Climbing Stromboli the volcano with some crazy vulcanologists and spending the night at the top.

Santorini - the first view of the Aegean from the Caldera in Fira. Jaw dropping colors and a sight that looked EXACTLY like all the pictures and photos I had seen.

Israel - don't consider myself an especially spiritual person but the impact of standing in front of the Western Wall in Jerusalem and feeling, for the first and only time in my life, the accumulated weight of all the prayers said there.

Buenos Aires - had to be talked into going and, once there, started imagining myself living there. Fell in love with the food (and the wine), the stylishness of all the window displays and the warmth and energy of its citizens.

Venice - arrived Christmas Eve and spent a rapturous 5 days there, wandering in and out of the fog, deliberately getting lost, finding magical sights and shops in the least expected places.

Ravello - peaceful, serene but bursting with color from all the ceramics displayed and the flowers. Exploring narrow winding streets with hidden courtyards filled with terra cotta pots and silvery green olive branches.

Lago Maggiore - Stresa, Baveno, so tranquil

Amalfi Coast - Sorrento, Positano

of course without the crowds

I'm going house shopping there soon

TravMimi: I would love to hear more about your hike up Stromboli!

I was there in May 2005 and totally intrigued by the island!!

Nessebur in Bulgaria, a beautiful little island filled with churches and restaurants.

Bruges, Arriving from Brussels, i didn't have high expectations, but i was enthralled, such a pretty town.

Fun thread; For us, while we have simply loved everywhere we have been lucky enough to travel too, Venice just blew us away. The people, the sites, the ease of getting around the city... How fun to just walk and walk and walk and never worry about being so far off track that you can't get back in a timely manner! Perhaps it was also how very friendly everyone was and how safe we felt in the city. Look forward to returning soon. Shirley

Just reading about all of these wonderful places is great!
For me its been:
Slovenia - WOW! Loved Logarska Dolina and Lake Bled area
St. Petersburg
Dobrovnik (I was there before the war and hope to take my husand to see it sometime. Hopefully it is as beautiful as I remember)
Looking forward to seeing some of the other places described here!

Budapest was my personal favourite on a recent trip to central Europe. It had a wedding cake quality similar to that of Prague and Krakow but there was a pulsating vibrancy about the place. Something tangible in the air. I would certainly recommend going there, the Danube is incredibly romantic at dusk.

http://www.travel--guide.org/Budapest

Paris - I had heard many comments about Americans being treated badly in France. In fact, Paris seemed warm, friendly and beautiful.

Loire Valley - Same comments as Paris.

In der Pflaz (Palinate) - Some areas have to be lived in to appreciate. This might be one. It is a rural, quiet, backwater place; but, through the seasons it produced one endearing sight of nature and rural living after another.

Regards, Gary

Rome--We spent a week there in late March and early April. We had been there before and certainly had no objection to going back with our son who wanted to see it. But this time for some reason it was especially wonderful.

Others I can think of off-hand:
Barcelona
Cordoba
Chartres
Durham
Paestum
Padova
Prague

Also Lubeck

Memories, memories.

St. Andrews (and all of Scotland)
Switzerland, esp. Berner Oberland
Israel
Kenya
Tanzania
Hallstatt
Vernazza
Pont du Gard
Amazon River
Stuttgart Kriskindlmarkt
Siena Palio
Grossglockner
American cemetary in Normandy

Cheers,

Jinx Hoover