Image
Enjoy your retirement by experiencing the best that international travel has to offer. After months spent cooped up indoors, you can now dust off your bucket list and begin planning your next trip. To help you decide where to go next, we’ve detailed a few destinations we think you’ll love. We’ve chosen a selection of our favourite places, with something to suit every preference, whether that’s sun-kissed idylls, scenic countryside or bustling hotspots.
Here are our shortlisted post-Covid travel destinations:
Cuba
Cuba provides a mixture of jaw-dropping natural beauty, fascinating history and an enviable climate, creating a vibrant must-visit destination. There’s something for everyone in Cuba, as its diverse towns and cities play host to a variety of experiences. For example Viñales, a town in Western Cuba, is flanked by lush mountains and panoramic views. You can visit its scenic “mogote” hills, have a picnic during a coffee plantation tour or take a shuttle to Cayo Jutias beach. With boundless natural beauty, Viñales is a lesser-known bucket list destination that everyone should visit at least once.
If you’re looking for a path well travelled in Cuba, then visiting the infamous Havana is a bucket list destination like no other. The pace of life, friendliness of the locals and overall hospitality in Cuba’s capital city allows for seamless immersion in the Cuban culture. Havana’s forts, architecture and music scene are just a few experiences you should embark on when visiting this country, and that’s only scratching the surface.
Whether you want a relaxing trip away or an activity-filled holiday, there’s a destination to suit everyone in Cuba.
Image
Iceland
In recent years, Iceland has become a hotspot for bucket list travellers. Its outstanding natural beauty stretches as far as the eye can see, from the Goðafoss waterfall in the north to the famous geothermal Blue Lagoon spa in the south-west. Wherever you go in Iceland, you’ll encounter breathtaking views and make memories that last a lifetime.
For astrology lovers, the island’s minimal light pollution makes it a stargazing haven. Places like Hotel Rangá even give you the chance to look through the telescopes in their observatory, so you can view Saturn’s rings and Mars’ surface with your own eyes. But there’s one event that brings travellers from around the world to Iceland, and that’s the Northern Lights. As one of the top places to view this phenomenon, visiting between late September to late March will give you the best chance to witness it for yourself.
Image
USA National Parks
With around 420 national parks in the USA, there’s an overwhelming amount of options to choose from. Whilst Yellowstone geysers and the Grand Canyon may initially spring to mind, lesser known parks, like Mesa Verde in Colorado, offer a completely different experience for bucket list travellers. In Mesa Verde specifically, you can visit the preserved archaeological site of Ancestral Puebloan cliff dwellings. With a palace, balcony house and much more, you can pick and choose which sights to see based on your preferences and mobility.
For the adventurous types, Biscayne National Park in Florida offers paddling, boat experiences and camping. The park is full of biodiversity, from marine life to mangrove forests. It’s an eco-haven for those who want to do good for the local community and natural environment whilst they travel.
Even if you only include three or four of these natural paradises onto your bucket list, you won’t be disappointed!
Image
Italy
Don’t miss out on a visit to Italy, as it’s brimming with destinations for retired travellers. You can tour the country from the north to the sunny south, or you can visit specific areas and ‘slow travel’, making the most of what one particular place has to offer. Keep in mind that spotlight areas, such as Sicily, the Amalfi Coast and Florence, are popular destinations that can get booked up quickly during peak season.
If you’d much rather experience authentic Italy over tourist hotspots, you can visit destinations off the beaten track to get a flavour of Italian culture and hospitality. Towns like Alberobello in the south of the country or Sperlonga in central Italy are hailed as ‘secret’ towns that should be enjoyed whilst they’re still unknown to holiday-makers. Whether you prefer to live life in the fast lane or at a slower pace, experiencing what Italy has to offer is a bucket list ‘must’.
Image
The Lake District
The Lake District is an attractive destination for a weekend getaway; you can perfectly balance a busy itinerary with relaxing evenings against a backdrop of serenity. If you yearn to be surrounded by nature without having to complete a 5 mile hike, Windermere Lake Cruises run everyday, with regular departure times and pick-up destinations. You can even catch a ride on a steam train at the midpoint of your cruise, so you can sample the Lake District’s views from both water and land.
If you’re looking for areas of beauty that aren’t as populated by staycation Brits or overseas tourists, the Lake District is home to various lesser known towns. For example, the market town of Keswick has plenty to offer in the way of heaven-reaching mountains, tranquil lakes and quaint tea rooms. There’s plenty to do, and you can easily tailor your activities to match the pace of travel you’re looking for.
Travel to your heart’s content during your retirement
Bucket list travel is centred around visiting destinations and experiencing cultures that bring joy and fulfilment to your life. However, for many of us, this past year has brought too much time indoors and not enough time travelling to new places. Sometimes a small reminder of sun-drenched skies, silky beaches and Mediterranean food can be all we need to keep us going until our next holiday. For your own reminder of holidays past, we’ve detailed how to bring some holiday happiness into your home. Take a look at our travel-inspired decor ideas to bring some Spanish sun into your everyday life!
