Category Archives: Travel

… and bread options in Mexico, South America, the Caribbean and Oceania

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We’ve taken a look at the history of the world’s oldest prepared food and gone around part of the world looking at options. We’re going to finish up with this post, but we by no means have covered everything. Remember, breaking bread, sharing bread, is a great way to communicate and commune with each other and so is taking a travel adventure. So travel advisors at GetAway Travel say take the plunge — take that trip of a lifetime — and don’t forget to break bread on the way.

Mexico and South America

 Corn tortillas and tamales formed the basis of Mayan bread. Corn tortillas originated more than 10,000 years ago and they still are staples in Mexico and several South American countries.

Corn Tortillas

In Mexico they are fried or cooked on a griddle while in South America they may be baked in an oven or in coals on a fire. You can get a sweet version of brioche in Mexico.

Conchas

Conchas is a fluffy brioche-like sweet bread with a crispy streusel topping. It is scored to resemble a sea shell.

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Best New Year’s bash/vacation destination

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Happy New Year from the GetAway Travel family. Now that the noisemakers and bubbly have been put away, it’s time to start thinking about next year’s celebration.

Didn’t you say you wanted to do it up in a big way next year?

So which city does it up best? London? Paris? Maybe Singapore? Nope — Edinburgh, Scotland is the internationally recognized best spot to ring in the New Year! There’s no time like the present to contact a travel advisor at GetAway and plan that trip to welcome 2027 in the biggest international venue.

It’s like spending St. Patrick’s Day in Dublin or Mardi Gras in New Orleans.

And, as a bonus, there’s plenty of things to do during the day while you are waiting for the evening revelry to start. New Year’s in Edinburgh is celebrated from Dec. 31 to Jan. 2.

Hogmanay in Edinburgh

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Breads around the world

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Bread around the world takes many, many forms, but it is universally recognized as a beloved staple of every culture. It is the oldest food form that requires work, and sometimes artistry, to complete. It has an amazing history. We are all about history and tasty vacations at GetAway Travel. We can create a vacation for you, with our without fermentation, that has plenty of history and yummy bread options. Since there is reportedly more than 6,000 types of bread in the world, we can guarantee there will be bread involved in your adventure! Let’s look at some of the bread options from around the world.

Africa and Asia

 The national bread of Ethiopia is Injera. Made with a sourdough starter, it has a unique spongy texture and you can eat it with toppings, or use it as a rolled up vessel for stew and vegetables. There’s also dabo which is generally reserved for special occasions. It is a thicker flatbread made with wheat flour, but it can also contain barley and other flours.

Injera

Enjoy Mielie bread in South Africa. Mielie means maize and the bread is made by steaming cornbread, chock full of while kernels of corn, over a campfire.

Mielie Braai (corn on the grill)

Krachel is a brioche-like roll that you’ll find in Morocco. It is flavored with sesame seeds, anise and orange flower water.

Krachel

Agege is Nigeria’s version of white bread and in South Africa, try roosterkoek which is balls of dough cooked on grates over a grill. Lavish is a soft, thin flatbread baked in a tandoor oven that you can find in Turkey, Iran, Armenia and Azerbaijan. In Turkey you can find simit, a ring-shaped sesame coated flatbread.

Simit, cheese, and turkish tea

Nan-e barbari is Persian flatbread dusted with sesame seeds it has a similar texture to focaccia.

In Turkey you’d eat pide which is a flatbread topped with lots of tasty options. Vacationing in the Arab Emirates? Try Khameer, a soft, pillowy flatbread topped with sesame and black cumin seeds. Made with dates, water, milk and cardamon, it has a sweet, nutty flavor. In Jordan, Lebanon and Syria there is manakeesh. This flatbread is covered with a mix of za’atar (a spice mixture of sumac, herbs and sesame seeds) and olive oil.

Manakeesh

Your meals in India will be accompanied by naan, made by mixing flour with milk or yogurt and baking it in a tandoor.  Or, dosa could be served. Dosa is more labor intensive than naan or chapati. Roti and chapati are more like pancakes and they are baked on a grill. Dosa is made by soaking rice and lentils overnight, grinding the mixture into a paste and then letting it ferment for eight hours. It is grilled.

Masala dosa with chutney and sambar

Paratha is Indian flatbead with layers folded over with ghee in between. It is then pan fried and it heavier than a chapati. It is often served stuffed with vegetables and paneer cheese.

Aloo Paratha with butter and curry

Japanese milk break is fluffy white bread also called Shokupan. It is baked in a rectangular pan and has a flat top. A popular sweet in Japan is anpan. This fluffy, sweet dough ball is topped with sesame seeds and filled with a sweet red bean, chestnut or white bean paste.

Shokupan – Japanese milk bread

A popular street food in China is manton or steamed buns. They have a soft, puffy texture and a mild sweet flavor. It can be filled with sweet or savory ingredients.

Steamed bun with pork filling

A fluffy, sweet bun is called pai bao in Hong Kong and a popular street food in Korea is cream cheese stuffed garlic bread. A round, yeasty loaf is stuffed with cream cheese and garlic filling and topped with herbs.

