It was a time of pandemic, a time of war, and a time of uncertainty amongst those who valued bodily autonomy and followed fiscal markets. But it was not from a Dickens novel from yesteryear. It was in the Summer of 2022. There was so much chaos that in many ways we became accustomed to it. It faded into the background as a white noise playlist on Spotify. Sometimes you needed an escape from it. There were so many false dawns the last 2 years, that it became painfully obvious there wasn’t going to be a perfect time to travel internationally around the corner. So instead of biding our time, we followed the old axiom of “carpe diem.”
For a milestone birthday, we decided to explore Porto & the Duoro Valley for our first international trip in nearly 3 years. Fortuitous for us, the timing of our trip coincided with the Sao Joao festival in Porto! Despite being Portugal’s second largest city, Porto blends the old and the new well with a UNESCO worthy historic downtown along with Michelin level dining. And it’s strategic location at the mouth of the mighty Duoro river makes it the perfect starting point to explore the gorgeous and award-winning vineyards further upstream in the Duoro Valley. We would recommend at least 36 hours (1.5 days) in the city of Porto and at least an additional 24 hours (1 day) for the Duoro Valley itself. To be honest, we covered a massive amount of ground on this trip. But when you are fortunate enough to travel kid-less for a few days (the grandparents were watching our toddler), you better take advantage of that window. As a side note, we really enjoyed the beautiful vineyards and the meandering roads of the Duoro Valley so much that we wouldn’t have minded an extra day there to be honest. If you are headed to either Porto or the Duoro Valley, we are certain something in this post will appeal to you and perhaps make it onto your itinerary. So come explore with us.
Mexico City: debunked. (a.k.a CDMX - Ciudad de Mexico; a.k.a Mexico City DF - Distrito Federal). Unfairly burdened by the stereotypes of Western media as a crime-filled megalopolis, one truly will find those tropes to be laughable after a first-hand experience in the heart of Mexico. What you will find is that the most populous city in North America (second-largest in the Western Hemisphere) is actually a world-class city that actually nurtures some of the most creative minds in the world. You can go on a true food and art bender here as the city is blessed with architectural, artistic, and culinary geniuses influenced by the cultural traditions and tapestries of Latin America, Europe, and, of course, all of its rich history from its pre-Columbian era. While tourism to the city is increasing, it is still relatively "under-the-radar"; it was what Iceland was 10 years ago. Yes the city has a few unsafe areas and some heavy traffic, but it is no different than New York City or Atlanta in that regard. We found the neighborhoods we explored to be safe and used Uber liberally. Given the false narrative that follows Mexico City, it is often eschewed by travelers for other locales in Mexico. But as much as the swanky resorts and crystal blue waters of Cancun, Tulum, and Los Cabos beckon your wanderlust, a walk through the wide avenues and green spaces of Mexico City will not only give you an unforgettable metropolitan experience in a world class city at an affordable price (compared to its contemporaries), it will shatter your preconceived notions of the city and the country itself. As a bonus, if you are an American traveler, it would be a short flight from much of the continental US without a significant time change.
We would recommend at least 3 full days in Mexico City on your maiden voyage (let’s be real, once you come here you probably will want to come back in the future). For reference, we spent 3.5 days as a family trip with our parents. While the city can be explored in any particular order based on your interests, we will continue our Mexico City itinerary series with a day exploring the Centro Historico (Historical Downtown) of Mexico City and an evening in the “we got next” neighborhood of Roma Norte. This day is a must do; it serves as the ultimate juxtaposition of Mexico City’s steeped-in-history draws colliding with its innovative and hip future. Yes, Mexico City is having a moment now. But it is without doubt that we believe Mexico City will be a travel destination heavyweight in the coming years. We are sure some day our path will lead us to a return visit to this amazing city for even more adventures (and of course fabulous eating). But as we close out our current Mexico City series, we hope our travel musings help you plan your own trip to CDMX.
