Eleven Countries I'll Visit Again Someday

I'm fortunate enough to have travelled to 24 countries (as many as my age) and to have lived in three.  For the moment, I am actually staying in one place and have not been to another country in two months!  I know, two months in one place.  It has given me a lot of time to reflect on my travels and plan hypothetical future trips.  So out of the countries, I have visited so far, to where do I most want to return? For the purposes of this list, I've excluded the countries that I've lived in: the United States, the United Kingdom, and Iceland.  I'm currently in the US and I obviously want to return to the UK and Iceland and both destinations deserve to be on everyone's travel list, but for the purposes of this list, I've only included places I've visited as a traveller and not a resident.

11) Switzerland

Interlaken, Switzerland | April 2015

The only drawback to Switzerland (other than my struggles with Baby Brown Swiss Dairy Cows) is the cost.  One cold January in Basel, I ordered a green tea and later realized that a tea bag in a cup of hot water had cost me $5.  Someday, when I have a reasonable amount of money, I'll go back to this beautiful country and see even more of the beautiful cities. Places visited: Basel and Interlaken 

10) Italy

Florence, Italy | July 2016

I always somehow end up in Italy.  I kept going back during my year in London and re-visited last summer.  Each city has a distinct feel and there are thousands of years of history at every turn.  Places visited: Sicily, Rome(many times), Vatican City (technically another country), Venice (twice), Florence (twice), Isle of Capri (twice), Pompei (twice), Pompeii (again twice. The ancient city is spelled with two "i's", the modern one with one "i"), Siena, Pisa, Torino, Desenzano del Garda, Positano, Almafi Coast, Sorrento, and Padova.

9) Canada

Niagara Falls | June 2016

There is still so much I have yet to see in Canada.  Vancouver has been high on my list for a while now, but there is also Montreal, Saskatoon, and Nova Scotia. So much more to see! Places visited: Niagara, Niagara-on-the-Lake, and Toronto

8) Denmark

Copenhagen, Denmark | March 2016

It's hard not to like one of the world's happiest countries!  With a fascinating history, a thriving culture, and wonderful markets, I'd love to go back and see more. Places visited: Copenhagen and Roskilde. 

7) Hungary

Budapest, Hungary | May 2015

I always say that I felt like I had been dropped in the 1970s Soviet Era when I arrived in Budapest.  Aesthetically different from any other city I've visited, it was a great mix of an interesting history and a wonderful present. Places visited: Budapest

6) Costa Rica

Poas Volcano, Costa Rica | April 2009

It's hard to believe it was eight years ago that I visited this country as a tenth grader with my high school!  It was where my wanderlust really started to take off.  For years, I called it the best nine days of my life: travelling with people from other states, zip lining over the rain forest, seeing a sloth up close in a cloud forest, and horseback riding through coffee fields.  Not even getting bit by mosquitos, seeing a couple of cockroaches in my room, or getting stung by jellyfish put a damper on my trip.  Places visited: San Jose, Santa Elena Cloud Forest, Monteverde, Poas Volcano, Arenal Region, Central Pacific Coast, and Manuel Antonio National Park. 

5) Czech Republic

Cesky Krumlov, Czech Republic | December 2014

People always say Prague is a fairy tale city, but, though I adore Prague, Cesky Krumlov is one of my all-time favourite towns.  It is a beautiful country, especially at Christmastime with all of the markets.  I'd love to go back at Christmastime.  Places visited: Prague, Ceske Budejovice, Bezrucova, Cesky Krumlov 

4) Germany

Berlin, Germany | May 2015

I haven't spent much time in Germany, but from what little I've seen and my Germany ancestry, I know that I need to go back and see more of what this country has to offer. Places visited: Frankfurt, Berlin, and Weil am Rhein.

3) Spain

Majorca, Spain | March 2015

My first trip to Europe was a trip to Spain with my high school.  It was a life changing trip, opening my eyes to the world outside of America.  I absolutely loved Spain and planned on studying abroad there before I fell in love with the UK.  I've been back to Spain many times since and still need to visit the Basque Region.  Places visited: Madrid, Sevilla, Toledo, Costa del Sol, Malaga, Majorca, and Barcelona (three times). 

2) Turkey

Cappadocia, Turkey | May 2015

Looking back, taking a 12-hour night bus from Istanbul to Cappadocia, spending a day in Cappadocia, taking the bus ride back to Istanbul, resulting in 60 hours without sleep or showering in the desert is one of the craziest things I've ever done.  Absolutely no regrets!  Visiting somewhere so culturally different, with so much history and the thriving east-meets-west culture was one of the highlights of my travels so far.  Places visited: Istanbul and Cappadocia 

1) Ireland

Cliffs of Moher, Ireland | November 2016

---

It has been almost two years since I first set foot on the Emerald Isle for St. Patrick's Day.  Since then, I've visited for a 36 hour stopover, mostly to see the Book of Kells and returned last November with my sister.  Though my trips there have been short, I've managed to see a lot and could see myself moving here sooner or later! Places visited: Dublin (three times), Glendalough, Hills of Tara, Limerick, Doolin, Cliffs of Moher, Enniskerry, Barren, and Galway.