Gijon and Santander, Northern Spain
May 14, 2026
Gijon Gijon was a cool little coastal city of 270,000. The city’s local name is actually Xixón, pronounced hee-hon, which comes from the Asturian language. Our hotel was close to the Marina, a lively area for dining and walking, with modern touches and great sea views. Saturday night that place was rocking and the evening… View Article
Santiago and La Coruna
May 9, 2026
Santiago de Compostela, Spain We loved Santiago de Compostela, the capital of Galicia in northwest of Spain. It is famous for being the final destination of the Camino de Santiago pilgrimage route. The Camino is a network of routes, not just a single route. The most popular route, the Camino Francés, runs about 800 kilometers…. View Article
PORTUGAL AND NORTHERN SPAIN
May 4, 2026
Hello family and friends! Thanks are joining us again this year as we explore more of Portugal and Nothern Spain, ending with an 11 Day River Cruise down the Douro River. We are excited to see what the next 6 weeks will bring us. The two flights over and a long stopover were exhausting but… View Article
Rimini, Ancona and Foggia, Italy
June 17, 2025
Rimini Rimini is home to a 15k stretch of sandy beach along the Adriatic Sea. We were shocked at how long and dense with umbrellas it was. Holidayers were sunbathing, swimming, and enjoying water sports. From our hotel room window, it looked and sounded busy day and night. Rimini has an annual influx of 16.2… View Article
Verona and Bologna
June 8, 2025
Verona As soon as we got off the train in Verona, we knew we were going to love it here. Quieter vibe and much smaller city. However, I spotted a Louis Vuitton store and a Maserati minutes after stepping into the old town. Small but wealthy lol! Two of Shakespeare’s plays are set in Verona:… View Article
Milano and Genova
May 31, 2025
Milan Milano! We loved Milan immensely. Our Airbnb was smack dab in the middle of the action and we had four days to regroup, get organized and enjoy the city. The construction on the Milan Cathedral or ‘Piazza del Duomo’, began in 1386 and took nearly six centuries to complete: the final details were just… View Article
Sicily: May 17 – 25, 2025
May 25, 2025
Palermo Hello from Sicily! We are happy to be back on our own schedule for a while. Palermo, home to the Godfather franchise and season 2 of White Lotus. The food and markets were a welcomed change. The city is a little gritty and dirty, but with the title of ‘the most conquered city… View Article
Tour of Germany, Switzerland & Austria
May 17, 2025
Mainz, Germany Our first of two escorted tours started this week. After a quick train ride to Mainz, we arrived at our hotel. Mainz is famous for its university, and its Romanesque cathedral. We explored the quaint town and noticed the locals are visibly much happier here. That evening we had an orientation meeting and… View Article
Barcelona and Frankfurt
May 4, 2025
Barcelona – April 29 to May 3 2025 Barcelona is known for the architectural works of Antoni Gaudí and Lluís Domènech i Montaner. The population is 1.8 million. We were last in Barcelona in 2008 when we boarded a cruise ship for the Mediterranean with Joe’s side of our family. We had very little time… View Article
Europe Spring 2025 – Portugal
May 1, 2025
Hello! We are back in Europe again; this time for nine weeks. On our itinerary are Lisbon, Barcelona, Frankfurt, an 11 day guided tour of Germany, Switzerland and Austria, Sicily, several cities around Italy and a 9 day guided tour of Southern Italy. Four planes, 10 trains and 1 bus will be making us mobile…. View Article