Dreaming of The Unique Travel Destination – Part 1
A few years ago, we took a trip to Ireland and spent eight days exploring the Southern and Western edges of the green isle. I wrote about this earlier this year in this post. What I didn’t say at the time is that I was bitten by the European travel bug and am salivating at the idea of going back. But, I don’t really want to dive into all the touristy spots that visitors flock to every year. Our trip to Ireland involved a lot of exploration of smaller towns and places that weren’t overrun with people. I wanted an authentic Ireland experience and I got it so, that’s what I want for future travel as well.
This is the first of a five-part series of posts where I will share some of my dream destinations. The countries will no doubt be on a lot of bucket lists, but the destinations within those countries may not. Ready to get off the beaten path with me? Well then, let’s go!
Toscana, Italy
Who doesn’t dream of beautiful Tuscany? From the rugged Apennine Mountains to the beaches of Elba you’ll find a gorgeous landscape made complete by the addition of lush olive groves and vineyards. Now add in a villa rental at the Castello di Montalto in the Chianti area of Tuscany between Siena and Arezzo and you have the making of a vacation straight out of your dreams. Just an hour and a half from Florence, this area is rich in history and, of course, famous for its wine. Give me a room in a villa here and a good pair of walking shoes and I’ll be happy. The castle even offers bicycle rentals, hiking, and the occasional cooking, painting or drawing lesson if you get tired of the views. Learn how to make authentic Italian food? Yes please!
Grand Case, Saint Martin, Caribbean
This was the vacation that didn’t happen thanks to the Coronavirus shutdown in early 2020. Literally days away from departure we were forced to cancel our 10-day trip to lovely St. Martin. I could have cried. Well, actually I did because we were SOOOOO ready for a vacation and then, nope. You’re not going anywhere. Only recently have things really opened up again here to American travelers. We are hopeful that one day, we’ll be able to visit and I’ll finally be able to use the French I’ve been struggling to re-learn for the last 2 years!
For our 2020 trip, we chose the French side of this small island in the Caribbean that is part of the Leeward Islands. Grand Case is snuggled into the northern curve of the island and is famous for its French cuisine. As is true of any tropical destination, Grand Case offers beaches, gorgeous sunsets and lovely weather. All of which our “sick and tired of MN winter bodies” were crying out for. On the Dutch side (Sint Maarten) shopping opportunities abound and offers the chance to see the massive cruise ships come in several times a week. If you want to avoid the crowd of cruisers in the markets, ask your travel agent to fill you in on the days where there are no ships docking and enjoy a leisurely stroll through the shops. We also chose the French side of the island simply because, while still popular with tourists, it’s not as busy as the Dutch side where all flights and cruise ships come into.
If you are looking for your own inspiration for where to go on your next vacation, I stumbled on a really cool website called Big 7 Travel that has a ton of information about hundreds of destinations all over the world. The articles are all written by travelers who have actually been there and the photography is gorgeous. I’ve added the website to my Favorite Links and Resources page if you are looking for it later.
With that, I’ll wrap this up for today and tease you to come back again for further installments! My bucket list of travel destinations is pretty long so I’m breaking things up a bit for you. Also, I realize that travel is still in a state of flux for many countries, but one day (very soon I hope) the world will open up again and all this dreaming will become reality.
Happy Friday!
