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Guide to the Best Coffee in Rome: 12 Top Cafés in Rome Italy

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Looking for the best place to get a coffee in Rome? Italy is a great place to sample coffee as it is the home of espresso and has a very developed coffee culture. We’ve visited Rome multiple times, and on those visits we’ve drunk a lot of wonderful cups of coffee in the Eternal City. So we wanted to share some of our favorite cafés in Rome to get coffee, with a focus on central locations. Need a coffee break after a visit to the Pantheon, Piazza Navona, Spanish Steps, or Borghese Gallery? We got you covered. These locations vary from simple local cafes to a 18 century upscale historical coffeehouse to a former artist studio! Before we get into our cafe recommendations, we’ll first share a number of tips and advice on ordering and drinking coffee in Rome, including typical coffee drinks, how to order coffee in Rome, how… Read the rest

La Garrotxa Travel Guide: 15 Things to do in the Volcanic Region of Catalonia

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The volcanic La Garrotxa region of Catalonia lies between the Pyrenees & the beautiful Costa Brava region in Spain. La Garrotxa is best known for its well-preserved medieval villages, good food, outdoor activity opportunities, Romanesque churches, and volcanic park. La Garrotxa Volcanic Zone Natural Park is one of the best preserved volcanic landscapes in Europe, containing 40 inactive volcanoes. If you are looking for a rural escape from Barcelona or Costa Brava, La Garrotxa is a short distance away making for a perfect Girona or Barcelona day trip or weekend getaway spot. Scenic vistas, rural landscapes, and medieval villages abound here. With a large network of trails, Garrotxa is a popular destination for both hikers and cyclists. Laurence and I have been lucky enough to have visited La Garrotxa several times and we seem to be in the area at least once a year. In this post we’ll share all you need… Read the rest

Visiting the Covered Bridges of Madison County in Iowa

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During a road trip a few years ago, Laurence and I decided to make a detour to visit the covered bridges of Madison County Iowa. Madison County is located about 30 miles from Des Moines and is called the “Covered Bridge Capital of Iowa” for having the largest group of covered bridges in one area west of the Mississippi River. The bridges are historically significant and were all added to the National Register of Historic Places in the 1970’s. However, their popularity as a tourist attraction came in the 1990’s after the publication of the bestselling book The Bridges of Madison County by Iowa-born author Robert James Waller. The novel tells the fictional story of an Italian-American housewife Francesca who has a brief but life altering affair in 1965 with a National Geographic travel photographer who comes to take photos of the local covered bridges. The covered bridges reached even greater… Read the rest

3 Days in London: A Perfect 72 Hour London Itinerary

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London is one of the world’s largest and most exciting cities, offering visitors thousands of things to do, including museums, royal palaces, beautiful parks, historical sites, and world-class theatre. With all these options, planning a trip to London can be a bit overwhelming, especially for first time visitors. We’ve put together a recommended 3 day London itinerary that will help you see the city’s highlights if you have at least 3 days in London. Our suggested 3 day itinerary has you visiting all the city’s most famous attractions (e.g., Westminster Abbey, Windsor Castle, Tower of London) as well as some of the city’s lesser known attractions. In addition to the 3 day itinerary, we also provide tips on how to get around London, a map that plots out each day’s suggested itinerary, and tips on how to save money during your 3 days in London. Planning Tips for 3 Days in… Read the rest

Best Compact Cameras for Travel 2018

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Almost everyone takes a camera with them on vacation, and we’ve decided to put together a guide to the best point-and-shoot cameras for travel. Having a great travel camera will help you capture those wonderful travel moments and share them with your family and friends. As professional travel photographers and writers, one of the most important pieces of our travel kit is our travel cameras. We rarely go anywhere without them! Cameras come in all shapes and sizes these days, from the one on your smartphone to compact cameras to professional level DSLRs. We personally think though that the best camera you have is the one on you and one that you know how to use. For many people, a compact camera, often called a point-and-shoot camera, is the perfect travel camera as they are generally small, lightweight, easy to use, and budget friendly. We’ll help you decide if a point-and-shoot… Read the rest

