It has been way to quiet on the World Wide Travel Thread and It is Christmas Time!
So… Pour yourself some warm Glühwein in your favorite Christmas mug and daydream.



Post a picture or leave a comment on where you would like to visit or return to in 2020.
You never know tickets may show up in your stocking!

BTW – SXM and the BVI are in the world wide arena and their followers are welcomed to post.

For me – I would like to visit Alsace again, especially Colmar!

Hey Tom! It certainly is quiet here?! If we owned a jet and had an open weekend, we'd head back to Pienza in Tuscany! I really want to experience the Val d'Orcia area again and of course have some Pecorino and vino!

On a side note, we are trying to decide on a long weekend over the Christmas break, within a 3-4 hour drive of Northern Va. Most of the obvious destinations have been discussed...any suggestions would be appreciated! Cheers!

Well two that come to mind without a lot of thought would be:

The Biltmore in Asheville, NC
https://www.biltmore.com/christmas-at-biltmore-daytime-celebration/
Extremely beautiful during Christmas
Nearest thing to a European Castle around here.
Pushes the 3-4 hour drive - probably 6 hours, but hey you drove to Tech all those years
Off Ramp - How about them HOOs; It was happy time in our household.

The second thing I would suggest and no I am not crazy...

Catch the Train to NYC (no worries about driving, parking, or snow)
Stay downtown and take in the store fronts, great meals, and if you have not been to 9/11 memorial it is a must. Maybe even a show on Broadway.
3 days is all I can tolerate in the city, but we always enjoy it when we go.
Make sure you are out of the city by 12/31

Thank you Tom, but both suggestions already considered...we were in Asheville in the spring (should have posted a report, great time!) and Donna is currently in NYC. Richmond, Williamsburg and Philly are contenders right now?? Last year we spent 2 nights in the center of historic Leesburg and uber'd to wineries and breweries...looking for a similar experience.

And congrats to UVA for breaking the 15 year run by VIRGINIA TECH....but I have to say.....I really enjoyed their loss to Purdue last night in basketball!

Hey,
South End Charlotte is brewery central. Maybe not too historic but a really fun weekend.


We are planning a return to Tuscany and the Cinque in 2020. I would also go to Portugal again in a heartbeat!

Happy planning!
Ellen

Ellen - Portugal is on our short list also.

We are headed to the hills of Chianti Hills about 15 miles north of Siena in April, 2020
The farm is outside the town of Vagliagli.

Beerman - we may have to meet in Fredericksburg on January 4 @ 2 PM for some wine/beer to enjoy a repeat.... but this time in basketball.

I would vote for Williamsburg on your short list.
Recommend going down RT 3 through the Northern Neck and cut over to RT 17 in Irvington
There is a great oyster house near the bridge in Irvington called "Merroir" https://www.rroysters.com/restaurants/merroir
Hard to beat a dozen oysters and cold beer (or a bottle of champagne)

Ellen, I really like Charlotte, great restaurants! The drive time might discourage my gang though. Cinque is absolutely a must return, our hike village to village is a very good memory!! Enjoy your return!!





Tom, I'm penciled in to move a boat from Annapolis to Key West sometime early January, weather dependent. If those plans get screwed up maybe we could meet for the game? If you know of a nice B&B in town let me know. Williamsburg does sound great, but tonight I'm hearing talk of Baltimore?? as usual we'll decide last minute ha!!

Hey Beerman, we did Tuscany today. 3 winery tour. Staying in Florence since Friday. Big tree lighting tomorrow at the Duomo. The Veneto and Milan to come.

TravelHat, awesome!! what wineries?? I wrote a report that included Florence....I wasn't impressed on our first night....after returning from Tuscany we spent 2 more nights in Florence, it blew me away, Florence is an incredible city!! Enjoy and Cheers!!!

Beerman, it was a set tour the company was called grape tours. We went to the town of Montespertoli. First stop Castillo Sonnino, second was Fratoria Poggio Capone and the lunch and tasting at Podere Dell Alselmo. Lunch was great. A lot of Chianti but some Shiraz and rose as well.

TravelHat

Cannot wait for the trip report with lots of pictures!1

We cannot wait until April to spend a week in Chianti country.

Have fun!

Don't know if it makes a difference, but the Biltmore is showcasing Downton Abbey now thru March.