A reader asked me on Twitter if I had any restaurant recommendations for Madrid, to which I responded that I’ve never been there but would love to go – it’s on my travel short list. (And then a few of you said it’s dirty and overrated, so … maybe not.) Anyway, I thought some more about what my travel short list would look like and how it would be interesting to compare them.
Quick rules: These have to be cities or countries you’ve never visited, but would love to go to if money and time were not factors. You’re not obligated to say where you’re starting from, but if you’re not in the U.S. it might help to point that out. (Most of you know this, but I’m in Arizona; my list would be the same if I was still living in the frozen tundra.)
I’ve been to Europe a few times, so some obvious destinations like Italy or Paris aren’t on my list. I’ve been to 46 U.S. states, and to the three biggest cities in Canada, so my list comprises almost all destinations outside of North America.
- Amsterdam. And all over the Netherlands, really – I read about Maastricht years ago, shortly after the currency accord was struck, and it just sounded like an incredibly cool European city like the major tourist spots without the hassles of size.
- Prague. I was obsessed with Eastern Europe as a kid, probably because it seemed indefinitely off-limits under communism, and when I went to Budapest it didn’t disappoint (although my wife found the architecture depressing). Prague would be my next stop, especially with its rich literary
history.
- Dubrovnik. A walled city on the Adriatic coast? sign me up.
- Buenos Aires. I’ve never been across the equator, but this would be my first choice with its strong European influences and large quantities of meat. I had a near-miss with Buenos Aires in 2004 – had a trip scheduled with a friend who had free tickets and needed someone who could get by in Spanish, but we got nearly three feet of snow the day before we were scheduled to leave and had to cancel the trip. I’d love to go to Chile or Ecuador as well.
- Istanbul. But not Constantinople.
- Melbourne. I wouldn’t say no to Sydney, of course, but Melbourne sounds like it has more of the vibe I like in cities in food, the arts, and a slightly more manageable size.
- Memphis. I’ve been to Nashville, twice, neither a particularly good experience (mostly because of that awful hotel), and to Chattanooga once for a few hours, but never to Tennessee’s BBQ capital.
- Bologna. Speaking of food capitals, this is the food capital of Italy, but despite two trips to Italy I’ve never managed to hit Bologna.
- Hawai’i. Almost certainly the next one I’ll cross off this list.
- Dublin. Not just for the Guinness. But for the Guinness, definitely.
That’s not to say I’d turn down a free trip to Munich or Athens or Tokyo, but those are probably the ten I’d most like to visit. Now it’s your turn…
If you make it to Dublin, make sure to try the Guinness at Mulligan’s off O’Connell St. I was sent there by my Irish hosts for the best Guinness in Ireland, and found…the best Guinness in Ireland. It’s all excellent; theirs was better.
Assuming it’s still there, of course – been years since I was there.
Buenos Aires is amazing and cheap, highly recommend going. Some of the best coffee and steak I’ve ever had, not to mention some of the most beautiful women I’ve ever seen.
South Africa is definitely on my list–can’t narrow it down to just one city, but I’d like to spend a couple of weeks roaming the country.
I’ve never been, but for a foodie it seems like Lyon would be amazing.
Why did Constantinople get the works?
Keith: When you go to Memphis, stay at the Peabody. Gorgeous old Southern hotel.
My top 5 travel dreams:
– Singapore – every time I see a travel show going there, it just seems so clean, and the food is apparently great.
– Tokyo – At some point, I need to make the pilgrimage and ruin all sushi that I eat in the US.
– Tuscany – Apparently the food in Tuscany destroys the food everywhere else in Italy (at least this is what I heard while in Rome in October/November).
– Spain – City to be determined. Madrid, Barcelona, etc all on the list, and if El Bulli were still open, that would influence my choice.
– Havana – if travel weren’t restricted to US citizens, this would potentially be #1, as my wife’s grandmother is from there.
From my trip to Madrid in 2005, it was anything but dirty and over-rated. Lots of good eats, plenty of things to see and do. That said, if you are going to Madrid, consider going to Barcelona first. Better food, better people, better sites.
