Travelrific® Travel Journal

Picture postcards in prose.™ Check out the blogroll on the front page for official merchandise and other resources!

Archive for international travel

The Heart and Soul of Milan

By Linda Tancs

La Scala is an opera house in Milan, Italy, often referred to as the city’s heart and soul. Indeed, it’s hard to think of Italy’s second-most populous city (after Rome) without linking it with its iconic theater. You can learn all about it at Museo Teatrale alla Scala, the theatrical museum and library attached to the opera house. They provide special guided tours of the theater, including the foyer, the royal box, the historic boxes and the stage’s mechanized movement system. You’ll also see the Ansaldo Workshops, where the costumes and scenery come to life. General tours are available in English and Italian as well as in French for personalized guided tours.

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As coronavirus proceeds, it is likely that the vast majority of us will be limited in our travels. But this, too, shall pass. Our love for travel remains, so Travelrific will continue offering travel inspiration in this medium. Please keep those affected by the virus in your thoughts and be sure to follow the safety practices advocated by the Centers for Disease Control. Stay safe, and be well.

The Hub of the Cook Islands

By Linda Tancs

Rarotonga is the largest of the Cook Islands, a nation in the South Pacific. Of course, “large” is a relative term. It only takes 19 miles to circle the island, after all. That gives you ample opportunity to sample all the sightseeing activities that the locals have to offer—things like four-wheel drives, lagoon cruises, guided mountain hikes and storytelling cycling tours. Head there now during autumn’s shoulder season for a nice combination of sun and warmth.

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As coronavirus proceeds, it is likely that the vast majority of us will be limited in our travels. But this, too, shall pass. Our love for travel remains, so Travelrific will continue offering travel inspiration in this medium. Please keep those affected by the virus in your thoughts and be sure to follow the safety practices advocated by the Centers for Disease Control. Stay safe, and be well.

Southern Italy’s Little Gem

By Linda Tancs

Soft sand, pastel-colored houses and scenic harbors. Those are just some of the delights in Procida, the smallest island in the Campanian Archipelago in southern Italy near Naples. It boasts three scenic harbors (Marina Grande, Marina Chiaiolella and Marina Corricella), all of which can be visited via a boat ride. The belvedere near the castle provides exquisite views of the colorful Marina Corricella, and Punta Pizzaco offers commanding views of the whole island. Don’t miss the chance to try “Procida’s tongues,” a puff pastry filled with custard.

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As coronavirus proceeds, it is likely that the vast majority of us will be limited in our travels. But this, too, shall pass. Our love for travel remains, so Travelrific will continue offering travel inspiration in this medium. Please keep those affected by the virus in your thoughts and be sure to follow the safety practices advocated by the Centers for Disease Control. Stay safe, and be well.

 

Road to the Isles

By Linda Tancs

The A830, popularly known as the Road to the Isles, is one of the most famous roads in the United Kingdom. It connects the town of Fort William to the port of Mallaig, where the West Highland railway line terminates. Sporting some of the nation’s best scenic views, it’s abounding in woodlands, moors, sandy beaches and sea views. And just a ferry ride away (year round) are the Small Isles (Eigg, Canna, Muck and Rum), one of 40 National Scenic Areas in Scotland, where local food, wildlife, archaeological sites and amazing sunsets await you.

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As coronavirus proceeds, it is likely that the vast majority of us will be limited in our travels. But this, too, shall pass. Our love for travel remains, so Travelrific will continue offering travel inspiration in this medium. Please keep those affected by the virus in your thoughts and be sure to follow the safety practices advocated by the Centers for Disease Control. Stay safe, and be well.

Italy in a Day

By Linda Tancs

Rimini is an Adriatic, Italian resort town primarily known for its jam-packed beaches. But you can also experience a taste of the whole country there. You’ll do that by visiting Italy in Miniature, a theme park with at least one miniature building from every Italian town of any prominence. You can even take a gondola ride in little Venice, a huge favorite among tourists. Its 273 scale reproductions also include major European cities. Expect to spend the better part of a day exploring.

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As coronavirus proceeds, it is likely that the vast majority of us will be limited in our travels. But this, too, shall pass. Our love for travel remains, so Travelrific will continue offering travel inspiration in this medium. Please keep those affected by the virus in your thoughts and be sure to follow the safety practices advocated by the Centers for Disease Control. Stay safe, and be well.

