Rome, the eternal city, an endless parade of history, architecture and beautiful spaces like The Colosseum, the Parthenon, the Roman Forum, Sistine Chapel and many gardens.

To enjoy Rome, get ready to walk, stop, turn and delight in unexpected sights.

Don’t skip the classics, yet venture into nooks and crannies for many surprises, from butcher shops to markets, bars, gelato and leather shops.

Roman cuisine offers an array of tastes, flavors and smells. Of course you must try all the pizza and pasta that you can muster. Favorites are caccio e pepe, carbonara and eggplants.

Tips for Rome

• Check the reviews of your desired Airbnb before booking to avoid stress and surprises
• Outdoor markets in the piazzas are great places to explore and taste local fare
• Some shops selling Italian leather may carry something else….. be sure to purchase leather goods carefully
• Only take official taxis from the airport, or the metro

Naples, Pompeii and Amalfi Coast

Naples is a bustling, chaotic and interesting city, in the shadow of Mt. Vesuvius. We had one of the best pizzas here, in a small restaurant filled with Maradona imagery.

We drove from Naples along the Amalfi coast road. We stayed at the following places: hotel eden in Sorrento and an Airbnb in Atrani. From Sorrento, we took the ferry to Capri for a day trip, but tickets early and be on time, you can walk or take a taxi to the ferry. There is an amazing cable car in Capri, the hike is nice as well.

We loved Positano, lunch overlooking the sea is amazing. Atrani is a quiet town with a nice beach, very steep streets and an quaint and interesting piazza.

Since we drove from Rome, we stayed one night near Pompeii, and visited the ruins, highly recommended.

Tips for Naples and the Amalfi coast

• Driving in Naples is challenging….
• The Amalfi coast is a joy to drive. Give yourself time to slow down and enjoy the views.
• Pompeii is a full day visit, totally worth it
• Sorrento is a great base for visiting Capri and a marvelous town on its own
• Positano and Atrani are places where you can relax and enjoy the food and views

TIL next time, walk good.

Alex and Phyll

Madrid is the capital of Spain, it is a  transportation hub and political center. We started the trip to the Rioja region in Madrid by train. We travelled on a train from one of the new companies in the market, Iryo. The ride was fast, reaching speeds of 300 km/h, and comfortable. 

La Rioja is one of the main wine regions of Spain, its red wines are known globally.  There are centuries old wineries, with impressive facilities and a rich tourist circuit. The Museum of Wine Experience, is unlike anything you will see anywhere and it is dedicated to knowledge and history of wine making.

Logroño is the capital city of the autonomous community of La Rioja. Founded on the shores of the Ebro river, the city has been around for a very long time, starting with the Romans. It is at the very edge of La Rioja, so you can easily cross into Navarra or Basque Country by roads. Logrono is located in a valley, surrounded by wineries and vineyards, and just 1.5 hours by road from Bilbao.

We visited 3 wineries, each one very different in location, size and character. Well known winery Muga, located in Haro, has an excellent tour and tasting. You get to wander among their barrel rooms, see how they make their own barrels, even the oak they buy from France and the US, I  highly recommend a visit.

We next visited Viña Tondonia winery, (R. López de Heredia). It has an impressive and exquisite tasting area and a stand that was designed for the World Fair with a decanter-shaped metal building that protects it.  The last winery was  Campo Viejo, just a 5 minute drive from Logroño. It sits high on a plateau, surrounded by vineyards and the nearby mountains. Most impressive is its underground cellar that holds about 70,000 barrels, each of 225 liters. The room size is staggering, yet 2 people are in charge of moving all those barrels. It is an excellent place to have wine mature and gain character.

Of special mention is the Vivanco Museum of Wine Culture. Its rooms display artifacts about all stages of wine production, from field tools to oversize grape crushers, amphorae, and the largest collection of corkscrew openers in the world. The on-site restaurant has great food and impressive vistas.

We visited the Frank Gehry-designed restaurant at the Marqués de Riscal Winery. Located in Elciego/Hiribidea, the winery is well known for its production. The building resembles a lot the Guggenheim museum in Bilbao, yet its location and colors that remind of red wine are well worth a visit.

The landscapes of La Rioja was a surprise to us, its meandering roads took us through quaint villages, ancient ruins, soaring cliffs, and  imposing vistas. You could spend a lifetime hiking these hills and discover new places each time. The extensive vineyards, stretching for miles around, make this vibrant region an economic powerhouse and wine lovers dream.

Cuisine

Logroño is famous for its tapas/pintxos. One unusual feature of a ‘pintxo crawl’ is that each shop specializes in one type of pintxo, like mushrooms, tortilla or seafood.

