Wanderlust-Tours

10/04/2026

Inveraray Castle has been home to the Dukes of Argyll, Chiefs of Clan Campbell since the 18th century, although the family have resided in the area since the early 15th century. It is located in the picturesque county of Argyll and Bute; along the banks of Loch Fyne.

Sir Duncan Campbell established a small castle at Inveraray, and his son, Colin, founded a planned town around the castle in the 1470s. That medieval castle stayed essentially unaltered for over two centuries before the 2nd Duke of Argyll decided that something grander was needed in the early 18th century.

The castle we see today is said to have been the result of an idea sketched out by John Vanbrugh, the architect of Blenheim Palace and Castle Howard. Vanbrugh died before his idea could be put into practice, and the 3rd Duke called in William Adam and Roger Morris to design and build his new family seat. Construction began in 1743 but took 43 years to complete.

The 8th Duke, who succeeded in 1847, became a cabinet minister in the UK Government. In 1871 his eldest son John, Marquess of Lorne, who would become the 9th Duke of Argyll in 1900, married Princess Louise, daughter of Queen Victoria. The occasion was marked at Inveraray Castle by the building of a new entrance porch on its north-east

The castle suffered from a fire in 1877, which resulted in the addition of the third floor and conical roofs on the corner towers. The 11th Duke of Argyll undertook a major renovation of the castle following World War Two, and it opened to the public in 1953. A second serious fire caused considerable damage to the upper parts of the castle in 1975, and it was subsequently restored to its former glory by the 12th Duke.

In more recent times, the castle was used as a filming location in the TV series ‘Downton Abbey’ in which the castle is known as ‘Duneagle’.

Today, Inveraray remains the seat of the Duke of Argyll and both castle and gardens are open to the public.

08/04/2026

I love these dining tips!

The One Menu Rule Rick Steves Swears by When Traveling in Europe | Learn more at the link in the comments ⬇️

07/31/2026

Calling all food lovers… Slow Food Columbus is hosting our 18th annual ‘Shake the Hand That Feeds You’ 6-course fundraising dinner on Sat. August 22, 5-9pm at Mitchell Hall. It’s a fabulous chef lineup.

Annual fundraiser event to raise funds for our local Slow Food Chapter, in support of community gardens/farms and food-related events throughout the year.

05/06/2026

04/26/2026

Newport's historic estates, along with a wave of chic hotels and restaurants, are drawing a new generation of glitz-and-glamour seekers to one of America's original seaside resort towns. https://cntraveler.visitlink.me/zcokr-

04/17/2026

We love this inn - and downtown Lewisburg.

02/05/2026

All of these books sound fascinating!

What’s your favorite travel book of all time? 📚

Our picks include an impulsive journey across 1930s Europe with a budget of one British pound a day, a solo kayaking trip down the Niger River banded with beauty and strife, and a harrowing, year-long escape from a Siberian prison camp deemed by critics as “too fantastic to be true.”

Find nine classic travel books everyone should read in the comments.

01/26/2026

The City of Hilliard Recreation and Parks Department has a brand-new, fully equipped Teaching Kitchen at The Well Community Center. The intimate cooking classes (5-10 People) are a combination of hands-on and demonstration-style within a variety of global cuisines and techniques. It's the perfect time of year to learn a few new soups and a very quick, yummy bread.
Soup's On - March 3, 5:30-7:30 pm / Paella and Spanish Citrus Salad, March / Hearty Entree Salads, March 19. Join us!

Warm up with comforting Chicken and Dumpling Soup, French Onion-Potato Soup, and a customizable 45-minute quick bread with Chef Instructor and food writer Shawnie Kelley. Warm up with comforting Chicken and Dumpling Soup, French Onion-Potato Soup, and a customizable 45-minute quick bread with Chef I...

01/15/2026

Café de France is one of those names you’ll see again and again across France, especially in market towns and smaller cities. It was never meant to be a brand. It simply signaled a place where locals gathered to drink coffee, read the paper, argue about politics, and watch the day pass. Many of these cafés date back to the late 1800s or early 1900s, when outdoor seating became part of daily life rather than a luxury.

What matters more than the name is how these cafés work. Tables are close together, service is steady but not rushed, and no one expects you to move on quickly. Order a coffee or a verre de vin and you’re buying time, not just a drink. In warmer months, plane trees provide shade, and fallen leaves in autumn are swept aside between services, not as decoration but because this is still a working place.

If you stop somewhere like this, don’t overthink the menu. Coffee in the morning, a croque or salad at lunch, and an apéritif in the late afternoon will never feel out of place. Watch who comes and goes. Regulars usually sit in the same spots every day, and that tells you more about the rhythm of the town than any guidebook.

These cafés aren’t designed to impress. They’re designed to last. That’s why they’re still here, doing exactly what they’ve always done.

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10/23/2025

If you’ve ever dreamed of taking a luxurious train journey or living la dolce vita on the Amalfi Coast, now might be the time to book ☀️🌊

Belmond has announced the first-ever train route from Paris to the Amalfi Coast as part of its Italian journey series, Villeggiatura by Train, and it's nothing short of spectacular 🚂✨