Exploring the Alsace: Part Deux (or Zwei!)
As full time travelers, we love month long stays that give us access to a broader region beyond the city where we are staying. Last week I highlighted the Alsace day trips we took from Strasbourg, all within France. You can find that post here! The beauty of the Alsace is the ability to explore other countries as well! In this post, we’ll explore day and weekend trips into Germany and Switzerland, namely Heidelberg, the Black Forest, and Basel!
Exploring the Alsace Region from Strasbourg
Explore the best day trips from Strasbourg, France, including the historic Maginot Line, the fairytale Haut-Koenigsbourg Castle, and the charming Alsace Wine Route villages of Colmar, Eguisheim, and Obernai. Discover how this unique region blends French and German culture, making it one of the most distinctive areas in France. From medieval architecture to scenic vineyards, find out why Alsace is a must-visit destination for history lovers and wine enthusiasts alike.
Waltzing Up the Blue Danube
We spent seven nights aboard Avalon Waterway’s Tranquility II, cruising from Budapest, Hungary to Visegrad, Germany with Eric’s parents. This was a classified as an Active and Discovery cruise with Avalon, and it was our first experience on a river cruise. Would we do a river cruise again? What did we think about Avalon? Follow along for all of the details!
Our Cuppa
The UK is just our cup of tea. Not that we really drink tea, but, when in Rome…er London. We’ve been going there regularly for over fifteen years now. It feels like a home away from home. As full time travelers, it is a place to not only reset our Schengen Visa clock, but it is a place to refresh and recharge. But we’re still learning every time we visit. Here are a few things we’ve learned and that you might not know.
London For History Nerds Like Us
What I love the most about London is that it is a city of juxtaposition. Towering skyscrapers next to a 1000 year old castle. Roman walls and traffic jams. Narrow streets with names like Poultry Ave, Pudding Lane, Crutched Friars, and Ironmonger Lane, in a city with some of the most expensive real estate in the world. You can buy a $130M yacht at Harrods, or drink a pint at a tavern that was rebuilt in 1666 after the Great Fire. While I love all the modern aspects of this city, my history loving heart skips a beat just thinking of all there is to see in London.
Two Weeks Based in Scotland
This was our third time visiting Scotland, and we still haven’t been to Loch Ness or spent time in Glasgow! There really is something for everyone, from cities to golf to whisky to hiking. We think it suits best as a vacation spot, and we’d recommend at least 10-14 days with a car to experience it all. Will we be back as nomads? Probably not, but we’d say it is a can’t miss vacation destination for anyone who likes adventure!
One Month in Hebden Bridge
Just wrapped up a magical month in Hebden Bridge, West Yorkshire — and what a gem it turned out to be! From canal-side walks and historic textile mills to thriving markets, cozy pubs, and stunning hikes in every direction, this artsy village stole our hearts.
Exploring Great Britain on Foot: Our Love for Walking the Countryside
We’ve fallen in love with walking across the beautiful British countryside — from coastal paths in Wales and Devon to moody moors in West Yorkshire. In our latest blog post, we share stories about navigating stiles and gates, meeting farm animals, and enjoying stunning views (plus the best pubs to unwind after a long walk!).
One Day in the Peak District
We spent one day in the Peak District exploring the small villages and Chatsworth House. While we just got a small taste of the beauty of the area, we know we want to return!
One Month in Southern Wales
We are wrapping up our one month stay in southern Wales. Specifically, we’ve been in Llantwit Major, which is in the Vale of Glamorgan, about 15 miles west of Cardiff. It has been a fabulous month of exploring the surrounding area by public transportation and hiking and we couldn’t have asked for a better start to our three months in the UK.
Cheddar, Magic, and Beer
We spent 3 full days exploring the Southwest of England by car, specifically in Somerset and Devon. We toured a cheddar cheese factory in Cheddar, explored the ruins of ancient Avalon in Glastonbury, and hiked the Jurassic Coast in Beer. Follow along as we highlight the beauty that is the South West of England!
Three Months in Portugal
We had three distinctly different experiences in our month long stays from northern to southern Portugal. Follow along as we review how Portugal scored on our rating system for both short and long stays. Should you plan on a vacation here? Would we come back long term?
Weekend Wanderings in Algarve, Portugal
The beauty of living in Olhão, Portual for a month was the ability to visit other towns in the Algarve by train or Uber. Follow along as we share our experiences in Faro, Vila Real San Antonio, Tavira, and a guided trip along the Seven Hanging Valleys trail.
A Month in the Algarve: Olhão, Portugal
Our final month long stay in Portugal has been in the Algarve. Specifically in the city of Olhão in the eastern Algarve. In a region that is known for sunshine, warm temperatures, beaches, tourism, and expats, did it live up to the hype? Would we come back?
Weekend Wanderings: Day Trips along the Silver Coast of Portugal
During our month-long stay on the Silver Coast of Portugal we’ve done a number of day trips. We used both public transportation and private tours to visit five cities in the region. Read along to learn more about Caldas da Rainha, Alcobaça, Óbidos, Peniche, and Aveiro Portugal!
Nazaré by the Sea
Our second month long stay in Portugal has been in Nazaré which is about a 90 minute drive north of Lisbon on the Silver Coast of Portugal. Nazaré is a small fishing village, it is a premier surfing destination, and it is a vibrant tourist town. Keep reading to see how it manages to be all three beautifully.
Day Trippin’ From Porto
Portugal is relatively small and is well connected by public transportation. We took three day trips from Porto: The Duoro Valley, Lisbon, and Braga. Come along and learn a little about what to do outside of Porto!
Porto, Oporto, How We Love Thee
We arrived in Porto after two full days of travel from Mexico and quickly remembered how much we love Europe. We were thrilled to find that our Airbnb was clean, modern, bug and coati free, and we had drinkable tap water that got hot in all faucets! What a step back into the modern world!
Mexico Wrap Up
We’ve wrapped up our first country and our first three months of slow travel in Mexico. So what did we think? Could we live in Mexico long term? We’ve developed some rating categories as we experience different cities and countries. Here are our thoughts on Mexico.
Puerto Vallarta, Mexico
We leave Puerto Vallarta in three days, after spending just over seven weeks here across three different Airbnbs. We definitely prefer Puerto Vallarta over Sayulita for our slow travel lifestyle. But will we ever come back for a winter?