Amateur Traveler Travel Podcast

Hear about travel to Central Portugal as the Amateur Traveler talks to Stephanie Lambert from eurotravelsbydesign.com about this too often overlooked region. Why should you go to Central Portugal? Stephanie says, "It's safe, it's beautiful, it's a culturally rich history. I feel like it's been underrated for some years. It's getting more popular now, but it's been overshadowed by Spain for a while, and I think, it deserves just as much love. It has gorgeous architecture, Fascinating history, breathtaking landscapes, warm and inviting people. I think the pastéis de nata are a reason to go, enough on their own. They're so delicious." Based on Stephanie's detailed and passionate recount of her family's journey through Central Portugal, here's a suggested itinerary to explore this enchanting region, drawing from the highlights and personal experiences she shared: Day 1-4: Coimbra Day 1: Explore Coimbra Start with a visit to the University of Coimbra, a UNESCO World Heritage Site, known for its Baroque library

Hear about travel to Mexico City as the Amateur Traveler talks to Ashlea Russell from SheRoamsAbout.com about the unique and vibrant capital of Mexico. Why should you go to Mexico City? Ashlea says, "I think Mexico City is It's a very unique city people always say there's so much to do, there's so much architecture, and history, but what I think is interesting about it is, and what people don't expect, is that it's a fusion between the European opulence that you would get in cities like Paris and London, with all of the culture and flavor that comes with Latin America. There is so much to do and see, and there really is something for everyone." Ashlea recommends a unique itinerary for visiting Mexico City, focusing on experiences off the beaten path. She highlights a combination of lesser-known attractions and cultural experiences that showcase the city's rich history, vibrant food scene, and architectural marvels. Key recommendations include: Market Tour, Food Tasting, and Cooking Class: Ashlea suggests star

Hear about tourist spots in Mindanao, the southernmost island in the Philippines, as the Amateur Traveler talks to Lonely Planet guidebook author Michael Grosberg and co-founder of LikeLocal.io about his many trips to Mindanao. Why should you go to Mindanao? Michael says, "Most people that go to Mindanao these days go directly to the island of Siargao, which is one of the hottest, most happening places in all the Philippines for people to travel to. We'll get to that and it's deservedly popular. However, there's so much more to see in Mindanao. Mindanao has one of the largest cities in the Philippines the city of Davao. Davao is in the far south of Mindanao. It's got a cosmopolitan culture, amazing, wonderful food. The mountains and the islands around Davao are incredible. You can spend a month there. The highest peak in the Philippines, Mount Apo, which you can climb, and people do is only a couple hours or so from Davao." "There are endless coastlines to explore. There is indigenous culture. There are surfi

Hear about travel to Reunion Island, an outpost of France in the Indian Ocean as the Amateur Traveler talks to Collin McFadden about his recent trip to this adventure travel paradise. https://amateurtraveler.com/travel-to-reunion-island/ Why should you travel to Reunion Island? Colin says: "Reunion is, I would say, first off, an adventure destination. It is not a place to go for beaches and just hanging out mostly because they don't have beaches per se, there are a few, but it is a volcano, very much like the Hawaiian Islands. It is a place to go for hiking, biking, climbing, canyoning, paragliding you name it, you will find folks doing it on Reunion Island." "I would say also it is a really interesting cultural mix in that it is France. It's not a colony of France. It is a district of France and was uninhabited prior to the French showing up and then reflects 18th, 19th, and 20th century French history and French trading patterns. It's a real mix of French vibes, East African vibes, and South Asian vibes." .

Hear about travel by Train from Brisbane to Adelaide as the Amateur Traveler talks to Pamela and Gary Baker about the Great Southern and the other train trips from Journey Beyond. https://amateurtraveler.com/train-from-brisbane-to-adelaide/ The Great Southern is one of three iconic train rides in Australia offered by Journey Beyond. It travels from Brisbane to Adelaide or vice versa, offering a scenic journey along the southeast coast. The train ride provides a luxurious experience with well-attended staff, excellent food, and curated off-train excursions. Each cabin comes with an ensuite bathroom and fold-down beds, ensuring comfort throughout the journey. The train stops at various destinations along the route, allowing passengers to explore different parts of the country. Excursions include visits to places like Coffs Harbor, Hunter Valley, Melbourne, and more. Passengers have the option to choose from a variety of activities such as wine tasting, dolphin watching, exploring historical sites, and enjoyi

