Travelrific® Travel Journal
Picture postcards in prose.™ Check out the blogroll on the front page for official merchandise and other resources!Peaking in Spain
By Linda Tancs
Montserrat is a multi-peaked mountain range near Barcelona, Spain. Its signature feature is a Benedictine monastery atop the range with one of the few black madonna statues in Europe. The hikes are likewise legendary, the easiest being from the monastery to Cami dels Degotalls. For the best views of the countryside, take the Funicular de Sant Joan, the steepest funicular in Spain. From there you can hike to Sant Jeroni, the highest peak, where you’ll be rewarded with panoramic views of Barcelona and perhaps as far as Mallorca. Montserrat is an easy train ride from Barcelona-Plaça Catalunya station, taking little over an hour.
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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.
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Springtime in Abruzzo
By Linda Tancs
Spring is the best time to visit Italy’s Abruzzo National Park. That’s when the meadows are covered with flora like flowering violets, crocuses, snowbells, gentians, lilies, primroses and buttercups. It’s also when the area’s protected fauna arise from hibernation and migrating birds blanket the sky. Located in the heart of the central Apennines, the park is a refuge for protected species like the Apennine wolf, Abruzzi chamois and Marsican brown bear. Both the park and various towns in its environs organize themed guided tours throughout the year, as well as exhibitions and shows, events and festivals associated with the local heritage.
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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.
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The Samba Beat in Denmark
By Linda Tancs
You needn’t travel to Brazil to experience the infectious rhythm of the samba. This time of year it’s waiting for you in Denmark at the largest carnival in Northern Europe, Aalborg Carnival. It’s a celebration of springtime, with colorful costumes, samba music and dancing in the streets of Aalborg, the country’s fourth-largest city. The festivities kick off with an international parade and a children’s parade, culminating in the Grand Parade on May 23, when everyone is free to march to the route’s end in Kildeparken. The crowd of participants swells to about 60,000, with another 100,000 spectators lining the route.
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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.
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French Riviera Freebies
By Linda Tancs
The French Riviera is iconic, prized for its vistas and expensive real estate. You can live like a titan, but you don’t have to travel like one. The French Riviera Pass is a tourism card provided by the Nice Côte d’Azur Metropolitain Convention & Visitors Bureau. The pass entitles you to discover the main tourist sights and activities (museums, entertainment venues and the like) in Nice and the French Riviera free of charge, which means huge savings for your holiday budget. It also includes free bus and tram transport in the network and a transfer option from Nice-Côte d’Azur Airport. Available for purchase online or at various points of sale (like the airport, tourist information offices and some hotels), the card comes in three versions: 24, 48 or 72 hours consecutively from first use. Your card also comes with a guide to the participating venues.
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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.
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North America’s Tallest Waterfall
By Linda Tancs
North America is not lacking in the waterfalls department, especially in Yosemite National Park, home to countless waterfalls. One of those is Yosemite Falls, the tallest in North America. Located in Yosemite Valley, it actually comprises three separate falls: Upper Yosemite Fall (1,430 feet), the middle cascades (675 feet) and Lower Yosemite Fall (320 feet). A must-do for hikers is Yosemite Falls Trail, leading to the top of the waterfall, which rises 2,425 feet above the valley floor. The trail is open year round, but the falls reach their peak around May/June, so go now for optimal views.
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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.
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Neo-Futurism in Sweden
By Linda Tancs
Sweden’s third largest city, Malmö is quite literally a city of twists and turns. That’s where you’ll find the Turning Torso, a neo-futurist residential skyscraper giving a twist to the cityscape in the Western Harbour. The tallest building in Scandinavia, it rises to 623 feet and comprises nine cubes with a total of 54 stories, topped off with a 90-degree twist from base to top.
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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.
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Hiking in Amorgos
By Linda Tancs
Scenic views, Cycladic houses and quaint alleys are pretty much expected in the Greek isles, so what distinguishes Amorgos is the part with considerable height above sea level, offering superb views out over the archipelago. What better way to enjoy those views than with a hike! And there are lots of options (signposted), ranging from a four-hour trek from Chora halfway across the island to a one-hour sprint along a cobblestone path connecting Chora with Katapola, the main harbor and one of the largest natural harbors in the Aegean Sea. No matter the route, you’ll discover rich cultural treasures like the ancient acropolis, temples and monasteries. Amorgos is accessible via ferry from Athens and nearby islands.
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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.
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Austria’s Salt Empire
By Linda Tancs
Hallstatt is a medieval village on Lake Hallstatt’s western shore in Austria’s mountainous Salzkammergut region. Salzkammergut means “domain of salt,” an apt description for the ancient salt mine dominating the area. Of 40 miles of tunnels, about 14 miles are walkable. Three tiers are currently mined by nearly 40 employees today. A funicular railway connects to the mine as well as to Skywalk Hallstatt viewing platform, where the town and its majestic landscape unfurl before your eyes on an observation deck some 1,200 feet above the rooftops.
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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.
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Bristol and The Great Gatsby
By Linda Tancs
In the heart of Bristol, Rhode Island, is Linden Place, a Federal-style mansion built in 1810. Visited by four U.S. presidents, it might be better known as a film locale in 1973 for Hollywood’s “The Great Gatsby.” The mansion (now a historic house museum) is complemented by sculpture-filled gardens, an 1825 carriage barn, a 1902 ballroom and outbuildings dating from 1750. Guided tours of the house (generally available from May to October) take one hour.
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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.
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A Forest in France
By Linda Tancs
South of Calais in northern France is Crécy-en-Ponthieu. If that rings a bell, you might be remembering the Battle of Crécy, an event in 1346 that resulted in victory for the English in the first decade of the Hundred Years’ War against the French. The area also lends it name to the Crécy Forest, one of the largest forests in northern France (at over 10,000 acres) and the only one of such a size open to the public. Beeches and oaks reign there. The oldest, “the Ramolleux oak,” is reputedly over 600 years old.
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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.
Travelrific® Travel Journal 