From: Shekhar Niyogi

Dream Destinations   

Posted On Friday, July 15, 2011

Choose to go off the beaten track by travelling to exotic locales and create memories for a lifetime...

Travel can be exciting if you venture off the beaten track. Many destinations offer incredible experiences that are not commonly known or discussed. Here are a few that will remain indelible in your memory through a lifetime.

Sardinia, Italy
From white sand beaches and turquoise-and-emerald seas to charismatic towns, forested valleys and storybook harbours, one of the beauties of holidays in Sardinia, the island off the south-west coast of Italy, is the sheer variety on offer that characterises the food, with trattoria menus bulging with everything from fish and seafood to home-made pizzas, mouth-watering pastries and fruity wines.
* Flights from Rome, Naples and other smaller cities.
* Shengen visa
* Best time to visit: June - September

Maldives
Picture paradise and it'll probably look a lot like the Maldives. It's made up of more than a thousand coral islands, all of which serve up white sandy beaches, turquoise waters and swaying palms. And the fact you'll probably arrive by either speedboat or seaplane, just adds to the appeal.
Accommodation aside, water sports are big news in these parts – especially scuba diving and snorkelling.
* Best time to visit: round the year
* Visa on arrival for Indians

Greek Islands
They say that opposites attract. The Greek islands of Mykonos and Santorini are no exception to this rule. Romantic and seductive Santorini and vibrant and lively Mykonos are a match made in heaven, the perfect combination for your dream honeymoon. A plethora of beaches offers something for everyone.  For beautiful sandy beaches, head to the Southern coast.  For celeb spotting, head to Psarou just South of Mykonos town. Hate the crowds? Head to Agios Sostis and Panormos.  Crowd lover?  The infamous Paradise and Super Paradise beach are where the party happens throughout the day and long into the night. 

* Cruises or flights from Athens
* Schengen visa
* Best time to visit: May-June, September-October

Bilboa, Spain
Beginning in Bilbao and ending in Madrid, you’ll be transported to a refined world of artisan vineyards, underground cellars, the Wine Culture Museum, Michelin-starred restaurants, and Gothic architecture. Yes, there's the sun, sea, sand combo and there's the charm - and glorious seafood - of the medieval villages and acres of vineyards of La Rioja and the elegant hotels along the sweeping bay of San Sebastián, where tapas have been elevated to an art form. Nearby, there's reinvented Bilbao, home to Frank Gehry's masterpiece Guggenheim Museum.

* By road or train from Barcelona.
* Best time to visit: round the year
* Shengen visa

Tuscany, Italy
Undoubtedly the most romantic region of Italy. Drive the winding roads through wheat fields specked with red poppies, and as you hit the rise you spy in the distance a golden house of rough stone sitting on the crest of a hill and guarded by the quintessential line of cypress trees. This, truly, is the beauty of Tuscany.
Tuscany is home to Florence, Siena and Pisa. As three principal cities in Italy's past, a wealth of medieval and Renaissance culture, from art to architecture, is around every corner. The coast offers some pretty harbour towns for a low key day out, and the entire region is dotted with thermal springs.
* Best time is May-October
* Schengen visa
* Stay at some wineries and bio-organic farms are excellent

(Niyogi is a tourism consultant and freelance journalist)