Hear about a 7-day itinerary for the island of Kyushu, Japan as the Amateur Traveler talks to Adeline Kuroki, the owner of Saver and Soak travel company about her adopted home in southern Japan. https://amateurtraveler.com/kyushu-itinerary-7-days/ Why should you go to Kyushu? Adeline says, "I think there's so many things to do there. Also, it's a great way to get off the beaten path away from a lot of other tourists. Japan. For good reason, it's definitely very popular. It's easy to fly into Tokyo and so many people want to go and visit Kyoto, Osaka, and a lot of those really popular areas that are really starting to suffer from a lot of overtourism. There's so many beautiful places that you can go to in other parts of Japan that are just as beautiful and a lot more off the beaten path. And in a lot of ways, I think it's a lot more welcoming to visitors because there are a lot fewer visitors." Day 1: Arrival in Fukuoka Arrive in Fukuoka, either by bullet train or flight. Explore Yusentei Park and enjoy a tr

Hear about travel to Northern Tasmania as the Amateur Traveler talks to Paula Barnes from trulyexpattravel.com about an unexpected visit to this popular region. https://amateurtraveler.com/travel-to-northern-tasmania/ Why should you go to Northern Tasmania? Paula says, "Firstly, it's because it's now classed as 1 of the 50 cities that is the City of Gastronomy. Australia has 2. We have 1 in Bendigo but we also now have 1 in Launceston and it's a foodie's paradise. It's also an amazing landscape and it's an adventure area. I thought this part of the world had Queenstown in New Zealand, but I'm telling you now, I think Queenstown needs to move over because I think this part of the world has as many amazing adventure things to do. We don't have bungee jumping, but we have everything else." Suggested Itinerary: Day 1: Launceston Exploration and Culinary Delights Morning: Arrive in Launceston by flying from Hobart, driving from Hobart, or driving from Devonport and taking the ferry. Start your day at the Launcest

Hear about travel to Poland as the Amateur Traveler talks to Sharon Kurtz from sharonkkurtz.com about her recent trip exploring the culture and food of Warsaw, Krakow, and Poznan. show notes - https://amateurtraveler.com/travel-to-poland-warsaw-krakow-and-poznan Sharon says, "It is a beautiful country. It's a blend of history that goes back to the tenth century. And then it has sad history, World War II, and then they were occupied by the Soviets and got their independence in 1989. And some people seem to have this feeling that they're gray and it's sad and dark, and nothing could be further from the truth. It's vibrant and it's really an exciting place to go in Central Europe." Here's a recommended itinerary for visiting Warsaw, Krakow, and Poznan in Poland: Day 1-3: Warsaw • Start your trip in Warsaw, the capital city of Poland. • Explore the reconstructed Old Town Square, a UNESCO World Heritage site, which showcases the resilience of the Polish people after World War II. • Visit the Old Town Square founta

Hear about a week-long road trip from Dublin to Cork through southeastern Ireland as the Amateur Traveler talks to Amber Hagerty from AmberEverywhere.com about this out-of-the-way corner of Ireland. https://amateurtraveler.com/dublin-to-cork-road-trip-in-southeastern-ireland/ Day 1: Dublin to Wicklow Morning: Arrive in Dublin and explore the city. Visit Bar 1661 for the best Irish coffee and Trinity College to admire the campus. Afternoon: Indulge in some delicious ice cream at Murphy's on Wicklow Street in Temple Bar. Evening: Rent a car and drive south to Bray. Enjoy a stroll along the promenade, have dinner at a local restaurant like Daata, and consider doing the cliff walk to Greystones for breathtaking views. Day 2: Exploring Wicklow Morning: Visit Enniskerry, a charming town with a picturesque setting used to film "Disenchanted". Midday: Explore Powerscourt Estate and Gardens, known for its stunning landscapes and themed gardens. Afternoon: Drive to Glendalough and embark on the Spinc Trail

Hear about a German road trip to 9 UNESCO Cities as the Amateur Traveler talks to Renee Hannes from dreamplanexperience.com about her exploration of the land of her ancestors. https://amateurtraveler.com/germany-road-trip-to-9-unesco-cities/ Renee says, "I just returned from living in Berlin for 3 months. So had an opportunity to make a little bit of a longer trip and was there with my husband and dog and lived in Berlin and I had a good chance to be able to see the city and lots of other places around it. I had this long list of places on my to-do list. I think like most travelers, I become very quickly overwhelmed with how many places I wanted to see. So I thought why not think about what are those places that are worthy of a visit?" "That's where I came upon thinking about it from a UNESCO perspective and UNESCO sites are always worthy places to visit special places to visit in terms of the history and the moments in history that they help create and shape the architecture that usually is pretty specta