Korean cream cheese and garlic bun

Options abound in Europe

Germany takes the prize for most kinds of bread and most rules designating what goes into specific bread. That’s why their bread traditions earns recognition from UNESCO and you can read about it here.

But UNESCO has also recognized France’s baguette. That long thin loaf with the crisp outside crust and chewy interior is an icon. You can try brioche in France, it’s an uptick on the baguette with lots of eggs and butter.

French baguette

France’s Provence region has fougasse. It is an olive oil rich round loaf with slashes on top to resemble wheat. It can be topped with rosemary and olives or stuffed with an olive tapenade or sun-dried tomatoes. You can also find sweet filled versions.

Fougasse

In Iceland try the Rúgbrauð, it’s a rich, thick chewy rye that is baked underground courtesy of the hot geothermal springs.

Icelandic volcano

The Netherlands has an interesting breakfast, or sometimes lunch, tradition. Hagelslag is buttered toast with chocolate sprinkles. Tijgerbrood is equally interesting. A loaf of bread is spread with a paste of rice flour, yeast, caster sugar, salt and oil. When the loaf is baked, the top turns golden and speckled — similar to a tiger coat.

Hagelslag, may be an aquired taste

Lefse is a Norwegian potato-based flatbread. A holiday classic, it is served with butter and jelly or with deli meat and cheese. In the southern most area of Norway you can find sunnmersbrod, a rustic bread made with wheat and rye flour.

Lefse

In Jewish communities throughout the continent try challah, a rich, eggy bread with a braided top. Chocolate babka is a sweet twisted bread with, of course, chocolate.

Challah bread

Spain’s pan de payes is a round loaf with a thick crispy crust with lots of nice air pockets inside. Slices of the bread are served with olive oil, tomatoes and salt rubbed on top. Pan gallego is similar, but made with more wheat flour and it can be shaped in a ring or baguette.

Pan gallego

Korovai in the Ukraine is a beautiful, artfully decorated bread that sits near the altar during marriage ceremonies.

Korovai – ready to get married

Obwarzanek krakowski in Poland is an important part of the culture. As a sign of hospitality, visitors are greeted with salt and bread. Bagels were invented in Poland. They are bigger than a bagel in the US and are usually topped with poppy or sesame seeds. Paska is a braided bread made with lots of butter, eggs and milk.

Bread stand in Krakow, Poland selling obwarzanek krakowski

Baking powder and buttermilk give Ireland’s soda bread its lift and distinctive taste and texture.

Ireland soda bread with currants

Italy excels as a bread country! There’s ciabatta, a bread created recently shaped like a slipper and used as a sandwich vessel. Focaccia is a bread brushed with olive oil and the top is sprinkled with salt and aromatic herbs. Sometimes there are elaborate edible scenes on top of the round or square loaf.

Focaccia

Limpa is a Swedish rye bread with orange, fennel or anise flavor. In Finland try pulla, a sweet, braided bread flavored with cardamon.

someone dropped the pulla – 5 second rule in force

In Hungary try the beigli, a stuffed brioche like dough with nut or poppy seed filling.

Beigli stuffed with poppy seeds

Next up on the blogs — bread options, alternatives in South America, Mexico, the Caribbean and Oceania.

Can’t decide on a bread or a destination? Travel advisors at GetAway Travel have options! We can be reached at:  (262) 538-2140, e-mail: sue@getaway.travel or paul@getaway.travel

Make bread part of your tasty adventure

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Bread is one of the world’s oldest “prepared” food. It is a universal staple and eating it together is one of the simplest forms of bonding. “Breaking bread” is a symbol of friendship, reconciliation, hospitality and camaraderie. Bread holds religious significance and it shows up in proverbs and slang. While you may not want to tailor your travel adventure around this staple, advisors at GetAway Travel can make sure you get what you knead in your travel itinerary and we can even add some time for loafing around.

From stone ground to stone baked

Recorded history shows bread is an important part of culture and diet. It is the oldest food that doesn’t require foraging or hunting. The oldest unleavened bread was flatbread discovered in Jordan in 14,400. It was wild wheat, barley and einkorn. Stone tools were used to crack and smash the grains. They were initially mixed with water to make a porridge and then, the porridge was spread on rocks and left in the sun. The dried, sun-baked mixture was the first bread.

With the domestication of wheat in the mid-East, the cultivation of grain to bread spread.

Egyptians used bread as a vessel, other countries began using it as utensil. Before coins became prevalent in Egypt, workers were paid with bread and beer.

Iberians and Gauls used foam from beer and discovered it added lightness and taste.

Europeans used beer as leavening and sourdough evolved. Until the development of yeasts during the 19th century every bread was sourdough. In the 1980s demand for sourdough was so high, there were regulations drawn up to define what could be sold as sourdough.

Mayans used corn and that evolved into tortillas, tamales and other bread varieties.

While there are thousands and thousands of type of bread world wide, Germany is the big winner for bread varieties clocking in at more than 3,200.

