If you’re like me and totally obsessed with traveling, you probably also spend a lot of time planning various trips. So far, I’ve been lucky enough to already have traveled a decent amount, and I can’t wait to continue. Since I have spent so much time dwelling on future travels, I think I have a good idea of different places around the world, along with a huge list of where I’d like to visit. After careful consideration, these are my hand-picked five places I would go to next based on things like culture, architecture, nature, and experience.
1. Egypt
I would totally go to Egypt just to ride a camel and see the pyramids, but the country also offers an insane amount of culture and history. I think ancient Egypt is so intriguing and I can’t wrap my mind around the number of myths and stories they have. I used to love reading books about Egyptian gods as a kid, and many of their museums display relics from these myths, as well as tombs and mummies for the public. There’s an endless number of things to do in Cairo, including bazaars full of homemade goods, a multitude of religious temples, and gorgeous historic sites. I think I’d spend days exploring the city, taking in the ancient architecture and its culture. I keep seeing a lot of travelers pay locals to get their heads wrapped before going through the desert, and it looks so fun and a nice way to connect to the culture some more. I hope to travel the desert and see all of the incredible archeological sites in Giza and Luxor. It really amazes me that it’s been so long and these structures are still standing. I always try to imagine all of the people walking where I would be thousands of years before me. If I’m feeling crazy, I would love to go for a river cruise down the Nile.
2. Prague
The main thing that draws me to Prague is the city’s architecture. The pictures all showcase white buildings with orange roofs that are almost uniform in nature, but each one is so unique. Prague would be the perfect city to spend days and days just browsing the streets and taking in all of the sights. These buildings are also connected by cobblestone streets and the not-so-occasional castle which make the entire city look like something out of a fairytale. I think out of common European travel spots, Prague is lower on the popularity list, but the few people I know who have been there absolutely rave about it to the point where I need to see for myself. I’m definitely a fan of any nice European city, and Prague checks off all my boxes: culture, architecture, nightlife, and lots of history. There’s also a medieval underground, which sounds super cool and would definitely be worth my time.
3. China
China has very well-known and modernized cities, but the more pictures I’ve seen from the rest of the country, the more I want to go there. I recently learned about the amount of variety and landscape that China has to offer. I, like probably many white American children, watched Mulan as a kid and that was my general perception of the country and its culture. I finally started to look into the different landscapes and towns China has to offer and realized I’ve totally been missing out. I’ve seen pictures and videos from towns and scenes that I would’ve never guessed all belong to China. The two things I’m most amazed by are the Great Wall of China (obviously) and the small villages. I also think that China’s nature is absolutely breathtaking and would be amazed to see it myself someday — even though I couldn’t see close to all of it. This isn’t to say that the cities don’t look incredible. Shanghai and Beijing are both filled with modern and ancient architecture, while displaying China’s gorgeous and ancestral culture. Xi’an is another city I would definitely visit, considering it’s highly recommended for its relics.
4. California
With the return of 2016 culture, I keep thinking back to all the old YouTubers and influencers, like Emma Chamberlain (who’s still relevant) or the Dolan Twins, who spent 2016 having the time of their lives in Los Angeles. Northern California is what really appeals to me because of its incredible redwood trees and all of the nature overlooking the Pacific coastline. Seeing the ocean toward the west would probably throw me off enough, to be honest. However, the southern cities of California have their own appeals. All of the depictions across movies and TV shows like La La Land, New Girl, and Full House, and songs like Lana Del Ray’s “West Coast,” describe an entire world that is unfamiliar to me. I’d love to walk down Hollywood Boulevard, learn about the history of film, explore L.A., and do all the things I see others doing: take pictures with the Pink Wall or going to Erewhon for the Hailey Bieber smoothie. It’s a culture that I think has shaped a lot of American culture (for better or for worse) and I would really appreciate stepping into that world and understanding it a little better.
5. Fes
If you’ve seen Gilmore Girls, you know that Rory tells her grandfather that she really wants to go to Fes. I definitely don’t agree with a lot of the things she says, but this is definitely an exception. Fes, a large city in Morocco, is ancient and maze-like with unique architecture, crafted goods, and incredible culture. It was built around 800 AD and has gone through many changes and developments before becoming the city it is today, which is considered the cultural and spiritual capital of Morocco. It’s also regarded for religious scholarship, heavily displayed in the wondrous and numerous mosques throughout the city. I’m drawn to the street layout and markets, but also obsessed with the vibrant and colorful streets in the pictures. I really hope I can spend a generous amount of time exploring and better understanding Moroccan culture.
I’m grateful that I can learn about all kinds of countries and places through the internet and social media, but I really hope that one day I can create pictures and memories of my own. I also hope I might’ve influenced anyone reading this to join me and try to see the world in order to all learn a little more about each other and ourselves. If you haven’t thought much about travel before, I definitely recommend it, even if it means starting somewhere close.