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I spent the past summer in Madrid, but visited Barcelona, Sevilla, Malaga, and Gibraltar. I absolutely fell in love with Madrid and can't wait to go back.
Madrid: the La Latina neighborhood (specifically calle cava baja) has the highest concentration of tapas bars and restaurants in the city (it's also one of the oldest areas of the city), Retiro Park (a gorgeous park in the heart of the city), La Plaza de Santa Ana (a beautiful, slightly hidden plaza near the middle of the city, with great restaurants and outdoor seating), El Prado (the largest and most famous Museum in Spain), and El Rastro (Madrid's famous flea market that occurs every Sunday)
For Barcelona, my only advice is to stay away from La Rambla .
In Sevilla, the cathedral and alcazar are musts.
Check out the alcazaba in Malaga which has great views of the city. Also take a stroll down calle larios, the most beautiful street I saw in Spain.
In Gibraltar, hike the rock and go down the Mediterranean steps which provide a magnificent view of the Sea.
I spent the past summer in Madrid, but visited Barcelona, Sevilla, Malaga, and Gibraltar. I absolutely fell in love with Madrid and can't wait to go back.
Madrid: the La Latina neighborhood (specifically calle cava baja) has the highest concentration of tapas bars and restaurants in the city (it's also one of the oldest areas of the city), Retiro Park (a gorgeous park in the heart of the city), La Plaza de Santa Ana (a beautiful, slightly hidden plaza near the middle of the city, with great restaurants and outdoor seating), El Prado (the largest and most famous Museum in Spain), and El Rastro (Madrid's famous flea market that occurs every Sunday)
For Barcelona, my only advice is to stay away from La Rambla .
In Sevilla, the cathedral and alcazar are musts.
Check out the alcazaba in Malaga which has great views of the city. Also take a stroll down calle larios, the most beautiful street I saw in Spain.
In Gibraltar, hike the rock and go down the Mediterranean steps which provide a magnificent view of the Sea.
Great suggestions.
I'm taking a cruise from Miami to Malaga next month and then we're spending a few days in Malaga and its environs before taking the train to Cordoba for a couple of days and then on to Madrid for five more. We went to Seville last year as well as to Barcelona on three separate occasions last year. Although obviously not our favorite part of the city, we actually enjoyed the people watching on Las Ramblas, not to mention hanging out in the incredible market there. It reminded me of the one in Sao Paulo.
We're going to be fortunate in that we'll have a tour guide for Madrid: a former exchange student from there whom we hosted when we lived in the Washington, DC area about 20 years ago. We've stayed in touch over the years and now that young girl is married and has two children of her own!
Japan
There's just alot of going on and must see in Japan. Ofcourse, Tokyo, Osaka & Kyoto are the basics. I would greatly recommend visiting Nikko, just 2 hrs by train north of Tokyo. It's very beautiful, scenic and good for camping or exploring the peaceful woods. Nagano which is conveniently located near the Japanese Alps. The Shikoku region, overlooked by many tourists. Fukuoka, my favorite city. Very clean, and personally, has the best ramen in Japan. The Hokkaido region, the most beautiful part of Japan. Otaru is my favorite, a small city with a little hint of European feel in it. There's just so many other places unknown to many foreigners.
Namibia
Safari! Not really. Altho not as safari exciting as Botswana or South Africa, it is a unique African destination.
Luderitz, a German colonial town. Very beautiful.
Spitzkoppe, beautiful mountain, majestic scenery.
Swakopmund. Beaches, sand dunes.
And national parks for wildlife, nature and scenery.
Location: The western periphery of Terra Australis
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I'm more about experiencing countries instead of just ticking off sites/cities off my list.
Your list looks pretty good.
There are simply too many places I find interesting.
I won't list every place I've been to I've enjoyed. I've been to 8 countries apart from Australia. In Asia Singapore, Malaysia, Thailand, Vietnam, China inc. Hong Kong, elsewhere New Zealand and the United States.
