A bit over 18 months ago, I left Spain, cutting my trip three weeks short because a new disease was infecting a bit over 100 people a day in the country. Never in my wildest dreams did I imagine that I wouldn’t leave the US (and barely California) for such a long period. Well, today,…
I am beyond excited for this trip. I have lived in California basically my entire life. During those forty years, I have seen the overwhelming majority of the state. But next week, I get to spend some time exploring a part of the state I’ve never before been able to visit: gold country. At the…
I hope you are all enjoying my stories from Northern Arizona. While those will continue for the next few weeks - I love when a trip gives me so many things to write - it is time for my next trip. I have spent a TON of time in Northern California, but relatively little along…
It’s been almost fourteen months since I returned from Spain, leaving that trip three weeks early because there were *gasp* more than 100 daily cases of this new coronavirus there. I figured I’d ride it out back in Los Angeles, returning to travel by summer at the latest. Little did I know I’d spend the…
Editor's note: I am delighted to introduce you all to Mandy Meehan, our newest writer at The Royal Tour. I met Mandy when I was preparing a trip to Marseille, France, since she was living there and had an Instagram full of incredible photos that I stumbled upon. We have been close friends ever since!…
First off, don't worry. I don't have the coronavirus - COVID-19 - at least not yet. I am writing this from Barcelona, a week into my stay in this stunning city. By the time you read it, I will be back home in Los Angeles. So what changed? I was supposed to be here another…
It's hard to believe my month here in Portugal is coming to an end in just a couple of days, especially when I will be posting articles from Lisbon and its surroundings for at least a few more weeks! But alas, the time on my blog doesn't always match my real life, and so I…
Porto is sometimes called Portugal's "second city," referring to it being second in both size and importance to the capital, Lisbon. But when it comes to exploration for a traveler, Porto is second to none. While it may not have the historic significance or cultural hubs of its larger cousin to the south, Porto is…
Ah, Portugal. Mysterious nation at the western end of the Iberian Peninsula. Land of nata tarts, salt cod, and port wine, of fado, salty ocean air, sunsets, and surfing. It is the only continental European country on GMT, and it is also my first stop on my Iberian adventure! For the most part, my month…
I spent the first three months of 2019 in France, living, exploring, and discovering both an amazing country and myself. I can't even begin to describe how life-changing of an experience it was, to realize that I am able to thrive in a foreign country with a language and customs different from my own. I…