Just curious....

The Isle of Wight which includes my favourite royal residence, the beautiful Osborne House, as well as castles, good cycle routes and walks, typically English holiday beaches and some interesting Roman sites etc etc. http://www.english-heritage.org.uk/daysout/properties/osborne-house/ Also the Hampshire/Dorset coast.

Actually for me it was Berlin. I don't know why, but it never sounded like that fascinating a city to me. But we had an extra two days on a railpass we'd purchased (as we were learning that railpasses are not usually the best way to go) so we wanted to do something that made good use of the railpass (i.e. was far away served by direct high speed train) and was relatively cheap, so we did a last-minute trip to Berlin, as we decided the night before "let's just do it" and grabbed a hotel online that night. That was last August. I fell in love with that city. I'm taking my 4th trip in a year there next weekend to see the Killers and a bunch of other bands play on Friday then exploring more of city on Saturday. First time driving, first time with a group, should be interesting! Away from the big city vibe, I went to Cassis on a whim because I was in Marsielle and it was close and sounded nice. I also fell in love, and returned the same summer for a longer stay. Would love to go back, but I need to explore some new places first. Maybe next summer!

1.) Glendalough, Ireland and driving over the Sally Gap into the Wicklow Mountains. 2.) A lunch with friends at La Grotta in Radicofani, Italy. 3.) Midnight mass in St. Paul's, walking out the front door and pausing on the front steps to see a slight snow fall begin as the bells peeled. 4.) The Grand Canal of Venice in the early morning fog. 5.) Watching a refined woman in a mink stole and pajama bottoms smoke a cigarette on park bench at dusk as the Effiel Tower lit up. 5.) Walking into Hagia Sophia in Istanbul. 6.)Vienna's Schoenbrunn Castle and gardens 7.) Standing alone gazing at the Night Watch in the Rijksmusuem. 8.) Taking the ferry from Varenna to Bellagio on a winter's day. 9.)Visiting the Abbey Library in St. Gallen, Switzerland. 10.) Seeing a relative's tomb inside The Invalldies in Paris. He was one of Napolean's Generals.

Walking in the Highlands. I first joined Carol's walking group in the late nineties. She introduced our small group to Torridon, Inverpolly, Culbin Forest, Loch Maree and Glen Afric. I'd been to Scotland twice before, but these laid back walks where we took time to take pictures, to watch for the birds, to talk and to enjoy Scotland's beautiful Highlands put me in my Scotland rut that I struggle to occasionally try to bust out of. But it wasn't just the scenery, it was getting to know my tour mates and Carol. It was learning more about today's Scotland and yesterdays. It led me to spend time in other parts of Scotland. So, I stand firmly against Rick's view of the Borders of Scotland. I visiting Mull during 9/11. Did you know that one of the cross Atlantic cables goes through the Mull? I was actually on Iona and Staffa when the attacks happened and the towers fell blissfully enjoying a gorgeous day with blue skies and listing to a robin sing in the Iona Abbey where an ecumenical community worships and studies. I went on from Mull that week to go Kilmartin and climbed up Dunadd to see the footprint in the rock where the Darliada Kings placed their foot for their inauguration. The view is marvelous. I went on from their to Tarbert where there was a music festival. I heard a band with a lime green violin and didn't see a single American, but was warmly welcomed by the Scots. I can't stop going back. Pam

1. Kravice Waterfalls, Bosnia & Herzegovina. The most beautiful natural wonder I've seen. 2. Standing in the Old town in Istanbul with the Blue Mosque on one side and the Hagia Sofia to the other. 3) the Venice Art Biannale 4. Sarajevo film fest 5. Eating Mussels in Brussel's Grand Place 6. All the fantastic history, art, and architecture 7. The dessert.

Biggest surprise for me was Spain. I love France, and when planning a trip for this year "had " to include Spain at request of boyfriend. So out of 25 days I alloted Spain ,, 6 days. lol .
LOVED Tossa De Mar and wished I had allotted alot more time to Spain( did not love Barcelona though).

Well we were very very pleasantly surprised at how great we found Brittany to be. We went there anticipating a pleasant countryside vacation. You know, low key and all that. It was wonderful in a countryside way - as in WOW this is so so refreshing to the spirit. I say this despite it raining almost everyday (early May). Perhaps the key was having a great cottage with a huge fireplace and more fresh seafood than anyone has a right to expect. Yes there were castle's to see and all that but we just stayed in the cottage a couple of days staring out at the fields. Not everyone's cup of tea of course.

Beaune, France. Drizzly Friday morning, tourists were sleeping in. My husband and I cashed in on that and ended up on a private tour (for the group rate) through the vineyards. And because it was just the two of us, instead of taking us to a tourist trap bar to taste wine ... the driver called a local winemaker. We went to his house, on his vineyard, into his private cellar to taste wine for 3 hours. Just us, the driver and the winemaker. Best moment of our trip by far. And it was a 2 week honeymoon through Italy and France. ;)

Of the many experiences I have been fortunate to have had, few compares to the "wow" factor or driving through the Alpine road passes of central Switzerland (Grimsel, Stuten, S. Gotthard, Novena and Furka). I'd return there anytime.

Malta. . . it had been on my list for years and was so much more wonderful than I could have anticipated. After that, falling in love with Italy.

The mosque in Cordoba!

Sailing on Lake Windemere when it started drizzling, and we just kept on sailing and had a wonderful time. We then returned to our B&B in Ambleside, dried off and then went to the Castlerigg Stone Circle that afternoon. It had stopped raining and somehow we managed to be there with very few other people. It was magical.

At the end of October I can come back to this thread to answer your question. Next month I'm going to San Benedetto Del Tronto Italy for the first time. My Dad's family come from there so it will be nice to meet them for the first time. However, I'm just not sure how I'm going to like San Benedetto. From looking at pictures, it just looks like a big Florida beach resort town. I'll soon find out!I may be pleasantly surprised!

Fiesole,Italythe little hilltown right outside Florence. Hiking the quarries was otherworldly with the views of Florence and the surrounding hills peeking through the lacey-leafy trees. The archeology park off the main pizza is someplace that could transport me back thousands of years. Then, Ferney-Voltaire in Francethe Saturday morning farmers' market... my mouth is watering just thinking about it!
Jennifer

For me it was when we were visiting Germany last year. My wife and I had gone there for a two week vacation to visit my brother and his family. Well, my brother had scheduled a weekend in Garmisch, in southern Bavaria. I had seen picutres, but they didn't compare to the real thing. Man, we we got down there I was floored at the beauty. I'd go back in a New York minute.