My brain has been drifting off to places with palm trees & shades of blue seas.  So for when I think about beautiful beaches & turquoise waters, my mind can’t help but think of Turks & Caicos!! It is definitely a place I want to see one day, and with it only being 550 miles from Miami, it’s a little closer than some other exotic locations!

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Here are a couple maps that show Turks & Caicos in relation to Florida and then a bit closer up.

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The capital island is

The Turks and Caicos consist of 40 different islands and cays, only 8 of which are inhabited. The islands of the Turks and Caicos are almost as diverse as its people. From the main tourist center of Providenciales to the quiet and tranquil islands of North and Middle Caicos to the historic Capital Island of Grand Turk; each one offers a different experience and a unique character but all offer year round great climate, beaches and underwater activities.

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The Turks & Caicos Tourism website explains how “Providenciales is the most well known of the Turks and Caicos Islands and is the center of the tourism industry with a wide range of hotels, restaurants, attractions and facilities. Grand Turk and Salt Cay offer a glimpse into Caribbean history with great Bermudian architecture and a rustic charm as well as some of the best diving and probably the most ‘relaxing’ time you will ever have. Grand Turk is also home to a brand new cruise ship center.”  You can read more on the different islands here.

Things to do:

• Scuba Diving
• Horseback riding
• Kayak Eco-Tours
• Boat Charters, Sailing, Paddleboarding
• Off Road Jeep Tours
• Spas

Pair the activities above with plenty of time lounging on the beach (drink in hand) and eating delicious food, you’d have yourself a full vacation!

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Places to stay:

There are plenty of all-inclusive places to stay but there are also many villas that can be rented.  I’ve only ever experienced an all-inclusive on our honeymoon in Mexico and it just seems like the way to go when you don’t want to have to think about planning stuff likes meals, transporation, etc.! So I personally would lean towards an all-inclusive. I know that’s not everyone’s cup of tea however so there are other options

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Again, I have added this to my list so I hope in the future there will be follow up posts of my actual trip where I can share more. If you’ve been, share your recommendations on lodging, food, activities, etc. in the comments!!  And let me know where you are wanderlusting!!

xo,

Bess

The post Wanderlust Wednesday: Turks & Caicos appeared first on Bess Harrington Carter.

That brings me to this post…Wanderlust Wednesday.  A new component I want to really incorporate more into my blog is our travels and finding beautiful places to visit and stay and what activities to do while you’re there.  Wanderlust Wednesday will serve as my place for inspiration, to virtually tack a new spot up on my travel wish list board, so to speak.

My goal is to share a new spot with each post that is Wanderlust-worthy. If you’ve ever been to any of these places and have any recommendations or feedback please share in the comments.

To start I had to go with the place that has been on my list since I was in high school, so YES even back before I felt like I really wanted to do a lot of traveling I knew I wanted to see this place one day.  I’m sure it will come as no shock that this place is Santorini, Greece.

The whitewashed homes and buildings, the cliffs overlooking the blue waters, and the romantic vibe of the island paired with the rugged terrain is just so dreamy.

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I mean can you even believe that people LIVE there? That is what they see every day? The beauty is breathtaking.

So many of the hotels have these amazing pools and places to look out over the sea. I’ve seen some airbnb’s in my research that do too!  So that’s always an option.

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Here is a map of Santorini:

The island is shaped like a wonky croissant, and the neighbouring islets hint at the fact that Santorini was once circular; it was known as Strongili (the Round One). Thousands of years ago a colossal volcanic eruption caused the centre of Strongili to sink, leaving a caldera (or crater) with towering cliffs along the east side – now Santorini’s trademark landscape. -(source)

After researching on the internet for a bit, I have a few things I know I would want to do.  These are just my starting points! If you’ve been and I’m missing a must-do activity, let me know!

• Hike the Caldera Path
• A Catamaran Sailing Trip
• Go do wine tastings at wineries & visit the Santorini Brewing Company
• Relax and watch a sunset over the cliffs
• Visit one (or more) of the beaches

Places to stay:

I’ve heard and read that Fira and Imerovigli are the places to stay if you like to be close to more touristy spots and more of the hustle and bustle of what’s going on.  Fira is the island’s capital and Imerovigli is about a half-hour walk away and located at the highest point of the caldera.  If you want to be further away, Oia seems the place for you.  This is also the place that heralds the most attention for its sunsets, however I can’t image any place on Santorini could produce a bad sunset.

It is with great hope that I can write a second installment to my Santorini Wanderlust post…one that covers the locations I’ve done heavy research on where to stay, where to eat, etc. And then hopefully a third where I recap the trip I’ve actually been on

Would love any tips or advice if you’ve been!!

What place is on your Wanderlust list?

xo,

Bess

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