INCREDIBLE PORTUGUESE Hospitality ON THIS TINY ISLAND of Sao Miguel in the Azores.

When it comes to under-rated destinations, the Azores are somewhere right near the top of the list. LTD knew little about this group of nine volcanic islands midway between North America and Europe, until it became a stop on a transatlantic cruise.

The archipelago is officially part of Portugal, and has incredible food, lush landscapes, great beaches and hiking, and spectacular viewpoints over lagoons, valleys, and endless ocean. 

Ponta Delgada is the largest City of Sao Miguel

We docked at the largest island of São Miguel which happens to be the perfect spot for touring, meeting the friendly locals and tasing the local food and wine.  We headed for the hills to enjoy beautiful scenery and to get a feel for the island from above, enabling us to see changing landscape as we climbed!  This was a very special day for us, not only because of this beautiful and unique area of the world, but because we were able to enjoy the day with very dear family members!  Look at the bottom of this post to see the best website for special prices to this amazing island!

Caldeira das Sete Cidades 

About 17 km northwest of Ponta Delgada lies one of the major nature attractions of the island of São Miguel, the paradisiacal landscape of Caldeira das Sete Cidades (Caldera of the seven towns), where – according to the legend – seven towns, founded by expelled Spanish bishops, sank. With a perimeter of 12 km and a diameter of 7 km, this caldera formed from a crater that collapsed during a gigantic prehistoric eruption, its present shape having been created during a tremendous eruption in 1445.

PROTECTED LANDSCAPE OF THE SETE CIDADES LAKE

One of the 7 Natural Wonders of Portugal

One of the 7 Natural Wonders of Portugal, it showcases the Green and Blue Lakes, which according to legend, were formed from the tears of a shepherd and a princess who shared a forbidden love. These lakes can be seen from the Vista do Rei (King’s View) Lookout, named after King D. Carlos and Queen D. Amélia to celebrate their visit to the island in 1901.

There are lakes everywhere, but these two lakes are separated only by a narrow land bridge. The steep, up to 300 m high crater walls, overgrown with lush vegetation, make a fascinating contrast to the tranquil waters and the soft colors, a picturesque and truly unforgettable sight!

Also within the crater, you will find the charming little hamlet of Sete Cidades with its curious houses, a small neo-Gothic church at the end of a cedar-lined road, a picturesque park with magnificent old trees and, besides pretty azaleas in abundance (especially in season), attractive specimens of endemic flora.  After understanding the location, formation and history of the Islands, maybe they are the lost civilization of Atlantis???  Watch our video to understand this further...

Starting at the viewpoint ‘Vista do Rei’, which provides superb views over the lakes, the hamlet of Sete Cidades and tranquil green expanses, one of the most scenic walks of the island leads around the lakes along the crater crest, which is bordered by beautiful hydrangeas galore.

Tweet

Under the Tuscan Sun with LTD

When you hear "Tuscany" what do you think about? The movie "Eat, Love, Pray," with Julia Roberts, or "Under the Tuscan Sun," with Diane Lane? Do you think about Chianti? Do you dream about Florence and its art or grand dome?

But maybe you should think about the people, the landscape and the tranquility!

LTD visited the Tuscan countryside to encounter the local people. Our recommendation: Please plan a visit to Tuscany!

On this occasion we planned a day in and around San Gimignano for a more in depth visit to the Tuscany countryside.  Our drive to San Gimignano showed us some of the most beautiful vistas in Italy with rolling hills, fall colors and patchwork landscape that screams agriculture. Everywhere along the road were locals enjoying hiking, hunting, cycling and running. The leaves and grapevines were displaying their fall colors, but these were mixed with green Italian cypress and olive trees. We passed many villas, some five star hotels, and the exquisite golf course and resort of Toscana Resort Castelfalfi, our choice of lodging for our next visit to Tuscany.



Every summer Andrea Bocelli gives a very special performance in his hometown of Lajatico, Tuscany at the Teatro del Silenzio, an amphitheater built especially for his concerts which we saw along our route.  The setting of the open air theatre against the backdrop of the Tuscan hills makes the experience all the more unique and would be a great opportunity for any music and travel aficionado!

