If you find yourself visiting Lake Titicaca, the western hemisphere’s highest and largest lake, don’t miss these two unique islands! This day trip from Puno to the floating islands and Taquile was easily one of the most memorable parts of my 3 weeks in Peru! *Island Tour– From the Puno port, find one of many “island tour” options for the day (we went with “Edgar Adventures”). These involve going out on Lake Titicaca with a…
Dreaming of visiting Peru and Bolivia, the ancient lands of the Inca, but not sure where to start? It can be overwhelming, but I am here to help! Right after I graduated college, I decided to take a 3 week backpacking trip to these amazing places. Most people may not have that kind of time, so luckily these itineraries can be chunked into smaller visits! Day 1- Arrive to Lima Lodging: Barranco's Backpackers Inn Day…
Back in 2012 I found myself living in Valencia, Spain. Without realizing it, I slowly developed an itinerary for whenever friends and family would visit me. It ended up being perfect for any first time visitors to see the best of the city with just a few days. Whenever I hosted a visitor to “my” city, this is how I split it up! My love for Valencia and the surrounding areas knows no bounds, so…
In 2012 I found myself living in Valencia, Spain. One of my favorite places to go for a long weekend was the enticing medieval town of Peñíscola. Sure it has great beaches (like most of Spain!), so why go here when you could go anywhere else? The reason is… the views! The small town of Peñíscola (pronounced “pay-nyis-co-luh) is centered around the 15th century Castillo de Papa Luna, a memorable castle-fortress overlooking the blue Mediterranean.…
Italy is a big tourist hot spot in the global travel circuit, and I completely understand why! Fascinating architecture, a colorful history, and some of the world’s best food are just a few reasons why people are continually drawn to Italy! After spending sixteen days in Italy with my family, and coming back to the country three more times after that, I feel like I can safely say this is a quality itinerary! This schedule…
When this elusive nation finally opened to US travelers, it immediately became a hot topic. My trip to Cuba in spring 2018 led me to realize how curious my friends in the US are about life here, and how they can travel here themselves! Details on my Cuba itinerary are in my other blog post. This post is geared towards the logistics of traveling there as a US citizen specifically: Cuba is easily the most…
I traveled a lot this past year, but nothing has sparked more interest from people than my trip to Cuba. In this post I'm going to explain where we went, how we got around, and what all you should do in 10 days! For details on how you can independently travel to Cuba as a U.S. Citizen, check out my other post! Here’s my detailed itinerary: Day 1: Havana - Cuba’s capital city, Havana is the…
You’ve decided to dive in and start planning for your adventurous getaway to Ecuador! Maybe you’re backpacking and planning on doing lots of hiking, or maybe you’re making a quick stop on the mainland before the tropical Galapagos. Whatever it is, chances are your trip will find you spending time in Quito- Ecuador’s high altitude, colonial capital city. While there might be modern chain hotels in the newer part of town, if you want to…
Savannah: A classic, colonial town filled with canopies of branches that shade its city squares while they drip haunting Spanish moss from their branches. Its historic district is renowned for its photogenic beauty. Once you walk around for a bit in that humid, salty air you can’t help but want to take things slow. Walk with purpose, and admire its incredible grand homes and architecture! Savannah dates back to 1733, a very old town by…
Building upon my post with my detailed itinerary in Iceland, I've compiled a list of information we found useful during our ten days on the island. Happy Planning! First, be sure to read my post with our detailed itinerary! GO AGAINST THE CROWD- In Iceland, we took a driving route that is reverse of what most tourists do. We visited The Golden Circle last, while many visitors do that first. Either way is fine! We…
