10 Experiences You Should Try Before You Depart This World

To clarify, the title would be Ten Foods, Drinks, and Places to Experience Before You Leave This World. I'm not implying that your end is near, but let's approach the concept of our mortality with a lighthearted perspective. As Marcus Aurelius once said, “Death smiles at us all. What can a man do, but smile back?” Or, in the words of Seneca, “Bibamus. Moriendum est,” which translates to “Dying is inevitable. So let’s go get drunk.” A festive Bucket List for Christmas!

10. Macallan 25-Year-Old Scotch Speyside, Scotland

I had a single shot once, in a scotch bar in New York. It cost $30, which is rather steep. A full bottle of 25-year-old Macallan will set you back around $600, but once you taste it, you'll be hooked, regardless of the cost. It’s like sipping on a campfire that wraps you in warmth and becomes your best companion.

For a picturesque experience, I suggest Loch Morlich in the winter months. Located southeast of Aviemore, it's a snowy paradise with numerous shallow streams that create soothing sounds (after all, where do you think the distilleries source their whisky?).

9. Spotted Dick London, England

It has no connection to the STD. Also known as Plum Duff, it’s a rich dessert pudding made with dried currants, custard, and a splash of rum. In top-tier restaurants, they pour a generous amount of your preferred rum over it. As Robert Newton's Long John Silver famously declares, “That be what gives it the flavor! Ha haargh!”

8. Churrasco Belem, Brazil

Churrasco isn’t a single dish but a distinctive Brazilian and Argentinian method of preparing meat. While both countries are globally recognized for their exceptional steaks, they also offer outstanding pork, lamb, mutton, chicken, and seafood. Many restaurants offer an all-you-can-eat experience, with meat freshly sliced from the grill and served alongside corn, rice, and fresh fruits, especially mangoes. Belem, in particular, is known as the 'City of Mango Trees.'

If you’ve always dreamed of exploring the Amazon Jungle but want to avoid becoming a meal for its creatures, Belem is the ideal spot. Situated on the coast, it's just 20 to 30 miles from the jungle. You can take affordable ferries down the Para and Tocantins Rivers. While these rivers aren’t technically tributaries of the Amazon River, they form part of its vast estuary, and within a short ride on a schooner, you can experience the jungle up close.

The jungle is far deeper, darker, and wilder than you might imagine. Have you heard of the Goliath Bird-eating Spider? You can spot them scaling the trees along the water's edge, even from 50 feet away.

You’ll undoubtedly witness the Amazon macaw, one of the world’s most iconic parrots. Their colorful flocks frequently soar over the rivers, flying between the jungles in a spectacular display.

7. Pizza Naples, Italy

Pizza was born in Naples (Napoli), created by the working class who could only afford bread dough, tomatoes, and cheese. They combined these ingredients and baked them into what we now recognize as pizza.

Although New York City remains home to the most popular pizza in America, for a truly authentic experience, Napoli is the only place to go. Any small, family-owned restaurant in the city will serve you a pizza that’s truly unforgettable.

What makes the pizza in Napoli the best is the use of San Marzano tomatoes, cultivated on the fertile southern slopes of Mount Vesuvius, enriched by volcanic soil. Additionally, the mozzarella is crafted from the milk of Campanian water buffalo, known as “Mozzarella di Bufala Campana.”

What makes pizza even better? A breathtaking view of Mount Vesuvius.

6. Fire-Roasted Lamb Stavros, Crete

The Greeks certainly know how to enjoy life, and if you can’t choose between mountains or the beach, why not have both? Photographers often refrain from using polarizing filters to enhance the vivid colors in their shots of the Aegean Sea because the water is naturally so stunningly blue around Greece. The forests and hills boast their own colors too, and you’ll definitely need sunglasses to handle the brightness.

Lamb roasted on a spit outdoors is a cherished Greek tradition, and you haven’t truly experienced it until you've tasted one prepared by a Greek grandmother. During cooking, it’s often rubbed with apples, and served with ghanoush, stuffed grape leaves, Greek red wine, and homemade baklava (none of that store-bought stuff you’ve likely had in American restaurants). In Stavros, there are plenty of cozy beachfront restaurants nestled beneath the Akrotirian mountains. You’re welcome to climb the mountains and explore the ruins of the 5th or 6th Century Catholic monastery founded by St. John the Hermit.

