My Go-To Travel Bloggers (that You Should Read) that Passed My Ridiculously High Standards (2012)

One very tired blogger in Amsterdam

In our recent interview with Travel Channel’s Don Wildman he stated “We all need to know where we came from and how we’re  deeply connected to other places” and our blog is no exception.  We have big ambitions and lofty aspirations but we are indebted to many other travel blogs for our inspiration.

College Professors by Day…Bloggers by Night

After six months of intensive travel blogging its time to thank the people who generate these wonderful travel blogs.  These are the blogs that I frequent and admire for their writing, images, design and attention to detail.  I can attest that keeping up with the weekly demands of maintaining a blog can be taxing and (when done well) it exercises a level of creativity that would make your typical visual artist/art professor blush.

I’m still a newbie at blogging and the road hasn’t been as smooth as I would have liked but I have learned a lot about writing, content, layouts and images.  The Insightful Travels and Tours blog has found its identity as a mixture of travel, art, humor and psychology that I am proud to show to the rest of the world.  We have been read by over 10,000 people in now over 60 countries and we hope those numbers continue to go in the positive direction.

Maybe someday we can be as good as the blogs listed below!

Onward Soldier…

So let’s jump right in…

Eating Rome

Katie Parla is a “Rome-based Food Historian, Art Historian and Journalist” and her Parla Good blog is groovy.  She writes in a straight-forward no-nonsense way and her information is accurate.  Her writing has been published in the New York Times, The Guardian among other publications so this gives a clear indication that she knows what she is talking about.

This recent post about budget dining is chock full of specifics as to where to eat cheaply (and authentically) in the eternal city.  I’m also downloading her Iphone Rome food app and I’m wanting to get in line for the next food walk that she gives!

Revealing Rome!

Revealed Rome is another Italy based blog that is from the perspective of an insider who “gets” it.  I send first time travelers to this blog because Rome can be an intimidating place for the uninitiated.  Amanda is also a fantastic writer who is published with the New York Times, Guardian, Atlantic and National Geographic Traveller among others.

One recent post I enjoyed was one that profiled the locations of filming sites for many of the iconic (and not so iconic) movies that were located in Rome.  Much of my romanticized version of many of the European cities grow out of movies that I saw as a kid (Roman Holiday anyone?) and I’m looking forward on my next trip the process of finding these sites.

 From a Student’s Point of View

Much of my travel in Europe is done in the context of taking 15 college students from the University where I am chair of the Art Department and I teach Art and Design.  Andy Steves has formed a travel company that specializes in organizing weekend trips for college students who are in the midst of their study abroad semesters and want to get out and see some other places.

It’s helpful to get the point of view from typical college student perspective.  Helps me to keep a finger on the pulse of things in many of the great European cities for the 18-22 year old traveler.

Under the Hillsborough-lian Sun

I would read Frances Mayes if she wrote the back of a cereal box and thankfully she hasn’t.  Her seminal Under the Tuscan Sun was a great read and a great movie and made me want to pack up and move to Tuscany myself.  Her blog is fun and informative with good specifics.  She also has a home in the state of NC which is just down the road from ITAT’s world headquarters.

Put Your Guardian Up

I enjoy the Euro travel blog set up the Guardian.  Can’t go wrong here…

 My Melange

If I were giving out design and photography awards Robin over at mymelange would be the outright winner.  I teach art and design for a living and I know good stuff when I see it.  You can see the love and care that she puts in to her layouts and that she has taken the time to figure out all of the buttons on her digital camera (one of my photography professor’s makes our photo students draw their camera menu and the surrounding buttons).

She covers Italy and France and I really liked this post about how to make good Italian coffee at home.  I also like her twitter feed…she puts up some links to good travel articles.

 Ricknik

I would be remiss if I didn’t mention Rick Steves and his blog.  He will always remind you that he has spent 1/3 of his adult life traveling in Europe.  I enjoy his PBS show along with his books along with his nerdi-ness.

I hope you have enjoyed this saunter through some of my favorite travel blogs and I hope you can take a few minutes to check them out.  After that come right back here to get your fill of armchair travel here at www.itats.org.  Your homework is to go back and read all of our 2012 postings and then sign up for our Italy trip in May.

Ciao!