Bread is different in Europe due to the use of different wheat varieties. They are softer and the bread has a lower gluten content. Many countries also use more diverse wheat strains grown especially for their taste. There are stricter regulations on what can be included in flour.

Cassava

Global prestige granted to bread

Maltese Ftira

 UNESCO recognizes bread making traditions as part of its Intangible Cultural Heritage designation. The recognition is designed to protect the practice of making bread, including traditions, unique craftsmanship, ingredients, social importance, historical roots. It is designed to promote and preserve these practices. UNESCO designations go to France’s baguette, Malta’s Ftira, Haiti/Caribbean’s Casabe cassava bread, Lebanon’s Manoushe and the German bread culture.

Lebanese Manoushe

Germany is in a whole category of its own when it comes to bread. It is an integral part of their culture and they have more varieties than any other country. According to the bread register of the German Institute For Bread (really, it does exist, we aren’t making it up) there are more than 3,200 types of bread. It is a staple at most meals. There’s bread for breakfast and bread for break time, called Pausenbrot or “break bread.” Bread for lunch and, of course, bread for dinner called Abendbrot or bread of the evening.

Pausenbrot

German supermarkets have their own corner bakeries attached and bakers are held in high regard and must undergo a high level of training. There are German standards for bread quality including the size of the loaf and each year the German Institute announces the bread of the year. For 2025 the bread of the year was Nussbrot or Nut Bread. You can enjoy farmer’s bread, mixed bread, stone oven bread, pumpkin bread and five-seed bread.

Abendbrot

There’s bread rolls which come in several varieties and may be called something else depending what part of the country you might be in and milk rolls which are a breakfast item when they contain raisins or chocolate chips. Hörnchen is another breakfast staple. The name means “little horns” and the half moon shaped rolls are the German version of a croissant with a lot more butter. They are served with jam or a chocolate spread.

Vollkornbrot

Vollkornbrot, whole grain bread, is a predominant bread at bakeries. It is a dark bread commonly used with meat and cheese for sandwiches in the evening. There is a law making it mandatory that loaves of Vollkornbrot must have whole grain flour content of at least 90%.

Pumpernickel bread in Germany is a rich, dark bread made of 100% rye flour. Most supermarkets in Germany sell it in pre-sliced small batches. It must be baked at a low temperature for a long time and frequently sells out at the bakeries. Roggenbrot is any rye bread other than pumpernickel.

Pumpernickel

Katenbrot is a dark brown, coarsely textured whole grain bread. The name means “barn bread” and it is great as sandwich bread. Sonnenblumenbrot is sunflower seed bread. This slightly sweet offering is great for breakfast and is served with cream cheese and jam. Dreikornbrot/Fünfkornbrot is the healthiest of the bread options. It is made with a variety of wheat, rye, barley, oats and maize flour and grains.

 

GetAway Travel advisors are by no means bread experts, but in their travels they have tried many delectable varieties and can give great tasty vacation advice. They can be reached at:  (262) 538-2140, e-mail: sue@getaway.travel or paul@getaway.travel Check back for our next blog which takes you around the world to check out more bread options.

 

 

 

 

Tour London’s fabulous museums, cathedrals

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There’s palaces, parliament and prisons to see in London, but there’s also cathedrals steeped in history and some of the finest museums in the world. Travel advisors at GetAway Travel can help tailor your adventure to include all the points of interest you’ve been dreaming about seeing.

Awe-inspiring cathedrals and churches

 St. Paul’s is an architectural masterpiece that towers over Ludgate Hill. This 300-year-old marvel is recognized as one of London’s most magnificent buildings. Inside, the imposing dome is supported by eight huge columns. If you are feeling particularly fit, take the stairs to the walkway around the dome which was inspired by St. Peter’s Basilica in the Vatican.

St Paul’s Cathedral

More stairs up takes you to the Whispering Gallery, more stairs and the Stone Gallery, still more stairs to the Golden Gallery. There, you will be rewarded with amazing views of the city.

Interior ceiling – St Pauls

The crypt area has memorials to 300 of Britain’s famous residents including Vice Admiral Horatio Nelson and the Duke of Wellington.

St Bartholomew the Great – London

St. Bartholomew the Great is the city’s oldest parish church. Built in the Norman Romanesque style, it might look familiar. It was used as a backdrop in the films “Four Weddings and a Funeral” and “Shakespeare in Love.”

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Thanksgiving: A Journey That Changed Everything

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Nearly 400 years ago, a small group of Pilgrims and the Wampanoag people gathered for a feast to celebrate survival and a successful harvest. That moment became the foundation of our national holiday—but the story behind it is really about travel.

The Pilgrims were part of religious congregations who fled England’s turbulent politics for the relative calm of Holland. Known as Brownists, they believed in a congregational form of worship—a dangerous idea in a time when disagreeing with the monarchy could cost you your life. Under the 1559 Act of Uniformity, skipping official Church of England services meant fines, imprisonment, or worse. So, they packed their bags and headed to Holland.