The theme of the show changes every year, some years it might be a full opera, others Bocelli performs his favorite arias as well as some of his greatest hits accompanied by some very special guests, but it is always the Maestro himself that decides. Two-thousand people attend for charity. He performs with other performers much like "friends with Pavarotti".

The locals are the salt of the earth, many families having lived and worked the land for hundreds of years. Take Tenuta Torciano Winery where the Giachi Family has produced Tuscan wines since 1700s. We enjoyed one of the most plentiful tastings ever including Chianti, Brunello, super Tuscans, the local white and desert wines and since the area is also known for its olive oil, and truffles, we indulged!  What a nice change from the standard wine tasting!

Enjoy Wine and Delicacies tasting at Tenuta Torciano Winery

Enjoy our video of the area and excuse our videography after a long day of wine tasting!!!

Tweet

Step Back in Time with a Visit to Hampton Court Palace with LTD!

Hampton Court Palace has been the setting for many dramatic royal events over the last 500 years!

Watch the video of our visit below!

Just a short ride from London Waterloo Station near Big Ben!  LTD suggests staying at the Park Plaza Waterloo as a base of operations.

Some Facts about the Palace:

The original Tudor palace was begun by Cardinal Wolsey in the early 16th century, but it soon attracted the attention of Henry VIII, who brought all his six wives here.

Tweet

LuxuryTravelDocs Gives 5 ⭐️ Stars to SpearHead-Tours.com for Your Visit to Normandy, France!

This Veterans Day Americans around the world will honor their fellow citizens who have served their country.

LTD had the honor of visiting American D-Day Normandy Sites with Florin Petre, owner of www.SpearHead-Tours.com.  The Normandy landings were the landing operations on Tuesday, June 6, 1944 of the Allied invasion of Normandy in Operation Overlord during World War II.  Enjoy our interview with Florin, and a view of our day together.  Wait for the end to understand how meaningful a day this was for us and every visitor to Normandy.  That is what it is all about...

Florin makes the day meaningful by including many stories about the INDIVIDUALS who participated in the D-Day invasion of Normandy.  Here are a couple of the stories we heard and the souls whom we visited:

Tweet

Is Helsinki on Your Bucket List? Maybe It Should Be!

Visit Helsinki! Summer in Finland is warm, bright and exhilarating. Most importantly, the air is fresh, clean, and pure and invigorating at all times of the year. 

Helsinki doesn’t often appear on travelers’ bucket lists. Even those who dream of exploring Scandinavia usually defer to Norway’s fjords or Sweden’s cities, but Finland’s capital is a destination in itself — and one that’s on the rise.

What is the condensed history of this great European Capital?

Sweden’s King Gustavus Vasa founded Helsinki on the mouth of Vantaanjoki River in 1550 to compete with Tallinn for Baltic Sea trade. The town grew slowly however, and the center of Helsinki was moved to its current location in the 1600s.

In 1748 Sweden began construction of the Suomenlinna Maritime Fortress off the coast of Helsinki to counter the growing threat from Russia. The massive project brought additional wealth, inhabitants and merchants to the town.

Russia conquered Finland in 1809. The status of Helsinki was raised to capital of the autonomous Grand Duchy of Finland three years later. A monumental Empire-style city plan was drawn up to reflect the power of Russia and the Tsar.

Finland became independent in 1917, and Helsinki assumed the demanding new role of capital of the young republic. City planning was characterized by Classicism and Functionalism.

During World War II, Finland was in many ways a unique case: It was the only European country bordering the Soviet Union in 1939 which was still unoccupied by 1945.  Of all the European countries fighting, only three European capitals were never occupied: Moscow, London and Helsinki.

Recovering from the hardships of war, Helsinki hosted the Summer Olympics in 1952. The games created an international reputation for Helsinki as an efficient and friendly host city.

With stark differences between seasons, Finns are used to contrasts. Dark Arctic winters have their counterpart in one of the most iconic of Finnish natural phenomena, the Midnight Sun.

Many wonder how Finns survive with no sunlight in the winter, and nature replies with 24 hours of it in the summer. The intense contrast in light conditions has a profound effect on all walks of life in Finland.

