I’m not a big fan of travel bucket lists, but that doesn’t mean there aren’t places I don’t want to visit before all others. I think we all have those places in mind; dream destinations that may or may not ever become a reality. I know that everyone has a best of list for 2015, and so rather than just add to the fodder of not all that useful travel information I thought I’d share some places I would really like to see in 2015. Some of these are realistic and some are not, some will happen and others will not, but they all combine to create my favorite part of travel – the anticipation. Where would we be if we didn’t stare at a calendar and dream of a tropical beach or pine after visiting some cultural masterpiece in Europe? This list is a combination of places I have never been to and others that I’d really like to revisit and explore some more. If anything, this list provides a little more insight into my admittedly at times strange personality, so I hope you enjoy this glimpse into my ultimate travel goals. I’d love to hear yours too, so please be sure to list them in the comments section below.

These are in NO particular order, really I mean that. Except for number 1 – that’s always my top pick.

1. South Pacific/French Polynesia

My first real travel obsession and one that I STILL haven’t been able to check off the list yet, despite its prominence on similar lists year after year. When I was a kid I read Michener’s epic tome Hawaii, which set off a furious bout of wanderlust not just for Hawaii, but the entire South Pacific. Even though I am not normally a beach kind of guy, there is just something about the perfect waters of French Polynesia that gets my heart beating a little bit faster. Will 2015 be the year I finally make it to the beautiful islands of the South Pacific? Who knows, but I’m hopeful.

2. China

My only experience with China is visiting Hong Kong – I’ve never been to the mainland and I am frankly intrigued. It’s obviously a massive country and requires many visits to see properly, but I would like to at least visit to start the process of education and to see for myself Beijing, pandas and of course that large wall for which they are so famous. I have to be honest though, the food and language barrier both intimidate me.

3. Brazil

I’ve been to South America a few times, but only briefly and it’s a continent that I don’t feel like I know at all. But that doesn’t mean it hasn’t interested me, it has and near the top of that interest list is Brazil. From the massive cities to rainforests and jungles and of course beautiful coastlines, Brazil seems to offer visitors a little bit of everything. But crime, high prices and difficulties in intra-country travel have put off many would-be travelers. I’m curious to visit and see for myself whether or not these are real concerns, or fake media-hyped problems.

4. Anywhere to see the Northern Lights

Almost, I almost got to see the beautiful Aurora Borealis, but cloudy weather in Iceland foiled my efforts. Canada, Alaska, Iceland, Norway – these are all great locations from which to catch a glimpse of the eerie and colorful lights that seem to be en vogue at the moment. I don’t want to see them just because they’re currently popular, I want to witness first hand what honestly must be one of the most beautiful sights on the planet.

5. The FSRs

The Former Soviet Republics, these are a diverse group of countries that include everything from modern urban areas to plains that look like something out of a Game of Thrones book. No matter what though it’s hard to deny how intriguing they are. They can be difficult to visit though, both in terms of transportation and language barriers, which is probably why I haven’t been yet, but I hope I can see at least one of them this year.

6. Tasmania

Australia is one of those countries I could visit a thousand times and never get tired of the experience. It’s a special place but Tasmania in particular currently has piqued my interest. Slightly remote, amazingly beautiful and somewhat different from the mainland, Tasmania is an intriguing place. Of all of these destinations, I really do hope that I can make this one happen in 2015.

7. More of Africa

Before my first visit, everyone always told me that Africa latches on to your soul and never lets go but I didn’t believe them until I experienced it for myself. There is something indefinable about this massive continent that just begs for travelers to return again and again and try to suss out what makes it so very special. I’m always happy to return to South Africa, one of my favorite countries, but I’d also love to see more of Africa, from Kenya to Namibia and who knows where else.

8. The Arctic

I love expedition style trips; my experience in Antarctica was one of the best I’ve ever had. It’s with this in mind that I’d love to plan a trip to the other side of the planet and see some of the Arctic regions for myself. Leaving from Svalbard I’d really enjoy seeing polar bears in the wild and the icy waters on top of the planet.

9. Myanmar

Closed off to foreigners for years, Myanmar suddenly finds itself as one of the hottest new travel destinations in the world. It’s not its trendiness that appeals to me though; it’s the photos I’ve seen my friends take. The people, the temples and the countryside all look like something out of a movie – it’s just that beautiful. While traveling there definitely comes with some headaches, I’d be happy to take those on to experience the country before the rest of the world changes it too much.

10. Thailand and Bhutan

Thailand is one of my favorite destinations and it’s been a few years since my last visit so obviously it’s time for a return. This time though I’d like to also include a trip to not-so-far-away Bhutan. One of the most mysterious countries in the world I think, everyone I know who has visited has left the country changed in some way or the other. It’s intrigued me for a long time and while epic hikes don’t sound all that great, this nation in the clouds is one I’d definitely like to experience for myself.

11. Alaska

I’ve been to almost every state in the Union, but the 49^th state has eluded me. I’m not exactly sure why either, but I just haven’t managed a visit to this massive and beautiful place. Chatting with family members though, it looks like a cruise up there may be in the works and so finally I’ll be able to experience the glaciers and quirky communities that make this last frontier of America so very appealing.

12. Scandinavia

There’s just something about Scandinavia that appeals to me on a very base level. I’m not sure if it’s the people, the sense of style or the societal organization, but whatever it is I just feel like I belong there. Sadly though I’ve only skimmed the surface and have lots more to see and do. Norway is near the top of my list, but so is Stockholm in Sweden. I’ve been to West Sweden before but never the capital city, and it’s a place that I think will be one of my favorites once I finally do manage to visit.

13. American West by car

Although I’ve technically visited almost every state, I don’t feel like I’ve really SEEN my own country. Its impressive size means that lifetimes could be spent exploring America and still things would be missed. What I haven’t done yet and would love to try this year is an epic road trip through some of the Western states, including stops at a few of our amazing National Parks. More than a century ago the US began the conservation movement and our National Park system was the first in the world to recognize the inherent societal value these pristine wildlands possess. So they’re important. Add in quirky roadside stops and I really think this adventure will be a personal favorite.

14. New Zealand

I visited New Zealand several years ago but it was a brief visit, just a week, and an intensely busy one. I would like to once again see the Land of the Long White Cloud and hopefully bring my partner along with me this time. There’s something just so very special about New Zealand that makes it an extraordinary place to visit. I’m not sure if it’s the natural beauty or the quirky people, but it makes an impression and I have yet to meet someone who didn’t leave having fallen in love.

15. India (Maybe)

India is one of those places that evokes a visceral reaction from people who have visited – they either love it or hate it, there is no middle ground. I honestly don’t know if I would like it or not and up until now I haven’t felt prepared enough to visit. But I think I’m ready mentally to see what the subcontinent is really like. I would want to travel there though in very specific ways and see very specific things and it’s owing to this level of particularity that I’m not sure it’ll happen and frankly, I’m not completely convinced that I want it to. But we’ll see!

What are some dream destinations you’d love to visit in 2015?

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A few weeks ago I finally visited Stockholm for the first time. I say finally, because a visit to the so-called capital of Scandinavia had been on my wish list for as long as I can remember, and I’ve even visited Sweden before but somehow just never made it to Stockholm itself. On the way home from Helsinki though, I decided to add in a couple of days to the trip and spend some time, far too little of it honestly, getting to know Stockholm for the first time. I really didn’t know what to expect. Nordic cities in my opinion are hit or miss. Some are great while others have the appeal of watching paint dry. Given the build up, all the photos I’d seen and stories I had read though I was certain Stockholm would be interesting, I just didn’t realize how hard I would fall in love with it. Looking back at the experience, I wanted to try to figure out why I fell for the city after only a day, it’s not a normal thing for me, and so with that in mind here is my attempt at dissecting the appeal of Stockholm.

Museums and More

I like museums, but they’re not usually the reason why I visit a new city. That being said, the museums in Stockholm actually were a major reason for my visit and one in particular was number one on my to-do list. ABBA: The Museum may not sound like one of the great museums of the world, but believe it or not I soon discovered that it’s one of the best curated and organized museums I’ve been to in a long time. Whether or not you’re a fan of the music, I find it hard to believe anyone won’t enjoy singing along to “Mamma Mia” in a private recording booth, or dancing with holograms of the musicians themselves on stage. It’s fun, quirky and a must-do activity in Stockholm. Luckily, the ABBA Museum is within walking distance to several other great Stockholm museums including the most popular, the Vasa Museum. The museum displays the only almost fully intact 17th century ship that has ever been salvaged, the 64-gun warship Vasa that sank on her maiden voyage in 1628 and walking around the ship learning more about the era is something enjoyable for just about any age or interest. I was in Stockholm for less than two days, a travesty now that I look back at it. If I’d had the time there are many other museums I would have loved to visit, including the Transportation Museum, the Photography Museum and many more. I like museums, but they’re not normally the focal point of my trips. Stockholm is different though, the museums in town are just so interesting and varied that an entire trip could be made centered just on them.

