Although many people know the Loire Valley for its wine and wine cave tours, fewer know just how vast and varied the underground world is here. The local tuffeau stone (a type of limestone) has been mined for centuries as a construction material. This created artificial caves underground or along the hillside, many of which … Read more
Carnac already had me convinced that Brittany was one of the most beautiful and interesting areas of France so we decided to explore a little more. Brocéliande Forest, also known as Paimpont Forest, is an area of exceptional beauty about 18 miles west of the city of Rennes. The forest covers 25 square miles and … Read more
Ireland has many beautiful ruins tucked away in the countryside. Many of these were country houses of the English that were burned during the Irish Revolution of 1919-23. A total of 275 “big houses” were destroyed between 1920 and 1923. The ruins of Moore Hall stand near the shore of Lough Carra in County Mayo, … Read more
As much as we love Madrid, the heat in the months of July and August were just too much to bear. We decided to escape the heat by spending 8 days in Lisbon, Portugal. While a week is more than enough time to see the main attractions and visit a couple of beaches, you may … Read more
El Port de la Selva is a seaside village on the Costa Brava of Spain. This is a quiet and relaxed area that attracts a lot of day hikers. Families with young children will find little for them to do besides swimming and might want to consider one of the Costa Brava coastal towns like … Read more