Ways to spend your sabbatical

If you’re facing an upcoming sabbatical, the choice of where to go and what to do may seem overwhelming. To narrow down your options, I suggest starting with one of the following themes as a basis for your travels.

Celebrate

Your sabbatical is a time to celebrate the milestones of your life. What better way to do that than to mark some things off your bucket list? Whether you’ve always wanted to make the trek to Machu Picchu, brave the Drake Passage to Antarctica, visit the pyramids in Egypt, cruise down the Amazon or sail to the Galapagos, a sabbatical provides time to finally live your dream.

Reconnect

Spending time with your loved ones without the demands of work or the stress of everyday life can be magical. Hide away with your partner in a private villa in the Italian countryside. Charter a yacht to island hop in the Mediterranean with your extended family. The time spent in a beautiful destination with those closest to you is one of the best benefits of sabbatical travel.

Rediscover yourself

While building your career, you’ve focused on those around you – from coworkers to clientele. Now that you’ve reached your sabbatical, it’s time to focus on you. Take a holistic nature retreat in Costa Rica to recenter yourself. Indulge in a trip crafted around your favorite hobby, perhaps playing rounds at Scotland’s best golf courses.

Explore

Get up close and in-depth with new places on your sabbatical. Experience cultural immersion through local guides and experiences in Andalusia. Set off on a multi-country trip following the route of the classic Grand Tour of Europe. Anywhere that fascinates you is within reach when you have the time to get up close and personal with a place.

Rejuvenate

Who wouldn’t love to take some time to focus on their personal wellness? An indulgent escape to a spa resort could be one of the best ways to spend your sabbatical. Opportunities abound to soak in the atmosphere of a beautiful location while eating fresh, healthy meals and participating in wellness-focused activities like yoga and meditation.

Relax

Use your sabbatical as an opportunity to experience slow travel like never before. Go further and stay longer in your favorite places. Rent an apartment and live like a local for a month in Paris. Take an iconic train journey on the Orient Express. Or spend your days watching wildlife in an African safari camp.

If you’ve accomplished a career milestone that affords you the opportunity to take a sabbatical, there’s no better way to spend your time than by having a once-in-a-lifetime travel experience.