After leaving a comment on a similar post at On The Luce, I was asked to take part in the Booked.net – Top Destinations to Go There promotion. The idea is to write a post about my top 5 destinations that I would return to, complete with pictures and then nominate five bloggers to do the same. Once 100 entries have been written, all the posts will be entered in a competition to win an iPhone 6.
I have a huge list of places I want to visit, and it’s growing all the time! But who doesn’t dream of going back to a place they’ve been before? Whether it’s an old, familiar place that you visit often and where returning is almost like coming home, or somewhere you’ve only been to once but that left such an impression that you long to return and do more exploring? Here are my top 5, not really in chronological order because that would be too difficult!
Edinburgh, Scotland
As a child, I used to go to Edinburgh specifically to visit the zoo (Newcastle doesn’t have one). As an adult, I’ve been three times, and still there is more to explore. I haven’t even climbed Arthur’s Seat yet! The beautiful architecture, the pubs, the friendliness of Scots, its proximity to the sea (which I miss so much in landlocked Karlsruhe!) all combine to make Edinburgh one of my favourite places on Earth! And the castle is pretty impressive too 😉
Austria
It’s probably cheating to choose an entire country rather than a city, but Austria is only a small country after all 😉 I lived in Vorarlberg for almost a year, so obviously that area has a special place in my heart, but I will always get excited about a trip to Austria, no matter what the specific destination. Innsbruck is gorgeous, Vienna has so much to offer and I adore Salzburg with its narrow, winding streets and views of mountains!
Stockholm, Sweden
I went to Stockholm in the summer of 2012 and instantly fell in love with the place! Despite having a population of 905,184, it felt so open and spacious… probably because of all the water. Admittedly some areas were crowded, but finding a quite place to sit down or have a nice walk was simply a matter of switching islands. With so many museums, palaces, parks and other attractions, I imagine it would take me a very long time to get bored! And the temperature in summer is perfect for me, with my pale skin and tendency to wilt like a flower as soon as it gets above 28 °C!
Berlin, Germany
Despite living in Germany since 2006, it was 2013 before I finally made my to the capital! I had been once before with my grandparents, but it was just one brief stop on a tour of Europe and all I remembered seeing was Checkpoint Charlie. This time was different! We walked a lot, visited hundreds of historical sites, including the Stasi prison at Hohenschönhausen, admired the East Side Gallery, ate delicious food (including the obvious Currywurst) and left with the feeling that we hadn’t experienced even a small fraction of what Germany’s capital has to offer. I mean, they have an entire island just for museums… of which we visited precisely one! I definitely need to go back some time and remedy this situation!
Ireland
Again nominating an entire country rather than a specific place, but with so much on offer how could I possibly narrow it down? I’ve been to Dublin a few times, and while it’s always good I’ve seen most of what I wanted to see there, but there are plenty of places I do want to see again. The time we spent in Galway wasn’t nearly enough and I would love to go back there, but I also want to explore more of the area around Killarney and the Dingle Peninsular, actually make it to the North-East of the country and take a trip or two to the various islands.
And that would be five. What do you think of my choices?
Now I’m supposed to nominate five fellow bloggers to take up the challenge. I pick Charlotte Steggz, Amanda from Rhyme and Ribbons, Alex at Speaking Denglisch, Simone aka Lady of the Cakes and Elaine from I Used to Be Indecisive.
Confuzzledom 
This is one amazing list!!! Stockholm is also on mine 😀 I still have to visit Edinburg, my sister told me its amazing!
You really do need to visit Edinburgh! Actually, the rest of Scotland is worth a look too. Loch Lomond is beautiful 😀
Ohhh now I have to 😀 thank you for the tips, I have to make it there soon!!!
Oh goodness, it isn’t easy is it?! I just tried to think of mine. Austria’s beautiful, I can completely understand that!
It was really hard! As soon as I’d posted it I thought of more places I wish I could have included.
All of these places are on my travel list!
They are all amazing!
Berlin & Scotland are on my “return to” list as well, with Austria, Sweden and Ireland being on my must see!
I definitely need to return to the rest of Scotland as well, but I decided to narrow down to Edinburgh as it’s one of my favourite places ever.
Edinburgh is on top of my list of places I want to visit as soon as possible!
It’s one of my favourite places on Earth so I obviously think everyone should go 😉
Yes to Austria, Berlin, and Ireland. No to the others, but only because I haven’t been there yet! I’ve been dying to go to Scotland for as long as I can remember…. hopefully soon!
