I wasn’t sure what to expect when disembarking the ferry on Isola d’Elba in June. What I am sure about is Napoleon would never recognize it today. Definitely more congested than when the emperor was exiled to the island in …
Heatwave: Massive and Intense This Summer in Southern Europe
The intense heatwave of summer 2023 is forging all over southern Europe. People are actually dying – and it’s scary. Gary and I lived in Arizona and let’s face it, Phoenix can hit 115 Fahrenheit easily on a summer day. …
Da Vinci’s Last Supper: Masterpiece in Milan-Our Incredible Visit
The Last Supper was top on our list to visit when we first arrived in Milan back in 2010. What we didn’t realize is that it was closed the only day we could visit. Rookie mistake. What we… and perhaps …
The Dolomites in Italy | Our Exciting Experience
Our outdoor adventure to The Dolomites – a place in northern Italy like no other. The beauty and diversity of the landscape of the Italian Dolomites alone will enchant you – in every season. Packed with stunning views, small quaint villages, plenty …
Amazing Portugal | Our Awesome Trip & Tips
Our recent trip to Portugal was amazing! We planned a ten-day trip recently to visit three areas of this country. As the saying goes… best-laid plans of mice and men often go awry… and so… we changed it during our …
Easy Day Trips From 5 Major Cities in Italy
We often get asked about easy day trips from Lucca and other major cities throughout Italy. When Shari, a faithful, long-time subscriber of this blog suggested this for a post, we thought we’d do it. I will always recommend that …
Jet Lag: How to Avoid and Conquer
Is the term “jet lag” real? You bet it is! Of course, it depends on which way you are traveling. It’s easier for Europeans to travel to the USA than the other way around. Reason being? The 6-9 hour time …
8 Ways to Save Money For Travel
Save Money For Travel Why is it so difficult to save money for travel? Travel enriches our lives. It’s the one thing you can buy that makes you richer. That’s one of my favorite sayings… and it’s true. Most people …
Leaning Tower of Pisa: The Amazing Climb
The Leaning Tower of Pisa The Leaning Tower of Pisa is iconic and easily recognizable when in this town, or even just passing on the train or roadway. All the times we’ve visited the Field of Dreams as it’s called, …
Balsamic in Modena: Outstanding Experience
Balsamic Vinegar: What is it about that “black gold” liquid that’s so special? Who doesn’t love balsamic vinegar? A recent trip with our good friends JoAn and Jim took us to an amazing family-run place in Modena. They’ve enjoyed visiting …
Best Advice: Adapters & Electrical Converters for Italy
A little story about electrical converters. Here I am one day clipping my hair with electric barber-style clippers, and I smell something burning. My hair clippers are smoking like crazy and getting hotter in my hand. I immediately dropped them …
Top 12 Things To Do in Florence
Top 12 Things to do in Florence, Italy The top 12 things to do in Florence is a list of our favorite sites. We were very fortunate to recently spend 90 days in the historical center of Florence. Our apartment …