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Leanne Best, actress
Colorado, USA
I chose to go to Colorado, where I could visit beautiful towns like Lyon, Loveland, Boulder, and charming little places like family farms along the way. For a girl from Walton Vale, Liverpool, names like Eagle Rock and Crested Butte, with their rolling green hills, immediately evoked childhood passions for the culture and history of the West and spurred me on my journey.
The scenery here is breathtaking. I rode my horse everywhere, including along the trails at the foot of the Rocky Mountains. I hiked at the foothills, visited hot springs, camped, and went for walks...
I spent most of my time reading in coffee shops (the ones in Boulder's Pearl are paradise). I found my dream hat at the gas station on Route 36. I indulged in my love of crystal in the jewelry and gemstone shops along the road – there are so many shops here that craft jewelry by local artisans.
Although I didn't travel extensively, I still wandered far enough to have beautiful moments that I will cherish forever. This is definitely a place I always look forward to returning to, a little piece of my own little haven.
Simon Reeve, author and television presenter
Copenhagen, Denmark
When I was 20, I went on a vacation with friends. We thought we'd go somewhere really "hot," but one of the guys in the group booked us a flight to Copenhagen. When we arrived, it was freezing cold, and all four of us were wearing only shorts and flip-flops, and nobody had a travel guide.
Being young and inexperienced in life and travel, the only thing we could do in that situation was go drinking. The bar we went to, Woodstock, was decorated like something out of Star Wars, making me feel like I was in a colony far removed from the world, a place overflowing with chaos and unrestrained lovemaking.
My friend decided to call his ex-girlfriend, who was working on the Oresund Bridge project and the tunnel connecting Denmark and Sweden. She took us down to the tunnel under construction. In our drunken state, we kept stumbling and eventually ran into security. They had to stop construction, but thankfully, they decided not to fine us. I suddenly thought, this is what a real vacation should be like – with experiences that, while not glamorous, are certainly unforgettable, a blend of madness and adventure.
Of course, we all deserve enriching and eye-opening travel experiences, but having a crazy—and messed-up—experience with your friends isn't so bad either.
Ruby Wax, comedian and writer
Trancoso, Brazil
After seeing pictures of Trancoso – a place near Porto Seguro, Bahia state, Brazil – I was fascinated for over a decade. Finally, I had the chance to visit two years ago.
In Quadrado, you'll be overwhelmed by a genuine sense of community, with main squares and churches everywhere. There are football matches, weddings, funerals, ceremonies… and even horses roaming in and out of the bars. All you need to do is sit in a cafe and watch, and you'll see all the life.
In the evening, all the trees will be illuminated by small lights, and people will open their doors as if they were bars, then sit there enjoying delicious chicken. As you walk by, someone will stop you and invite you to dance some samba. Further on, you'll find other "bars" with more options.capoeira(a traditional art form of African Brazilians, similar to ballet). Here, people are not "constrained" by tradition – instead, they play with and enjoy it.
I've traveled extensively, but Trancoso remains the most memorable because it's as beautiful as a painting by the renowned artist Dali. Each house in the Quadrado is uniquely designed with vibrant colors: turquoise, fuchsia, and lime. Inside, there are carved indigenous masks adorned with feathers and religious symbols illuminated by ethereal light. All of this is blended with modern elements.
In Quadrado, there are beaches surrounded by majestic forests teeming with exotic birds. People live in the forest, and there are tribes willing to invite you to visit their villages. I met an artist in his twenties. Although we didn't speak the same language, we danced together all night, and we both sobbed a lot when we had to say goodbye.
Kim-Joy, baker
Iceland
Iceland is one of my favorite places because it's completely different from other places. It makes me feel like I'm on another planet, with volcanoes, black sand beaches, and geysers. The culture and food are also completely different.
Despite the freezing weather, people here still love eating ice cream. I even found an ice cream shop in Akureyri that stays open until midnight. People also enjoy swimming in the icy beaches. I tried swimming in Silfra – the water temperature was 2 degrees Celsius! The magnificent scenery quickly made me forget the cold. The water was crystal clear, so I could see everything – both sides of the tectonic plates, the stunning rock formations, and the vegetation. I never thought swimming in icy water would be so peaceful, but it truly did bring me tranquility.
Many homes in Iceland have outdoor hot tubs. This also helps Iceland create a very special type of bread.hverabrauð(Volcano bread). This type of bread does not ferment; the flour is placed in a sealed metal pot, buried deep underground, and baked for 24 hours using the temperature of the earth's interior.
I visited an underground bakery in the Myvatn Lake area. As a baker myself, I considered this experience one of the highlights of the trip. The bread tasted amazing with rye flour, fine powder, and golden syrup. I tried a few loaves with butter and soup, and they were truly delicious.
Jack Monroe, food critic and social activist
Plymouth, England
When I was little, I used to visit Aunt Helen's house in Plymoth every summer. She had a secret garden full of fruit trees, a well, and two geese, Charlie and Geraldine, who would always chase me around the garden. I'm not sure whether I or the geese made more noise, but she would always appear at the back door, waving a handkerchief at us to remind us that we were disturbing her peace.
Dinner at my aunt's house always involves a large group of cousins gathered around a table, enjoying koupepia (stuffed grape leaves), roast chicken, salt and pepper mashed potatoes, marrow cooked with tomatoes and olive oil, and juicy plums picked from the garden.
As I grew up, I wanted my family to have memories of hospitality, endless dinners, and doors that were always open no matter how far apart we were. If I could have one vacation in my life, it would be a worry-free summer like the one I had as a child, with baked potato sandwiches and soup.avgolemonoA steaming cup of tea was brought to bed by a "Greek goddess" whose heart was as deep and beautiful as the Mediterranean Sea.
