Europe

A Bucket List Adventure : A Trip to Iceland and to See the Northern Lights!

trip to Iceland
Photo: Collette

A Trip to Iceland and to See the Northern Lights!

A trip to Iceland to see the northern lights has been at the top of my travel bucket list for as long as I have had a list. It is actually happening! Can I get a woohoo? Craig and I are headed over to the land of fire and ice next week. Our friends at Collette have invited us to experience a country which has been described to me by fellow travelers as “other worldly”. We will experience nature on such a grand scale on Iceland’s Magical Northern Lights Tour.

Hopefully the night sky will be clear enough to see the heavenly northern lights! Our tour will certainly qualify as a once-in-a-lifetime type of journey and it is part of the Explorations group of tours. This size tour allows us to develop a deeper, even more meaningful connection, an opportunity to get closer and to discover a slice of everyday life. We cannot wait!

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The Most Romantic Dinner Ever – Mallorca, Spain

most romantic dinner ever
Here, we are up the hill from the restaurant earlier in the day.

 

Today I will take you to Mallorca, Spain where the Mediterranean Sea is so magical and so deeply blue, the sun is bright in the sky and the air is sweet with vacation vibes. A relaxing time for two was spent with my favorite person in the world, my husband.

My Most Romantic Dinner … Ever!

Valentine’s Day is quickly approaching and some of us may be in the beginning stages of making some romantic dinner plans? What really qualifies a meal as “the most romantic dinner ever”? This is certainly a very personal opinion and preference. Some couples enjoy snow-capped mountains and a picnic by the fire sipping champagne or some love watching the sunset at the beach, while others may enjoy a private dinner at their favorite restaurant.

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A Quiet Vacation for Two in Mallorca, Spain

vacation for two

Vacation for two please

Now that we are experiencing more rain, grey skies and in some areas of the country, harsh winter months, does warm sun on your face, eating tapas by the beach, watching cliff divers and gazing out at the spectacular turquoise blue Mediterranean Sea sound good? Yes, it does to me too.

For the second year in a row we visited an island off the coast of Spain that is spelled two ways (Mallorca and Majorca)and actually most people have not heard of it. Just a 45 min plane ride from Barcelona, sits an unspoiled, quiet vacation for two. The stuff that dreams are made of.

vacation for two

We discovered this magical place last year and we could not wait to return. This past summer Craig and I traveled with our family to Italy and the trip to Mallorca from Florence, Italy is an easy one. We needed a vacation from our vacation. Not really, but we had such a special time that we wanted to try to replicate it. And it was such a quick flight.

Side note: If I am stressed and need to imagine a quiet place that could transport me the calmness I hope for, I think of Mallorca.

Can everyone fly off to a tiny Spanish island to “get away”? No probably not. I do believe that this is the kind of place I would spend my vacation fund however. It is so amazing, so special, so unique that I want my friends like you to know. If for nothing else than a 5 minute escape from whatever you were doing before you sat down to read this. We saved airline miles and hotel points and created this perfect vacation for two.

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Eat, Drink & Discover – Culinary Travel to Northern Italy

Culinary travel to Venice

Culinary travel to Venice

A Springtime Adventure! Venture to Veneto with me!

Come discover the sights, smells and tastes of the region of Veneto in Northern Italy on a culinary tour with Oldways. See the production of Prosecco (and taste yes please!) first hand and meet the artisans that make delicious cheese and local olive oil.

What better way to get to know a new region than to be introduced through culinary travel? I am joining a tour of travelers who share the same passion for food that I do. Another added bonus… Chefs Kevin O’Donnell and Michael Lombardi of the acclaimed SRV restaurant in Boston will be traveling with us sharing their knowledge and expertise as well. Oldways culinary tours takes small groups of travelers off the beaten path. Each tour is led in partnership with a culinary expert or chef, planned with a firm belief that the heart of any culture can be illuminated by exploring its food, wine, and culinary traditions.

culinary travel

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Visit Iceland for an Incredible 10-Day Adventure, Part Two

Come learn about glaciers and icebergs

 

Welcome to Part Two from our newest Guest Adventurer! Debbee is a lifestyle blogger and Etsy shop owner who uses themes when decorating, entertaining and crafting. During the past year Debbee and her husband traveled throughout Spain, spent a magical holiday season in Quebec City, went on a 10-day adventure around Iceland, and just returned from two weeks sailing and touring Greece.

