Having a holiday booked to look forward to is a great way to motivate yourself through those tough work days or cold winter months ahead. It can somehow make the tough days bearable, knowing that you ...
Europe
Unique Stays: Thinking Outside the Hotel Room
A hotel may be your first choice when looking for a place to stay while on vacation but should it be? I've stayed in a wide range of unique stays from convents to apartments. Take it from me when I ...
Studying Abroad in Italy: 10 Cities of Food & Self Discovery
After a decade since studying abroad in Italy I look back at each city I visited and reflect on what I learned. For a budding foodie, Italy is one of the best places to nourish your ...
My Guide to Venice, Italy
This is not a guide that covers how to get from the airport to your hotel. Nor is it a guide that talks about what you should do with your 6 hours before you need to get back on your cruise ship. This ...
17 Legendary Historic Hotels Inducted into Historic Hotels of America and Historic Hotel Worldwide
Historic Hotels of America® and Historic Hotels Worldwide® have inducted 17 historic hotels into membership through April 2017. These historic hotels date back to the ...
Loughcrew Megalithic Centre, Ireland
Rows of cragged trees with wandering branches lined the curvaceous roads along the River Boyne. I was on a tour with Irish Day Tours - the only tour group who featured the lesser known ancient ...
The 6 Best Things I Ate & Drank in Ireland
Ireland might not be famous for its food but it should be. You probably think of fried foods, soda bread and blood sausage but there's so much more to it! Delectable seafood, sticky ribs, hearty soups ...
Postcards from Ireland: Our UK Honeymoon
As you can see from the picturesque postcards from Ireland in this post, it is a stunning country. Ireland is one of my favourite countries so far. I first visited it in 2013 with my sister for ...
Wanderlist Series #1: Provence
I depart for London in just over 3 weeks and I've got plenty on our to-do list for that trip. But I have my sights on June 2017 (always wanderlusting) in Provence. I figured it would be a great place ...
The Reveal: Honeymoon Itinerary
If you haven't been paying close attention to my little breadcrumbs I've been leaving throughout the past few months then you may not know where we decided to go for our honeymoon. With the wedding ...
My Best Travel Photography: Europe Edition
Life has been so busy lately I have barely had time to celebrate the year my website turns 5. It's official birthday was in March of this year but with the redesign underway I wasn't able to give it a ...
The Most Expensive Coffee in the World: Kopi Luwak & the Catch 22
"It'sa the most expensive coffee in de worrrld." Our very Italian Walks of Italy guide annunciated to us, a slightly buzzed group of 20 travelers from around the world. We had just arrived at the ...
Sunday Pranzo: The Best Meal I Had in Paris was Greek
Ok. Maybe I should rephrase that. One of the best meals I had in Paris was in fact eaten at a Greek restaurant in a terribly touristy area. France has just beat Nigeria in the 2014 FIFA World Cup ...
How to Love Versailles: Make like Marie Antoinette
Raised on my tippy toes I struggled to see the hall of mirrors for what it was in its entirety. People of all nationalities and all languages were buzzing about to and fro without any sign of slowing. ...
Art Smart: Marrying the Sea, Venice’s Love of the Adriatic
Just in time for the month of love and floating mischievous cupids the ArtSmart Roundtable is taking aim at the depiction of love in art. If you're new to ArtSmart Roundtable you can follow us, a ...
A Good Year via Instagram
How is it possible this year is already coming to a close? It's time for a look back. This is 2014 in review. This year has offered opportunities I had only dreamed about when beginning The ...
Sunday Pranzo: Paris’ Les Bistronomes Wine Bar
A narrow quiet candlelit dinning room with accents of slate, natural woods and a chalkboard with expertly handwritten "Shalapata" across it in white chalk. We were the typical tourists that night ...
ArtSmart: The Life of St. Nicholas in Medieval Stained Glass at The Cluny
For those of you new to the ArtSmart Roundtable, we are a group of travel bloggers with a passion for art. We write monthly about a designated topic publishing it on the first Monday of each month ...
Living Like a Local in Paris: The Pros, Cons & Gone Wrongs {Video}
Everyone has imagined what it would be like to live in another city or foreign country. I've always imagined myself in Paris, even before I really knew what it was to live in Paris. Having watched a ...
Drifting on the Seine: A Champagne Boat Tour with Ô Chateau {Video}
No matter how your trip is going in Paris - good, bad or a topsy-turvey mixture of both - nothing will settle you in more than a relaxing drift along the Seine. There we were the six of us floating ...
