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A Euskadi Adventure

Slow Travel Tours Posted on January 9, 2023 by Sue AranJanuary 9, 2023 2
Bayonne

An Armchair Traveler’s Brief Overview of the Basque Country.

St. Jean de Luz, Basque Country

St. Jean de Luz Harbor

The art of traveling slowly offers the opportunity to experience a different way of life, so whenever someone asks me about the Basque Country, the Pays Basque, I always say, If you want to experience one of Europe’s oldest cultures without ever having been a formal country, then explore the unique blend of ancient and modern, French and Spanish provinces on a French Country Adventures tour.

Orthez, Pays Basque

Two Sides of the Basque Country

The Basque Country, Euskadi, straddles both France and Spain in the western Pyrenees Mountains, meeting at the Atlantic coast’s Bay of Biscay. The Basque Country has its own mythology, customs, way of life, and even Its own language, Euskara, though French, Spanish and English are spoken.

Basque Language Sign

Basque Language Signage

The French Basque Country will be our first destination. The heart of our stay will be the charming village of St. Jean de Luz, an active fishing village at the mouth of the Nivelle River. It is without a doubt one of the most attractive seaside resorts nestled against the doorstep of the Atlantic Ocean. We’ll also visit the villages of Espelette, Cambo-les-Bains, Ainhoa, Urrugne, St. Jean-Pied-de-Port, Bayonne, and Biarritz.

St Jean Pied de Port

St. Jean-Pied-de-Port

We’ll also visit the Spanish Basque Country’s three most popular towns, San Sebastian, Hondarrabia, and Bilbao. The first thing we’ll do after arriving in San Sebastian by train is to head into the parte vieja, the old part, to some of the best “pintxos” bars in the city. Pintxos (pronounced pinchos) are mouth-watering small plates typically eaten in bars, best washed down with a glass of local wine or cider. The showstopper will be a piece of pure heaven, a slice of the famous Burnt Basque Cheesecake, which I’ll have to reserve before it’s sold out.

Basque Burnt Cheesecake

Burnt Basque Cheesecake

We’ll take a small, 15 minute harbor ferry from France to Spain to explore Hondarrabia’s history, and indulge in its gastronomy, and tour Bilbao’s Guggenheim Museum, a must see for those wanting to encounter the transformative power of art.

Guggenheim Museum, Bilbao

Guggenheim Museum, Bilbao, Spain

I have been leading 10-day tours in this region for 8 years, typically 2 or 3 tours a season. This year I will be leading 3 very small groups: one private group of friends, and two regularly scheduled groups of 6 in June, and September. Of these there are only 2 places available on the September 20-29, 2023 tour, so if you’re interested after reading this post, or joining a waiting list for one of next year’s tours, please contact me directly.

sue@frenchcountryadventures.com

Sue Aran Sue Aran lives in the Gers department of southwest France. She is the owner of French Country Adventures, which provides private, personally-guided, small-group, slow travel tours into Gascony, the Pays Basque, Provence and beyond. She writes a monthly blog about her life in France and is a contributor to Bonjour Paris and France Today magazines.

Slow Travel Tours is an affiliation of small-group tour operators who offer personalized trips in Italy, France, England and other European countries.
Posted in Slow Travel Tours | Tagged Bayonne, Biarritz, Cambo-les-Bains, Espelette, French Country Adventures, Hondarrabia, Pays Basque, St. Jean de Luz, St. Jean Pied de POrt | 2 Replies

The Best of the Cotswolds

Slow Travel Tours Posted on January 1, 2023 by Andrew and Elizabeth GuppyDecember 31, 2022 1
Walking in the Cotswolds in autumn

Happy New Year from all of us at Cotswold Walks! We wish you all good health, happiness and a wonderful year full of adventures.

This will be a special year for us as Cotswold Walks is celebrating its 30th anniversary in 2023 and we look forward to marking the occasion by introducing new holidays.

But first, we wanted to start the year by celebrating our most popular self-guided tour of 2022, the Best of the Cotswolds, by sharing an excerpt from our clients’ journal. We hope you enjoy reading about their Cotswold adventure as much as we did.

Many thanks to Kenric (Rick) Edwards and Elisabeth (Lissie) de Snaijer for allowing us to share excerpts from their journal.

