Ljubljana's Beekeeping Trail gives you a bee's eye view of one of Europe's loveliest cities. And it's the perfect chance to discover the Ljubljana Botanical Garden.
Ljubljana is a sweet travel destination, and not just because it's so lovely to look at and so pleasant to chat with the warm local residents. No, in this case Ljubljana is literally sweet, for it is a city obsessed with honey!
Slovenian honey, coming from the beloved Carniolan honey bee, is a product of protected geographic indication and Slovenians take their honey so seriously that they are the only European country which has special legal protection for their bees. Beekeeping and bee protection has a long, passionate history in Ljubljana, one that we were able to trace step by step on a guided walk of the Beekeeping Trail. On the cusp of the Arctic Circle lies Boden, an area rich in Swedish history, culture, art, and design.
How many times have you heard that something is about the journey, not the destination? When it comes to Northern Sweden, none of the usual travel cliches apply and this is one region where the journeys and the destinations are equally memorable. We experienced this first hand as we set out on a journey towards Sweden's Arctic Circle. We had the opportunity to discover the municipality of Boden, which serves as an incredible gateway to Swedish Lapland as well as being an amazing place to explore all on its own.
Boden is a remarkable blend of history, modernity, religion, military might, tranquil nature, and edgy design. And it's just waiting for more people to discover it! This is our journey as we made our way north to Sweden's Arctic Circle. Shakespeare once wrote "Boldness be my friend!" That's great advice for exploring Prague!
Cozy bookstores never fail to tug at my heart. I absolutely love discovering these charming, locally owned literary nests all around the world and I know you do too. I'm always happy to wander around no matter what style or language of book is offered, but I'm especially excited when I discover an English bookstore when I'm in another country. I usually can't resist picking up a new novel for the road and I enjoy bumping into other expats and hearing about upcoming events (and occasionally crashing them, especially when there's free wine involved!)
I heard about Prague's Shakespeare and Sons bookstore long before my visit. It's arguably the city's most famous bookstore and it comes highly recommended by all guidebooks. Still, my heart skipped a few beats when I saw it for the first time as I explored the cobblestone streets at dusk. Here it was! Updated in 2022! Discover the secrets of the centuries-old Charles Bridge in the timeless city of Prague.
We've adapted a new mantra when we're asked for travel advice these days and it goes something like this. When people say that they want to visit Paris, we always pause and ask if they're sure they don't mean Prague. It's no slight against Paris, but I think when it comes to European beauty, charm, romance, and cobblestones, most would-be visitors are craving Prague (and they don't even know it!)
The city is home to fine bakeries, delightful public squares, and, of course, is no stranger to beautiful bridges. Plan your trip to Paris all the same. Just consider adding Prague onto that itinerary! We were fortunate to spend 4 days in the heart of the city, next to the legendary Charles Bridge, and we found reason after reason to starting recommending "The Golden City" along with "The City of Lights". Rural Belgium is an unsung travel destination. This is what it was like to travel to Aulne Abbey and Landelies. (Updated 2022.) When you hop into the car for a bit of spontaneous exploration in Belgium, chances are you're not expecting to uncover lakes and rivers, hills and valleys. Belgium is a beautiful country, with arguably some of the most picturesque towns and cities in Europe, but it's not well known for wide open spaces, rolling hills, and rambling rivers. Our visit to the village of Landelies, Belgium, and to the nearby Aulne Abbey defied all our expectations and transformed the way we think about this country.
Flying with Turkish Airlines has opened our eyes to a different style of travel.
Lemonade, mint soda, or fruit punch? Step inside the most colorful, coziest, loveliest way we've ever gone from point A to point B! Traveling from Montreal to Istanbul with Turkish Airlines business class was an unforgettable experience and a wonderful lesson in travel elegance. We will never look at travel the same way again!
This trip marked the one and only time we've ever flown in business class (well, okay, there was that time Ryan managed to weasel his way to first class while on route to Las Vegas but that's a sore point). And, just like you'd imagine, it was absolutely divine! But it comes as no surprise that flying in business class is "nice." We wanted to bring you behind the scenes to see just what our experience was like so you can decide for yourself if the upgrade from economy to business is a smart move for you. Where should you have lunch in Montreal? Finally, I have some answers! These are some of my favourite lunch spots in Montreal.
For a travel writer, I sometimes do a poor job of coming up with personal recommendations. I remember once describing my favourite cafe in a particular city - only to realize I was talking about a Starbucks. Oops!
And other times, I felt I knew a city well only to draw a blank when asked for restaurant recommendations. I found myself confronted with this very situation when a friend asked for advice on where to eat lunch in Montreal. I know Montreal! Or, at least I thought I did. Haven't I written more about Montreal than any other city on the blog? Then why was I struggling with my answer? I eventually cobbled together a response for my friend but I wasn't entirely satisfied. I've been determined ever since to come up with a killer list of my favourite lunch spots in Montreal and they're all around $12 - or much less. So go ahead, ask me for a recommendation. I've got this! Looking to "tuk" into some chocolate, marzipan, and more? Here's where to go in Budapest (and how to get there.)
On our first full day in Budapest, Ryan and I were crossing the city's beautiful Elisabeth Bridge (while attracting our fair share of attention - but more on that later), when he remarked that some of his colleagues were recently in Budapest for a conference. I sighed in envy, unable to imagine a more wonderful work destination. But when I asked Ryan what his colleagues enjoyed most, he replied that they had been too busy to experience the city. Not experience Budapest?! I can't imagine a sadder travel tale.
Happily, we DID get to experience Budapest - or at least a taste of it. And what a taste it was! I fell head over heels in love with Budapest - not the least of which was because of the city's fantastic culinary scene. Here are our favourite sweet spots in Budapest (and most are accessible after hours just in case you're at a conference too)! On this tiny archipelago island, there are berries, boys, and bikes a plenty - and a few goats too!
There are precisely six goats on the Swedish archipelago island of Utö and as far as Charlotte Schröder is concerned, that's more than enough. Goats are one of the few things in the natural world by which she can't abide. The parrots her daughter breeds are another. ("They sounds like a car alarm!") But when it comes to the people of Utö (there are 223 full time residents) or the dogs (47 - Charlotte acts as the veterinarian's nurse during their quarterly visits), she knows and loves them all. Or nearly so!
As an authorized archipelago guide, riding school owner, wedding officiant (and don't forget, veterinary nurse), there's not much that happens on Utö that escapes Charlotte's eye and in my opinion, the tours are the better for it. Charlotte provides the perfect introduction to the island, one of the southernmost in Stockholm's archipelago chain and, as one of the hundreds of thousands who visit Utö each year, I was one of the lucky ones to have Charlotte as my guide. |
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