GORDON RAMSAY RECIPES

The Lonely Planet has compiled the list of the best travel destinations for 2020: among the green, exotic and cultural destinations, the Marche region also appears

The 2019 is about to end and, while the sums are drawn on the past year, we begin to plan trips and adventures for the next. It is not by chance that it is in this period that on the site of the famous travel guide Lonely Planet the list of the best travel destinations or, better, of the is published lesser-known or tourist places to discover or re-evaluate. Among the suggestions for the 2020, divided according to different categories including best country, city and region, we find exotic, cultural or zero-impact destinations, tourist-less locations to be re-evaluated or reachable thanks to new air connections and finally cities that will host important events. Surprisingly, Italy is also given a place of honor, as the Marche region ranks second among the recommended regions.

The best countries to travel in 2020

Bhutan, England, Northern Macedonia, Aruba, eSwatini, Costa Rica, Netherlands, Liberia, Morocco, Uruguay.

Guru Padmasambhava Lhuntse, Bhutan (@Destinations 2020 travel countries).

The first of the recommended countries is the Bhutan, a pristine gem of the eastern Himalayas, bordering with India and Tibet but less known and less touristy. This small state of rare naturalistic beauty, whose 60% of the territory is covered with forests, was already noted two years ago for having been elected "happiest country in the world", as well as for being a unique eco-sustainable example for a long time in the world. The guide Lonely Planet remember, however, that the national policy based on "high value, minimal environmental impact" includes a daily tax that tourists must pay to obtain a visa and to visit the country.

In second place we find England and, in particular, theEngland Coast Past, the long-awaited National Trail coastal route that will be completed in 2020 and that with its 5000 kilometers it will be the longest in the world. Thanks to this railway section it will be possible to easily explore the extraordinary and picturesque English coast, between wild and rural stretches, castles and characteristic villages.

There Lonely Planet then suggests to consider a trip to Macedonia, Balkan country still unexplored, but from next year more accessible thanks to the inauguration of new flight routes; among the recommended excursions, the one to Lake Ohrid, one of the oldest in the world, as well as a day of trekking along the High Scardus Trail.

The best cities to travel in 2020

Salzburg (Austria), Washington D.C. (USA), Cairo (Egypt), Galway (Ireland), Bonn (Germany), La Paz (Bolivia), Kochi (India), Vancouver (Canada), Dubai (Uae) Denver (USA).

Salzburg, Austria (@mete viaggio 2020 città, flickr, Robero Ferrari).

The most recommended city for 2020 is Salzburg, which this year is preparing to celebrate the centenary of the Salzburg Festival, one of the most prestigious and famous opera and classical music events in the world; provided an exceptional poster with prominent names and titles such as Elektra and Don Giovanni.
Another centenary that, according to Lonely Planet, deserves a trip next year is what will take place in Washington D.C. in the United States, and that of the 19th amendment: to celebrate the anniversary of the law granting women the right to vote in fact, there are special exhibitions and events. In third place in the ranking of the cities to visit there is Cairo, in Egypt, where, after so many years of waiting, the doors will finally open on Great Egyptian Museum (GEM), a museum complex of almost 500 thousand square meters that will host thousands of archaeological finds.

The best regions to travel to in 2020

Via della Seta (Central Asian), Marche (Italy), Tōhoku (Japan), Maine (Usa), Lord Howe Island (Australia), Guizhou Province (China), Cadiz Province (Spain), Northeast (Argentina), Kvarner Gulf ( Croatia), Amazonia (Brazil).

Uzbekistan, Silk Road (@ Regions travel destinations 2020).

The region of the world at the top of the "Best-in-travel" of the Lonely Planet and the Central Asia Silk Road, an ideal tour through countries such as Kyrgyzstan, Tajikistan and Uzbekistan, rich in history and tradition. From 2020, in fact, this itinerary will be made even more accessible thanks to the decision of Uzbekistan to introduce a new system of electronic visas as well as a visa-free transit regime for short stays.
In second place there are the Marche, of which the Australian guide praises the sea as much as the countryside, the suggestive medieval hilltop villages, the splendid Renaissance palaces, festivals and festivals that promote regional cuisine; as if that were not enough, in 2020, the "picturesque city of Urbino" is preparing to celebrate the 500th anniversary of Raphael's death.

La Rocca di Offagna, Ancona, Marche, Italy (@Wikipedia).

In third place we find the Japanese region Tōhoku, unfortunately known above all for the damages suffered due to the tsunami and the earthquake of 2011. This region, which is slowly flowering again, now offers excellent tourist facilities and can be reached within a few hours by train from the capital. There Lonely Planet, on the occasion of the Summer Olympics to be held in Tokyo next year, therefore suggests an "escape" to the discovery of this country, to admire its authentic lifestyle, the breathtaking landscapes, the ancient traditions and the evocative sacred temples.