An Unexpected Walk Among the Tombstones: Kilkenny, Ireland
Have you ever spontaneously visited a country you least expected? That was the case more than one year ago for me. I submitted my application for Bloghouse by Navigate Media half expecting not to be ...
La Grande Dame: A Champagne Day in Reims, France
Things never quite work out how you planned them to be. This is especially the case while traveling. Before departing Canada I had customized our own tour of the Champagne region for 6 people. I ...
Sunday Pranzo: A Birthday Dinner at Camelia, Paris
Planning a birthday in Paris is tough believe it or not. My birthday falls within a week of my moms which meant we would be celebrating two birthdays in the city of light. Luckily I didn't have the ...
Skip the Line with Wine: A City Wonders VIP Louvre Tour {+ Video!}
I remember hearing that the Louvre only has 10% of it's collection on display in Paris. If you haven't been before it is a massive museum and would take you over a month to explore every room and see ...
Paris: First Impressions for a Long Time Dreamer
I can't remember if it was when I was in high school while talking with my teacher about her travels to France and Germany or if it was when I tasted my first escargot but I knew the French ...
Cin Cin!: Drink Like a Venetian – Wine with Context Travel
I love wine. I visit plenty of wineries. I enjoy learning about the ancient elixir. Trying to pair it with meals is a delicious trial and error. I even enjoy photographing it. But I have to be honest. ...
ArtSmart: An Art Day in Paris – My Accidental Walking Tour
This month the ArtSmart Roundtable theme is "An Art Day in..." and having just returned from my first time in Paris I have plenty to write about. Almost every day was an art day in Paris and much of ...
Living Like a Local in Venice with GowithOh Apartments
Local Venetian life is like an exclusive club you can only inherit or purchase your way into like Elton John. But, I've found a bit of a shortcut that doesn't cost you over €4000 per square meter nor ...
Venice on a Plate: A Food Tour of Venice with Walks of Italy
So much good food! Yes I am still alive after so much traveling within these past 4 weeks. From Italy and France to Northern British Columbia I have returned with many stories to tell. But I ...
Snapshots of Venetian Splendour #GwOGourmands
Venice, as I explain to anyone who asks, is one of those places that makes your heart glow when you think about it. At least it is for me. Where else can you see history preserved in time so much so ...
ArtSmart: Learning to See The Light in Vicenza, Italy
ArtSmart is a group of bloggers who write about a specified topic to be published on the first Monday of each month. You can see my colleagues' posts at the bottom of this page. This June the ...
3 Blogs to Follow Before You Go to Venice
With only 1 month to go until I return to Venice. I have been allowing myself to binge on all things Venetian during the weekends. This includes watching usually bad movies set in the gorgeous Venice ...
History & Highlights of Peggy Guggenheim’s Sculpture Garden
Visiting the Peggy Guggenheim in Venice for the first time is an experience to remember. But visiting it for the first time as the sunsets at a private party with booming music and an Aperol sprits in ...
Sunday Pranzo: Sheridans Cheesemongers Dublin
It's been a while since I've written a Sunday Pranzo. What brought me back was the visions of cheese dancing in my head as I cut back on all things delicious and decadent for a while. What keeps me ...
5 French Inspired Blogs to Follow Before You Go
Yes I am counting down the days (83) until I leave for my European vacation involving both Venice and Paris. Two cities that embody elegance, classic art history narratives and artists as well as ...
A Relaxing Rainy Afternoon in Howth, Ireland
In my family I am renown for planning, admittedly it can end up to be too much. I tend to overcompensate for those who tend to not plan at all. But over the years I have learned that cramming as much ...
Murder & Pigs Feet: The English Market in Cork, Ireland
Day trips in Ireland, such as the one I took with Day Tours.ie , are different. The Irish guides tell you their nation's stories of the past, present and potential future during your trip throughout ...
How to Pour the Perfect Pint of Guinness: TBEX Ireland
I had heard a lot of mixed things about Guinness. My boyfriend, an avid beer drinker of Budweiser, said I wouldn't like it. I can't say I am a fan of Budweiser either. But Anthony Bourdain ...
Hidden Ireland: Mystical Glendalough
The Wicklow Gap stop turned out to be a bit of a let down during our day tour. So when my sister, Taryn, and I finally arrived at Glendalough I was relieved. We had 3 hours to explore the site ...
What’s so Great About the Wicklow Gap?
In Wicklow County, Ireland the landscape changes from the typical green rolling hills being grazed by sheep or cows to a brown valley at the Wicklow Gap. Once a frozen glacier the light tumbles across ...
Is It Worth Going to Blarney Castle, Ireland?