But Holland wasn’t the final stop. Fearing they’d lose their cultural identity, the Pilgrims dreamed of a new life across the Atlantic. Their first ship, the Speedwell, leaked like a sieve. Enter the Mayflower—a merchant vessel never designed for passengers. Imagine a two-month voyage in cramped quarters, no privacy, and only a chamber pot for a toilet. Seasickness, boredom, and brutal storms were constant companions. Yet, they pressed on.

When they finally arrived, winter was waiting. Many didn’t survive those first months, but thanks to the Wampanoag, they learned to hunt, fish, and grow crops. By autumn of 1621, they celebrated their first successful harvest with a feast—what we now call Thanksgiving.

Mayflower Replica

So, What Does This Have to Do With Travel?

Travel has always been about hope, resilience, and discovery. The Pilgrims risked everything for a better life. Today, we travel for joy, connection, and cultural enrichment—but thankfully, in far more comfort than a wind-tossed merchant ship!

At GetAway Travel, we believe every journey should be memorable for the right reasons:

  • Luxury & Comfort: Custom tours, exciting expeditions, and elegant river cruises—where your accomodation truly feels like home.
  • Cultural Enrichment: Guided tours that immerse you in history, art, and local traditions.
  • Hassle-Free Planning: We handle the details so you can simply enjoy the adventure.

This Thanksgiving, as you gather with loved ones, remember: the spirit of travel is woven into the very fabric of this holiday. Ready to start your next chapter of discovery?

Visit London for history, grandeur, culture

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It’s a city with history that goes back to Roman times and everywhere you turn is stunning architecture and sites recognizable from the news and movies. It’s a city of kings and poets, high tea and crown jewels, double-decker buses, tradition and pomp and circumstance and so much more. London has so much to offer and the travel advisors at GetAway Travel can offer you lots of options to make your trip there fabulous!

Take in the royal sights

 See the changing of the guard at Buckingham Palace. The guards perform a ceremonial march accompanied by pomp and fanfare. Check the schedule, it doesn’t happen every day. You can tour Buckingham Palace. The state rooms open to tours have fabulous art and antiques. It is open for tours from July to September. After that, it becomes a “working” royal palace and is only open to the public at select times.

Buckingham Palace

The Tower of London is an iconic landmark with 1,000 years of history behind it. It went from being a royal palace to a fortress and then to a prison. It houses the crown jewels. We aren’t talking about a crown or two. We’re talking about a majestic display of grand proportions. More than 100 pieces of jewelry and coronation finery worn or used by kings and queens over the years.

The Tower of London

The most famous feature of the Palace of Westminster, which is the Houses of Parliament, is Elizabeth Tower which is more commonly known as Big Ben. The legendary 13-ton bell is atop the tower. You can take a tour and enjoy the fabulous views, but be prepared. You need to be able to climb 334 steps to see the clock and inner mechanisms. You are supplied with ear plugs because it’s loud in there.

Westminster Palace

Westminster Abbey, formerly known as Collegiate Church of St. Peter at Westminster has enormous historical significance. A UNESCO World Heritage Site, it has been the setting of coronations for 40 English and British monarchs as well as a burial site for 18 English, Scottish and British monarchs.

Westminster Abbey

A tour here encompasses 10 centuries of history, with burial sites and memorials of individuals who shaped the history of the United Kingdom. Notables including Geoffrey Chaucer and Charles Dickens are buried here and there are numerous memorials to famous people including Charles Darwin and Isaac Newton.

Westminster Abbey interior Courtyard

Admire the soaring ceilings, including the vaulted ceiling in the Henry VII Lady Chapel that was an architectural marvel at the time it was built. There are stained glass windows and intricate carvings to admire. The Cosmati Pavement near the high altar, with its colorful stones and glass, is gorgeous.

Henry VII Chapel at Westminster Abbey

Plenty of famous places to visit

 The London Eye is a futuristic ferris wheel that takes 30 minutes to do a complete turn. When you are at its highest point, 443 feet, the views of the city can’t be beat.

The Eye

Seeing a production at Shakespeare’s Globe Theater means experiencing the work of the bard in its most authentic setting. It is actually a rebuilt faithful reproduction of the original Globe. It burned to the ground when a theatrical cannon explosion during a production set the thatched roof on fire.

Shakespeare’s Globe Theater reproduction

A guided tour takes you around the theatre to an exhibition on Shakespeare and life in the 17th century in Bankside.

Don’t skip an opportunity for an afternoon high tea while in London. While many venues require a reservation, there are still plenty of places, including several museums as well as cafés on High Street, that take walk-ins. Enjoy finger sandwiches — cucumber, egg salad and smoked salmon and cream cheese, and quiches, mini pies and sausage rolls. The sweets selections will include small cakes, tarts, sweet scones with jelly and cream, eclairs, petit fours and shortbread.

The Shard

The Shard is a splinter-like building that is one of the tallest buildings in Europe. It is 1,016 feet high with 95 floors. The 72nd story has an open-air sky deck with spectacular views.

The thousand-year-old Borough Market at the southern end of London Bridge has more than 100 stalls and small shops. Some scenes from Harry Potter movies were filmed here.

