Back from Another Small Group Tour to Italy
I got back late last night from leading another small group tour to Italy. We visited Florence, Padua, Verona, Venice, Vicenza then headed down to Sorrento and the Amalfi Coast for a few days. We traveled with as many as 12 adults and as few as six. The weather was terrific, the food was out of this world, the places we visited were glorious and the friendships we made will last for a long time. Read my blog post and find out the highlights of our tour of Italy.
My Favorite Eating Spots on Traveling Professor Tours
On our small group tours we love to eat. Over the years I have found the best authentic dining spots in Italy, Paris, Spain and Peru. In this blog post I will tell you about my favorite eating spots, places we always go on my Traveling Professor tours. Two of the best dining spots are in Italy, and I have listed one each in Paris, Peru, and Spain. Come join me on a Traveling Professor tour and see what I am talking about.
How to Save on Flights to Italy
The Traveling Professor flies to Italy 4-6 times per year. Airfare makes up a considerable portion of my tour expense and if I can save anywhere from $200-$400 per flight, that amounts to significant savings. As you probably know, I use the website matrix.itasoftware.com to search for flights whether it be for my personal trips or helping those going on my small group tours to Italy. But there are some other tips for getting the best airfares to Italy. Read my blog post to find out how to save money on flights to Italy.
Two Boat Rides in Paris
Taking a tour to Paris involves walking, a lot of walking. Whether it be on one of The Traveling Professor's small group tours to Paris or traveling on my own, I like to take a break in the middle of the day and do something relaxing. A cruise down either the Seine or the Canal St. Martin is always on my list of things to do in Paris. Take a look at the blog post to find out more about taking a day cruise in Paris.
European Hotel Rooms: What to Expect
Europe is different from North America. That's one of the reasons why we travel there. One difference travelers will see when traveling to Paris, for instance, and even more so in Italy, are in the hotel rooms. When staying in the historic district of Florence for instance, most of the buildings are hundreds of years old, built long before modern plumbing and electrical systems. Therefore, these rooms needed to be retro fitted to accommodate these modern conveniences. For that reason, travelers won't find many "cookie-cutter" type of rooms in the big, old cities of Europe. Read my blog post to find out more in regards what to expect in European hotel rooms on your next tour to Europe.
We're Off to Italy Next Week
The Traveling Professor is off to Italy with a small group of 12 adult travelers. It will be The Professor's last small group Italy tour of the year. On the itinerary is Rome, the Amalfi Coast, Florence, and Venice. Our tour to Italy will be about 2 weeks in length. What I enjoy most about our tours to Italy are the great people on our groups. No slow big bus tours for us! We always have energetic travelers who like to see and do a lot. Our small group size lets us move around quickly and efficiently. The hotels are all in central locations. For more on our small group tour to Italy itinerary, see my blog post.
Italy Trip Report: Part III
I'm back from my tour to Italy that included visits to Rome, the Amalfi Coast, Florence, the Tuscan hill towns of Monterrigioni an Castellina, and Venice. We had a small group tour of about 12 travelers, from all over the United States and Canada join us. The weather was unpredictably cool, but delightful. In our two weeks in Italy, we only experienced one day of inclement weather and even that day was not so bad. Read the blog post to find out more about our tour to Italy.
Trattoria, Osteria, Fattoria, or Enoteca
The Traveling Professor just returned from a tour to Italy with about a dozen travelers. We visited Rome, Florence, the Amalfi Coast, Florence, Tuscan hill towns and Venice. When on a tour to Italy, food is a very important element of the tour. We ate in several kinds of places, some of them called a fattoria, trattoria, enoteca, or osteria. What's the difference between these eating establishments. Let's talk about it in my Italy blog post.
Day Trip to the Champagne Region
Celebrate and take your choice of either Reims or Épernay for tours and tastings. It takes about an hour by rail from Gare de l’Est to travel into the French countryside. I advise making an appointment for tours and tastings on weekends, holidays, and peak travel periods. Raising a glass at two, maybe three Champagne houses is the limit for me on a day trip. On your next tour to Paris, take a day off and do an easy tour to the Champagne region.