1,000 PLACES TO SEE BEFORE YOU DIE – book review and giveaway!
Posted on 17. Jul, 2012 by Jess in Product Reviews
***This competition is now closed***
Back in London, long before we set off on our journey as full-time travelers, I bought Jess the book 1,000 places to see before you die. We had been together for a few years already, and one of the things we shared from the beginning was a passion for travel. Even as poor students, we would scrape some money together and explore Europe, using budget airlines and every long weekend available.
I loved looking longingly into the pages of the book, ticking off places that we had visited and dreaming about where we would go in the future. Even though we traveled every chance we got, we just barely reached 50 places. With 950 places left, I wondered to myself how we were ever going to see all of them.
Fast forward a few years and we have now been traveling full-time for over 800 days. Long gone are ‘vacations’ reserved for a few weeks a year as an escape from our corporate lives. Just when we are able make a much bigger dent in this tome of a checklist…of course now Patricia Schultz has gone and put out a second edition with even MORE places to see!! 
There have been some definite improvements in this edition. The book is now in color, and includes some of our favorite spots we felt needed to be in there – like all of Nicaragua. By merging places that were formerly divided in single destinations, author Patricia Schultz was able to add over 200 new places, including 28 entirely new countries. Easy to navigate, 1,000 Places is clearly divided into logical geographical sections, starting with Europe. Next up is Africa, a section which includes islands in the Indian Ocean, like our personal dream destination: the Maldives.
Next is the Middle East, a chapter filled with places we have not touched at all yet, then Asia, and on to Australia, New Zealand and the islands in the Pacific, followed by the U.S. and Canada, Latin America and finally the island paradises of the Caribbean.
You’ll find classic ‘Must-See’ destinations such as the Vatican, Machu Picchu, the Pyramids of Giza or the Great Wall, but also lesser known destinations such as Panama’s San Blas islands, Chicago’s Art Institute, the Gower Peninsula in Wales or Ottawa’s Rideau Canal (all of these lesser-knowns, except for San Blas, we have seen). There are even many places in my home country of Germany that I had never considered visiting or even heard of before owning to the book!
1,000 Places to See Before You Die is as practical as it is aspirational. If you fall in love with the idea of visiting somewhere, the logistics of actually getting there are well detailed: how to get there, where to stay (including prices), when is the best time to visit (some destinations are recommended for certain festivals), how much a tour or excursion costs and a link to a website for up-to-date information.
Of course nobody is expected to visit all 1,000 places in the book (although there are some people out there who use this as their traveler’s life list and try to visit all of them). We’ve only been to 140 in total – despite traveling 365 days a year for over two years!
Seriously, though, 1,000 Places to See Before You Die
Patricia Schultz doesn’t only share our passion for travel, in general. She also shares our thoughts on why people should travel:
I think travel makes you a better person and a more aware global citizen. I know that I cherish it as a privilege and a gift – it lifts me up, lightens me, expands me. Most important, and most simply, travel brings us joy.
If you are looking to start your own bucket list of places to see before you die, we are offering three copies of the book to our readers which could serve as a source of inspiration!
Win a copy of the 1,000 Places to See Before You Die!
We are holding the contest via Rafflecopter which will randomly select three winners who will get their own copy of the book. Increase your chances of winning with multiple entries:
- Leave a comment on this post with THE ONE place you have to see before you die (mandatory)
- Join the discussion on our Facebook Page about your number one dream destination (optional)
- Spreading the word about the contest by sharing it on Twitter (optional)
- Liking our Globetrottergirls Facebook Page (optional)
- Liking this post on Facebook (optional)
The contest will run until 31 July and we will notify the winners via email.
We are ending with another great quote from the book, another one that we couldn’t agree more with:
If you’re waiting for a special occasion to make your next trip happen, then consider this the day you get off the couch and head for the airport, that’s the special occasion.
Share your #1 place to see before you die in the comments for a chance to win one copy of the latest edition of ‘1,000 places to see before you die’!
***This competition is now closed***
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100 Responses to “1,000 PLACES TO SEE BEFORE YOU DIE – book review and giveaway!”
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We are Dani and Jess, a German-American lesbian couple who decided semi-spontaneously to take our work on the road and travel the world in April 2010. Digital Nomads, Street Food Junkies, House-sitters, Vegetarians, Street Art & Photography Lovers, Hotel Enthusiasts. Find out more about us here
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Ling
22. Jul, 2012
New York City Times Square & one of the famous Pride Parade =)
Louise
22. Jul, 2012
I want to go to Rome and The Vatican
Bret @ Green Global Travel
22. Jul, 2012
Kenya/Tanzania is the #1 place on my wish list, but I don’t think I want to win this book. I already have too much envy from reading other travel bloggers’ posts on places they’ve been that we desperately want to go (Antarctica, Belize, Greece, Turkey, Fiji… the list is endless). But I do hope that our World Travel Bucket List series can eventually evolve into a collection like this, offering a compendium of dreams for eco-conscious travelers.
