With much of the evidence of Christmas cleared away and packed up in boxes for another year, the time has come to consider your goals for the year ahead. This includes your travel plans, as there’s so much world out there to see and not near enough time to do so.
The best we can do is to visit places that are exciting and engaging, and enjoy them for as long as possible. With that in mind, we have prepared a list of destinations that we believe are the best places to visit in 2015, as various events and fortuitous circumstances have elevated them to the top of our wish lists…
1) Milan, Italy
While Milan has long been Europe’s capital of high fashion, it has much more going for it this year. Starting May 1st and running until October 31st, Expo 2015 will feature contributions from over 140 countries, with many trying to answer the question, “How do we feed the world as we push on deeper into the 21st century?”
After enjoying all the thought-provoking exhibits that this event will feature, indulge in Milan’s rich culture at La Scala (one of the most famous opera houses in the world), view Da Vinci’s The Last Supper at Santa Maria alle Grazie Basilica, or go hiking in the Alps, which are little more than an hour’s drive from Milan’s city centre.
2) Toronto, Ontario, Canada
After hosting a fabulous World Pride festival this past summer, the action is set to heat up again in Canada’s largest city in 2015 as it prepares to host the 17th edition of the Pan Am Games. An international competition held between all the nations in the Americas, this event will be one of the biggest sporting events that Toronto has ever hosted in its history, as over 6,000 athletes will compete for glory in 36 sports ranging from soccer (football) to softball.
When you aren’t cheering on your nation (or an adopted one) to victory, explore this multicultural city’s many intriguing neighborhoods, which contain a bevy of cultural and gastronomic experiences (we recommend Kensington Market), soak up the sun at one of its blue flag beaches on the Toronto Islands, or learn something new at one of its world class museums.
3) Mexico
In the closing months of 2014, the continued flooding of the crude oil market by producing countries has sent its price crashing through the floor, plunging from $110 to below $50 as of the writing of this article. This has been a fortunate turn of events for many travelers, as not only has the falling price of petrol stuffed our pockets with extra pounds, it has rebalanced exchange rates in places like Mexico in our favor.
While this country is a tourism hotspot, its greatest source of wealth is from its oil fields, and with the value of this product collapsing, the peso has gone down with it. This means that the value of the pound has increased as much as 10% against the peso, making it an affordable travel destination even more so.
Additionally, the troubles of a few years ago with regards to drug violence have largely abated, making 2015 the perfect time to see Mexico, as it has innumerable pristine beaches, one of the world’s best cuisines, and mysterious Pre-Columbian temples.
4) Uruguay
Looking for a destination in South America with inviting beaches, mouthwatering food and friendly locals? While Brazil is getting increasingly busy in the run up to next year’s Olympics, and Argentina’s prices are escalating upward at a worrying pace, Uruguay offers a stable, less harried alternative that retains many of the positives that the aforementioned nations possess.
Taking in the addictive beach town vibe in Punta Del Este, partaking of carne asado in a parilla, and getting one’s mind blown by the architecture in the capital of Montevideo are just a few of the experiences that await you in one of South America’s most under-appreciated countries.
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