(The above photo is for illustrative purposes only and is not of Rick and Lissie.)

Parts 1 and 2

Wednesday, September 21

After a taxi ride to the train station in Oxford, we took the Worcester Line to Moreton-in-Marsh (pop. 4,480), one of the many hyphenated town names in the Cotswolds, where town founders took a delight in adding geography to their residences.

After a brief walk with our luggage from the train station to the hotel, we dumped our bags and took to the streets, in hopes of exploring the local shops. Alas, shops were closed at 5:00 PM and we could only comfort ourselves with a pint of ale and nibblies at the White Hart Royal Hotel, known to have housed guests since the 1600s (including Charles I while on military manoeuvres), with parts of the structure dating back to the 1400s.

We enjoyed this hotel bar so much we decided to also have dinner there a bit later. We found the food excellent (best Chicken Supreme ever!), although a party of eight (work colleagues) seated next to us after a bonding experience made for noisy neighbours. We were forced to treat ourselves to a delicious toffee sundae for consolation. Our toffee scarcity in Canada seems irresponsible.

We spent some time inspecting the ancient fireplace, ceiling beams, and noting some of the well-executed architectural modifications that have occurred over the years.

After our meal, we retired to our very comfortable lodgings at the Redesdale Arms and watched a few minutes of Doc Martin before slumber took us away.

Our Best of the Cotswolds tour starts and ends in the market town of Moreton-in-Marsh (Photo: courtesy of Cotswolds Tourism)

Moreton-in-Marsh (Photo by Rick and Lissie)

Thursday, September 22

A breakfast of porridge, breads and yogurt braced us for the first walk (7.5 miles) to Stow-on-the-Wold, and we then prepared our bags for their 9:00 AM pick-up that takes them to our next hotel. Yes, our luggage has wheels… no, we are not rolling our luggage all across the countryside. A efficient delivery service will advance our bags as we traverse the Cotswold hills and vales. Life as it should be…

Departing our hotel, we ambled through a few quaint Moreton-in-Marsh shops before commencing our first walk around 10:30. A late start, but Lissie saw some items that she admired and wanted to visit a couple shops. Not a strong shopper myself, I opted to investigate some online sites regarding local geography and flora in hopes I might recognize something, anything, that might impress a fellow traveler that we had done more background research than was actually true.

After some purchases in the local shops, our first walk started out somewhat ingloriously as Rick became turned around and we proceeded out of the Moreton-in-Marsh village at the butt end. After uttering rather incoherent statements about the sun coming up on the wrong side of the ocean, Rick was convinced by a nice postman (and the evil eye from Lissie) that we should retreat from town at the other end to start our adventure. It was time to start using the handy phone app that will guide us on the way…

The outside air was still cool (130), but our trek in the warm sunshine was lovely amid many leafy hedgerows and neat pathways, passing by the heritage homes (above) constructed of local stone. We saw sheep, cows and horses aplenty, and enough berries every mile to fill a swimming pool, although this would not be their best use. The lanes were absolutely covered with red berries, yellow berries, blueberries… but mostly blackberries or “brambles”. I snacked on a few handfuls until it occurred to me that toilet facilities in the countryside were few and far between.

A little after noon, we came to our first village, Longborough (pop. 471) and stopped in the village’s only pub (Coach and Horses at L) to enjoy sandwiches on the best-ever bread (R – roast beef; E – brie and chutney), topped off by a treacle tart with salted caramel ice cream. Treacle is the residue left behind after the processing of sugar and the dessert tasted mostly like pecan pie filling.

Pretty darn good; just ask Harry Potter (his favourite)!

Our journey continued after lunch, with one more stop in Broadwell for coffee and beer before arriving at our destination of Stow-on-the-Wold (a “wold” is like a moor, hilly and uncultivated). Our lodgings at the Old Stocks Inn were exquisite and we felt deservedly pampered. Lissie took to the streets shortly after arrival and Rick made mental journal notes while he tested the bed for comfort. It passed with high recommendations.

