The Traveller's Magazine
The team of writers behind the different travel blogs on liligo.com’s international domains but their heads together to come up with some of our favourite destinations and places we’re dying to visit around the world. From Mount Ararat to the Faroe Islands, from Buenos Aires to Rome, here are our recommendations.
Buenos Aires
As recommended by Antonio, editor of Il Blog del Viaggiatore on liligo.it
If I could travel anywhere in 2014, it would be to Buenos Aires, the capital of Argentina. I would wander through the city’s wide boulevards and squares admiring the city’s eclectic architecture to see the influence the immigrant communities have had on this beautiful country. To get better acquainted with the city, I’d visit the different neighbourhoods, from San Telmo to Palermo and La Boca.
You can’t fully understand the city without having tried the national dance, the tango. This dance was born here and the city is full of milongas, clubs and ball rooms where dancers sweep across the floors in each others arms. You can even join a dance in the city squares in the afternoons. What more could you ask for in a destination?
Rome
As recommended by Miguel, editor of El Blog del Viajero on liligo.es
My destination for 2014 is Rome, the Eternal City. I was living there in 2010 and since then I haven’t found a city like Rome in all the world. The cultural offer of Rome is amazing, even if you don’t like Art or History. Pantheon, Foros, Coliseum, Fontana di Trevi, Navona Square, Spanish Steps, Sant’Angelo Castle, Campidoglio, Vatican, its Museums, EUR District… they will leave you breathless.
If I had to choose, I couldn’t leave the city without seeing the “Portrait of Inocencio X” by Velazquez again at Doria Pamphili Gallery, “Rape of Proserpina” by Bernini at the Borghese Gallery, “St. Peter’s Crucifixion” by Caravaggio at St. Mary of Popolo church, or the fresco paintings at the St. Ignacio Church by Andrea Pozzo.
I couldn’t miss either a pizza in the Baffetto Restaurant, a pasta dish in Trastevere, a coffee in Sant’Eustachio or a Peroni beer in the streets and squares of San Lorenzo or Pigneto districts. Of course, you have to reserve a night for “Circoglo degli Artisti” one of the coolest places in the city.
As an original (and maybe a little kitschy) souvenir, I would buy a pair of socks in the Gammarelli tailor shop, where it is said that the Pope buys his. But, the main reason why I would love to travel to Rome this year is because I threw a coin into the Fontana di Trevi, and you always have to respect traditions.
Mount Ararat
Recommended by Corentin, editor of Le Magazine du Voyageur on liligo.fr
The Turks call it Ağrı Dağı, the Kurdes Çiyayê Agirî and the Armenians, Արարատ. This sacred mountain which rises up to an altitude of 5,165m even made an appearance in the book of Genesis. To reach it you’ll need to take a flight to Istanbul before embarking on a journey more than 1,500 kilometres long. It’s long but it’s worth it. The Anatole landscapes are breathtaking and you’ll find the mountain on the eastern side of historic Armenia which is part of Turkey today.
The more adventurous will take the trek but be warned: it’s not only expensive but it’s a physical joinery that take time to prepare in advance. If you’re not up for the climb, you can certainly admire it from a distance. The mountain is the most beautiful when seen from Armenia but the border between Turkey and Armenia is difficult to get through so it’s better to reach it via Georgia to the north. While passing through Georgia, there’s plenty to see: Tbilisi, the vineyards, foothills and the peaks of the Caucasus Mountains.
Iceland
Recommended by Mateja, editor of the Reiseblog on liligo.de
Where to go in 2014? One word: Iceland. You have no other chance but to fall in love with this little precious marvel between the North Atlantic and the Arctic Oceans. Enjoy a road trip around the island, regardless the season or weather. The landscapes will make you forget about the icy winds anyway. Nevertheless, dress warm. Between the northern lights and the midnight sun the sights and sounds of Iceland will leave you mesmerised. Not to forged the countless stories about elves, trolls and ghosts.
The Faroe Islands
Recommended by Katie, editor of The Traveller’s Blog on liligo.co.uk
If I could choose any one destination to visit in 2014 it would have to be the Faroe Islands, a small group of islands in the North Atlantic, somewhere between Iceland and Norway. It would make a fab side trip if you’re taking Mateja’s advice and heading for a holiday in Iceland! The Faroe Islands are one of the world’s magical places that you can’t quite believe they’re real: lush green grass, craggy cliffs, turquoise blue waters, caves…
The weather here is notoriously unpredictable so even if you’re visiting in the summer, the best time to go, you definitely need to pack a rain jacket and some waterproof shoes. This is an easy place to love if you’re into hiking, trekking and exploring outdoors but foodies aren’t forgotten in the Faroe Islands either! A favourite of the islanders is skerpikjøt, dried lamb. You’ll find the most succulent cod here along with the finest shellfish and lobster on the restaurant menus across the islands. They call it “New Nordic Food,” which sees traditional and rustic dishes transformed into dishes to suit the 21st century palette.
