The Top 7 Countries Americans Can Visit Without a Visa
Plus: The world's strongest passports, Chinese New Year, & the Albanian Riviera
Hey, friend!
This is your travel pal, Daniel Catena.
I’m so glad you’re here. Welcome back to Itchy Feet.
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In case you missed it, the last two editions were different. My good friend and bona fide travel expert Ashleigh Bugg joined me for an exclusive interview. Check out part one and part two of our chat.
This week, let’s talk about visas.
Wouldn’t it be nice to stay in a foreign land and not worry about leaving so soon?
Many countries worldwide don’t require visas if you have a US passport. A handful go a step further. Some let you stay for a really long time!
Interesting reads from Yahoo Finance and Insider Monkey highlighted 22 of the best countries for Americans to visit without a visa.
Below are the top seven from that list:
7. Georgia: US tourists can enjoy the Caucus Mountains or Black Sea in Georgia for up to a year (365 days) without a visa.
6. Albania: Similar to Georgia, the Republic of Albania allows US passport holders for up to a year visa-free.
5. Bahamas: The Bahamas lets American tourists stay for up to eight months.
4. Barbados: The island nation in the eastern part of the Caribbean doesn’t require visas for US citizens for up to six months.
3. Panama: This Central American nation lets US citizens stay for up to six months without a visa.
2. United Kingdom: US citizens can stay in the UK for up to six months without a visa. The UK consists of England, Wales, and Scotland. Northern Ireland, however, limits US tourists to 90 days without a visa.
1. Canada: Not only is Canada our friendly next door neighbor, but Americans can stay for up to six months without a visa.
⚓️ Travel quote of the week
“If I'd learned one thing from traveling, it was that the way to get things done was to go ahead and do them. Don't talk about going to Borneo. Book a ticket, get a visa, pack a bag, and it just happens.”
– Alex Garland, from his novel “The Beach”
🧐 Did you know?
Speaking of passports, six countries are tied for having the strongest passport in the world.
According to Henley Global, France, Germany, Italy, Japan, Singapore, and Spain are the top-ranked countries.
Passport holders from each nation can visit 194 countries without a visa. Conversely, passport holders from Afghanistan can only enter 28 countries without a visa.
They are ranked last on Henley Global’s list.
Where do Americans rank? They’re sixth, with access to 189 countries without a visa.
⛩ Culture corner
The Western New Year, also known as the Gregorian New Year, begins on January 1 each year.
However, the Lunar New Year typically happens between January 20 and February 20 each year.
Traditionally, the Chinese Lunar New Year lasts for 16 days. In China, the first eight days are public holidays.
In 2024, New Year's Eve was February 9th. February 24 was the final day concluding festivities with a vibrant Lantern Festival.
The South China Morning Post highlighted a few interesting traditions during this time.
People avoid wearing white, because in China white represents death. Instead, it’s common to see people dressed in red.
Younger generations receive gifts of red envelopes with money from their families on New Year’s Day.
People abstain from cutting or washing their hair on New Year’s Day to avoid bad luck.
Families want to keep good luck in their house, so many don’t use brooms on this day either.
🌆 City Showcase
Ksamil, Albania
Since Americans can stay in Albania for up to a year without a visa, let’s look at one of its most prominent cities.
Ksamil is a coastal village in southern Albania.
Ksamil is famous for its crystal blue waters, renowned resorts, abundance of white-sand beaches, and access to natural beauty.
According to Rome2Rio, you can get there by bus (6+ hours) or car (4+ hours) from Tirana, Albania’s capital in the north.
Looking for things to do in Ksamil? Here are a few ideas:
Soak up some rays Lori Beach: Since Ksamil belongs to the Albanian Riviera, some relaxation along the shore is necessary.
TripAdvisor says the top-rated beach in Ksamil. The Sandal Tan Man offers hidden gem beaches if Lori seems too crowded.Butrint National Park: Only a 9-minute drive from town, Butrint is a nature lover’s destination.
The park is home to 1,200 different animals and plants. You can visit freshwater lakes, marshes, and islands.
It’s also home to multiple Greek and Roman ruins. In 1992 it was named a Unesco World Heritage Site.Visit Corfu Island: Corfu is only 1.3 miles away and belongs to Greece.
It’s an easy stopover if you’re goal is to visit two countries in one trip!
You can ferry to Corfu from Saranda, Albania. The Travel Folk has a guide for how to ferry to Corfu here.
For more inspiration read more about Albania’s cities in Time Out.
More Great Substacks
Are you planning a trip or considering a move to Mexico? Then check out Mexico Soul by
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Alight friends, that’s it for this week’s newsletter. Let’s take a break.
I hope you enjoyed reading this post. Have a great rest of your weekend.
Take care!
-Daniel
Yes Daniel! We were in Vietnam (Ho Chi Minh City) at Tet about 6 yrs ago. It was incredible, yellow chrysanthemums everywhere, then went over to Can Tho, on the river for a few days, the water markets etc. It was great being there during Tet.
I suggest Georgia! one of my favorite places! Nice people, great mountains, cities and the black sea!