A Toast to the Champagne Houses of France (Image by Points and Travel) French Wine Regions: Champagne Region of France There are 10 major French wine regions in France, as for hundreds of years, France has lead the way for being the world's greatest producer of wines. The ten main regions are Alsace, Bordeaux, Burgundy, Beaujolais, Champagne, Côtes du Rhone, Languedoc, Loire Valley, Médoc, and Provence. Today, however,
If you have not had a chance to visit the Emilia-Romagna region of Italy, then have I got a treat for you! It's called Cesenatico and I had a chance to stay at gorgeous Hotel Cesenatico. Cesenatico is a port city located on the Adriatic coast of Italy. It is in the province of Forlì-Cesena, which is in the region of Emilia-Romagna, south of Ravenna. I
Cesena, Italy: They have a secret While strolling the streets of Cesena, Italy... which is amazing in and of itself, I was introduced to the local library, a gem at the foot of the Apennine Mountains. This city is just 9 miles from the Adriatic Sea and was an important town during Roman times which was famous for its wines in the region. There was nothing unusual on
Viking Museum Norway: Introduction At over 1000 years old, the Viking Ship Museum, Oslo houses Viking boats and artifacts from the peak of Viking marine engineering. The Viking Age, from 800-1100 AD, was the age of the sleek, speedy longships. Without this crucial advance in ship technology, the Vikings would never have become a dominant force in medieval warfare, politics, and trade. Viking Ship
I am in love with the Liguria region of Italy, squeezed in between Monaco and Tuscany, it is the thinnest and the smallest of all the regions of Italy. It may not be the most popular area of Italia to visit, but take it from me, you have to visit if you have not had a chance to do so! The main airport to get
Italy Vacations - Make This Your Next Authentic Italian Vacation Americans love Italy Vacations. Yet many times when we go, we get bogged down in the massive cities and we begin to feel that the vacation becomes "too touristy". In Rome, the Spanish Steps and Trevi Fountain are so busy that they are almost avoidable areas to go to anymore because of the massive crowds.
Sometimes in life, as in travels, we really don't know what to expect when encountering other cultures, countries, and continents. Some things come as a pleasant surprise, and other things, no so much. You can imagine my bible-belt cultural shock when I found out about how the Finlandese love their saunas. In fact, the Finlandia sauna is a huge part of the Finnish culture. On
What are Viking River Cruises like? Let's peek thru the window with fascination and find out. The day I received the invitation, I was so happy as a travel journalist and Instagrammer. I was ready to take on the challenge of experiencing every detail of the Viking River Cruises. But, what are Viking River Cruises really like? I knew they were the jewel of the sea
San Giorgio, Mykonos, Greece Known as the Island of the Winds, Mykonos Island is in the Cyclades group of islands in the Aegean Sea. It is also known for its summer party atmosphere where hip Europeans come to spend lazy days of summer partying like they have nothing else to do but give themselves up to their raw emotions. With massive dance
Norway is absolutely beautiful and every traveler should include this country on their bucket list. With its scenic mountain views, interesting history, vibrant architecture, and wonderful people, the sheer beauty of this Nordic country is just too compelling to be ignored. And if that’s not enough to convince you, here’s my list of 16 Amazing Things To Do In Norway During a Norway Winter: Learn
Stavanger is a city that is close to the fjords and mountains along the southwestern coast of Norway. It is a place where it is easy to go hiking and to explore the famous fjords of Norway. I honestly was not expecting such a pleasant little city when I rode the Oslo to Stavanger train. Stepping outside of the train station, one of the first things
When you only have two days (in this case: 48 Hours in Oslo, Norway) in any major city, you need to be prepared and ready to zip off and enjoy the day, which is what happened to me recently on a side trip to Oslo, Norway. I was so excited to return, as it is a gorgeous city and a "DO NOT MISS" city in my opinion,
All-Inclusive Italy Just as the sun was beginning to peek into my 18th-century room at a luxury hamlet in Tuscany, I begin to wake out of one of the deepest sleeps I had been in for a while. The glow of the sun tossed shadows on to the whitewashed walls and hardwood floors and I was curled up in my white comforter with deep hunter
The Bremen Town Musicians statue is based on one of the many Brothers Grimm Fairytales and is a major attraction in Riga, Latvia. The story is simple enough. The Brothers Grimm story is about a donkey, a cat, a dog and a rooster who are past their prime. They feel too old to be useful and are terrified they will be put down by their
Have you ever wanted to take a Christmas Cruise? I just returned from a Viking Christmas and Danube River Cruise. It was delightful! Here are my thoughts: Visions of sugar plums danced in my head the first time I even heard the words "Christmas Market Cruise". I didn’t even know they existed until one day reading a travel blog and I came across an article
Krakow, Poland is an amazing city and I believe that Krakow is the #1 most underrated city in Europe. I won't go into the details of the lavender growing along the old city walls or the shapes of the trees that blow in the wind or even the cobblestone central square, but I do want to tell you about an unusual place found deep within its
With a history that spans for centuries, Rome is a city that takes a lifetime to discover. No matter how many times I go to Rome, I always find something new. It seems to contain an infinite number of secrets and sights to behold. While many are well-known and are on the top of travelers’ bucket lists, this capital city has its share of secret places
I stepped onto the shores of the Normandy Beaches where I couldn't stop thinking about how World War II had finally ended in 1945. The end would have never happened if it was not for the bravery of the Allied Forces who landed on the beaches of Normandy in June of 1944, Codename Operation Overload. American, British, and Canadian soldiers, who sacrificed their lives for
It was a foggy morning close to the Black Forest near Breisach, Germany where we had gotten up early to catch the bus to go into the southwest state of Baden-Wurttemberg, near Bavaria. Along the way, we saw many church steeples and stork nests, where on one steeple they actually had their own stork webcam. I have posted it here for you to view and see if
When I found myself with the better part of a day to explore the medieval city of Perugia, I stumbled across a Perugia food tour. It was offered by Via Del Vino Food & Wine Tours. This four-hour tour, created by Susan Guerra, seemed just the ticket for the perfect places to eat in Italy. Now I confess to not being a connoisseur of great
It was my first day of arrival into Switzerland and I could not wait to get my Christmas Market tour underway. Arrival into the small city of Basel, Switzerland was fast and cheap on the train from Zurich. Basel is located where the Swiss, French, and German borders meet. It is the third largest city in Switzerland. It also has suburbs in France and in Germany.
