January 17, 2017

Visiting the Last Supper by Leonardo daVinci

January 17, 2017/ Meghan Oaks

Milan is known as the fashion capital of Italy. And without a doubt, it is a very stylish city. But we weren't there for the fashion. We went to visit one of the great masterpieces of the renaissance - The Last Supper. Realistically, we knew we'd likely never be in Milan again, so if we wanted to see this famous painting before it fades away for good, we knew it was now or never. Turns out, trying to get tickets to see this thing is next to impossible! But, we succeeded in seeing not only the Last Supper, but also scored a tour of Milan to go along with it.

January 13, 2017

The Prosecco Road

January 13, 2017/ Meghan Oaks

After spending the night in the Dolomites during our Italian road trip, we continued on to Venice. We drove out of the mountains and into the valleys and, eventually, the flat coastal region. When I was researching things to do in Italy, I came upon an article in Conde Nast about the Prosecco Road. Say what?! Turns out, this road runs from Conegliano in the east to to Valdobbiadene in the west, through vineyards, dedicated almost solely to the production of prosecco, terraced into the hills. Along the route are a number of wineries that, with a prior appointment, are open to the public. We were lucky enough that the one we stopped at opened and did a private tasting for us. I felt so fancy!

January 10, 2017

10 Free (or almost free!) Walking Tours to Take in Europe

January 10, 2017/ Meghan Oaks

It's no secret we love a good, free walking tour. They are usually led by locals and are pretty entertaining. Plus, they are a fantastic way to get a feel for the city and find things you may want to go back and explore later. I love that you usually get the history of what you're seeing, which really helps to put things in context. Plus, you get personal recommendations of places to go, restaurants to eat at, and pubs to grab a beer at, all from the people who actually go to those places. It's a win-win really. But sometimes the hardest part is finding the free tours, and then deciding which ones to go on! We've done the hard work for you and put together this list of 8 walking tours - all of which are FREE except for one! - that you can take on your European holiday. We've been on them all and can vouch for their awesomeness :)

January 06, 2017

2017 Travel Schedule...So Far!

January 06, 2017/ Meghan Oaks

As 2016 comes to a close, I can't help but to think back over all the places we've been fortunate enough to visit and experience. Belgium, France, Austria, Italy, Croatia, just to name a few. Not to mention our big move from Germany to Texas and some of the exploring we've done since then. But, I'm also starting to look forward to 2017 and what it has in store for us. Both Aaron and I feel that we've been in one place too long already. We need to explore, see someplace new. While Texas has a lot of cool things, none of those are close to where we live and are not spur-of-the-moment type things like we could do in Germany. That hasn't stopped our planning though! Here are some trips we are already planning on for 2017 - with hopefully LOTS more to come!

January 04, 2017

Travel Review: Sandeman's Walking Tours of Prague

January 04, 2017/ Meghan Oaks

May in Germany is chock full of holidays. Most of them are religious in nature, but it doesn't matter much because it means we get time off of work! The weekend after Evelyn and I got back from Norway was another long weekend thanks to yet another holiday. Not wanting to lose out on a free 4 day weekend, we headed to a place that had been on our list for a long time: Prague. It was one of those places that was close enough to drive to, but far enough that we really needed a longer weekend to do it. And when we had longer weekends, we found we wanted to fly somewhere, you know, to maximize our time. So despite it being near the top of our bucket list, it took us nearly two years to actually go. But, I am so glad that we did!

December 23, 2016

The Genoa Aquarium

December 23, 2016/ Meghan Oaks

Most of our Italian road trip was planned on the fly. We booked hotels/AirBnB's as we went and found things to do along the way. We didn't stop at a lot of popular tourist attractions like the Tower of Pisa (although we did see it from the road as we drove past!), but rather just enjoyed seeing the beautiful Italian scenery. The east side and the west side are so completely different from each other too! Around Venice, it's pretty flat, with some rolling hills. Tuscany is hilly, but dry. And the Italian Riviera has towering hills covered in lush greenery and steep cliffs plunging into the Mediterranean. On our way north from Tuscany, we made a pit stop in Genoa after learning it's home to Europe's largest aquarium. See, we have a little one who loves to watch the fish - good news for her scuba diving addicted parents! So until she's old enough to snorkel, and then dive, with us, we spend time at aquariums in an attempt to foster her love of the underwater world.

December 20, 2016

5 Reasons to Visit Europe in the Winter

December 20, 2016/ Meghan Oaks

High travel season in the northern hemisphere coincides with the warmer months for a number of reasons. The weather is generally better (or, at least more reliable), kids are out of school, and it's easier to take off of work. But, the airlines, hotels, and tour operates know this and charge a premium - it's simple supply and demand. But, if you are looking for a cheaper way to see Europe, your best bet is to go in the winter. And here are 5 reasons why you should!