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Although the phrases “for your future travels” or “when it’s safe to travel again” may have become common refrains while writing about European destinations, we can’t help but continue to dream and make plans for where we want to travel. And with the new year upon us, we’re feeling hopeful that 2022 will deliver us to some of these places, even if travel looks a little different than it did two years ago. We asked our travel writers where they hope to adventure this year, hopefully to keep us all dreaming.
I would love to make up for lost time and travel everywhere—Rome, Barcelona and the French Riviera are on the top of my travel lists—but one destination, in particular, I have been thinking about for the last year is Interlaken, Switzerland, and its surrounding areas. Our trips have usually consisted of somewhere warm and by the beach, and I’d like to switch it up this time and combine a vacation filled with a lot of hiking and gorgeous mountain views. Interlaken has caught my eye and I can’t stop looking at the panoramic views on Google. To be able to hike the Niederhorn Ridge trail in Interlaken or the Eiger trail in Grindelwald would be a dream come true! A day trip from Interlaken to Lugano is also a must on my Switzerland itinerary because I find it fascinating how Lugano—though nestled between Lakes Maggiore and Como—is still part of Switzerland, but it feels as if though you’re in Italy. I am hoping the current climate of the pandemic and travel restrictions ease up so that I can cross “Be amazed by the beauty in Interlaken” off my travel bucket list soon! I even found a gorgeous Airbnb already.
— Mary Del Rosario, Lead Writer/Editor
With one year left before we PCS, we are making a list of must-sees before we leave and keeping our fingers crossed these trips will happen! Our list includes a trip to Scandinavia, a weekend in Spain, a visit to Eastern Europe—such as Hungary or Romania—and one more adventure to Italy, hopefully to the gorgeous Cinque Terre. But the trip I’m looking forward to the most is a weeklong adventure to Scotland. Our ultimate trip includes starting the week with the Edinburgh Marathon and then driving around the country to visit the Highlands, Isle of Skye and visit some Scotch distilleries. With longer trips, we are more spontaneous with our plans, which gives us the time to discover places we learn about while we’re there. Will all of these trips happen? Who knows? But we can dream, plan and then wait and see what happens!
— Anna Leigh Bagiackas, Writer/Editor
This year I have my sights set on the Gorges du Verdon, a vast lake and canyon in France’s Provence region. While visiting Europe’s largest canyon, I dream of hiking on narrow paths winding along sheer limestone cliffs, kayaking and enjoying a few lazy days just swimming in those crystal-clear waters. I plan to dedicate one day to hiking the Blanc-Martel trail, a challenging ten-mile hike between a rustic mountain lodge and the Point Sublime viewpoint, from which the views are reputed to be stunning. I’ll spend another day on an organized whitewater rafting tour. As for accommodation, I need nothing more than my trusty tent. Other places I aspire to visit in 2022 include Istanbul, Turkey, where I’d like to rent an apartment and try living like a local for a week or longer; Galway, Ireland, where pub visits to hear traditional music will rank high on my agenda; and Cádiz, Spain, where sampling manzanilla sherry and freshly caught fried seafood will top my to-do list.
— Karen Bradbury, Freelance Writer
