Blog

13/11/2019

NEW Skip-the-line!

Now you can get your Acropolis tickets ahead of time. You can get single tickets to anyone of the sites in central Athens or a combo ticket that includes all of them. Choose the day, choose the time (this is slightly flexible as you will see) and if you choose the combo you have 5 days to use all of the tickets.

Combo tickets are for the Acropolis and Slopes, Ancient Agora, Roman Agora, Hadrian's Library, Olympieion, Kerameikos, Aristotle's School [Lykeion]. Tap here for more info.

11/11/2019

Tiramisu-simply made

One of our favorite places is at the farm in Tuscany of Frederika and Umberto. The hospitality that these two, along with their daughters and staff offer, is above and beyond. Definitely one of the highlights of our trips there. Frederika not only opens up her kitchen to us, but shares her family recipe of Tiramisu with us. She makes it easy for us to portion it out, so that you can make it for 2 or 20. She keeps calling it 'stupid Tiramisu', because according to her it is 'stupidly simple' Here is is-thank you Frederika

I have converted the grams to ounces and based the measurements on what you can find in American grocery and specialty stores
The following makes a portion for 4 people to have a serving. Double, triple or quadruple the recipe depending on the amount of people you are serving or how many second helpings you want.

1 -8 oz (226g) of Marscapone (sorry no substitutes-find it in the dairy case or near the cheese-best to ask instead of searching for it).
2- Eggs
4-Tbsp sugar (This made a sweeter Tiramisu-sometimes less is more so maybe use 3 Tbsp?)
1 -package of Ladyfingers cookies or they are also called Savoiardi-most better grocery stores will have these or Italian specialty store are sure to have them. You will need 2 packages if you decide to double or triple the recipe.
1- cup of espresso coffee the darker the better.
at least a 1/8 cup of Cocoa for sprinkling
Optional-Liqueur such as Maraschino/ Gran Marnier / Vin Santo/ even Rum if you like.

Take your pack of Ladyfingers and dip some of them quickly in the coffee to line the bottom of an 8x8 glass dish. Let them sit there while you do the following-

Divide your eggs. Split the sugar between the bowl with the egg whites and the bowl with the egg yolks. Beat the egg yolks with the sugar until light and fluffy. Then beat the egg whites with the rest of the sugar until stiff. You can do the above with a mixer-either hand held or countertop. But from here on out you need to do this by hand. Mix the egg yolk mixture and the marscapone lightly by hand. Then add the egg whites and mix lightly by hand until just incorporated, do not over do it!

Οn the top of your already 'coffee-ed' ladyfingers you can dribble any of the liqueurs that you choose. A good way is to 'rain' the liquor on top of the cookies as they are laying in the bottom of the glass dish with your fingers. Then spoon out 1/2 of the mascarpone mixture onto the cookies. On top of that place another layer of the lady's fingers that you have already dipped in the coffee and sprinkle any liquor on top of that. Finish with the rest of the marscapone mix.

Finish the Tiramisu with a generous sprinkling of pure Cocoa. The Tiramisu improves by at least an 8 hour sleep in the fridge. If you can leave it alone for all that time!

9/11/2019

Skip The Line!

Insider Tip

On a recent trip to Italy we were in Rome with guests, in cold and rainy weather. We did not care, as we were off to see the Vatican Museums and the Sistine Chapel. Our guests had no idea what was in store for them as we passed a line several blocks long of around 500 people waiting in their rain ponchos. At each checkpoint our guests hesitated as I kept smiling. We stopped at a separate entrance, for people that had a reservation, and were admitted with no waiting.

I cannot believe that people do not take some time before they leave to find out how to skip the line. But of course it is hard. There are so many on-line travel agencies that look like official sites to book your skip-the-line tickets. The Vatican runs its own site. You can book your tickets starting two months before your desired visit. Put it on your calendar and start booking right when the tickets open up. Choose between a guided or self guided tour. Remember first thing in the morning or two hours before they close are the best times that I have seen. It is always crowded, but these are the periods when you might have less people. Here it is-the official site to book your tickets- Official Vatican Museum Site

Of course if you want to you can always go with us-we do all the work for you-join us on our ‘Bucket List’ Italy Tour

7/11/2019

Travel Hack You Need

We will be offering our readers some of our long sought out advice. Get this PDF now. This is all about electricity while traveling in Europe. Included is where to buy one small piece of equipment that you really cannot do without. Do not travel to Europe without one.
Download Here

5/11/2019

Game Changer For Booking Your Hotel Rooms !

Try this one on how to book hotel rooms. This we found out while riding the elevator in our hotel in Rome. It was from the Hoteliers Association of Italy directly to the customers. A game changer for the on-line booking sites, but great for you. You can use this in any hotel you wish to book in Europe. Email us if you try it elsewhere and it works for you!
PDF on the Game Changer For Booking Your Hotel

3/11/2019

Apps That Work-Language

Duolingo

One of the best language learning apps that we have found is Duolingo.
Created by a professor and a student at Carnegie Mellon University, it has gathered quite a following. We have found it to be excellent .We love the simplicity and how it moves you right along. So get cracking on your Spanish or your French or your Greek :) so that it will no longer be ‘Greek to you’.