Normally Memorial Day is an important day at the American war cemetery in Margraten, in the south of the Netherlands. For decades, the soldiers resting here, fallen in WWII, have been adopted by locals. It’s considered a duty and an honor to adopt a grave. There’s even a waiting list, and the care is often…
What will the future of travel look like? It is a hot topic, and there is no dearth of articles about it. Almost all of it, even the most well researched and solidly conceived pieces, is speculation. With so little known about the Coronavirus and its waves of contagion, we are all left to use…
UnTours Blog readers may remember a post last month from our UnTours Swiss colleague Jessica Powers. She is American born but lives in Switzerland, in Interlaken. Jessica reported on her impressions of Coronavirus planning and restrictions in their early days in the American west and in Switzerland. She also mentioned she enjoys social distance walking…
The Scuole Grandi (Great Schools) of Venice were fraternal organizations, established between the 13th and 16th centuries. They operated as charitable and social organizations for non-noble Venetian citizens of standing and wealth. They played an important role in their communities and in the arts. The schools were normally associated with a church and built nearby….
Located within easy day trip distance of our UnTours in Cordoba and Andalusia in Southern Spain, Ronda is an exciting day trip! Because of its high perch in the mountains, Ronda is often referred to as The Eagles’ Nest. Standing atop a towering plateau, a plunging river gorge, El Tajo (ravine), divides the…
Located just a 40-minute drive from our Greece UnTour homebase of Nafplio, Epidaurus is a popular and rewarding day trip for those exploring the Peloponnese. The Sanctuary of Epidaurus was one of the most significant religious and therapeutic centers of ancient Greece and has been on the UNESCO World Heritage List since 1988. It is…
Jessica Powers has worked for our Swiss UnTours for many years. She is an American who lives in Interlaken and sent us this report from Switzerland after returning from a visit to the US. Swiss Field Report In Switzerland, our restrictions are mostly left up to everyone’s own discretion and sense of responsibility, with mixed,…
Updates and check-ins continue to pour in from UnTours staff in Europe. Here is the latest from the Netherlands, an update from Edmund, our colleague and friend in Amsterdam. Amsterdam today reminds me of Sunday mornings a long, long time ago. Deserted, quiet, and serene. This was of course before the center of Amsterdam was…
As we stare into the unknowns of the COVID-19 situation, one of the few things we can say for sure is that we will not be traveling internationally for the next few months. For those of us who live to travel, being grounded indefinitely can make us antsy. Add to that a request or mandate…
Duncan MacKellar is our on-site host for the Scottish Highlands UnTour. Last year he shared some insights into the deep traditions of his region. To understand the traditions and culture of a nation, you have to look at the people who created those very same traditions. Scotland’s greatest export has been its people, some voluntarily…