Famous Churches in Paris – Gothic at its Best

The French invented Gothic architecture and Paris is one of the easiest places to experience it. Within a twenty minute walk of the Cathedral of Notre Dame are a number of other historic and famous churches in Paris that should also not be missed.

There are many beautiful and famous churches in Paris, France, but the grand dame Gothic Paris church is without a doubt the Cathedral of Notre Dame. And while visitors flock to see it, within a twenty minute walk are a number of  other lovely historic churches that also should not be missed. Read on to discover some of the other churches of Paris at their Gothic best. Continue reading “Famous Churches in Paris – Gothic at its Best”

How I Spent a Wonderful 3 Days in Thessaloniki, Greece

3 days in Thessaloniki was a good amount of time to discover the historic and cultural sights in Greece’s second largest city. Read all about my Thessaloniki itinerary to help you plan a visit to this inspiring destination.

Three days in Thessaloniki was all the time I had to discover all the diverse offerings in Greece’s second largest city. I would have liked more time, but that was what my schedule allowed, so I made the most of my time in this cosmopolitan metropolis and managed to see all the highlights.

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Beyond the Ruins at the Archeological Site of Philippi, Greece

The UNESCO listed Archeological site of Philippi preserves and exhibits the remains of three diverse periods of Greek history that span 1600 years – Hellenistic, Roman and Christian.

All parents hope that their children will be more successful than they are. But in Philip II of Macedonia’s case, his achievements are always overshadowed by one of Europe’s most notable historical figures, Alexander the Great. During my visit to Greece, it seemed that every discussion about the Macedonian king always started with ” Philip, the father of Alexander the Great, …..”

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Discovering the Best Beaches in Sithonia, Greece, With a Grain of History on the Side

Finding the best beaches in Sithonia, Halkidiki in Greece was a challenge since there were so many to choose from. But they all had one thing in common: warm sand and crystal clear waters. And the region also had a lot of historic sights to explore.

With 100 unique beaches, you could spend three months on the Sithonia peninsula in Greece and enjoy a different beach each day. I had only a short time to discover its many sandy pleasures and I made the most of it as I explored the best beaches in Sithonia.

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How to Visit Mt. Athos, Greece – Even If You Are Female

A visit to Mt. Athos on a tour boat gave me a small glimpse into this unique Greek UNESCO World Heritage site which is only open to male visitors.

2022 NATJA awardThis story was recognized by the North American Travel Journalists Association with a Silver award in the Historical Travel category in the 2022 annual media travel awards competition .

Mt. Athos is one of Greece’s most unique UNESCO World Heritage sites, and for a country that has thousands of years of historic places on display, that is saying a lot.

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A History Lovers Guide To One Day in Kos, Greece

Kos Island in Greece is known for its beautiful sandy beaches and also for its many archeological sites. I am sharing how I spent one day in Kos on my lovely Greek Island cruise. there are a lot of things to do in Kos along with beaches, cafes and shopping.

There are over 200 islands to discover in Greece so how to decide which ones to visit?

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Cruising In Style to the Most Beautiful Islands in Greece

I discovered some of the most beautiful islands in Greece on a recent cruise. I am sharing my experiences and photos to inspire your next Greek island adventure.

My luxury Mediterranean sailing cruise took me to some of the most beautiful islands in Greece. Our itinerary combined the classic Greek islands of Mykonos and Santorini with some of the less touristy islands like Syros, Kos, Patmos and Milos.

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Tips for an Independent 10 Day Israel and Jordan Itinerary

I planned our 10 day Israel and Jordan itinerary around my most important criteria: spending two days in Petra. A visit to the Petra Archeological site was high on my travel bucket list and I wanted to have plenty of time to take in this ancient wonder.

A ten day trip to Jordan and Israel was definitely not going to be enough time to see all that these two history rich countries had to offer, but that was all the time we had. So I prioritized what I wanted to see and built my itinerary around this, adding in time to get from one place to another.

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PhotoPOSTcard: Jordan’s Treasure

The Treasury building has become the symbol of Jordan’s Petra UNESCO World Heritage site. Made famous in the movie “Indiana Jones and the Last Crusade”, this 2000 year old archeological site was first rediscovered by a westerner in 1812 by explorer Johann Ludwig Burckhardt. But unlike the movie version, the inside of the Treasury is just a few simple unadorned block rooms cut out of the stone. Sitting by itself in this canyon, there is no hint of all the other tombs and ruins of a once thriving the city beyond.

Thanks for visiting.

Rose

PhotoPOSTcard: The Four Donkey Riders of Petra

Throughout Petra, the local Bedouin young men offer tourists donkey rides to help them climb up to the viewpoints or to get around the huge site. At the end of the day, as the archeological site begins to close down and the setting sun casts an orange glow on the complex of Nabatean tombs, they ride their donkeys back home for the night.

Thanks for visiting.

Rose