Perhaps it’s just the company I keep, but a lot of friends made the New Year’s resolution to travel more in 2019. If you are one of them, my friends at Largay Travel thought we’d help you out by offering our thoughts on some destinations to check out this year.
Travel More in 2019
My to-travel list looks a lot like a Carmen Sandiego game: The Pyramids of Giza, Delphi, Batu Caves, penguins in Antarctica. Who knows where I’ll go next? As you’ve probably guessed from reading this blog or following my Facebook page, I like to go to off-the-beaten-track places. Shoulder season is one of my favourite times to travel. And I enjoy travelling over the winter holidays. So, my resolution is a lot like my friends: travel more in 2019, and go where not everybody likes to go. (Although, I’ve told myself that this is the year I go to the Caribbean!)
Mainland Greece
Sure, Greek islands are gorgeous, and there are way more to see than the old standbys most tend to flock to. If you have the chance to visit Rhodes or Patmos on a cruise, go. They will open your eyes to a whole different side of the Greek Isles. Many visitors to Greece tend to spend a day or two in Athens then head straight for the islands.
But the Greek mainland features the great sites of classical Greece. See the birthplace of the Olympics at Olympia, the Sanctuary of Apollo at Delphi, and the ancient ruins of Mycenae that helped spawn Western civilisation. Head to Meteora to see six monasteries suspended in the air on towering pinnacles. And visit Pelion to see some of the mainland’s most gorgeous coastline.
Colonial Mexico
Don’t get me wrong, I love a beach vacation (almost) as much as anyone. But with great food, great places, and an exchange rate of nearly 20 pesos to the dollar, colonial Mexico is worth a visit. Mexico City is home to the world’s 11th- and 13th-ranked restaurants (plus another in the top 100) and the beautiful Soumaya Museum.
San Miguel de Allende is an artist’s or art lover’s dream you should see before it gets too popular. Puebla is culinary capital with a downtown that is one big World Heritage site. Queretaro’s baroque architecture is a thing of beauty, and Oaxaca preserves key components of pre-Spanish cultures.
Western Australia
Most of the major cities Down Under are located on the eastern and southern coasts. There’s a whole lot of Outback separating Adelaide, South Australia from Perth, the capital of Western Australia. Still, Western Australia beckons to those in search of something a little different.
Perth, the fourth-largest city in Australia with about 2 million inhabitants, is the gateway to the Margaret River wine region. Here in this pristine landscape, you’ll find succulent seafood and black truffles just as good as any you’ll find in Europe. These factors contribute to Perth having the most restaurants per capita of any Australian capital and a great bar scene.
From Perth, head north to Exmouth and the Ningaloo Reef. Here, you can swim with humpback whales, whale sharks, sharks, and more. At the top of Western Australia, Broome offers a true outback experience. In between, the Pilbara region is home to the drop dead gorgeous Karijini National Park.
Jordan
A safe destination and a gem of the Middle East, Jordan is inviting visitors to trek the Jordan Trail — about 400 miles traversing the country from Um Qais to the Red Sea — from March 1-April 13.
If that’s too much for you, concentrate on such magnificent sights as Petra, an ancient city carved into cliff sides, and Wadi Rum, a valley with an otherworldly feel containing traces of culture from prehistory to the Roman era. Spas along the Dead Sea and resorts in Aqaba along the Red Sea will help you relax whether you brave the trail or not.
Greenland
A trip to the “Arctic Riviera” will open your eyes to one of the last truly off-the-beaten-path spots on Earth. The people of East Greenland didn’t have contact with outsiders until the turn of the 20th century, and the area is still an isolated wonderland of Northern Lights and calving glaciers. Subsistence hunting is still very much a way of life, and one that become harder to maintain as temperatures continue to rise and change the environment for animals and the people who rely on them to live.
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What destination are you excited to travel to in 2019? I would love to hear from you if you’re thinking about planning a trip! Email me to get the consultation process started. Not ready to plan? Pin this >> for future reference!
