During the early to mid-20th century, Italy included the largest peninsula in the Adriatic Sea, what is today known as Istria, Croatia. Italian could be heard from the town squares and the beautiful hillside vineyards flourished with verduzzo, trebbiano and moscato. Winemakers craft red and white wines in these lush fields and red clay soils similar to that of Northern Italy. You simply can’t miss the Istrian wine roads if you are a wine lover visiting Europe.
Italy is known for is vast wine country and beautiful historical monuments, from the Colosseum to Pompeii. For wine lovers especially, a trip to Italy is easily on their top 10 places to visit in Europe. The main question is more where to go and how long. We recently discovered this amazing trip to Italy we want to share with you: Country Roads and Vineyards of Italy, an amazing tour of wine country in Italy. Here are some of the main stops you can take along this and any fabulous Italian Adventure.
When touring any country most tourists will go and visit during the country’s peak season, for most countries this is the summer time. The weather ranges from warm to hot, there are a lot of people in a wide range of ages around since school is out for the most part. Europe especially can get busy during these months, with river cruises and family vacations and people going about their daily lives, it is sometimes stressful and difficult to navigate around. Not to mention the expense of traveling during the summertime is gruesome. It is because of this we wondered “Is traveling during the tourism off season better?" If you are debating touring Europe in the fall or are trying to figure out when to go, here are some great benefits and tips to help guide you.
As someone who wants to explore most of Europe, there were a few places that I never really thought about going to. That is until recently when researching our most recent adventure; a trip to Slovenia and Croatia. If you are interested in exploring new wines, small towns with strong historical significance all while avoiding crowds these are two great countries to visit. Offering entertainment for culinary, history, and adventure lovers alike, these countries are slowly creeping up to my top 20 countries to visit.
There have been three major attacks this month, from France, to Yemen, to Nigeria within the month of January. With so many recent threats in just this month, many people have been have been questioning if it is safe to travel abroad, particularly to Europe. Here is some valuable information to assist in deciding if you should take a European vacation.
France is full of romance, history and beautiful landscapes throughout its land. With multiple rivers running straight through and out of France, it makes an excellent stop on a European river cruise. Whether you are wanting to visit wine country, the multitude of museums, majestic castles, the bounty of shops or savor the culinary arts; France offers you an experience that will leave you in awe.
Thinking about doing a river cruise this year? It's January, which means it's time choose your itinerary and get your space reserved before your top choice sells out. This time of year, cruise lines have a lot of Wave Sales, which means you can take advantage of big savings. I have chosen three favorites to highlight from the offerings from AMA Waterways, just to give you an idea of what's available.
Switzerland has some of the most picturesque views of all Europe, from the idyllic lake, lush meadows, Alpine peaks, and more. This country is the ideal of adventure traveling meeting luxury, perfect for a European river cruise. Switzerland is a land of unity, being that their other name is “Confoederatio Helvetica” after Helvetica the idolized woman of this union.
So why should you visit Switzerland?
Switzerland offers culture through experience, from the great Alps to the local cuisine, historical monuments to local jazz festivals. With four official languages they make it easy to roam around being at least partially understood and feel comfortable there. Not to mention, the food is both comforting and delicious.
Switzerland is most famous for their chocolate and fondue, but it is worth it to try more than just those staples. If you have tried muesli for breakfast before you have already enjoyed one of the great dishes on Switzerland invented in the 1900s. Another great dish to try is Älplermagronen, which is sometimes called a “Herdsman’s macaroni” containing protein and a hint of sweetness, and sometimes bacon. Recipes for these and more can be found online to experiment before you begin your trip.
Book a Uniworld European river cruise of at least 7 days and save up to $1,400 per couple. Select sailings also qualify for an additional $200 in onboard credit.
A European river cruise is a great way to see some of the most beautiful wine regions in the world in comfort and luxury. They are also a great value, since most river cruise lines include meals, wine, beer and excursions in the price of the cruise. This helps you avoid a large bill for incidentals at the end of your cruise. Air from Europe is usually around $1,200 to $1,800 per person in coach and $3,000 to $4,000 per person in business class, so you may be wondering if any cruise lines offer air discounts or included air with their package. Here's a run down of the major European river cruise lines and their airfare discount deals for 2015.
