Europe – Page 15 – VirtualWayfarer

BackpackingJuly 16, 2012July 1, 2012

Glorious Sunsets Combined With Delightful Fish, Fowl and Truffles

Following a wonderful walking tour of Orvieto we found ourselves checking into la Penisola country resort and restaurant. The resort is situated on a small peninsula along the shore of Lake Corbara in the heart of Umbria. It is located about halfway between Todi and Orvieto. A wonderful place to r…

BackpackingJuly 9, 2012April 26, 2013

The Fortress City – Orvieto, Umbria, Italy

My shoulders drifted forward slightly then slammed back into the padded bus seat as our forward momentum temporarily slowed and the driver slipped the bus into gear. We were crawling up a steep, winding road towards t…

BackpackingJuly 2, 2012July 1, 2012

An Amazing Meal and Delightful Stroll in Baschi

During my time in Umbria I had the opportunity to enjoy a number of absolutely fantastic meals. The local tourism board wined me and dined me until I was bursting and could barely move. Needless to say it was a grea…

BackpackingJune 25, 2012June 25, 2012

Oasi di Alviano – Umbria’s Rich Nature Preserve

Situated a few miles outside of Orvieto and Terni the Oasi di Alviano, or the Oasis of Alviano, is a wonderful natural habitat and WWF Nature Reserve. Our visit started early in the morning after a somewhat groggy dep…

BackpackingJune 18, 2012June 13, 2012

10 Steps for Mastering the Art of Olive Oil Tasting

Wine tasting has become an integral part of travel and recreational culture. It is something most of us hunger to enjoy and which offers a complex set of fixed and casual rules and norms which can be more than a littl…

AsiaJune 4, 2012June 4, 2012

A Video Tour of Cappadocia’s Mesmerizing Rock Formations In The Snow

There are moments as a traveler when you find yourself running headlong into some of the world's most inconvenient or forbidding weather. While my trip to Turkey didn't leave me facing down a hurricane or braving a tornado, it did land me smack center of one of the worst cold spells to hit Europe …

BackpackingMay 27, 2012May 27, 2012

Art, Architecture, Mummies, Food and Nuns in Citta della Pieve

The city of Citta della Pieve sits a few miles south of lake Trasimeno and to the west of the regional capital of Perugia. Perched on a hill 500 meters above sea level and overlooking the nearby valley, the city evolve…

BackpackingMay 21, 2012

Young Wines and Ancient Fields

A trip to Umbria is incomplete without at least a few hours spent wandering the region's maze of wonderful country roads. While the Romans may be well remembered for giving us the sterile albeit easy to navigate Roman …

BackpackingMay 14, 2012May 14, 2012

Dinner and a Sunset in Assisi

For the three days of the conference, I found myself periodically staring out the window of my room over a perfectly manicured vineyard at the unusual city and ancient structures that dominated the nearby hillside. I f…

BackpackingMay 10, 2012May 9, 2012

A Visit To Picture Perfect Perugia With Ken Kaminesky

Nestled atop a prominent hilltop in the heart of Umbria about two hours north of Rome, the medieval city of Perugia stands constant vigil over ancient trade routes. The current capital of the region, Perugia has a lon…