Sauna and Finding the Ultimate Freedom in Helsinki
A few weeks ago I was approached by the fine folks at the Helsinki Freedom campaign to work with them on a project to promote Helsinki and to focus specifically on freedom as a topic. I jumped at the opportunity mostly because my one and only visit to Finland a few years ago was so much fun and so impactful that I was excited to once again write about one of the happiest spots on the planet. More than just write about things to see and do, I love the freedom topic because it’s at the heart of life in Finland and especially Helsinki. It’s a very egalitarian society with…
20 Places You Should Visit in 2020
2019 is now officially over, thank goodness, and since this is the start of the New Year I thought I would share some of my top travel picks for 2020. Some are obvious choices, others a little more unexpected but all are amazing places to discover for one reason or another. Also, these are in NO PARTICULAR ORDER. I don’t want to see anyone complaining that one destination is ranked higher or lower than another one; they all have my love and admiration. South Africa It’s been a few years since South Africa has been the star of travel media coverage, which is unfortunate. After making some incredible headway in…
Lisbon Photo Highlights
I just returned from my first visit to Portugal and the trip was so amazing that I know it’ll take me many posts to properly share what the experience was like. Before I start sharing those stories though, I want to first publish some of my favorite photos from the start of my trip in Lisbon. Prior to joining my Viking river cruise along the Douro, I arrived a little early to explore even more of Lisbon. Graced with some incredible weather, I very quickly fell in love with this quirky capital city and I hope these photos do this remarkable city the justice it deserves. The post Lisbon Photo…
Exploring Emilia-Romagna, Italy in 7 Bites
There are many great culinary centers around the world; spots made famous either entirely or in part for their rich food history. My favorite though is without hesitation the Emilia-Romagna region of Italy. Although not a place many Americans know about, they really should because it’s from the towns, cities and farms spread across the area where some of Italy’s, and the world’s, most famous dishes and ingredients all got their start. The complete list of delicacies that hail from here would, and have, comprise an entire book so today I want to instead share some of my favorite bites, all of which are easy to try on your own…
ETW #40 Travel to Italy’s Amazing Emilia-Romagna Region
Home to such iconic Italian names like lasagna, balsamic vinegar, Ferrari and Fellini, this week we’re exploring the fascinating Emilia-Romagna region. Although you may not be familiar with the name of the region, you absolutely know about its cities, towns and products that are amongst the most famous in Italy. This week we learn more about my favorite part of the country. You can listen to the podcast here on this page or on any of these services: iTunes, Google Play, Spotify, Stitcher. In a country as diverse and amazing as Italy it’s hard to pick a favorite part, but for me it’s the Emilia- Romagna region. One of Europe’s…
7 Under the Radar UNESCO World Heritage Sites I Love to Visit
I don’t normally make it the focus of my travels, if there’s an opportunity for me to visit a UNESCO World Heritage Site, I always make sure I stop. In 1972 the UN, through the UNESCO World Heritage Committee, began recognizing important sites around the world that they consider vital in order to maintain the cultural and natural heritage we have all inherited. Even though I haven’t even scratched the surface of visiting the more than 1,000 sites in every corner of the planet, I have been to quite a few and think every traveler should make a point to visit them if they can. To show the width and…
Unlikely Food Destinations I Love to Visit
The other day I saw an article declaring how strange it was for a certain destination I love to actually have incredible food. I’d visited there several times and already knew how amazing the food scene is, but I was surprised that they were surprised. The fact is, that some cities, regions and even entire countries have terrible reputations when it comes to the culinary scene. Usually, although I admit not always, these reputations aren’t fair, especially in 2019. In the last 15 years or so, nearly every spot on the planet has realized that creating incredible food experiences isn’t just nice, but it’s healthier and better than what it…
5 Seafood-Centric Destinations & How I Survived as a Non-Pescatarian
As a frequent traveler, one of the biggest issues I deal with is what I eat. I am a very picky eater; a confirmed carnivore, my love of vegetables is weak at best and most notably, I don’t eat any fish or seafood. My fellow Americans may wonder why I phrase it that way and the reason is simple. I was on a trip once and I had sent along my dietary requirement of No Seafood. Now, to an American that usually includes anything that was ever in the water, ever. Possible exceptions would include ducks or if a cow fell into a lake or something. But when translated, seafood…
18 Bucket List Experiences Everyone Should Try
Let me preface this monster of a post by saying that no, this is not an exhaustive list. Yes, there are cooler things to do around the world, I just haven’t done them. As an independent blogger and not someone writing listicles for a magazine, I can only go from my personal experiences. Perhaps I should have titled this post “18 Experiences I’ve Done That I Think You Should Do Too,” but I didn’t, hence the preface. Now that we have that out of the way, I was editing some photos from past trips recently and it dawned on me (not for the first time) just how enormous the world is…
Favorite Moments Reconnecting with Rome
Until just a few months ago, my opinion on Rome was fairly muted. I had only visited once before and that was for 1 day many years ago. Somehow I had missed returning until late last year when, in the span of just a couple of months, I found myself in the Eternal City not once, but twice. In the process, I discovered a city that I very quickly fell in love with, from its delicious food to the inviting plazas and of course the history found around every corner. Those trips quickly erased years of travel neglect and instilled in me a very sudden, but deep love of Rome.…
