Now that the kids are on their own it is time to explore! Here is a overview of my favorite trips over the last few years.
- Italy; This was our first big empty nest trip! And it was the most amazing trip of my life. I love everything about Italy. The amazing landscapes, the food, the people, the culture, the architecture, the history, the way of life. It is truly amazing. From cities to beaches, to mountains there is everything rolled into one. The train system in Italy made getting around stress free for quick day trips which we utilized a lot! Our Airbnb was located right next to the underground that took you to the main train station which made traveling between towns and cities easy. Here is how we spent our days in Italy, Day 1 arrived and headed straight to explore The Vatican City. Day 2 Explored Rome (the Colosseum and Trevi fountain are amazing) hitting 20,000 steps daily was easy with this magical city. Day 3 we caught the train to Florence. Day 4 we had a rest day and then explored the surrounding neighborhoods, picked up some groceries and relaxed. Day 5 was Naples which was my least favorite spot although the underground air-raid shelters and aqueducts were amazing. DAY 6 Was Venice and yes, it is as gorgeous as all the pictures you have seen. We hit Venice early which was great as we were able to explore before all the cruise ship passengers got off their ships. Day 7 Positano and Pompeii, Positano is absolutely breath taking with its winding roads and gorgeous ocean views. The lost city of Pompeii is truly one of the most remarkable things I have seen in my life. I look forward to returning so I can see how much more has been uncovered. Day 8 was souvenir shopping in Rome enjoying our last few hours in this magical country and Day 9 sadly homeward bound. We could have easily spent another 10 days exploring the more northern regions, but we will have to save that for another year!
- A cruise now a lot of people think cruising is for old people but let me just say exploring a different place every few days is a great way to explore the world! You can bypass those planned excursions and just grab a taxi and tell the local driver to take you to his/her favorite spots! You will get a true experience of what the place has to offer. One of my favorite cruise adventures was disembarking and spending the 1/2 day with a local taxi who took us to all the local spots and showed us his homeland from his point of view. He even took us by a roadside restaurant and encouraged us to try the local Iguana which we politely declined.
- England is another favorite from all the quaint villages and towns to the city of London which is a magnificent place in its own right full of life, history, culture and an amazing opportunity to explore all the royal experience one country has to offer. England is always a hit and with airfare being so inexpensive from England to other European countries you can easily sneak in a trip to France or Belgium among others. Where you can explore some gorgeous villages and soak up the culture. Just make sure you plan ahead and arrive in plenty of time cause Airport security in London can take a while especially if you have picked a popular travel time.
What is your favorite destinations to travel to? I love exploring my bucket list! The list continues and hopefully so will my passport stamps!