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Our Traveling Era, Bodega Bay, CA (2026)

06/03/2026

🇫🇷 Famous for its soaring Gothic architecture, rose windows, flying buttresses, and gargoyle-lined towers, the Notre Dame Cathedral in Paris remains one of France’s most remarkable landmarks.

After the devastating 2019 fire, Notre-Dame Cathedral has reopened, welcoming visitors once again to one of Paris’s most iconic landmarks. While many are celebrating the restoration, not everyone agrees on the brighter, cleaner interior—some feel it has lost a bit of the cathedral’s historic atmosphere.

Love it or not, seeing this masterpiece standing strong again is a reminder of how history can be preserved, rebuilt, and reimagined. 🤩

Good news for travelers: entry to Notre-Dame is free, although reserving a time slot in advance can help you avoid the longest lines. 🙌🏼

Follow Our Traveling Era for more beautiful travel destinations and helpful tips!

And let us know your thoughts in the comments about the new lighter interior👇🏼

05/30/2026

Did you know you can visit the very gardens that inspired Claude Monet’s famous Water Lilies paintings on an easy day trip from Paris?

Before we get to the details, be sure to follow Our Traveling Era for more beautiful travel content!

Less than two hours from the city, Monet’s house and gardens offer a glimpse into the world that inspired some of the most famous Impressionist works ever created. Wander through the colorful flower garden, cross the iconic Japanese bridge, and see the water lily pond that appears in so many of his masterpieces.

The house itself is just as fascinating, filled with vibrant colors, personal collections, and rooms preserved to reflect Monet’s life and artistic vision. Visiting this idyllic location makes it easy to understand how nature became such a powerful source of inspiration for his work.

If you’re visiting Paris and looking for an easy escape from the crowds, Giverny is one of the most rewarding day trips you can take—especially in spring and summer when the gardens are in full bloom.

📍 Giverny, France
🚆 Take the train from Paris Saint-Lazare to Vernon–Giverny, then hop on the seasonal shuttle bus (or the charming tourist train) for the short ride to Monet’s house and gardens.
🎟️ Book tickets online for a timed entry. Note there are separate entry points for those with and without prebooked tickets. The entrance for those with tickets is much closer to the lily pond🤩
🌿 Best visited from spring through early fall

Know someone planning a trip to Paris? Share this post with them so they don’t miss one of the most beautiful day trips in France. 🌸🎨

Have you visited Monet’s gardens, or is it on your Paris bucket list?

05/25/2026

Memorial Day 2026 - Remembering all those who have given their lives in service to their country.

05/22/2026

Carved into the cliffs of southern Italy, Matera feels like stepping into another century — a maze of stone homes, winding alleys, and breathtaking cave churches that glow golden at sunset. Once considered one of Italy’s poorest cities, Matera is now a UNESCO World Heritage Site celebrated for its ancient “Sassi” cave dwellings dating back over 9,000 years. 🇮🇹✨

Why visit? Because nowhere else in Italy blends history, culture, and cinematic beauty quite like this. From rooftop aperitivos overlooking the ravine to exploring hidden rock churches carved into limestone, Matera is a must for photographers, food lovers, and slow travelers alike.

Pro tips:
• Wear sturdy shoes — the stone streets are steep, uneven, and surprisingly slippery.
• Stay in a cave hotel for the full Matera experience.
• Venture beyond the main viewpoints to explore the quieter back alleys and hidden staircases.

While Matera is not part of the Puglia region, it can easily be visited from there or from Naples. If you missed our posts about must-see towns in Puglia, follow Our Traveling Era and head to our profile to find posts about Polignano a Mare, Ostuni, Locorotondo, Martina Franca, and Alberobello.

Share with someone you want to visit Matera with 🫶🏼🇮🇹

05/15/2026

Welcome to Polignano a Mare, Puglia’s cliffside jewel! 🇮🇹 Nestled along the Adriatic coast, this postcard-perfect town is famous for:

🏖️ Lama Monachile – a stunning beach tucked between dramatic cliffs.
🏛️ Old Town charm – wander through whitewashed alleys, poetry-covered walls, and arches with breathtaking sea views.
🍝 Delicious local food – from fresh seafood to orecchiette pasta, your taste buds are in for a treat!

🧳 Pro tips:
• Go early in the morning for quieter streets and better photos
• Wear comfortable shoes — the old town streets are beautiful but uneven
• Reserve a restaurant with a terrace before sunset for the best views
• Visit in shoulder season (May or September) for warm weather & fewer tourists.

If you missed our posts about other Puglian gems, follow Our Traveling Era and check out our page for posts about Alberobello, Martina Franca, Locorotondo, and Ostuni.

05/08/2026

🇮🇹 Ostuni, known as the “White City,” rises above Puglia in a maze of whitewashed alleyways, stone staircases, and sunlit piazzas. What makes it stand out isn’t just the color—it’s the way the town was built into the hill itself, with layers of history from medieval walls to Gothic details at the cathedral, all surrounded by some of the oldest olive groves in Italy. And just beyond the hilltop? The Adriatic coastline💛

It’s the kind of place where you spend half the day wandering and the other half sitting down for orecchiette, burrata, and local olive oil that was likely pressed a few miles away.