You can find fresh produce, meats, cheeses, baked goods and a plethora of international cuisine options for lunch including falafel, flatbread, bento boxes, black truffle pasta, tacos and pulled pork. Try the Camden Market with hundreds of stalls catering to your inner fashionista — from vintage to alternative. You can also find art as well as music and film memorabilia here. The Portobello Road Market is one of the world’s largest antique markets.

Tower Bridge

Up for a stroll? Take a walk along the South bank of the Thames River from Westminster Bridge to Tower Bridge. You can get a look at many of the most iconic sights including Big Ben, the London Eye, Houses of Parliament, St. Paul’s Cathedral and Globe Theater.

An upcoming blog will go through the great museum and cathedral options in the city

Vacationing in the United Kingdom, England, Scotland, Ireland and Northern Ireland, is a great way to dip your travel toe in the waters. Concerned about going to a country where you don’t know the language — this fits the bill perfectly. Is London and the surrounding area, calling you? Advisors at GetAway Travel will help you craft the perfect adventure!

Aegean adventure continues

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One of the great advantages of an Aegean cruise (on the GetAway 2027 agenda) is you usually get a chance to spend some time in Venice, Montenegro and Croatia. Stops in Kotor and Dubrovnik after some time in Corfu add a chance to experience beautiful scenery, ancient cultures and the heritage of the region. Thinking about a jaunt to the Greek islands including Montenegro and Croatia? GetAway Travel advisors are ready to chat with you about our 2027 adventure, or scheduling something sooner for you.

Cruise itineraries likely include stops in Milos and Kalamata and then on to the island of Corfu. Then travels to Montenegro and Croatia.

Corfu, Greece’s castle city

 Corfu, off the Northwest coast of Greece, has a cultural legacy honed by years spent under Venetian, French and British rule. But, it also has a legacy documented by tales of gods and heroes. Corfu, in mythology, was the home of the Phaeacians, the generous race of people who gave a ship-wrecked Odysseus a ship to he could return to Ithaca.

Paleokatstrista bay Corfu

The island name in Greek is “Kerkyra.” Kerkyra was the nymph who was the daughter of river god, Aspos. Sea god Poseidon became smitten with her and brought her to the island.

Corfu’s capital is the only city in Greece flanked by two castles, the Old Fortress and the New Fortress. They are placed strategically to ward off invaders. The city is the site of Greece’s first university and the first Greek Theatre and Opera House.

Corfu town, Old Fortress

Old Town and the Old Fortress are a UNESCO World Heritage site. Narrow passageways and streets in Old Town lead visitors to what is one of Europe’s largest public squares with a fabulous walkway that was once reserved for just the aristocracy.

St. Spyridon Bell Tower, Corfu

St. Spyridon has the tallest bell tower in the islands as well as relics of St. Spyridon. Inside there are wonderful icons and the ceiling decorations are stunning. Achilleion began its life as the summer home of Elsabeth of Bavaria, the Empress of Austria. The Neoclassical palace was designed by Italian architect Raffaele Caritto. The interior is a museum and the exterior includes fabulous gardens with decorations and sculptures.

Paleokastrista monastery Corfu

The Paleokastritsa Monastery dates back to the 13th century. The monks on site cultivate olives and press their own olive oil which is for sale.

Paleokastrista monastery mosaic of Jesus

There are groves around the island offering tours as well as some boutique wineries which offer tours.

Museums? Oh yes. There’s the Archeological Museum with items from ancient cities around the island, the Byzantine Museum of Antirouniotissa with rare icons and frescoes as well as other ecclesiastical items. The Asian Art Museum is one of the island’s more impressive museums. It is housed in the Palace of St. Michael and George. Just outside the city you can visit the Folklore Museum of Acharavi, the Sea Shell Museum and the Music Museum.

Ancient Greek temple in Corfu

Embrace the drama and cats of Kotor

 Stunning is the only way to describe Kotor, Montenegro. A gorgeous coastline bracketed by majestic mountain ranges greets visitors. The scenic bay is almost like a fjord and Europe’s deepest canyon, the Tara River Canyon is in Kotor’s Durmitor National Park. A UNESCO World Heritage Site, the canyon is 4,300 feet deep and 51 miles long.

Tara River Canyon

There are tunnels carved into the cliff sides.They were built by the Yugoslav army as hideouts for submarines.

Founded by the Romans, the city was an important commercial and artistic center renowned for its goldsmiths as well as its schools of masonry and iconography.

Kotor, Montenegro

Kotor’s medieval Old Town features well-preserved Venetian architecture. Indeed, the area is a UNESCO World Heritage site, the Natural and Culture Historical Region of Kotor was designated a site because of the way the historic structures in the area stand in harmony with the mountains.

The walls around Kotor are still largely standing, although you can’t walk on them. The gates are an impressive sight in themselves.

Cats Square is near the North Gate. Lots of cats congregate and sun there, but they are all over the area. They are supposedly a sign of good luck since they have survived earthquakes and sieges and keep the rat and snake population under control. There is a Cat Fountain in Cats Square and a Cat Museum which details the history of the feline preoccupation by Kotor residents.

