The Churches of Florence: a Complete Guide for History & Art Lovers
Like many Italian cities, Florence has hundreds of churches, from the massive Duomo to tiny hidden chapels, and it's hard to know which...
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Travel Adventures with Claire
Hiking Guide - Cycling Guide - Travel Stories: Nature, Culture, and Exploration
I've traveled the world for 3 decades and have been guiding active tours in Europe since 1996. Despite all the miles, I've never lost my passion for learning and seeing new places. I am fascinated by other cultures and awed by the beauty of the natural world. Join me for some virtual adventures and scroll to the bottom to subscribe so you don't miss a post!
** In 2023 I co-founded the new tour company Wild Sage! **
cduiker
Apr 1310 min
Cuba: Beauty in the Ruins
Cuba is one of the most fascinating and unique islands in the world. Its tropical beauty shines from behind crumbling buildings and an...
119 views6 comments
cduiker
Feb 234 min
Milan & the BIT Tourism Trade Show
It's been an exciting few weeks for Wild Sage as we went to our first international tourism trade show (the Bit di Milano), celebrated...
86 views4 comments
cduiker
Jan 195 min
Welcome 2024: Cuba, Morocco & Best of Italy!
Buongiorno e Buon Anno Nuovo! The new year started with a calm "Come on in" instead of the frantic alarm bells that rang in 2023, so I'm...
125 views2 comments
cduiker
Dec 21, 20236 min
Best Tour Photos 2023!
This year has gone by like a high-speed train, rushing headlong into the future and carrying me along -- breathless and shaken -- for the...
204 views1 comment
cduiker
Aug 8, 20235 min
Travel & Packing Pro Tips!
It's peak travel season and I've packed and unpacked my bags so many times I've got it down to a science, so I thought I'd share a few of...
229 views0 comments
cduiker
Jun 2, 20236 min
Sardinia Scouting with Wild Sage
Buongiorno June 1st! Summer is almost here, and with it comes a very full tour season for me -- my first year as co-boss of Wild Sage!...
118 views4 comments
cduiker
May 1, 20237 min
Rome & Florence: Trains, Planes, and a User's Guide
Tips on navigating the airport and train station in Rome and Florence
621 views0 comments
cduiker
Mar 28, 20238 min
Sicilian Adventures with Wild Sage
"Prudenza!" the van warned, via a disembodied voice coming from my navigator advising me to be careful. I was cruising down a nearly...
253 views8 comments
cduiker
Feb 13, 20232 min
We are Wild Sage!
E quindi uscimmo a riveder le stelle -- And then we emerged to see again the stars WE DID IT!! After our four month journey through the...
183 views4 comments
cduiker
Jan 22, 20234 min
The Story of Wild Sage: an epic journey through Italian bureaucracy
"Lasciate ogne speranza, voi ch'intrate" "Abandon hope, all ye who enter here" are the powerful opening lines of Dante's "Inferno,"...
200 views8 comments
cduiker
Dec 31, 20225 min
Best of 2022: Tour Edition!
Hello, Bonjour e Ciao! I've been SO busy these past few months (** setting up MY NEW COMPANY!! see below...) that I haven't had time to...
176 views2 comments
cduiker
Oct 21, 20226 min
Roman History Road-Trip: from Ostia Antica to Pompeii
Hail, history fans! I've had a busy fall season with lots of travel, for work and for play. My latest trip was a ten-day voyage with my...
284 views2 comments
cduiker
Sep 4, 20224 min
Florence: Street Art & Oddities, pt. 2
Beyond the Duomo and the David, Florence hosts a wealth of surprise street art, fun architectural details, and free art installations....
426 views2 comments
cduiker
Aug 15, 20224 min
Swords and Samurai at the Stibbert Museum in Florence
One of the most unexpected museums in Florence is the Museo Stibbert, which houses the eclectic collection of Frederick Stibbert (1838 -...
548 views2 comments
cduiker
Jul 16, 20224 min
Near Rome: the Spectacular Palazzo Farnese at Caprarola
I recently spent a few days in the region of Lazio (the region of Rome) on a little birthday trip, and one of the most unexpected and...
1,650 views4 comments
cduiker
Jun 12, 20225 min
3 Days in Puglia: Trulli, Olive Trees, and Whitewashed Villages
Southern Italy has a totally different feel from the rolling hills here in Tuscany, or the plains and mountains of the North. Puglia...
525 views2 comments
cduiker
May 28, 20224 min
Tuscany: What's blooming in May?
It's hard to believe we're 3 months into the flowering season here in Tuscany, and after our February magnolias, March cherry trees, and...
2,276 views0 comments
cduiker
May 1, 20225 min
On the Road in Southern Tuscany: Pitigliano, Sovana, Sorano & Saturnia
Tuscany is so big, there are still places I've never seen in my 25 years of guiding here. So I was thrilled to have the chance to visit...