Opening photo: Bhutan travel destinations 2020

Lonely Planet chooses the Marche as the best destination of 2020, second only to the "Silk Road" in Central Asia. Among art, nature and good food here are some tips on what to visit and what to eat

The famous guide Lonely Planet has included an Italian region among the best destinations of 2020, in the ranking Best in travel 2020 – Top ten regions. The only one that declines its name in the plural, but perhaps also one of the least known: le Marche. According to the team of the Australian publishing house it is the second best destination after the "Silk Road" in Central Asia. But if the name of this region does not remind you of anything so striking in terms of tourism, it will suffice to mention a few key points: it is the first Italian region for longevity and life expectancy at birth, with one of the highest incidences of organic farming compared to the total of agricultural production. A treasure chest of culture that is expressed in over one hundred secular theaters, including the beautiful Sferisterio of Macerata; city-castle surrounded by intact medieval walls (Jesi), Renaissance artistic capitals such as Urbino, elegant squares decorated with marble (Ascoli Piceno) and natural wonders like the Frasassi Caves. And then the Cònero, the only mountainous promontory on the shore of the central Adriatic sea, which contains Caribbean sceneries such as the beach of Two sisters, reachable only by sea. The Marches are also famous for fashion: the shoes of the Fermo and Macerata district and the hats made in Montappone. Or, again, religious tourism, with Loreto the Marian capital, where its sanctuary is a pilgrimage destination from all over Europe. Visiting this region requires a good deal of curiosity and an aptitude for research. The most suggestive places are precisely sought after and to be fully enjoyed the best thing would be to rent a car. In this way it is possible to cross roads that lead from the sea to the high mountains, passing between campaigns that are designed as mosaics. Without losing the secondary streets, which are often the most beautiful.

The kitchen is "at home"

The cuisine of the Marche is a cuisine linked to the share-making and popular tradition. Doses "by eye", as taught by the experience of the "vergare", the true matriarchs of peasants, and great attention to homemade pasta. From these assumptions, fishing in the inland products, the menus of the great Italian chefs were born, such as Mauro Uliassi is Moreno Cedroni, both fellow citizens of that Senigallia with its velvet beach, the real capital of today's great author cuisine.

Things to eat (and drink) absolutely in the Marche

Ascoli olives

Olives stuffed with meat wrapped in a crunchy breading whose recipe dates back to 1800. The preparation takes several hours and in Ascoli Piceno each family has its own version. The differences come from the choice of meat, from the use of spices or lemon, from breading and, of course, from the type of olive. Traditionally they are made with the "tenera Ascolana", one of the three Italian PDOs, but the production is particularly limited. To be enjoyed as street food or in the Italian mixed appetizer, ubiquitous in the menus of the restaurants of the region.

Il Ciauscolo

The Marche salami par excellence; spreadable, made with a mixture of pork, and worked with garlic and white wine. The Marches, against any territorial rivalry, are proud of it.

The Vincisgrassi

The ancient lasagna of the Marche countryside. Seven layers of pasta rolled by hand, dipped in homemade béchamel and an old-style ragù, where the flavor of the regattas dominates. It is the dish of Sunday, that of the grandmother. Born between Ancona and Macerata at the end of the eighteenth century.

The wild "moscioli" of Portonovo

The moscioli are “wild” mussels and are the gastronomic symbol of one of the most beautiful bays in the Adriatic, in the municipality of Ancona in the Parco del monte Cònero. On beaches with white pebbles as big as eggs, bordered by Mediterranean vegetation, gourmet kiosks are hidden amidst the scent of juniper and arbutus.

Fish soup: the sailors' soup

The brodetto was born as a poor dish, from the need to also use the fish less demanded by the market, less valuable and in small quantities, first of all by the sailors, who cooked it on board, with the few ingredients they had available.

The prized white truffle of Acqualagna

In autumn you should miss a white truffle truffle from Acqualagna. In the north of the Marche, but also on the entire Apennine ridge, it is possible to eat this delicious tuber. To taste with homemade tagliatelle, or in a simpler omelette, at the restaurant like at home.

The Verdicchio dei Castelli di Jesi and the unmissable reds

The most awarded wine in Italy. A white that behaves like a red and whose versatility is combined with both fish and meat. A leading wine for seafood cuisine, it has improved over the years and is exported all over the world. A particularly prized wine, as a limited edition is the Lacrima di Morro d’Alba, the red that smells of rose, and the Vernaccia di Serrapetrona, red sparkling wine particularly suitable for cold cuts or desserts.

Tag: destinations

The ideal travel destinations for 2020 according to Lonely Planet – Italian Cuisine