Europe

This year marks the 80th anniversary of D-Day and the Battle of Normandy, pivotal moments when allied forces liberated occupied France and ultimately brought an end to World War II. As a Backroads Trip Leader in Brittany & Normandy, I’ve witnessed first hand the profound impact of revisiting this history and the sense of pride and hope it instills.

Turkey is known as the place where East meets West. It’s where Christianity meets Islam, where Byzantine meets Ottoman and where Europe meets Asia. Some of our favorite places to hike in Turkey are ones that are off the typical tourist path (this is Backroads, after all!) Here are some places we consider to be must-see locations on your next trip to Turkey.

From the infectious rhythms of Cuba’s iconic salsa music to the down-home pluckiness of Bluegrass by-the-fire in Kentucky, the live music on the trips below strikes just the right chord. 

We just got back from Mallorca and Menorca, where, as you can see in these photos shot by Liz, I had a smile on my face for the whole week.

The most sparsely populated country in Europe, Iceland is a place where nature dwarfs humanity. It’s awe-inspiring and humbling, and it’s one of our favorite places to travel—here are five reasons why.

The first time I saw Italy was by bike. As it turned out, taking it slow, savoring the details, connecting more personally with the destination is all deeply embedded in the very nature of traveling by bike.

We asked Trip Leader Elle Lichter to take us on a virtual trip to France’s world-famous Loire Valley to share her insights and behind-the-scenes info from this beautiful corner of Europe, and satisfy just a bit of your wanderlust!

As a former Glasgow bartender, I’ve spent most of my working life writing lists of “cool Scottish stuff” on napkins for passing tourists. I couldn’t be more excited to give you some bona fide inside knowledge that will bring your Caledonian adventure to life!

We were 19 strangers meeting for the first time at the airport in Heraklion, Crete. We all had a common passion for cycling, hiking, seeing the world, and eating great food. Our easily identifiable Backroads jerseys came in handy while we were waiting for each other's arrivals.

The dark, cold waters of Scotland's Loch Ness stretch 23 miles in length and plunge to depths of nearly 800 feet, making it the largest body of water (by volume) in all of Great Britain. And so, it's no wonder that for centuries, people have wondered what strange creatures may live beneath the lake's inscrutable surface... perhaps beasts like the infamous Loch Ness Monster.