Kotor Cathedral

The Tryphon Cathedral, a great example of Romanesque architecture, is dedicated to St. Tryphon. Inside the cathedral are amazing frescoes and a Sacred Arts Museum. You can’t miss the Church of St. Nicholas. This Serbian Orthodox Church was built between 1902 and 1909. It has a large cupola and two bell towers with black domes topped with golden crosses. A mosaic of the Serbian flag is over the main entrance. Inside there is art, icons and silver pieces on display.

The “Pearl of the Adriatic”

 Dubbed “The Pearl of the Adriatic” because of its stunning Gothic, Renaissance and Baroque architecture, its fabulous Mediterranean scenery and its temperate climate year-round, Croatia is a great place to visit. Ships dock at Dubrovnik’s port. The city is stunning. Old Town, a UNESCO World Heritage Site, has well-preserved medieval architecture. Who can resist an area illuminated by real lanterns at night?

A recent addition to the port area is the Dubrovnik Brewing Co. It offers IPAs, lagers and great pub food.

The city walls offer panoramic views of the area. Think charming streets, amazing historic architecture and the stunning Adriatic coastline and that’s Dubrovnik.

It will likely look eerily familiar because the area was used during the filming of Game of Thrones as well as some Star Wars movies.

Onofrio’s fountain, Dubrovnik

Old Town, in addition to being the home of great cafés, restaurants and boutiques, is also home to Onofrio’s 16-sided fountain as well as the Orlando Column, depicting the legendary knight.

Orlando’s Column

The Rector’s Palace is where the symphony performs, but it also is a museum featuring exhibits of firearms and weapons. The statue of Marin Držić is near the palace. Considered the Shakespeare of Dubrovnik, rubbing his nose is supposed to bring you luck.

Rector’s Palace, Dubrovnik

So many intriguing options for adventure if you are considering an Aegean area cruise. Your travel advisor at GetAway Travel can help you sort out your options. Ready, set, sail! We can be reached at:  (262) 538-2140, e-mail: sue@getaway.travel or paul@getaway.travel

Eat well, drink well in the Veneto region

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Sure, pasta is king in Italy, but in the Veneto region, pasta takes a backseat to polenta and risotto. You are on the coast, so there is plenty of great seafood, including squid ink risotto and fabulously prepared octopus. You could be basking in the glory of the region and enjoying great food as well as Prosecco and special wine selections if you travel with GetAway on our group trip to the Greek Islands followed by our bonus Veneto trip in 2027.

Balcony at Juliet House – Verona

Salute! Great drinking choices

 The Veneto region is slightly smaller than the other wine-producing regions in Italy, but it generates more wine then any of the other regions. It is a geographically transitional area so the climate differences create areas where specific grapes can flourish.

Vineyard landscape in Soave

The region can be split into three different producing areas. The Northwest is the foothills of the Alps. The cooler climate gives fresh, crisp whites. In that same area, just north of Verona is Valpolicella and the subregion of Valpantena — giving us fruity intense reds, like Amerone. Traveling east of Valpolicella is Soave, home of the dry, white wine.

Vicenza gardens

Vicenza and Padua are in central Veneto and Merlot, Cabernet Sauvignon, Cabernet Franc and Pinot Nero are produced there.

Anytime is a good time for Prosecco

Prosecco reigns supreme in the Northeast region. In 2019 this area received a UNESCO World Heritage Site designation for its continued stellar production of Prosecco. Sweeter than champagne with bigger bubbles, Prosecco holds the lively taste of apple, pear, lemon rind, perhaps a hint of light flowers and even tropical fruit.

Sunset on the Piave River

The Northeast corner on either side of the Piave River, in the areas of Verona and Treviso is also the leading producer of Grappa. Using grape seeds, stalks and stems left over from the wine-making process, gives us the intensely flavored Grappa. Designed to be sipped after a hearty meal, it is served in a smaller glass and has a higher alcohol content than wine.

Grappa!

There are a number of wine route/Prosecco tours you can take, or take advantage of the many vineyard tours available in the region.

 

Aperoal Spritz is great on a hot day

We would be remiss if we didn’t talk about the spritz. Order it in any bar, it is three parts Prosecco, and two parts Aperol (an Italian bitter make with gentian, rhubarb and cinchona — it has an orange hue) or two parts Campari (a pinkish bitter made with fruit and herbs).

 Mangia! Savor the cuisine

 Sure, you can get the traditional pasta in the Veneto region, but it takes a backseat to polenta and risotto. The pasta you get here is bigoli, a thick spaghetti made with buckwheat or whole wheat and eggs.

Bigoli pasta with duck meat sauce

Polenta is served as a side dish with meat and game. It looks like grits when served, or is formed, then sliced and toasted. It is made of corn ground finer than traditional polenta found in the United States and it is often white rather than yellow.