Bret @ Green Global Travel recently posted..10 Eco-Friendly European Islands For Your World Travel Bucket List
Liz
22. Jul, 2012
Just one place?!?! That’s tough. I guess the #1 place that I absolutely must see before I die is Nepal. Yup, the whole country. If I must narrow it down, Mt. Everest
Liz recently posted..My Bold New Plan
Laurence
23. Jul, 2012
The Grand Canyon. Supposedly it makes every other gorge seem a bit weak, so I want to see it as the very last thing I do!
Laurence recently posted..Top tips for surviving a European city in summer
NICKY
23. Jul, 2012
There are so many places i would love to see but i think no 1 would be HongKong. Both my husband and father had visited and said it was breathtaking with so many contrasts.
Bohemian Trails
23. Jul, 2012
I remember looking through this book years ago, before I every traveled anywhere. There are so many places I still want to see but right now I’m dreaming of Morocco
Bohemian Trails recently posted..Highlights from Finland
Lauren Rains
23. Jul, 2012
I want to eat drink wine, eat cheese, and consume pasta and bread all the way through Italy before I die!
Lauren Rains recently posted..The Groundbreaker Roundtables: The Slaying Of Inner-Dragons
R.J. Archer
23. Jul, 2012
I’ve written about Andros Island, The Bahamas, in 4 of my 6 novels but I haven’t personally been there yet. This spot is definitely on my bucket list!
Bobbi Lee Hitchon
24. Jul, 2012
Great giveaway. I didn’t realize they published a new edition. I gave my dad a copy of the last one, three Christmases ago, before I went on my big trip. I remember looking through and wondering how many of the places featured I would get to go to. It was even more fun going home last year and checking off all the places I’ve been. I need my own copy. It’s a great book for all travelers!
Bobbi Lee Hitchon recently posted..Celebrating one year in New Zealand
Izy Berry
24. Jul, 2012
I’m in LOVE with that quote. It’s really awesome, thanks for sharing!
Izy Berry recently posted..Places I’ve been
Cole @ Four Jandals
24. Jul, 2012
Definitely going to get my hands on this book! Looks like a great resource. Antarctica is my dream place to visit!
Cole @ Four Jandals recently posted..Finding a lost love in San Sebastian
Marija
24. Jul, 2012
There are so many places I would love to visit! But the ONE place I must visit, is Rio de Janeiro.
Jeremy Branham
24. Jul, 2012
I love the idea of the book. However, 1,000 places is a lot. That’s almost 3 years if you spend just one day in each place. Most people won’t be able to do this but it’s quite a goal to have.
For me, I would love this book just to enjoy learning about these places. I enjoy reading about the history and culture just for fun. I am sure I would learn a lot.
Jeremy Branham recently posted..Penn State football, the Summer Olympics, and the state of our world
crazy sexy fun traveler
24. Jul, 2012
Hm 1 place only is VERY tough, I could easily name 1,000 places I want to visit before I die
But if it is just one, then it has to be Antarctica
crazy sexy fun traveler recently posted..MAGICAL VIEWS FROM THE EMPIRE STATE BUILDING
Camella K
24. Jul, 2012
The one place I have to get to before I die is The Great Barrier Reef. I think diving there would be a dream come true!
emily s.
24. Jul, 2012
the one place i want to see before i die is vietnam.
Marissa
24. Jul, 2012
Definitely want to visit many more places in my lifetime, but I have always dreamed of heading to the south pacific.. cook islands perhaps?
Dave
24. Jul, 2012
Going big here and saying the one place I want to see before I die is Antarctica.
Dave recently posted..Are Upgrades Worth It?
Kim P.
24. Jul, 2012
I must visit the Maldives before I die!
killerfillers
25. Jul, 2012
there so many great places to visit – Brazil and Peru are in my list.
killerfillers recently posted..Macau: City of Blinding Lights
Turtle
25. Jul, 2012
Antarctica is top of my list. Fingers crossed it happens in the next couple of years! (Probably got more chance of getting there than winning a copy of the book, considering how many comments you’ve had!)
Turtle recently posted..Getting in touch with the Greek statues
Lisa
25. Jul, 2012
There are lots of places on my list.. but the one at the top would be Easter Island!
