I first visited Venice around ten years ago and left thinking it definitely had the wow factor, but I wasn’t blown away. At the time, I rated it a simple ⭐️ ⭐️ ⭐️ Wow-factor, rather than anything higher.
I went back again in 2026, made a few deliberate changes to how I approached the city, and was utterly blown away. Venice jumped straight to the maximum Wow-factor category of ⭐️ ⭐️ ⭐️ ⭐️ ⭐️. I left thinking it was world’s premier city break, and as of 2026 it is the only city break – other than Cape Town – that reaches this top tier for me.
This entry explains why Venice is so wow, and more importantly, how to experience it in a way that gets you that ⭐️ ⭐️ ⭐️ ⭐️ ⭐️ feeling.
In a nutshell:
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One of the most beautiful and distinctive cities on Earth.
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The only city that combines world-class stellar attractions with such an ease for avoiding crowds that lets you enjoy the magic of a water-based world.
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To jump from Wow ⭐️ to Wow Wow Wow ⭐️⭐️⭐️, you must visit in winter and mix the famous sites with the “real Venice”, which is just as impressive.
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Be sure to go on a cicchetti crawl – super fun and great way to see Venice.
Greece is one of the best places to travel in Europe in October. While the rest of Europe is starting to get the chills of winter and closing down, Greece is the standout for not only being open, but also still having the summer vibe pumping, especially in the islands. This 2 week Greece itinerary gives you the “must dos” and the route to take.
Nutshell:
- The mega wows are Santorini, the monasteries of Meteora and western Crete
- Any Greece trip has a split between mainland Greece and the Greek Islands. If you only have a week, do one. If 2 weeks, do both.
- Athens will be the hub for the journey by ferry to the islands and by car through the mainland.
- Islands – don’t miss Santorini. If pressed for time chose between Mykonos (high end fancy, lash, closer) and Crete (natural beauty, big nature, like a separate country).
- Mainland – Delphi and Olympia are similar so, if pushed for time, go for Delphi as its closer to Meteora.
Corfu Town is definitely worth the visit:
✅ Lived in Old Town with narrow lanes, washing lines above your head, old pastel buildings with peeling shutters.
✅ Harbour and a pair of Venetian fortresses for views and to learn about the Venetian and Ottoman history.
✅ Sea surrounding it a ridiculous shade of blue, and with a string of islands all around.
✅ Easy to reach with ferries from the mainland every hour or so and only 75mins.
Doesn’t quite make it into the 2 week Greece Itinerary in October . . . mainly just because its a little out of the way and doesn’t have the wow factor of the Cyclades Islands . . . but if anywhere nearby it is 100% Worth It (on the Wow Factor Scale) to visit for a couple of days.
The Lonely Planet has staying in Chania Old Town (Hania / Chania) as the highlight of Crete, and I think that’s right. So many atmospherically tangled little lanes all eventually wrapped around the Venetian harbour, with wonderful sunsets, a sense of history through the Turkish / Venetian / Cretian architecture and some of the best food on the island in the hundreds of restaurants. Plus it’s a great launching pad for the likes of the nearby Samaria Gorge, the beaches of Falasarna and Elafonsi, and some wineries.
We liked its so much we stayed a week.
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)
Mykonos is the high end party island for Greece – like Ibiza for the central Mediterranean or Seminyak in Bali – its oozing class, glam and lash … and with the prices to match. Definitely include it as a highlight for the Cyclades islands – the Little Venice Old Town is worth it alone. But … don’t prioritise it over Santorini, which is the 🌟🌟🌟 of these islands (see Santorini entry for the details).
In a nutshell:
- If passing through as part of an island hopping trip, 1-2 nights is enough. Obviously justified longer if you’re flying in and out, and if thirsty for the high end lash.
- It’s expensive – price-wise Little Venice is up there with Ibiza, Santorini and Sorrento for high end Mediterranean spots for accommodation and restaurants.
- Little Venice is lovely – not just for the high end restaurants but as a wonderful Old Town in its own right. We enjoyed it in the day, for sunset and walking later in the evening.
- Stay in Ornos – its a short taxi / drive away (or 15min walk), gorgeous beach, way more chilled and with beautiful restaurants … fraction of the price. Would recommend.
- The east side of the island is nice and way quieter – only takes 15mins or so and you’re in a different world. Ftelia Beach only half way along felt like a different country. But . . . if you’re looking for gobsmaking views, go with Santorini. If big expansive, quiet island Naxos or Crete.
- What is Mykonos like in October – weather was perfect (if a couple of days of rain), prices way down on peak season and crowds minimum without being on shutdown. Recommend.
- To see how Mykonos fits into a one or two week Greece itinerary – see the 2 week Greece Itinerary post full of the route, things to prioritise and general tips for the trip.
- Santorini Dave is a great source of info for Mykonos and the Greek Islands – https://santorinidave.com/mykonos
If Italy was a family, Puglia is a bit like the barefoot cousin who doesn’t quite care about the sophisticated fancy of the likes of Rome or Florence, and unapologetically just wants to chill in his vast olive groves, sea cliffs, and quiet towns that still feel lived in. Raw, rustic, quiet, charming, Puglia doesn’t quite have the mega wow wow wow factor of the likes of the rest of Italy’s Como, Sorrento, or the Dolomites, but Matera is sensational (unquestionably one of Italy’s top 10s and a wow wow) and the Valley d’Itria’s white-washed towns, even by Italian standards, are at the gorgeous end of the spectrum.
A week in Puglia is probably well suited for your 3rd / 4th / 5th visit to Italy. You won’t be disappointed – in a country that has no rivals for beauty, it’s still a wow.
Matera is a must if you’re in southern Italy. I’d heard plenty before coming — Bond’s No Time to Die, The Passion of the Christ, and all the talk about it being Europe’s oldest inhabited city — but Matera still surprised me as to just how cool and well done it all was. Apartments, restaurants, communities built into the rock (it is known as “The City of Stones” in Italian), and just generally a feeling of wow wow at every turn.
We had just such a magical time exploring / getting lost / eating in the Sassos, as well as hiking over to the Sant’Agnese area. I can though see how it could be a very different, busy and tick box tourist exercise if you don’t do it right. So I’ve included some tips below for how to get the best out of Matera.
Wedged between the Ionian and Adriatic Seas, the Valle d’Itria is famed for its trulli — cone-shaped, dry-stone houses made from local limestone. While Alberobello draws the crowds, the smaller towns of Locorotondo, Ostuni, and Martina Franca are the true stars: bright white, full of charm, and blissfully less touristy. Even by Italian standards, these towns are at the gorgeous end of the spectrum and the highlight of Puglia . . . wow
The Lonely Planet has Lecce as one of the 3 highlights of Puglia and labels it the “Florence of the South”. It’s nice, for sure – the pastry tour can be fun and there are some nice spots to eat – but it’s a far distant second to the nearby white-washed hill towns in the Valle d’Itria of Alberabello, Locorotondo, Ostuni and Martina Franca (see the travel entry Puglia’s Valle d’Itria – trullis and perfect white stoned villages – wow) or the sensational Matera (Matera – wow wow) which is only 1.5hr away. It’s also less appealing than the old town of Bari (see Bari Vecchia – wow) which has the added advantage of being the spot most visitors will be flying into.
Lecce is nothing particularly special in what is the most beautiful country in the world, and not particularly special for Puglia either . . . Meh. See A week in Puglia in early October for an itinerary and what your priorities should be.
