Whats Your Favourite Place ?

[Onessa]

Cruise destinations -

• Istanbul,
  
• Rhodes,
  
• Sitka,
  
• Venice
  

Non-cruise -

• Oregon (coast or up the snake river gorge),
  
• Budapest,
  
• Cornucopia (save the best for last!).
  

[Tenn4ever]

Love this thread:D - gives me the warm and fuzzies!

 

Two places for me - #1 is Alaska - preferably Sitka or Homer. Stunning, just stunning! First time there was 2006, and the feeling of peace and "home" was immediate. Will be headed back for my fourth time in just 5 weeks from today (not that I'm counting or anything:rolleyes:....)

 

#2 would be Assateague Island, MD-its my screen name for a reason;). Another "Calgon-Take-Me-Away" place - no people, no noise - just surf, sand, wild ponies, and plenty of dolphins putting on a show just for me. Plus it was my dear Dad's favorite place - he's been gone 4 years now, but I always feel close to him when I'm there.

 

Yes, I should have clarified in my post too. My favorite place in all the world is northeast Tennessee near the mountains of Tennessee and western North Carolina. That's the reason for my screen name.:)

 

The favorite place I've traveled to is Dingle Penninsula of Ireland.

 

BTW, I like Assateague Island too. It's been many years since I've been there.

[CHAMPAGNELASS]

We will be in Barcelona for 5 days before our cruise in November. Do you have any recommendations...food, bars, must do's?? This is our first trip to Barcelona! Thanks!!

 

 

If you like to be a bit adventurous where food is concerned try Bilbao Berria http://www.bilbaoberria.com/ near the cathedral . A lovely area to wander.

It is a wine bar where food is laid out buffet style on small peices of bread,and skewers etc (finger food ). You pick what you want and they count the cocktail sticks at the end .

You have no idea what you are eating but everything tasted great and it we found it quite an experience .

The hop on ,hop off bus tours are great too. They stop at all the major sites . Parc Guell is beautiful to see.

Dont miss La Boqueria market on La Ramblas in the morning. Great to walk round and you will get some fantastic photos.

 

You will love it :)

[radsailor]

We have been to some great and beautiful places, so it is hard to pick. My top places would be:

 

Cinque Terre

Santorini

Sorrento

Giant's Causeway near Belfast, Ireland

 

Oh.............loved Scotland too!!!! Just beautiful!

[CHAMPAGNELASS]

I'll throw in my vote for the galapagos.

 

Venice would be high on my list, had we not arrived the last time at night during aqua alta with our luggage...our hotel was just a short swim away :)

 

 

I remember you from our ill fated Century cruise last October . I hope that wasnt the same trip or you really were jinxed :D

[JetCruister]

If you like to be a bit adventurous where food is concerned try Bilbao Berria http://www.bilbaoberria.com/ near the cathedral . A lovely area to wander.

It is a wine bar where food is laid out buffet style on small peices of bread,and skewers etc (finger food ). You pick what you want and they count the cocktail sticks at the end .

You have no idea what you are eating but everything tasted great and it we found it quite an experience .

The hop on ,hop off bus tours are great too. They stop at all the major sites . Parc Guell is beautiful to see.

Dont miss La Boqueria market on La Ramblas in the morning. Great to walk round and you will get some fantastic photos.

 

You will love it :)

 

Thanks for the information! We are adventurous when it comes to food! Not sure some of the others that are traveling with us are. But we will try this place out! Love to try what the locals eat!

 

Thanks again! :)

[celebritydave]

By land, Paris and Provence.

By sea, Ville Franche

[Denny01]

Wow, neat and tough thread! What to pick??

 

For out-of-the-way ports, I'd pick the Falkland Islands. Extremely interesting, and I think the locals are more English than the English! Loved the tours, wandering and just the small, friendly town - 900 people and 9 million sheep!

 

As to a city port, Venice is fantastic...nothing like walking through the crowded streets and stepping into St Marcos Square, just unbelievable feeling. Only equaled by pulling up to it from a Canal.

 

Also loved Barcelona. For our poster spending 5 days there, also include the Picasso Museum. Great art and Spanish history mixed. Great experience and you don't have to be a modern art lover.

 

But then I have to list........I know, the OP asked our favorites and I just can't do it. each time I think of a cruise, I think of some great port, but then I think about my favorites or favorites cruise 'port' and that is the Sea Day port of call. So you see I just can't list one.

 

We know have around the UK set up, then a Baltic cruise....and I Have to do the Galapagos sooner than later.

 

enough, I'll end up heading over to the Celebrity site and just signing up for another one I don't have the vacation time to take!