Been to a lot of Europe, but my shortlist at this point would be a sweep through Italy (though I have no interest in Rome, oddly), Greece, and Ireland.
Before my list, quick aside: always had good experiences in Nashville (different hotel, of course). Also, Memphis one of the most underrated cities in America for the music & BBQ. Now on to my list:
– Dublin: Having Irish heritage and a firm affinity to the culture and scenery make this tops on my list. I’d devote much of my trip to making sure I visit a pub everyday for at least one pint, and likely many at others.
– Prague: Eastern Europe has a special place in my heart for their history, I studied Russian in college and Cold War history has always been a particular interest of mine. The city has so much scenery and history that it can’t not be on my list.
– London: History is a big reason, as is culture, by my recent fascination with English Premier League soccer has made this one a fast-riser on the list. Also, pubs.
– Balkans: I know it isn’t one city, but there are several in the region I could list here (including: Dubrovnik). I just have so much interest in the history of the Balkans, I fly through every book I can find on the subject. The mix of cultures in such a small area is fascinating to me.
– Seattle/Portland: Not your typical dream locations, but as someone who has spent their whole life in the southeastern US it is quite a different place to me. I guess that it’s the other corner of the US is my reason, but it’s also a place with social/political culture that are refreshing to me.
My wife and I have been having this discussion in detail in planning a trip for our 10th anniversary. The problem is that many of the places we want to go are also dubious right now in terms of safety. We are currently fixated on both Morocco and Myanmar. Anyone with thoughts? As a backup, we would also love to go to China.
I live in Scandinavia. My favourite european city not listed is Vienna, with Berlin as a close second.
An underrated city is Valencia, it’s like Barcelona, but with less tourists and stress.
Dubrovnik: Yes, yes, yes. You will not be disappointed; it’s amazing. Croatia in general is wonderful.
I loved Madrid- very underrated, IMO. Athens is overrated- that’s kind of a dirty.
city. Much prefer the Greek islands.
The food in Bologna was probably my favorite in all of Italy. This probably goes without saying, but be sure to eat the tortellini.
Prague, Budapest, Munich & Berlin are tops on my list, as is Slovenia. Oh, and Portugal.
I can vouch for Dubrovnik – I went there on a cruise last year and it was beyond beautiful. I posted a link to the pictures i took while there, though admittedly their mostly of the stray cats that stroll around the city without fear of being hit by cars.
I’ve been to Vienna (wonderful, only drawback is it’s quite expensive), London (with my parents/sister in 1989 – would love to take my wife/daughter), Barcelona (just 48 hours, business trip in 2000), and Tuscany twice.
Ethan: Well, I’ve been to the Moroccan pavilion at Epcot. Same thing, right?
Hmm…
Top Ten I want to go:
1) Tanzania/Kenya – Ever since high school I’ve been planning a trip to Tanzania. Serengeti, Zanzibar and climb Kilimanjaro is a dream trip.
2) Vancouver – And the pacific northwest in general (only been to Portland).
3) Moscow – Despite how expensive it is there, would love to visit there.
4) Brazil – Not just the cities of Rio and maybe Sao Paulo but I want to see the rain forests and esp the Amazon.
5) Bhutan – a small country in the Himalayas that mostly shuns the outside world, heard it’s very peaceful and the views are incredible
6) Philippines – If only for the food….
7) Yerevan – for mostly personal reasons, have a few friends over there
8) Lahore – Been to Islamabad but heard that true Pakistani culture (and amazing food) is found in Lahore… unfortunately this one might not happen in my lifetime.
9) San Francisco – It’s pretty sad that I haven’t been there
10) Greece – was a classics double major in college, been to Rome and other parts of Italy but never to Greece
Also, would like to recommend Almaty, Kazakhstan. It’s an overlooked city for sure when thinking about tourist destinations but I was sent there for work one summer and I had an incredible time. People are especially friendly, food was very good and the environment is amazing. Very clean, fresh and fantastic history.
I’m starting from Hong Kong, and have lived internationally in a few places, and traveled fairly extensively, but these lists tend to grow instead of shrink the more you’ve traveled. I’ll have some cities and some countries, because there isn’t always a city around to capture enough interest.
