14 days - where's your favorite place and why?
Jan 6th, 2014, 02:30 PM
#1
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14 days - where's your favorite place and why?
My husband and I are planning a 14 day trip (with two additional days allotted to get there from the US and back) - we just can't decide where to go! We've done a large portion of the major Western/Central European cities - London, Paris, Rome, Berlin, Prague, etc.
We both love being outdoors (hiking, biking, etc.), trying new food/drink, and interesting architecture/historical sites.
We were thinking perhaps a few days in a larger city and then a bit of time in smaller cities nearby? We're leaning towards Europe again, but want to go somewhere new and a bit more off the beaten path. Honestly though, we've tossed around ideas in Asia and Africa as well.
Any ideas? Where has YOUR favorite place been that you've traveled and why?
We both love being outdoors (hiking, biking, etc.), trying new food/drink, and interesting architecture/historical sites.
We were thinking perhaps a few days in a larger city and then a bit of time in smaller cities nearby? We're leaning towards Europe again, but want to go somewhere new and a bit more off the beaten path. Honestly though, we've tossed around ideas in Asia and Africa as well.
Any ideas? Where has YOUR favorite place been that you've traveled and why?
Jan 6th, 2014, 03:33 PM
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How about the Yucatan Peninsula? The city of Merida is great - neat colonial architecture, lots of culture, great restaurants. There are other smaller cities, which are good as well - most notably Valladolid and Campeche. There are interesting small towns also. For historical sites you have plenty of Mayan ruins as well as haciendas from the sisal plantation days. For outdoorsy things, you have mangroves and flamingos in Celestun and Rio Lagartos, the Sian Kaan biosphere south of Tulum on the Caribbean side, cenotes all over the place. Yucatecan food is very good and fun to explore - it is a distinct regional cuisine.
Jan 6th, 2014, 09:12 PM
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Turkey, for history, architecture, fabulous food, amazing landscapes of Cappadocia with hiking and hot air balloon flights, spectacular ruins of Ephesus, lovely people, beautiful coastlines - my favorite country to visit, well at least one of the top 4 or 5.
Jan 7th, 2014, 06:53 AM
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This is such a difficult question because I have already seen so many beautiful places, and there are so many more I would love to see. It would depend on the time of year, as well, on where I would choose to visit for 14 days. If I were pinned down to answer, I would probably say that I would like to spend the 14 days in a cabin some place high in the Rocky Mountains, preferably snowed in a little bit. The smell and sound of a crackling fire. Nothing to bother me but what to make for dinner, and what is going to happen in the next chapter of a great book.
Jan 7th, 2014, 10:23 AM
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Well first, cities and 'off the beaten path' rarely go together so I would start by forgetting cities as places to stay. A day trip fine, a place to stay a week, no.
Given your interests I would suggest Switzerland as there is no finer country in which to enjoy hiking. There are probably more miles of hiking trail (and bicycling trails but a lot of hills) than there are miles of road.
My wife and I have spent many a happy week doing what we call 'credit card camping' in Switzerland. What that means is taking everything you need in a small backpack and walking from village to village in the mountains. But no tent, sleeping bag, stove, etc. instead a bed and food is taken care of using your credit card. Hence the term, 'credit card camping'.
You can walk from Basel west to Geneva in a week or so or from Basel south to Lago Maggiorre as examples. It is also easy of course to base yourself in a village and do day hikes if that's what you prefer. Have a look at these sites to see if the idea appeals to you.
https://www.google.ca/search?q=hikin...w=1280&bih=687
http://map.wanderland.ch/?lang=en
Given your interests I would suggest Switzerland as there is no finer country in which to enjoy hiking. There are probably more miles of hiking trail (and bicycling trails but a lot of hills) than there are miles of road.
My wife and I have spent many a happy week doing what we call 'credit card camping' in Switzerland. What that means is taking everything you need in a small backpack and walking from village to village in the mountains. But no tent, sleeping bag, stove, etc. instead a bed and food is taken care of using your credit card. Hence the term, 'credit card camping'.
You can walk from Basel west to Geneva in a week or so or from Basel south to Lago Maggiorre as examples. It is also easy of course to base yourself in a village and do day hikes if that's what you prefer. Have a look at these sites to see if the idea appeals to you.
https://www.google.ca/search?q=hikin...w=1280&bih=687
http://map.wanderland.ch/?lang=en
Jan 7th, 2014, 10:34 AM
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Books like this one below make it very easy to organize your own trip sarah.
http://www.amazon.com/Tour-Jungfrau-...der_1852845961
http://www.amazon.com/Tour-Jungfrau-...der_1852845961
Jan 9th, 2014, 02:06 AM
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I love Europe and have been often, and I'd probably combine yet another layover in Iceland with, perhaps, Norway if I were going back there, but my truly "magical" place is Peru. A combination of Lima, Cusco, Machu Picchu, the Sacred Valley and the Amazon would fit reasonably in fourteen days, and is definitely perfect for fans of hiking, history, and food!
Jan 11th, 2014, 10:47 AM
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Why don't you do an epic roadtrip around Europe? Maybe start in Spain - France - Germany - Switzerland -Austria - Italy. April/May is a beautiful time to drive, loads of daylight and out of peak season. In two weeks you can cover all the best places. Don't start off in London as we drive on the left side of the road, which will cause you problems everywhere else!
Top of my list are:
South of France - anywhere in Provence
Tuscany
Anywhere in Spain but slightly off the normal tourist track are Extremadura and Galicia in Spain
Athens
Have fun!
Top of my list are:
South of France - anywhere in Provence
Tuscany
Anywhere in Spain but slightly off the normal tourist track are Extremadura and Galicia in Spain
Athens
Have fun!
Jan 11th, 2014, 11:39 AM
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LOL, 'cover' doesn't mean spend time in them thursdayd, it simply means see them out the car window.
Not too long ago I was driving in the USA and saw the Arch in St. Louis for the first time. I saw it from the highway overpass as the Interstate goes around the city. Got it 'covered' I guess.
Not too long ago I was driving in the USA and saw the Arch in St. Louis for the first time. I saw it from the highway overpass as the Interstate goes around the city. Got it 'covered' I guess.
