When you truly love a city, one of the hardest questions to answer is: what are the must-see sights? My answer often depends on my mood and the person asking. There’s climbing to the top of the Sugar Loaf Mountain, exploring locals-only parks, and finding the last few independent bookstores. But if you’re visiting Dublin …
Ancient cultures, wildlife, outdoor adventure … pick a Dublin day trip category and enjoy. While Ireland’s capital city has enough to keep visitors engaged for weeks, it can be illuminating to get outside the city center and see exactly what the picturesque countryside is so famous for. During the years I lived in Dublin, I took …
There are many things I wish I had known before that first trip to Dublin. Information that would have helped me see more, know where to stay in Dublin, manage my time better, and delve deeper into the city’s history and culture and make sure I saw all the best sights in Ireland. The first time …
Highlights of a trip to Provence will usually include visits to wineries and ancient hilltop villages, as well as leisurely lunches – but there is another interesting side to this region of France. During a road trip through beautiful Provence, I learned that you don’t have to go to Rome to see some of the best-preserved Roman …
There are many different strategies for exploring the stunning city of Venice, Italy. Some visitors choose to wander along canals and over bridges, abandoning the idea of following a map. Others choose to focus on the main attractions – St Mark’s Square, the Rialto Bridge, and the Peggy Guggenheim Museum – to guide them through the city. …
On a Sunday morning in Malta, colors, sounds, and smells all fought for my attention. Walking through the traditional fish market in Marsaxlokk, a basket of rich, purple eggplants caught my eye, but soon I was distracted by a fisherman slicing off salmon steaks. Remarking on huge heads of broccoli, a crate of fish fresh …
Every time I built up speed on my bike, I slammed on the break, seduced to stop and stare at the local wildlife. It was spring in the Aran Islands, and baby swans (called cygnets, I learned), ponies, and calves were enjoying the warm weather as much as I was. Roosters didn’t seem bothered …
There’s an old joke in Dublin that says the Irish only drink one day of the year: St Patrick’s Day. The rest of the year they spend ‘practicing’ for the big day. Every March 17 the Irish capital city becomes a sea of green in celebration of the patron saint of Ireland. Dublin’s famous black …