travel that speaks to the heart
Can I share with you my happy place? My dream vacation spot in this season of life? My family’s favorite hotel? It’s truly a fairytale. Residing in a quiet corner of Switzerland’s Alps, the Märchenhotel Braunwald is an extraordinary family hotel that we have had the pleasure of visiting twice now – staying 2 nights…
Switzerland is a dreamy place. Almost everywhere you look is postcard perfect. I’m sure you’d recognize the epic scenery of the Jungfrau Region or the magnificent Matterhorn. Truly, Switzerland has no lack of jaw-dropping landscapes. Today, I’m here to share with you ONE OF MY FAVORITE PLACES IN ALL OF SWITZERLAND. It’s a sweet secret…
Although the year didn’t afford me much time for blogging (as I was quite occupied trip planning for clients!), 2019 sure didn’t stop me from enjoying some great eats! As it has become a Global Heartbeat Travel tradition, I am laying out all of my Best Eats of the Year, so that if you find…
While traveling around Spain this year, I was introduced to a ride-sharing phenomenon called BlaBlaCar. Given the fact that it’s becoming a fairly popular method of transportation in many countries around the world, I was surprised that I hadn’t yet heard about… and I found myself wishing the BlaBlaCar app had been in existence during…
If you follow me on Instagram, you may know that I have had the opportunity to return to Spain recently as a trip leader with Global Works Travel. You also may know that I absolutely love flamenco music and flamenco dancing. Case in point… Whenever our travel itinerary includes Granada, I always get to take…
Many traveling souls have fallen head over heels for a particular Belgian beauty named Bruges. The Flemish capital was the first stop on our epic babymoon adventure back in 2017. Little did Justin and I know that it would be the perfect place to start a trip that celebrated our marriage and our love. Allow…
2018 was a great year for great food. Take a look at my list of top eats around the globe and get my tips on how you can have a memorable meal, too!
Looking for things to do in Zurich? If the weather is nice, consider taking a little trip out to Jucker Farm for an afternoon of country delights. Jucker Farm is a well-run operation located just 30 minutes outside of Zurich in the little town of Seegräben above the shores of the Pfäffikersee. This farm is…
Guys, I have some big news to share with you… For months, I have been trying to write this post. Literally, for months I have been mulling over how to update you on our family’s story and explain my emotions behind it all. My post was going to be called “A Lifetime of Hellos and…
Over the Easter holiday, the Swiss Family Domeck and some dear friends from Orlando jetted over to Portugal in search of sunshine, good food, and new discoveries. Our journey started in the capital city of Lisbon, a visible mishmash of contemporary success and past hardships. Lisbon is artsy, funky, gritty, and even a little bit…
As a new mom who wanted to continue traveling with my baby, it was important for me to find a carryall bag that could serve as a diaper bag, a camera case, wallet keeper, and city pack. On our recent trip to Portugal, I put my newest travel product to the test. Today, I’m excited…
The week before Easter is a remarkable time to visit Spain. It’s Holy Week – Semana Santa in Spanish – and the religious holiday is celebrated with long processions, enormous floats, striking costumes and haunting music. If you find yourself traveling in Spain during this extraordinary week, you very well may come across sights such as…
This past week, the greater part of Europe was hit with “the beast from the East” – an unusual stratospheric phenomenon that brought arctic temperatures from Siberia’s polar north. As such, the continent experienced unseasonal bitter cold and some strange sights, like snow in London and Rome. Before the snow started falling in Zurich, however,…
When visiting Switzerland, you really can’t have the full Swiss experience without at least one mountain excursion on your travel itinerary. But with so many gorgeous Alpine peaks to explore, how can you decide which one is right for you? In my experience, a day at the Oeschinensee is bound to please most travelers. A…
If you visit Switzerland during the Christmas season, you are likely to encounter a special cast of characters that very well may surprise you. With a history like Switzerland’s – where Catholic and Protestant beliefs have merged with German, French and Italian customs – today’s Swiss Christmas traditions are a rather unique mix. During your…
Without a doubt, the best part about Zurich in the wintertime is the magic that comes with the Christmas season. If you find yourself in this Swiss city from late-November through December, then make sure to check out these fantastic festivities! LIGHTS NAMED LUCY Christmas lights have bedazzled Bahnhofstrasse, one of the most expensive shopping…
Every October and November, families in Zurich ditch the massive orange squash many of us associate with Halloween in favor of another root vegetable: the turnip. Turnips – or räbe in Swiss German – are the stars of the autumn season… somewhat literally. In a century-old tradition, plain purple turnips are transformed into twinkling lanterns…
I have a confession to make: I am fascinated by the itsy bitsy nations of Europe, and I harbor a secret desire to visit all of them some day. Since I am currently a bit homebound while I care for my newborn daughter, I am mentally reliving some of my more recent travels. As such,…
The first chilly winds of fall signal Alpine communities that the time has come: it is time to bring the cows, goats, and sheep down from their high mountain meadows to their winter homes in the valleys below. This past weekend launched the first of a series of festivals all across Switzerland that celebrate the…
As I mentioned in my last post, the Swiss Family Domecks spent the weekend of Swiss National Day in Zermatt. Thanks to the incredible magnetism of the Matterhorn mountain and half a dozen ways to reach the peaks surrounding this once-small-town in Canton Valais, Zermatt has become a major focal point for tourists visiting Switzerland.…
Zermatt is home to Switzerland’s most iconic mountain: The Matterhorn. With its croissant-shaped peak dramatically thrusting up into the sky, the mountain is absolutely magnetic. Visitors to Zermatt often let out a gasp of delight and awe when they catch their first glimpse of it. (Well, I certainly did!) Although I had visited Zermatt this…
Although I had no idea when I published Eating Through 2015, the meal I described in my last paragraph set the course for a wild and wonderful gastronomical journey through 2016: …I kicked off 2016 with an extremely memorable meal at Prato, thanks to a certain sous chef’s generosity and desire to treat our party with his favorite…
In 1291, three men stood in a field on a hillside above a lake and made an eternal pledge to one another and to the communities they represented. They promised to be there for one another, to defend and protect each other, to share in equal trade opportunities, and despite their differences, to remain united…
After two years of living in Zurich, I’ve been to the Zurich Airport (ZRH) enough to have noted a few things that makes this flughafen a travel experience in its own right. If you ever find yourself flying in or out of Zurich, Switzerland, then keep your eyes peeled for these six things to add…
Lake Como has easily become a favorite getaway destination for the Swiss Family Domecks over the past couple of years. Folded into the mountains of the Lombardy region of Italy, this wishbone-shaped lake is what travel dreams are made of. With romantic villas dotting the shoreline and dramatic mountains rising from the sparkling blue waters,…