Tips to visit La Rioja

1. Fly into Bilbao and take the train to Logroño. With more frequent trips, it would be faster than taking the train from Madrid.

2. During the summer tourist season it could get quite busy. Book your winery tours and lunch in advance.

3. Logroño is a part of the French Camino de Santiago. You could make it one of your stops on the way to Santiago.

Til nex time.

Walk good

 From Malaga driving southwest, the Mediterranean lies to the left and the hills of Andalucía to the right. The highway crisscrosses some of the famous towns in the Costa del Sol: Marbella, Mijas Costa, Estepona, Puerto Banus, Ojen and more. 

Tarifa lies further south, just after Algeciras and at the end of a magnificent climb through hills where windmills line the vista like cars on a motorway. The Atlas mountains of Morocco are visible from Tarifa and Algeciras. This mix of seas and mountains, and the feel of the winds coming from the Atlantic, on a sunny spring day, makes for an unforgettable road trip.

Tarifa is regarded as a kitesurfing paradise. With its wide beaches,sustained and powerful winds, makes the weather a perfect combination for surfing. In Tarifa you can easily catch a ferry across the Gibraltar Strait for a quick trip to Tangier in Morocco. At the end of Tarifa both the Mediterranean sea and the Atlantic ocean is visible just by turning your head from side to side, to the left is the Mediterranean, to the right is the Atlantic.

Just outside of Tarifa towards, Cadiz, you are simply suddenly amazed by the presence of large sand dunes. You can drive by for the views of the sea and hills from your car, stop and take amazing pictures or simply indulge yourself in the mesmerizing landscape, enjoying the Mediterranean breeze.

Tarifa feels like an outpost..a very interesting one. It seem to lie at the very edge of the land. A place where two large bodies of water meet for a rendezvous with big skies, colorful sunsets, and a view of the inviting Atlas mountains  across the strait.

Cuisine

Seafood is a cornerstone of the Andalucian diet. Most common are grilled sardines at the beach, shrimp, cod, and other crustaceans.

Jamón ibérico or serrano, together with local cheese are common dishes that pair well with local vermouth.

You will find several popular local sweet wines.

Beaches

From Malagueta to Tarifa, there are myriad beaches for all tastes. Some pf our favorites are Malagueta and Mijas Costa and Benalmádena.

Tips

1. Make time to visit Gibraltar. It is a fascinating place, this massive mountain jutting out into the Mediterranean. Climb with the cable car or the Mediterranean steps and enjoy the flora and fauna and 360 views that surrounds you and remember to catch up on some rich historical  facts about this area of Spain.

2. If you drive to the ferry, you may not be able to return your rental in Tarifa, check with the company to see if you will need to return the car in Algeciras. 

3. Bring warm clothes for the evenings, it is often windy and chilly after sunset.

Australia is a country located in the Southern Pacific Ocean, it is a large island and also the smallest continent. Most Australians live along its coasts and much of the interior consists of flat arid and uninhabitable lands. The island is famous for its wines,beaches, food, impressive harbors and surfing. 

Sydney

Located in New South Wales, it is the most populous city in Australia.

The Sydney Opera house with its impressive sails is a skyline gem. It was designated a world heritage site in 2007. Designed by Danish architect Jorn Utzon, it’s construction was fraught with delays and costs overrun.

Despite this, the structure has become so iconic and is a source of great pride for Sidney and Australia. We attended a modern interpretation performance of Mozart’s Magic Flute and we were speechless inside the opera house. Like the outside, the impressively high beams and interior architecture was a continuous surprise and joy to us. 

Royal Botanical Gardens : is located in the heart of Sydney. Botanical gardens are a main attraction for us whenever we are in a city, and we enjoyed immensely exploring the one in Sydney. It is located near the water with several views of the opera house, the Harbor Bridge, and the surrounding harbor and is well worth a visit.

Beaches are a mainstay in and around Sydney. We took time to visit the famous Bondi Beach and took a ferry to Manly beach. These two are huge beaches, with boutique shops, restaurants, and cafes. You can easily sit back and enjoy the energy of this eclectic city or don your bathing suit for a dip in the water. Be aware that the surf on both beaches can be strong and unpredictable. Stay vigilant and mindful of guidance from the lifeguards and sound systems broadcasts and warnings!