Before, during, and after dinner, as you mingle with friendly strangers, locals, and tourists, you’ll be invited to sip on ouzo, a Greek liquor with a distinctive aniseed flavor. Afterward, join in the joyous sirtaki dance around a fire on the beach, famously featured in the film *Zorba the Greek* with Anthony Quinn, which was filmed in Stavros.

5. Sachertorte Vienna, Austria

Vienna is renowned for its desserts, and the sachertorte at the Sacher Hotel stands out as one of the most famous among them. It’s a dry chocolate cake with apricot jam sandwiched between layers, topped and coated with dark chocolate icing. The only other place to find it outside of Vienna is at a Sacher shop in Bolzano, Italy.

It’s traditionally served with a dollop of rich whipped cream to complement its dry flavor. While you're in Vienna, take a moment to pay homage to the greats—Mozart, Beethoven, Schubert, Brahms, Strauss, and others—at the Central Cemetery. Mozart is buried at St. Marx Cemetery, but there’s a monument honoring him near the graves of Beethoven and Schubert.

Catch a performance at the opera or a symphony. Experience Beethoven's Ninth or Mozart's *Don Giovanni*.

4. Trockenbeerenauslese Bavarian Alps

Germany is renowned for its world-class wines, and Trockenbeerenauslese is a particularly extraordinary variety. This white wine is incredibly sweet, almost syrup-like, with a sugar content so high it can restore your faith in wine if you've ever been disappointed by a bad bottle.

Though it's pricey, Trockenbeerenauslese can contain as much as 300 grams of sugar per bottle—enough to give you a sugar rush if you're not careful. Its alcohol content is relatively low compared to other wines, so you can enjoy more before feeling tipsy. It's a perfect dessert on its own or pairs wonderfully with a large, salty, freshly baked pretzel to balance the wine’s sweetness.

If you're seeking awe-inspiring landscapes, the Bavarian Alps are sure to impress—but beware, they might just give you a sugar rush too. Start with a visit to the Black Forest.

3. Spaghetti Bolognese Bologna, Italy

For all time, without a doubt, the finest spaghetti in the world is found in Italy, and Bologna is home to the best restaurants. The city is affectionately known as 'di Grassa,' or 'Bologna the Fat.'

True, the Chinese may have invented noodles, but it’s the Italians who perfected tomato sauces. New York City’s version of spaghetti has nothing on Bologna’s legendary dishes.

I’ve been there and tried several spaghetti dishes, but the best by far can be found at Clorofilla, Strada Maggiore, 64, 40125 Bologna. It’s almost as good as my own recipe.

Bologna is an incredibly beautiful city, not far from stunning mountain views. Or, you can take a relaxed drive across the Apennines to Florence (Firenze), where you can admire the original Statue of David, among other masterpieces.

While in Bologna or Florence, don't miss Verdi’s Requiem Mass. And when it’s over, you’ll likely find yourself heading straight to confession. No joke.

2. Romanee-Conti France

At least one meal should feature the finest wine in the world. Domaine de la Romanee-Conti, a tiny vineyard covering only 4 acres, produces about 5,000 bottles annually, and those bottles contain a taste that’s truly indescribable.

Rather than trying to describe the taste, which I haven’t had the privilege of experiencing, suffice it to say that a good vintage, aged 20 to 30 years, will cost around $900 per glass, or roughly $3,600 per bottle. Some rare vintages have been auctioned for as much as $14,000 a bottle.

If you can afford it, it’s a must-try. I personally enjoy natural landscapes with my meals, but if art is more your style, Paris is the obvious choice. Many restaurants there serve Romanee-Conti. Or, you could head southeast to Grenoble, find a fantastic restaurant, then hike the stunning Chartreuse Mountains. Truly spectacular.

1. Lobster and Cracked Crab Pink Beaches of Harbor Island, Bahamas

If mountains aren’t your thing and you prefer tropical vibes, Harbor Island is renowned for its pink sand beaches, while Dunmore Town offers top-notch seafood restaurants catering to tourists.

Imagine having your seafood served to you on the beach in the late afternoon, with the sunset setting behind you over the palm and coconut trees. The sand, rich in quartz, shimmers in the sunlight—lighter where dry and darker in the surf.

If you’re fortunate, you might even see wild horses emerging from the surf, strolling over to curiously sniff at you.