For understandable reasons, public spaces come to life in the summer. After the harsh winter, endless daylight never arrives a day too early. Summer in Finland is a time spent outside the house enjoying the short but sweet season, and all worries are postponed until nights get dark again.

Often considered to be Finland's only metropolis, it is the world's northernmost metro area with over one million people as well as the northernmost capital of an EU member state. After Stockholm and Oslo, Helsinki is the third largest city in the Nordic countries.

Helsinki is a thriving city, being named the "World's Design Capital" in 2012 and as a leader in the online gaming industry, among so much more!

Visit Helsinki! Summer in Finland is warm, bright and exhilarating. Most importantly, the air is fresh, clean, and pure and invigorating at all times of the year.

Make Meaningful and Healthy Travel Happen!

Tweet

LTD Visits One of Scandinavia's Most Visited Museums, The Vasa Museum (Vasamuseet) in Stockholm, Sweden

What started with church services and a festive atmosphere ended in a watery grave...

It was the 10th of August 1628, when Vasa, the most powerful warship in the Baltic, foundered in Stockholm harbor before the eyes of a large audience, only minutes after setting sail for the first time.  Learn more about the Vasa from this video and article below!  Watch until the end of the Video to learn about Beata who's face was reconstructed from her skeleton found onboard.

Vasa cast off from the palace between four and five o'clock. As the ship found the current, four of the ten sails were set, and a cannon salute was fired from open cannon hatches on the Vasa.

There was little wind under the bluffs of Södermalm, not even enough to pull the sheets of the sails taught, and Vasa drifted on the current. A small gust filled the sails, and the ship heeled to port, but slowly, agonizingly recovered. As the ship passed the gap in the bluffs at Tegelviken, a much stronger gust pushed the ship so far over on its port side that water poured in through the open cannon hatches from the salute, on the lower gun-deck. Vasa began to sink.

Pandemonium reigned on deck. Many threw themselves into the water, while those below decks struggled to make their way up wildly tilting ladders. Within minutes, the ship was on the sea bed at a depth of 32 metres. The masts stuck up above the surface, and many grabbed hold of them. Others were picked up by the small craft that had followed the Vasa's shaky journey at close quarters. Some swam the 120 meters to the shore of Beckholmen.  All but 30 of the crew and guests survived when Vasa sank. Most of the dead were trapped inside the ship.

The fact that the Captain allowed the gun ports to remain open when Vasa set off was a fateful decision – if they had been closed, water could not have poured in, and the ship might have survived long enough to be rebuilt into a more stable configuration.

On 25 August 1956, Anders Franzén, a fuel engineer in the Swedish navy and amateur archaeologist, discovered a small piece of black oak stuck in a coring device that he dropped into Stockholm's harbor. It does not sound like much, but is by far one of the most important events in the modern history of Vasa.  Even today, many still remember where they were when Vasa finally rose from the deep after 333 years in darkness.  On Monday, 24 April 1961, thousands of people crowded the shores around Kastellholmsviken, much as they had lined the shore almost 333 years earlier, to witness Vasa being raised from the deep.

Today, the Vasa Museum is one of Scandinavia's most visited museums. Here you will find in all its glory, the unique and well preserved warship Vasa from 1628, embellished with hundreds of wooden sculptures and many unique exhibits surrounding the construction, the crew, and discovery of the ship.

Don't forget a good set of binoculars to view the intricacies of the carvings and interior!

Make Meaningful and Healthy Travel Happen!!

Tweet

LTD Gives 5 Stars ⭐️ to IrishTourTickets.com and Brian English for Game of Thrones Tour in Belfast, Ireland, UK

If you want to know where next year’s most in-demand travel destination, just look at the next few month’s releases of movies and TV shows.

The “set-jetting” trend—travelers seeking out destinations they’ve seen in movies and shows—seems to be having a bit of a moment, and tourism boards are scrambling to make the most of it. The Croatian island of Vis eagerly anticipated the so-called “Mamma Mia effect”; Game of Thrones has irrevocably changed tourism in the ancient Croatian city of Dubrovnik and Northern Ireland; and with the recent release of Crazy Rich Asians, the Singapore tourism board ramped up its efforts to lure set-jetters eager to experience the lavish lifestyle depicted in the film.

