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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Salerno: A Non-Touristy Day at the Base of the Amalfi Coast
Our Salerno port day — the Lungomare Trieste promenade, the Duomo di Santa Maria degli Angeli, the crypt of Saint Matthew, and pizza at Giagiu.
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Palermo: Quattro Canti, the Teatro Massimo, and a Street Food Tour Through Capo Market
Our first time in Palermo, Sicily — Quattro Canti, Palazzo dei Normanni, the Teatro Massimo, and a street food tour through Capo Market.
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Palma de Mallorca: The Royal Palace, Valldemossa, and Bellver Castle with Spain Day Tours
Our first time in the Balearic Islands — a full day tour of Palma de Mallorca, the mountain village of Valldemossa, and Bellver Castle.
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Cartagena, Spain: A Roman Theatre and a Tapas Tour Through the City Center
Our second visit to Cartagena, Spain — a Princess Cruises tapas tour, the Roman Theatre, and stop after stop of tapas and wine through the city.
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Gibraltar: The Alameda Botanical Gardens and a Gin Tasting in the Shadow of the Rock
Our Gibraltar port day — a walk into city centre, the Alameda Botanical Gardens, an animal sanctuary, and a gin tasting at Gibraltar Distillery.
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Our two-night precruise stop in Bath — Avebury and the Cotswolds on arrival day, the Roman Baths, Pulteney Bridge, and Sunday roast.
Our two-night precruise stop in Bath — Avebury and the Cotswolds on arrival day, the Roman Baths, Pulteney Bridge, and Sunday roast.
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Our Last Day in Bath: The Roman Baths, a Sunday Roast, and the Avon Canal
Our second full day in Bath — touring the Roman Baths, a Sunday roast at The Hive overlooking Pulteney Weir, and a walk along the Avon canal.
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A Full Day in Bath: A Free Walking Tour, Fish & Chips, and Pulteney Bridge
Our first full day in Bath — a free walking tour with the Mayor of Bath’s Honorary Guides, fish & chips, and the view from Pulteney Bridge.
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Arrival in Southwest England: Avebury, Lacock, Castle Combe, and Our First Time in Bath
Our SW England arrival day — Avebury’s ancient stones, the villages of Lacock and Castle Combe, and our first two nights in Bath.
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Ponta Delgada, Azores: Crater Lakes, Green Visions Tours, and Our Last Port Before the Atlantic Crossing
Our Ponta Delgada, Azores port day — a small-group tour with Green Visions Tours to the crater lakes of Sete Cidades before six days at sea to New York.
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Cork, Ireland: A Rainy Day and a Rainbow on the Way Out
A rainy, storm-shortened stop in Cork, Ireland on our transatlantic crossing — the Irish countryside, Blarney shopping, and a farewell rainbow.
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Belfast: The Titanic Experience, City Centre Shopping, and Fresh Fish & Chips
Our Belfast port day on a transatlantic crossing — the Titanic Experience museum, city centre shopping, and fresh fish & chips with a draught.