Have you ever wondered about the reasoning behind some of our holiday decorations? Why do we use red and green colors, or candy canes? Why do we adorn gifts with a bow? While some of these may seem arbitrary, most of them actually have a special meaning. Take stars. The Christmas star symbolizes the star…
Inverness and nearby Ardersier are our UnTours hometowns in the Scottish Highlands, a welcoming home base for a truly incredible region of natural beauty. I had the pleasure of staying in Inverness a few years ago when we first set up the program. Home to some 47,000 people and known as the capital of the Highlands,…
Like many families, I have spent a lot of time with my kids lately. I’m acutely aware of this precious opportunity to bond and make memories. At 12 and almost 14, they are not too keen to be in our company for very long. But joint walks and meal preparation have become activities we share….
Advent is a much-beloved season in Germany, celebrated in church and in private homes. Every child has an advent calendar, either store-bought or homemade, and filled by the parents with candy, coins, and small toys. Lighting a candle on the advent wreath each Sunday afternoon is a ritual celebrated in many families, usually accompanied by…
Anyone who has taken a Rhine River cruise has drifted through the picturesque base of our German Rhine Untour. Our home villages are set among the castle-studded Middle Rhine, one of the most memorable parts of the route. You will pass one of our favorite UnTours hometowns, a fairy tale-looking village on the river that…
Vienna has so much to offer for the culturally curious. Its museums are well worth your time and money, and a concert, a cafe, and some fine dining are a good use of your travel funds. But two of Vienna’s biggest draws, its gardens and its music, can be enjoyed for free. Be sure to…
You’ll pay nothing to visit many of Scotland’s top attractions. Plenty of them are free to enter, and there’s an array of free events and experiences to enjoy too. Many of them are within easy reach of our UnTours in Central Scotland and the Scottish Highlands. Edinburgh The National Museum of Scotland, Royal Botanic Garden…
Vienna is legendary for its excellent coffee and cafés. Austrian coffee houses are something of an institution and a traditional meeting place. A café or Kaffeehaus is the best place to relax, read the newspaper, and enjoy the good things in life. Here you are alone with your thoughts and you can watch Vienna pass…
Though it is not well known for its viticulture, Austria produces excellent white wines and increasing good red ones. Vienna itself is a wine-growing region, surrounded by vineyards which supply the Heurige (see below) in the city and the outskirts with young local wines. The most popular and wine in Austria is fruity, food-friendly…
There are lots of reasons to take your kids to Germany. I recently traveled to Germany with my daughter. This was a special trip, connecting with her and connecting her with my homeland and her grandparents. But even if you do not have a personal connection like I do, Germany is a perfect destination for…