by Dawnielle Jacobson | May 24, 2016 | Destinations
Day 26
The Duomo of Milan
This massive church is the fourth largest in Europe (after St. Peter’s in Rome, St. Paul’s in London and the Cathedral of Sevilla). Construction began in 1386 and the final stones were laid in 1805… almost 5 centuries later!
Sun setting on the western façade
The interior is not really rounded, but this is the only way I could capture it all from top to bottom
It is beautiful at night too
For an extra fee, you can climb to the roof and take a walk
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Day 27
The Grand Canal
I treated my group to a Grand Canal-side dinner in Venice. I’ve come to this spot year after year and it is always a winning location. Tonight we began with aperitivi, lots of conversation, an appetizer plate and finished it off with pizza.
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Day 28
The Rock of Cashel
The Rock of Cashel looms majestically over the plains of County Tipperary, Ireland. It is the historical site where the Celtic high king Aengus was baptized by Saint Patrick. Click the picture below to watch the video.
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Day 29
The Guinness Experience
In 1759, Arthur Guinness took out a 9,000 year lease on this property at a cost of 45 pounds sterling per year. Almost 250 years later, they are still producing some of the best stout in the world.
A skyscraper view across Dublin from the Gravity Bar atop the Guinness Storehouse
Lots of Guinness!
This is a huge carved wooden piece of art designed to represent the perfect pint
Guinness “University” – learning to pour the perfect pint
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Day 30
Kylemore Castle/Abbey
Posting from the world’s slowest wifi connection.
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Day 31
Stone Ring Forts
Ireland is littered with ancient stone ring forts dating from 1500 BC to the 1100s AD. One well-preserved fort is known as CAHERGAL STONE FORT on the “Ring of Kerry” driving route. Click the picture below to watch the video.
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Day 32
The Giant’s Causeway
This makes one appreciate the Creator!
Until next week!
by Dawnielle Jacobson | May 17, 2016 | Destinations
Day 19
The Duomo of Siena
It was an enlightening experience to visit the interior of Siena’s Cathedral. Colorful mosaic floors, frescoes, stained glass and world-class sculptures abound.
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Day 20
Florence
I’ve been to Florence dozens of times, so sometimes the sights become routine. Today, I followed along with my group as Paola, a local guide, gave us a walking tour on and off the beaten path.
The Ponte Vecchio and River Arno
The Palazzo Vecchio or Medici Fortress dominates the Piazza della Signoria. The door here is framed by a copy of “David” by Michelangelo and Hercules and Cacus.
The Medici Fortress and bell tower
Carousel in the Piazza dell’Indipendenza
The Duomo and Giotto’s Bell Tower
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Day 21
Saying Goodbye
We’ve had a HOHO (hop-on-hop-off) tour in Italy the last few weeks. Eight people hopped off the tour yesterday in Venice and they are definitely missed today in Lake Como. Thanks David, Maureen, Mike, Jill, Shane-Patti Turcotte, Jack and Nancy for trusting Charlotte and me to show you our favorite places in Italy.
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Day 22
Cruising Lake Como, Italy
It was a cold and rainy day but we made the best of it cruising from Bellagio to Lenno on Lake Como. Click the picture below to watch the video.
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Day 23
Villa Balbianello
This beautiful villa is located near Lenno on Lake Como in Italy. It was most recently used as a setting for Star Wars II and 007 Casino Royal. Click the picture below to watch the video.
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Day 24
Teatro Alla Scala
This is probably the most famous opera house in the world. In 1977, on my first trip to Europe, my choir director made us sit through an opera here… and I don’t even remember what it was! I visited the museum here today.
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Day 25
Galleria Vittorio Emanuele II
This was one of the first indoor shopping malls in Europe. It is four stories of Neo-Classical elegance and was completed in 1877. Today, it houses some very chic shops such as Prada, Versace, Louis Vuitton, Gucci, Armani and about ten others.
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This huge indoor mall has recently undergone a complete cleaning and it is all bright and shiny. The mall is shaped like a plus sign with massive open archways at all exits. You can see one here at the very end.
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The Aperol Spritz bar.
