Happy Thursday Hidden Gem Travel community! What a crazy few weeks it’s been in travel land from the airline meltdown to record-breaking crowds across Europe. Requests for 2025 trips have been brisk, so be sure to reach out to me soon to get the planning process started. I’ve had to turn away helping people with last minute trips this year as much of Europe is booked through mid-October.
Italy PSA: 2025 is a Jubilee Year, or Holy Year, that is a once-every-25-year event that takes place in Rome and Vatican City, beginning at Christmas 2024 and ending at Epiphany 2026. As such, Rome and the main tourist sights will be more crowded than ever (and prices will be high due to demand). If Italy is on your wish list for next year, reach out to me to get the full scoop on the situation.
Onto the topic of this newsletter, I’m excited to share with you that I’m preparing for my next international trip this fall. It’s a BIG TRIP and has been in the planning stages for a while. This newsletter is a teaser… for fun you can try to guess where I’m going. You’ll find out closer to my trip if your guess was right!
Read on for the scoop on three destinations which may (or not) be my next international, ‘bleisure’ trip…
Japan??
I send many clients to Japan. In fact, Japan is experiencing a huge boom from American travelers which makes booking months in advance a necessity.
Here’s an excerpt from one of many newsletters covering Japan…
Your journey through Japan begins with the history and religions that shape its culture and values. Take a private tour of old Tokyo, visit the Geisha district, walk through the Yanaka neighborhood, and step inside the Senso-Ji Temple. Explore the ancient shrine complex located in the sacred hills of Nikko National Park. On a guided bike tour, travel to Kyoto and discover the old city’s ancient temples and shrines. Experience an exclusive Japanese tea ceremony while learning about Zen Buddhism.
Interested in a deeper dive? Learn the Kagura Dance at a mountain Shrine. Accompanied by a shrine priestess, board a cable car and travel to Ohyama Afuri Jinja Shrine, an ornate sanctuary within the mountain that is 2,000 years old. Attend formal worship conducted by a shrine priest before delighting in a rare rendition of Kagura, a style of Shinto dance performed by the priestess. Afterward, head to Saryo Sekison, a café adjacent to the shrine. Behold one of Japan’s most spectacular night views while relishing sparkling sake from a nearby brewery and delicacies made from locally produced ingredients.
Argentina ??
For lovers of Europe (and readers know I send MANY clients all over Europe), Buenos Aires is the South American city that’s a winner. In fact, it’s a great destination dupe for Europe for those who would prefer to avoid the crowds – or try something new.
I wrote about Buenos Aires in a recent newsletter. Here’s an except…
Buenos Aires – Three Highlights
1. Explore diverse Palermo and colorful La Boca districts.
Palermo is divided into smaller areas each with their own personality. The ‘posh’ areas have designer boutiques, gorgeous restaurants, and nightlife. You can also stroll the Carlos Thays Botanical Garden in Palermo, and there’s green space for biking and open air concerts in the summer (our winter).
In contrast, La Boca is a vibrant area with colorful murals and buildings. Travelers can dine in fantastic steak houses, pasta restaurants and see tango shows – all fun!
2. Wander around Recoleta Cemetery
Like Paris’s Père Lachaise, Recoleta isn’t what you might consider a typical cemetery. You’ll stroll through a maze of graves and mausoleums of the rich, famous, and powerful of Argentina, including the tomb of famous first lady Eva Perón. Remember the broadway show Evita by Andrew Lloyd Webber?
3. Watch and Learn: Tango
Buenos Aires is the birthplace of tango, and live tango performances can be seen across the city. The soulful music and intricate footwork make for a unique cultural experience. It’s a passionate dance that’s a must-see experience; if you love to dance, I can arrange a private lesson for you!
💎Hidden Gem Tip: Consider an ocean cruise that begins or ends in Buenos Aires. You can check off a few South American countries in one trip, and I can custom design a pre or post itinerary for you in Argentina.
New Zealand??
Whether you love the great outdoors (and adventure), delicious wine, Lord of the Rings (and set-jetting), or unique Maori culture, New Zealand is a must-travel destination. Those of you who know me, I’ve been to Australia twice so is it now time to explore the land of the Kiwis?
Believe it or not I haven’t covered New Zealand in a newsletter – I’m actually surprised myself when I realized it. That said, for many of my clients, New Zealand should be on their travel bucket list and for some combined with Australia.
Here is a teaser from my preferred partner for New Zealand:
Discover some of New Zealand’s most scenic sights on this 12-day highlights itinerary. Auckland is a great start to your New Zealand journey, with a half day highlights tour and time to discover the city of sails at your own pace. Next head to Rotorua where you will see the natural and man-made wonders of this geothermal wonderland, before flying to New Zealand’s adventure capital, Queenstown. A trip to the majestic Milford Sound and a thrilling jetboat ride later, you are off to explore the glaciers and forests of the rugged West Coast. Last stop is the Garden city of Christchurch, with a dolphin watching cruise at Akaroa. Add in some wine tasting and unique, gorgeous hotels, and your trip is unforgettable! Families and set-jetters will love the Lord of the Rings sights and more famous locations.
What’s Your Guess?
If you’d like to hop over to the Hidden Gem Travel LinkedIn, Instagram, or Facebook pages and post a guess as to where I’m going next, you can do so through the links below. In the meantime, hit follow if you’re not already doing so.
And I’m always planning ahead, so the top guess may be where I’ll go in 2025 to check out in time for your trip …
Hidden Gem Travel social media pages:
LinkedIn: https://www.linkedin.com/company/51113592
Instagram: https://www.instagram.com/hidden.gem.travel/
Facebook: https://www.facebook.com/hiddengemtravelconsulting
Inspired? Reach out to me now to get your questions answered and begin the planning process.
Wishing you amazing travel adventures, Susan
NEW Section: Travel News You Can Use
💎 Hidden Gem Tip: JFK Improvements
If you fly internationally out of or through JFK (John F. Kennedy) airport in New York City, you may be aware that there is a lot of construction happening. Specifically, they are building two state-of-the-art terminals which will be numbers 1 and 6. The targeted opening dates are in 2026.
SAS (Scandinavian airline) and Cathay Pacific are two airlines that will have a major presence in these new terminals. I’m all in favor of anything that improves one of the least pleasant aspect of travel!
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Hidden Gem Travel Consulting was founded by Susan Wilson. After decades of traveling the world and working for Fortune 50 companies and global nonprofits, she opened her own travel business which is affiliated with Virtuoso – the leading global network of agencies specializing in luxury and experiential travel.
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