Catania, the second largest city in Sicily, an Italian island just off the “toe” of Italy’s “boot.” It is situated on the east coast between the notorious Mount Etna and the Ionian Sea. A deep-rooted history, rich culture, and some of Europe’s most fascinating architectural structures combine to ensure there is never of shortage of … Read more
Solta is a Dalmatian island located a mere 9 nautical miles from Split, Croatia. It is a lesser chosen destination in comparison to more mainstream islands like Hvar and Bra. That honestly was part of the reason we opted to visit Solta. Split is a beautiful place to explore, but during mid-summer, when we were … Read more
Lokrum (or Lacroma) Island is the closest island to Dubrovnik, Croatia. Beyond its proximity, there are several reasons to consider visiting during a trip to Dubrovnik. Lokrum is home to a large national preserve where local wildlife runs free. Well, if you consider hoards of bunnies and peacocks wildlife. Particularly after the many years and … Read more
We’ve been on lots of wine tours. Traveling and sampling local wines just goes together so well, and as anyone who knows us can attest to, we love wine. But even more so than the wine itself, we love learning about the stories and history of a region’s wine. Winemakers are typically passionate about their … Read more
We recently finished a six month tour through Italy. This was our third trip to this beautiful country. On this visit we decided to travel to some lesser known areas, and one of our favorites was Puglia (or Apulia). It was there that we met our friend Andrea De Carlo. He is a fellow foodie … Read more
Croatian food is as complex and varied as the many cultures that have influenced its evolution. Easily recognizable Italian, Middle Eastern and Ottoman influences intermingle with Croatia’s Balkan staples. Several distinct regions in Croatia reflect their own influences on the cuisines. The county’s long coastline gives it access to a wide range of seafood, making fish … Read more
During a recent visit to Dubrovnik, Croatia, we were enticed by the sight of the Dubrovnik cable car running up to the top of Mount Srd (or Srd Hill). The enormous hill is a backdrop looking above the city. It’s also the home of the Dubrovnik Imperial Fortress which was famously built by Napoleon. We imagined … Read more
We discovered the Caves of Barać while visiting the Plitvice Lakes National Park in Croatia. We arrived later in the day than originally planned during an overnight trip from Split. The caves and the national park are an easy three hour drive from Split and we should have gotten there about mid-morning. Word to the wise, if … Read more
Plitvice Lakes National Park is an absolute “must visit” place in Croatia. That is, if enjoying a day discovering one beautiful waterfall after another all nestled into a forest surrounding a crystal blue lake sounds like your kind of day. It certainly is for me. It was a day I won’t forget and would gladly … Read more
Our one regret in taking this food tour of Split, Croatia is that it wasn’t the first thing that we did when we arrived. Instead, we spent our time in Split clueless about the craft beer, hadn’t known about the walnut infused grappa and had no idea that we walked by the best bakery in the area over … Read more