Traditionally known in Greek as Thira (or Thera in Classic Greek), this island, which is part of a caldera born from a massive volcanic eruption 3600 years ago, didn’t get its more commonly known of Santorini until about eight centuries ago. Conquered and dominated over the millennia by Greeks, Romans, Byzantines, Venetians, the Latin Empire,Continue reading “Santorini: Between the Sea and the Cosmos”
Tag Archives: Rick Steves Europe
Happy 65th Birthday, Rick Steves!
Happy 65th Birthday, to this guy right here! Please add your own captions and birthday wishes! And if you have any photos with the big guy, we’d love to see those too! For even more candid photos of Rick Steves, check out the original post on The Travelphile Facebook Page.
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.
Men at Work in Salzburg’s Old Town
?Travel provides so many opportunities for cultural insights. It’s easy to find them via the historic, artistic, and culinary experiences that most people encounter. But how much do you pay attention to the stuff of everyday life in a town you’re visiting? ?Let yourself be mesmerized—like I recently was in Salzburg’s Altstad, or Old Town—byContinue reading “Men at Work in Salzburg’s Old Town “
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?”
Conquering Fears and Storming a Castle in Austria
My friend Julie once experimented with “The Year of Trying New Things.” Whenever she encountered something she hadn’t tried or didn’t want to try before (activities, food, routes, ways of thinking), rather than say no to it, she opted to try it…just for kicks. When Rick and I are faced with the choice of doingContinue reading “Conquering Fears and Storming a Castle in Austria”
Remembering Nice
Earlier this year, my travels brought me to Nice. Since my first visit there 15 years ago, I have been under its delightful spell. And now, like so many, I am deeply saddened by the horrific act of terror inflicted on so many in this Riviera city on the 14th of July. And also likeContinue reading “Remembering Nice”
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’!”
Hello, George Clooney!
It’s the start of tour season again, and this time I’m working on a Best of Italy tour. When I mention to friends that I’m going to Lake Como, they all ask me if I’m going to see George Clooney’s villa. I wish. I’m staying in Varenna–a romantic and picture-worthy town on the eastern sideContinue reading “Hello, George Clooney!”