Great Food

The fastest way to learn about a new city or culture is through the food, which is why I decided to devote a considerable hunk of my time in Stockholm to joining a food tour with the walking tour company Food Tours Stockholm. Choosing their Nordic Food walk, it was a fantastic, 4-hour introduction to the city, the people, the culture and of course the food. As with most food tours, I learned a lot about what Swedes eat and why, but I also learned a lot about the city. Food tours are the best way to learn about the totality of a new city or country you visit and the food is a nice added bonus. The Stockholm tour was one of the best run food tours I’ve been on though, led by a local food writer and cookbook author, her expertise in all things Swedish cuisine made a big difference not just in my enjoyment of the food and city, but my understanding of the culture behind it. Of course my favorite Swedish food custom is Fika, that time in the afternoon when you sit down with coffee, some cake or sweets and catch up with friends. It’s a tradition that I wish more countries would adopt and is yet another reason to fall in love not just with Stockholm, but Sweden itself.

Color, Architecture and Travel Umami

The first thing that struck me about Stockholm was the color. Everywhere, from the Old City to more modern elements, color seemed to be emblazoned on every surface. This is the vibrancy I missed in other Nordic cities like Oslo and Helsinki, and it put a smile on my face that seemed to last throughout the duration of my visit. While touristy, Gamla Stan – the Old Town – is one of those places that just needs to be experienced. Historical buildings, restaurants, shops and cafes all line the winding streets, but the best views of the Old Town are from across the water at the Stockholm City Hall. I was a little confused at first as to why all of the so-called experts listed a tour of the City Hall on every must-do list I read. It looked nice enough from the outside, but I couldn’t imagine that it would be very interesting inside. Naturally, I was wrong. While it’s still a working government office building, this is also where the annual Nobel Prize dinner is held, a major event in the city. Designed in the early 20^th century, the interiors are grand and opulent, none more so than the Gold Room. Made with more than 18 million gold mosaic tiles, the glitz and glam of the room seems totally incongruous with everything I know about Sweden, and yet somehow it all works. It was a beautiful way to end my short time in Stockholm and the view of Gamla Stan from the City Hall is worth a visit in its own right.

More than museums, cinnamon rolls or nice rooms though, there’s just something intangible about Stockholm that drew me in immediately and which is begging me to return. I don’t know what it is, but it’s a feeling, a sensation really, I’ve felt before; something I call travel umami. It’s when all of the pieces of a trip or new destination come together perfectly and in the process create something intangible, a new element that can’t be seen, touched or heard but which makes everything extraordinary. I call it travel umami. You can’t define it, but you know it when you feel it.

I spent less than two days in Stockholm and saw a mere fraction of everything that I wanted to. But thanks to that travel umami, the city is a siren calling out to me now and I know I’ll return, not just to visit more museums, but to try to understand a little better what makes it so very special.

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Recently I found myself in Stockholm for the very first time – a city I have long wanted to visit. Stockholm truly is one of the great capital cities of the world and has been for a very long time; for centuries it has been known as a bastion of business, culture and learning. So naturally the very first thing I did was to visit the ABBA Museum. It may seem like an unlikely first stop in a city of such legendary import, but not only was the experience fantastic, but I found myself drawing real inspiration from the museum itself. Seriously though, hear me out.

The ABBA Museum Experience

I’ve wanted to visit the ABBA Museum in Stockholm since it first opened just a couple of years ago. To be honest, I didn’t have high expectations; I just wanted to go in order to be able to say that I was there. But almost immediately I realized that this was no thrown-together, flippant experience. No, instead what I discovered almost right away was one of the best curated and presented museums I’ve ever been to. I know, who knew right?

I personally love ABBA and have probably since I first watched “Priscilla: Queen of the Desert,” a great film that used “Mamma Mia” on its epic soundtrack. Since then my love has only grown as I discover (or rediscover) songs that I can sing along to. I’m not alone obviously, millions of people around the world love ABBA as much or more than I do, although it’s hard to say why. The music isn’t deep, it almost never addresses pressing world concerns, no, it’s just fun. We all need things that are just fun in life, and both ABBA’s music and the museum provide just that.

Led by ABBA co-founders Ulf Westman and Ewa Wigenheim-Westman, the present day museum first opened its doors in 2013, and almost immediately became one of the most popular tourist spots in town. During my museum briefing by staff though, I quickly understood that this isn’t just a boring collection of trinkets and tidbits. Naturally, all of the members’ costumes and memorabilia on are full display, along with the story of how they started and persisted throughout the years. But the experience, because it really is an experience, is about much more than just looking at stuff. Visitors become part of the experience through a variety of innovative, interactive exhibits.

Complimentary headsets are included in the price of admission and all you have to do is wave them in front of marked exhibits to learn more about them, usually from the ABBA members themselves. The real fun comes though when guests visit the Polar Studio installation. ABBA created the former Stockholm studio and it’s where some of their most popular albums were recorded. Adjacent to the studio in the museum are special booths, karaoke-style spaces where visitors can try their hand at singing along with ABBA. Throughout the museum, the entrance ticket becomes a log of the extra-activities you decide to do. After I sang along (badly) with “Mamma Mia,” I received a score and was told that the full recording was available online through a special code on my ticket. Obviously, for the well being of humanity I’ve since destroyed the ticket, but I love that kind of curation and interaction. I don’t think I’ve visited any other museum in the world that encourages such involvement and participation with guests and you know what? It’s a lot of fun. I went on to try my hand at costume design (also poorly) and even mixing one of ABBA’s classics songs on a special mixing board. The ultimate in hands-on participation though comes in the hologram room, where anyone can jump onstage with ABBA and see if they have what it takes to become a new member. Leave your inhibitions at home, because this is meant to be a fun, almost party-like atmosphere.

Naturally, visitors leave the museum through a disco dance room, where the disco ball and strobe lights never end and every day is the time of your life.

What I Took Away From It All

Aside from the interactive exhibits and the good, clean fun, the museum itself was interesting. I found myself learning not only about the band, but also more about the music industry and even cultural issues in Sweden during the 1970s and 80s. It broadened my knowledge about the country and the pop band that it was forced to love, even though at times it may not have wanted to.

I also left the ABBA Museum feeling inspired, which surprised me. ABBA never intended to become one of the most famous bands on the planet whose music has mostly stood the test of time. They were some friends who made music that wasn’t very popular; they were just enjoying themselves. The result was super-stardom and the pinnacle of music success. There’s a good lesson in that I think. What our passions are in life, the things that we enjoy and want to do most are important. So many of us ignore them, or relegate them to hobbies or things to do when we have the time. But if we devote ourselves, and I mean wholly and truly, then I firmly believe success will be a natural result. Being happy and fulfilled in life is about doing things that not only have an impact on the world, but on also on us. It’s important not to ignore our passions, but to embrace them, just like ABBA did so many years ago.

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I’ve been absolutely infatuated with food tours lately. Not only do they offer a fantastic culinary peek into a new city and culture, but you usually get to see a lot of the city along the way and learn more about the general history and culture. The fastest and best way to learn about a new destination and her people is through the food they eat and the culinary traditions they value. That’s why I decided to use a few hours of my very limited time in Stockholm not at a museum or touring historic sites, but instead joining a Swedish food tour led by the group Food Tours Stockholm.

Thoughts About The Tour

I had been to Sweden before, but the West Coast and not Stockholm. Because of that, I was eager to learn more about the city’s own unique food customs and I couldn’t have picked a better person to lead me than the Food Tours Stockholm guide Cathrine. Growing up in a family of restaurateurs, it surprised no one when Cathrine also chose to follow a life of culinary pursuits and after writing prolifically about Swedish food for years, from magazines to cookbooks, she has recently added tour guide to her impressive résumé. That kind of knowledge and deep love of the subject is crucial to any great walking tour, but especially food tours. More than just guiding people from one place to the next, a great food tour should open a window into the culture in a way impossible to replicate in any other way. I’ve been on several food tours around the world, and from experience I know that they’re definitely not all made the same. But when it comes to the level of expertise and the preparation, I can say without hesitation that my Food Tours Stockholm experience was one of the best I have ever enjoyed.

Meeting in front of a modern food hall, Cathrine passed out bottles of water to all of the tour participants as well as a mini-guide to the food we would be enjoying over the course of the four-hour walk. That was a first for me, and that incredible level of detail set the perfect tone for the rest of the experience. But ultimately any great food tour is about the food itself and the stories these morsels have to share, and when it came to sampling these delicacies I found myself surprised again and again.

A Sampling Of The Delicious Bites Along The Way

I should preface this by saying that fish and seafood is a big aspect of Nordic and Swedish cuisine. I, however, don’t eat any fish or seafood, so I was a little hesitant about booking the tour at all. After a couple of emails though, I was assured that my preferences were not a problem and over the course of the tour I was impressed that every seafood-centric stop had created something special just for me. Just another detail that makes this tour stand apart from the others I’ve experienced.

