I've been to Europe twice, once as a naive, wide-eyed 18-year old in November 2000 and the other time as a naive, wide-eyed newlywed in May-June 2009. As you can tell from the map, I have seen about .000000001% of Europe.

 

The first trip was actually a pilgrimage with fellow parishioners from my church, most of whom were four times my age and could have been my grandparents. Nevertheless, it was a dynamic experience, being thrown headlong into the streets of Lisbon after a nearly-sleepless night on the airplane. We saw some truly inspirational churches in places ranging from the small town of Fatima to the walled fortress of Avila, to Sacre Coeur and Notre Dame in the City of Lights. It was 10 measly days, but the value of new perspectives was incalculable.

 

Trip number two was a dream honeymoon combining the very best of the lemon-scented Amalfi Coast, frantic Rome, and a week-plus in raw, sun-scorched Sicily. My goal to get back for European tour #3 by my 40th birthday is largely subject to the status of COVID in a couple years' time. 

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Highest on my European bucket list are as follows:

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1) Switzerland/Northern Italy

2) United Kingdom (especially Scotland)

3) Slovenia/Croatia

4) Norway

5) Czech/Slovak Republics