Michelle
25. Jul, 2012
I need to see Japan and Greece before I die! And Africa! Too many places to say. : )
Samantha Remington
25. Jul, 2012
Would love to visit Israel.
Kristal C
26. Jul, 2012
I live in New Zealand but am traveling overseas to live for a while in Bangkok and may not return to NZ for a number of years. The place that i haven’t visited yet but want to do before I die is the beautiful south island of New Zealand.
Katie
26. Jul, 2012
i have to travel around south east asia before i die! hopefully sooner rather then later!!
Basha
26. Jul, 2012
Can’t pick just one so I’ll settle on any place I haven’t been too before (outside the North and South America).
Diana Edelman
27. Jul, 2012
I want to go to the Arctic Circle …
Diana Edelman recently posted..Why I will never be a T-Mobile customer again: a photo essay
Mindy
27. Jul, 2012
I want to hike the Inca Trail up to Machu Picchu in Peru, and see the sunrise over the ruins. Perhaps this will be done when my wife and I do our “Americas” tour where we start in Nunavut, Canada, then work our way west to the Top of the World highway into Alaska, then south through British Columbia and through the west coast of the US, into Mexico and central America, across the Panama Canal down the entire South American continent, and then finally finishing with a cruise to Antartica. I can’t wait!!!
Hitaesh
27. Jul, 2012
I really don’t know which would be the top1. I wanna visit everywhere.
Adam G
28. Jul, 2012
Antarctic!!
lori rose
28. Jul, 2012
THE AMALFI COAST….SOUTH PACIFIC ATOLLS,COOS BAY OREGON,NORTHERN LIGHTS ALL ON MY LIST!
Christa Fijen-van der Woude
28. Jul, 2012
Lord Howe Island – Australia….one day…:)
Fiona
28. Jul, 2012
I really want to go to LA!
Mary Mondoux
28. Jul, 2012
I have always loved Egyptian stories, loved looking at the mummies at the Royal Ontario Museum, marvelled at the photo from my relative’s photo of the Sphinx taken during WWII when he was stationed in north Africa and loved the movie Cairo Time. Yes, Egypt, the pyramids and all that goes with them – definitely the place I’m meant to see! It’s top of my list right now.
Issa
28. Jul, 2012
We looked everywhere in our city but we couldn’t find it.
This book is very useful as an amazing bucket-list.
Issa
28. Jul, 2012
India
Alex
28. Jul, 2012
I have to see Easter Island before I die!
Alex recently posted..The Sights of Vientiane
Echo
28. Jul, 2012
I would love to live in the sahara desert! I have heard so many amazing stories about there!
Jen
30. Jul, 2012
It is really hard to pick one place. I guess at the top of my list now is Jiuzhaigou, the national park in China. It looks so amazing, with the beautifully colored pools of water spread throughout the park. I’ve been to China twice, but haven’t made it there yet. Some day…
Ninfa
30. Jul, 2012
Still haven’t made it to my idyllic paradise – The Cook Islands!
Ryan
30. Jul, 2012
There are so many places I want to go. Machu Picchu, the top of the Eiffel Tower and Antarctica are all on my bucket list.
louis
31. Jul, 2012
have been to the cağaloğl, hamam in Istanbul its in the book!
Linda
31. Jul, 2012
One thing that i want to do before i die is to Take my 72 year old mother to Rome (Vatican City) and Jerusalem, I think it would be the greatest present ever for her since she is very religious. I hope i can make it happen this December or May 2013.
her reaction to those holy places is what i want to see before i die.
Dani & Jess
01. Aug, 2012
Thanks everyone for entering and congratulations to Liz, Tina and Laura, our winners! We’ll be running another fabulous contest soon
WholeWorldTraveler
11. Aug, 2012
I still want to visit lots of places but Antarctica is high on my list. I really love to spent more time there.
Great post and certainly a book to have!
WholeWorldTraveler recently posted..Antarctica Travel – The End Of The World
100 places to visit before you die
17. Aug, 2012
Excellent book, shame we missed the closing date
100 places to visit before you die recently posted..G Adventures Promo Discount Codes – August & September
Jess
17. Aug, 2012
Definite shame – would have been very related to your site
Emma Tameside
01. Oct, 2012
I may have missed the closing date on the giveaway unfortunately, but I’m definitely going to buy this book! I’ve only really got one place to visit on my bucket list, and that’s Kilimanjaro. My uncle went on one of the kilimanjaro trips and he hasn’t stopped talking about it since. Some of the photographs and video he brought back are just out of this world.
Thank you for making me aware of this book though, it will literally give me days of entertainment haha.