10. Italy (in general)
All of my friends who have been to Italy told me it was one of the most beautiful places they had ever seen. It has incredible art and architecture, gorgeous landscapes, and, of course, pretty great gelato. Considering my background in art history and my desire to see all that I can on my limited budget, I don't doubt that they're right. I'm certain that if I do end up in Italy, I'll have an amazing time. It doesn't top my list of places to visit, but if the opportunity presents itself, I'll be off to Rome, Florence, or Venice in a heartbeat.
9. Ireland (in general)
Ireland is another place I've heard spoken of as particularly stunning. The cities, most of my friends have said, aren't really much to write home about, but the countryside is breathtaking, apparently. Many of my favorite stories take place in Ireland, and I probably have at least some ancestry there (I'm mostly English on my dad's side, but apparently centuries ago we lived in Ireland for a while. Highly doubt I have any Irish ancestry on my mom's side, though, haha). Ireland also has the added benefit of not being terribly far from Lille; I could probably get a ticket from Brussels to Dublin for less than a hundred dollars round trip if I played my cards right. In any case, I would love to see firsthand a country I've been dreaming about for years, and now is the perfect time to do it.
8. Amsterdam
No, I don't want to go here to try legal pot or hire a male prostitute. Frankly, the kinds of activities university students supposedly get up to in Amsterdam don't interest me in the slightest. But it is a city famous for its culture and vibrancy, and one of my mom's friends and colleagues lives nearby. In fact, this may be the first place on the list I end up visiting; I'm currently planning a trip for February. I'd particularly like to see the Anne Frank House, the Canal District, and the Van Gogh museum, but really, I'm open to whatever Lauran has to show me. At any rate, I'm looking forward to seeing this great city sometime soon!
7. The Scottish Highlands
This is probably one of the longer shots on my list, although I'm considering spending a week in the UK during one of my breaks, in which case I will definitely try to make it up here. It'll probably be cold and rainy, which the Californian in me is not looking forward to, but I'll suffer through it for the chance to see the home of Hogwarts firsthand. There isn't much in the way of cities in the Highlands - the population density is apparently lower than that of Sweden, Norway, and Argentina. However, judging by my reaction to just walking around Heathrow Airport, I think I will absolutely love the United Kingdom, and I can't wait to explore "the heart of this fierce land," as the Brave trailer calls it.
6. The South of France
Again, a very broad region, but also one I'll probably get to explore extensively. I'd like to go when it's warmer, maybe just before I go back to the States in May, so I can try swimming in the Mediterranean. It'll probably still be quite cold, but when am I going to get another chance? I'd also really like to see Provence and Nice (I know, I'm such a tourist), and Lyon and Marseille.
5. Prague
There are also family friends here, although I still need to arrange things with them. Still, this looks like it very well might happen; I'm planning to visit a high school friend of mine in Germany, and she doesn't live very far from Prague. As for the city itself, I want to go see it because of its rich historical background (I've always been weirdly fascinated by Bohemia) and its sight-seeing opportunities (and of course, my family friends). I hope I can make it happen!
4. Barcelona
Just before I left Virginia, my friend Matt told me this was a must-see. I already wanted to go; now I really want to go. I anticipate going to Spain at some point, anyway; it's nice to be somewhere I can speak the language, and my family has friends in Valencia that have already said I'm welcome at some point during my time abroad. But Barcelona has a lot more going for it than just the language. It's right on the Mediterranean shore, it has incredible architecture (and fantastic art museums), it's both modern and historic, and, okay, it's nice and warm compared with most of Europe. Spain is one of the must-see countries on my trip anyway - Barcelona is just a primary reason for going in the first place.
3. Edinburgh
Okay, yes, J.K. Rowling lives here. It's where she wrote the Harry Potter books. I'd be lying if I said I won't be running by the Balmoral Hotel or the former Nicholson's just to get a glimpse of where my favorite works of literature came into being. However, Edinburgh is a great city in its own right, and I'm looking forward to wandering its streets and taking in its sights, like the famous Edinburgh Castle. Plus, it's Scotland, and I'd be dying to see Scotland even if I'd never read Harry Potter. Except now I'm imagining a horrible, horrible world in which I'd never read Harry Potter, so let's move on, shall we?
2. London
Just the thought of seeing London makes me giddy. I'm pretty sure the Brits at Heathrow thought I was crazy for gleefully poring over signs (I've spent the last decade of my life acquainting myself with Britishisms, so it was quite an experience to see them used in person) or getting excited about driving on the left side of the road (so weird, but exhilarating - shut up, I know I'm strange), and I wasn't even properly in London. In fact, I think this is the only time in my life I was disappointed by having a relatively short layover, because it meant I wouldn't have time to leave the airport and explore the city. As I mentioned before, though, I'm planning to take a week to entirely devote myself to visiting the UK. I've heard so much about London, and I fully intend to see as much as is humanly and financially possible for an American college student on a very limited budget. The West End, Piccadilly, Westminster, Buckingham Palace, Big Ben, and yes, King's Cross - here I come!
1. Paris
Well, of course! If I weren't on a budget, I would be off to Paris this weekend. It's probably the most-visited tourist location in the world, but there's a reason for that! Plus, I'm only an hour away by train. How can I live in France for five months and not go to Paris, really? It's a completely amazing city, and I need to visit at least once in my life. Who knows? Maybe I'll get to go twice or more!
