This is the title of a February 2025 "Viajes" Special Edition I picked up at the weekend.
"Viajes" is the Spanish version of "National Geographic", so you know you're going to get quality writing and superb photographs.
The front page promised 36 extraordinary destinations. I couldn't wait to open it.
There were six categories with six places to visit in each.
[RBA Revistas]
Ciudades singulares (Special towns and cities) - places to enjoy all year round
Porto, Portugal
The home of oporto (Port wine), I've not been there yet, but it's on the list!
Bruges, Belgium
One of my favourite towns in this part of Europe.
My first visit was with with a group of students from St Helens where I was the Adviser in charge of European links.
I subsequently revisited with my daughter Amy when she was doing an internship in Brussels.
I've since been alone and also much later with my second wife Rita.
[Viajes National Geographic]
Basle, Switzerland
I've been here too, twice, but we couldn't afford to linger on either occasion. Very Swiss, clean, tidy and spectacular scenery.
Verona, Italy
Sadly I've not been to Verona, the home of Shakespeare's "Two Gentlemen .....". I need to rectify that omission - it looks stunning.
Canterbury, Kent, UK
An iconic city. The Archbishop of Canterbury is the highest office in the Church of England. The cathedral was where Thomas Becket was murdered on the orders of Henry VIII in 1170. It's a lovely city and its heritage guarantees its iconic status. I was privileged to play the part of Becket in a production of the play of that name by Jean Anouilh in Manchester. I also studied the play for A-Level French.
[¿Tienes planes hoy?]
Heidelberg, Germany
I visited this beautiful city when I was a student working in Germany during one summer in the late 1960s.
A return visit is long overdue.
Rita and I go to Germany at least once a year so we should just get our act together and go to Heidelberg!
[Viajes National Geographic]
Rutas Culturales (Cultural Tours) - gems of artistic and natural heritage
Montenegro
The Balkan splendour of the smallest of the new countries to emerge after the break-up of Yugoslavia. It looks fantastic. I should go!
Pays de l'Aude, France
This article focuses on the walled city of Carcassonne. A dream place, despite the tourists and the high prices.
I debuted here with a girlfriend, Anne, in 1989 and returned 20 years later with second wife Rita.
Rita liked it too!
[Viajes National Geographic]
La Apulia, Italy
Not been here either (not ever been to Italy in seven-and-a-half decades on this earth! Why not?). I've missed out on a lot, that's for sure.
Salzburg, Austria
I've been to Austria, but not to the birthplace of Wolfgang Amadeus Mozart. I need to rectify that omission. It looks fantastic.
The Moselle Valley, Germany
This wine-making region on the banks of the Moselle River is 150 km long. It runs from Luxembourg and borders France before merging with the River Rhine at Koblenz, Germany. It is remarkable.
I've had the pleasure of spending a lot of time in this region, with different girlfriends over the years.
[National Geographic]
When I was a young teacher I led a Choir Visit from a school in Cheshire, St Nicholas RC High School in Hartford, near Northwich, to Koblenz.
Many years later I was invited to an anniversary of the "Kolibris", the German choir we had linked up with back then, so my friend Anne (qv) and I enjoyed a week in Koblenz in the late 1990s.
Das deutsche Dreieck, Koblenz [Trip Advisor]
Jac from Luxembourg showed me the delights of the area back in 2008, while I was helping her daughter and son-in-law renovate a house in the Grand Duchy.
I also passed through with Rita in around 2010.
The Algarve, Portugal
The family went three years running to The Algarve for our summer holiday. The first time we stayed in Albufeira and the next twice in Burgau.
We loved everything: the beaches and coves, the villages, the food and above all, the people.
A great area.
Burgau [HOLA]
En plena naturaleza (Close to nature) - mountain and seaside paradise
I've not been to many of these places, so I'll skip over them
The Camargue, France
The Dolomites, Italy
Andorra
I went to Andorra for the day with Jeryl back in 1976. We were visiting friends in Olot (Girona) and we went to the Principality tucked in between Cataluña and L'Occitaine (Francia) for the day.
I can't remember much, as it was some 50 years ago.
But I have been there!
[Facebook]
Bergen, Norway
Zermatt, Switzerland
Slovenia
Grandes Ciudades (Big cities) - the greatest creations of the human spirit
Munich, Germany
I like Munich. The first time I went was for the Oktober Bierfest (in September 1970). I can't remember much, except that the beer was good!
The second time was in 2009 with Rita to visit her friend and ex-sister-in-law Ulrike. This time we got to see a bit more.
I loved the Hofbrauhaus and the "buzz".
[National Geographic]
Krakov, Poland
It's on the "bucket list" for 2026.
Bologna, Italy
A big loss, for sure.
Lyon, France
I've passed through Lyon, a very impressive city on the River Rhone. Stayed a week with friends a bit further south.
Budapest, Hungary
Top of the "bucket list" for 2026!
Stockholm, Sweden
Very impressive! Jeryl and I went there before kids, back in the mists of time. Must have been in the early 1980s.
It was very cold and the drinks were unaffordable!
Rutas tematicas (Themed tours) - journeys through surprising places
Vatican City, Italy
Brussels, Belgium
A much under-rated city, in my view. I've been there a few times, both privately and professionally, and I like it.
My daughter Amy had an internship at the European Parliament when she was a student, and I accompanied her there to help her settle in.
I also led a group of older students from St Helens (Merseyside) on a week's study visit funded by the European Union Socrates programme.
The Grand-Place and the Mannekin-Pis are highlights.