Ten highlights:
1. Helicopter flight over the Grand Canyon
2. New York City
3. Seeing Hong Kong at night/from the peak
4. Trekking through the rainforest in Malaysia
5. Great Barrier Reef
6. Skiing in the Southern Alps, NZ
7. Historical sites in Beijing
8. Living with the ethnic minorities in Sapa, Vietnam
9. The great food and culture of the Asian cities
10. Travelling the Outback here at home
The next 10 countries will mostly be in Europe, because I haven't been. India, Turkey, Japan and South America and then Africa.
We are now DINKICs (Dual Income No Kids in College), so we have more time and money to travel. If you had to narrow down your top 5 favorite travel destinations, what would they be? They could be a natural wonders, cultural destinations, beautiful architecture, gardens, etc., but please be specific. For instance, within the last year we took a Mediterranean cruise and a Caribbean cruise. But instead of just saying we liked Barcelona, Florence, Venice, Dubrovnik, and Puerto Rico, I can specifically say:
Barcelona, Spain - Sagrada Familia, Parc Guell, Casa Mila, Hop On/Hop Off Bus for seeing the entire beautiful city
Florence, Italy - Uffizi Gallery, Michalengelo's David at the Galleria dell'Accademia, Ponte Vecchio, Il Duomo
Venice, Italy - San Marco Square, Doge's Palace, Rialto Bridge and Grand Canal, Murano (glass blowing artisans), and Burano (charming colorful homes and businesses)
Dubrovnik, Croatia - Old Town
Puerto Rico - BioIsland Tour of the bioluminescent bay Laguna Grande, El Yunque National Park (tropical rain forest)
Thanks!
Amsterdam - walk along the canals, take the trams, see the Van Gough museum, ride bikes with the locals - it's amazingly fun.
Delft (also in Netherlands) - Visit De Delftse Pauw (the place that paints the Delftware), Nieuwe Kerk (a beautiful cathedral), Vermeer Centrum Delft (if you enjoy the work of Johannes Vermeer),
And honestly, just biking/walking around Delft is a treat in itself. It's incredibly beautiful. If you have a car, you're not too far from Antwerp Belgium and all of the goodies there.
edited to add:
Iceland - Visit the Blue Lagoon spa there, it's A-MAZ-ING. The Icelandic people are friendly, open and enjoy tourists, Iceland is stunningly beautiful and it's like no-where else you've been.
Copenhagen - visit Tivoli, especially during Christmas Fair, it's like a fairy tell. Copenhagen is a beautiful, metropolitan city with so much to do. You can take a bike (they rent them EVERYWHERE) and ride with the locals, visit the dozens of museums they have there, go to one of the beaches (you can take the bus or train), visit Dragsholm Castle which has a very interesting past or, if you have the right sense of humor, visit Bonbonland. It was there that we spent the day and then were rescued by a Swedish speaking Dane on a Harley when our car wouldn't start and the park had closed. Fun times!
My wife and I are taking a cruise from Los Angeles to Buenos Aires early next year and we are planning to stay in B.A. for several days after the cruise as well as take a trip to see Iguazu Falls. One of the port stops on the cruise after we go around Cape Horn is a day in Puerto Madryn, so I'm glad to see that is one of your favorite destinations. Any suggestions on what we shouldn't miss seeing while there?
Truthfully, Puerto Madryn proper is sorta dull. But it is the connection point and closest city to visit Peninsula Valdes, a national park where they have penguins, seals, sea lions and whales! You have to go! I spent most of my time in the area in Peninsula Valdes but stayed in and booked my tours through Puerto Madryn.
Sounds like you have a great trip planned. I lived in Argentina for a while and have such great memories from there. You're going to some great spots. Most foreign tourists don't make it to Madryn so it's great that you'll get a chance to go. Do you have a place to stay in Iguazu? I have a great B&B recommendation if you're interested! In Buenos Aires, check out Cafe Tortoni if you get a chance...very touristy, but cute cafe. They also have a pretty good tango show. I lived in a small Argentine town so whenever I'd get a chance to go to BsAs, I'd spend my time walking around Palermo near the big park, shopping at the outdoor market near the famous Recoleta cemetary and if I was there on the weekend, I'd go to the street market/fair in San Telmo and go sip some coffee at a cafe and watch the street performers!