📍Pro tips for Ostuni:
1. Wear shoes with grip — the polished stone streets get slippery, especially on steep climbs.
2. Book a masseria dinner outside town — it’s one of the best ways to experience Puglian food and olive oil culture.
3. Stay overnight if you can — Ostuni changes completely after sunset, when the streets quiet down and the city lights reflect off the white walls.

Save this for your Italy trip and share with a friend you’d love to explore Puglia with 🇮🇹

If you missed our recent posts of other Puglian gems, head to our profile and look for posts about Alberobella, Martina Franca, and Locotondo. Follow Our Traveling Era for more beautiful travel destinations! 🌎 ✈️

05/01/2026

What if one of Italy’s most unforgettable towns was built in a perfect circle? 🇮🇹

Locorotondo, in Puglia, stands out for its rare circular historic center—its name literally means “round place.” Perched above the Valle d’Itria, this hilltop town is known for whitewashed homes, quiet winding lanes, and panoramic vineyard views that feel completely different from Italy’s busier hotspots.

Why visit? Because Locorotondo offers a slower, more local side of Italy—less crowds, incredible food and wine, and architecture you won’t find anywhere else.

✨ 3 highlights you can’t miss:
1. The circular old town – A unique layout designed around concentric streets that makes wandering feel effortless.
2. Cummerse houses – Traditional homes with sharply sloped limestone roofs, distinctive to this region.
3. Local white wine – Locorotondo DOC wines are crisp, fresh, and best enjoyed overlooking the valley.

If you’re planning a Puglia trip, make room for Locorotondo—it’s one of those places that feels authentic the moment you arrive.

📍Would you add this hidden gem to your Italy itinerary? Save this for your next trip and tag your travel partner. Follow Our Traveling Era for more travel inspiration ✈️

04/22/2026

Whitewashed streets, winding alleys, and baroque balconies—Martina Franca is one of those places that quietly wins you over the longer you stay. Tucked in the heart of Puglia’s Itria Valley, this town blends elegant architecture with a laid-back southern Italian charm that’s hard to resist.

Why you should visit:
Martina Franca offers the charm of southern Italy without the overwhelming crowds. You get intricate historic buildings, incredible local food, and easy access to nearby villages—while still feeling like you’ve discovered somewhere a bit under the radar.

Highlights:
• The historic center packed with baroque details and flower-filled balconies
• Piazza Plebiscito and the Basilica di San Martino
• Long, slow meals featuring local specialties like capocollo and fresh orecchiette
• Evening walks when the streets come alive with locals

Pro Tips:
☀️ Visit early in the morning or late afternoon for softer light and fewer people in photos.
🚗 Rent a car—Martina Franca is perfect as a base for exploring the Itria Valley.
🏨 Stay overnight if you can; the town feels completely different once day-trippers leave.

Save this for your Puglia itinerary 🇮🇹 Share with a friend and follow Our Traveling Era for more travel content. If you missed our previous post about another Puglian gem, Alberobello,, head to our profile to find it!

Have you been to Puglia? Which town is your favorite? And which one is the one you can’t wait to visit? 👇🏻

04/15/2026

This might be the most unique town I’ve ever seen … and I still can’t believe people really live in these houses!

Tucked away in southern Italy, Alberobello is famous for its iconic white trulli houses—stone homes with cone-shaped roofs that give the town its unmistakable look. It’s a UNESCO World Heritage Site known for its unique architecture, charming streets, and storybook atmosphere. Visit for the one-of-a-kind views, wanderable lanes, and the chance to stay in a house unlike anywhere else in the world. 🇮🇹🏡✨

Pro tips:
💡Go early in the morning or at sunset to avoid crowds and get the best light
💡Wander beyond the main streets—some of the quietest corners are the most beautiful
💡Stay overnight in a trullo for the full experience 🏡
💡Bring comfortable shoes—the streets are charming but uneven

We used Alberobello as a base to explore other incredibly photogenic towns nearby. Follow Our Traveling Era to find out where else we went 👀

04/09/2026

Spring travel at Lake Como is a magical experience 🌸 The mountains are still dusted with snow, colorful villages cling to the hillsides, and gardens burst into bloom along the water’s edge. Slow mornings with espresso, ferry rides between charming towns, and sunsets that turn the lake into liquid gold—this is springtime magic in northern Italy. 🇮🇹✨

Pro tips
💡 Stay in Varenna — it has one of the most convenient ferry connections to Bellagio and Menaggio, making it the perfect base for exploring Lake Como. It also has direct train access so you don’t have to drag your luggage on a ferry. 🧳

💡 Visit Bellagio early in the morning or late afternoon, then return to Varenna for sunset — it’s one of the most beautiful views on Lake Como.

💡 Some of the most beautiful places on Lake Como are the historic villas and gardens, especially Villa Monastero and Villa del Balbianello.

Tag someone you’d escape here with and follow Our Traveling Era for more beautiful destinations!

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