Palamós Travel Guide: 10 Things to do in Palamós Spain

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Palamós is one of our favorite Costa Brava towns and after several visits we decided to put together a travel guide to help other travelers discover all the wonderful things to do in Palamós Spain. This Mediterranean coastal town is one of the best preserved fishing villages in the Costa Brava and is a perfect place to relax and learn about the local Catalan culture. The town offers scenic hiking paths, several beaches, water sports, historical attractions, and an excellent fishing museum. It is also well known for its fresh seafood, cooking workshops, and famous Palamós gambas. If you enjoy seafood, this is the town to visit! There are plenty of things do in Palamós and you can easily spend a couple of days here. The town also makes for a great day trip from Barcelona or Girona as it is well located within Catalonia. Whether you have 1 hour or 1… Read the rest

Iceland on a Budget: How to Save Money in Iceland

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Iceland is a popular but expensive travel destination. To help with your trip planning, we’ve put together a guide to how to travel to Iceland on a budget. Our advice is based on the 6 weeks we have spent traveling throughout this beautiful country. In this post we’re going to share our top Iceland budget tips to help you save money on your Iceland trip. We’ll start with giving you an idea of what things costs in Iceland and how to set up a budget for your trip, and then we’ll share 21 different budget tips to help you travel in Iceland on a budget. We share ways to save money in Iceland on flights, accommodation, rental cars, dining out, camping, alcohol, groceries, fuel, and sightseeing. Whether you are traveling on a $1,000 budget or a $10,000 budget, you want to get the most out of your money and your trip… Read the rest

Visiting The Dark Hedges in Northern Ireland

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One of the most popular attractions in Northern Ireland is the Dark Hedges, a beautiful row of trees that has been made famous by appearances in TV shows and films such as Game of Thrones. The Dark Hedges make for a popular stop for visitors to Northern Ireland and can be visited as part of a Coastal Causeway road trip or as a day trip from Belfast or Dublin. In this guide, we’re going to tell you everything you need to know to visit the Dark Hedges including how to get there, where to park, tips for photographing the Dark Hedges, how to avoid the crowds, and where you can stay nearby. Guide to Visiting the Dark Hedges in Northern Ireland Below we’ll share everything you need to know to find the Dark Hedges and make the most of your visit. What is the Dark Hedges? The Dark Hedges is… Read the rest

Aberdeen Travel Guide: 30+ Things to do in Aberdeen Scotland

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We’ve put together a travel guide about all the top things to do in Aberdeen Scotland. Aberdeen, nicknamed the Granite City, is Scotland’s third largest city. Although less known than Edinburgh or Glasgow, Aberdeen is a great city to visit if you are interested in seeing another side of Scotland. We recently spent several days exploring Aberdeen and found that the city has a lot to offer visitors. Aberdeen has powerful architecture, beautiful gardens, charming historical districts, interesting museums (most of which are free!), good restaurants, internationally known golf courses, fun festivals, and even a beach! The wider area of Aberdeenshire is home to whisky distilleries, dozens of castles, the Cairngorms National Park, and some of Scotland’s best golf courses. First, we’ll share all you need to know to plan your visit to Aberdeen including how to get there, how to get around, and where to stay. Then we’ll share… Read the rest

12 Things to do in the Cairngorms National Park in Winter

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Winter can be a wonderful time of year to visit the Cairngorms National Park in Scotland as there are scenic winter landscapes, fewer people, and the opportunity to enjoy winter sports. If you are thinking about visiting the Cairngorms National Park in winter, we’ve put together a list of things to do in the Cairngorms during the winter that includes skiing, winter hiking, whisky tasting, exploring historical sites, wildlife watching, and visiting popular family attractions. We’ll also provide tips and advice for helping you make the most of your visit based on our own visits to the Cairngorms National Park in winter. Travel Information for Visiting the Cairngorms during Winter We’ll share how to get to the Cairngorms National Park, how to get around the Cairngorms, where to stay, winter visiting tips, and where to find further resources on planning your trip. Getting to the Cairngorms National Park? The Cairngorms… Read the rest

