Italy

July 2026, My family and I spent 18 days in Italy.  We booked the Ultimate Italy tour with G Adventures, added a few extra days in Rome pre tour and then a few more in Venice post tour.

Our main stops were Rome, Montepulciano, Florence, Cinque Terre, Como, and Venice.  With quick visits to explore Pienza, Sienna, and Pisa.

Typically we travel independently so this was our first experience travelling with a tour group.

Favourite things about this G Adventures tour:

  • Small group:  The Ultimate Italy tour was a combination of two shorter tours.  For the first half of the tour our group was made up of nine people and then the second half bumped up to fourteen people.
  • CEO (Chief Experience Officer):  Our CEO Mika, aka Mother Duck, took care of everything for us. Accommodations, transfers, rail travel, orientation tours, and other included items were well organized and hiccups managed so we could just relax and enjoy the experience.  Mika also helped co-ordinate group dinners, private tours, made dining and sightseeing recommendations, and helped out with anything needed such as finding laundry facilities, and bank ATMs.
  • Free Time:  As independent travellers we really appreciated the free time to explore on our own.  It was great having group activities and tours to help learn about our destinations and local customs but also free time to relax and move at our own pace.
Scotland, England, Wales

Over the years my family and I have travelled to the UK three times.  

  • First, my son and I travelled to Edinburgh for ten days.
  • Second, the three of us travelled by rail and visited London, Stoke-On-Trent (to visit family), Chester, and Edinburgh.
  • Third, we took my Mother-In-Law on a three week road trip and explored Cornwall, Wales, English Midlands, and Scotland
Canada

I am originally from Vancouver, BC but a couple years after getting married my family and I moved out to Edmonton, AB where we have now been for over 25 years.  We have taken countless road trips between the two cities and the places in-between.  

In 2017, to celebrate Canada's 150th year, we organized a three week, family reunion road trip starting in Calgary, travelling through the Canadian Rockies, BC Interior, along the Sunshine Coast, Vancouver Island, Gulf Islands, and ending in Vancouver.  We had family join us from Australia, England, Canada, and the U.S.  It was a truly wonderful and memorable experience!

I've been lucky enough to visit some of Canada's major cities but have spent most of my time exploring Canada in BC and Alberta.  Atlantic Canada and Quebec are on my list for 2027.