The rain is different in Ireland. I was expecting big ol' fat rain but instead it was an annoying mist that would cloak you like a blanket of damp. When my sister Taryn and I arrived at Blarney for ...
The Rock of Cashel, Ireland
When I told my sister, Taryn, we would have to wake up at 5:30am for our Monday full day tour with DayTours.ie she groggily looked at me with jet lagged eyes and said "Okay". What else could she have ...
BlogHouse Ireland 2013: Looking Forward to the Future
It all happened rather quick. I sent in a hasty submission about why I wanted to attend the BlogHouse Ireland by Navigate Media Group and completely expected to be skipped over. Cut to September 29th ...
My Ire in Ireland
Yes Ireland is the most friendliest of places I have ever been but it seems I can't keep the creeps at bay. Do I allude a scent? Is it a high pitch note that rings out from my vocal chords that only ...
Sunday Pranzo: The Oddest Place I Ever Ate in Rome
To this day one of the most oddest sandwich shops I have ever step foot in was in Rome very near to my hotel, the Holiday Inn Express where we admittedly cheaped out on our hotel accommodations. You ...
Venice Decoded: Top 3 Lion Statues
June marked my 3 year anniversary since I first met and became infatuated with Venice and its history. I traveled there in 2010 to study art history and in particular the Reniassance of Venice and the ...
ArtSmart: Artist as Comedian in Vicenza, Italy
Happy April Fools! As we indulge in the last of the winter's helpings of hearty vegetables and salty ham or turkey we may want to take care in accepting mama's special plate made just for you, the ...
Art Worth Traveling For in Rural Italy
I am very excited to be writing my first post for the ArtSmart Roundtable which is a group of brilliant bloggers who write once a month on a topic or theme, each interpreting the ...
Vogalonga 2013: Paddling Venice
Want some nautical adventure in the middle of a historic city this May? Why not sign yourself up for the Vogalonga in Venice? While Venice is celebrating Carnival this February, I am reminiscing ...
Wandering the Vatican & Spotting Celebs
The Vatican Museum was a highlight of my trip to Rome. However, the weather was not cooperating at all so my boyfriend and I stood in the rain (with sandals) for 45 minutes waiting ...
Tuscan Views
I first saw San Gimignano on the cover of my DK Italy guide book. It being my first trip abroad I would consult the guide for vague help before arriving somewhere new. When I realized how ...
Florentine Flaneuse: Wandering the Streets of Florence
The first time I stood before the Duomo di Firenze I was consumed with the vast amount of detail ...
Itinerary: Bologna, Italy
Besides being a foodie's dream location, Bologna also offers a wealth of activities where visitors can interact with its gritty, ancient and intellectual history. It is home to one of the ...
Top 5 Ways to Experience Intimate Venice
If you've been to Venice you may have your mind made up on whether or not you love it or hate it. The streets are narrow and difficult to manoeuvre amongst the dense lines of tourists ...
Is Venice’s Palazzo Ducale Worth It?
Hands down, Venice was my favourite city of Italy. This goes against popular opinion where some seem to think it is not worthy for a lengthy visit. This couldn't be more wrong. I wrote a guide for ...
Mantua (Mantova) Market
While on the topic of markets this week I must share a most unusual and exciting market in the small town of Mantua (AKA Mantova). You know...that place where Romeo was exiled from fair Verona? Well ...
Walk to Villas in the Italian Countryside: La Rotonda, Vicenza, Italy
One of the best "strolls" I have ever had the privilege to take was in Vicenza, Italy. Actually, to be more specific, it was from the centre of town up into the hills over looking Vicenza. Hiking up ...
Is Rome’s Colosseum Worth The Visit?
My final day in Rome I saved the best for last or what you expect to the best... the Colosseum. I had worried that I built this iconic symbol to be something more grand than what it was. ...
Is It Worth Taking a Day Trip to San Gimignano, Tuscany?
One thing that drove me nuts while in Italy was the lack of bacon and eggs. I learned very fast that the Italians aren't big breakfast people and, often, the only thing I could turn to were ...
Rome And All Its Blunders
Rome was a surreal city - hard to wrap your head around. Past and present collided to create an experience that rivaled Dali's melting clocks and vast landscapes. Rome is constructed of vast layers – ...
Music Travels
The opera Aida, at the Verona Amphitheatre. One thing that I love about travel is the unexpected moments or sights that you encounter. Getting to Capri, as I previously ...
Getting to Capri: Drive through fear and hitch a boat ride to easy shore
Getting to Capri felt like no easy feat for a novice world traveler. We took the train from Rome, which was lesson number one in European travel, and we passed with relative ease. However, lesson ...