3 Days in Dublin Ireland: The Perfect Dublin Itinerary

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Dublin is Ireland’s capital and largest city, offering an endless number of museums, attractions, and entertainment options. We’ve put together a recommended Dublin itinerary to help you get the most out of your 3 days in Dublin. It includes all the main highlights of the city such as Trinity College, the Guinness Storehouse, the Temple Bar neighborhood, and Christ Church Cathedral as well as a few lesser known sites. We suggest using this Dublin itinerary as a starting point for planning your 3 days in Dublin, and you can edit it to create your own personalized itinerary that reflects your own needs and interests. In addition to the 3 day itinerary, we also provide tips on how to get around Dublin, a map of each day’s suggested attractions, tips on where to stay in Dublin, and how to save money during your 3 days in Dublin. Planning for 3 Days in… Read the rest

Where JK Rowling Wrote Harry Potter in Edinburgh

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J.K. Rowling wrote most of the Harry Potter books in Edinburgh Scotland, and you can still visit some of these places today. Rowling moved to Edinburgh in 1993 and once said in an interview: “…Edinburgh is very much home for me and is the place where Harry evolved over seven books and many, many hours of writing in its cafés.” Although she wrote Harry Potter in Edinburgh in a variety of cafes and private places, there are a few places that she worked that you can visit on your trip to Edinburgh! J.K. Rowling, Harry Potter, and Edinburgh Before listing the places you can visit where Rowling wrote Harry Potter in Edinburgh, we’ll share a bit of background about J.K. Rowling and her time in Edinburgh. Joanne Rowling, aka J.K. Rowling, had the inspiration for what would become the Harry Potter series during a train ride from Manchester to London… Read the rest

15 Tips to Avoid the Crowds on the Isle of Skye in Scotland

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The Isle of Skye in Scotland is a scenic island known for its rugged and dramatic landscapes. It is a popular tourist destination and it is no secret that the Isle of Skye can get very busy, especially during the summer months when large numbers of tourists visit the island. We’ve visited the Isle of Skye a number of times across different times of the year, and have decided to share our tips on how to avoid the crowds on the Isle of Skye. Whether you are able to travel off season or need to travel during the busy month of August, we’ll provide tips and advice to help you avoid the large tourist crowds, get off the beaten path, and enjoy some peaceful moments on this beautiful island. 15 Tips to Avoid Crowds on the Isle of Skye Many people travel to the Scottish Highlands and islands looking for… Read the rest

2 Week Route 66 Itinerary: The Ultimate American Road Trip

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Route 66 is the ultimate American road trip and we’ve put together a comprehensive 2 week Route 66 itinerary to help drivers navigate this historic route. This detailed day-by-day Route 66 itinerary covers all the basic details (mileage, general route) and sightseeing highlights along the 2,400 mile route. We cover quirky Route 66 roadside attractions, historical buildings, vintage roadside diners, museums, natural wonders, and so much more. We also provide suggestions for where to eat and where to stay each day along the drive with a strong focus on Route 66 era businesses. Use this Route 66 itinerary to plan your travels from Chicago to Santa Monica and get the most out of your Route 66 road trip!  Things to Know Before you Take Off on your Route 66 Drive Before you take off on your 2,400-mile “Mother Road” road trip, we’d recommend reading our Route 66 road trip planning… Read the rest

A Guide to How to Get From London to Edinburgh

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London and Edinburgh are two of the UK’s most popular cities, and many visitors to the UK want to travel from London to Edinburgh. These two amazing capitals are very different but both offers loads of interesting attractions and activities for visitors. If you are aiming to visit both cities on your UK trip, you may be wondering how to get from London, England to Edinburgh, Scotland? To help answer that question, we’ve put together a comprehensive guide on how to get from London to Edinburgh or from Edinburgh to London. We’re going to list at all the options you have for getting from London to Edinburgh, as well as give you an idea how long each option takes, the cost associated with each method, the main companies and ways to book each route, and cost saving tips. We also provide some advice on how to choose a method based… Read the rest