This place is special to me because my girlfriend and I visited the island during a milestone birthday. It was my first time visiting the Keys and I was blown away by the lush trees and flowers, the intriguing history, the abundant sunshine, tropical birds and marine life...and the delicious fish and fritters! There's simply no better place to celebrate a birthday, Key West is truly a paradise! This map is now a cherished keepsake of my vacation, but it can also be used as a guide for anyone planning their first-time visit!

Northern Öland, an island and a county in the south of Sweden, is one of my happy places. My family and I have spent almost ten years in a row there now, it was love at first sight. It's the garden, the cottages, the barns, the beaches, the sea, the landscape ... Evening bike rides between corn fields, or getting fresh cranberry scones from the bakery in the mornings, our dog trying to "rescue" all of us as we swim and play in the sea. Whenever the gray northern weather strikes, I imagine myself walking on the beach, sun set and the sound of the waves.

The golden deer is the symbol of the flag of Öland, and nightingale is the county's animal. The small island just outside of Öland, called The Blue Maiden, is thought to be a magic place in Swedish folklore, it's where the witches were believed to meet up ...

This place is special to me because of many reasons. When I first visited Cyprus a couple of years ago I couldn't imagine how many changes this trip will bring into my life. I was so inspired by nature and beautifully hidden villages of the island, that right upon my returning home I started to draw... after many years of telling myself it was too late to start. Now I think Cyprus is a real heaven for any artist and is worth visiting at least once in a lifetime. This island is a mix of all best things you can see on Greek land and can sometimes even offer some extra bonuses :) On this map I tried to show my favorite places near Limassol, the places I love to return to and the places I can recommend to everyone, who's visiting the island for the first time.

Our vacation spot where we suspend reality to relax, indulge, and let go. Our favorite spots are Bread and Roses for breakfast, lunch, and a late afternoon coffee jolt (laying on the beach is hard work). After dinner we head to the Front Porch to hear the piano man and theater lovers belt out showtunes. We'll catch musical theater at the Ogunquit Playhouse. We'll take leisurely walks along Marginal Way (it's better than a treadmill and the view of the seemingly endless ocean is calming). When rains comes we hangout in our rental cottage to read, watch mindless TV, and nap.

This place is special to me because...it’s isolated, you can only reach it by airplane or boat, and it’s sorrounded by salty seas, a hidden gem in the Gulf if St. Lawrence. There are over 300kms of white sandy beach to explore, the biggest skies you’ll ever see, often dancing with colourful kites, because of all the wind! There’s history, great seafood, artisans, and the most spectacular views. You can walk for hours on a beach and never see another soul, or you can go cave-surfing, kayaking or just chill. The moment I set foot on this archipelago it stole my heart, I actually cried when it was time to leave. I bought a charm of the islands, and it hangs around my neck everyday, to remind me of the “bliss” I found here, on the “Maggie’s”.

Summers day spent at surfers paradise where we spent the holidays on the beach and visiting the theme parks - Gold Coast Australia.

This place is special to me because...it’s isolated, and there are 300kms of white sandy beach to explore, and the only way to get here is by airplane or boat! It’s windswept, the big skies are often filled with colourful kites from the kite-boarders. You can walk for hours on a beach and not see another soul, the food is great, the people are friendly, the vistas are amazing, lots of history to explore, and amazing artisans to visit, what’s not to love? I cried when i had to leave, the Maggie’s stole my heart, so much so, I wear a silver charm of this beautiful archipelago around my neck to remind me everyday of our wonderful time there💜

This place is special to me because of its importance in the history of Greece, its glorious nautical past that can still be glimpsed through the old houses and monuments. It’s the birthplace of famous sea-captains and heroes of the war for independence. It also has the best sweets made of almonds and orange blossom water ever. It’s one of my favourite places in the world :-)

This place is special because talks to me about the mediterranean people and our way of life. Sometimes it’s and easy path through the trees, the most quiet place on earth and it’s all calm and peace of mind. Sometimes it’s narrow and hard and climb it’s a tough thing. This is a strange windy brave coast, with only a few small beaches to get some rest, but it’s worthy to do the walk and celebrate every stop with some fresh good food and nice chat around the table. Enjoy the way!

I live in a beautiful coastal town on the east coast of Australia, 4 hours north of Sydney. There are lots of walks and places to see amazing native vegetation in the surrounding areas but my favourite is the one that follows the coast, and in the right time of the year you can even spot the annual whale migration.

This place is special to me because it is where i spent my childhood summers, at my grandparents’ house. Bueu is a charming fishing village where you can eat the best seafood, octopus, fish... and spend the day at any of its beautiful beaches! Worth the visit just for that sea breeze in any corner. (Sorry for my English...)

Map illustrating Southwest France

This place is special to me because, in the words of beloved broadcaster and naturalist, David Attenborough, "it's a place so extraordinary it is almost unbelievable". Only two hours after boarding a small plane in Sydney, myself, on of my closest friend and her lovely mum landed on Lord Howe Island and what I can only describe as absolute paradise. It is home to only 350 residents, up to 400 tourists and an abundance of animals, plants and sea life, many of which are endemic to the island. With virtually no cars, no keys to your accomodation, and no mobile reception or internet coverage it is the place to come and completely recharge your batteries and soak in the natural environment. Surrounding Lord Howe is the world’s most southern coral reef, and it only takes 5 minutes to get there from the shore. I’ve never seen such vibrant coral and abundance of tropical and sub-tropical fish, turtles, sting rays and dolphins. The rest of the time was spent hiking through the unspoilt forest and mountains, kayaking, cycling, watching the abundant bird life and eating the freshest fish I’d had in ages. There was no need to deprive ourselves of all modern day privileges though. Fine dining was only down the road at a nearby retreat as was a massage for those tired muscles. I feel so privileged to have experienced this World Heritage listed piece of heaven and hope to take my son one day before it too disappears (I might need to save up for the airfare though!). Despite the island’s conservation efforts, last summer was the worst coral bleaching seen due to warmer ocean temperatures. It would be a real tragedy to lose this unique haven.

This place is special to me because it’s where my husband and I got married on the beach 8 years ago.

This place is special to me because it's where we go on vacation every summer to visit my mother-in-law, who moved to the town of Carvoeiro over 20 years ago. Drawing this map, I kept thinking of all the wonderful reasons I love it here. The rocky cove beaches, the amazing azulejos (tiles) covering the outsides of buildings and insides of churches, delicious fresh fish (grilled sardines!), the scent of eucalyptus trees up on Monchique, where you can refill your water bottle directly from the spring, the beautiful doors everywhere, the crystalline turquoise water and deep blue skies, the curious cork trees halfway stripped of their bark, (and shops that sell everything made of cork), the dolphin sightings, the delicious pastry called pastel de nata (custard cups...think flan pie!), the fabulous soaps I bring back, the hill towns and medieval castles. The soulful fado singing. The fields of crooked almond trees, and almond liqueur. The piri-piri hot sauce that I'm obsessed with! A million stars pinned against a clear black night sky. Sooooo many good things. My daughter took her first steps and went to her first beach here, on Praia Grande. The weather is always sunny and perfect, and each time we go it's a combination of visiting all of our favorite places (like Porches, for pottery) and trying new ones. One time we drove to Sagres which is the most southwestern point in Portugal. You can walk out to the tip of the cape, atop tall vertical cliffs, surrounded by water on 3 sides. The place is magical and really feels like the edge of the world. A nearby beach made of smooth black rocks is a good place to watch surfers. The people in the Algarve are so friendly and welcoming, it really is an easy place to just be. By the end of our visit we always realize how this place has taught us to slow down and relax.