Meat and cheese

Like most great food tours, this one started off in a local food hall, one of many in town. The Hötorgshallen dates back to the 1880s, although it’s gone through a massive refurbishment in recent years and is now one of the cleanest and most approachable food halls I’ve ever been to. Inside are a variety of food stalls, restaurants and small cafes, but it was the butcher and cheesemonger where we received our first lesson in Swedish cuisine. Drawing upon its history and vast natural resources, it just makes sense that a variety of game meats are popular in the Swedish diet. Trying something a little unusual, cured bear meat, along with the more normal elk sausage and reindeer, it reminded me a bit of Finnish food; no surprise given their geography and shared history.

I was happy though to see an equally rich cheese tradition, a favorite aspect of any food scene for me personally. Locally produced, Cathrine said that it’s common to serve cheese courses in Sweden, especially after a nice meal with friends. It’s an art that we’ve mostly lost here in the US, opting instead for overly sweet desserts. Cathrine went on to say though that like so many other countries in Europe, it’s not abnormal to select a nice cheese and wine and enjoy them casually with friends on a Friday afternoon, a tasty way to usher in the weekend if there ever was one.

Traditional restaurants and those famous meatballs

Like any grand city, in addition to newer and trendier cafes and restaurants, there are also those tried and true establishments that may not change much over the decades, but that’s part of their appeal. Along the tour we visited several of these time-honored eateries, including my favorite: Restaurant Tranan. Founded in 1929, Tranan has always been known as a place to grab a drink, enjoy a few delicious bites and to enjoy some live music. Music in the restaurant’s cellar is a proud tradition and artists from Tom Waits to A Tribe Called Quest have all performed there. But most people come for the homey, classic dishes like the one I tried, meatballs with mashed potatoes and lingonberries. Made from a mix of meats with onions, breadcrumbs and a light cream sauce, if Sweden has a national dish this is it. The lingonberries are a common accompaniment to meat dishes; originally a way to had some freshness to what are traditionally heavy meals. I’ve tried Swedish meatballs many times in my life, but the version at Tranan was by far the best I’ve ever enjoyed.

Yes, some fish and seafood

Although I didn’t partake, and the restaurants were good enough to prepare alternate dishes for me, there’s no denying the importance of fish and seafood in the Swedish diet. Salmon, herring and shrimp all served in a variety of ways from fresh to pickled and fried can be found throughout the Swedish capital city. One of the best places to not only buy fresh fish and seafood but to also learn more about the fishy culture in Sweden is at Urban Deli in the trendy SoFo neighborhood. At this store/bar/café/restaurant you can pick up some great ingredients for your next meal, enjoy a drink with friends or eat in style at what has been called one of the best brunches in town. At the seafood counter though, the expert fishmongers shared with me what makes truly great fish and seafood and the importance of the tradition in Swedish cuisine. One dish in particular stood out to me, and all the Swedes on the tour immediately started nodding their heads when it was mentioned – Toast Skagen.

One of the staples of Swedish cuisine, Toast Skagen is simply made using a mix of shrimp or prawns with mayonnaise, a type of sour cream and some seasoning. Other ingredients like Tabasco or horseradish can be added and the final concoction is served on a piece of nicely toasted bread. While it’s not my idea of a great snack, everyone around me seemed to enjoy theirs with foodie glee.

Global influence

Just like any major metropolitan area though, Stockholm is necessarily influenced by global cuisine, both from neighboring countries and from farther afield. Neighboring Finland has brought its own unique culinary habits, and a stand in the Hötorgshallen serves not only expat Finns but curious (and hungry) Swedes as well. Finska Butiken serves a wide range of Finnish delicacies and goods, from pastries and breads to sausages and even candies. The star of the stand though is the Karelian pasty. These simple snacks are made from a rye crust with a filling of rice. Butter mixed with boiled egg is spread over them and the result is an odd, but tasty bite. They’re especially popular around Christmas and the simple stand at the food hall sells thousands every day during the holiday season.

Another international purveyor of fine foods is one of Sweden’s oldest delicatessens, Österqvist. For generations, the experts here have been importing meats and cheeses from around Europe, bringing some of the best foods from France, Italy and Spain to central Stockholm. Never one to turn down a great Parma ham, I could easily see myself stopping by Österqvist to pick up the ingredients for an amazing picnic in the park just opposite the store.

Robust sweet tooth

If you’re a regular reader of the site, then you know that I have a robust sweet tooth. Dessert is my favorite course of any meal, but I’m also easily won over by pastries, donuts and anything else that will satisfy my fierce sweet tooth. I knew that Swedes feel the same way, which is why I was especially excited for the non-savory portion of the tour, and all of my expectations were met and then exceeded.

The first sweet stop was at a bakery known more for their breads, but they also introduced me to a new delicious discovery – the semla. This small bun is flavored with cardamom and filled with almond paste and whipped cream and is one of the most popular, and traditional, pastries in Sweden. They started as a tradition the day before the start of Lent, but have quickly turned into a year-round delicacy.

The other sweet tradition I love is something I discovered on my first trip to Sweden, fika. At its core, fika is a coffee break of sorts. It’s all about taking time in the afternoon to join friends over a cup of coffee and some sweet treats. Usually starting out with a bun or cinnamon roll, fika can quickly evolve to include cakes, chocolates and other sweet bites. It’s a wonderfully relaxing event, a tradition I wish more countries – including my own – would adopt.

Swedish Food Surprised Me

Like most people, I had some preconceptions about Swedish food before the Food Tours Stockholm Nordic Experience walk around the city. Some of those preconceptions proved true – meatballs and cinnamon rolls – but I was also surprised in many ways. I was surprised by how deeply rooted traditions, especially following a culinary calendar, are still part of daily life. At the very traditional restaurant Tennstopet, every month they feature a different Swedish delicacy perfectly matched to the season. Some of it seems as if it was created on a dare, but others are more important, homey and delicious.

I was also surprised by the rich diversity of food found all around Stockholm, even when focusing just on the Nordic dining experience. Sweden has long been an important power in the region, and it’s thanks to this military history that influences from Norway, Finland, Germany and throughout Europe have been intertwined into what is now called traditional Swedish food. It’s a wonderfully multicultural aspect to the cuisine that I didn’t expect, but certainly enjoyed.

When you visit Stockholm, there’s no shortage of great meals and bites to try that would fill multiple trips, but to really learn about the food culture of Stockholm and Sweden there’s no better place to start than on a culinary exploration of the city with Food Tours Stockholm.

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Paris Holiday Food Walk

France is perhaps best experienced through the stomach and as the capital of this food-obsessed nation, Paris has plenty of experiences for the foodie in all of us. Several years ago I joined a Context walking tour of my favorite city; an effort to learn more about the culinary traditions behind the foods that I enjoy. The Baguette to Bistro tour was a great introduction to the basics of French cuisine. Led by an amiable and knowledgeable food writer, we covered everything from the art of the perfect baguette to trying some of the seasonal pastries common during the Christmas season when we visited. Even if you’ve spent a lot of time in Paris as I have, it’s a great way to learn more about the cultural underpinnings to some of France’s best-loved foods.

Eating London

This is the tour that changed my mind about food tours. Not only is it still the best food tour I’ve ever been on, but it’s probably the best walking tour of any kind, anywhere in the world that I’ve ever enjoyed. The four-hour jaunt through London’s eclectic East End is a walk through the neighborhood’s history and culture as well as an opportunity to taste some great bites. The guides are passionate about their city and the food culture and I learned a lot as I chowed down on classics like bacon sarnies and fish & chips as well as more recent neighborhood additions like spicy curries. All food is included in the tour cost and come hungry because the bites are much more than samples, they’re mini-meals in their own right.

Cooking in Milan

Food tours are great, but so are cooking classes that go into more depth than any tour could hope to. I look for these when I have enough time in any given place to spend, especially since they usually last for several hours. I also try to do them in especially iconic foodie destinations, and Milan certainly qualifies as that. Northern Italy in general, but Milan and Lombardy in particular is home to some of the most famous Italian dishes, as well as the tastiest. Walking into the modest home of Chef Aurora, owner of Cook and Dine, I could already smell the aromas of cooking prep well underway. There’s something inherently calming about being in someone’s house, in their kitchen when learning how to cook. Had we been in a large industrial space I know I would’ve been a little nervous, but cooking alongside Aurora in her personal kitchen made it seem like I was hanging out with a friend instead of a teacher. Through her patient tutorial, that evening we learned how to prepare several iconic Milanesi dishes including: Osso bucco, pumpkin ravioli, cotoletta and tiramisu. It was a delicious way not just to learn about the food, but to really feel connected to the people who call both Milan and Lombardy home.

