My "magic places" are in the wine cellarage in Mikulov on South Moravia. Romantic with girls.

Paris... Montmarte at night (the cathedral is lit by candlelight; students making music on the steps; lively outdoor cafes) or the Eiffel tower at sunset

Dubrovnik... walking the walls of city, looking out at the Adriatic

Argentina... Iguazu falls under a full moon

Grand Canyon... south rim at sunrise or desert view at sunset

Any city in the world... walking the streets as the city is waking up, smells of fresh baked bread, sounds of businesses opening, a feeling of hope and anticipation for a new day.

Paris- so many places but especially- Luxembourg Gardens at the Medici Fountain and Palais Royal Gardens

Fredericksburg Texas

San Francisco- It is just beautiful no matter where you go.

Blowing Rock North Carolina- a town in the Blue Ridge Mountains

Standing by the rim of the Grand Canyon at 6 AM.

Enjoying the sense of wonder when my two sons first saw Venice while riding the vaporetto in the Grand Canal.

While watching 60 minutes tonight, I was reminded of a magical time when we reached a clearing in the Amazon and saw hundreds of colorful butterflies the size of balloons

Great question.

In Europe:
- Chateau d'Alogny, Lesigny-sur-Creuse, France.
- St. John's College, Cambridge, England
In Asia:
- Victoria's Peak at night, Hong Kong
- West Lake at night, Hanzhou, China
- White Swan Hotel, Guangdong, China
Caribbean:
- my porch in Coral Bay, St. John U.S.V.I.

i haven't been everywhere so i'm sure i'll add to the list over the years but here are a few highlights
1. venice-everything about it-the view of the grand canal from a terrace resturant (the bauer), the people- but san marco's square at night in the summer with the orchestra's playing and walking the narrow streets especially.
2. paris, walking along the seine
3. vienna- that moment when you're walking and you all of a sudden see the cathedral
4. banff and lake louise in the canadian rockies-there's nothing like the water there
5. montmatre during the day when all the artists are out sketching
6. the old city of jerusalem (especially at night)
7. and i am biased but i love new york city!
thats just some of the wonderful places i can think of, sigh i miss traveling (its time for another trip!)

These come to mind:

1) pont neuf in Paris - especially on a chilly night walking hand in hand with a loved one.
2) saint chapelle - breathtaking! especially in the summers when they hold mini concerts and you see the sunlight hit the stained glass windows. magical!
3) positano - possibly one of the most romantic spots on earth
4) boracay island, the philippines - watching the sun set drinking a margarita, leaving all your cares behind.
5) sistine chapel - seeing all the vibrant colors and being in awe of such a significant place. amazing

1. St Paul de Vence - Fondacion Maeght -open air museum of sculpture of great french artists on top of a mountain overlooking Provence.
2. Zermatt and the Swiss Alps in general, all the overpasses.
3. Little market in Yaffo near Tel Aviv
4. That view from the Brooklyn-Queens Exp'way of lower Manhattan that will never be the same.
5. Venice in January, St Mark's - somebody pinch me-
6. Place de la Concorde, Paris

Thank you for asking this question.
-e

A wonderful question that brings back distinctly different but terrific memories of the sunset over the Nile on Crocodile Island, Luxor, Egypt; sipping a glass of wine under the massive trees at the Chateau de Roussan, St. Remy de Provence, France; sunset over the pink sand beaches on Harbour Island, Bahamas, and any time on Pleasant Lake, NH!

What a wonderful question!

Venice, Italy -- from the first glimpse to the last, and still.

Vieux Québec, Canada -- in a snowstorm, with my sweetie.

The Magic Kingdom, Orlando, Florida, USA -- where even a migraine will settle down in an hour to allow one more ride on Space Mountain.

Any campfire, but especially that one near Echo Bay, Ontario, Canada -- where we found the pink heart-shaped rock.

St. Andrews by the Sea, New Brunswick, Canada -- on our honeymoon, seeing a double full rainbow... that is, before Norman the odd innkeeper scared us out of New Brunswick.

But especially...

Mizen Head, County Cork, Ireland -- looking out over the cliff across the ocean, hearing God whisper in my ear, "see? I made this for you?"

Standing in the garden at the Castle of Congeliano looking north and east over the valley and to the Dolomites. So enchanting. And knowing that one of the last battles of WWI had been fought there and won by the Americans and the Italians.

Standing on the second floor deck of my friends little house in the Dolomites looking south over the lower mountains all the way to to Adriatic Sea on a crisp but very clear day. Again, knowing the battles of war that had been fought in that region but again the victors were those that fought for freedom and justice.

Standing on the patio of my friends house in the region of Molise, a house that she and her family lived in when the Germans came into Cantalupo in their tanks and imagining how scared they must have been. Looking at the beauty of Cantalupo from their patio and all the beauty of the countryside laying before me and knowing in my heart how somehow the good and faithful always prevail and win.

Flying early one morning over the Alps on the way to Italy as the sun came up and made the snow covered mountains sparkle like gold and saw the little cluster of houses in village amongst the valleys in the mountains. A very spiratual moment, as though an angel was pouring her golden light on this area.

