The one type of question I get asked frequently pertaining to my travels is “what has been your favorite so far”. To round out this amazing year of travel, I thought I’ll post this list of all my favorite travel related things! They include places, food, activities and a whole lot more. There are a lot more places I want to see and I lot more bucket list items I want to tick off, so I will keep updating this list as time goes on but this is my list for now!
Countries and Cities
Favorite Country
I really love Portugal! France is a newly discovered love after venturing out of Paris this year. Also love Bali (not a country but love the island!)
Favorite Region
I generally love Europe! My top 3 regions are:
Favorite Big City
I’m not so much a big city person but I do love London and New York!
Favorite Mid Sized City
Best Medieval Towns
Best Day Trip from a Big City
- Sintra from Lisbon, Portugal
- Neuschwanstein Castle from Munich, Germany
- Bruges from Brussels, Belgium
- Lake Como from Milan, Italy
Favorite Charming Villages
- Cotswolds, England
- Geithoorn, Netherlands
- Eguisheim, France and other villages on the Alsace Wine Route
- Hallstatt, Austria
Underrated Countries
- Portugal – maybe it’s the mild weather or the seafood but as I said before, I love Portugal!
- Malta – tiny Malta is easy to see in a week and really packs a punch
- Slovenia – the nature in Slovenia is second to none!
Underwhelming/overrated cities/countries
- Lima, Peru
- Venice, Italy
- Singapore
This being said, I thought Vienna was overrated too but I visited a second time and fell in love.
Cities that Take You Back in Time
- Fez, Morocco
- Jerusalem, Israel
Most Colorful Cities
Most Mysterious, Magical, and Exotic city
Country I’ve Been to the Most
Technically Canada, but I have family in Canada so I don’t really count it. It’s Thailand after that.
Favorite Historic Cities and Countries?
- Polonnaruwa, Sri Lanka
- Rome, Italy
- Giza, Aswan, Luxor, Abu Simbel in Egypt
- Athens, Greece
Architecture and Buildings
Favorite Cities for Architecture
- Paris, France
- Rome, Italy
- London, United Kingdom
- Prague, Czech Republic
Favorite Castles and Palaces?
In order
Favorite Houses of Worship
(Not in order)
- Church of the Holy Sepulchre – Israel
- St. Peter’s Basilica – Vatican
- Sagrada Familia – Barcelona, Spain
- St. Vitus – Prague, Czech Republic
- St. John’s Co-Cathedral – Valetta, Malta
- St. Giles (outside) – Edinburg, UK
- Florence Duomo (outside) – Florence, Italy
- Cusco Cathedral – Cusco, Peru
- Basilica de San Juan de Dios – Granada, Spain
- Hassan II Mosque – Casablanca, Morocco
Nature
Best Beaches
Anywhere in the Caribbean, particularly Tulum in Mexico and San Blas in Panama
Best snorkeling
- Cozumel, Mexico
- Red Sea, Egypt
Otherworldly Landscapes
Favorite Countries for Nature
- Iceland
- Scotland – Highlands
- Sri Lanka – Hill country
- Slovenia – Lakes, rivers and valleys
- Peru – Inca Trail, Sacred Valley, Rainbow Mountain
Food
Best Meal
I love to eat! These were some of my most memorable meals abroad
- Carbonara in Florence – I didn’t eat carbonara for a long time after because I didn’t want to spoil the memory of this the carbonara I had in Florence
- Czech Dumplings in Prague
- Slovak Dumplings (Bryndzové Halušky)
- Octopus with mash and truffle oil in Colombia
- Fish with handmade pasta in Hvar
- Toasted yuca with tuna carpaccio and onion ceviche in Panama
Food markets
Favorite Things to Eat in General
- Empanadas
- Cheese
- Gelato
- Anything with passion fruit
Best Food Overall
Activities
Best Museum (including Art Museums or Places for Art)
- Van Gogh, Amsterdam
- Anne Frank, Amsterdam
- Uffizi, Florence
- Egyptian Museum, Cairo
- Vatican Museum
- Louvre, Paris
- Prado, Madrid
- Picasso Museum, Barcelona
Best Road Trip to Date?
- Iceland ring road
- Big Sur, California
- Julian Alps and Soča Valley, Slovenia
- Croatia, Bosnia, Montenegro and Slovenia
Favorite Activity in General
Thermal baths and spas! So far I’ve loved the thermal baths and spas in Baden-Baden, Budapest and Iceland
Best Experiences/ I Can’t Believe I’m Here Moments
- Glacier hiking in Iceland
- Bathing in Myvatn thermal baths, Iceland when it was snowing at 10 PM in late spring/early summer and there was still light outside
- Catamaran trip around Santorini and jumping into the Aegean
- Seeing the sunset in Santorini
- Hot air ballooning in Cappadocia, Turkey
- Spending New Years Eve in the Sahara desert with the clearest night sky I have ever seen!
- Spending Christmas eve and Christmas day in Bethlehem
- Visiting the dead sea
- Hiking the Inca trail to Machu Picchu
- Climbing Rainbow mountain at 17k feet
- Hiking the Swiss Alps
- Christmas market hopping in Vienna
- Visiting Vatican Square, Sistine Chapel and St. Peter’s Basilica
- Seeing the blue city of Chefchaouen, Morocco
- Visiting Hagia Sofia, Turkey
- Visiting the tanneries in Fez, Morocco
- Visiting Mostar, Bosnia and Herzegovina
- Traveling through Egypt, especially visiting Abu Simbel
- Learning the champagne making process in Champagne, France
- Watching Flamenco dancing in Seville, Spain
- Lavender fields in Provence, France
- Visiting the Alhambra in Granada, Spain
- Seeing famous works of art like the Mona Lisa, Guernica, Sun Flowers, Pieta
- Seeing the Leaning Tower of Pisa
- Lake Bled, Slovenia
- Patagonia, Chile
Best Travel Story
- Spent 30 days in Europe visiting 8 countries. I didn’t have roaming or buy a sim card. I have no idea how I survived without getting lost or missing a single train, bus, or plane. I cannot imagine doing that now!
- Spent 7 weeks in Europe (8 countries) + Egypt and Canada this year! I was in between jobs and took the time off to travel
Cheesiest Touristy Activity
A sound of music tour in Salzburg! I LOVED every second of it!
Airports and Airlines
Most Frequented Airport Outside of the US
Dubai used to be my most frequented airline back in the day but now it’s definitely Schiphol in Amsterdam. This year I was in Schiphol twice in 3 days (crossing the Atlantic)
Favorite US Airline
Delta! US airlines are not that great but I think Delta is the best out of the lot
Favorite Airline Outside the United States
Emirates, Etihad and Qatar
Wish List
Top of mind places in the next few years?
Argentina, South Africa, Greenland, New Zealand, Antarctica
Bucket List Adventures
Everest Base Camp, Mount Kilimanjaro
Places I Wish I could Live for a Year or Two
London, Prague, Bali, South West Germany, Small town France, Amsterdam
Do you have any of these on your favorites list? Let me know in the comments!
