Our Travel Wishlist For 2017

So many places, so little time, but where to next? As yet, we’ve no definite travel plans for 2017 but there are several destinations that keep cropping up which we hope to actually visit this year.

They are a mix of near, far, familiar and exotic. Although there is no ‘hiking with Yaks’ and we try and keep the war zones to a minimum. The locals have probably got enough on their plate without a bunch of tourists complaining about the lack of lactose intolerant options on the menu. But seriously, if people did travel and mixed a bit more then maybe there would be a bit more understanding in the world.

Wait a minute, this is meant to be upbeat and looking forward to 2017, so let’s get back to our wishlist. After a bottle of wine or two and stuffed on rich Christmas food here, in no particular order is our list.

Don’t worry Tenby, although you are not on our list you know we still love you.

Japan

Japan and its islands

Japan, a country of contradictions. Modern yet traditional, reserved yet they released the curse of karaoke on the rest of the world. With Japan hosting the summer Olympics in 2020 it will become more popular as a tourist destination so we would like to visit sooner rather than later.

Krakow, Poland

Krakow, one of the oldest cities in Poland

Poland’s stunning second city with it’s perfectly preserved medieval centre. ‘Must see‘ sights include Wawel Royal Castle, the 14th-century St Mary’s Basilica and the Main Market Square.

Boston And New England

Boston Massachusetts

Boston Massachusetts, one of the oldest cities in the USA. Walk the ‘Freedom Trail’, a red brick path through the city which leads you around the historic sites. You can also take a walking tour of famous Harvard University in nearby Cambridge. Apparently Boston is also home to some of America’s best restaurants.

Lighthouses and lobsters of Maine

When we are in Boston it would be a shame not to explore further afield. The long coastlines of Maine, the lakes of New Hampshire and Vermont, the home of Ben & Jerry’s ice cream!

Scandinavia

Lofoten, Norway

Denmark, Norway or Sweden we don’t really mind where we go in 2017 as long as we get our first taste of Scandinavia. The scenery looks stunning  and there must be more to discover apart from nordic knitwear, pickled herring and grim crime dramas.

Morocco

Morocco, North Africa

From the Sahara to the Atlas mountains, diverse Morocco sits less than 9 miles from Europe but seems much, much further. Ancient traditions, biblical scenes and a melting pot of European, African and Middle Eastern cultures.

Sri Lanka

Sri Lanka in the Indian Ocean

Beautiful beaches, tea plantations, rainforests and over 2000 years of culture, some of the reasons why Sri Lanka is on our list for 2017. The relatively small island also has an amazing 8 UNESCO World Heritage Sites. To ensure we don’t miss a thing we are thinking of taking one of the Sri Lanka tour packages to see more of this beautiful island.

Lisbon, Portugal

Lisbon, the hilly coastal capital of Portugal

The historical maritime city of seven hills sits on the Atlantic Ocean. With its cobbled alleyways, architecture and traditional Portuguese tabernas,  Lisbon is one of the oldest capital cities in Europe. It is also relatively easy to get to, just over two and a half hours from London.

Have you been to any of the destinations on our wishlist? Also, what trips are you looking forward to in 2017?