So many beautiful and magic places and moments.

In no particular order
1) Greater Boston, MA: the rectangle that goes Arlington and Beacon, MA Ave and Beacon, MA Ave and Comm. Ave, and Comm. Ave and Arlington.
Beacon Hill: the whole thing up to the State House.
Cambridge: Harvard Sq. to the Watertown border.
2) New York City: Manhattan: West Village
Brooklyn: Park Slope and the Heights.
3) Lake Hubert, MN: Camp Lake Hubert
4) Barcelona: Plaça San Felip Neri; el Call, the bar La Concha; anywhere in the Gràcia neighborhood; the walk from Canyelles to Collblanc (2 hrs of wonderful); La Granja on c/ Banys Nous
5) Essouira, Morocco: Casa di Carlo
6) Querétaro, México: the downtown plaza
7) Alicante, Spain: Playa Amerador; my host family's house.

It felt good to just think of those places!

Claire

"Piazza San Marco" in Venice.
"Central Park" in New York.
"Maya Beach" in Ocumare (Venezuela).

You all know why Central Park and Piazza San Marco is special.

Why is Maya Beach so special? To get to that beach, you have two choices: either to climb a steep hill or to take a boat there when the sea is calm. The beach is surrounded by hills and it's practically deserted because there are no vendors, no food stands, no restrooms, nobody. You have to take your own food/drinks. Whenever I try to imagine what the world was like before any kind civilization, I think of that beach. It's just you, the beach and the hills around you.

Tan Jung Rhu resort in Langkawi, it is my heaven. I only wish we lived closer.

And Montefalco in Umbria for a town that is is a gem and without the tourists. Wander through olive groves and visit nearby Bevagna for stroll in the evening.

The sun streaming through the stained glass at the Matisse Chapel in St. Paul was a magical moment I have never forgotten..

Nerja, in Southern Spain, at night down on the Balcon De Europe with the fairy lights twinkling,seeing the delight in my childrens eyes.

Late August at sunset watching the sun go down over Dingle Bay,where the water seems to shimmer in the moonlight,listening the waves gently lapping to shore and the soft lilt of my childrens voices as the chat to each other.

Carragh lake in Kerry,12yrs ago watching my childrens little faces peer into the stream hoping to catch a pinkeen with their little fishing nets on a piece of bamboo cane. The midges jumping high over their heads, the evening cooling down after a fabulous sunny day.Then taking them to a traditional irish pub for a drink afterwards. They loved every minute of it.Kerry holds such special memories for me.

Looks like this thread will never end, nor should it! Among my magic places are:

Sitting in my living room watching the sunset over the Golden Gate Bridge;

Floating down the River Li in Guilin, China;

Seeing a huge flock of Macaws in the Costa Rican jungle.

One unheard-of magic place is in Norway - a little place called Gudvangen which boasts of only 1 hotel - The Gudvangen Fjordtell. It is an amazing place - surrounded by mountains on 3 sides - and the Neroyfjord (the narrowest fjord in the world)ahead which is the starting/terminating point for cruise ships. What makes this place magical , apart from the breathtaking scenery, is the Lodge itself: some of the rooms have been quaintly designed with viking artefacts (including a reindeer skin bedspread)and have a glass roof for the ceiling! So you can lie on your bed and watch the raindrops/snow sliding down the ceiling! Or on a full moon clear night, you can gaze up at the stars and the moon; while lying on your bed! Utterly romantic and simply magical!

My "Magic place" has to be sitting on the wall outside the Colosseum ! I could sit there all day rain or shine To people watch and watch the ever changing sky above it ! But best of all is dusk onwards as the sky turns dark and it becomes floodlit ... what a place :)

1. Seeing Incan ruins for the first time-in Pisac, along the Inca trail, or in Maccu Picchu-that last step when your sight is filled with homes and walls of stone.
2. Floating in the warm, salty water just inside the barrier reef off the coast of Belize with the sun shining above and sting rays floating below.
3. Walking along the Grand Canal in Venice at night.

Hello Eva!
Only one is the best place in the world.
The place is the(Amalfi Coast)Italy.

1. sunset in Oia, Santorini
2. Charles Bridge, Prague
3. Horse-drawn carriage through Sevilla, Spain
4. Acropolis, Athens

Eze village on the french riviera. Beautiful view. Must go off season though, so it will not be crowded.

Hmmm...that is a tough one.....I was usually on the go too much to sit and relax and be reflective...I will say that there is this cute little brasserie on the corner near Barbes Rouchechart (sp?).....it is one block down from the creperie that is on a triangle shaped corner street....the waiter was so inviting and welcoming and just such a joy to talk to....the coffee was the best I have ever,....ever...EVER had. I felt reflective there cause I could just sit and relax and enjoy my dinner and my coffee and basque in the realization that I am having coffee in a country a few thousand miles away from me and a place neither of my parents ever had the pleasure of visiting.