1. Madagascar: the nature there seems otherworldly. The ethnic population there is a strange mix of African, Asian, Indian, and European. The food is supposedly unique.
2. Dubai: As a tall buildings buff, a small countries fanatic, and an admirer of human innovation turning unlivable spaces into civilized paradises, this one hits all the right spots for me.
3. Chile (specifically Santiago and Aconcagua): I am fascinated by the miracle of Chile and “los Chicagos” and would like to see the results thirty years on. I am also a fan of tall mountains and hiking, but not a climber. Aconcagua is the tallest continental peak one can climb without technical climbing skill.
4. Turkey (mostly along the Ionian coast and Cappadocia): As an archaeologist and biblical scholar by training, this one strikes a chord.
5. South Georgia Island: Nature not to be experienced elsewhere is the draw here.
Don’t let that awful hotel skew your opinion of Nashville. That albatross is nothing like the rest of the city…thankfully it is nowhere near the rest of the city. I’ll be glad to offer some suggestions for next December when the WM are here.
My travel has always been planned around food and this list will be no different:
1. Barcelona (or other Spanish Mediterranean city) to find the best paella. I did something similar in France with Bouillabaisse and it was fantastic.
2. Buenos Aries, Argentina supposedly has some cow that makes amazing beef and isn’t going to be around much longer, if I want to eat that cow it’s got to be in the next 10-15 years.
3. Killarney, to visit my grandpa’s house and drink with people that can keep up.
4. I have to research specific regions/cities but doing a vacation around China sampling their various cuisines would be a lot of fun.
5. Africa, I am open to suggestions. Lots of friends have been to South Africa, that seems too easy. I enjoy Ethiopian cuisine… How about Morocco: is Casablanca good for anything more than being the setting of a great movie? is the Marrakesh Express a train I actually want to ride?
If you stayed at the hotel at Opry Mills in Nashville, I am oh so sorry. That is not close to anything good about Nashville. Though it did get flooded in ’09. On Memphis, when you do get to go, Central BBQ and BBQ Shop are pretty easily the best. Though Neely’s at the Redbirds games is pretty good too.
Tough question…I’ve already hit Vancouver, Montreal, Japan, Costa Rica, and then Oz / UK / Switzerland as a young kid.
– Chibi City / Chibi, China: I’m kind of a RoT3K nerd, so I’d love to see the (presumed) site of the Battle of Red Cliffs. Plus, would love to see China in general.
– Queenstown, New Zealand: Adventure tourism, wine / food, snow sports, beautiful location. That’s, like, everything.
– Cairo, Egypt: The Giza Necropolis, duh.
– Paris, France: My wife would go bananas, and I’ve always wanted to see the Lourve.
– Venice, Italy: There’re plenty of places I’d like to visit in Italy, but I’d love to see the canals while I can.
– Uluru / Alice Springs, Australia: Yeah, it’s a big rock. But it’s a big rock I’d like to see.
– Buenos Aires, Argentina: Architecture and food, please.
– Delhi, Madrid, and Dublin would probably round out my list…but I’m sure I could come up with another five or ten easily.
Morocco and Thailand are 1 and 1a on my list, followed in no particular order by Melbourne, Berlin, southern Italy and Northern Ireland.
I suppose if you’ve never been to Ireland, then Dublin is a must, but Ireland is a land of small villages not cities. Spend a couple days at the most in the capital but take a bus (yes, a bus) and head to the villages that line the beautiful rolling landscape. Kilkenny, Killarney and Galway are tops. I’m certain there are other, perhaps better and even smaller, places to visit but those are my favourites. Dublin is just too big and less friendly. Prague is amazing.
Madrid overrated and dirty?! I went there in 2004, and actually had low expectations, it was way better than I thought it would be. I experienced wonderful museums, food and nightlife!
Top places for me?
Argentina / Chile to see the Patagonia and eat great steaks.
Thailand to lounge on the beaches and eat great Thai food.
Belgium to drink world class beers.
Alaska to see the wilderness.
Japan to experience the culture.