 

 

All enjoy.

 

Den

[TeaBag]

We loved French Polynesia. I can't choose between sailing into Venice or Sydney. Both absolutely spectacular.

[Vol fan]

St. Petersburg, Russia and the surrounding area is so very special. The beautiful Hermitage Museum, St. Isaac's Cathedral, The Peter and Paul Fortress, the Summer Palace at Pushkin, the Neva river, The Church of the Spilt Blood-the list goes on and on. There is just so much history and so much beauty. I have been there twice and would love to go back. I feel like it is in my blood somehow.

 

 

Also, standing at one of the century buildings at the El Morro or San Cristobal Forts in San Juan is one of the most peaceful, beautiful places to me. Just looking out over the ocean with nothing on either side of you but water gives me such a wonderful feeling.

 

Carole

[Can'tstopcruising]

If you mean favourite port, I would have to choose Olden. It was so tranquil and the different shades of green were wonderful.(grass, charming houses, glacial waters) I told my husband that the ship should just stay there for a week. I could see myself sitting in that setting and enjoying the scenery.

[Caelon]

We love Italy and visit about every two years.

 

But we are fortunate. We travel often and no matter where we have been and how much we enjoy it nothing, to our tastes, quite measures up to where we live in southern Alberta-at the foothills of the Canadian Rockies. We are transplants to the area and do not plan on leaving...well except during the winter months.

 

I have to agree that some of the most beautiful sites I have seen are in southern Alberta. My favourites (all of which involve hiking) are Lake McArthur, Wonder Pass and Chephron. For those who want just a short walk from the parking lot then it is Lake Louise and Peyto Lake.

 

For around the world then it is almost any place where the history goes back 500 plus years. Each of them has had unique items that have made an impression. It could be something like the Forbidden City in Beijing, the Golden Palace near Kyoto, Japan or Chitzen Itza or even old cathedrals in Mexico and Europe.

[miched]

Yellowstone National park. It has a little of everything in nature and what most don't realise is that it is the plateau of a volcano.

 

 

.

[Tenn4ever]

Yellowstone National park. It has a little of everything in nature and what most don't realise is that it is the plateau of a volcano.

 

 

.

 

We went there last September and loved it. While you were there did you do the Beartooth Highway between Montana and Wyoming? We got to the top and I had a major panic attack:eek:

[Cruiser Susie]

Yellowstone National park. It has a little of everything in nature and what most don't realise is that it is the plateau of a volcano.

 

 

.

 

I have been lucky enough to have been there four times... it is a breathtaking place to see and experience. Also, not too far from there, Grand Teton National Park. Jenny Lake and the hike up Inspiration Point are unbelievably gorgeous... and will literally take your breath away. I would love to go back again sometime soon. We did the Beartooth Pass with our kids years ago, and they had never been to the mountains. THEY kept hollering to stop the car to take pictures... loved it!

 

Grew up in Michigan, BTW, and there are some gorgeous places there as well... Sleeping Bear Dunes, Tahquamenon Falls, Copper Harbor, Mackinac Island (after dark, and early morning, before all the other people arrive...), the area around Lake Leelanau, and Empire and Sault Ste. Marie... such a beautiful state in so many ways.

 

I forgot to mention Florence, Italy, earlier. How could I forget all the beauty of the cathedrals, the art, and the history of that town?

[gadaboutgal]

"Maui no ka Oi! Maui is the best!"

[uktog]

There are many places in the world that I adore some i have discovered on cruises and others on land based trips - and the Rockies and Bryce Canyon are two that come to mind there. As regards destinations from cruises

 

1. Maybe a surprise but St Thomas. My reasons are nothing to do with the shopping which I detest, but because on our very first ever cruise we went to Magens Bay. We had no idea what to expect but found what we considered to be the most gorgeous beach in the world. We had never seen anything like it before coming from the UK and whilst I know there are other better beaches around, if we ever get a St Thomas stop, we revisit the place that confirmed to us cruising to see places in the world was for us

2. Sadly one that will be a tricky port for a while Christchurch NZ where we were able to take a most amazing day trip seeing the beautiful buildings of Christchurch (many no longer there) and the most stunning scenery into the mountains

3. Hoi An in Vietnam - where time stood still for us; we were lucky to go there on the first day of the Chinese New Year when many shops were closed which meant we saw the real Hoi An and the most amazing temples

 

I too love this thread

 

A

[Can'tstopcruising]

There are many places in the world that I adore some i have discovered on cruises and others on land based trips - and the Rockies and Bryce Canyon are two that come to mind there. As regards destinations from cruises

 