Mixing up a big batch of Polenta

There are substantial rice paddies around Verona where the paddy fields are flooded and irrigated by the River Tartaro. The rice is cultivated along strict guidelines and carries the country’s status of PGI or Protected Geographic Indication.

Radicchio Rossi di Treviso

Radicchio, grown near Treviso, also carried the PGI designation. Radicchio Rossi di Treviso is unique to this region. It can only be grown in limited areas around Venice because it requires nutrient-rich soil and spring waters. It also has strict cultivation processes including harvesting. Certain varieties are harvested and the heads tied and kept in darkness for two weeks. Another cultivation method involves harvesting and then washing the heads over and over again in tanks of water

It is served grilled with olive oil, which removes much of the bitterness, as a poultry stuffing, with pasta or in a tapenade.

Treviso

If you are offered the chance to have a dish that includes white asparagus, don’t pass it up. It has a milder, sweeter flavor than its green counterpart. It grows underground in the perfect sandy soil around Treviso.

Mussels

You’re near the coast, so expect mussels, crabs, anchovies, sprat (herring-like fish) and octopus.

Sarde in Saor

A great bonus is that there is a variety of fabulous cuisines in different areas. In Vicenza, try the asiago cheese. Creu is a hot horseradish sauce that usually accompanies meat and sometimes stew. It is made by mixing fresh horseradish with bread crumbs, vinegar and olive oil. Baccalà alla Vicentina is stockfish (an air-dried variety of fish) cooked with onions, olive oil, sardines, milk, cheese and parsley served with polenta.

Pandora cake

Enjoy rich stews in Verona with polenta as a side. Brasata all’amerone is beef braised in wine and pastissada de caval is a horse meat stew. For dessert, Pandora, a brioche style cake dusted with powdered sugar.

Oca

Padua options include lots of tasty chicken dishes as well as Oca in Padovana, a rich goose dish. You’ll find horse meat on the menu here, included with pasta, risotto or cut in small dried strips and put on pizza.

Squid ink Risotto

Depending where you are, you can order bigoli in salsa which is pasta in anchovy sauce, risotto al Nero di seppia which is risotto with cuttlefish ink, sarde in saor (sardines preserved in a sweet and sour marinade) and baccalà mantecato which is (oddly enough) North Atlantic salt cod soaked, cooked in milk and then pounded with olive oil to make a mousse or pate. It is eaten with polenta.

Focaccia

Risi e bigi is risotto with peas and pancetta. Try the focaccia, oven-baked bread topped with a variety of ingredients. Salvia Fritter is fried sage leaves. The leaves are lightly battered in a batter of flour, olive oil, egg whites and salt, fried and then sprayed with salt.

Cichéti, small plates like tapas

 Bar patrons out in the afternoon take advantage of cichéti at bars called bàcari. With a glass of wine or a spritz, enjoy small servings usually accompanied by some type of crostini. Polpettes are one of the popular items, small meat or fish balls. A version of sarde in saor is also served. It is usually sardines fried in oil and then flavored with raisins, pine nuts and white wine vinegar. It hits all the notes — sweet, savory, sour and salty. There may be sandwiches, little squids, hard-boiled eggs, olives, vegetables and items served on polenta.

Hungry for travel? Thirsty for adventure?

GetAway Travel has just the answer. Give our travel advisors a call and start your vacation plans, (262) 538-2140, e-mail: sue@getaway.travel or paul@getaway.travel

Art, history, cuisine make Veneto region a top destination

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The Veneto region of Italy is the northeastern area and it is the eighth largest region in the country. It was part of the powerful Venetian Republic for 1,000 years, from the 7th to the 18th century. The region has the most varied geography of any area in Italy. There’s an alpine region, hilly region, the plains and a coastal region. It is bounded by the Dolomite Mountains and the Adriatic Sea. The capital of the Veneto region is Venice,

Enough of the nuts and bolts stuff. Prosecco is created in the Veneto region and tiramisu was invented here. It was the major center of the Renaissance movement. You can’t throw a rock without hitting a UNESCO World Heritage Site, a fabulous art gallery or a great museum. And, here’s the best news — GetAway Travel has Veneto region destinations on one of our planned group trips for 2027!

Padua, paving the way to the Renaissance

 Quaint streets, stylish cafés and a vibrant culture are attributes of this city credited with bringing naturalism to the country. No where is that more evident than in the Scrovegni Chapel. This UNESCO World Heritage site is Padua’s version of the Sistine Chapel. Hailed as one of Italy’s great Renaissance masterpieces, it took Giotto two years to complete. Dante, da Vinci and Vasari credit the fresco with bringing an end to the Dark Ages. It portrays biblical figures in humanistic depictions. The entire surface of the chapel is used to narrate the story of Christ from the Annunciation the Ascension. The chapel’s vaulted ceiling is a blue mantle of stars and a sculptural grouping of Madonna with child between two angels was done by sculptor Giovanni Pisano.

Scrovegni Chapel with masterpiece frescos by Giotto

St. Anthony is such a popular saint in the area that the Basilica of St. Anthony in Padua is actually a whole complex that includes fabulous artwork and a convent. It took 70 years to complete the church. There are nine separate chapels with gorgeous frescoes.

