Travel with Amateur Traveler Podcast

Hear about travel to Madrid, Spain, as the Amateur Traveler talks to Felicity Hughes of TheMakingOfMadrid.com about how to spend about a week exploring her adopted hometown.

Felicity moved to Madrid in 2012, writes and podcasts about the city, and is currently the lead writer for Lonely Planet’s Madrid guides. She recommends giving Madrid more than the typical three-day visit. While you can see the headline sights quickly, a week gives you time to explore Madrid’s historic neighborhoods, museums, food culture, and parks, while also taking two important day trips to Toledo and El Escorial.

Why should you go to Madrid?

Felicity says, “I think it’s brilliant… Madrid has London beat… the transport system here rarely breaks down. It’s really efficient, it’s really cheap… And the people… everybody’s really accepting of you… They’re so friendly and open. And of course, the glorious sunny weather. For me, the essential charm of Madrid is the people… you won’t get to experience that unless you take a breath and just sit in a bar and have a conversation with someone… People are so friendly here, it’s incredible.”

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https://amateurtraveler.com/travel-to-madrid-spain-2/
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Discover the lush landscapes, charming towns, Atlantic beaches, historic cities, vineyards, and national parks of Portugal's Minho region in this one-week itinerary with Sandra from Verdeful.

Why should you go to Minho?

Sandra says, "The reason why I would like to tell people more about this part of the world is because it's such a beautiful place with a lot of greenery. It's what makes Minho special to me. If someone has a week in northern Portugal, I would suggest a route that mixes coast, countryside, and also a bit of city life... we can explore some coastal villages, beaches, spend some time in some historical cities, and then, of course, go to the vineyards and have some nice sparkling Vinho Verde."

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https://amateurtraveler.com/travel-to-northern-portugal/
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In this episode of the Amateur Traveler podcast, Chris talks with Virginia-based travel writer and television host Malorie Mackey about visiting Richmond and Virginia’s Historic Triangle.

Malorie recommends combining Richmond with Williamsburg, Jamestown, and Yorktown rather than treating them as separate trips. Together, they offer a mix of colonial history, Revolutionary War sites, Civil War history, museums, gardens, outdoor recreation, restaurants, breweries, living-history experiences, and theme parks.

A rushed version of the trip can be done in three days, but Malorie and Chris agree that five or six days would provide a much better experience.

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https://amateurtraveler.com/travel-to-virginia-richmond-williamsburg/
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Travel to Orléans, France, with Riana from Teaspoon of Adventure as she shares a seven-day itinerary featuring Joan of Arc history, Loire River scenery, medieval towns, museums, local food, and some of the most impressive châteaux in the Loire Valley.

Orléans is about 75 miles southwest of Paris and approximately 90 minutes away by train. Its compact historic center, good train connections, and access to the surrounding countryside make it a practical base for exploring both the city and the Loire Valley.

Riana recommends spending the first three days in Orléans, taking train trips on days four and five, and renting a car for château-hopping on days six and seven.

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https://amateurtraveler.com/travel-to-orleans-france/
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In this episode of Amateur Traveler, I recount a six-night sailing voyage aboard the Schooner Heritage, one of the vessels in the Maine Windjammer Association fleet.

The trip began and ended in Rockland, Maine, and covered roughly 116 miles through Penobscot Bay. Unlike a conventional cruise, there was no fixed daily itinerary. Each day’s route depended on the wind, tides, currents, weather forecast, and the availability of a safe anchorage.

I was a guest of the Schooner Heritage. The cruise was hosted, while I paid for transportation to Rockland, expenses before boarding, and crew gratuities.

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https://amateurtraveler.com/sailing-maine-windjammer/
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