Florence 2026: Day 3

Laura IrwinLeave a comment

Tuscany. Just the name evokes images of rolling hills, vineyards, and roads lined with cypress trees. Today was my first day exploring one of the many tiny villages and hill towns that dot the Tuscan countryside. Colle di Val d’Elsa wasn’t even on my radar and didn’t appear in any of my searches for “quiet Tuscan hill towns”. Instead, I found it by accident on YouTube, where I watched a video of a couple exploring the town in mid-August (prime tourist season) with nary another person in the video. My kind of place. (As it turns out, it may have been a little too quiet for my taste.)

Colle di Val d’Elsa
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Florence 2026: Day 2

Laura IrwinLeave a comment

I told myself before leaving for this vacation that I would do what I felt like doing each day. And if that meant “sleeping in” (for me), resting in my room, wandering aimlessly, or being “on the go” all day, I would do it. I woke up at 6:30AM, after a glorious 10+ hours of sleep, and decided I would spend the morning relaxing and then slowly visit a couple of sights this afternoon.

Rose Garden – Florence, Italy
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Florence 2026: Day 1

Laura IrwinLeave a comment

Florence, Italy: Birthplace of the Renaissance. It’s no secret that I’m not exactly a history buff, but Florence is also the gateway to Tuscany and my train ride(s) through Tuscany to and from Cinque Terre two years ago left me knowing I’d be coming back to visit the area in the future. And that future is now. After a tough few weeks, I’m looking forward to spending some time exploring the quieter side of Florence, traveling through the Tuscan countryside, and visiting some of the iconic hill towns.

Florence, Italy
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Lisbon 2026: Day 7

Laura IrwinLeave a comment

I had to leave my hotel by 8AM to head to the airport this morning, but I was out of bed and up at Miradouro de Santa Catarina for sunrise at 7:20AM. It’s not the prettiest viewpoint, but it was close to my hotel (straight up several flights of stairs) and gave me a chance to spend a few minutes reflecting on my time in Lisbon before heading home. 

Miradouro de Santa Catarina
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Lisbon 2026: Day 6 (Óbidos)

Laura IrwinLeave a comment

“This is so cool,” I said to myself over and over (and over and over) again as I spent the morning and early afternoon wandering around the medieval walled town of Óbidos, Portugal. This was possibly the best day of the entire vacation. An hour-long bus ride from Lisbon transports you to an historic town filled with white painted buildings, colorful doors and tiles, and books. Yes, books. Óbidos has been a UNESCO Literary City since 2015 and is home to 14 different bookstores. I mean, where else can you find a converted church where the altar is filled with bookshelves? 

Óbidos, Portugal
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Lisbon 2026: Day 5

Laura IrwinLeave a comment

Did you know that Lisbon is the place where Vasco de Gama set sail on his voyages of discovery? Lisbon’s maritime history and role in exploration are so significant that there is an iconic monument in the neighborhood of Belém honoring those voyages of discovery. Today I visited Belém to pay my respects to Vasco de Gama, get pooped on by a bird (I kid you not), and eat an original pastel de nata.

Lisbon, Portugal
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Lisbon 2026: Day 4 (Sintra)

Laura IrwinLeave a comment

Sintra is one of the most popular day trips from Lisbon. Just 15 miles northwest of the city, Sintra is known for the colorful Pena Palace and hauntingly beautiful Quinta de Regalia, both of which were on my agenda for today. Despite the cloudy skies, I was determined to make the best of my day out of Lisbon.

Pena Palace
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Lisbon 2026: Day 3

Laura IrwinLeave a comment

My favorite style of travel (in recent years anyway) is slow travel, where I take the time to savor and enjoy where I am without rushing from place to place checking things off a list. And that’s exactly what I did today. My day started with a pre-dawn walk around Lisbon, included a visit to a castle, a convent, and the remains of a ruined church, and ended with a traditional Portuguese meal of bacalhau com natas.

Lisbon, Portugal
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