We’ve built this blog around one very simple belief: food and wine aren’t a side note to travel, they’re the reason to go. Whether we’re peeling off from a cruise ship dock to chase down a family-run trattoria, learning to spot Ripasso from Amarone in a Veronese wine cellar, or working through a tasting menu in York, every post here traces back to something we ate, drank, or learned along the way. You’ll find real-time dispatches from ports of call across the Mediterranean, the Baltic, Norway’s fjords, the British Isles, and closer to home along the Pacific coast — plus the land days, precruise stopovers, and full city stays that bookend them. Read on for shore excursion reviews, food tours, wine country deep dives, and the occasional honest admission that not every “must-try” lived up to the hype.
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A Farewell Day in Verona: Basilica San Zeno, Sant’Anastasia, and the Duomo
Our last day in Verona — Basilica San Zeno’s crypt, the Gothic Church of Sant’Anastasia, and the Duomo di Verona before heading to Bologna.
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A Sunday Stroll Through Verona: Piazza delle Erbe and the Giusti Gardens
A quiet Sunday in Verona — Piazza delle Erbe, a shot of the Arena in the morning light, and the Giusti Gardens in Veronetta.
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Lake Garda and the Valpolicella Wine Valley: A Private Tour
A private day tour from Verona to Lake Garda and the Valpolicella wine valley, ending with a tasting at Corte Borghetti Winery.
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A Verona Welcome: Liberation Day, Lugana Wine, and Local Osterias
Our Verona arrival day — Piazza Bra on Liberation Day, a riverside lunch at Salumeria Gironda, and dinner at Osteria A Le Petarine.
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Back in Italy: Arriving in Milan
Our Milan arrival day — the Malpensa Express, the IQ Hotel Milano, the Duomo, Galleria Vittorio Emanuele II, and dinner at Osteria Nanin.
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Our Second Day in Rome: The Pantheon, Trastevere, and a Last Aperol Spritz
Our final day in Rome — touring the Pantheon, wandering Trastevere, lunch at Tonnarello, and a farewell dinner at Chianti.
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Back in Rome: Galleria Doria Pamphilj, a Red Sky at Dusk, and an Evening of Roman Favorites
Our first day back in Rome after the cruise — Galleria Doria Pamphilj, lunch at Da Luigi Trattoria, and dinner at Piccolo Arancio.
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Sicily: Earthy and Robust — Castelmola, Taormina, and a Terrace Lunch
Our Messina, Sicily port day — Castelmola’s almond wine, a walk down Corso Umberto in Taormina, and lunch on a terrace over the Ionian Sea.
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Magical Malta: A Sunrise Sail into the Grand Harbour and a Food Tour Through Valletta
Our Malta port day — a sunrise sail into the Grand Harbour, the Barrakka Lift up to Valletta, and a cultural food tour with local flavors.
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Palma de Mallorca: Exploring the City on Foot, Cathedral Included
A return visit to Palma de Mallorca, Spain — exploring the Catedral-Basilica de Santa Maria and the old city on foot, no tour this time.
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Relaxed Day in Cartagena, Spain: Wandering and an Unexpected Chapel
A low-key port day in Cartagena, Spain — wandering the harbor, the city center, and a simple chapel that turned out to be anything but.
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Ronda & Mijas: A Day in the Mountains Above Málaga
A day trip from Málaga, Spain to the mountain city of Ronda and the white village of Mijas on the Costa del Sol.