Search Results for: blog walking or cycling through europe

European Walking Tours

There’s nothing I enjoy more than ditching a diet prior to leaving on vacation. And what better way to gorge on regional delicacies and not have to deal with the guilt (or extra calories) that comes with doing so than by taking part in a walking tour. One of the leaders in the walking tour industry, Breakaway Adventures, offers more than 200 cycling and walking tours each year in 30 countries. The tour company keeps groups small and personal (there’s rarely more than eight people per group) so you can move at your own pace. The guided tours include pick … Continue reading →

More European Walking Tours

In a previous blog I shared my desire to tour Europe and offered some suggestions regarding where to tour if you were planning a trip to France. I also told you that I have been collecting information on tours of Switzerland and Austria (the other European locations I have a desire to visit). The following are two walking/biking tours that caught my eye. Each is a 8-day/7-night tour that includes pick up and drop off at airport/train stations, breakfast and dinner each day, and fully researched walking and cycling route notes and maps. The other amenity I liked about these … Continue reading →

Biking and Walking Tours Of Europe

I look back at my years at the University of Wisconsin-Madison with great fondness. However, I do have a couple of regrets–one being that I never took the opportunity as an undergraduate to participate in a European exchange program. I am now a mother to a young child and I fear it may be a while before I get the chance to fulfill my dream of visiting France, Switzerland, Austria, other European destinations I have longed to explore. Of course, that hasn’t stopped me from earmarking some tours I would be interested in signing up for. If you are looking … Continue reading →

Planning A European Vacation

Long before I visited a movie theater to see “National Lampoon’s European Vacation” I dreamt of strolling along the streets of Paris and exploring all that Italy had to offer. In fact, I had even completed preliminary research for a European honeymoon, but alas, we ended up getting married in Hawaii and honeymooning there. As it stands now, my dreams of taking a European holiday are permanently on hold, especially since we now have a young daughter who would rather visit Elmo than the Eiffel Tower. While we are in Elmoland a new survey found more than 64% of all … Continue reading →

Exploring Exotic Locations On Two Wheels and Two Feet

How would you like to explore lemon groves in southern Spain or cycle through the back roads of Madeira (a Portuguese autonomous archipelago in the north Atlantic Ocean also known as “The Floating Garden of the Atlantic”) and enjoy the intoxicating smell of jasmine, begonias and camellias while the rest of your neighbors are digging out from a foot of snow? Not a bad way to spend the winter is it? If the idea intrigues you now is the best time to book a cycling or walking tour of some exotic locations. Right now, Breakaway Adventures, a U.S. based tour … Continue reading →

London, Paris, and Normandy

My oldest son and I recently returned from a trip to London, Paris, and the Normandy region of France. People keep asking me, was it a worthwhile trip? I don’t hesitate as I tell them “Yes”. We got such a sense of history. To be immersed at once in so many cultures and time periods was amazing. Seeing places like Omaha Beach and Pointe de Hoc, bomb scars on buildings, craters left by mortars, and the American cemetery made World War II a humbling reality for us both. Being readers we spotted a ton of places from literature like Baker … Continue reading →

Egypt– Where Old Meets New

Although Egypt is probably not at the top of your “must see” list, the country is actually quite breathtaking. I admit it, I was nervous about leaving the security of America for the uncertainty of the Middle East. In reality, though, I had no need for concern. The people were warm and friendly, the beaches were clean and lovely, and the historical sites were awe-inspiring. Egypt is a timeless oasis where yesterday and tomorrow converge under the desert sun. As one of the world’s oldest civilizations, Egypt boasts a historical richness few countries can claim. [h]The Pyramids[/h] A favorite tourist … Continue reading →