We intended to go to Tuscany, but since our flight was in mid-April, the peak season for tulips, I suggested making a stopover in Amsterdam to see the tulip gardens and fields. We arrived in Amsterdam on time and checked for two nights into the excellent Hotel Tivoli Doelen Amsterdam with a nice view of … Continue reading Amsterdam and side trips →

I love short getaways. Cartagena, which is less than three hours by plane from Miami, has been on my radar for a while. We arrived on Friday afternoon and soon reached our hotel, the Sofitel Legend Santa Clara. The hotel is a monument to Colombian art and history. Built in 1621, the Sofitel Legend Santa … Continue reading Weekend gateway to Cartagena, Colombia →

This blog is written by my husband, Alex. It has been a long-time dream of mine to attend the Super Bowl. Fortunately, in 2023, my favorite team, the Philadelphia Eagles, made it to the Super Bowl in Phoenix, Arizona. I couldn't pass up the opportunity to travel to Phoenix and check this item off my … Continue reading Super Bowl 2025 →

During our time in Prague, we took a day trip to Dresden. We met a guide Zhanna +49 176 61144397. We started with a visit to the Old Masters Picture Gallery and Sculpture Collection in Dresden's Zwinger, one of the world's premier art collections with around 750 works from the 15th to 18th centuries. Founded … Continue reading Karlovy Vary, Prague, Vienna and Bansko for the New Year, Part Two →

We decided to greet the New Year in the Northern Europe. After a long flight, we landed in Prague and immediately took a transfer to Karlovy Vary. Karlovy Vary We stayed at the iconic Grand Hotel Pupp in Karlovy Vary for three nights. Established in the 17th century, it attracted European aristocracy to its celebrated … Continue reading Karlovy Vary, Prague, Vienna and Bansko for the New Year, Part One →

Cádiz We took a train from Seville to Cadiz, where we met our friends Alex and Ira who live in Spain. Our guide, Joanna +34 628 60 18 18, also met us at the train station and started an interesting tour of Cadiz. Cádiz, regarded by many as the oldest continuously inhabited city in Western Europe … Continue reading Spain, Part 3, Cadiz, Marbella and Palma de Mallorca →

Cordoba We took a train from Madrid to Cordoba. At the train station, we were met by a guide Ruben +34 670 63 35 81. He helped us to store the luggage for a day and we started the exploration of the city. Cordoba was a Roman settlement from around the first century BC. From the … Continue reading Spain, Part 2, Andalusia: Cordoba, Seville, Ronda and white villages →

Madrid This trip began with a regrettable 3.5-hour delay, departing Miami at 1:30 am. Exhausted upon arrival in Madrid, we checked into the UMusic Hotel for four nights. The hotel is one of the most unusual we have ever stayed. The historic Teatro Albéniz is currently located within the UMusic Hotel Madrid, a complex consisting … Continue reading Spain. Part 1 Madrid and surroundings →

My youngest daughter Simone moved to New York City over a year ago but I never had the chance to visit her. She lives in the Financial District and she instructed me to take public transportation to her apartment from Laguardia Airport. My New York adventure began. First, I took a bus that hadn't been … Continue reading Weekend in New York City →

We rarely spend a lot of time with our granddaughters. Finally, we arranged a family-friendly vacation in Eastern Canada. We selected Mont-Tremblant Village because it offers a lot of kids-oriented activities. Mont-Tremblant is located amidst the Laurentian mountains in Quebec, just a short hour and a half drive from Montreal. At an elevation of 2871 … Continue reading Mont-Tremblant and North Hatley, Canada →

We hadn't planned on going to Nice, but our friend George Ryzinsky told us about a great mileage flight deal from Nice to Philly. We changed our tickets and flew to Nice, as it would give us a chance to see our granddaughters in Philly. We stayed at the newly opened Hotel du Couvent, which … Continue reading Nice and Cote D’Azur →

After a day's delay due to the flight cancellation, we eventually got to Krakow and checked into Saski Hotel located just off the main square. Poland was one of the few European countries that we never visited. Finally, we made it there. In the morning, we met our guide, Andrei +48 727 464 392. He … Continue reading Poland: Krakow and Warsaw →

We left Germany, drove through Austria and in two hours arrived to Italy. Upon crossing the Italian border, the scenery became absolutely breathtaking. The highway was surrounded by glittering mountain peaks, vineyards cascading down steep slopes, villages, castles, and churches perched on cliffs, with mountain rivers gushing below. Our destination was Adler Hotel in Ortisei, … Continue reading Dolomites, Verona and Lake Garda, Italy →

We began our journey in Munich, arriving late in the day with only a few hours to explore the town. Our hotel, Platzl, was conveniently located, allowing us to walk to Marienplatz, the geographical and cultural heart of Munich. Dating back to the 12th century, Marienplatz was founded by Henry the Lion, Duke of Bavaria. … Continue reading Bavarian Alps, Germany, Part One of our trip →

It took us just over 2 hours to reach our first destination in Provence, near the Côte d’Azur. We have booked a tour at Confiserie Florian, which was opened in 1974. This establishment's production shops craft homemade chocolates, fruit and flower-flavored sweets, as well as jams made with citrus fruits from the Nice region, candied … Continue reading Provence Part 2 and Cote D’Azur →