On our last day at the UnTours farm near Spoleto in Umbria, Maurizia at the nearby bakery gave us big hugs and kisses and “bona fortuna” as we thanked her for the wonderful open “forno” experience. We would miss our morning trip for danish, panini, and poppy gazing. We also had to say goodbye with…
Sintra is our UnTours hometown for Central Portugal. It has so much atmosphere and plenty of things to see and do, but it also makes a perfect base for exploring the wider region. Here are just some of the excellent day trips within easy striking distance. Lisbon This capital city of Portugal has more than…
We all know that kids love trains. What you may not know is that kids love Switzerland, and that is largely because of the Swiss Travel System and its trains. Indeed, after nature, the biggest draw for families in Switzerland may be its trains. We offer great Swiss UnTours deals for families. And the Swiss…
Sometimes compared to American blue music, the Fado song captures the essence of the Portuguese people more than any other music and offers a window into the country’s soul. This typically sad song is said to descend from African melodies, though there is no trace of the Fado song in African music nowadays. The music…
Porto is a fascinating city, full of vibrant neighborhoods and historic churches, palaces, and museums to explore. It is a colorful home base for our northern Portugal UnTour and a great launching point for exploring all of northern Portugal and even a little of Spain. Here are some excellent day trip options for you to…
Facebook is making some big changes, and it will affect how you interact with us and your other favorite pages online. It doesn’t come from nowhere. From the proliferation of fake news and the bots that helped spread it to the political ads placed by bad actors to the psychological profile data that was shared…
Love photography? Have a smartphone? Why not sign up for Instagram? It’s super easy to share photos from your trip to Europe in real time with family and friends back home. Instagram allows you to share publicly or only with those who follow you, and you can adjust settings so that you must approve any…
On the outskirts of Lisbon, the village of Sintra is so full of sights, it almost overshadows Portugal’s capital city. We based our central Portugal UnTour here for good reason! Here is a quick rundown of the town’s major sights. The Palácio Nacional Formerly a summer haven for the royals, the palace dominates Sintra. It…
This is part one in a series on the ancient Etruscan civilization that inhabited central Italy from the 8th – 4th centuries BC. Planning our trip to Italy last May, I became interested in the historical finds of the Etruscans, who thrived during four centuries BC and contributed heavily to Roman civilization. The Greeks regarded…
Set dramatically on the banks of the Douro River, Porto is one of Portugal’s most beautiful, charming, and picturesque cities. It was a natural for our Northern Portugal UnTour. Here are some of our favorite sites in town. Cais da Ribeira The Ribeira District is teaming with restaurants, bars, and street life. This charming and…