The OP poses a truly difficult question, our travels have been some of the highlights of our life. Into the fray (my $0.002):
Portugal - Cascais for an urban experience and an excellent base from which to plan an Algrave tour. Its not nearly as hectic as the more major European cities and it has a quite walkable center, visit Sintra for castles on a day trip via rail, Sagros for beaching (but be very wary, the trek down the cliffs to the beach can be seriously daunting and getting back up takes a genuine effort).
Add in a stay at Tavira for a simple, small town experience with wonderfully fresh seafood and many pleasant options to while a away a day. The general area is quite pleasant for a day hire auto tour. You can select your dinner from a fresh local catch at the canal dock and observe it being prepared to your specifications.
Its just a lovely little town, a bit off the main tourist map, quite pleasant for a respite vacation. I'd suggest avoiding the established few resort accommodations in the area and stay in the town center, much nicer.
A trip to Torremolinos, Spain might be worth your time if you care for a bit more "action". Its very cosmopolitan and nice if you want an established, major location type visit.
Germany: any of the smaller river towns, they are often also accessible by train. Just charm, history and pleasant ambience galore.
Russia: Moscow (carefully) and, especially St Petersburg, are just incredible. Forgot anything you've heard about "bad old Russia" during the Cold War. The Russians are wonderfully friendly people and a list of sites to suggest is too long to attempt. One should definitely visit the Hermitage before they die. Catherine the Great's wedding dress is unique and the carriage collection is mind-boggling.
Amsterdam: definitely worth a visit but beware of the bicycle mobs, they are seriously dangerous. Its much more pleasant to see the city via a water taxi, either in a group rental or (recommended) private hire. You'll definitely enjoy viewing house number 7. Amsterdam is more of a youngsters' locale although its art and architecture are worth the trip. You just have to be really careful to not get run over by the bicycle types. The vibe of the city is young, hectic and not for the slow moving (at least on public streets.)
Costa Rica: just finished our 8th year snow birding there. Its a wonderful place to escape the NE US winters. Your options on activities are pretty large, just don't forget high quality sun block. Its more of an outdoor, nature type location and we obviously like it a lot for laid back, warm environments.
If you're seriously going to visit, I'll offer some recommendations on dining in the Central Valley area, its superb and very inexpensive by US conventions.
Last edited by Pilgrim21784; 03-19-2012 at 12:55 AM..
The OP poses a truly difficult question, our travels have been some of the highlights of our life. Into the fray (my $0.002):
Russia: Moscow (carefully) and, especially St Petersburg, are just incredible. Forgot anything you've heard about "bad old Russia" during the Cold War. The Russians are wonderfully friendly people and a list of sites to suggest is too long to attempt. One should definitely visit the Hermitage before they die. Catherine the Great's wedding dress is unique and the carriage collection is mind-boggling.
If you're seriously going to visit, I'll offer some recommendations on dining in the Central Valley area, its superb and very inexpensive by US conventions.
@ Pilgrim21784 - We are actually considering a trip in the near future to both Moscow and St. Petersburg. Can you clarify what you mean by "Moscow (carefully)"? Is it a dangerous town? What are your recommendations regarding the sites we would like to visit which are:
+ The Kremlin (the State Armory)
+ St. Basil's Cathedral
+ Cathedral of Christ the Savior
+ Red Square (including GUM Department Store)
+ Cathedral of the Assumption
+ Tsaritsyno Park and Palace
+ Novodevichy Convent
+ Bolshoy Theatre
+ Pushkin Museuma of Fine Arts
+ Metro Stations (Mayakovskaya, Ploschad Revolyutsii, Komsomolskaya, Kropotkinskaya, Teatralnaya, Novokuznetskaya, Novoslobodskaya)
+ The Hermitage Museum (how do you narrow down what to see if you only have 1/2 to 1 full day to visit?)
+ Winter Palace
+ Peterhof Palace
+ Church on Spilled Blood
+ Mariinskiy Theatre
+ St. Isaac's Cathedral
+ Tsarskoe Selo
+ Trinity Bridge
+ Arts Square
Any of these that are more hype than they are worth seeing? Any additional "must see" sites?
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Amsterdam is more of a youngsters' locale although its art and architecture are worth the trip. You just have to be really careful to not get run over by the bicycle types. The vibe of the city is young, hectic and not for the slow moving (at least on public streets.)
