingo behind!
Cenote Suytun (Mexico)
Mexico is full of beautiful insta worthy places – and the Cenotes are one reason for that. There is many beautiful cenotes in Yucatan, of which many are instagrammable like hell. But Cenote Suytun close to Valladolid is one with a particular “Wow” effect and this is why it made it to the top instagrammable places in the world in my opinion.
To get there is fairly easy if you are in Valladolid. Just hail down a cab and haggle for a price to bring you to the cenote. We came in the late afternoon which was good for the place not to be crowded. However, at midday the light shines even better from above!
Cenote Il Kik (Mexico)
If we are already talking about Cenotes near Valladolid – the most instafamous one is Cenote Il Kik.
This one is by far more known than Cenote Suytun, so it is difficult to get there without the crowds. We organized a taxi to take us there at opening time and only afterwards went with a bus to Chichen Itza. Most people opt to first see the ruins, so in the morning is the best time for the cenote.
Chichen Itza (Mexico)
Now that we have already come to the conclusion that Mexico (or Yucatan in particular) is incredibly insta worthy, let’s not ignore famous Chichen Itza.
To get a good shot here without millions of people means getting up very early. As we first visited Il Kik, we already had a few people running around the ruins when we tried to take a photo. However, we managed to find an angle with only few people and editing did the rest (I bet you can’t see where I edited out two people!)
The Azulik Tulum
If I had to name one place for the “most instagrammable town on earth”, it would probably be Tulum, Mexico. So let’s start with its first gem – the hotel Azulik! You could probably write a complete post about the different instagrammable places within the Azulik alone.
And now my secret tip for you: Staying at the Azulik is very expensive. If this is outside your budget, there is two ways to solve your Instagram FOMO here! First, the famous nets belong to the restaurant which is open to outside guests as well! Just make a reservation here!
And option two is something almost no one knows: There is day passes. You can simply pay 50$ to stay the day at the beach of the Azulik! You can then wander around and explore many other insta worthy spots! And even better, those 50$ aren’t even a pay – you can simply consume them at the beach bar and that’s it! Prices weren’t that bad – so we could eat and drink all day from those 50$ AND get amazing instagrammable shots!
Gran Cenote (Tulum)
Next on the list of Insta worthy places in Mexico is Gran Cenote. There is a couple of beautiful instagrammable spots here. So again, I hate to say it, get up early to beat the crowds!
Mayan Ruins of Tulum
And yes, Tulum also has their own Maya ruins. And not only are they conveniently located close to the city – they also come with a stunning ocean backdrop! There is a few places around the whole area that is SO insta worthy that it will take your breath away.
If you go by bike, you can easily combine this with a trip to the Azulik!
Grutas Tolantongo (Mexico)
Yes, I have already shown you Saturnia and Pamukkale – but also those natural mineral baths make it constantly to the most instagrammable places around the world!
To get there, hop on a bus from Mexico city (3h) and then stay there for at least one night. There is a few hotels as well as a camp around – and the Pools are already quite popular now. You know where I am heading – come early!
Old Town Havana
Now that Americans can travel to Cuba as well, Havana has taken Instagram by storm. And no wonder, the colonial architecture and the oldtimer cars look like from a movie from the past!
We actually traveled to Cuba the first time in 2011 – a time where it wasn’t as famous already. We came back in 2018 – the changes were striking! But luckily, the beautiful oldtimer cars still run up and down El Malecon!
Most Instaworthy Places In South America
Oasis of Huacachina
An oasis in the middle of the desert – no wonder, Instagrammers started loving this place! We actually spent Christmas 2017 here (check my post on the 30 most awesome things we did on our trip around the world).
Since I wasn’t into Instagram already at that time, I didn’t take the effort to snap a really insta worthy shot here. But it is fairly easy – just walk up the sand dunes from the oasis and that’s it!
Salar de Uyuni (Bolivia)
The Salt Flat of Uyuni are definitely one of the most instagrammable places in Bolivia – I would say, THE MOST insta worthy spot indeed!
You can visit the Salar de Uyuni by day trip from Uyuni, but I highly recommend going on a four-day trip from Tupiza to Uyuni with a Jeep!
Walled Colonial City of Cartagena
Cartagena is probably one of the prettiest colonial towns in South America. And so it is not surprising that Cartagena constantly manages to be in the top instagrammable places in the world. Simply stay within the walled city and you will come across myriads of beautiful photo opportunities!
We spent New Years Eve 2017/2018 in Cartagena and were amazed to see the city transform into one giant street party!
Machu Picchu (Peru)
There isn’t really a lot to say why Machu Picchu is a must-see instagrammable place on earth. Take the train to Aguas Calientes and get up high to the famous Inka ruins!
When we visited in December 2017 is had become mandatory to have a guide but no one cared. We decided for a guide and this was a good idea as he was really knowledgable. Plus, he know all the best photo angles and will take those pictures for you – perfect if you are a solo traveler and want a shot of this instaworthy place!
Most Instaworthy Places In Africa
Riad Yasmine (MarraKech)
The Riad Yasmine even made it to the news with how instafamous their small plunge pool is. They even estimate that 90% of the customers come here because they want to take a photo! As this is a very small hotel, you better book well in advance! (Be careful, Booking lists the WRONG property! I could only find it on Agoda !)
La Mamounia Hotel (Marrakech)
And there is a second hotel in Marrakech that is all over Instagram – the La Mamounia Marrakech! Ranked #6 best hotel in the world by Forbes, this place is indeed a true luxury hotel! It is both the hallways as well as the indoor pool that are incredibly instagrammable places!
Giraffe Manor (KenYa)
Want to say “hi” to a Giraffe over breakfast and simply shoot a breathtaking insta worthy shot? Well, that’s why people go to Giraffe Manor in Kenia! If this is not one of the best photo spots in the world – well, what then?
Explore the World with me
I hoped this list did help you to find some inspiration about places you want to see as well. Or find out, how to take this picture of this place you have seen on Instagram all the time!
If you do not only want to focus on taking photos – have you checked my ultimate travel bucket list for world travelers already? This contains the 30 most amazing things we did during our trip around the world!
There is also a few other post I think you might be interested in!
If you want to be sure not to miss any news about Instagram and Travel Destinations, don’t forget to sign up to my newsletter!
Let me know in the comments if you have been to some of those places already! And also mention if you think I have missed a place – I will add it. Or maybe you even have a blog post about this place that I can link to!
This article contains affiliate links. That means, if you choose to purchase a product I recommended, I get a small commission for that at no extra cost for you. I legally have to place this disclaimer – but I want you to understand that I will always only recommend products that I am personally convinced about. I promise to you, that I will never promote anything just for the sake of an affiliate income!
Wow, so many incredible spots in this world. Loads of these are on my list : )
So many are still on my list too! I hope I can do some of them in 2019! 😍
Wow this is an epic post. How long did this take you???
Felt like forever 😀 Glad you liked it – after all, this is why I sometimes write blog posts in the middle of the night. Seeing that people read and like it just keeps me working on them! 🙂
Thank you for such a wonderful list, Sarah!
The first picture you posted on the article inspires me a lot. Can I check with you where that is?
Hi Lidong, happy to hear you liked the article! 🙂 The first picture is from the Kawasan Falls on Cebu, Philippines. I actually got a whole article about how to get there on my blog too! 🙂