While the Guiness is fantastic and the food surprisingly good, I thought Dublin the city was a bit underwhelming. Btw Keith, my sister just returned from Croatia and claimed Dubrovnik was incredible – good choice. Having already traveled a good chunk of Europe, here’s my list:
1. Japan. With family connections I’ve heard such incredible things about it. The whole country just screams efficiency which is my sort of thing – plus the food would be enough of a reason to go by itself.
2. Brazil. Current goal is to get there for the 2014 World Cup. South America is still mysterious to me, and after meeting Brazilians from past travel my need to go soon (while i’m young) has been impressed upon me significantly.
3. Israel. Jewish father is insisting I take advantage of a birthright trip before i get too old. But the cultural significance of Jerusalem is the main reason.
4. Norway. Having spent 4 months previously in Copenhagen I felt so close yet so far. Visually among the most stunning places on earth.
5. Vancouver. More than a few testimonials saying this is the best city in North America. Need to find out for myself – and right quick.
Dublin/ Ireland in general – My maternal grandparents are both Irish-born, and now that I’m a couple of years into the adult world, I’m getting the guilt trip from them just about every time I see them. Hopefully within the next 5 years I’ll be able to get them off my back.
Hawaii – I’ll be crossing it off in 7 months on my honeymoon, but for now it still stands.
Greek Isles – Always wanted to spend time in the Mediterranean and from what I’ve heard this sounds like the best choice.
Melbourne/ Sydney – I couldn’t care less which city it was, but I want to go to Australia, dammit.
I’ve seen much of Western Europe (good old study abroad couldn’t get me to Ireland unfortunately) and several different tropical locales which is why those standards don’t show up.
I’m going to go with:
1. Campbelltown, Scotland – It’s the home of the Springbank distillery. I’m sure there are plenty of other lovely reasons to visit Campbelltown, but that’s the one that draws me.
2. Yishui Underground Canyon – Because, you know, it’s an underground canyon. It’s one of the most alien-looking places I’ve ever seen (in pictures).
3. Uluru – Enchanted Rock is one of my favourite places here in Texas. I can only imagine what this one would be like.
I’ve been fortunate to have spent time in Barcelona, Seville, Madrid, Paris, Amsterdam, Prague, Budapest, Eger, Rome, and Florence so far. Of those, I’d recommend Rome, Barcelona, Paris, and Amsterdam above the others, although I liked them all. Incidentally, Madrid would find itself at the bottom of that list.
Here’s my top 5 list of destinations I’d like to see next:
1 – Venice – I’m actually planning a trip there for May, and I’ll make a return visit to Rome.
2 – Sicily – I’ve fantasized over the idea of taking 2 weeks to rent a car to drive around the island. I’m especially drawn to Taormina and Agrigento.
3 – Munich for Oktoberfest – Enough said.
4 – Edinburgh, Scotland – Everytime I do a search for New Year’s Eve destinations in Europe, Edinburgh’s Hogmanay jumps to the forefront.
5 – Dubrovnik (actually, anywhere on the Dalmatian coast) – Every picture I’ve seen looks stunning.
Bali. Cousin owns a house there.
Costa rica – retirement plans start early
Ethiopia – experience a true coffee ceremony in the birthplace of coffee. And I’d like to check out
Kenya for similar reasons. Rift valley seems magical.
Memphis is an awesome place for about 48 hours. Beale Street > Bourbon Street.
I went to Madrid twice while I was in high school and had a blast both times. Take that with a grain of salt, obviously, because I’m sure the experiences of a high schooler on an organized trip are much different than what you’d experience.
Anyway, my top 10 includes, in no particular order: Hawaii, Australia (Melbourne or Sydney), Costa Rica, Vancouver, Buenos Aires, London, Prague, Galapagos Islands, Chicago (it’s silly that I’ve never been), Stockholm.
And to anybody who has Israel or Ireland on their list, I wholeheartedly recommend both.
My list is too big to go into so I won’t go there, but I’m happy to answer a questions about the few places I have been.
Madrid – I’m not sure who told you it was dirty and overrated, but IMO they are sorely mistaken. I thoroughly enjoyed my time there.
