Raito, Italia: The Perfect Amalfi Getaway!

Raito, Italia.

Raito, Italy is a gorgeous, albeit tiny, village perched high above the Amalfi Coast, almost directly overlooking Vietri sul Mare. It also happened to be the first proper stop on our big Italian family vacation in late September 2025. We selected it, honestly, for one reason: its charming hotel with stunning views of Vietri sul Mare, Salerno and its sweeping Gulf. In this post, I’ll share how we and our friends’ family spent 3 unforgettable days in Raito, from what we did and where we ate to the hidden gems that made this quiet hilltop village so magical.

Beautiful sunrise in Raito, Italia.

Beautiful sunrise from Hotel Raito, Italia.

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30 Stunning Photos That Will Make You Want to Visit Naxos, Greece

Naxos Portara.

After five amazing nights in Chania, we took the ferry from Heraklion (Crete) to Naxos, where we spent another four nights. Unlike Crete, Naxos is part of the Cyclades, or the iconic “blue and white” islands that probably come to mind when you think of Greece (a la Mamma Mia).

We had a whole itinerary planned, but once we arrived, the island’s relaxed beauty swept us away. Instead of rushing from one attraction to another, we decided to slow down, embrace the laid-back vibe, and simply hang out. Naxos completely stole our hearts, and I’m already dreaming of the day we return.

Since we ended up scrapping most of our original plans, this post is less about a detailed itinerary and more about simply Naxos — sharing some of my favorite snapshots from our time in Naxos to inspire your own visit.

30 Stunning Photos That Will Make You Want to Visit Naxos, Greece

We were welcomed to Naxos with a sailboat with the Portara (Naxos’ most famous landmark) in the back.

30 Stunning Photos That Will Make You Want to Visit Naxos, Greece

The flowers were very pretty throughout Naxos.

Welcome to Naxos.

This was just a random street.

Sun setting in Naxos Chora.

Sun setting in Chora (Naxos Town).

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The Perfect Itinerary for 5 Relaxing Days in Chania, Crete!

Chania, Crete.

This summer’s Mediterranean vacay brought us back to Greece,this time to the stunning islands of Crete and Naxos, followed by a one-night stay in Athens. Crete and Naxos were both new islands for us, and we absolutely loved them. In this post, we’re sharing highlights from our five-day stay in Crete – though honestly, five days wasn’t nearly enough. We’re already read to go back! This post details what we did in Chania over five days and how you can recreate our trip for yourself!

A very beautiful welcome to Crete.

A postcard-perfect welcome to beautiful Chania.

DAY 1: ARRIVAL AND DINNER IN THE OLD VENETIAN PORT

Our first day in Crete was an exhausting one, as we arrived in Athens direct from JFK in the early morning and transferred a few hours later to Aegean Airlines for a 1 hour flight to Chania, Crete. While tiring, our transit and arrival was pretty seamless and we spent about two hours in Athen’s Skyserv domestic lounge (it’s just OK). We finally arrived in Chania in the late afternoon, taxied to our hotel, Domes Zeen Chania (which is GREAT!), and promptly took a nap. Luckily, Domes Zeen Chania is super nice and comfortable – separate review coming soon.

Our private pool at Domes Zeen Chania.

Our private pool at Domes Zeen Chania.

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Airport Lounge Review: Primeclass Lounge (US Departures), Bermuda St. Georges’s L.F. Wade International

Primeclass Lounge (US Departures), Bermuda International.

We visited Bermuda for Labor Day weekend at the end of August to celebrate the long weekend and, more importantly, our 8th anniversary! We visited Bermuda airport’s U.S. Departures Primeclass Lounge on our way home. While small, we found this Primeclass Lounge to be quite nice and relaxing. We would happily visit again. This post reviews the Primeclass Lounge for U.S. Departures in Bermuda St. George’s L.F. Wade International Airport. Note that there is a separate Primeclass Lounge for non-US international departures in the same airport, which we did not (and could not) visit.

The beach off Bermuda.

Bermuda – only 2 hours from the NYC area.

THE BERMUDA PRIMECLASS LOUNGE – US DEPARTURES

The US Departures Primeclass Lounge is located past security, past passport control, and past US Customs (which one does in Bermuda – not on arrival in the US) on the second floor of the airport. It is located between the sole bar in the US Departures area and an overpriced Love Bermuda gift shop, just at the top of the escalator. The US departures area is not large, and the lounge is not difficult to locate. The Primeclass lounge is currently the sole lounge in the US departures area.

Entrance to the Primeclass Lounge.

Entrance to the Primeclass Lounge in the US Departures area.

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Visiting The San Blas Islands as a Day Trip from Panama City, Panama

San Blas Islands, Panama.

Are you considering visiting Panama’s San Blas Islands, possibly as a day trip from Panama City?  This article explains the details of a day vist to the San Blas Islands, provides tips for visiting the San Blas Islands, and why I probably wouldn’t do it again, ha. And, by way of background, Dan and I visited the San Blas Islands as a day trip from our nearly week-long stay in Panama City, Panama in early April. I selected the San Blas Islands over other popular island destinations, such as Bocas del Toro due to the fact that you can drive from Panama City.

A Panama beer at the San Blas Islands.

A Panama beer at the San Blas Islands.

The San Blas Islands

And what are the San Blas Islands you may ask? The San Blas Islands are a group of approximately 300 autonomous Panamanian islands off the northern coast of Panama in the Caribbean Sea.  Panama’s indigenous Guna (a/k/a Kuna) population reside in the San Blas Islands, which are famous for their Mola fabrics. Today, the Guna people earn nearly all of their money from tourism and selling handicrafts.

The San Blas Islands undoubtedly have some beautiful areas.

The San Blas Islands undoubtedly have some beautiful areas.

The San Blas Islands are currently popular with tourists for their crystal clear blue waters, as well as ecotourism. We found the San Blas Islands to be quite pretty, but pretty rustic and not easy to navigate for a typical tourist without some sort of guide. Indeed, you can’t even access them without taking a boat from the mainland. The Guna people have their own language and heritage, which is really interesting if you have time to read up on them. There is also a (free!) Mola Museum in Panama City that provides a solid background before visiting.

Mola fabric from the Mola Museum in Panama City.

Mola fabric from the Mola Museum in Panama City.

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