957 views2 comments
cduiker
Apr 18, 20223 min
Spring in Tuscany: Fresh Fava Beans & Pecorino Cheese
Spring in Tuscany means fresh fava beans! Many people think immediately of Hannibal Lecter's famous line from Silence of the Lambs, but I...
354 views2 comments
cduiker
Mar 31, 20226 min
Spring in Seville, Spain
¡Hola! and welcome to Spain! I was just in Spain on business so decided to extend my stay a few days and really explore the fascinating...
250 views0 comments
cduiker
Feb 27, 20223 min
Florence: what's blooming in February?
It's still cold outside with nighttime temps around freezing, but the days are getting warmer and the sun is bringing out the first...
426 views2 comments
cduiker
Feb 13, 20226 min
Winter in Tuscany: San Gimignano, Volterra & Pisa
Most people think of Italy as a summer destination and come for the beaches and al fresco dining, but that's also when it's hot and...
714 views6 comments
cduiker
Jan 29, 20224 min
Cinque Terre news: work begins on the Via dell'Amore
I’ve been hiking the popular trails of the Cinque Terre since 1997 and have seen frequent trail closings over the years due to...
887 views2 comments
cduiker
Jan 15, 20223 min
Winter in the Outer Banks, NC
Today's post is all about nature. My home base in the U.S. is on a narrow barrier island in the Outer Banks of North Carolina. I love...
175 views2 comments
cduiker
Dec 31, 20216 min
Good-bye 2021: my Favorite Photos of the Year
Happy New Year from the Outer Banks of North Carolina! It's lovely here in the off-season and I'm grateful that I was able to travel this...
154 views6 comments
cduiker
Nov 27, 20213 min
November in Florence: Fewer Tourists, Cheaper Prices, and a Gentle Sun
Sure, the weather may be risky in November, but it's also a great time to visit the Tuscany. Most of the tourists have gone home, the...
125 views0 comments
cduiker
Nov 14, 20215 min
Masterworks from the National Archaeological Museum of Athens, pt.2
As promised, here's a follow-up to my previous post about the amazing collection at the National Archaeological Museum in Athens. My...
213 views4 comments
cduiker
Nov 3, 20213 min
I'm Free(lance)! Going my own way in 2022
I received notice of my termination today After 20 years of working for a small tour operator (ten of those full-time) I'm finally going...
162 views9 comments
cduiker
Oct 17, 20215 min
Masterworks from the National Archaeological Museum of Athens, pt.1
I had a few extra hours in Athens recently so decided to visit the fascinating National Archaeological Museum. I had already been but it...
160 views2 comments
cduiker
Oct 6, 20212 min
Autumn in Tuscany: Crisp days, Stormy nights
Buongiorno! I can't believe it's been a month since my last post! I've been traveling a lot and actually had one TOUR (Greek Islands...
136 views2 comments
cduiker
Sep 2, 20217 min
Ten Tips for a Successful Stopover
Hello finally from my home in Florence! This is a great time to be in Tuscany as the savage heat of the summer has eased and now there’s...
120 views0 comments
cduiker
Aug 18, 20215 min
Adventures in the Azores, pt. 2: Faial and Pico
After a fun few days on the island of São Miguel (see pt. 1 of the Azores adventure here) it was time to head to Faial, where my friend...
596 views2 comments
cduiker
Aug 13, 20214 min
Adventures in the Azores, pt. 1: São Miguel
Some of my favorite trips are the spontaneous ones where I impulsively decide to go somewhere I know nothing about. That happened to me...
146 views4 comments
cduiker
Jul 19, 20215 min
Stopover Fun: 36 hrs in Lisbon
We all try to avoid long lay-overs when we fly but you can also extend your visit and turn it into a fun "stopover"! I did it last week...
102 views0 comments
cduiker
Jul 6, 20215 min
Hiking near Florence: the Monastery and Nature Reserve of Vallombrosa
The summer sun can be brutal in Florence, and it's often one of the hottest cities in Italy since it's landlocked and in a wide valley,...
399 views4 comments
cduiker
Jun 28, 20213 min
The Tour de France : excitement & fun at the world's biggest bike race
The Tour de France began this weekend so I just had a chat with my old friend and former guiding colleague Luca Magnoni. He and I have...
106 views2 comments
cduiker
Jun 14, 20214 min
The Green side of the Big Apple: Nature trails and calm spaces around New York City
Here's one last post from my recent trip to the U.S. and then I promise to return to Italy! My memories of New York were mostly of...
137 views0 comments
cduiker
Jun 4, 20213 min
Revolution in the Streets: in Tiananmen Square with my Father, May 1989
Today marks the 32nd anniversary of the mass demonstrations and eventual violent crackdown in Beijing's Tiananmen Square. Amazingly, my...
289 views14 comments
cduiker
May 31, 20215 min