Great post! 🙂
Scotland is gorgeous! I narrowed it down to just Edinburgh for this post, but I definitely want to spend some time exploring other parts again as well. I would love to go right up into the Highlands!
BV did a two-week hiking trip all around the country with a group of friends. He wants to live there, so we will definitely be going and checking it out to see if that’s something we might want to do. I think he’s just in it for the whiskey. 😉
Haha… well, to be fair Scottish whiskey IS good 😉
My favourites are more warmer, but for sure need to visit Edinburgh. I have heard so many good feedback. And now it is on your list as 1st, too.
I hadn’t really considered the fact that none of the places I included are traditionally warm countries! It was about 30 °C when we were in Vienna in June though, so if you pick the right time of year you could still get lucky 😉
If I ever move back to the UK, Edinburgh would be one of the places I would consider living.
You are right. It is all about time of the year. But still more closer to architecture and lifestyle of Italy, Spain. 🙂
Italy is definitely a place I want to go back to… it fell just short of the list. Narrowing it down to 5 was so hard!
This is a great list! I would love to revisit a few places I have been to/used to live!
It would definitely be fun to go back to somewhere you’ve lived and see what’s changed.
I have been to both Edinburgh(a few times) and Berlin ( once) and i would love to return to either. I think though i would definitely return in a heartbeat to Fernie in Canada, Paris, Sorrento in Italy, Whitby in England and Barcelona.x
I’ve never been to Canada. I’d love to though.
My grandparents took me to Whitby about 10 years ago when Captain Cook’s ship was there. I would love to go back and explore more of the town itself.
Great list – I’m hoping to make it to Berlin in November for the first time and do a day in Edinburgh when I’m in Northumberland later this month. Stockholm’s on the list for a visit sometime too!
I’m looking forward to seeing what you have to say about Northumberland 🙂
Edinburgh is really close to Northumberland. We lived in the south-east of Northumberland (confusing, right?) and Edinburg was only around a 3 hour drive.
This is a great list. Of the five places, I have been to Edinburgh (many many times because I grew up not far away) and Ireland (on several occasions, having had an Irish father-in-law) and Stockholm is high on my ‘must visit’ list. Thank you for passing the challenge on to me – I am looking forward to doing it, but first I must get my thinking cap on. 🙂
It was really hard to narrow down the places! Can’t wait to read yours.
Nice to see Ireland on the list 🙂 I was really impressed by Edinburgh as well – can’t wait to explore more of Berlin and would love to visit Austria! Great list! 🙂
I adored Ireland! So want to go back. I also want to go to Belfast and see if I recognise anything! I was last there when I was about 7, before we moved back to England.
I’ve always wanted to go to Berlin, and Austria looks amazing!! In winter I think about going back to Rarotonga and lying on the beach, or snorkeling in the lagoon…
I adore Austria 🙂
I miss beaches… I currently live miles from the sea!
I love Scotland and Edinburgh, the holiday there last year was amazing!! Inverness is so beautiful too. And I really loved Paris and would like to go back sooner or later.
London is a wonderful place to visit too.
I haven’t been to Berlin (and yes, I know I am German,…) but I liked Leipzig a lot.
Vienna is a wonderful city too. Oh, and what about Boston!!! It’s beautiful! The new and the old buildings in its inner city. The big parks, on the sea,…
I want to go on Holiday now.
I’ve never been to Leipzig. I really want to though! I’ve heard so many good things about it.
I’ve never been to Ireland at all and it’s definitely at the top of my travel list. (And Italy if we are just chucking whole countries in!) x
Hey! I just saw this!
Thank you for tagging me (WordPress why don’t you notify me any morrrrre???) and I’ll get my post up SOON! x
Thanks for the nom! I’ve been desperately needing to blog so maybe this will finally encourage me.
I’d go back to Austria in a heartbeat, as well! Such a beautiful country, and generally pretty friendly people, too. Not sure that Berlin would make my top 5, but I definitely wouldn’t mind visiting again – I know I’ve only scratched the surface on my most recent visit (vs the one in 1987, when things were a tad different!)
It was really difficult to think of a top 5! I wasn’t sure wabout putting Berlin on vs other places. I do want to go back to Taiwan, but that trip was so recent that decided to go with somewhere I visited at least a little longer ago 😉
I live in Berlin (so I hang out there most of the times) but I would love to revisit Austria, Stockholm and Ireland. I am getting more and more convinced that I have to visit Edinburgh soon-ish. From Berlin with love
Thanks for stopping by! You should visit Edinburgh – it’s beautiful!