You can’t get much further south (or east) in Europe than Plakias on Crete’s south coast. With a warm microclimate influenced by North Africa, the weather holds far better than northern Crete, Greek islands like Santorini, or even southern Spain. Even in late October and early November, the sea is warm, the skies are blue, and it genuinely feels like summer.
Beaches are fab — giant, nice sand, quiet, and with that crystal-clear south Crete water that feels almost tropical. Plus with the hiking of the gorges and nearby vineyards, there’s enough to keep you busy.
If you’re chasing warm weather in late October or early November, Plakias is one of the best bets anywhere in Europe. Very much Worth it.
Santorini lives up to the hype. Before I went, I thought it was all about the Instagrammers lining up for that famous white-roofed sunset shot overlooking the sea. But it’s so much more than that. Consider the following:
- The giant volcano caldera that is the basis for Santorini and its surrounding islands is one of the most impressive sights I’ve seen anywhere in the world. Its eruption was so intense, it isn’t an exaggeration to suggest it changed Europe’s historical trajectory forever.
- The walk from the two famous spots from Fira to Oia rivals any walk in the world for its dramatic views and the combo of snaking through uber-high end restaurant spots and complete wilderness.
- The island itself is packed with beautiful vineyards, separate isolated beaches, and some of the best-preserved prehistoric Bronze Age settlements anywhere in the world.
Its an Instagrammer’s wet dream, and also just about any traveller’s wet dream too. Blown away by Santorini and a maximum Wow-factor score of ⭐️ ⭐️ ⭐️ ⭐️ ⭐️.
In a nutshell:
- Why go: most wow of the Greek islands and a highlight of Europe
- Best base: Fira (cheaper, better sunsets, less crowded)
- Must-do hike: Fira → Oia in the morning
- Don’t miss: seeing the islands by boat and Akrotiri ruins if a history geek
- Budget tip: stay east side (we used Michelangelo Beach Villa)
How is Italy so blessed with so many of these picture-perfect towns? If Vieste was in any other country it would be the jewel in the crown – stunning white-washed old town with narrow hidden alleys wedged between two long sandy beaches and clinging to the steep white cliffs of the Promontorio del Gargno along the turquoise waters of the Adriatic . . . whilst also right next to the magical Gargano National Park . . . and situated along a long extending glorious coastline. But this is Italy, so it isn’t even the prettiest town in Puglia! If in Puglia, Vieste is 100% Worth it, but the major wows are just to the south with the White Towns of the Vale d’Itria (see the travel entry Puglia’s Valle d’Itria – trullis and perfect white stoned villages – wow) and the gobsmacking Matera (Matera – wow wow)
Tuscany – Florence, Pisa, Sienna, Lucca, Chianti Wine Country, cypress-lined roads of the Val d’Orcia, stone-built hamlets surrounded by perfect countryside . . . they are all just such wow experiences and justify travel entries on their own (some do – see Two days in Florence, The Leaning Tower of Pisa and Sienna). But, I’ve grouped them together because most people’s Tuscany visits are min 3 days / typically a week and naturally want to see it all. Doing so makes Tuscany a truly world class experience . . . its only major downside is the sheer crowds, which especially for spots like Florence do take a bit of the gloss away and mean this wonderful place only just misses out on the top score of wow wow wow.
The Dolomites has the most wow-factor mountain scenery in the world. The mountains around Machu Pichu in Peru and those of Interlakken in Switzerland are IMO the most beautiful, but the Dolomites blows everything else out of the water for sheer outrageous awe-inspiring wow and should be top of your list if mountain scenery and hiking is something you appreciate.
And it is all just so well done – the cable-car, hiking trails and road infrastructure in place makes it accessible; the views and general vibe is protected from any signs of rampant commercialisation; and the German / Italian vibe gives you good food, pretty alpine villages and typically friendly locals. No wonder it is so famous and Instagrammer’s wet dream.
But . . . Instagrammers means crowds. To be fair, the set-up and general scale of the place means that crowds are managed pretty well, even at the most famous spots. But, in order to enjoy the Dolomites in a walking-alone-on-an-Alpine-trail-with-just-you-and-the-views kind of way rather than being in Disney Land, I would suggest two main tips.
View of Monte Cristallo and Cortina from the hike to Cliffhanger Lodge
God it sounds like such a cliched, douchy title you’d hear from some old-money toff at uni … but spending summer days in rural Provence really is as close to the peak of classy idyllic living you can get and it’s certainly one of the highlights of France.
