At UnTours, we have been fans of apartment stays since long before the peer economy opened apartment options all over the US and brought the idea to the mainstream. As we plan for the future of UnTours when Europe opens its borders to Americans, we look at apartment stays as particularly appealing in the age…
UnTours’ Green Tag program offers travelers a chance to offset the CO2 created by their vacation. Guests can make a donation to buy a carbon offset and we invest that money in green projects that help fight climate change. In addition, UnTours buys offsets to cover staff commutes and travel. We like to report back…
What will the future of travel look like? It is a hot topic, and there is no dearth of articles about it. Almost all of it, even the most well researched and solidly conceived pieces, is speculation. With so little known about the Coronavirus and its waves of contagion, we are all left to use…
The Scuole Grandi (Great Schools) of Venice were fraternal organizations, established between the 13th and 16th centuries. They operated as charitable and social organizations for non-noble Venetian citizens of standing and wealth. They played an important role in their communities and in the arts. The schools were normally associated with a church and built nearby….
As we stare into the unknowns of the COVID-19 situation, one of the few things we can say for sure is that we will not be traveling internationally for the next few months. For those of us who live to travel, being grounded indefinitely can make us antsy. Add to that a request or mandate…
By now you should all be able to repeat the basics with me. On the count of three: Wash your hands often. Refrain from touching your face. If you are sick stay home. Cover your cough and sneeze. Avoid sick people. You can see the full list from the CDC (Centers for Disease Control and…
As I promised in the Eurozine newsletter last week, I am sharing my photos from Carnevale in Venice this year. These images were captured before local cases of COVID-19 triggered regional quarantines and Carnevale events were suspended. Venice is a magical place in the weeks leading up to Shrove Tuesday. Its Carnevale tradition dates back…
Cordoba is a magical place where history and religions mingle in stunning architecture and art. It also flies a little below the tourist radar, so it is an appealing base for an UnTour. Our secret formula for UnTours also includes the requirement that a homebase be just that, a base from which to explore the…
Enter the haggis! This past weekend, Scots in the UK and abroad gathered for a fun annual celebration of their national bard, Robert Burns. It is an important tradition in Scotland. Burns lived from 1759 – 1796. He wrote poetry about rural life as he ran the family farm in western Scotland, and the writing…
So much to see and do in Europe already, but why not plan your trip around some of the season’s special events? Festivals and fairs are a window into a culture, a signifier of what is important to a community, and an excellent way to rub elbows with the locals. Here is your 2020 trip…