Sainte Chapelle in Paris

Imerovigli, Santorini

Lake District, England

Kings Highway and lava field near Makena, Maui

Ceremony of the Keys, Tower of London

Kew Gardens and Hampton Court, London

Train from Glasgow to Fort Williams, Scotland

Kona Village, Big Island

Looking at a Vermeer, anywhere

Bruges canal boat excursion, Belgium

I spent a semester in Florence, Italy. One of the most magical things we would do was take a sack dinner down to a bridge next to the Ponte Vecchio. It had triangles that extended from it. We'd climb over the bridge and sit on the triangles to eat our dinner and watch the sunset. You didn't have to talk because it was so beautiful and serene.

Riomaggiore, Italy!!!!!

The Cambodian temple of Angkor Wat in the moonlight.

The Tower of London after dark, during the Ceremony of the Keys.

Portmeiron, in Wales, after all the day-trippers go home.

For someone who never thought she'd leave Pittsburgh, I can't believe I'm writing this. I am so blessed.

The Temple of Apollo - Rhodes, Greece
The Snowdonia Mountains - Wales
LONDON!!!
Any beach on Bermuda
Home

I wrote on this thread more than 2 years ago, and I feel that I have to add a few places:

1. Sultanhamet and the Grand Bazaar in Istanbul. Amazing architecture and vibe.

2. The view of the Giza plateau, standing in front of the Sphinx. (On an embarassing note, I almost cried when I stood there. My wife DID cry). It is amazing to be in front of one of those places that have held my imagination since I can remember...

3. Sunrise in the Serengeti. There's nothing more magical than that...

"Magic" in terms of spiritually moving...no question for me it's:
1) The Sanctuary of Apollo at Delphi
2) Vincent van Gogh's gravesite at Auvers-sur-Oise
3) The entire town of Assisi

Each in their own magical and special way.

Gazing out at the Otago Peninsula (south island, NZ) at sunrise from Larnach Castle.

The swing on my patio in my back yard. It is so peaceful and quiet. I love to read there.

Kauai - incredibly beautiful
the red rocks of Sedona, AZ
Wales
Paris

Eva, many thanks for initiating this posting. I much enjoyed reading the responses; haven't read all of them yet.

My magical, ethereal place is ......; see if you can guess it using as few of the ten clues as possible.

For a change, I am going to name a place I haven't visited as yet but hope to include in our upcoming trip next month. I "discovered" it just this past weekend on this site. I am going to see if my utter fascination with this place holds AFTER visiting the place! I am sure it will, though.
it is now my desktop background on my PC! I'll try to put in a URL link in a subsequent posting, AFTER I check out copyright and stuff on the picture.

Just to make it interesting, let me give you a few clues; see for yourself if you can guess the locale.

1. It is in Europe (a big help!)



2. OK, it is in central europe.



3. It is in a country that is a member of the European Union.



4. Small country.



5. The name of this country is often confused with the name of another country.


5. Its capital is tough to spell for non-natives.


6. The actual locale: It is a small lake.



7. In the middle of the lake is a church.



8. A castle overlooks the lake, and I estimate the overlook is about a 1000 feet or so.



9. The name of the lake contains four letters.



10. Okay, here is the answer, the name of the most ethereal place I have "seen" so far but only thru a photograph. it is Lake CMFE (substitute each letter with the letter preceding it in the alphabet). And the country is TMPWFOJB (same decoding scheme). Sorry to make it so difficult!

It would be interesting to find out how many people guess it BEFORE getting to clue #10. Some of you veteran travelers may leap to the answer after clue #5. And who knows, there may be a kindred soul out there who is also dreaming of this place, never having visited this place!

Cheers, all!

Huntley

Favourite magic places....

1. St. Francis' tomb in Assisi....could sit forever

2. Dante's church in Florence...BF and I sat for an hour staring at the altar..so simple, so pure...so restful.

3. Ledge facing the San Lorenzo Market and front of San Lorenzo church...sat there every day, an hour or so, just staring at the marvelous church, the people, the market. That became my peace of heaven while in Florence.

CAn't wait to go back in seven weeks and find a new peace of heaven. We have a layover in Frankfurt...maybe I will find something wonderful there too!

Looking out over an ocean and being able to see the last moment the sun sets and that split second of green light...

A clear blue sky penetrated by many of the worlds majestic mountain ranges; immence, raw beauty.

Waterfalls in the forest

Tyrella Beach, Northern Ireland

Huntley,
What a strange coincidence...earlier today I was reading "The Historian" by Elizabeth Kostova (a fascinating book that I can only compare to "The Da Vinci Code," only it's about Dracula) and there is a scene early in the book that takes place at Lake Bled. I got to about #7 on your list and thought, "It couldn't possible be..." But it was!

I have never seen a photo of it but it certainly sounded like an amazing spot in the book!

Salzburg, by far my favorite city, especially at night with all the churches lit up.

Sacre Coeur in Paris

Nurnberg Christkindlemarkt

Closer to home: Black Hills of South Dakota

Climbing the Scala Sancta Holy Stairs in Rome on my knees, the Necropolis under St Peter's Basilica,Sedona at sunset, the boat ride from Sorrento to Capri... Magical....