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Cruise Ideas

Mediterranean Cruise: Round Trip from Marseille

We got enticed by this Western Mediterranean 7-day cruise offered by MSC Cruises primarily because it visited a number of ports that we had not had the chance to visit before. The itinerary included Valencia and Ibiza in Spain, Cagliari in Sardinia, and Rome and Genoa in Italy. It would start and end in Marseille, […]

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Trip Ideas

A Pre- and Post-Cruise Stay in Marseille, France

We found a cruise with an interesting Western Mediterranean itinerary which was doing a round trip from Marseille and pounced upon it. We had initially thought to board in Italy or Spain but found that it was actually easier and more economical to get a flight from Montreal to Paris. And from there simply take […]

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Trip Ideas

South of France Road Trip: Avignon to Carcassonne

While we were quite happy to take the train for much of our recent trip through France’s Provence and Occitanie regions in the South of France, we opted to travel between Avignon and Carcassonne by car to see some of the historic sites along the way.

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Trip Ideas

Two Nights in the Cité de Carcassonne, a Medieval Town in France

Carcassonne is an area that had always attracted us. Being a medieval walled city in the Occitanie region of France, it definitely has a lot going for it. We found a great price on airfare to Paris and built up a weeklong escape to Provence and Occitanie with a couple of days in Carcassonne as […]

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Two Half Days in Avignon, France

We arrived in Avignon (in Provence) with the TGV high speed train from Lyon, this would be our second stop on our weeklong itinerary in France. The romantic and picturesque city of Avignon is a destination we were excited to see and one we were pleased to be staying in twice during our French road […]

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A Few Days in Lyon, France

Located 500 km (310 miles) from Paris, Lyon is considered the gastronomic capital of France. The beautiful city is one of the most underrated destinations in all of France and doesn’t get nearly the tourist attention of Paris or Provence despite being France’s third largest city. The heart of the city is nestled between two […]

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Trip Ideas

Eastern Spain Road Trip: Madrid to Valencia to Zaragoza and a Few Places Along the Way

We love taking road trips around Europe and have done quite a few. There is so much history and once outside the main cities we find the people a little friendlier, the prices a little cheaper, and the crowds a little smaller! It’s also fun to have the flexibility of doing the trip with a […]

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Trip Ideas

Zaragoza’s Old Town: One of Spain’s Must-See Historic Places

Zaragoza was another one of the places we visited on our road trip in eastern Spain, and we’re glad we added it to our itinerary. Located in northeastern Spain’s Aragon region, Zaragoza was originally an Iberian settlement before becoming established as a Roman colony named Caesaraugusta in 25 BCE. It is the only city to […]

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Trip Ideas

What to See in Valencia’s Historic Center

We visited Valencia as part of our eastern Spain road trip adventure, and it was definitely one of the highlights. We spent three days in the Old Town and could have easily used an extra day to explore the newer revamped port area. And we visited at the end of November hoping to enjoy the […]

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Trip Ideas

Royal Palace of Aranjuez, a Must-See Royal Residence Near Madrid, Spain

We visited Aranjuez during our road trip in eastern Spain. The Aranjuez Palace would be a nice addition to any visit to Madrid, especially for those wanting to explore attractions further afield. It could easily be done with public transportation as a day trip from Madrid. Not even an hour south of Madrid (depending on […]