Dinner was taken at the King’s Arms (L) just after dark, a delightfully dodgy and noisy pub seating about thirty at full capacity. I ordered a Fish and Chips and Lissie built a salad with her favourites as the pub slowly filled with people. Even with tight quarters, some Brits still bring in their dogs, many who are a healthy size and create a significant tripping hazard. Pets are greatly loved in the UK; most establishments seem to have an official cat (think of Larry at 10 Downing Street), and some patrons apparently include the dog in their party when making dinner reservations.

After dinner, some discussion ensued about a dessert option… Rick asked the waitress, with considerable delicacy, to describe the “steamed spotted dick” – a menu specialty. The response was that this traditional English dessert is a spongy cake, nicknamed “dick” in some localities as it includes raisins (the “spots”) and is typically served with custard. Tempting as it was, we passed and chose the pear and apricot crumble. We were disappointed not at all.

After our walk back to the Old Stocks Inn, we lounged about our expansive room, reading and listening to the classical music station that was playing through the sound system when we first entered. There’s something about the sound of a symphony work playing in the background that makes one feel somewhat more respectable and important than is actually the case. The feeling may not last, but it is refreshing at times.

In these elegant surroundings, the music fit the context as we showered or soaked our tired limbs. Luxurious linens were cherished for scant seconds before unconsciousness took over. Day 1 complete; a raging success.

The picturesque market town of Stow-on-the-Wold (Photo: courtesy of Cotswolds Tourism)

Andrew and Elizabeth GuppyHusband and wife team Andrew and Elizabeth Guppy lead Cotswold Walks, specialising in customised self-guided and guided walking holidays in the Cotswolds. Living and working in the Cotswolds is an essential part of what makes their company special. As avid walkers, they can often be found walking the routes with their dog Indie.

Andrew and Elizabeth are passionate about what they do. They strive to take you on a tour that showcases the best of the Cotswolds, from iconic gardens and fabulous local food, to sweeping vistas over the emerald green countryside dotted with honey-coloured cottages. Through careful planning and attention to detail, the mission of Cotswold Walks is to ensure you have complete peace of mind, so you can immerse yourself in the beauty of the Cotswolds and create lasting memories.

Slow Travel Tours is an affiliation of small-group tour operators who offer personalized trips in Italy, France, England and other European countries.
Posted in Cotswolds, England, Slow Travel Tours, Walking | 1 Reply

Poland Christmas Markets 2022 Tour and 2023 Poland Culinary Vacations Schedule

Slow Travel Tours Posted on December 25, 2022 by Sarna RoseDecember 25, 2022  
KrakowMarketSquareatChristmas2022

We’ve closed the year with our small group Christmas tour “The Magic of Christmas Markets in Poland” and this year it was especially beautiful since it happened to fall on the most snowy December days in Poland! Krakow and Zakopane – the winter capital of Poland – truly looked magical under the falling and fresh blanket of snow. We’d like to share some of the photos from the tour here with you and will be uploading hundreds more to the NEW 2022 Christmas Markets in Poland photo album on Flickr soon.

UNESCO Salt Mine in Wieliczka, Poland

UNESCO Salt Mine in Wieliczka, Poland

UNESCO Salt Mine in Wieliczka, Poland

UNESCO Salt Mine in Wieliczka, Poland

Horses on Krupowki Street in Zakopane, Poland

Horses on Krupowki Street in Zakopane, Poland

2022 Christmas Market in Poznan, Poland

2022 Christmas Market in Poznan, Poland

Poland Culinary Vacations guests making Christmas cookies in Krakow, Poland

Poland Culinary Vacations guests making Christmas cookies in Krakow, Poland

Poland Culinary Vacations guests making gingerbread Christmas cookies in Krakow, Poland

Poland Culinary Vacations guests making gingerbread Christmas cookies in Krakow, Poland

Christmas tree and Mariacki Church in Krakow, Poland

Christmas tree and Mariacki Church in Krakow, Poland

2022 Christmas Market in Krakow, Poland

2022 Christmas Market in Krakow, Poland

Krupowki Street in Zakopane, Poland

Krupowki Street in Zakopane, Poland

You can join us next year, December 7 – 16, 2023 on “The Magic of Christmas Markets in Poland” 10 days/9 nights tour during which we visit Christmas Markets in Warsaw, Poznan, Wroclaw, Krakow and take a day trip to Zakopane to enjoy the highlander traditions, music and cuisine in the Tatra mountains of Poland.

