Imagine my fascination  when I found a store in a tiny town in the Pyrenees and saw endless cencerros in different shapes, sizes and materials. I approached the lady owner and asked her the reason for such a variety. When I heard her reply, my brain just exploded!. Not only do the shapes and materials differ, but the clappers also have a lot to do with the variation in the bells.

She was born in 1868 in Saint-Mandé (in the region Île-de-France), and by the age of 20, Alexandra was a feminist and anarchist. Frequenting socialist spheres, and she published a first pamphlet of revolutionary ideas. She took as her motto: «Go where your heart leads you, where your gaze falls.»

In the small kingdom of Navarre, since the beginning of time, women have not only had their own identity and freedom, but most importantly, power.  Many times, they have had to demonstrate their strength with grace, but not always with mercy. Let me introduce you to some of these powerful ladies.  

If you could live anywhere in the world -- money, career, and family ties aside -- where would that be? What’s your shortlist?

This month our theme is “Women.” This is an apt topic for Guide Collective, as we are a woman-led organization. Our guides this month will share varying views of women around the world and what women have meant in our lives.

Romantic, majestic, and dominant, the “Cedro di Libano” can be seen from almost any vantage point in the Barolo area. From the top of the vine-covered hill, this cedar tree has incredibly witnessed the Langhe wine region's metamorphosis for the last 165 years.

At the end of the 1800s, Spain lost all its remaining colonies...By 1923 (the year Ernest Hemingway arrived in Pamplona), the tension in the streets was palpable. Only in big celebrations, like the Running of the Bulls, people could forget their struggles. 

As a movie-lover, I always thought that one of the best ways to get to know a place and a culture (apart from traveling) is to watch movies and read books. This list of movies could be endless, so I’ve made a selection of well-known and lesser-known movies staged in Sicily.

…Love is the theme of our songs, movies, poems, books, and art because it’s the most important force in our lives. It’s our most important emotion. It drives our actions, our goals , and is the basis of our emotional connections with others, human and non-human. Giving, receiving, and feeling love makes us happy!

When it comes to expressing love, and the emotions associated with it, sometimes words just simply aren’t enough. From a simple hand-tied posy of wildflowers to an explosion of exotic blooms; a dozen red roses to a corsage or boutonniere on Prom night—flowers can speak so eloquently on our behalf.

There is Love.. and then there is a love for places. I am fascinated by bridges. Often situated in stunning settings, bridges invite us to understand their history, the context in which they were built, and the stories they tell, and the legends they evoke.

Thanks to a certain William Shakespeare, who chose to lay the scene for his play Romeo and Juliet in a certain town in the Veneto, Verona is considered Italy's “City of Love.” I interviewed local guide Sara Valitutto from Romeo & Juliet Guide (she works in partnership with her friend Virginia Conta). She can show you that there is so much more romantic charm to Verona than just Juliet's balcony.

GC’s “Poet Laureate,” Charlie Rawson, shares her latest beautiful, evocative creation.

One of the best ways to deal with the rollercoaster of emotions this pandemic has given us is to project love. There are many ways to do that, from small gestures to grand works. I have a suggestion for all of you that follow us here, consider supporting our guides.

Spain’s culture is as rich, intriguing, and complex as its history. Here are 5 movies that will help you better understand both.

Hey, travel friends! Valentine’s Day is just around the corner. Our guides are feeling full of love, and we’d love to share a bit of Valentine goodness with you!

In the second he opened that door, the world stopped. There she was, the most beautiful goddess in the world. Her blonde curls were playing joyfully with the wind. Her blue eyes were as clear as the Mediterranean Sea. She had dimples when she smiled and she was smiling at me.

Vita nuova translates to “new life,” and through prose and poems Dante describes his relationship with the love of his life, Beatrice. These two first met in Florence when they were nine years old, and then again when they were 18. The early poems in Vita nuova show Dante as a young man besotted with Beatrice’s beauty, love-sick like a hormonal teenager. As in any pop-culture romance, his infatuation has its ups and downs. He’s devastated when Beatrice refuses to greet him in the street. He even has a dream in which Love appears to him personified, and feeds Dante’s heart to Beatrice.

It doesn’t have to be complicated. Even if you’re stoic and not prone to expressing love, there are so many ways you can “share the love” in dark times. Check in on friends. Tip generously. Randomly send flowers. Take cookies to a neighbor. Whatever small gesture you can muster, make it a goal to do at least one thing per day that expresses love in your own way. 

At the beginning of my journey my name is Abhain Dubh meaning “black river” in Scottish Gaelic. I tumble down the mountain to Duchray Water and then into Loch Chon, much appreciated for its sheltered water after my hurtle down the hillside. I can relax in this magical place and enjoy the playfulness…