There’s something about self-quarantine that makes my wanderlust grow. The other day, Pope Francis wrote this lovely message:
“Tonight before falling asleep, think about when we will return to the street. When we hug again, when all the shopping together will seem like a party. Let’s think about when the coffees will return to the bar, the small talk, the photos close to each other. We think about when it will be all a memory but normalcy will seem an unexpected and beautiful gift. We will love everything that has so far seemed futile to us. Every second will be precious. Swims at the sea, the sun until late, sunsets, toasts, laughter. We will go back to laughing together.”
To me, travel goes hand in hand with that. It is about togetherness through exploring the beauty that our world has to offer. Travel is escape and adventure made up of delicious food, stunning views, and good company. But it’s also about gaining perspective. As French novelist, Gustave Flaubert put it: “Travel makes one modest. You see what a tiny place you occupy in the world.”
During this time indoors, virtual entertainment seems to have a greater presence in our lives than ever. Instagram accounts are posting pictures of the prettiest corners of the world to tide us over while we stay inside. Dreamy Pinterest boards boast blue water and colorful cobblestone cities. Magazines and online publications like Condé Nast Traveler and Travel + Leisure have beautiful spreads from chateaus in the French countryside to the Great Sand Sea in Egypt.
In order to achieve a vacation state of mind during quarantine, I’ve loved creating Pinterest boards, Instagram collections, and collages with pictures of places I dream of going. The following are some of the most beautiful destinations I recommend for a virtual vacation…
Puglia, Italy
Hallstatt, Austria
Santorini, Greece
Northern Vietnam
Schwangau, Germany
Agra, India
Cappadocia, Turkey
The French Riviera
XOXO,
Adele
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