Leeward in St. Vincent

By Linda Tancs

Picturesque falls, petroglyphs and natural anchorages are some of the features of the leeward side of St. Vincent. And then there are the pirates—the fictional kind, that is. Wallilabou Bay, a port of entry for visiting yachts, is the site where the opening scene of Pirates of the Caribbean: The Curse of the Black Pearl was filmed. Parts of the set remain to the delight of aficionados of the film franchise.

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As coronavirus proceeds, it is likely that the vast majority of us will be limited in our travels. But this, too, shall pass. Our love for travel remains, so Travelrific will continue offering travel inspiration in this medium. Please keep those affected by the virus in your thoughts and be sure to follow the safety practices advocated by the Centers for Disease Control. Stay safe, and be well.

An Oasis in Paris

By Linda Tancs

Like New York City’s Central Park, Square du Temple in Paris’s Marais district is a lush oasis in the midst of a bustling city. It was designed in the English garden style in the 1800s, a site boasting over 82,000 square feet including an ornamental pool and waterfall, several walking paths, 191 varieties of plants and more than 70 trees. But what you can’t see is perhaps just as interesting as what you can see because the park is located above the remnants of the European stronghold of the Knights Templar. Free and open daily, the nearest Metro station is Temple.

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As coronavirus proceeds, it is likely that the vast majority of us will be limited in our travels. But this, too, shall pass. Our love for travel remains, so Travelrific will continue offering travel inspiration in this medium. Please keep those affected by the virus in your thoughts and be sure to follow the safety practices advocated by the Centers for Disease Control. Stay safe, and be well.

A Deserted Village in Yorkshire

By Linda Tancs

Halfway between Scarborough and Clifford Tower lies Wharram Percy, one of the largest and best preserved of Britain’s deserted medieval villages. Its name is derived from the aristocratic Percy family, who lived there between the 12th and 14th centuries. The village was continuously occupied for six centuries before it was abandoned soon after 1500 and today remains the focus of extensive archaeological research. Open during daylight hours, you’ll find the remains of a medieval church as well as grassed-over foundations of two manor houses and about 40 peasant houses and their outbuildings amidst the rugged terrain.

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As coronavirus proceeds, it is likely that the vast majority of us will be limited in our travels. But this, too, shall pass. Our love for travel remains, so Travelrific will continue offering travel inspiration in this medium. Please keep those affected by the virus in your thoughts and be sure to follow the safety practices advocated by the Centers for Disease Control. Stay safe, and be well.

Salt of the Earth in Læsø

By Linda Tancs

Just a 40-minute flight from Copenhagen, the island of Læsø might be best known for its seaweed roofs and white, sandy beaches. But it’s also been a major site of salt production in Denmark since the Middle Ages. The ancient process is known as seething, where groundwater is heated in a large iron pan over a fire in a seething hut until the salt crystallizes. You can listen to a presentation on the process by a salt-seether in a reproduction of a hut from the 12th century.

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As coronavirus proceeds, it is likely that the vast majority of us will be limited in our travels. But this, too, shall pass. Our love for travel remains, so Travelrific will continue offering travel inspiration in this medium. Please keep those affected by the virus in your thoughts and be sure to follow the safety practices advocated by the Centers for Disease Control. Stay safe, and be well.

Captain Cook’s Landing

By Linda Tancs

In 1770, Captain Cook’s first landing in Australia took place near Silver Beach on the Kurnell Peninsula headland. He named the site Stingray Harbour but later changed it to Botany Bay because of the variety of plants found there. An important heritage-listed site, you can discover the area for yourself at the Kurnell area of Kamay Botany Bay National Park. Take the Burrawang walk from the Kurnell Visitor Centre. As you pass over the dune you’ll see views of the bay where Cook’s expedition ship Endeavour was first sighted as well as a plaque marking the location where he landed.

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As coronavirus proceeds, it is likely that the vast majority of us will be limited in our travels. But this, too, shall pass. Our love for travel remains, so Travelrific will continue offering travel inspiration in this medium. Please keep those affected by the virus in your thoughts and be sure to follow the safety practices advocated by the Centers for Disease Control. Stay safe, and be well.