Helsinki Food Tour

Before first visiting Finland I had no background with Finnish food, and so in this case I felt that a food tour wasn’t just a nice thing to do, it was an important experience. Using the local tour company Happy Guide Helsinki, I met my guide outside one of the city’s many food halls, eager to start my culinary education of the city. Meats, cheeses, breads and more, each stop at the various stands told a different story, shared a different tradition and naturally, all tasted amazing. Featuring foods produced locally, my guide gave me her unique point of view as an expat living in Helsinki, a perspective that added a different and important perspective to food in Helsinki and Finland. Throughout the course of the afternoon we ambled around town, trying local favorites like pastries and cinnamon rolls as well as learning more about Finland’s great love of candy, including the often maligned (and rightly so) salmiakki. It was a fun afternoon and an eye-opening experience as I finally began to understand the foodie side to Finland.

Afternoon at a Spanish Fishing Hut

Not all food experiences are overly formal; something I discovered when I was invited to a local fishing hut in Spain for what is a very popular activity. It’s hard to find a bad meal anywhere in Spain, but that’s especially true along the sunny Costa Brava. Here food is life, the logical way to welcome friends and strangers alike. Seafood is necessarily a big part of daily life here along the Mediterranean, and enjoying an afternoon on the coast isn’t just something tourists like to do, it’s popular for locals as well. Many families or groups of friends co-own small fishing huts. Small buildings next to the beach with a place to nap, a kitchen and that’s about it. Throughout the warm summer months especially, everyone gathers at the huts to enjoy the weather, great friendships and of course some amazing food. It’s a remarkable experience anytime someone invites you into their homes, into their lives, and the afternoon I spent with my new Spanish friends wasn’t only the most fun I had along the Costa Brava, it taught me more about the culture and the food than anything more formal could have ever achieved.

Amsterdam Food Tour

Since my first experience with the tour company Eating Europe was such a success in London, when I found myself in another city where they host tours I knew immediately that I had to join. I wasn’t disappointed either and that morning and early afternoon I spent wandering around the canals of Amsterdam made me finally learn to appreciate the city, food coming to the rescue once again. From classic Dutch apple pie and poffertjes to more recent additions to the Dutch food scene from far-flung colonies, the tour was a true immersion into what Amsterdam as a city values in its food. Of everything I tried that morning, without a doubt my favorite bite came not at a café or restaurant, but at a butcher’s. Butcher Louman in the Jordaan neighborhood has been the go-to source for great meats since 1890, but they’re especially well known for their sausages and cured meats. My favorites were the ossenworst (raw, smoked beef sausage) and the grillworst (grilled sausages), which are both amongst the best in the city.

Making Black Forest Cake in Germany

I have an incredible sweet tooth – I’d much rather enjoy a great dessert than a main course any day. So when I travel I am naturally drawn to pastries, chocolates and other sweet treats and one country where that proclivity is always rewarded is Germany. Of the many sweet food experiences I’ve enjoyed in Germany, learning how to make a real Black Forest Cake with a local baker in Freiburg is probably my favorite moment. Special tart cherry kirsch from the Black Forest is the only acceptable ingredient to add to the layers of chocolate, whipped cream and cherries that make an authentic cake and it’s not just a stereotype, the cakes are still popular locally. The baker told me that families wouldn’t think of having an Easter dinner without one, although it’s certainly popular throughout the year. Freiburg is the gateway to the Black Forest, so locals take this special dessert very seriously, and learning from the top bakery in town is something I’ll never forget.

Nordic Food Experience in Stockholm

Nowadays, finding new food tours is just a normal part of my travel experience. That’s why when I recently found myself in Stockholm for just a scant 36 hours, I knew that a great food tour necessarily had to be a part of the trip. As with most food tours, I learned a lot about what Swedes eat and why, but I also learned a lot about the city. The Stockholm tour with Food Tours Stockholm was one of the best run food tours I’ve been on, led by a local food writer and cookbook author, her expertise in all things Swedish cuisine made a big difference not just in my enjoyment of the food and city, but my understanding of the culture behind it. Of the several tours offered, I opted for the Nordic Experience walk so that I could learn more about the very traditional side to Swedish cuisine. I’d traveled in Sweden before, but my foodie knowledge of the country was very limited, a deficiency in my education that was quickly corrected. From meats and cheeses to traditional Swedish meatballs, we tried a little bit of everything that afternoon. Of course my favorite Swedish food custom is Fika, that time in the afternoon when you sit down with coffee, some cake or sweets and catch up with friends. It’s a tradition that I wish more countries would adopt and is yet another reason to fall in love not just with Stockholm, but Sweden itself.

These are just a few of my favorite European food tours and experiences – what are yours?

The post My Favorite European Food Tours and Culinary Experiences appeared first on LandLopers.

Stay in relaxed luxury

Hotels are important to me when I travel and I’m always looking for the latest and greatest when it comes to luxury travel. So when I learned about the top rated hotel in Stockholm and it was a name I didn’t recognize I was intrigued. But that’s kind of how the folks at the Ett Hem Hotel like it, flying under the radar in a relaxed but elegant way. In Swedish “ett hem” means at home, and that’s exactly what the experience of staying with this superb hotel is really like. Housed in a former mansion, Ett Hem features just 12 luxuriously appointed rooms in a curious mix of hotel and B&B that combines the best elements of both styles of accommodation. Thanks to the limited number of rooms, it’s hard not to feel special staying there as a guest. Where the staff almost outnumbers clientele, the experience feels special, as if it were hand crafted for you personally. Inside, the house is light and airy, well designed but also homey. In the winter the roaring fire is a perfect spot to curl up next to, book in hand and coffee by the side. Almost immediately I knew it was a place where I wanted to spend time, instead of a hotel that is only a place to relax in the evenings. In addition to the beautiful rooms, Ett Hem is also well known locally for its restaurant, where hotel guests have special privileges to enjoy the best the kitchen serves, no matter the time of day. The Ett Hem Hotel isn’t your normal luxury experience; it’s something much better. The property takes all of the great qualities of a larger hotel and highlights them in a smaller, more intimate package. I can think of no better place in Stockholm as the launching pad for a luxury weekend than this outstanding property.

Walk through Gamla Stan

As an American, I feel especially compelled to visit the old historic districts of European cities I visit. I just love the old buildings, colorful squares, cobblestone streets and special ambience that only a centuries old neighborhood can provide. In Stockholm, this important link to the past is found in the popular Gamla Stan neighborhood. Stockholm of course has an excellent public transportation system, I’d expect nothing less from a Scandinavian capital, and it’s easy to reach Gamla Stan by train. Gamble Stan is a popular tourist destination, but with good reason. This colorful neighborhood is one of the largest and best-preserved medieval city centers in Europe, and from personal experience there’s nothing better than ambling along its lanes and narrow alleyways, trying to discover what secrets this part of town may hold. This is also where Stockholm was founded in the 13th century, making it a historically important area as well as a fun one to explore. If you want to do more than just wander and window shop, Gamla Stan is also home to the Royal Palace, Stockholm Cathedral and the Nobel Museum.

Visit as many museums as you can

I like museums, but they’re not usually the reason why I visit a new city. That being said, the museums in Stockholm actually were a major reason for my visit and one in particular was number one on my to-do list. ABBA: The Museum may not sound like one of the great museums of the world, but believe it or not I soon discovered that it’s one of the best-curated and organized museums I’ve been to in a long time. Whether or not you’re a fan of the music, I find it hard to believe anyone won’t enjoy singing along to “Mamma Mia” in a private recording booth, or dancing with holograms of the musicians themselves on stage. It’s fun, quirky and a must-do activity in Stockholm. Luckily, the ABBA Museum is within walking distance to several other great Stockholm museums including the most popular, the Vasa Museum. The museum displays the only almost fully intact 17th century ship that has ever been salvaged, the 64-gun warship Vasa that sank on her maiden voyage in 1628 and walking around the ship learning more about the era is something enjoyable for just about any age or interest. I was in Stockholm for less than two days, a travesty now that I look back at it. If I’d had the time there are many other museums I would have loved to visit, including the Transportation Museum, the Photography Museum and many more. I like museums, but they’re not normally the focal point of my trips. Stockholm is different though, the museums in town are just so interesting and varied that an entire trip could be made centered just on them.

Eat all the food

Nowadays, finding new food tours is just a normal part of my travel experience. That’s why when I had such limited time in Stockholm, I knew that a great food tour necessarily had to be a part of the trip. As with most food tours, I learned a lot about what Swedes eat and why, but I also learned a lot about the city. The Stockholm tour with Food Tours Stockholm was one of the best run food tours I’ve been on, led by a local food writer and cookbook author, her expertise in all things Swedish cuisine made a big difference not just in my enjoyment of the food and city, but my understanding of the culture behind it. Of the several tours offered, I opted for the Nordic Experience walk so that I could learn more about the very traditional side to Swedish cuisine. I’d traveled in Sweden before, but my foodie knowledge of the country was very limited, a deficiency in my education that was quickly corrected. From meats and cheeses to traditional Swedish meatballs, we tried a little bit of everything that afternoon. Of course my favorite Swedish food custom is Fika, that time in the afternoon when you sit down with coffee, some cake or sweets and catch up with friends. It’s a tradition that I wish more countries would adopt and is yet another reason to fall in love not just with Stockholm, but Sweden itself.