Morocco – I stayed in Casablanca and must say that I didn’t particularly enjoy it. If I ever go back it will only be to visit Marrekesh, I’ve heard it is a much better destination than Casablanca. I went in May without any real concerns for my safety, but I haven’t kept up with the political situation since then.
The Greek Isles – Santorini is wonderful. I went on a two week trip that included also stops in Casablanca, Athens, Rome, and Madrid. We went to Santorini for the middle point of the trip and the rest and relaxation was invaluable. We did very little other than drink wine and lay out by our hotel pool overlooking the caldera. It provided a great break from the hustle and bustle of the large cities. I’ve also heard great things about Mykonos.
Klaw –
A great list. Spent two weeks on honeymoon in Argentina in 2009, two weeks in Turkey this year. Both are incredible. I’m also from Hawaii originally, if you head out to any of those places let us readers know on your blog and we’ll send you in the right direction food wise.
Went to Marrakesh (Morrocco) about two years ago, terrific experience. So is Egypt, for that matter, and Keith from what you write Prague should be right up your alley.
High on my list of places to see: (1) Turkey; (2) Victoria Falls and Mount Kilimanjaro.
Oh man… freezing my butt off, and with a six month old who’s holding our nights hostage, dreaming of a winter vacation is just so tantalizing… My top five:
1) Vietnam – I love noodles. I love noodles in hot broth. I love noodles in hot broth with random bits of animal cooked in. Plus, every time I turn on the TV, I somehow catch Bourdain in one of his Vietnam episodes.
2) Istanbul – Everyone I know who’s been there and travelled elsewhere in Europe/Western Asia says Turkey is a must
see. Exceptional food, vibrant architecture, wonderful people, and a unique blending of “East” and “West.”
3) Japan – Again… noodles. And I’ve probably been reading too much Lucky Peach. The sushi probably helps too.
4) Chicago – I’ve never been, there’s an awesome sauce food scene, and there might be some sort of famous ballpark worth visiting…?!?
5) Maui – Oh sure, I’ve been there before, but… As I said, I’m freezing my b**t off here and those perfect sand beaches, warm breezy nights, and blissfully hot days are taunting me… Although a return to Ireland and a Guinness or two wouldn’t be awful either…
I’ve been living in Zimbabwe for the last 2 years, and I must say, I think there needs to be a slightly higher representation of Africa, or a least southern Africa, on these lists. Most of the cities can be passed in favor of other travel within the countries (Cape Town being a notable exception to the cities to avoid list), but it really has to be seen. The zoos and CNN reports don’t do it justice.
Botswana – Just for the Okavango Delta
Brugges – Beer tours and bicycles
Buenos Aires or Santiago- no me importa
Edinburgh – It may not be the home of Guinness, but I’m sure you could get some there, and it seems to be the most consistent pick among friends from the UK
New Zealand – If you’re going to fly so far, shouldn’t it be NZ over Australia?
Crete – it sure looks pretty in pictures
British Virgin Islands – to relax from all the travels
Seattle/ Vancouver – I hear lots of good things, and Seattle would be one of the last MLB parks I haven’t gotten to
Seychelles – While we’re close
I lived in Juneau 4 years. It’s pretty excellent – lots of accessible hiking in a temperate rainforest with 4000′ mountains & great views. Watch for the weather – June is best.
Never been to Madrid, but have been to Barcelona. I can tell you that it is most definitely worth traveling to and the food was up there with any city I’ve been to in Europe (compared to cities I’ve been to in Italy – pretty much all over, to Paris, and to several cities/towns in the South of France, among others). If you do go to Barcelona, recommend travelling to surrounding towns, as well. In Barcelona, must make morning stops at Mercat de la Boqueria.
I would recommend Valencia in Spain strongly. It’s a great small city with wonderful food (home of paella). As to my own list, there are too many to count, but New Zealand has to be the top of the list.
@ Matt Steele
I’ve spent lots of time in both Islamabad and Lahore (visiting relatives as I am of Pakistani descent). Islamabad is a great city. However, if you do want culture, Lahore is the place to visit. The only problem, of course, is the amount of pollution and traffic. Both are increasing by the day and will not abate. If you do ever make it, Badshah Mosque is a must see, along with the restaurants around it (all great).
