No one ever said, “I wish I would have packed heavier.” But we often think, “I could have packed better.” Here are some tips, tricks, and insights that might help you pack smarter for our avventura in Italia!
Category Archives: Italy
Once Upon a Time in Tuscany
A few years ago, I was gifted a ticket to see Andrea Bocelli in concert at the theater he helped create in Tuscany called Teatro del Silenzio. Full of gorgeous operatic and pop music, guest performers, dancing, fanfare, spectacle, and even a white tiger, it was a mesmerizing, unforgettable event. And it gave me anContinue reading “Once Upon a Time in Tuscany”
Happy Moon Day: Celebrating Humankind’s Greatest Journey
As we celebrate the 50th Anniversary of one of humankind’s greatest accomplishment, I hope you seek out your own journeys of adventure, discovery, connection, and wonderment.
A Travel Angel at the Vatican: Exploring the Papal City-State with the Wife of a Swiss Guard
So often when I travel, I feel like the universe conspires in my favor. Perhaps I’m inclined to be more open to adventure and opportunities that come my way, or maybe, because I seek those moments, I recognize them more readily. Or perhaps there truly is a divine hand at work that guides me towards people and circumstances that stretch and shape me for the better. Whatever the reason, in that chapel and in that moment, I knew precisely how fortunate I was, and I was grateful.
Rome by the Dozen: 12 Images of The Eternal City
Anyone who’s ever been to Rome knows that it’s impossible to contain all of its magnificence in a handful of photos, but that doesn’t stop most travelers from trying. There are (quite literally) millennia of things to see, explore, taste, and experience in this city that was once the center of the largest empire inContinue reading “Rome by the Dozen: 12 Images of The Eternal City”
Italian Experiences with Rick Steves
It’s been more than Rick Steves has led one of our Rick Steves’ Europe Tours, but you’d never know it. His enthusiasm, energy, stamina, knowledge, and love of Europe seems only to have increased with those passing years. Along with 28 happy tour members, my guide colleague Ben Cameron and I (we’re Rick’s assistants onContinue reading “Italian Experiences with Rick Steves”
Why Climb Every Mountain When You Can Take the Lift?
Oh, the Alps. Glorious. Majestic. Breathtaking. They’re the mountains of your dreams, every hiker’s delight, and a “must” destination for so many. For the past week and a half, Rick and I have been leading 26 tour members through the Alps from Austria to Italy to Germany and to Switzerland. And now we’ve arrived inContinue reading “Why Climb Every Mountain When You Can Take the Lift?”
The Dynamite Dolomites: Easy to Access, Easy to Love
I’m not what one would call an outdoorsy kind of person, and no one ever mistook me for a Birkenstock-wearing “granola girl,” but I sure do love hiking in the Alps. Our outdoor-loving and nature-respecting European counterparts make getting there so easy. From well-groomed trails and mountain huts to clear signage and industrial-strength cable lifts,Continue reading “The Dynamite Dolomites: Easy to Access, Easy to Love”
Are You Gonna Go My Way?
Not all travelers are created equal. Whether you’re a bold adventurer, culture vulture, foodie fanatic , history buff, or nature-lover, how you travel can be as important as why you travel and where you go. As an avid travel and tour guide, I know that incorporating our personal passions—and even our individual idiosyncrasies—into our travelsContinue reading “Are You Gonna Go My Way?”
Now We’re Cookin’!
Too often when we travel, we frantically fill our schedules with seeing all the major sights, checking things off our bucket lists, and always go-go-going until we’re too exhausted to do much else. Even having a meal is often underappreciated because we rush through it in order to not miss the next thing on ourContinue reading “Now We’re Cookin’!”