Top 5 Places To Visit

So in anticipation of my trip to Paris tomorrow!! I thought I'd do a blog post about my top 5 places to visit. This is all from my personal experiences which as according to Been, i've only visited 6% of the world!!

So counting down here goes; Number 5 is County Mayo in the Republic of Ireland. Now this isn't your typical holiday destination and the only reason I've ever visited this remote county is because my dads side of the family live there. I wouldn't recommend it to anybody that doesn't drive as the closest shop is a good 10 minute drive away. However the scenery is idyllic, the people are so welcoming and friendly and it's the perfect contrast to a busy city life. The weather is very changeable like the English weather and you're not guaranteed sunshine but on the lovely days you're blessed the walks you go on open your eyes to a different kind of living. Me and my family are privileged, as i mentioned, to have family there to guide us on the best places to explore. If you care to rent a car and venture further, there are lots of places to visit. Gallway for example is a 2.5 hr drive but the biggest shopping mall in southern ireland and you can get a bargain from Penney's (Primark). There is also Achill Island to explore, authentic Irish pubs and lots of fresh produce markets. In essence I would say Ireland is probably a destination for people who like to explore but at a slower pace than most of society. Having said that I've visited a couple of times over the year and I've enjoyed it every time, even as a moody teenager!

Number 4 is Amsterdam. I visited Amsterdam expecting red light district, coffeeshops and not much else. Oh how wrong I was! There is so much more to this beautiful city than we are led to believe such as the beautiful tulip fields, canal cruises, the vintage market and countless museums. There was of course the R- Rated stuff there too but my point is you can avoid it if you so choose. Being the inquisitive woman I am, we of course ventured to every part of the city and chuckled like children in the sex museum. However just walking around the streets constantly surrounded by the water of the canals was very calming, that is when you weren't afraid to be roadkill from all the bicycles!

Number 3 is Rome. These past few years I've become quite taken with the idea of visiting the major cities in the world. Rome was a compromise as my boyfriend originally wanted to go to Barcelona and I refused because that meant a weekend in the Camp Nou (Barcelona's football stadium for those like me). So we agreed on Rome and off we went. On the journey from the city to the airport I was amazed at the amount of graffiti and litter, however the closer we got to the centre the better it got. We visited the vatican museum, st. peters basilica, the sistine chapel, trevi fountain, piazza navona, the spanish steps, the pantheon. Basically every tourist-y thing there. The Via Candia which is the shopping street was amazing and we spent a full day there. I loved the atmosphere on an evening, sitting outside a restaurant eating your meal with music playing from one of the street artists. Everyone should experience that once. Oh and just so you know, the other half did manage to get a football game in. We went to the Olympic Stadium to watch Lazio; compromise is key, right?

Number 2 is St. Lucia. I realise i'm in a privileged position to have been able to visit such a place at such a young age, I was 8 when we went. However it was for a special occasion, my mother and father's wedding! This was up until 2014, the most amazing place I'd ever been. White sandy beaches, crystal clear seawater offset beautifully with a backdrop of deep green hillsides; this place is paradise. The hotels have all kinds of amenities and activities and are basically little communities in which there are things for all ages and all interests. There was not a day as an 8 year old that I was bored and upon speaking to family on the same trip, they also share my views. This is a fantastic place to visit and my favourite place in the carribbean so far. I would 100% go back it can be a totally tranquil getaway or a water sport- fun packed adventure depending on what you prefer.

And finally, my ultimate number 1 place to visit is New York, New York; so good they named it twice. I have nothing but good things to say about this place. I visited for a week last year after it being a dream of mine for years. I bawled my eyes out when I saw the skyline for the first time. I was completely awestruck by every aspect of the city. Due to the popularity of New York in the Tv&Film industry theres a sense of familiarity, a kind of deja vu. It's very strange to feel so at home in somewhere so unlike home. There is obviously 1001 things to do in New York and even in a week we didn't manage all of them. My absolute favourite part was central park, there is so much more to it than I realised. When I go back (which i hope will be soon), I plan on spending a lot more time exploring it. I also adored times square and spent hours and plenty of money there. We used the open top bus to get around for the first few days as I didnt want to take the subway incase I missed something above ground. However the last few days we just walked everywhere. Unfortunately not everyone shares my sentiment, my mother says she's glad she went and experienced it but she wouldn't go back. I think this is because it wasn't a relaxing holiday because we didn't miss anything and for those people looking for a break or to slow down, the big apple is not for you. But everyone should experience the big city at least once!