1.Peru (the Amazon, Machu Picchu)
2. Anywhere in Italy (particularly Tuscany and Rome).
Morocco
Cairo
Hong Kong
Budapest
Athens/Greek Islands
Bologna was an awesome city to visit. 37 minute train ride from Florence. Very easy to walk to the city center, covered sidewalks everywhere, the Tortellini and Tortelli were both amazing. I’d also recommend going to Parma for some of the best food in the Emilia-Romagna region.
I’m in the US…
1. Rejkavijk
2. Sydney
3. Barcelona
4. Anchorage
5. Oslo
6. Dublin
A lot of this is scenery rather than food related. Places that I’ve been to at some point (including childhood) that otherwise would have been on the list: London, Hawai’i, Jerusalem, Lyons, Vancouver/Seattle, Edinburgh.
Definitely not enough love for Southeast Asia. From the Thai and Vietnamese cultures tremendous street food to lost relics in Angkor Wat, the history and culture of the mountains in Nepal to the incredibly perfect beaches of Indonesia, Southeast Asia is an ultimate dream.
Japan, however, has to be my number 1. The food is obviously impeccable, from the world’s best “working man’s” food, ramen and yakitori to the other end of the spectrum, perfect sushi and the “take your chef’s tasting menu and shove it” perfection of kaiseke, if you want food, this is your place. Japan is comically huge Tokyo and quiet ocean-side and mountain towns. In my opinion, if I could see just one more foreign country Japan has to be that one. Oh, and they REALLY love baseball too.
Nice post, Keith. I have been meaning to come up with an actual list for a while and here are a few desired destinations off the top of my head not exactly in order of where I’d rank ’em…
1. Ischia-I have cousins who live on the Italian island and I’d love to learn a bit more about my heritage and meet my family. My mom, sister and cousin have already visited and said it’s fantastic.
2. Africa-anywhere in Africa, everywhere in Africa. I’d love to not only visit and see the wildlife and the people and the beauty but also to give back if possible.
3. New Zealand-I want to go and hobbitize.
4. London-I imagine I’d ultimately be let down by London because I’m not really a big city guy, but still, it’s London and I’ve only been through the airport.
5. Seattle-Had the chance to spend about a week in Portland and loved it. Unfortunately I did not have the time to get up to Seattle but the Northwest just had a certain way about it that was fantastic and I’d love to go back.
6. Thailand-Thai food is probably my favorite. Eating it in Thailand would be nice.
7. Hawaii-because it’s Hawaii.
8. Spain-I don’t know where in Spain, but Spain. I hear great things from everyone about Spain. I’d love to take in some La Liga futbol. Attended a Florence-Rome game while in Florence and while I’m a baseball guy, that was pretty magical.
9. British Columbia-Met a friend while studying abroad who lives in BC and would love to visit him. Also caught a story in National Geographic about Spirit Bears and have dreamed of seeing one ever since.
10. Austria or Switzerland-for some skiing.
I would love to go to Southeast Asia, especially to see Angkor Wat, but my wife is allergic to shellfish, which would be a pretty significant issue over there, and the state of pollution/traffic in the major cities there is a real turn-off. I agree that the food would be amazing, though. Perhaps Singapore would be the place to go to get a taste of that world without the inconveniences.
Hey Keith and everyone – Some intriguing ideas so far…Here’s my list. I’m beginning in AZ as well. I’ve been to 46 states and I’m part of the EMC (extra milers club) who attempt to go to each US county. Anyway…
– Chile for some desert camping and star-gazing
– Havana – Thanks to EH’s annoying novels, I’ve always had a fascination with this place
– Singapore – The ultimate modern city-state
– Alaska – my dad’s “most beautiful place”
– Carpathian mtns (Romania)
– Paris & Provence- there’s nothing that I really want to see here except the inside of as many restaurants as possible
– Cartagena, COlombia – a beautiful city, with worldwide influences
– Oslo – a cruise among the fjords
– London – I’ve watched enough BBC to almost know my way around the city
– Monte Carlo – if only to feel like James Bond for a day
I haven’t been lucky enough to travel overseas, save for my prehoneymoon to Ireland. Go to Dingle rather than Kerry if you go. I loved Dublin… not as pleasant as Galway, but still special.
