Hello everybody! I'm going to do something a bit different for the Want List this week. Instead of focusing on things I want, I'm focusing on places I want to go and I want YOU to go with me! And I'm not talking about a basic beach vacay or weekend trip to Big City, USA either. I'm talking BUCKET LIST kinda vacay - like flying off into the sunset to do something epic, something different, something once-in-a-lifetime kinda vacay.
I used to travel whenever possible in my 20s. I've visited (and lived in) some of the greatest cities in North America. I've also spent time in some pretty amazing countries in Europe. My 30s, however, have been full of adulting and everything that comes with it - like trying out a "real job" for a brief period of time, getting married, having kids, buying a house, etc. Every trip we've taken has involved visiting out-of-state relatives or staying the weekend somewhere close to home. Since I'm going to be entering my 40s this year (SHEESH), I'm ready to start traveling abroad again and visiting some of the places I've dreamed of seeing since I was a teen - some of the Wonders of the World.
Although there are several different lists at this point, I've always been particularly interested in the Seven Wonders of the Ancient World.
In fact, I've always been fascinated with ancient civilizations and architecture, which is why I eventually ended up studying ancient history in undergrad and traveling to some of the places I've been, like Greece and many of its surrounding islands. True, none of the Seven Wonders are still standing besides the Great Pyramid of Giza in Egypt. However, the great civilizations who created these fascinating architectural achievements also built many other beautiful structures that do stand today and I'm excited to announce that I'm planning to host a trip to one of these places! I'd love YOU to help me decide where by TAKING THIS QUICK SURVEY and then join me on the adventure. So, without further ado, these are the top four places I'd like to go: Eygpt, Jordan, Italy or Turkey.
First up is Egypt, which is the location of the only one of the Seven Wonders of the Ancient World that's still standing, the Great Pyramid. It also happens to be the oldest one on the list. Next to the Great Pyramid, you can also see the Pyramids of Khafre and Menkaure as well as the Great Sphinx. If we go to Egypt, these are some of the things we'll do:
Tour the Pyramids of Giza and Great Sphinx
Explore the Egyptian Museum
Visit the Djoser Step Pyramid at Saqqara
Tour the Memphis Outdoor Museum
Take an overnight train from Cairo to Luxor
Go to the Valley of the Kings
Visit the Temple of Hatshepsut
See the Colossi of Memnon
Sail on the Nile River to Banana Island
Shop at the Khan Al-Khalili Bazaar in Cairo
Next up is Jordan, where we'd visit Petra (one of the New Seven Wonders of the World and UNESCO World Heritage Site), which was the capitol city of the wealthy Kingdom of Nabatea; and also Jerash (or Gerasa, as it was once known), which was one of the most luxurious provincial cities of the Roman Empire. Here's some of the other things we'd do if we visit Jordan:
Visit the Amman Citadel, an archaeological site in the capital city of Amman
Swim in the Dead Sea
Go on a desert jeep safari
Hike Wadi Rum (aka Valley of the Moon)
Visit Kerak Castle
Visit Mount Nebo, where Moses was granted a look at the Promised Land in the Bible
Italy is one European country I've not yet been to and definitely want to see in my lifetime. If we go to Italy, I think we'd spend most of our time in Rome with its outstanding history, architecture, and Roman ruins - I mean, it's basically like one massive museum and all of the historic city center is a UNESCO World Heritage Site. We'd also visit Florence, another historically and architecturally rich city, which is actually where the Renaissance began in the 15th century. Oh and let's not forget the food and wine! Here's a more detailed look at what we'd do in Italy:
Tour Rome by bicycle
Visit the Colosseum, also one of the New Seven Wonders of the World
See Trevi Fountain, the most famous fountain in the world
Walk the Spanish Steps
Go to Vatican City and tour the Sistine Chapel
Tour Florence on foot
Visit a Tuscan farm
Last, but definitely not least is Turkey, a culturally and historically rich country, which was once the center of the Eastern Roman or Byzantine Empire with its capital city of Constantinople (modern Istanbul). Not gonna lie, I'm leaning heavily towards Turkey because of its unique mix of Classical and Near Eastern architectural styles; extensive Greek and Roman ruins; delicious food; and it being the location of the Temple of Artemis at Ephesus, which was said by ancient scholars to be the most magnificent of the Seven Wonders of the Ancient World due to its massive size (at least double the size of the Parthenon in Athens) and location by the sea. If this doesn't pique your interest though, here's some other things we'd do in Turkey:
Visit Hagia Sophia and the Blue Mosque in Istanbul
Visit the Hippodrome, an arena built for chariot racing during the Byzantine period
Shop at the Grand Bazaar
Visit the seaside town of Ayvalik
Explore Ephesus and the remains of the Temple of Artemis
Go to Hierapolis, an ancient Roman city and extensive necropolis
Explore Cappadocia, known for its Turkish carpets, pottery, and underground cities
Tour the Goreme Open Air Museum
Visit the Ozkonak Underground City
I know this is a lot of info to digest, but I wanted to make sure you know what you're in for ahead of time! Regardless of where we decide to go, ALL of these places are fascinating, uniquely beautiful, and would make for an incredible adventure. Now all YOU have to do is take the survey (linking again HERE); wait for the email letting you know it's time to reserve your spot (limited available); and then hop on that plane when the time comes!
Thank you so much for taking the time to read this post and for considering traveling with me! Looking forward to doing something AMAZING together!
xo,
♡ Brit