Walk around the waterfront and visit City hall

Water is an important part of life in Stockholm, it’s everywhere and experiencing it is an essential aspect of traveling there. Take a ferry ride, go on a boat tour or just walk around a few of the many waterfront areas, no matter how you do it just make sure to admire the city’s maritime side. Also be sure to visit an unlikely spot, the Stockholm City Hall. I was a little confused at first as to why all of the so-called experts listed a tour of the City Hall on every must-do list I read. It looked nice enough from the outside, but I couldn’t imagine that it would be very interesting inside. Naturally, I was wrong. While it’s still a working government office building, this is also where the annual Nobel Prize dinner is held, a major event in the city. Designed in the early 20th century, the interiors are grand and opulent, none more so than the Gold Room. Made with more than 18 million gold mosaic tiles, the glitz and glam of the room seems totally incongruous with everything I know about Sweden, and yet somehow it all works. It was a beautiful way to end my short time in Stockholm and the view of Gamla Stan from the City Hall is worth a visit in its own right.

This is how I chose to spend my brief time in Stockholm, and looking back at it I think it was the perfect first introduction. More than anything though, it was just a taste of everything this amazing city has to offer and I can’t wait to return and learn more about the Swedish capital city.

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Sibelius Monument – Helsinki, Finland

I had a free afternoon while in Helsinki and since I had seen most of the so-called major sights, I set my attention to a lesser-known attraction that had piqued my interest. The Sibelius Monument is dedicated to the Finnish composer Jean Sibelius, one of the country’s great artistic heroes. I’m not all that interested in his music nor do I know that much about him, instead I wanted to visit the monument thanks to its unique design. Once again I allowed images found on Instagram to guide my travels and while it was a strange spot to visit, I’m ultimately glad I went. Getting there was a challenge though. Google maps led me to believe that it was an easy walk from my downtown hotel, so I believed it. What followed was a multi-mile hike along freeways and through random neighborhoods where the only thing of note was probably a strange American walking around pointing his phone in different directions. It was sort of worth the hassle though, because while smaller than I had imagined, the monument was indeed beautiful. Designed and built in the 1960s, it reflects the era and the abstract design is befuddling with its 600 hollow steel pipes welded together in a wave-like pattern. But it’s beautiful and if you have nothing else to do, you should visit. But I’d drive and I certainly wouldn’t walk there in the dead of winter.

Houmas House Plantation – Louisiana

Old homes and plantations line the river between Baton Rouge and New Orleans, and they’re popular stops for just about any traveler to the region. Walking into the massive gardens surrounding the house I immediately saw why, it was stunning. I had never before visited a classic Southern Plantation, all of my preconceptions formed mostly by watching Gone With The Wind. Turns out that movie, and countless others, did the time period justice because Houmas House looks exactly what I think an old plantation house should look like. Starting life off as a modest trading post, at its height the Houmas House Plantation included more than 300,000 acres of land and was the top producer of sugar in North America. That’s a stunning fact and made the owners insanely wealthy, building this massive estate as a country getaway. The house has thankfully been preserved and the current owner even lives in the house, clearing out of his room before the first visitors of the day start their tours. Tours are offered throughout the day, lasting about an hour and led by well-informed and entertaining docents. It was a great opportunity for me to learn more about life in Louisiana in the 18th and 19th centuries and to peek into the lives of the Southern elite. Houmas House is also a very easy drive from Baton Rouge and makes a perfect half-day diversion.

Gibb’s Farm – Tanzania

Granted, this isn’t necessarily a place that you just chance upon, but if you find yourself in Tanzania it really is worth at least a stop, if not an overnight stay. One of the first guesthouses in Tanzania, Gibb’s Farm started out as a coffee farm in the 1920s. Walking around the impossibly lush grounds of the property it looked and felt like a tropical farm should look like. Gibb’s Farm is something out of a movie or a dream, but luckily it exists in real life and is pretty easy to visit. The farm enjoys an enviable position overlooking the Great Rift Valley and the Ngorongoro Forest and today there is a main farmhouse and 17 cottages where guests can spend the night in perfect, tech-free tranquility. I was just there for lunch, but even that was an event as meals are served using fruits and vegetables from the farm itself, along with its famous coffee which is still produced, processed and roasted on-site. I could’ve stayed there all day, just relaxing in the lounge chairs under ancient acacia trees, listening to the sounds of the forest and admiring those amazing views. This is an unexpected stop in Tanzania, a place where you won’t see elephants or leopards, but instead will only find a little bit of inner peace.

Stockholm City Hall – Sweden

I was a little confused at first as to why all of the so-called experts listed a tour of the City Hall on every must-do list I read. It looked nice enough from the outside, but I couldn’t imagine that it would be very interesting inside. Naturally, I was wrong. While it’s still a working government office building, this is also where the annual Nobel Prize dinner is held, a major event in the city. Designed in the early 20th century, the interiors are grand and opulent, none more so than the Gold Room. Made with more than 18 million gold mosaic tiles, the glitz and glam of the room seems totally incongruous with everything I know about Sweden, and yet somehow it all works. It was a beautiful way to end my short time in Stockholm and the view of Gamla Stan from the City Hall is worth a visit in its own right.

Kinderdijk – The Netherlands

An admittedly touristy place, it’s also a beautiful one and for non-Dutch people such as myself, is everything we think the Netherlands should look like. When we think of Holland most of us think of wooden shoes, cheese and windmills. Traditional windmills are increasingly hard to find in the Netherlands, which is why Kinderdijk is such a popular tourist attraction. A UNESCO World Heritage Site, the 19 windmills built here are the largest concentration of old windmills still existing in the Netherlands today and the best place to learn more about this popular Dutch symbol. Tours are led by local docents, volunteers who take on the duty out of love for these precious ties to the past. Walking around with our docent, it was interesting to learn of the importance of these windmills in the history of the Netherlands. They drained the swampy lands of the Low Country, making it possible not just to use the land, but to avoid seasonal flooding that defined the country for so long. Understanding and taking control of the water is what led to the incredible success of the Netherlands throughout the centuries, transforming it from a swampy country to one of incredible wealth and power. None of that would have happened without these still-beautiful windmills.

Roman Amphitheater in Pula, Croatia

I love Croatia and so when I had a chance to visit a region I hadn’t yet visited while on a Viking Ocean cruise, I was excited. Istria is mostly known for its fine wines and delicious foods, but it’s also an area with an ancient past, as the massive Roman amphitheater in Pula attests to. Pula isn’t that big, not really, and while it’s beautiful and there are a few things to see and do, the arena is really at the heart of the experience. And it deserves that attention; it’s the only remaining Roman amphitheater to have four side towers and with all three Roman architectural orders entirely preserved. Constructed nearly 2,000 years ago, it’s also one of the largest surviving Roman arenas in the world, making it not just fun to explore, but important as well. As an antiquities nerd, I loved walking up the hill to this ancient site, amazed that it still exists today, but thankful it does. When you’re in Pula, this should be at the top of your to-do list, along with strolling around town getting to know it a little better.

Glamis Castle – Scotland

It’s hard to travel anywhere in Scotland without stumbling upon a castle, and one of the most popular has to be the massive Glamis Castle. Often called Scotland’s most beautiful castle, Glamis has long been linked with royalty and most recently it was the childhood home of The Queen Mother. Although a castle has been on this site for many centuries, the massive structure I saw as I drove down the long lane leading up to it was mostly built in the 17th century. Regardless of when it was built, there’s certainly no denying its beauty. Literature buffs may remember it as the home of Macbeth, and while the historical figure never lived here, another king – King Malcolm – was indeed murdered here in 1034. There are a lot of stories associated with the castle though, many of which you’ll learn about when you take the official tour. Before heading off with the tour guide though, make sure to spend some time exploring the gardens and the perfectly maintained grounds, which are also home to the castle’s own herd of Highland cows. This ancient breed of cattle is the de facto symbol of both Scotland and the Highlands, and this will probably be your best chance to take some great photos of these fuzzy and docile animals.

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Rovaniemi, Finland

For whatever reason, remote destinations fascinate me and I love visiting them perhaps more than even the largest cities in the world. I usually tend to visit Northern areas though when it’s cold outside, but cold doesn’t even begin to describe the Arctic temperatures I found in Rovaniemi, deep in Finnish Lapland. This huge region is mostly woods, lakes and streams, but it’s also home to Santa Claus. In what can only be described as a brilliant marketing move, years ago Rovaniemi lauded itself as the official home of Santa Claus, a moniker that stuck. You should visit Rovaniemi not only to see Santa Claus, but also to spend time outdoors whether it’s snowmobiling, mushing with sled dogs or spending the night in a remote cabin learning about the Finnish obsession with both sauna and nature.