Fish Market: we walked from our hotel along the sea walk, the maritime museum and across Darling harbor to the Sydney fish market. I would say it is not only for buying seafood but also a cultural landmark in this city. The market has two main sections—-one for seafood and another for fruits and vegetables. In the former, we witnessed the heart and soul of the fishing industry. There was every imaginable type of fresh seafoods from the popular stone crabs to lobsters, mussels, oysters, scallops and much more. We were allowed to chose our meal, get photos holding it and wait about 45mins for it to be cooked. We sat in the lovely summer sun on the patio of the market to enjoy our meal as the birds fed on the scraps and leftovers from diners.

Melbourne

 Located in Victoria and the second largest city in Australia, on the banks of the Yarra River and popular for its architecture, finance, fashion and culture.

Wine tour: we rented a car and set out on a wine tour in the famous Yarra Valley. We had lunch and a tasting at Yering Station winery then drove another 10 minutes to a small family winery. We saw two rolling clouds that brought rain and lightning.

Our city tour of Melbourne was brief but we enjoyed the Thai food we had along the Yarra river walk. We mostly indulged in the towering structures of bridges and buildings with the unusual and interesting architecture. One thing that made a huge impression on us were the vertical plaques across one of the bridges that gave a good introduction to the various immigrants that came to Australia and how they brough their unique skills to build upon what they encountered. I encourage you to visit this place as it highlights the variety of peoples who make up Australia and emphasize that they all brought skills and talent that contributes to the building of the current society.

After the delightful days in Caviahue, it was time to get back on the road. We had a good drive ahead to San Martin de Los Andes, and then to Bariloche.

Leaving Caviahue, we backtracked all the way back to Route 40, then headed south. The drive to San Martin de Los Andes was uneventful, the road in good conditions. It was cloudy and we could not see Volcan Lanin, what a shame!

We arrived in San Martin de Los Andes, found our accommodations, got some food ( thanks PedidosYa!), and rested. Then we noticed snow blowing and the skies darkening. It was a storm that lasted for 2 days, delaying our departure to Bariloche. Road conditions in the spring change rapidly, and it is best to stay safe.

San Martín de Los Andes is a town in Neuquen, by the shores of Lake Lacar. Nearby there is a sky resort (Chapelco). The town is quite beautiful, lively and with plenty of shopping and food opportunities. It is the gateway to the ‘Ruta de los 7 Lagos’ and the Nahuel Huapi national park.

The ‘7 Lagos ( 7 lakes)’ is a scenic road that starts in San Martin de Los Andes. There are lookout points everywhere, plenty of traffic and sometimes animals on the road. Caution is advised.

The first town we reached is Villa La Angostura, which sits at the shores of Lake Nahuel Huapi. This lake is huge, an Bariloche also sits by the same lake. Massive bodies of water.

La Angostura is a charming town, great for a pit stop and gift shopping. The road was excellent, so we continued to our destination, Bariloche.

Bariloche for many is the gateway to Patagonia, well served by flights from Buenos Aires. It is a town that has grown significantly due to the tourism industry. The town spreads along the slopes by the lake, so it is quite hilly. During our time in Bariloche it was quite windy, so we stayed in town and did not get a chance to partake on some of the wonderful hikes around.

Tips:

1. Monitor the weather forecast and road conditions. Snow and wind combined can make for hazardous road conditions.
2. Visit the Rapa Nui store in Bariloche. It has great chocolate, ice cream and even an indoor skating rink! The hot chocolate is superb.
3. Be prepared for changing weather, and have fun.

Walk good,

Alex

We awoke early and excited for the trip to the volcano. We had a choice, hike sixteen kilometers or go by dog sleds. We chose the latter and were not disappointed. We had eight mushers pulling our sled. Porter the lead was great. He had earlier introduced himself boldly on the drive up from the town. Periodically our guide Javier had to roll down the windows because porter was releasing himself of accumulated gas from prior day’s meat meal.

We crossed two frozen lakes, passed a hydrothermal installation for steam and electricity as we headed for the peak of the volcano. We arrived at the Chilean border and our destination. A place that is the embodiment of peace, beauty and majestic views.

On our way back to town, we stopped at an old military compound literally on the edge of volcano Copahue. We were treated with the most exhilarating mud lake bath ever. In a pool of hot mud and boiling water we soaked, swam and scrubbed. You actually felt the soft, hot mud from below slipping under your feet with every step. We spent nearly an hour in this glorious and natural spa alone, breathing sulfurous steam and soaking in the views. We emerged when another small party and their guide appeared. We felt refreshed, energetic and ready to continue exploring Route 40.

TIPS

1. Summer is hiking season. You can hike to the Volcano and all the way to the border with Chile.

2. Copahue is the town with many hot springs. It is open December 1 to May 1.

3. For the wild mud lake, you need permission in Las Máquinas.

Until next time,

Walk good