Food and Culture
A Budapest Highlight: Faust Wine Cellar
If you enjoy wine, this atmospheric local shop provides a curated tasting of five wines from local Hungarian vineyards. The Wine Cellar Over on the other side of the river, in Buda, sits the Buda Castle. And also…. a Hilton hotel. But it’s an old building, with old traditional cellars. And in this Hilton, you’ll find the Faust Wine Cellar. It’s not a Hilton venture. It is a local business, operated by a local man who has operated this shop for many years. Although I accessed the store after entering a Hilton, the entrance (an old stairwell) was really atmospheric and felt completely authentic. (And by that, I don’t mean…
Small Group Travel: Choosing to Be Intrepid
Recently, I chose to do a small group tour with one of the biggest providers out there – Intrepid Travel. Why? I’ll explain my decision points below. (To spoil the ending, yes, I’d totally recommend this company, although there are things to keep in mind.) — Considering Small Group Travel? Do you ever get tired of putting so much effort into logistics when you really just want to explore new places? I was there. I wanted to travel, but without quite so much thinking. Luckily, small group tours can make that happen. I’d always thought a group tour would be a good option for central Europe. The currency changes in…
Brussels: Great Chocolate and the Grand Place
Ah, Belgium. On an itinerary entirely focused on London and Paris, Brussels was a last-minute addition mostly to add a new country to our travels (and eat chocolate). Is a single day enough to explore Belgium? Nope! But a single day in Brussels was plenty of time for us to realize that Belgium is absolutely worth a return trip. I do mean to experience more of the country, of course. But, let’s be very honest here: I also mean I want to eat Belgian chocolate until I am physically ill and then wake up the next day to do it again, sometimes with a side of frites. Stop judging me.…
Poor, Unfortunate Soles: A Walk in the Left Bank in Paris
One of the great joys of Paris is how utterly, delightfully walkable it is. It’s a huge city, yes, so the fantastic metro is a wonder for increasing access to most of the city. But once you know where you want to go, the absolute best way to explore – if you’re able – is simply to point yourself in the right direction and walk those tootsies off. That’s exactly the approach we took when took a walk through the neighborhoods of Paris’ Left Bank. Walk It Out My travel partner during my last trip to Europe would probably be the first person to accuse me of being entirely too…
Say Fromage: Celebrate the Best of French Cheese
In Paris, there are a variety of companies vying for your attention in what seems to be a competitive food tour market. There’s a bit of a difference between providers – some are more limited in neighborhoods, some are a bit more expensive than others. All claim to offer samples of the best French treats Paris has to offer. But it seems only Paris By Mouth offers a workshop focused exclusively on the marvel that is French cheese. Oui, les fromages! The Background Research I’ve done walking tours in Rome, Amsterdam, and London. These were all worthwhile and involved many (6+) food and drink samples. They give a broad overview…
An in-Seine Cruise: The Best of Paris by Boat
Ah, Paris. It’s a city that just begs you to take a stroll through city streets and narrow lanes, finding interesting bistros and immaculate gardens. But a boat cruise down the Seine is also tremendously popular. So popular, in fact, that many well-travelled bloggers might insist it’s worth skipping. And so I’ll just go ahead and say it: they’re wrong. You’re in Paris. If this is your first time going to Paris, you embrace your tourist-ness and go with the flow. OMG, puns are awesome!!! But I do want to suggest a few options to consider for an experience that is more fun, without all those awful tourists (present company…
