Travel by Brigitte, Key to the World Travel

02/12/2024

Excited to be at KeyCon, Key to the World Travel’s annual conference! A few days of learning about what is new in the travel industry, building relationships with travel suppliers, and networking with fellow travel advisors! I love the opportunity to become the best agent for my clients!

29/11/2024

15/10/2024

Milos, Greece

Milos is an island just north of the Sea of Crete. It was a charming island known for stunning beaches, crystal-clear waters, and unique geological formations.

I opted for a kayak tour at this destination. We paddled past gorgeous white rock formations at Sarakiniko beach, quaint villages, and through caves during our 3 hours on the water. When we stopped we were offered homemade breads and pastries that were made fresh daily by the mother of one of our guides. We stopped at a couple of beaches to swim and snorkel over a shipwreck. It was a beautiful day and the perfect last day on my Greece trip.

Thanks for following along! I’d love to help you experience this amazing destination! Let me know when you’d like to go!

14/10/2024

Mykonos, Greece

Visiting Mykonos has been another stop on my bucket list for a long time. Mykonos is known for its lively party scene and high end shopping, however, the highlights for me were the charming churches and crystal clear water.

We took a tour of the island and visited the Mykonos Lighthouse, Panagia Tourliani Monastery, a small family church, various lookouts, and a beautiful beach.

While the architecture was similar to Santorini the churches were a bit different. Our guide pointed out that the small family churches with the red roofs belonged to farmers families, the blue roofs belonged to fishing families, and the white roofs belonged to families that had moved to the island. He took us into a private church that belonged to someone that he knew and it was a great experience.

We loved having a private guide at this stop. We would not have been able to learn as much about this great destination without having Eddie (Zach Galifianakis' doppleganger). At the conclusion of our tour he dropped us off at Ornos Beach where we had lunch and then took a dip in the Aegean Sea.

On our way back to the ship we visited the famous windmills, strolled the streets of Mykonos Town aka Chora, and watched the sunset.

It was a great day!

12/10/2024

Santorini, Greece

The next stop on our Aegean Sea cruise was Santorini, Greece! This volcanic island is famous for the unique beaches made up of white, red, black sand. It is also know for it's famous cliff side homes and resorts and the picturesque blue domes that sit on top of the churches.

Our day consisted of a private tour with our tour guide, George. We went to picture spots around the island some just steps away from the crowds but we didn't want in any lines. Oia (where the blue domes are located) was pretty crowded and busy. We left that area pretty quickly and went to visit some other unique areas of the island.

After Oia we went to Megalochori to see the old cave houses and narrow streets. We then went to the beaches (red sand beach and black sand beach), the highest point of the island that also hosts a monastery, had a delicious lunch, watched the sunset, then headed back to the ship.

It was a dream! I loved this island and could easily spend a few days exploring and staying in one of the cliff side hotels. This has been on my bucket list for years!

12/10/2024

Heraklion, Crete

We leisurely got off the ship around noon at this port. We took a taxi to Kleanthi, an olive orchard where they grow and make their own olive oil. We had a great guide that educated us on the olive oil making process. The orchard provided great views of the region and then we had a sampling of the olive oil which was delicious. We ended our time in this city doing a little shopping.

09/10/2024

Kusadasi, Turkey

I’ll be honest Turkey has never been on my radar as a vacation destination, but it was an amazing experience! We joined our private tour guide Oscar and driver Yousef and headed out from the port. We visited Ephesus, an ancient city which began in 10th century BC! It’s hard to even fathom something that old. This site is still being excavated and we learned that only about 20% of Ephesus has been uncovered.

After Ephesus we stopped and watched how Turkish rugs were made and how silk was spun. Such beautiful rugs but no purchases were made.

We ended our time at a Turkish bath house. It was not the experience I was expecting but it was fun to take part in their tradition.

A quick trip through the bazaar and then we were back on the ship!

06/10/2024

Day 2 & 3

Day 2
We left Athens and set sail on the Celestyal Journey. Ships on this cruise line are considered mid-sized and have around 1200 passengers. The ship's smaller size makes it easy to navigate and quick to get around. I didn't take many pics boarding the ship so I will include ship pics throughout the sailing.

Day 3- Thessaloniki
We didn't dock in Thessaloniki until 12:30pm. This gave ample time to leisurely wake up, hit the gym, grab breakfast, and attend a lecture on the port we were visiting that day. I enjoyed the lecture since today I didn't have an excursion planned. I took some mental notes of places to explore while visiting the second largest city in Greece and set out on foot with a few friends. We went to the White Tower which was part of a fortess erected in the 15th century that once guarded the eastern end of the city's sea walls. We also visited the Ladadika district which was a charming area with cobblestone streets, cafes and restaurants, shops, and many night clubs that open way past my bedtime. The weather was beautiful which was great since we walked about 6 miles! I made it back to the ship in time for the informational talk about tomorrows port, Kusadasi, Turkey. We played "bingo" (which was not really bingo at all), didn't win, but still had fun!