Hear about travel to Zaragoza as the Amateur Traveler talks to Cat Driver about this historic but under-visited region of Spain. https://amateurtraveler.com/things-to-do-in-zaragoza-spain/ Cat says, "Every time I have said to people that I lived in Spain and they asked me where and I say Zaragoza, I usually just get a blank stare and then I have to explain it. Zaragoza is between Barcelona and Madrid almost exactly. I was teaching English there. I decided on Zaragoza because it  had everything I wanted. It was very local, not much English so I'd be forced to learn Spanish. The transportation connections are great, and it has a really low cost of living. So I thought it was the perfect place to go and teach English and that's what drew me there." "I think other people should go to Zaragoza because it is wonderful. It is a really underrated part of Spain. It doesn't see many North American visitors. I don't really know why  because it's so close to Barcelona and Madrid and that's where everybody goes. But Sa

Hear about travel to the island nation of Malta as Chris Christensen, the Amateur Traveler, tells about a recent week-long trip to the island at the center of the Mediterranean Sea. https://amateurtraveler.com/travel-to-the-island-of-malta/ Why should you visit Malta? Malta is an amazing island country with a rich history and spectacular scenery. The one-week itinerary for Malta includes the following highlights: Sunday: Take a harbor cruise around Valletta. Pick up a 7-day bus pass, if you are getting around by public transportation Explore Valletta a UNESCO city, and visit the Upper Barrakka Monday: Take a guided tour of Valletta Underground, exploring where the residents of Valletta took shelter from WWII bombing Visit St John’s Co-cathedral. Lunch in Birgu  Visit Mdina, the old capital, also known as the "silent city." Tuesday: See the colorful Marsaxlokk harbor and Għar Dalam Cave with its pigmy elephant and hippo skeletons Visit Ħal Tarxien, an open-air megalithic temple site. Visit Ħal Safl

Hear about travel to Croatia's Istrian Peninsula as the Amateur Traveler talks to Olivia from inspiredbycroatia.com about her adopted country. https://amateurtraveler.com/travel-to-croatias-istrian-peninsula/ Why should you go to the Istrian Peninsula? Olivia says, "I think that Istria is still a little bit underrated. Personally, I like to Talk about it as this like a fairytale like region. It has quite a strong Italian heritage somewhat reminiscent of Tuscany, but with a Croatian flair It's filled with these emerald green hills dotted with medieval villages throughout the food there is absolutely Fantastic." "If you're a foodie you want to go to Istria, their home to lots of truffles, so you'll find truffles in a lot of the dishes there. And then in addition to the green interior, we have the rugged coastline rocky coastline, but beautiful blue pristine water and beaches, and it really just has the best of both worlds." Olivia recommends this itinerary: Day 1: Pula Explore Pula, the largest city in Istria.

Hear about travel to Tokyo as the Amateur Traveler talks to Matthew Jasek from The Nerd Tourist about one of his favorite, if nerdy, cities.  https://amateurtraveler.com/otaku-guide-to-tokyo-japan/ Day 1: Arrival and Food Tour Afternoon: Arrive in Tokyo and check into your hotel. Evening: Join a food tour or find a local guide to visit a traditional Japanese restaurant. Explore the dining culture with the help of a guide who can navigate through nuances. Day 2: Tsukiji Outer Market and Senso-ji Morning: Visit Tsukiji Outer Market for a variety of food stalls. Try grilled eel and other local delicacies. Afternoon: Explore Senso-ji Temple. Take part in the tradition of shaking a metal container to get a fortune. Enjoy more street food around the area. Evening: Choose between visiting Odaiba for futuristic buildings and the Unicorn Gundam statue or exploring Shimokitazawa, a hip neighborhood known for vintage shops and live music. Day 3: Shibuya Scramble, Harajuku, and Meiji Shrine Morning: Experience th

Hear about travel to the Exumas in the Bahamas as the Amateur Traveler talks to Tessie from TravelingTessie.com about these sundrenched islands she has fallen in love with. https://amateurtraveler.com/travel-to-the-exumas-bahamas/ Why should someone go to the Exumas? Tessie says, "It's a perfect destination if obviously, you enjoy the beach. But the beaches, they're very unique because they're really unspoiled. And there's not a lot of crowds. So if someone's interested in that, it's a really great destination for that, but it's also great for people with kids, for bachelorette couples, and friend groups that are looking for a place to get away from it all. I feel like, Exumas is truly a hidden gem." Day 1: Arrival in Georgetown Fly into Georgetown, Exumas. Check into Paradise Bay Hotel Relax on the beach, explore the hotel's surroundings, and get familiar with the area. Day 2: Full-Day Boat Tour Book a full-day boat tour departing from Georgetown. Visit Thunderball Grotto for snorkeling (film locatio