Merry Christmas! – Wesolych Swiat! 

2023 Poland Culinary Vacations Schedule 

Whether you’re experiencing the rich culinary traditions of Poland for the first time, or reconnecting with your Polish heritage, Poland Culinary Vacations can offer you a truly unique adventure. We’ll introduce you to the traditional roots of Polish cooking as well as the outstanding cuisine of modern Polish chefs. Because of our personal connections to various communities in Poland, we’re aware of food and folklore festivals happening throughout the season. Many of our trips include stops to enjoy these special aspects of Polish life. Wherever we go, the local farmers, bakers, meat shop owners, and chefs are eager to share their way of life with us.

Polish Cooking with Chef Anna Hurning in Szczecin, Poland – May 21 – 27, 2023

Visit Poland and cook LIVE with home chef and Polish Your Kitchen – My Family Table cookbook author Anna Hurning in her hometown of Szczecin and West Pomerania region of Poland on the Baltic Sea!  READ MORE >>

Polish cooking with chef Anna Hurning in Szczecin, Poland tour

Polish cooking with chef Anna Hurning in Szczecin, Poland tour

Cooking Your Way From Krakow To Zakopane & Pierogi Festival in Krakow – August 6 – 12, 2023

Our August 2023 Culinary Vacation is scheduled around the annual Pierogi Festival being held in Krakow, Poland. Join us in 2023 at the XXI Pierogi Festival for pierogi tasting, local beer, live entertainment and more. READ MORE >>

Pierogi Festival in Krakow, Poland

Pierogi Festival in Krakow, Poland

The Flavors of Lower Silesia and Wroclaw & Polish Pottery Festival in Poland – August 13 – 19, 2023

Our August 2023 tour is scheduled around the annual Polish Pottery Festival being held in Boleslawiec, Poland. Join us at the 29th Polish Pottery Festival on pottery shopping spree and more. READ MORE >>

Christmas themed Polish Pottery

Christmas themed Polish Pottery

Other tours we’re offering in 2023 include: 

Culinary and Cultural Adventure in Greater Poland and Poznan READ MORE>>

Spa and Wine Vacation in Southern Poland and Krakow READ MORE>>

Coastal Cooking in Pomerania and Gdansk READ MORE>>

A Taste of Poland in Mazovia and Warsaw READ MORE>>

Wine Tours in Poland READ MORE>>

Please feel free to contact us via email info@polandculinary.com or calling Toll Free 888-703-8130 in US/Canada or 772-777-0571 International if you have any interest or questions regarding any of our 2023 tours and we’ll be happy to help you plan your dream vacation to Poland! 

See you all in Poland in 2023!

Malgorzata (Sarna) Rose, is a native of Poland. Poland Culinary Vacations grew out of her love and passion for travel and everything Polish, including fine Polish cuisine, eventually blossoming into a first-class culinary travel company. While growing up in Poland, she experienced the great joy of cooking with family and friends. Using her grandmothers' recipes and fresh ingredients from their gardens, they prepared food for weddings, parties, and traditional holidays. Now, through Poland Culinary Vacations, she wants to share that experience with you, and show you the best of everyday Polish living: the special people and their hospitality, and the heritage and traditions unique to each region. Only a native can help you discover and fully experience the authentic Poland!

Slow Travel Tours is an affiliation of small-group tour operators who offer personalized trips in Italy, France and other European countries.
Posted in Cracow, European Christmas Markets, European Travel, Food, Krakow, Lower Silesia, markets, Poland, Poland Culinary Tours, Polish Pottery, Polish wine, Polish wine, Poznan, Restaurants, Sarna Rose, Shopping, slow tours, Slow Travel Tours, Small group, Warsaw, Wine, Wroclaw, Zakopane | Tagged Christmas Eve Dinner in Poland, Christmas Markets in Poland, christmas ornaments, cooking in Poland, cracow, culinary tours in poland, dinner in poland, festivals in Poland, food and wine tour, food and wine tours in poland, food tours in poland, Gdansk, krakow, mulled wine, Poland, poland tours, poland travel, poland vacation, Polish Food, polish wine, poznan, spa, szczecin, visit poland, warsaw, wine tours in poland, wroclaw, Zakopane | Leave a reply

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