My Croatia Vacation: It was over a year ago that I had typed these words to the top of my bucket list on my website: Croatia Vacation. I have been in the travel business for over 5 years and I often hear about all the wonderful places to visit in this world. Whisperings of Croatia island hopping and amazing Croatia resorts have been going on
Travelocity October on Travelocity! Every month I use my 25 years of travel experience on the Travelocity website about my latest travel experiences. I am a travel ambassador for Travelocity, and they like to call me one of their "Gnational Gnomads", which I think is super cute. This is an excerpt from those stories. You can read the entire article here on Travelocity: 6 Ultra-Indulgent
Regensburg, Germany is a Bavarian medieval city along the Danube River in southeast Germany. It is well known for its well-preserved medieval old town. It also has a famous 12th-century Stone Bridge that has 16 arches that cross the Danube River to the old town center. I had been on my Viking Journey through this region of Germany when in the early morning, we glided past
Trip to Santorini I had dipped my toes in the crisp, cool water and squealed with excitement as the yacht sailed away. I couldn’t believe this moment had finally arrived, a trip to Santorini. It was how I had dreamed about it a thousand times before. This was where I wanted to be on the day I turned a half a century old. In the
Are you looking to complete your itinerary of Venice and looking for the Best Things to do in Venice Italy? You have come to the right place, so let's get started: Everyone knows Venice, but how many people really know those 100 islands in Northern Italy's Veneto region built upon the islands of the Adriatic Sea? Venice, also known as Venezia to the Italians, is a
Belmond Hotel Splendido sits perched up on a hill in Portofino with its elegant view of the world in the Italian Riviera. From the many stars above a moonlit ocean to swaying palms overlooking the negative edge pool, it oozes life as "la dolce vita". The moment you step on to this amazing property you will fall in love. I already have two lovers, but
The Champagne region of France is like no other wine region in the world. The nearest vineyards are only an hour from Paris’ Charles de Gaulle airport (CDG) on the fast TGV train to Reims. Reims is a perfect justification for a tour of the Champagne Houses in Reims, but don’t forget to walk around the city and enjoy its Gothic Cathedral, a UNESCO world
My family was on a trip where we flew into Lisbon, Portugal, rented a car and drove through the Algarve area of Portugal. We then crossed over into Spain and went to the Rock of Gibraltar (the Gib for short). Doing the typical thing one does at the Rock of Gibraltar, we climbed to the top of the Rock to get that amazing view, when the
Taking the short trek on bus 42 from the main square of Piazza de Ferrari in Genoa to Bocadasse, Italy for a half day excursion was quite simple. I had just arrived in the city and had a few hours to spare before I knew the jet lag would set in, so I hopped the city bus and made my way over to Boccadasse, a place
Thermes Spa ceiling, Monaco Photo courtesy of @VisitMonaco Monaco: Thermes Spa of Monte Carlo My ticket said "Experience Sunshine Riviera" - Thermes Spa of Monte Carlo, which, after some research, I found out was Monte Carlo’s state-of-the-art spa in Monaco, overlooking the Mediterranean Sea directly accessible from the Hotel de Paris Monaco and the Hermitage Monaco. Upon arrival to this glorious place, I received
Leaving Positano is a sad thought, but knowing we must go back to Rome, we started on our adventure back home. The overcast makes the hills of Positano dream-like. The winding roads took us to one of the world's most beautiful places, in my humble opinion: Furore, Italy. Well, actually, it isn't even Furore, but it is on the highway SS163 winding along the coast looking
MS Europa 2: An Introduction I have heard and learned about many impressive amenities and services on a ship, but never had I seen the total package put together like the MS Europa 2 by Haplag-Lloyd Cruises, a German-owned company. No wonder Berlitz Cruise Guide gave the MS Europa 2, the highest point combination possible in their most recent visit on MS Europa2 in
I constantly find myself being the planner of things: the family vacation, the food that we eat, and the calendar that we live by. It was crunch time and I was in a spot: Our son was doing a study abroad program in Barcelona and we were going there with him to enjoy the richness of Spain, take in a few sights, and enjoy a
After our relaxing afternoon having lunch on Positano Beach (Marian Grande Beach), we decided to take a walk along the gorgeous gray silver sand. The artists were out, selling their paintings on the beach and along the bougainvillea covered walkways that lead to the Church of Santa Maria Assunta. This church is one of the Positano's most prominent and photographed sights. Its colorful majolica