Hear about travel to Gujarat, India as the Amateur Traveler talks again to James Schomburgk about festivals, temples, and Asiatic lions. https://amateurtraveler.com/travel-gujarat/ James says, "Gujarat is in the far western central of northern India. Pakistan is its western border. And the southern border is the Arabian Sea. It's actually close to some of the big-hitting states in terms of tourism, but it's a very different geographically. It's very different feel to the rest of India. If you're looking for something that's remote. If you're looking for something that is you'll be, you'll be certainly be treated like royalty, because everybody will be looking at you bizarrely because they rarely see any tourists. The beauty of it is I think, for me, the wildlife, the wildlife is was quite mind blowing. And I know I've spoken to so many people in India, a lot of people associate India with tigers, but what they have in Gujarat is lions, leopards, hyena, and wolf, animals that people would be a bit surprised

Hear about driving the Selkirk Loop in Washington State, Idaho, and British Columbia as the Amateur Traveler talks to Anthony and Jodie St. Clair from learnersandmakers.com about their favorite road trip. https://amateurtraveler.com/driving-the-selkirk-loop/ Why should you drive the Selkirk Loop? Anthony and Jodie say, "It is just the most epic, gorgeous views of nature, I think. And it's very accessible. I (Jodie) am an amputee, and so I'm always looking for ways to easily access nature. It felt like we were out in the middle of these beautiful spaces while I didn't have to do a ten-mile hike to do it. " "We've driven things like the Blue Ridge Parkway in, Virginia, North Carolina, we've driven highway one in California. We've RV'd across the entire USA. The Selkirk loop holds its own with any of those scenic drives." Leg 1: Spokane, Washington to Newport, Washington The easiest place to access the Selkirk Loop is from Spokane, Washington. Stretch your legs in Newport, a small town at the beginning of the Se

Hear about travel to the northern island of Hokkaido in Japan as the Amateur Traveler talks to Inga from Inga's Adventures about a trip to hike in the Daisetsuzan National Park. https://amateurtraveler.com/travel-to-hokkaido-japan/ Why should someone go to Hokkaido? Inga says, "The natural beauty is the main reason to go to Hokkaido. The rugged landscapes and the feeling that you're far away from civilization is an experience. That you don't find in a lot of other places on the main island of Japan, which is Honshu. Many beautiful places to go down there, but it's a very different landscape in Hokkaido." Inga recommends this 7-day itinerary for travelers interested in exploring Hokkaido, particularly focusing on the Daisetsuzan National Park: Day 1-2: Tokyo Arrive in Tokyo and spend a day or two decompressing and adjusting to the time difference. Stay in a hotel near Tokyo Station for convenience. Day 3: Tokyo to Sapporo Exchange the JR rail pass for the Shinkansen train journey to Hokkaido. While you can fly

Hear about travel to Long Island, New York as the Amateur Traveler talks to Vanessa Gordon from EastEndTasteMagazine.com about her home. https://amateurtraveler.com/travel-to-long-island-new-york/ Why should someone go to Long Island? Vanessa says, "Long Island, there truly is so to discover, even from living out here for many years, whether part-time or full-time there's truly so much to do, whether you're in Nassau or Suffolk County, the two counties that make up Long Island. I've lived here in the Hamptons, been here for over 30 years and this New York region never ceases to amaze me. There are ocean beaches. We have Bay beaches. We have beautiful nature preserves, bountiful farmers markets, and endless amounts of summer events." Vanessa suggests visiting Long Island in September or October, mentioning the abundance of events, family activities, and cultural events during these months. She shares her favorite spots in Montauk, including the Montauk Point Lighthouse and the opportunity for seal watching and

Hear about travel to the wine region Sonoma County in California as the Amateur Traveler talks to Brooke Herron about this popular tourism region where she grew up. https://amateurtraveler.com/travel-to-sonoma-county/ Why should someone travel to Sonoma County? Brooke says, "A myriad of reasons, in my opinion beyond wine. It is an absolutely stunning region from an outdoors perspective. You've got the coast, you've got hiking trails, mountains, hills and then you've got also lots of farms, distilleries, breweries, cideries. And what I loved the most about living there for 20 years and now coming back home to it on a regular basis is really first, the outdoors and the beauty, right? The access to the ocean and trees. And then next, of course, the fact that you can get amazing food, and craft drinks everywhere." Brooke lays out a 5-day itinerary: Day One: The Sonoma Coast The first day begins on the breathtaking Sonoma Coast. Drive along Highway 1, skip the touristy Bodega Bay, and head to Shell Beach nea