2026 has turned out to be THE travel year of my life, with so many great and beautiful place and moments (and a few secrets) to share with readers. Ireland and Italy are the focus here, but not the touristy stuff.
Ireland.
Staigue Fort: at the far end of the Ring of Kerry drive, is the most amazing, pristinally (not a word) intact preserved ancient stone fort: Staigue Fort. Pre-Christian, built around 300-400 CE. Not much known. The road to it is only for cars and may seem daunting; it it worth it. The ancient site is dumfounding in how each and every rock fits perfectly. But that is a minute detail which will be obvious once you watch the video. Also, given the access road, you will not find this on any bus tour.
How can something so ancient be so intact? Even the mightiest of skeptics would not touch a stone or move anything — the fairies or other Other People would heap curses upon you.
And it is on private land but has public access, which would be a non-starter in the USA.
It is kind of eerie that when you run your hand along the stones, the surface is smooth. Then you remember it was built between 300-400 AD. Lots of centuries to wear it to this fine a place.
Gleninchaquin Park: Equally beautiful, actually my favorite park in all Ireland, is Gleninchaquin Park, on the Beara peninsula. With it having expanded its already unforgettable trails, the Famine House is the place that always gets me. So many lives. The magnitude of the tragedy is almost too much to take in.
Italy: Rome
Been to Rome more than a few times, then you know what you like and don’t. The Vatican Museum is one of flagrant wealth but in a wrapper of ancient treasures. Yet, it is a beautiful collection. It draws me to it; part of it because it is one giant serpentine hallway through the the Vatican Palace. You could spend a day there, if rushed, you can do it in ninety minutes.
Italy: Florence.
Yes, the crowds are massive; yes it can be annoying and feel like so many humans have marred the beauty of the city. It’s somewhat true but you can carve your own path. My advice? Get a tour guide for an afternoon walk. Spare yourself wandering and jostling as you search.
But more to the point: Tuscany, outside Florence, is a gem. I recommend going to San Gimignano and the wild and wonderful small vineyard nearby, with the amazing Gino, and the Carbucci Wine Experience — his wine, tastings, and philosophy were unforgettable. I will be ordering from him for years.
Italy: Verona and Milan
Verona is small, but a great place to use as a base for that region — all the way to Como, Garda or even Venice. Walking the town center tells the whole story of Verona from the many churches and monuments — the hero of that being the Roman amphitheater still in use today, with its perfect acoustics.
Milan was our shortest stop and we walked the center with the goal of seeing the Milan Duomo. And as much as the interior is worthy of show, the massive, carved, bas-relief doors tell a deeper human story of anonymous craftsman working for their entire lives to create such beauty.
Ok, hopefully worth every minute you have spent. Now, onto Greece — the mystical Lesbos and the fantastical Peloponnese (which had traces of Homer/Odysseus).. A new post to come!
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