1)Paris… gotta go to Paris at least once. I’ve threatened my wife with images of me as an old Jewish lady complaining “We’ve been married for 50 years…. would it kill yah to take me to Paris?”
2)Scandinavia, no where in particular. Give me some fjords and tall blonde women and I’ll be happy.
3)New Zealand. I’m sure they have LotR experience tours… 😉
4)Austin for SXSW
5)Fiji…. cuz I’ve got a plan. I’m gonna farm sheep. (super geek bonus points to anyone who gets the ref)
I spent a week in Athens a few years ago before carrying on to the Greek isles. I loved it, I found it no dirtier than Milan, or Rome, or even Paris once you get out of the touristy areas. Food was great, people were relatively friendly for a big city. I’ve been to Italy a few times and Greece for one long stay and I much prefer Greece. Food and everything. The isles were great too but I recommend blocking a lot of time out. Trying to do it fast would be miserable. I found Crete to be overrated and Rhodes to be underrated of the big isles, and there are smaller ones worth exploring. Santorini may be very touristy, but for a very good reason. It is out of this world gorgeous, with great fresh food. I would recommend getting a motorcycle license before going, they require it to rent most scooters. A scooter is my favorite method of exploring.
I highly recommend Istanbul, I spent a week their when I was a child and 2 weeks there a few years ago trying to get to Beirut when the Israelis where bombing. Never got there but it turned out for the better, I really explored Istanbul and absolutely loved it. It is an amazing intersection of old and new, ancient and modern. The Turks are good at preserving there history, but this is not a dead ancient city, it’s vibrant and youthful. I felt safe as can be there and the people were friendly.
Morocco is great. If you have an Arabic speaking relative, it’s even better. You can penetrate the country better. I went with my Lebanese mother and we had a great time, Egypt was cool too but I preferred Morocco.
Japan!!! This is actually my favorite travel destination. I took Japanese in college and have been twice. Once for two months, and once for three weeks. The food is so good, and not really anything like what is found here. I like Americanized Japanese food, but the real Japanese food is unbelievable. Just the simple noodle joints are great. The Sushi is amazing as well. I would say that the most amazing dining out experience I’ve ever had was at a restaurant in Tokyo called Robata. It was not simply the food but the whole experience that made it for me, the serving, the people, the visuals, everything. I speak and read acceptable Japanese but I don’t think its necessary to go to Japan. I’ve ventured to the more rural areas and it helped but you can always get by. Maybe a bit more difficult than Europe but not much. Baseball games were interesting and fun as well, most of the descriptions I’ve read are accurate. Cheerleaders, bands, 15 year old girls with 1/2 sized beer kegs on there back walking through the stands, hot dogs with fish eggs, etc…
I had a bad Amsterdam experience simply because I went in December and the cold was miserable. Don’t go in the cold, even if the airfare is cheap.
I want to go to Indonesia. Also, I was young when I went to Hawaii and really want to get back. Never been to Alaska either and definantly want to check it out(in the summer). In South America I want to get to Chile and Peru, my brother and his wife are big South America people and have explored all over. There description are so enticing.
My job allows me to accumulate vacation time and take it in big blocks. My main thing about international travel is not to rush. I hate rushing, it messes up the experience for me.
Wow, I got long winded on that one. Sorry.
New York City – sad, I know. I have been all over but never north of Baltimore
Montreal
Toronto
London
Barcelona
Norway
Alaska
Rio
Sydney
Southern Italy
just missed the cut:
New Zealand
Hawaii
many others
I’ve been to Thailand and enjoyed it thoroughly. Bangkok disappointed us due to overcrowding/pollution/cleanliness. But the rural areas were great.
Here’s my list…
1. Rural Vietnam
2. Both New Zealand Islands
3. Vancouver Island
4. Rocky Mountaineer-train through the Canadian Rockies