Bari Vecchia gets missed in most Puglia itineraries other than a stop off for the airport. For sure it’s not up there in wow factor with the likes of the nearby white-washed hill towns in the Valle d’Itria of Alberabello, Locorotondo, Ostuni and Martina Franca, or the sensational and Matera. But Baris’ old town (Bari Vecchia) is really cool to wander round and definitely worth half a day.
For a full list of the highlights of Puglia and to see a recommended week-long itinerary, see A week in Puglia.
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.
Of the stunning Tuscan cities, Florence, Lucca and Pisa are wow but are relatively formal / modern / a little commercialised (especially Florence), whereas Sienna was my favourite as it had such a higgledy piggledy, older vibe to it. Roads going in all directions across the 17 flag-drenched historical districts (Contrades) with just a generally more medieval feel (the reason is that plague hit Sienna which led to Florence winning their war and the collapse / evacuation of Sienna ultimately very few modernising works done, hence the city is so well preserved), and, of course, the wow Piazza del Campo (God knows what it must be like during the bi-annual horse race, it must be insane). Don’t miss Sienna from a Tuscany itinerary, it is the 🌟
As the cradle of the Renaissance, Florence quite rightly is seen as one of the “must visit” sites in all of Europe. It has 3 mega wow sites in the Cathedral of Santa Maria del Fiore, the statues such as Michelangelo’s David on Piazza della Signoria and the Ponte Vecchio Bridge – mind-blown-wow-levels, and utterly stunning even if you know nothing about art. But it has, in my opinion, 3 problems for the average tourist:
- Firstly, the sheer volume of crowds can diminish the whole experience. I’ve been 3 times – winter midday, summer afternoon and even 7am summer morning, and it is heaving every time.
- Secondly, a big part of Florence’s enjoyment is dependent on your knowledge of Renaissance art and, if you don’t have that, it can get a tad tiring and you can hit the dreaded “church-ed out / museum-ed out” quite quickly.
- Thirdly, whilst it does have lots of small alleyways to get slightly lost in and have that medieval feel, it misses the cute vibe of the other towns because it is dirtier (especially in the early morning when they are cleaning) and more commercialised than the likes of Sienna and Lucca nearby.
As I say – you’re not going to visit Tuscany without going to Florence and those 3 items are such wow that they make it worth the visit alone, but I’ve now been 3 times and not in a rush to go back.
Dotting along a short 8.5km / 5 mile stretch on the southern end of the Italian Riviera are 5 of the most picturesque villages in the world, let alone Italy. Monterosso al Mare, Vernazza, Corniglia, Manarola and Riomaggiore make up the Cinque Terra – all brightly coloured, with cobbled twisty streets, picturesque bays washing right up into the villages with towering cliffs surrounding them, they were the inspiration for Pixar’s idyllic Italian movie Luca and have been UNESCO World Heritage listed since 1997.
Visiting them to gawp at their beauty is worthy of a trip alone, but the hike between them and train ride return make this an unforgettable experience and one of the highlights of Italy.
How come not the top score? I’ve given it a wow wow / 🌟🌟 rather than the top score because it can get a bit busy on the walking trail and, whilst the views are stunning, the Dolomites (see The Dolomites in summer), Lake Como (see 2 days by beautiful Lake Como) and Sorrento (see The Sorrento Peninsula – avoiding the crowds) beat it . . . yes, the standard in Italy is insanely high.
Lyon has the title of France’s gastronomic capital (which is one hell of a standard), and this on its own is enough to justify a visit.
But it is actually the general vibe of Lyon and the ease of walking around town that is its real draw. I was blown away by how elegant it all was with stunning cathedrals, river walks and sophisticated squares – Lyon isn’t loud or showy, it’s quietly brilliant, and one of the easiest French cities to simply enjoy. Wow
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.
San Sebastian is widely considered to be one of Europe, if not the world’s, gastronomic centres with its array of Michelin Star restaurants often competing for the world’s title of best restaurant. But it is the Pintxos scene – Basque-style tapas – in the Old Town that steals the show and fully live up to the hype.
More than anything, it’s all just fun. The vibe is positive, the bar owners are chirpy, and it’s a bit of an adventure as you take the plunge into the huge variety of restaurants and bars, seeing the delicious dishes piled high and shoving your way to the bar to kick start your journey of Basque cuisine.
I’ve been there 5 times now and I’d rank it my favourite foodie experience anywhere in the world, a must for any Top 10 World Food Experience and huge Wow Factor.
Tips below on how to get the best out of a trip there . . . although, sorry – not exactly inspiring photos but I was too busy gorging myself!
Ibiza has two sides, which gives it the huge wow factor.
The first – some of the most famous clubs in the world, sensational food and world-beating beach clubs. Glam dripping everywhere and everything you could want in the lash party animal in you.
The second is a calmer, far less crowded and an idyllic beautiful side. A wonderful old town, picture-perfect beach coves and, critically, all less than 45mins from the doof doof craziness.
This combination of the two makes Ibiza one of the top island highlights of the Mediterranean (along with The Sorrento Peninsula, The Aeolian Islands, Santorini and Havar), if not the world.
The only downside is that it is daft expensive . . . especially if you want to do it well. We did . . . three times . . . and hence the tips below.
Quick Take:
Best for: Party weekends, beach club indulgence, and mixing nightlife with beautiful island exploring.
Time needed: 3–4 days.
Highlight experiences:
• A mega-club night (Ushuaïa / Hï / Pacha)
• Sunset at Café del Mar or Cala Conta
• Exploring Ibiza Old Town
• A beach cove day on the east coast
• Boat trip to Formentera
Downsides: daft expensive, especially clubs and beach clubs.
Best time to visit: Summer to blow the doors off.
