There simply is no way to tour Europe and not be awestruck by its scenic beauty, epic history and dazzling artistic and culinary diversity.
Trip Overview Teresa and I had discussed taking a trip during either Thanksgiving break or Christmas break, as we both would have some time off due to both of us working for schools. Then, one day, I received an email from what was then Scott’s Cheap Flights (they’ve since...
Back home, this would be Thanksgiving day. We celebrated in grand style, but more on our amazing dinner in a bit. First, we were up early to enjoy coffee and pastries at Pasticceria Santo Stefano, across the street from our B&B. Our rental included vouchers for coffee and pastries...
Dinner on Thanksgiving night in Modena was the highlight of the trip. So much so, that I had to sleep on it and collect my thoughts before writing in my journal. First, a tiny bit of background: Since opening in 1995 by Massimo Bottura and his wife/partner Lara, Osteria Francescana has...
A day full of Christmas shopping, sightseeing, and food! Our second full day of the trip, but our first devoted entirely to Bologna. We began by exploring the areas around our B&B. We were right in the heart of the old city, so it wasn’t hard finding fun things to check out! We...
Basilica Sanctuary of Santo Stefano – Complex of the Seven Churches Another full day in Bologna. We got an early start. After coffee and pastries at Pasticceria Santo Stefano, we explored the Basilica Santuario Santo Stefano – Complesso delle Sette Chiese (Basilica Sanctuary...
We took an early train to Verona, which is just under an hour north of Bologna by train. We were blown away by Verona! It’s such a charming city, with a rushing river providing a soothing background noise in many parts of the old town. Verona is second only to Rome in the number of...