Although the Swiss Franc’s value against the dollar has risen dramatically over the past 3 years (up almost 27% since April 10, 2009), there are still many ways to enjoy the marvels of Switzerland at a, shall we say, more reasonable price. Check out our top 3 suggestions below! Eat at the Grocery Store In…
Category Archives: Travel Tips
How to Be a First Class Untourist in Switzerland: Ride Second Class Trains
If you’re planning on taking a vacation in Switzerland anytime soon, make sure you take a moment to acquaint yourself with the fabulous Swiss train system. They are so convenient and far-reaching that you’ll hardly ever miss your Prius while you’re over there. In almost every instance, wherever you want to go in Switzerland, a…
Québec City, according to Untourists
Photo by Linda Paplinski, UnTourist As our month-long Québec City coverage comes to a close (and we prepare for Switzerland in April!), I’m sure you’re tired of me blabbing on about Mad Men, poutine and funiculars (but, really, who could be tired of funiculars?!). And, since this is one of our newer UnTours, I thought…
How Mad Men made me think about Canadian money
Photo by Avatarshark (license) I love Mad Men. In fact, I’m a bit of a junkie. When season 5 premiered this past Sunday, I couldn’t have been more excited. From the stupid grin I had on my face throughout the entire show, you’d have thought I was watching my 9-month old daughter take her first…
Where to find the best poutine (and other foods) in Québec City
Photo by LWY (license) Although I’ve touted the things to do, ways to get around and places to stay in Québec City, I want to jump on the cuisine bandwagon that my good friend Marilee has been focused on (see here and here). The food in Québec can easily be overshadowed by the city’s visual…
French-Canadian Fun with Funiculars
Photo by Friejose (license) By now, you’ve hopefully realized that there is more to Québec City than meets the eye. Posts like Marilee’s wonderful tips on Québec cuisine and the Québec adventures of UnTourists Don & Deby Elliott have already shed light on things to do and foods to eat in the Old Capital. Today,…
A Unique Paris Hotel: Hotel de la Bretonnerie
Photo courtesy of wackybadger (license) There is no end to the splendor of Paris. The Eiffel Tower, Arc de Triomphe, Notre Dame, Sacre Coeur, the Louvre…the list goes on and on. One place that we love to visit, and that may not get as much press as those other sites, is the Place des Vosges….
Eating Out in Provence: Our Favorite Restaurant in Isle-sur-la-Sorgue
When you head out on your next (or first, which, in that case, will definitely not be your last) vacation in Provence, after you make sure your bags are packed, your plane is on time, and all your cares in the world are placed neatly in the corner of your closet, remember to make reservations…
Travel Takeaway: Our Favorite Hotel in Florence

Whether it’s the gripping history of the Medici family, the inescapable allure of the Duomo or the seemingly endless string of artistic masters that lived and worked there (Dante, da Vinci, Brunelleschi, Michelangelo…and on and on and on), Florence presents you with innumberable excuses to stay “just one more night.” In fact, when I first…
Digging Deeper for Day Trips in Tuscany

The next time you’re in Tuscany and you’re looking for a unique day trip, head to Murlo. If you’re like most people, you’ve probably never heard of Murlo. Heard of Siena? Sure. Tuscany? You probably saw the movie. But, Murlo? Probably not. And that’s through no fault of your own! Murlo is so off-the-grid and…