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Incredible Iceland 10-Day Adventure, Part One

My waterproof jacket, rain pants and foldable cap kept me dry, warm and comfortable.

 

Please Welcome our newest Guest Adventurer! Debbee is a lifestyle blogger and Etsy shop owner who uses themes when decorating, entertaining and crafting. She typically posts twice a week; focusing on holidays, tablescapes, parties, DIY projects and travel. During the past year Debbee and her husband traveled throughout Spain, spent a magical holiday season in Quebec City, went on a 10-day adventure around Iceland, and just returned from two weeks sailing and touring Greece.

Incredible Iceland 10-Day Adventure, Part One

I’m really excited to share our recent family vacation — an incredible 10-day adventure to the land of the midnight sun.

Earlier this year, both my husband and I celebrated big-0 birthdays. Later this fall, we will also mark a big-5 wedding anniversary.

To honor these milestones, our sons arranged a 10-day family vacation. They presented the surprise Iceland trip, transportation details, travel route and accommodations to us in the late spring. That allowed plenty of time to plan and eagerly anticipate the July journey. And believe you me, traveling over 900 miles around the entire country of Iceland takes lots of pre-planning.

incredible Iceland
Gift package of maps and books.

 

Come along on the first day of our incredible Iceland trip in the land of fire and ice.

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The Secret to Successful Multigenerational Travel :: Food & Wine

successful multigenerational travel
The Palio
On the streets of Siena!

The Secret to Successful Multigenerational Travel

Someone recently asked me why I thought that multigenerational travel works for some, but not for others. After giving this some thought, I think the magic is in what you do. Is this an activity that is embraced by everyone? Or is this one person’s idea of a good time and everyone else has to go along with it?

The key to successful group travel, especially those with different age groups lies in the willingness of the group to communicate. To ensure that everyone is well represented and that members of the group are not railroaded into doing something that isn’t of interest to them.

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Never Been Seen Travel Photos of Our Family Trip to Italy

family trip to Italy
Roma! Every trip to Italy should have a plate of spaghetti as delicious as this! Ripe summer tomatoes, fresh basil and garlic = perfection.

Our family trip to Italy

There is never enough space in each post to share every favorite moment and travel photo. I try not to bombard you with too much copy or too many photos, therefore lots of photos are left behind! I wish I could include a photo album every time I publish! However the next best thing is to just tell a story with my never been published photos from my recent BIG summer family trip to Italy.

On social media I have actually noticed several bloggers and non-bloggers have taken extensive trips this past summer. When you travel to Europe, so very far away, it is nice to try to squeeze in as much as you can while you are there. Although the argument can be made that you move pretty quickly and don’t get to dive too deep into each city you visit.

We actually did a little bit of both. We stayed in one villa for a week in Italy in order to enjoy the countryside, slow down, relax and spend quality time with the family and then we usually spent several nights in each city after that. Craig and I left Italy and flew to Mallorca and then I flew to Berlin to take a Viking River Cruise from Berlin to Prague and lastly I stayed in Budapest, Hungary for four more nights. A BIG beautiful summer of travel. For today I am just sharing a little more of Italy.

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A Dreamy Vacation in the Portuguese Countryside

in the Portuguese countryside
The spectacular countryside of Portugal.

Please welcome back Angela Light, my longtime friend and traveler who spent a great deal of time and energy to write this fantastic post for all of us! Her over-the-top amazing vacation in the Portuguese countryside absolutely captivated me. The dreamy descriptions and elegant accommodations coupled with world class cuisine is my kind of vacation. Take a minute to enjoy this post, it is incredible & I just loved her adventure!

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My Top Ten Favorites! An Empty Nester’s Guide to Budapest

guide to Budapest
We had such a grand time here in Budapest. Cheers!

Our guide to Budapest

So you are going to Europe and contemplating a stop in Budapest? Do not even hesitate, we found it to be elegant and intriguing, filled with magnificent architecture and plenty to do. I wish we had spent even more time there! We honestly did not get to see everything we wanted to or even experience the famous baths.

Although we were not able to see absolutely everything, we really did accomplish quite a bit of the itinerary. Our stay at The Ritz Carlton Hotel on Elizabeth Square was a fantastic luxury experience in the perfect central location. This convenient home base made it super easy to see the sights efficiently.

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