05/10/2024

Day 1 in Greece! I arrived in Athens around 9:00am. I waited for more travel agents to arrive so we could make our way to the hotel. We hopped on the train/Metro which was really easy to navigate.
Thankfully my room was ready when I arrived at the Plaka Hotel around noon. I took a quick shower and then a nap, which was especially needed since I can't sleep on planes.
We had previously arranged for a private tour of the city of Athens. George picked us up in his very swanky van and off we went.
First we stopped at Mount Lycabettus which provided a great view of the city. George pointed out the different areas of the city and gave a little bit of history.
The Presidential mansion for the changing of the guards was our next stop. There are two locations where the changing of the guards takes place, the Hellenic Parliament and the Presidential mansion. We opted for the less crowded one which is in front of the mansion. Their traditional style of marching was interesting. Those high kicks would be hard to perform wearing shoes that weigh almost 8 pounds a piece.
Next we headed over to the Acropolis which was amazing! So much history and I was in awe of the size of these ruins. It is mind-blowing to think about those structures being built without modern technology and tools. Next visit I will add the Acropolis museum to my list.
We ended our tour with a few more stops, had delicious gelato, and then had dinner. You'll have to use your imagination for pics of the dinner restaurant. At that point the exhaustion took over and no more pics were being taken.

01/06/2024

In Louisville, KY for a quick weekend conference with Key to the World Travel! The agenda includes hearing updates from my favorite suppliers, a vendor fair, and networking with some great coworkers!

I’ll be hearing from:
🌟Vacation Express
🌟Hyatt Inclusive
🌟Disney Destinations
🌟Universal
🌟MSC
🌟Viking
🌟Sandals/Beaches
and more!

I’m excited to learn how I can help my clients plan amazing vacations!

04/05/2024

Happy Star Wars Day “May the 4th Be With You”

When traveling the galaxy planning out of this world vacations, you want a crew of people…
✨you can trust and rely on.
✨that can navigate the travel options and get you booked at hyperspace speed
✨that have the wisdom of the Force to know which travel supplier is best for you
✨to be your hero and save you from making travel mistakes
✨that don’t need their targeting computer to destroy the Death Star

You don’t need a Jedi, you need a Travel Advisor. The crew that I work with are the best and a quintessential part of my travel planning services. May “this” force be with you when you travel.

📧[email protected]

13/04/2024

🏛️Travel to Rome to immerse yourself in millennia of history, indulge in delectable Italian cuisine, marvel at breathtaking architecture, and experience the vibrant culture of this iconic city.

🏟️ Colosseum
⛲️ Trevi Fountain
✝️ Vatican City
🍝 Pasta
🍕 Pizza
🏛️ Pantheon
🇮🇹 Culture
🍷 Wine
🤯 and so much more

Rome has something for everyone. If you have never been or have been thinking about it, now is a great time to plan a trip for summer.

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15/03/2024

Get ready to set sail with Disney Cruise Line in Summer 2025!

Spend your summer vacation in one of these great destinations!
⭐️Europe! (The Med and Northern Europe on Disney Fantasy)
⭐️Alaska!
⭐️The Bahamas!
⭐️The Caribbean!

Booking dates for Castaway Club members begin on 3/18 and for everyone in 3/22!

Contact me to start planning your next Disney Cruise Line vacation!
📧[email protected]

14/03/2024

March 14th is known worldwide as Pi Day for the mathematical figure 3.14, but it makes me think of tasty pie.

My favorite pie is Key Lime Pie. The best place to get it is from a small shop in Key West Florida called Kermit’s Key West Key Lime Shop (They also have great Key Lime iced tea).

What is your favorite pie? Where do you want to travel to for some great pie?

Let’s get you there and it only takes a simple email.

📧[email protected]

13/03/2024

When traveling I love to embrace the local culture. Even though it is brief in time you make memories that will last a lifetime.

What experience is next on your travel bucket list?

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27/02/2024

Travel Tip Tuesday!

While on vacation immerse yourself in the local culture! There are so many ways to experience a new place, from trying local cuisine to learning about traditional customs. Every cultural experience can help you develop an appreciation for the unique aspects of a destination.

For example, when you visit Portugal take a guided tour to marvel at the unique and colorful landscape of the tiny stripped houses on Costa Nova Beach and get to know the neighborhood from the fisherman and learn all about the cod fishing history!

📧[email protected]