As the skies begin to open up after the new dark age called Coronavirus, people around the world, starved for adventures over this year and a half, begin seeking opportunities to escape their countries. And even though not every country is opened, you still can start making some kind of plans.
In this list, we’ve gathered the most interesting and friendly to Americans countries. Again, not all of them are open yet. But you still can create your own list of places to go once we get back our movement freedom. And we hope, it happens soon.
Cuba
Coming here is like moving back in time. If you really like the 50s, you’re going to love Cuba. You’ll see here cars you’ve probably never seen live, shows that remind you of old-school cabaret. The overall feeling is as if you’re back in the 50s. People here were denied of American tech, media, and franchises, so that’s another thing to savor for us overloaded with all this.
The beaches are absolutely astounding. Beautiful waters offer the most wonderful diving you can imagine. And best of all, Cuban people are friendly to Americans because up to 2016, it was a miracle of anyone from the States could make it to Cuba. Cubans are excited to share their spirit, music, family, food — everything. This is one of the friendliest nations in the world. Partially, because they were so denied of everything foreign. And, of course, the money tourists spend on Cuba definitely won’t hurt the country. By the way, stuff here is, like, really cheap.
Israel
Well, let us begin by saying that Israel has so many different things to offer that you might want to come here over and over again. Starting with the variety of local foods — which is tasty as hell — and finishing with all the sightseeing. You could go to Jerusalem and get amused by how different religions coexist in one city, visit the Wailing Wall and soak in its unique and striking spirit, walk ancient streets and get a glimpse of how the orthodox society lives.
You could go to Tel Aviv and get a completely different experience of a modern and swiftly evolving big city that’s filled with technologies and is one of the largest tech hubs in the world. Here you can enjoy all the restaurants and bars, nightclubs, theaters, and, of course, the unique mix of brutalist buildings and glass skyscrapers of Tel Aviv.
You could go to the north and enjoy lake Tiberias, Bahai Gardens in Haifa, the remains of the Roman Empire in Caesarea and Acre. You could go to the south to Eilat and enjoy viewing Egyptian and Saudi Arabian shores from the beach. In Eilat, you can savor diving and watching the beautiful waters of the Red Sea, or you could go to Timna park which is actually a desert. You can stay in Timna park overnight, by the way, since there is a hotel. After you get tired of the desert, just drive a bit further away from Eilat to Yotvata — a kibbutz that’s famous for its milk production — and enjoy local milk, ice cream, and whatnot. Going back to Eilat, stop just a bit away from Yotvata at Hai-Bar Yotvata — a small zoo where you can see local goats and some other animals.
Listing all that, we didn’t even mention all the off-roading fun here — if you like that, of course. But just driving through the country and watching nature change so rapidly as you go from the south to the north is an unforgettable experience by itself.
Georgia
A land of incredibly tasty food and wine, friendly people, beautiful nature, and unique architecture, Georgia has a lot to offer. Of course, chances are high you’ll want to indulge in eating all those delicious khachapuris and khinkalis drowning them in local wine. But we advise you to travel across Georgia, too, and enjoy all the beautiful views and warm people it has to offer. If you stop in some Georgian village and meet locals, chances are high they will make you stay at their place “at least for the night” spoiling you with hospitality, delicious homemade food, and, of course, wine. The pitfall (if you could call it that) is that most likely, it will be very hard for you to go away as the family you stay with will try to convince you to stay for longer.
Spain
Spain is another country with extremely friendly people. You’ll quite likely find yourself making new friends and boozing with them here. The relaxed lifestyle of Spanish people is easy to get used to, so true relaxation of body and mind is almost impossible to avoid in Spain. Along with tasty local food, beautiful views, and architecture, this country will definitely become one of your most vivid traveling memories.
Cyprus
This island is even more relaxed than Spain. The favorite saying of locals is “siga-siga” which means “lazily, without hurry” in the Greek language. By saying that, Cypriots mean that there is no need to rush, you can lay back and enjoy the moment. The food here is tasty, local beer and wines are fine, too. So gastronomical indulgence is quite set. To walk off everything you ate, you can wander around Cypriot cities to enjoy their quiet and calm life and beautiful blooming trees. Don’t forget to explore the beaches and ports, old cities and castles, and, of course, the nature of Cyprus. This cheap and relaxed island is a great getaway from the busy life in the American city.
Germany
It’s not just beer Germany can offer. This country is extremely diverse, and you can get a different take of German people visiting different cities. Berlin is industrial, modern, filled with often extreme nightclubs, bars, restaurants, museums, and art galleries. People here are very diverse — different nations, styles of life. Berlin became a hub for tech companies and young artistic people who want to explore themselves here. So just the capital itself will take a few weeks for you to explore completely.
Then you could go to Hamburg and get a completely different experience. This city is very gothic and beautiful. The port in Hamburg is definitely worth a visit, as well as local churches, museums, and galleries. You could also pop in Lubeck to check out its marzipan shop and indulge in sweets. Wherever you go in Germany, you’ll find unique and interesting things to do.
So let’s hope the skies open up completely very soon and we all can get back to our traveling. Plan your trips and remember to stay safe from the virus!