There aren’t necessarily so many giant individual wow factors . . . it’s more about finding yourself entering the perfect tree-lined streets of any village, sampling wines at some picture-perfect vineyard, wandering the cobbled streets of some perfect old town, looking out across country-side views of what would you would create if trying to paint the perfect rural landscape, and eating the plat-du-jours in that perfect restaurant that would be the envy of just about any city outside of France.
It all really is, well, classy, idyllically . . . perfect . . . and there is a reason Provence has such an aura, it pains me to say as an Englishman. So I’ve written some tips below for how you can get that perfect vibe.
Idyllic island group (UNESCO world heritage listed) ✅
Perfect hot dry Mediterranean climate ✅
One of the Top 10 Old Towns in all Europe (Lipari) ✅
Wineries offering world class dessert wine (Salina) ✅
Volcanoes to provide the extra (Stromboli and Vulcano islands) ✅
Easy to access and not expensive (15 1hr hydrofoils leaving per day Milazzo to Lipari alone) ✅
. . . and the critical feeling of adventure as you jump on and off ferries to get around ✅
I’m surprised the Aeolian Islands don’t get more attention. They really do tick so many of the boxes that any island experience in the world would be happy to meet, yet alone one right in the middle of the Mediterranean. I wouldn’t quite put it up there with the likes of the Galapagos, Sorrentino Peninsular, Komodo, Raja Ampat etc (it probably misses the outrageous “wow” factor), but if done right it’s as idyllic an experience you can get in the Mediterranean.
The Sibillini Mountains form part of the Apennines that run down the spine of Italy. They are surprisingly wild and empty – a landscape of dramatic ridges, alpine lakes and deep valleys where wolves and bears can still be seen.
Below the mountains sits one of Italy’s most overlooked regions: Marche. Scattered across rolling countryside are dozens of hilltop villages, many every bit as beautiful as those in Tuscany or Umbria, but with far fewer tourists.
I spent around four months living here and what stood out most was how authentic the place feels. This is not a region designed for visitors – it’s simply everyday Italy: quiet piazzas, family-run restaurants, weekly markets and landscapes that feel largely untouched.
If you’re looking for famous landmarks, Italy has plenty elsewhere. But if you want beautiful scenery, charming towns and a genuine slice of Italian life without the crowds, Marche is a wonderfully underrated corner of the country.
The Black Forrest area in the South West of Germany probably doesn’t have the wow factor of Bavaria in the South East, but it is super peaceful with its patchwork of forest-cloaked hills, glacial lakes, petty valleys and timbered villages.
When you throw in the Black Forrest Cherry Gateau (surprisingly good!), the cuckoo clocks and the baths of nearby Baden Baden, its definitely worth 3-4 days and I personally see it as one of the most peaceful, relaxed places I’ve ever been.
My photos were shocking from my time there, so I’ll just leave some high level tips:
- Where to stay – because the Black Forrest isn’t huge and that you will almost certainly have a car, the location to stay isn’t crucial as you can easily travel about. I would just aim for somewhere that either has access to a nearby cute village, or direct access for walks nearby. We stayed near Loffingen, which was nice and I’d recommend.
- Definitely visit the baths at Baden Baden – they’re just super fun and well done.
- Must try the Black Forrest Cherry Gateau – it lives up to the reputation.
- If you like waterfalls, be sure to visit Triberg im Scharzwald.
Koh Tao in Thailand is one of the world’s most famous places to learn to dive, with warm water, cheap courses and easy dive sites. I’d argue that the diving isn’t as world-class as other places nearby (its a bit to crowded to be honest), but what really makes Koh Tao special is the island itself – great beaches, a lively backpacker scene and the kind of relaxed atmosphere that makes people never leave.
It’s real highlight is the Sai Ri Beach backpacker vibe – I can’t think of too many places that have that wonderful combo of chilled + party ✅, sunset views ✅, cheap + high end options ✅, and without being ruined by cars and mopeds ✅. They’ve really nailed it.
Plus, taking a moped round the very accessible island to a lot of the hidden spots is one of the best moped experiences in SE Asia.
If you drop your expectations of it being “world class diving”, and enjoy it for a chilled island getaway that offers beautiful scenery and ease of turning the on/off switch for partying, it’s a great little trip.
