Don’t worry, this travel bucket list is not about the usual recommendations like the norther lights in Iceland, taking a gondola in Venice or watch the sunset set in Santorini. We really wondered, which extraordinary activities there are in the multicultural Europe. Et voilà, this 10 super exciting activities in 10 different countries made it on our travel bucket list…
Top 10 travel bucket list in Europe…
1. Dog sledge driving in Norway
Imagine you are sitting in a sledge, wrapped in warm blankets, soaking in the stunning view and riding through the snow at incredible speed… all you can hear is the pant of the huskies, which are pulling the sledge. This wonderful imagination is getting real in Norway, more precisely in Tromsø. The graceful animals pull you more than 15 kilometers through the neverending snowy landscape of Vassdalen. You can book the trip here.
2. Scuba diving in Croatia
For an extraordinary diving experience you don’t have to travel to Great Barrier Reef in Australia; at least as spectacular is the seabed on the coast of Istria. The peninsula on the adriatic coast is a holiday paradise because on the one hand is easy to travel to and on the other hand the beauty is convincing: pinteresque coastal towns, numerous sights, unique natural landscapes and the hospitality are only a few reasons that speak for Istria. But the convincing arguments for our diving experience are the crystal clear water, amazing bays and the moderate water temperature. In the underwater world you can discover for example the passenger liner Baron Gautsch near Rovinj or the german submarine U-81 near Rt Kamenjak, as well as the reefs near Pula or Brijuni. More information about scuba diving in Istria you can find here.
3. Skiing on the famous Streif
The famous Hahnenkamm race, which takes place every year at the end of january, attracts VIP’s, athlets and fans of winter sports. The highlight of the alpine ski event is the downhill race on the slope called Streif; probably the most difficult and most spectaculare slope in the world. But apart from this special weekend, everyone is allowed to ski on the Streif and it offers some variants, so that almost every experienced skier get the adrenaline rush. For the less experienced skiers and for the kids there is the Family Streif, which bypasses the most difficult spots like the Mausefalle or the Hausbergkante. As a warm up or to recharge we recommend to make a stop at Ganslern Alm right next to the Streif.
4. Camel riding on the Canary Islands
They say the greatest happiness on earth is sitting in the saddle of a horse, but the real adventure is in the saddle of canarian camels. Long time ago spanisch conquerers brought the animals to Tenerife and since the 1960’s it is also possible to discover the landscape of the island during a camel ride. Whether through the wilderness at Los Cristianos, through the botanical garden Oasis del Valle near Puerto del Cruz or in the countryside around El Tanque, a camel safari is certainly an unforgettable experience. We recommend to make a culinaric stop during your trip to taste the arabic specialities of the area. If you feel like you want to experience more about the Canary Islands, this article can give some inspiration.
5. Travel to Paris by yourself
“Sometimes you have to travel far to find back to your true self”. But we believe it’s not about distance, it’s about beeing alone on the journey. Therefore muster all your courage, go on a journey alone – in fact to Paris – and tick off another point on your travel bucket list. Because nowhere it is more inspirational to watch people from a little street cafe, enjoy a delicious croissant and celebrate live! As a little extra task and to communicate better in Paris we recommend to learn the basics of the french language. What else you have to discover in the city of love you can read in our Paris city guide.
6. Visit Count Dracula in Transylvania
In the middle of Romania is the area of Transylvania, also known as Siebenbürgen, which is famous for its horror stories. The most popular legend is propbaly the one of Count Dracula, which is based on Prince Vlad III. Drăculea who was a bloodthirsty ruler whose remnant has never been found and therefore still seems to be a vampire among us. Residence of the creepy Dracula is the castle Bran, which nowadays is owned by the Habsburg family ad houses a museum. Admission for adults costs €6.50 and for kids 2€. More information about opening hours and ticket prices can be found here.
7. Learn the Flamenco in Andalusia
No other dance embodies that much passion, pain and romantic like this one! Actually, the flamenco is not only a dance, but also the art of guitare playing and singing. The flamenco deeply rooted in the andalusian culture and tradition and can mostly be seen at the ferias of the andalusian cities; whereby Sevilla is the most famous. You an participate in a crash course of flamenco, for example in Sevilla or even better discover one of the flamenco routes of the area, which leads through the history and the country of Andalusia.
8. Boating in Amsterdam
Being captain in the Venice of the North once in a lifetime is defenitely worth one item on your travel bucket list! Amsterdam with its over 80 kilomters of canals and its 1281 bridges is the eldorado for water sports enthusiasts and sun lovers. Even if the Netherlands don’t come to our mind as summer holiday destination in the first place, Amsterdem is worth a visit every time of the year. The romantic cafes on the corners, the hospitality of the people and of course the many sights alone are absolutely worth seeing, but a day on the canals of the city is an adventure in itself. You can rent the boats without any licence starting at £44 here. Those who want to go on even better should do a boat trip on Kingsday (the next one is at the 27th of april 2019) and experience the festival in honor of king Willem-Alexander, when the whole city glows in orange and the people celebrate until late at night.
9. Wine tour through Tuscany
Follow the tracks of the wine on the Chiantigiana, one of the most beautiful highways in Italy. It leads through the wine region Chianti-Classico, from Florence to Siena. You can’t only enjoy the tuscan countryside and its hills and vineyards, but above all you can visit the most famous winerys of the area. In Greve we recommend to visit the 14th century Villa Vignamaggio, where you can take part at tours and tastings. In the medieval city Panzana you should visit the wine boutique Le Fonti or the farm Fattoria Montagliari, where they still produce wine using traditional methods. Almost in Siena Gaiole is located with its Brolio castle, whose history of wine production dates back to 1141. More information about the Chianti area here.
Recharge after a sunny day at Tuscany in one of our rural country houses
10. Kayaking in Corsica
Corsica, the little french island near the Italian coast, is a paradise for all nature lovers. But nothing is a better adventure than kayaking, because it is possible in 3 different ways: more chilled along the Fango river, a bit rougher along one of the numerous rivers in the inland areas or in the Mediterrean Sea on the coasts of Corsica. Even tough the island is not overcrowded by tourists (thank god), there are sufficient boat rentals. If water sports is not your thing, there are so many other places full of sights, attractions and sport possibilities like hiking, sailing or riding.
Where will your journey lead you? We hope we could inspire you to extend your travel bucket list and you will visit many more places and enjoy many more activities in this beautiful world! ?