1. Maybe a surprise but St Thomas. My reasons are nothing to do with the shopping which I detest, but because on our very first ever cruise we went to Magens Bay. We had no idea what to expect but found what we considered to be the most gorgeous beach in the world. We had never seen anything like it before coming from the UK and whilst I know there are other better beaches around, if we ever get a St Thomas stop, we revisit the place that confirmed to us cruising to see places in the world was for us

2. Sadly one that will be a tricky port for a while Christchurch NZ where we were able to take a most amazing day trip seeing the beautiful buildings of Christchurch (many no longer there) and the most stunning scenery into the mountains

3. Hoi An in Vietnam - where time stood still for us; we were lucky to go there on the first day of the Chinese New Year when many shops were closed which meant we saw the real Hoi An and the most amazing temples

 

I too love this thread

 

A

 

 

 

You reminded me of one more! Antelope Canyon. It's a slot canyon in Arizona and one of the most amazing places we have been.

[TLCOhio]

Ever since I was a small child I have loved and been somewhat obsessed with Venice. Two years ago ,I cruised the Med with my parents and my daughter,and found myself crying as we sailed into Venice. I was there at last and it was even more beautiful than I had expected. In September,I will visit it again ,but this time as a newlywed and im looking forward to seeing Venice in a whole new romantic light ,as I always hoped I would. Lesley

 

Like Lesley, I also love Venice. First visited there in 1970 as a college student. Back in 1999 with my wife and son after his college graduation. AND, last month, we did our first sail-in and sail-out for this wonderful city. Below from my live/blog posting, you can see much more on that recent visit to Venice, plus many other places in the Med. We have had lots and lots of favorite and great places. It's hard to say which one is "the best". Lots of super experiences. Fortunately!!

 

Below are some new pictures for Venice. Can post more, including any favorites, if requested or needed. I also did an earlier posting that with many options and visual potentials shown for this city that is so great for "walking around".

Venice: Loving It & Why??!!

http://boards.cruisecritic.com/showthread.php?t=1278226&highlight=venice

 

THANKS! Enjoy! Terry in Ohio

 

Just back from a June 7-19 Solstice cruise from Barcelona that had stops in Villefranche, ports near Pisa and Rome, Naples, Kotor, Venice and Dubrovnik. Enjoyed great weather and a wonderful trip. Dozens of wonderful visuals with key highlights, tips, comments, etc. These postings are now at 16,025 views for this live/blog re-cap on our first sailing with Celebrity and much on wonderful Barcelona. Check these postings and added info at:

http://www.boards.cruisecritic.com/showthread.php?t=1426474

 

For details and visuals, etc., from our July 1-16, 2011, Norway Coast/Fjords/Arctic Circle cruise experience from Copenhagen on the Silver Cloud, check out this posting. This posting is now at 45,250 views.

http://www.boards.cruisecritic.com/showthread.php?t=1227923

 

Appreciate those who have “tuned in” for these two posts. Don’t be shy and feel free to comment and/or ask any questions of interest.

 

 

Don’t miss the sail-in for Venice. This was our view from the top of the ship as we approached the historic center of Venice. On a beautiful day, as we enjoyed, this is so spectacular!!!:

 

 

 

From the interior of Venice’s St Mark’s, here is a view showing how much on this church is covered in these opulent, gilded Byzantine mosaics. Notice the details in the floor of this famed Basilica.:

 

 

 

This is a Venice parish church called Chiesa di San Moise on Campo San Moisè. It has an elaborate Baroque facade that is covered in designs that one travel book describes as having “scrumptious icing flourishes of carved-stone ornament”. This 1660’s facade is on a church site dating back to the 9th century and that honors Moses. At the right is the modern front of the five-star Bauer Hotel that is connected with an older palazzo fronting the Grand Canal.:

 

 

 

In Venice, here is a tight shot on some of the spectacular art on the front of St. Marks and a unique framing of the Tower from an arch of the Doge’s Palace.:

 

 

 

 

 

It was a full moon for our evening in Venice. Here is that view of the moon as we walked at night past the Doge’s Palace.:

 

[CHAMPAGNELASS]

You have all increased my list of places to visit before I die, tenfold .

 

If you are ever in Scotland , my favourite place ( even a lot of Scots dont know about) is Balquhidder , near Stirling.

 

It is supposedly the burial place of Rob Roy however that aside I think it has an almost magical feel ( there is a tale of fairys )and it guarantees to calm the soul. I drive 2 hours regularly just to spend some time there .:)

 

 

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[drfun48]

duplicate post - sorry

[drfun48]

1) Bed with the wife

 

2) The Galapagos