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Aperol Spritz is a well-known “aperitivo” before dinner drink in Italy. Here, an entire cafe is dedicated to serving this drink.
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I am grinding my heel (three times) on the testicles of this mosaic bull. This local custom is known as the “ritual of the bull.”
by Dawnielle Jacobson | May 10, 2016 | Destinations
Day 13
Church of Santa Maria del Popolo
Most tourists miss this church. Next time you are around, pop in to see some fantastic sculptures and paintings. You’ll find works here by Raphael, Bernini and Caravaggio (all “in situ”). The Cerasi Chapel displays Caravaggio’s “Crucifixion of St. Peter” done in his characteristic style of darkness and light.
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Day 14
The Trevi Fountain
This fountain is perhaps one of the most widely recognized landmarks in Rome. It has freshly emerged from a 2.2 million euro cleaning sponsored by Fendi, an Italian fashion company. I snapped this photo, early on a Sunday morning, just before the tourist onslaught.
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Day 15
An early morning trek through Rome
Charlotte and I got out for a little exercise and found these spots delightful without the traffic and tourists.
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Day 16
Siena’s Duomo and the “secret” panoramic view point and some silly David bloopers. Click the image below to see the video.
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Day 17
Hiking in the Cinque Terre
Hiking the trails in Liguria offers the perfect mix of sun, sea and the outdoors. Click the image below to see the video.
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Day 18
Ristorante Al Castillo
My friends Monica and Massimo have struggled to keep their restaurant open since the massive flood in September 2011. I was happy to be one of their first diners on opening day of the grand re-opening last week. Super-tasty food- Seafood salad and lasagna al pesto.
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by Dawnielle Jacobson | May 3, 2016 | Destinations
Day 9
I’ve headed back to Rome for the first time this year. The non-event here is that Joe Biden is in town. I only heard about it from the American news channels and the Romans don’t seem to care.
The Piazza del Popolo is just inside the ancient northern gate to Rome. These days, it is a bit off the main tourist track and marks the northern end of “il corso” the main street upon which the Romans take their evening “passeggiata” stroll.
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Day 10
The Borghese Gardens are situated on the north side of Rome near the Piazza del Popolo. If you are sick and tried of the city heat and tourist crowds, the Borghese Gardens are a welcomed relief. Rent a boat, a bike or even a rickshaw (riscio) and enjoy the peace and quiet.
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Day 11
Enjoy an elegant villa and the surrounding gardens with a panoramic view over the Piazza del Popolo. The villa houses art commissioned for the rooms in which they sit. This is known as “in situ” in Italian. See amazing Baroque sculpture and painting by Raphael, Rubens, Caravaggio and Titian. Try to make a reservation for this living museum the next time you are in Rome.
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Day 12
The Colosseo
by Dawnielle Jacobson | Apr 29, 2016 | news
100 Days of Travels in Europe
Today marks Day 9 of 100 days of leading tours and researching new destinations. I’ll be posting on Facebook and blogging on my website every day. I hope you’ll follow along and participate in my adventures!
You can get started by visiting and liking my Facebook page at www.facebook.com/ExploringEurope/
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Are You Ready for some Football? … in London!
The NFL draft started yesterday, and if that doesn’t have you excited about this football season, how about catching a game in London? See the Jacksonville Jaguars take on the Indianapolis Colts at Wembley Stadium while experiencing many of the great sites England has to offer. Take a day trip to Stonehenge and Bath, explore London in style with your hop-on-hop-off bus pass, and cap off your trip with a quick train ride under the English Channel to spend a day in Paris.
For more details and to sign up for this tour, see the itinerary here.
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Christmas Markets Tour
It’s never too early to plan your Christmas vacation. Why not celebrate the holidays in some of Europe’s most picturesque snow-covered landscapes? Shop the Christmas markets to your heart’s content and share in the holiday cheer in Salzburg, Innsbruck, Rothenburg, Nuremburg and Munich. You will also have a chance to see the famous Neuschwanstein Castle.
So take a break from the heat and check out the wintry videos on the Germany Christmas Markets Tour itinerary page here.
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Your Adventure Starts Here!