St. Louis, Missouri

This year I had the great opportunity to travel more around my own country, and I’m happy to include several American destinations on this list starting with St. Louis. Before my brief visit earlier this year, it had been decades since I last roamed the streets of the Gateway to the West and I was shocked by what I found. Downtown there’s plenty to do from the famous Arch to quirky and fun museums and of course the food. St Louis is home to a number of regional delicacies including Provel cheese pizza, fried ravioli and of course BBQ. A few reasons you should visit include: spending time at the new National Blues Museum, meandering through the quirky City Museum, eating your way through town and admiring a panoramic view of both Missouri and Illinois from the top of the Arch.

Chengdu, China

My first trip to China was everything I hoped it would be, but I was also surprised in a lot of ways. I traveled to Chengdu to see the famous panda bears, but I ended up falling in love with the city. Thanks to expert guidance from the staff at The Ritz-Carlton, Chengdu, I discovered the robust food culture for which Chengdu is also well known. Usually erring on the side of spicy, the food around town is hot but flavorful and a fun way to get to know the local culture. Visitors to Chengdu should spend some time at the panda preserves, either as a voyeur or volunteering, tour the ancient sites in Chengdu and spend plenty of time trying the regional delicacies.

Stockholm, Sweden

I first visited Sweden a few years ago and loved the experience, so I was pretty sure I’d enjoy my first trip to Stockholm. Much more than simply enjoy it though, I quickly fell in love with this colorful Scandinavian city and wished I had more time to explore. Although it was the middle of winter, the temperatures were cold but not extreme, allowing me plenty of opportunity to get out and see the best of the city. The museums all impressed me more than most others I’ve visited, and there’s nothing better than wandering around the Old Town, Gamla Stan, at night. Visitors to Stockholm should take a scenic boat cruise, visit the ABBA Museum, tour the City Hall (trust me) and eat a few meals in Gamla Stan. One of the world’s best hotels, Ett Hem, also calls Stockholm home, perfect for luxury travelers.

Tanzania & a Luxury Safari Experience

Going on safari is one of those special travel experiences everyone should enjoy at least once in their lives. Thanks to a few trips visiting sub-Saharan Africa, I have been on several safaris but nothing prepared me for the luxury safari in Tanzania I enjoyed with Abercrombie & Kent. A&K literally invented the concepts of luxury safari and experiential travel, so I knew I was in good hands as we toured the amazing national parks of Tanzania. Whether it was sneaking up on a herd of elephants, or admiring the power of the Great Migration, I know I will always treasure the memories from this luxury safari experience. You should take a luxury safari in Tanzania in order to get as close to wildlife as possible, enjoy amazing vistas and be pampered in high style throughout the journey, from transportation to those stunning lodges where guests spend the night.

Southwest Louisiana

A year ago I would never have guessed I’d be adding this to the list, but I had such a good time I think it’s warranted. While there’s a lot to see and do in Southwest Louisiana, I’ve added it to this list for one reason – the food. Frankly, all of Louisiana is known for its cuisine, but the southwest part of the state takes this obsession to an entirely new level. Comfort food is the name of the game here, including boudin, cracklins, doughnuts, and more. But fine dining is also well represented and there are many restaurants featuring creative menus by new and daring chefs. Visitors should try the boudin in Lake Charles, stop by The French Press in Lafayette and spend a few days in Baton Rouge, including a mandatory stop at Tiger Deaux-nuts for the addictive Boudin Egg and Cheese Sandwich.

Fogo Island, Newfoundland and Labrador

Fogo Island is a place that needs to be experienced in order to be believed. I journeyed there in order to stay at one of the top rated hotels in the world, the Fogo Island Inn. But in the course of my weekend stay, I ended up falling head over heels for the entire community. Locals there care about the people who visit, and by the end of the stay I felt more like a member of the community than a stranger. That’s the beauty of the island and what makes it so incredibly special. Visitors should absolutely stay at the Inn, but also spend plenty of time exploring this quirky island from taking a boat out on the water to enjoying the many hiking trails found nearly everywhere.

Bologna, Italy

I find it a little odd that I’m including this great Northern Italian city on the list, because my own experience with it is so very limited. Four years ago I spent 1 day there, but it was so impactful that I feel the need to include it on this list. In a country famous for its food, Bologna has the special designation as being the culinary heart (or stomach) of Italy. More foods started here than you can possibly imagine, including Parmigiano-Reggiano cheese, lasagna, ragu sauce, tagliatella and even Balsamic vinegar. Visitors should eat everything they can in and around Bologna, spend some time at the Lamborghini factory and museum and brace themselves for a new attraction soon to be built in the area, an Eataly theme park. Also, the city of Bologna is amazing in its own right with plenty to see and do and an impressive history to learn more about.

German Fairy Tale Route

Celebrating its 40th anniversary in 2015, the German Fairy Tale Route is a 370-mile route that starts in Hanau and ends in Bremen, featuring the cities, natural landscapes and landmarks that both celebrate the Brothers Grimm as well as inspired them. The German countryside doesn’t often get the attention it deserves, just one of many travel revelations I had during my week road tripping along the route. You should make the drive to enjoy small towns, and villages, beautiful forests and mountains, grand castles and some of the best food in the country.

French Polynesia

The South Pacific has been on my own personal travel bucket list for as long as I can remember. Those crystal-clear waters and verdant green mountains called to me in the same way as the fictional Bali Hai called out in “South Pacific.” I braced myself for disappointment, to have my dreams dashed but that never happened. No, if anything Tahiti surpassed even my own lofty expectations. But Tahiti is Tahiti for a reason, and I realized that almost immediately upon arriving into Papeete. Over the course of a week my appreciation of how just idyllic and perfect the islands are grew, and the experiences I enjoyed there really were a dream come true. Visitors should go to enjoy a cruise around the islands, spend the night (or 7) in an overwater bungalow on Bora Bora and take the time to look past the beach chairs and learn more about real Polynesian culture.

Extraterrestrial Highway, Nevada

Otherwise known as Nevada State Route 375, this is a 98-mile stretch of road that starts at the intersection of U.S. 93 and the Extraterrestrial Highway and continues west to the intersection of the Highway and U.S. 6. Thanks to the fact that Area 51 rests along the highway, this area has long been known for alien sightings and a fierce belief in life from other worlds visiting the remote Nevada desert. Over the years the road has developed into what it is today, one of the quirkiest but also one of the loneliest stretches of road in the country. Visitors should go to admire the desert landscapes, enjoy fantastic blueberry pie at the Little A’Le’Inn, visit (sort of) Area 51, and spend the night at a haunted hotel in Tonopah, Nevada.

Belfast, Northern Ireland

I enjoyed my time in Northern Ireland more than I thought I would and a lot of that is thanks to the fascinating city of Belfast. Twenty years ago, Belfast was as far away from being a tourist destination as any place could be, but today it’s enjoying a revival as more and more visitors discover what makes it truly special. The Titanic experience is fascinating and an entire day could be spent exploring the museum on the site of where the doomed ship was originally built. But there’s a lot more to the city than the Titanic, and taking a walk through Belfast’s many neighborhoods is a fun way to learn more about the city. Visitors should take a Black Cab Tour to learn about the history of The Troubles, visit the Titanic Museum and try some of the new restaurants that keep popping up featuring some of the best food anywhere in the British Isles.

Westman Islands, Iceland

I’m thankful I made the decision to spend a day visiting the Westman Islands, because it counts amongst my all-time favorite experiences in Iceland. Easy to reach from the south coast, the ferry ride is a short 30-minutes, but it feels like a world away. The Westman Islands are small and the only inhabited island, Haimaey, is just 7 square miles in size. 4,000 people call this rock home, but as I discovered on a tour around the island, it’s one of the most beautiful places not only in Iceland, but arguably the world. When you visit be sure to take a tour of the island, play a round of golf at one of the most beautiful courses in the world and explore the colorful and quirky town on the main island.

Philadelphia, Pennsylvania

I’m embarrassed to say that although Philadelphia is pretty close to where I live, it had been many years since I last played tourist there. I corrected that mistake in 2016 and I’m glad I did because I discovered a beautifully vibrant city that I think everyone should visit. Choosing a well-located hotel like The Logan as home base, there’s a lot to see and do in the city from its legendary history to more modern attractions. Visitors should take a tour of the colonial-era Old City, but then spend some time exploring Philly’s museums and modern attractions. Also round out your visit with a stop at Reading Terminal Market for a crash course into classic Philadelphia comfort food.

