Jonathan - The Royal Tour

A view along the walls at the city’s castle with its blue towers

A view from the inner walls at what was once the moat with blue and red roofed towers on either side

A view from inside the castle courtyard at defensive walls and towers

The front bridge and gatehouse of the city’s castle with blue topped towers

Carcassonne is a medieval castle town in southwestern France with incredible 14th century walls and 52 towers reconstructed in the 19th century. It is small, and it is touristy. But it is unique, and it is stunning!

It’s really a nice place for a day

A Day in Savona - The Royal Tour The wind is cold atop the Priamar Fortress complex. While the sun is out, making for a beautiful day, January sends a chilly breeze flowing over the stone battlements and down to the city below. I wal...

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I was told not to visit Savona, that it didn’t have anything to offer. I did anyway, and it was pretty terrific. A huge fortress, brand new fruit I’d never tried, and the best ceramics around. Yeah, awesome. Check it out!

#TravelAddicts #Italy

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Welcome and congrats!

Visiting the Dominican Republic - The Royal Tour Editor’s note: I spent two full weeks in Santo Domingo a few years back, and while the city wasn’t as well kept up as the historic portions of San Juan or Cartagena, I found my time there to be incred...

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Today we head with one of my guest writers to the Dominican Republic, and not only the beaches! Check it out!!

#TravelAddicts #DominicanRepublic

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Santo Domingo and the Legacy of Christopher Columbus - The Royal Tour This is, without a doubt, one of the ugliest monuments I’ve ever visited. The Faro a Colon, or Columbus Lighthouse, is a masterpiece of brutalism, a $70 million towering edifice of cement, visible fro...

If you enjoyed the article about Christopher Columbus from Genoa, you’ll especially like my venom toward the guy from Santo Domingo.

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A pink facade palatial building fronted by a paved square

Pink and white striped arches in a courtyard

A long room with painted ceilings and carved embellished walls

A council chamber with huge circular desk set up, painted walls and ceilings, and a French flag behind

This stunning building is the Capitole, Toulouse’s city hall. This version only dates to the 18th century, but the city’s elected council has met here since the 12th century! It is free to enter, and you definitely should.

Yaaayy!! I’ll help you plan!

Not according to the city of Genoa. It’s hard to know for sure.

Genoa and Christopher Columbus - The Royal Tour Here I am, in another city and again writing about Christopher Columbus. In some parts of the world, this makes sense. He is buried, after all, split between Seville (from which he embarked on his fam...

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Ok, I hate the man. We all do. Christopher Columbus sucks. But he is historically relevant and especially so from his birthplace in Genoa. Check it out!

#TravelAddicts #Italy #History

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I’ve been reading more of my friend Jonathan’s older articles on Italy as I plan a vacation there later this year, but I also love when he digs into the history of the places he’s been.

Are you an American tourist caught in the war in the Middle East? If you have a story to share, contact me via Signal at theroyaltour.98

It is good to see Europe moving forward in a post-US-leadership world. France extending their nuclear umbrella in the region will help. I hope the remainder of the EU likewise takes defense more seriously.

The fact that @bsky.app hired someone of @joshuajfriedman.com’s caliber to work with independent media shows the level of commitment they have. I hope that can extend past political and news outlets to those like mine that focus on other things that help build community. Josh, I’m here to help!

Congrats from this independent media outlet (travel focused)

Palazzo San Giorgio and Genoa’s Dark Days - The Royal Tour At the end of the 12th century, the Republic of Genoa was flourishing. Trade routes the city-state built during the early crusades kept money flowing in, and an ambitious building project beautified a...

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Today we move forward in our history of the Republic of Genoa. This period is less known - and less positive. But it set the stage for the golden age that was to come. Check it out!!

#TravelAddicts #Italy #History

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A church on a hill with boats and buildings in the foreground.

Marseille spread out from above

Notre Dame de la Garde with a golden figure atop its tower

Marseille is one of my favorite cities. It was so great to be back, if only for a day.

Two things can both be true:

1. Launching a war without Congress’ approval and no clear goal is not a good thing.

2. A world without Khamenei is a better world.

Good riddance to the Ayatollah. Screw Trump and Bibi.

Love this

Traveling to Work the Super Bowl Halftime Show - The Royal Tour Editor’s note: traveling for specific events is definitely a thing, and the Super Bowl is one that is on many sports fans’ lifetime bucket list. In this article, TRT writer Morgan teaches us how to se...

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Traveling for events is definitely a thing, and the Super Bowl might be the top of the list. But did you know you can work the halftime show? One of my guest writers shares how, and what it’s like. Check it out!

#TravelAddicts

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Trip Itinerary: Toulouse and Side Trips - The Royal Tour It’s hard to believe it’s down to my last month of this Europe trip. This month I’ll be based in Toulouse in southwestern France. It’s the first major stop on this trip that isn’t on the coast, not th...

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It is almost time for me to move on from Nice. Destination: Toulouse. Check out my itinerary!

#TravelAddicts

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When you do, let me know. I have recommendations

Great minds and all ;)

A hilltop town with a castle

Renoir’s painting of his house, yellow between trees

A sculpture of a nude woman doing laundry

A painting of a clothed woman doing laundry

Just outside Nice is Cagnes-Sur-Mer, where Renoir spent the last twenty years of his life. Mostly wheelchair bound, he painted in simpler strokes and even sculpted when he could no longer hold a brush.

Camogli and Italy’s Golfo Paradiso - The Royal Tour This was a day that wasn’t supposed to happen. Today, I was meant to take the train from my base in Genoa to the town of Santa Margharita Ligure, a coastal city best known as the place one catches the...

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One of my favorite days in Genoa was a happy accident of a day trip to one of the prettiest coastal villages in Italy, with easily one of the prettiest sunsets I’ve ever seen. Check this out!

#TravelAddicts #Italy

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I’m glad people donate. Such a worthwhile addition to life

Thank you! Yeah, I get my money’s worth from my annual donation

Celebrating Curacao - The Royal Tour Editor’s note: back in 2021, as the world was just beginning to open up from COVID, Curacao was my first destination. I spent three weeks on the island, and fell absolutely in love with the place and ...

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If you love amazing Caribbean islands, Curacao has to be on your list. It has awesome history, culture, and natural beauty… what else could you want? Oh yeah, good food. Check it out!

#TravelAddicts #Curacao

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Haha I wonder what traction feels like

So the UK can arrest a former prince, South Korea can sentence a former leader, and we are stuck with a rambling old racist because Republicans are too afraid of losing primaries. Got it.