It’s a big world: Here are some favorite parts
All travelers have their favorite places to visit. Some are domestic, some are international, all fulfill individual needs in one way or another.
My in-laws, for example, are foodies. That means that they’re big fans of Italy (and presumably of France) though not so much of the United Kingdom. Still, they spent last Christmas in London, so maybe their affection for a Dickensian holiday experience proved greater than their love of food.
Of course, London now offering more international culinary options, the era of tasteless English cuisine is long over. So …
Ranking favorite travel destinations is a theme that the magazine Conde-Nast Traveler recently took up. In a poll of the magazine’s readers, it listed its Reader’s Choice Awards for the Top Countries in the World.
Click here to access the full list.
Since I began traveling with my wife, Mary Pat Treuthart, in 1993, I’ve had the pleasure to experience 17 of the 20 countries on the list. The three I’ve missed: Thailand, Croatia and Norway.
What I find interesting is that a number of the countries that I’ve had great experiences in are not mentioned at all. Some of those include China, Argentina, Costa Rica, Colombia, Korea and – most recently – Albania.
But, then, I recognize that Conde-Nast Traveler readers aren’t necessarily fans of more adventurous voyaging. They could be, of course, but likely are not.
So, let me try and run down some of my favorite personal travel destinations, only some of which made the magazine’s list.
1. Italy. I have to start here, since because of Mary Pat’s association with Gonzaga University School of Law we’ve visited here more times than anyplace else. In fact, we’ve managed to hit all 20 of the country’s regions, including both Sicily and Sardinia. And while Rome, Florence and Venice are all mandatory stops, out-of-the-way places such as Matera, Taormina and the Lipari Islands are well worth checking out as well.
2. Iceland. When we drove what Icelanders call the Ring Road, we were able to see much of what this island nation has to offer: glaciers, volcanic calderas, black-sand beaches, geysers and geothermal pools, all set against some of the most majestic vistas imaginable.
3. Spain. Our most recent train-and-driving tour of Spain saw us visit Madrid, Cordoba, Granada and Sevilla, along with a short stay in the beach town of Nerja. And while all those places have their qualities, I was most impressed with Granada and, in particular, both the graciousness we experienced there and the impressive Alhambra palace. On a previous visit, we stayed a couple of days in Barcelona, which has a whole different – but just as enjoyable – feel.
4. Australia. Among the places that I still want to see is the fabled rock formation Uluru (or Ayers Rock), which sits nearly in the middle of the country. Even so, what I’ve seen so far of the country – just in the city of Sydney – did take my breath away. I was especially moved when I stood on the boardwalk in Sydney Harbour with the Sydney Harbour Bridge on my left and one of the world’s great architectural achievements, the stately Sydney Opera House, on my right.
5. Greece. Yes, Athens has the Acropolis and so many other ancient sites. And if you go on a road trip, you can hike around both the Temple of Apollo in Delphi and what remains of the battle site at Thermopylae. But for us, the most amazing stop was at Meteora, the rock formations atop which stand some of the most breathtakingly constructed Eastern Orthodox monasteries.
6. Argentina. With a country as big as Argentina, only an extended stay could allow you to see everything, from the wine region of Mendoza to the southernmost tip of Patagonia. But along with a tour of Buenos Aires, including a stop at the famous cemetery in La Recoleta (where, among others, Eva Peron is entombed), and a short day trip to nearby Colonia, Uruguay, we paid a visit to the impressive Iguazu Falls (famous for being portrayed in the 1986 film “The Mission”).
7. Poland. Yeah, not many travelers would include this eastern European country on their list of favorite places. But then we were interested not just to see history in the form of the death camp at Auschwitz but also to tour the scenic city of Krakow – which, unlike Warsaw, escaped being destroyed in World War II.
8. Turkey (now the preferred spelling is Türkiye). Our main visit was to Istanbul, though we did take a train to the city of Eskesehir (where Mary Pat attended a legal conference). So many things to experience here, from the Hagia Sophia Grand Mosque, the Blue Mosque, the Topkapi Palace and the Grand Bazaar.
9. Mexico. Despite its dangerous reputation, Mexico – from Cabo San Lucas to Puerto Vallarta, Mexico City to Oaxaca to Guadalajara – has a lot to offer travelers working on any budget. I’ve yet to experience the country’s east coast, though Mary Pat has. But little could be more impressive than what, say, the country’s capital city has to offer, from massive Chapultepec Park to the Museo Nacional de Antropología, the Palacio de Bellas Artes to the Frida Kahlo Museum.
10. Portugal. Our combined road/bus trip through Portugal took us from Lisbon to Porto, south to the surfer town of Nazaré and even farther south to the arid landscape of the Algarve. Lisbon is a wonder in and of itself, though the streets are steep. But little can match an evening dinner on a beach-side Nazaré restaurant just as the sun sets.
Hey, wait, I end with a mention of a sunset dinner? Maybe I am a foodie after all.