Queensland, Australia

I love Australia, a lot. So much that more than once I’ve seriously looked into relocating to the Land Down Under. Until I can figure out the immigration rules I’ll just have to manage with visits to this remarkable continent, including one of my favorite states – Queensland. Queensland is what I usually call Australia in a nutshell. The state has everything a visitor could want from the dusty outback and rural ranches to stunning coastlines and even rainforests. There are also some fun cities and towns to visit including Brisbane, Cairns and Port Douglas. Visitors should go to Queensland to swim along the Great Barrier Reef, enjoy some fun in the sun on the Gold Coast, trek into the Daintree Rainforest and be amazed by the stunning surprises around every bend in the road.

Canada’s National Parks

2017 is a special year in Canada, there are lots of anniversaries going on including the 150^th birthday of the Canadian Confederation. From coast to coast, these parks are some of the most beautiful places on the planet and two in particular – Banff and Jasper – rank among my favorite travel destinations. 2017 is the best year to explore Canada’s national parks because, in light of this celebration, all parks will be free to visitors for the duration of the year. No one does this ever, so take advantage of this rare chance to see the best of Canada’s natural treasures for free. Some highlights of Canada’s National Parks include: the Icefields Parkway, Maligne Lake, Bay of Fundy, Gros Morne, Kootenay, Prince Edward Island and many, many more.

Cardiff, Wales

All of Wales is great and I personally think it’s one of the world’s most underrated travel destinations. Although I’ve never had a bad experience in the country, I especially loved my visit to the capital city of Cardiff. Enjoying a very compact center city, it’s a walkable city with tons to offer. To best experience it, I joined a food tour of Cardiff and nearby Cardiff Bay, enjoying great food along with a crash course into the city’s history. Castles, pubs, museums and more, there’s a lot to love about Cardiff. Visitors should also take a food tour, walk around impressive Cardiff Castle, join a quick boat ride out to Cardiff Bay and drive over to nearby Penarth not just to admire the gorgeous seascape, but to also eat at the newly Michelin-star awarded Restaurant James Sommerin.

What other destinations would you add to this list?

The post 17 Places You Should Visit In 2017 appeared first on LandLopers.

I love museums, but I’m fairly picky about the ones I spend time visiting. My personal interests veer towards history and culture more so than art, and thanks to that natural proclivity I’ve discovered some fairly amazing museums around the world. Any museum I believe is to be treasured because it means that someone or a group of people cared so deeply about a subject that they devoted a significant portion of their lives to showcase what makes it so great. That’s to be admired I think and it makes the museum, almost no matter what the topic, worth at least a short visit. Granted, not all museums are made the same and believe me, I’ve visited some truly horrible ones over the years. But I’ve also had the great opportunity to visit smaller, quirky and off the beaten path institutions that I think are well worth anyone’s time to visit. There are almost too many to list, but in this post I want to share just some of those quirky museums around the world that have resonated with me for one reason or another.

Basel’s Smallest Museum, Switzerland

Walking around Basel, Switzerland had many unexpected surprises from colorful architecture to amazing river views and markets with delicious food. What I didn’t expect to find though was the smallest museum in the city and most likely the world, the so-called Trouser Pocket Museum or Hoosesagg Museum. This undeniably quirky museum started more than 20 years ago partly out of frustration. The owners live in a historic building on a common tourist route. Hundreds of people passed by every day, many of who took the opportunity to peek through the windows to marvel at the ancient home. Naturally, the owners grew somewhat frustrated but instead of shuttering up their windows, they decided to offer something of value. There in the window they created a small, very small, exhibit space where they feature a variety of collections. It can, and has been, just about anything. The day I visited it appeared to be a set of antique barometers. The subjects don’t really that much, what’s amazing to me is that the tiny museum has now lasted decades and draws as much interest as any other site in town.

Old Ghan Heritage Railway and Museum, Alice Springs Australia

The town of Alice Springs in the heart of Australia’s Outback is a decidedly quirky place. It makes sense then that the tourist offerings are just as odd and one of the best in town is the Ghan Museum. Construction of what we know of today as the Ghan train began in 1878 in Adelaide, South Australia. It wasn’t until the 1920s though that train service extended to Alice Springs, prior to that the final leg of the journey had to be made by camel. The Ghan didn’t extend all the way across the continent to Darwin in the north until the 1980s, when Australia’s railroads were all standardized. For whatever reason, Alice Springs is home to both the Ghan Museum as well as the Road Transport Hall of Fame. The Ghan Museum is housed in a former train station, and is also the final resting spot for strange bits of railroad paraphernalia, from full sized locomotives, to random bits of iron rusting away. The museum itself though was clean, well organized and infinitely interesting. I found myself reading through mid-century travel posters and gazing longingly at proper dinner service sets, a remnant of a more civilized era of travel. The museum isn’t large and is a little dusty in areas, but if you love trains then this is a must visit attraction.

Pig Museum, Stuttgart Germany

When I heard that I was visiting the home of the world’s largest pig museum, I knew I couldn’t stay away. Located in Stuttgart, Germany, the concept started in 1988 when Erika Wilhelmer, a passionate collector of all things pig for years, decided to start a small and simple museum. Over the years it grew, eventually winning that vaunted Guinness title and moving to a permanent exhibition space in Stuttgart. As you can imagine, the museum is a little odd but it’s actually very well curated and I found many of the exhibits to be interesting. But there are a lot of pigs; 50,000 pieces in 25 rooms means there’s a lot to see. For an added dimension of schadenfreude, be sure to eat at the adjacent restaurant that naturally specializes in pork.

Kon-Tiki Museum, Oslo

One of the strangest expeditions ever undertaken, the story of the now infamous Kon-Tiki is known around the world. But it all started with one slightly outlandish idea by the famed Norwegian adventurer Thor Heyerdahl. If you’re not familiar with the story, in 1947 Heyerdahl and his crew sailed by raft across the Pacific Ocean from Peru to Polynesia in an effort to prove the theory that people from South America populated Polynesia in pre-Columbian times. Using only materials and methods available to ancient South Americans, the journey took 101 days but they did eventually make it, proving that technically it could have been done. Scientists have since debunked this theory, but it’s not the anthropology that makes the Kon-Tiki such an exciting story. It’s the adventure of it all that has fascinated people since the first day of Heyerdahl’s expedition. As humans, that spirit of adventure and discovery appeals to us on a very base level and in an era when such experiences seem impossible, Heyerdahl proved that the world still holds many mysteries for us to discover. The museum captures this spirit and tells the story well and is probably the only place in Oslo where you can buy Hawaiian print shirts.

National Atomic Testing Museum, Nevada

My trip to Nevada last year was all about exploring the more rural side of the state and driving the famous Extraterrestrial Highway. To get ready for the adventure, I stopped off at this small but incredibly informative museum to see a special exhibit they’re currently featuring as well as to tour the larger collection. Since 2011, the National Atomic Testing Museum – located just east of The Strip – has been a national museum affiliated with the Smithsonian Institution, making this small site one of just 37 national museums in the country. The extremely well curated exhibits cover the history of the nuclear age, from the first test at the Nevada Test Site through to the modern era. It’s informative, interactive and incredibly engaging and I’m really happy that I spent some time visiting. It’s a place that frankly is easy to drive by, but I think this should be near the top of every visitor’s to-do list. In addition to their main exhibits, they’re also hosting a special collection all about Area 51. Since my drive along the ET Highway included a stop at Area 51, the exhibit was the perfect introduction to better understanding not only the history of this military installation, but the cultural impact that the belief in aliens has had on our country and the world. It’s an interesting, quirky exhibit and a lot of fun to discover.

Frietmuseum, Bruges Belgium

The Belgians take their food very seriously, and this is seen especially with the art of the French fry. Not just the soggy potatoes one sees so often around the world, the Belgian fry truly is a revelation in the world of culinary science and this love affair with the spud is on full display at the Fry Museum in Bruges, Belgium. The museum is well thought out and much larger than I expected. The guest is led through the history of the fry, from the first cultivation of potatoes in South America, to its introduction in Europe and the day of days, when the fry was invented. A combination history museum and assemblage of artifacts and curios make the experience fun and interesting. After spending an hour or so learning everything there is to know about the fry, it’s logical to want a taste. Luckily the folks at the Frietmuseum thought of this and at the end of the tour is a small fry cafe where you can taste crispy Belgian fries for yourself.

ABBA Museum, Stockholm

I like museums, but they’re not usually the reason why I visit a new city. That being said, the museums in Stockholm actually were a major reason for my visit and one in particular was number one on my to-do list. ABBA: The Museum may not sound like one of the great museums of the world, but believe it or not I soon discovered that it’s one of the best-curated and organized museums I’ve been to in a long time. Whether or not you’re a fan of the music, I find it hard to believe anyone won’t enjoy singing along to “Mamma Mia” in a private recording booth, or dancing with holograms of the musicians themselves on stage. It’s fun, quirky and a must-do activity in Stockholm. Luckily, the ABBA Museum is within walking distance to several other great Stockholm museums making it a convenient stop.

