"Travel Agents have been replaced by Travel "Experts". So many times we get asked "Do Travel Agents still exist??" What !!!! Yes they do and they are better than ever. The era of cookie cutter vacations is well past. Online booking engines are not as popular now as people have become frustrated and disappointed. These days, the new breed of Travel professionals are "Specialists" in their niche. If you are planning a trip of a lifetime, you want to [...]
On the 2018 list of best places to go is Iceland. known for its natural wonders: glaciers, active volcanoes, black-sand beaches, geothermal areas, roaring rivers, majestic waterfalls, and beautiful lakes. (Itinerary courtesy of Authentic Ireland Travel) In Thingvellir, a UNESCO World Heritage Site, walk through the rift valley that marks the separation between the North American and European tectonic plates. In Geysir, walk [...]
Two times in the last 2 months, we have witnessed international destination situations where the traveler was unprepared and these two simple resources would have made the world of difference. #1 - portable phone charger (link) #2 Google Translate (link) (or similar translation app) In both instances, travelers were "stuck" somewhere with only limited battery power left on their phone and no access to a phone charger. We always recommend that everyone has [...]
We noticed a little chill in the air this week when we were sitting outside during Halloween - I guess it's finally time for our weather in Georgia to cool down. I also notice a lot of people with allergies and colds as the temps fluctuate, and word on the street is that (again), this year's flu vaccine is not effective :( When you have cold and flu symptoms and feel miserable, you'll try anything to feel better. [...]
"Opa" is probably a word you've heard before especially if you watched "My Big Fat Greek wedding" it is a famous Greek greeting used when celebrating, toasting, dancing etc. Greece is fast becoming one of the hottest vacation destinations in Europe and there is so much more to Greece than meets the eye. Here's some info on the top spots to visit: Athens (the capital) , Santorini (volcanic island) [...]
I'm sure you've heard of "Camino de Santiago", also known in english as "The way of St.James" which is one of the most important Christian Pilgrimages during the middle ages. The route ends at the Cathedral of Santiago in Spain where St. James' remains are buried. Today, hundreds of thousands of Christian pilgrims and others, make the pilgrimage by foot or bike each year. There are many different routes throughout Europe. Ireland has it's own version called "The Kerry Camino" [...]
Belfast N.Ireland has been home to The Titanic Museum for many years now. link here Now the much anticipated Titanic Hotel has finally opened. Reported to have cost £28 million ($37.9 million), the hotel is housed inside the Harland & Wolff headquarters and historic Drawing Offices—where the Titanic was originally built in the early 20th century. The property was designed to be “the world's most authentic Titanic-themed hotel.” The Titanic Hotel showcases Belfast’s shipbuilding heritage, and the project carefully preserved original details (like moldings, [...]
Every year from early November through Christmas Eve, cities in Austria, Germany, and nearby countries (France, England, Czech Republic, Italy, Belgium), light up their ancient town squares for the holidays and set up festive stalls. Many markets start on the Friday before Advent, which is four Sundays before Christmas Eve; most end on December 24, especially in Germanic countries, where Christmas Eve is set aside for trimming the tree at home. Others keep [...]
Under-vacationed America. In the US, we excel at so many things, but we really fall behind in using vacation time. We suffer from "Vacation Deprivation" !! I remember when I first moved to the US, I was shocked at the limited amount of vacation time people took. I had come from Europe where we take our full 2 week vacation every year (all at once!) What ??!!! People looked at me like I was crazy and were scrambling to take [...]
You've got to visit EATALY when in Italy !!! Have any of you are familiar with "Eataly" ? The large Italian marketplace is known to be much more than an Italian grocery. The locations in New York City, Boston, and Chicago are restaurant hubs, cooking class locations, wine stores — you name it. Well.............. Eataly is opening a new location in Bologna, Italy in November and it will be a "Wine & Food" Theme park ! It's called Fico Eataly [...]