Grand Place, Brussels [VNG] Mannekin Pis [Wikipedia]
Paris, France
Paris, the "City of Light", is an iconic city with so much to see. I've been a few times over the years, but not recently. Rita has never been, so that's a good reason to go soon.
The Arc de Triomphe, Bois de Boulogne, the Champs-Elysees, the Eiffel Tower, the Left Bank, the Louvre, Montmartre, the Moulin Rouge, Notre Dame cathedral, Parc des Princes rugby ground, Roland-Garros tennis stadium, Sacre-Coeur, just a few of the many places to visit.
[Wikipedia]
Prague, Czech Republic
I enjoyed a few days here in 2002. I accompanied Jeryl on a business trip and our son Tom came too.
Coincidentally, our daughter Amy was also in Prague on an orchestra tour with her Oxford College, Queen's. So, the whole family spent some time together and we got to see and hear the orchestra perform in several of the 100 churches in the city.
[National Geographic]
Prague itself is one of my favourite European cities. Straddling the River Danube, it's simply spectacular. Czech beers are, of course, world-famous for their quality, so Jeryl and I, keen real ale fans, were able to indulge our passion in the quaint bars of the Old Part of Prague.
Holland
I love the Netherlands. I've been umpteen times, to different areas of the country, and the visits have always been fascinating.
The first time I was accompanying Jeryl on a "business trip". We stayed in Hertzogen-Bosch. While she had her meetings I explored on my own: Rotterdam and Amsterdam.
My second visit was a European Union Socrates Study Visit in around 2003. The venue was The Hague, one of The Netherlands' three capitals.
What a fabulous city! Jeryl accompanied me for the weekend before, and then went back to the UK.
The study visit was excellent. We were looking at good practice in language teaching, but we also did lots of cultural stuff too.
[Britannica]
I enjoyed an unexpected "liaison" with a much younger Icelandic delegate. A one-night-stand without the sex (Doh!)
My most enjoyable visit to The Netherlands was for the honeymoon of my second marriage in 2010.
We went sailing on the IJsselmeer, the lakes in the north of the country.
Apart from my unexpected "ducking" in the water of one of the canals, it was fun.
Holland / The Netherlands is the real deal!
[Wikipedia]
Stratford-upon-Avon, UK
What a fabulous place, not just because of its links to William Shakespeare who was born there.
It's a very pretty, vibrant town, with great pubs, fantastic real ales, art galleries and interesting antique shops.
I've visited a few times, either privately or to attend conferences.
[Reinvigorate]
Islas de ensueño (Dream islands) - Oases of calm facing the horizon
Malta
This former British colony was where my first wife Jeryl and I went for our honeymoon, so it has a special place in my/our hearts. We loved it.
We returned many years later and had an even better time.
We had more money the second time. We invested in a hire car, so explored more of the island.
Valletta, Malta's capital [Viajes National Geographic]
We also visited Gozo, Malta's sister island to the north.
We sunbathed well in Malta, skinny-dipped all the time and ate well.
We were housed in a rather plush hotel, thanks to Jeryl's employer. She was attending an international conference to present a paper on behalf of the University of Salford's International Marketing Department, and I just tagged along!
Gozo [Viajes National Geographic]
Samos, Greece
This Greek island somehow passed me by in my young days of "bumming around" the Aegean. I shan't be going any time soon. I'm too old for that "malarkey" of sleeping on the beach; sunbathing and swimming naked; sex in the open air; snorkelling for hours on end; retsina and ouzo! (Those were the days - sigh!)
Faroe Islands, Denmark
Denmark, yes; the Faroes, no. Not on my "bucket list".
Sardinia, Italy
This Italian island is another destination in Italy I haven't been to. No real interest, I have to say.
Madeira, Portugal
Never been. I booked once and then cancelled (Doh!). My brother Simon and his wife Marilyn used to have a "timeshare" there and my wife Rita went with her second husband. Rita loved it, and wants to re-visit, so it's on the "bucket list".
Cyprus
Am I the only British person never to have been to Cyprus, the island shared by Turkey and Greece? I've loved the Greek islands over the years, but have little desire to spend a holiday surrounded by my fellow-countyfolk.
Cyprus is not on my "bucket list".
Endword
Somewhat surprisingly I've been to 17 of the 36 destinations featured in this edition of "Viajes". Of the other 19, six are in Italy, so I really should visit that country soon. Three are already on my "bucket list", four I should also go to, but three are of no real interest.
© The Spanish Fly (Paul Whitelock)
Pictures:
Britannica, FaceBook, HOLA, National Geographic, Reinvigorate, ¿Tienes planes hoy?, Trip Advisor, Viajes National Geographic, Wikipedia
Thanks:
Eye on Spain, Paul Whitelock, Secret Serrania, The Spanish Fly, Viajes National Geographic, www.help-me-ronda.com
Tags:
Albufeira, Algarve, Amsterdam, Andorra, Basle, Britannica, Bruges, Brussels, Burgau, Canterbury, Carcassonne, European Union Socrates Study Visit, Eye on Spain, FaceBook, Gozo, Heidelberg, HOLA, Holland, IJsselmeer, Koblenz, "Kolibris", Luxembourg, Lyon, Malta, Moselle, Munich, National Geographic, Netherlands, Paris, Paul Whitelock, Prague, Reinvigorate, Rotterdam, Secret Serrania, The Hague, The Spanish Fly, ¿Tienes planes hoy?, Trip Advisor, Valletta, Viajes National Geographic, Wikipedia, www.help-me-ronda.com