Basilica of St Anthony – Padua.  Construction began 1 year after St Anthony died in 1231

Palazzo Bo is a Renaissance mansion that is the seat of Padua University, one of the oldest universities in the world. The university employed some the world’s greatest and most controversial thinkers such as Galileo, Copernicus and Casanova. The university recognized the first female doctor of philosophy, Eleonora Lucrezia Cornaro Piscopia. University tours include the world’s first anatomy theatre and the Aula Magna, the great hall where Galileo lectured.

Interior courtyard – Palazzo del Bo

The university is the reason for another UNESCO World Heritage site in the city, the world’s first botanical garden. Created in 1545, it retains its original layout and the more than 6,000 plant species were created to study the medicinal properties of plants and herbs.

Padua – one of the oldest cities in Northern Italy

Verona: Italy’s “Little Rome”

 Dubbed “Little Rome” because of the large number of artifacts at this UNESCO World Heritage Site, the city is a lovely mix of Roman, Medieval and Renaissance influences. Surrounded by fields of rice, and we’ll talk about the cuisine later, the city has its own amphitheater. Built around 30 AD, it is better preserved than the amphitheater in Rome.

Duomo di Verona

Shakespeare was so impressed by Verona he made the city the backdrop for “Romeo and Juliet” as well as “Two Gentlemen of Verona.”

Balcony at Juliet House – Verona

Casa di Giulietta or Juliet’s house, is a 13th century Gothic style house once owned by the Capello Family. You can tour the rooms which retain their traditional medieval style, visit the tiny — but famous — balcony and admire the artwork in the house. There is a statue of Juliet outside and tradition has that if you touch her breast, it will bring you good luck.

Statue of Juliet in Verona

Castelvecchio Museum is a fortress turned museum. Built in the 14th century, it was turned into two museums by architect Carlo Scarpa. It houses an impressive collection of art from the Medieval and Renaissance periods including paintings, sculptures, weapons and ceramics.

Castelvecchio Bridge and Castle in Verona

Climb the Torre dei Lamberti in the heart of Verona. Erected in the 12th century, it is the tallest building in Verona and offers breathtaking panoramic views of the city and countryside. It’s 368 steps to the top, or take the elevator.

Torre dei Lamberti Verona

Explore the city’s history at the Roman Theater Archeological Museum.

Vicenza: City of Palladio

 The city is known for its elegant building designed by famed 16th century architect Andrea Palladio. The sites include the Palladian Basilica, Palazzo Chiericati, palaces, public buildings, religious building and 16 magnificent villas. UNESCO recognized his distinctive style by making the City of Palladio a UNESCO World Heritage site.

Statue on top of Pacifica Palladinia Vicenza

The Olympic Theatre was built in 1580. Inspired by Roman theaters, it was Palladio’s final project. The elliptical shaped theatre creates the illusion of streets receding into a distant horizon.

The stunningTeatro Olimpico – Vicenza

Need some green and calm? Parco Querini is an oasis of calm. The 24-acre park includes manicured gardens, a gazebo in the middle of a pond and a tree-lined avenue off the Southwest side of the pond lined with a series of statues.

Parco Querini – Vicenza

The Church of Santa Corona was built by the Dominicans in the 13th century to house what they believed were relics from Christ and the Crown of Thorns.

Treviso: A cooler, calmer Venice

 The walled city of Treviso, with its quaint cobblestone streets, intricate set of canals and cute little bridges, is the other Venice. It’s a city surrounded with rich countryside where radicchio and Prosecco reign supreme, where tiramisu was invented and where high-end clothing manufacturers abound.

Main gate into Treviso

The scenic canals here are bordered with modern public art installations.

The famous fountain here is the Fontana Delle Tette. At the election of each new mayor the fountain would let city residents have free red or white wine, dispensed from the breasts of the statue in the fountain. Now, it only dispenses water the actual original fountain is housed under glass in the Palazzo dei Trecento.

Fontana Delle Tette Treviso – only water, no wine

The Treviso Cathedral is magnificent. It has seven domes and the majestic columned exterior has a wide entry staircase flanked by lions. The interior has stunning frescoes and artwork, including Titian’s masterpiece “Malchiostro Annunciation.”

Treviso Cathedral

The Museo di Santa Caterina has an outstanding art collection including some modern works from the 19th and 20th century. It is a beautifully restored former church and convent.

The Chiesa di Santa Lucia, the church of St. Lucy, is a small church, but its walls and vaulted ceiling are covered with beautiful frescoes.

Treviso

These destinations are part of GetAway Travel’s Discover the Veneto portion of our Aegean Sunset to Venetian Canals tour, and advisors are ready to help you sign up for that trip, or plan a trip of your own. Stop by later to read about the fabulous cuisine and wine that awaits you in the Veneto region and we’ll also tell you about our planned stops in the Aegean portion of the trip.

Interested in booking a place now or planning your own trip? We can be reached at:  (262) 538-2140, e-mail: sue@getaway.travel or paul@getaway.travel