abroadtravelingabroad

Beautiful, Macabre and Delicious Otranto on The Italian Stiletto

Leave a Comment / Blogging, Europe, Food and Wine, Shopping, Sights to See, Solo Travel, Travel / Pamelahawthorne

The southeasternmost point the Italian Stiletto, Otranto has been a target for invaders and crusaders both. Otranto is a great day trip from anywhere in the Puglia region with charming shops, fascinating history and (very important!) many reasonable restaurant choices facing the crystal, azure waters of the Adriatic just south of Brindisi. Otranto is as […]

Beautiful, Macabre and Delicious Otranto on The Italian Stiletto Read More »

Visit Italy: See These Spectacular Ruins of Ancient Greece

3 Comments / Blogging, Europe, Sights to See, Solo Travel, Travel / Pamelahawthorne

Along the heel of Italy’s famous boot, in the region of Apulia you will find Paestum. A major ancient Greek city on the coast of the Tyrrhenian Sea in Magna Graecia in the Province of Salerno. Very different from Pompeii, Paestum’s ruins are smaller, older, more Greek and – crucially – a lot less overrun.

Visit Italy: See These Spectacular Ruins of Ancient Greece Read More »

Trulli Unique: My Top Reasons to Visit Alberobello

2 Comments / Blogging, Europe, Sights to See, Solo Travel, Travel / Pamelahawthorne

At first glance, this community of conical dwellings looks like the predecessor of our modern day “tiny homes.” Situated in the Puglia region of southern Italy, the city of Alberobello houses the largest collection of homes built in the trullo architectural style. The original trulli date back to prehistoric times. But the most ancient trulli

Trulli Unique: My Top Reasons to Visit Alberobello Read More »

Southern Italy’s Treasure: The Best in Farm to Table Dining

Leave a Comment / Europe, Food and Wine, Solo Travel, Travel / Pamelahawthorne

It’s called “Agriturismo”. The name gives it away. Translation, a working farm, vineyard (or both!), open to guests offering hospitality in a rural setting. Usually with an emphasis on sustainability and a connection with the land. Perfect for our Italian adventure where gastronomy is the heart and soul of this country. In the Campania and

Southern Italy’s Treasure: The Best in Farm to Table Dining Read More »

My Simple, Practical Tips on How Not to Look Like a Tourist Abroad

2 Comments / Africa, Asia, Blogging, Europe, Middle East, Solo Travel, Travel Resources / Pamelahawthorne

First, why is this important? As a solo female traveler, especially if you like going “off the grid” to explore on your own, you’re less conspicuous. Pickpockets are a factor in every large city, here and abroad. Also, there are cultural norms which, as a woman traveling in a different country, merit your attention. Here

My Simple, Practical Tips on How Not to Look Like a Tourist Abroad Read More »

Poland’s Buried Treasure: The Grandeur of the Wieliczka Salt Mines

Leave a Comment / Blogging, Europe, Sights to See, Solo Travel, Travel / Pamelahawthorne

The Wieliczka Salt Mines. A thousand feet deep, 200 miles of passageways first dug with hand tools by salt miners beginning in the 13th century when salt was precious as silver. Magnificent carvings in grey salt rocks. Chandeliers carved from salt crystals. There are over twenty separate chapels in the mine dating from the 17th

Poland’s Buried Treasure: The Grandeur of the Wieliczka Salt Mines Read More »

Walking Among the Ghosts of Auschwitz-Birkenau

1 Comment / Europe, Sights to See, Solo Travel, Travel / Pamelahawthorne

This is a difficult post to write. It should be. The inconceivable horrors that took place here, and in over 450 other concentration camps in Poland alone, are memorialized on a scale equal to the evil of their complex, messianic perpetrators. The people of Poland and the Baltic countries do not doubt that this evil

Walking Among the Ghosts of Auschwitz-Birkenau Read More »

The Mysterious and Miraculous Black Madonna of Czestochowa

Leave a Comment / Blogging, Europe, Holidays, Sights to See, Solo Travel, Travel, Uncategorized / Pamelahawthorne

Easter Sunday just outside of Krakow in Europe’s most Catholic country. This most important holiday is a celebration of food, family and worship. No shops are open and even the picnic tables at the monastery of Jasna Gora have been removed. Bells peal from the towers as we enter the small sanctuary where the Madonna

The Mysterious and Miraculous Black Madonna of Czestochowa Read More »

My Ultimate Views of the Rich, Lush, Fabulous Art Nouveau Streets of Riga

Leave a Comment / Europe, Sights to See, Solo Travel, Travel / Pamelahawthorne

My favorite city on this tour. Riga, Latvia. The Art Nouveau capital of Northern Europe and nicknamed “The Paris of the North.” This is an image post, words can’t do justice to the city’s beauty. Art Nouveau was an ornamental style that became popular throughout Europe and America between 1890 and 1910. It was an

My Ultimate Views of the Rich, Lush, Fabulous Art Nouveau Streets of Riga Read More »

My Bucket List of the World’s Ultimate Luxury Spa Destinations

Leave a Comment / Blogging, Sights to See, Solo Travel, Travel, Travel Resources / Pamelahawthorne

I’ve been researching. Planning the next great escapade for travel abroad. In the midst of this wonderful distraction I came across listings of the world’s most luxurious destinations. So I asked myself…”if money didn’t matter, where would I go for the ultimate spa experience? Here’s my curated super-short list of top spa destinations with their

My Bucket List of the World’s Ultimate Luxury Spa Destinations Read More »