To understand this trend better LuxuryTravelDocs decided to enjoy a GAME OF THRONES, GIANT'S CAUSEWAY & BELFAST CITY TOUR in Northern Ireland and we booked it with IrishTourtickets.com.  Our guide was Brian English, who we recommend without reservation.  Brian is authentic and demonstrates an unparalleled enthusiasm to share his home, Irish history and mythology, and of course Game of Thrones experiences with you.

To hear from Brian and see photos of our visit watch the video below...

Scheduling the tour was easy online only a few days before our arrival.  Maria Braun answered our questions promptly and thoroughly over the email without delay!  What a pleasure when traveling internationally with limited WiFi and cellphone coverage.  Tickets were able to be purchased ahead via credit card and electronic vouchers were issued to show the guide on departure.  We were arriving to the cruise terminal in Belfast and pickup was punctual and on time!  Don't you hate when you have scheduled a tour and delays occur and you feel you have missed something?  We toured with around 20 persons total which was an excellent size and in retrospect, increased the enthusiasm.   The day was nearly 10 hours which flew by and went at a steady pace throughout the day.  Brian was full of stories to enthrall everyone from those who have never watched Game of Thrones (are there really any?) to the most avid fan.  Lunch was not included but we stopped at a great location with many options for lunch on our own.  Plenty of time for eating, whiskey or shopping was allowed.  Non-GOT activities during the day included visiting the Giant's Causeway for about 1.5 hours which allowed us to stretch our legs and get in some exercise, and then a tour of Belfast City which has a rich and intense history.  Brian had a long personal history within Belfast and his first hand knowledge of the turmoil and improved relationships within the city was amazing to hear!

LTD recommends Irishtourtickets.com and Brian English without hesitation!  To be complete, our only recommendation would be to use a bus with video monitors and play clips of the relevant episodes while onboard if possible.  This would make an outstanding tour even more outstanding!!

For more detailed recommendations about visiting more of Ireland, check out our guide to visiting Ireland!

Sport your Favorite GOT Tee Shirt at home or away! Click the link below to learn more.  Links like these help support our mission to give to charity!  Thank you so much!

Tweet

LTD visits the Hermitage Collection in St Petersburg, Russia!

As one of the most popular visitor attractions in Russia, and one of the world's most prestigious museums, the Hermitage is a must-see for everyone who visits St. Petersburg, Russia. 

With over 3 million items in its collection, visitors can only hope to get a brief taste of the riches on offer here, from Impressionist masterpieces to fascinating Renaissance treasures. One estimate has it that you would need eleven years to view each exhibit on display for just one minute, but even if you do not love art, viewing the rooms at the Winter Palace can be rewarding for any tourist!  The bulk of the Hermitage collection is housed in the Winter Palace, formerly the official residence of the Romanov Tsars, and its several annexes.

Art aficionados, however, may find it most rewarding to seek out the works that they are particularly interested in.  LTD loves Renaissance and Impressionist art, and please enjoy our highlights of the Hermitage collection in this video:

Pickpockets are very common at the Hermitage and the crowds are dense making you very susceptible to theft.  Please take all precautions!  LTD recommends a security crossbody bag for your visit to the Hermitage!

Make meaningful and healthy travel happen for yourself!!!

Tweet

LTD Visits Vigeland Sculpture Park in Oslo Norway

Vigeland Park is the world's largest sculpture park made by a single artist, and is one of Norway's most popular tourist attractions. 

The park is open to visitors all year round and LTD visited in Late Summer.

The unique sculpture park is Gustav Vigeland's lifework with more than 200 sculptures in bronze, granite and wrought iron. Vigeland was also in charge of the design and architectural layout of the park. The Vigeland Park was mainly completed between 1939 and 1949.

We recommend a beautiful scarf to look fashionable and stay covered from the sun!  We love this Tiffany-inspired scarf from the MMA that is reflective of Vigland's era!  Click the photo to learn more:

Tweet