The Sixth Floor Museum, Dallas

If you were alive on November 22, 1963, it’s a day you’ll never forget but even if you’re like me and missed the event by many years, the date still has incredible importance for you. That was when President John F. Kennedy was assassinated at Dealey Plaza in Dallas. The plaza itself is now a National Historic Landmark, thankfully preserving it for future generations, but that’s not the only important site preserved. Located in the very building where Lee Harvey Oswald fired those far too impactful bullets (formerly the Texas School Book Depository) is today the exceptionally well-curated Sixth Floor Museum. Using photos, film, narration and interactive displays, this thorough and very well researched museum takes guests through the turbulent era of the early 1960s, the events that led to the President’s assassination and ultimately the murder itself, along with the impact Kennedy’s death had on the world. Standing there in the same position as Oswald once stood, looking out across at Dealey Plaza was an eerie feeling, it brought the event to life in a way that has always been hard for me, since I wasn’t alive in 1963. I can’t recommend this museum strongly enough, it really is just that good.

Currywurst Museum, Berlin

So I talk about currywurst a lot; an odd love affair for what is admittedly an inelegant snack. But I’m a big fan of regional foods, city-specific snacks that serve as exemplars of their communities. Currywurst had an important role to play in the formation of modern Berlin, from a cheap way to feed the working poor to the tourist food it has become today. Even better than just eating it, head on over to the Currywurst Museum for a look at the snack through the years, where it’s consumed around the world and what it is that makes this unlikely combination of flavors so very popular.

Botero Museum , Bogota Colombia

Although I was a little skeptical at first, it didn’t take long for me to fall head over heels in love with the amazing Botero Museum in Bogota. Even if you’re not familiar with the name, I guarantee you’ve seen some of the many famous works created by Colombian artist Fernando Botero. You know the ones, the plump, oversized people and animals that look like they’ve been inflated? Well, the Botero Museum is the beautiful home to many of his paintings and sculptures. In 2000, Botero donated the works, along with his own private art collection, creating the museum in the La Candelaria neighborhood in the process. Open to the public free of charge, Botero wanted to share his works in a way of his choosing. He still decides on the layout and even the wall colors in the museum, but as I quickly learned the building itself is just as amazing as the works of art it houses. Built in the 1720s, this was the colonial mansion of the Archbishop of Bogota, one of the most powerful men in the city. Beautifully restored, you can easily imagine the lavish lifestyle enjoyed here and for as much as I enjoyed the artwork, it was the building itself that truly won my heart. Bogota is a city of intensely creative people seen through the literature, art but even in graffiti and street buskers. It’s exciting and this is surely one of those “must-see” places in this enormous city.

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As a frequent traveler, one of the biggest issues I deal with is what I eat. I am a very picky eater; a confirmed carnivore, my love of vegetables is weak at best and most notably, I don’t eat any fish or seafood. My fellow Americans may wonder why I phrase it that way and the reason is simple. I was on a trip once and I had sent along my dietary requirement of No Seafood. Now, to an American that usually includes anything that was ever in the water, ever. Possible exceptions would include ducks or if a cow fell into a lake or something. But when translated, seafood in most other languages means fruits de mer, or delicacies like oysters, clams and so on. Fish is actually an entirely different category for them, as I have sadly realized over the years. This post though isn’t to debate why I don’t like waterborne foods, I just don’t. No, the point of this post is to share how even I, a very picky eater has managed to travel to some of the most seafood-centric spots on the planet and not only survive, but thrive.

Taiwan

This was my greatest challenge, one that I didn’t expect either. I spent nearly two weeks exploring Taiwan, starting in the high-energy capital city of Taipei. Like any other world capital, Taipei has everything on offer and eating there was a highlight of my time in the country. As soon as I left the city to venture out into the countryside though, everything suddenly got a lot harder for me. As it turns out, a large percentage of the average diet is based on fish, seafood and vegetables – the three things I don’t eat. Each meal was a challenge honestly and I found myself relying on 7-11s for snacks and even sustenance. Hotel dinners were my only reprieve and while I was out exploring during the day, it was very hard to find anything I could eat. There were special culinary moments though, most notably when I found what would become one of my favorite meals, Peking duck. I was a little apprehensive at first, but almost immediately I realized that this would be a meal I wouldn’t soon forget. No one was as surprised as I was that in a country known for vegetables and seafood that I would find one of my favorite meals of all time, but that’s exactly what happened. I let go my misconceptions about the meal and decided to try it anyway and that is perhaps one of the best food-related decisions I’ve ever made.

Scandinavia

The countries of Scandinavia are amongst my most favorite in the world, and I find myself planning personal vacations there whenever I can. The combination of incredible natural landscapes, nice but not overly effusive people and the unique cultures all mesh with my own personality perfectly, making each trip fun and memorable. There is one aspect though that never excites me, the food. Logically, fish plays a central role in the culinary side of visiting Scandinavia, whether in obvious ways like herring, or less obvious as in the many seafood-oriented ingredients piled high on Smørrebrød. In theory, this sounds like a dish I would like. It’s usually just a piece of buttered rye bread on which toppings are layered. Cheeses are fine, cold cuts are ok and I can pick around the vegetables, but most of the time those toppings are hiding something much more nefarious – pieces of fish or seafood. Because of this I almost always skip them, but to my surprise I discovered many other foods to love while on a food tour in Stockholm.

Of the several tours offered, I opted for the Nordic Experience walk so that I could learn more about the very traditional side to Swedish cuisine. I’d traveled in Sweden before, but my foodie knowledge of the country was very limited, a deficiency in my education that was quickly corrected. From meats and cheeses to traditional Swedish meatballs, we tried a little bit of everything that afternoon. Of course my favorite Swedish food custom is Fika, that time in the afternoon when you sit down with coffee, some cake or sweets and catch up with friends. It’s a tradition that I wish more countries would adopt and is yet another reason to fall in love not just with Stockholm, but Sweden itself.

Japan

I honestly expected to have a harder time in Japan than I did. Famous for their love of anything plucked from the sea, the land-based delicacies of Japan I don’t think get enough attention. Chicken is found in any number of dishes, as is their famous steak too of course. No, the biggest challenge wasn’t the food per se, it was how to get the food that was at times difficult. The Japanese language is daunting for most Westerners. Everything, from the sounds to the characters used is completely and utterly foreign. I may not speak Italian, but when confronted with a menu in Rome I can generally figure out what I want. Even in Croatia it really wasn’t an issue. But I had no point of reference in Japan and was at first completely and utterly lost; until I found the restaurant display windows. Taking fake food to an art form, these picture windows were my savior. Once I found something that looked decent, I took a photo of it and then went inside where I showed it to my waitress. It wasn’t the ideal way to order food, but it worked and I enjoyed every meal.

Tahiti

For most people the idea of spending a week on a tropical island sounds like paradise. For me, it’s with a little dread thrown in due entirely to the food and in Tahiti that means poisson cru. Common throughout Polynesia, poisson cru at its base is raw fish that is briefly marinated in lemon or lime juice. It’s then mixed with coconut milk and diced vegetables and, no offense to anyone, sounds terrible in every way possible. I knew that there would be alternatives, but I hate visiting places where the iconic meals are seafood because I feel like I’m missing out on something. Luckily, my first experience in the South Pacific was with the cruise company Windstar, and I couldn’t have been in more capable hands. The ship was small and the crew so focused on customer care that it felt like my own private charter around the islands. Staff quickly realized my non-pescatarian ways and did everything they could to make sure every meal was special, from daily meals to the big beach party near the end of the trip.

Any Coastal Spot

I politely interrupted my server and quietly mentioned the fact that I don’t eat fish or seafood and immediately her eyes went wide as she said, “Oh, no need to run through the specials then.” I can’t tell you how many times I’ve been in this situation, which always happen when I visit a new coastal destination. Part of me feels bad, locals are always so excited to share their watery treats with me, but I always disappoint them. The Canadian Maritimes were very disappointed with me, as have been spots in Florida, California and Maine. Ultimately though, it’s never a problem for very long as a recent trip to Myrtle Beach proves. Myrtle Beach is particularly well known for its many great seafood restaurants and this time, instead of avoiding them, I embraced them. Wicked Tuna may not be my normal type of restaurant, but I quickly learned that they excel in all types of food and not just fish. Located in Murrell’s Inlet, they have their own fishing boats and as soon as they’re on the docks, they’re prepared and sent up to the kitchens. You literally can’t get fresher than that, but as it turns out their land based dishes are just as amazing. Whether it was the homemade hummus or the incredible beef filet, I left with a new outlook on how to approach so-called seafood restaurants.

My family is from Maine originally, and I remember spending summers visiting my grandparents where the big event was driving down to the coast for some fresh lobster. Those days were full of dread, as I sat there on the docks eating my cheeseburger while everyone else ravaged their large crustaceans. No, I’ve never been a lover of fish or seafood, although I’ve tried them many times, but that culinary peculiarity has never stopped me from traveling. Far from it, today I’m curious to see what other dishes are popular in seafood-focused destinations, foods and customs that don’t get as much attention as their watery cousins.

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