Traveling with a gimlet eye.
“to have a gimlet eye”: to look at carefully and not miss anything
Welcome to The Gimlet Traveler. As our friends know, my husband and I are as particular about the quality of our vodka gimlets as we are about where and how we travel. For some time now, they have asked me for our vacation travel recommendations, so I’ve finally gathered my thoughts in one place, here, at The Gimlet Traveler. Most of these destinations are places we’ve visited, while some are planned itineraries for the future. New destinations, themed posts and pictures will continue to appear over time so be sure to check back! Hope you find this information helpful or inspiring. Cheers!
— Marc, the Gimlet Traveler
Rome, Italy
When planning our trip, it seemed everyone we spoke with had a strong opinion about Rome — they either loved it or…weren’t fans. We LOVED IT — and it quickly made it onto the list of favorite cities that we look forward to revisiting.
Civita Di Bagnoregio, Italy
It’s a dramatic walk to clifftop Civita Di Bagnoregio — don’t look down, if like me, you have a fear of heights! What’s awaiting you is an isolated village in the sky with stunning views, a few charming restaurants, and one unique and very special place to stay.
Florence, Italy
Piles of famous art aside (um, of course there is a photo of my David with Michelangelo’s Statue of David), Florence is a beautiful small city with lots of important and worthwhile sights. Spend at least two nights (even though we only spent one!).
Tuscany, Italy
Gorgeous countryside, historic hilltop towns, great food, pool time, beautiful weather and technicolor sunsets. I almost didn’t miss our martinis (almost).
Venice, Italy
Venice is one of those places that is more about a feeling or a mood than it is about a list of important sights to see (though there are plenty of those). Twisty walkways and canals, bridges, and its grand old Palazzos — we fell under its spell. Make sure to get on a boat and ride the canals at least once.
Italy Itinerary
For those who want all the info, this is the full Itinerary of our trip to Italy. It includes a detailed map with all the various destinations (Venice, Florence, Tuscany and Rome), along with some notes and tips.
Amsterdam, The Netherlands
Cocktail bars are big in Amsterdam — so that’s already a big plus! We found a few of those, but you won’t be at a loss of things to do, see, eat drink or buy, even in the midst of winter (we were there at the holidays). Just be careful when you cross the street — those bicyclists are intense!
Brugge, Belgium
We fell in love with Brugge. It’s simply beautiful, and yes, magical. It’s like a living fairy-tale village, but with great restaurants, cocktails, and shopping. We will go back.
Amsterdam-Brugge Itinerary
For those who want all the info, this is the Itinerary of our 2018 Brugge-Amsterdam Holiday trip. It includes a map with our train route via Antwerp, along with some notes and tips.
New Orleans, Louisiana
With a plethora of excellent restaurants, stylish cocktail lounges, live music and wonderfully unique architecture, New Orleans is incredibly diverse in its offerings; more so than its “go-cup” reputation sometimes suggests. That said, you should set aside at least one night here to just be silly, bar-hop and party, whatever that might mean for you. Just take two Advil and call us in the morning — we’ll want to hear all about it!
Paris, France
For many, it’s the most romantic and beautiful city on the planet, and for good reason. If you’ve been here, you’ll understand why. If not, what are you waiting for?
Provence, France
Go to Provence during the peak lavender season. With undulating hills and fields blanketed in purple flowers, it really is stunning. Plus all those pretty provencal towns, with their lovely street markets and picturesque architecture; it all makes for an intoxicating mix.
Marseille, France
Marseilles wasn’t really on our list of places to visit. It was convenient for flying home from Provence and as such, we spent just one day and night there before heading home. Because of that, we only got to explore the Old Port/Harbor area and did not get to explore the city’s funky, edgy and diverse surrounding neighborhoods — but we were still glad we got to spend a short time here.
Paris-Provence Itinerary
For those who want all the info, this is the Itinerary of our 2017 Paris-Provence-Marseilles trip. We took a train from Paris to Avignon and then rented a car which we dropped in Marseilles.
Savannah, Georgia
We were looking for an easy-to-get-to, reasonably priced long-weekend getaway with lots of local flavor. Savannah fit the bill perfectly.
Mexico City, Mexico
I was trying to find someplace to celebrate my husband’s 50th. A location with world class restaurants, great shopping, cool neighborhoods, no shortage of sights, and good gimlets (of course) — all at a reasonable price. Mexico City met all the requirements — and more.
Berlin, Germany
A future gimlet traveler destination, Berlin seems to have that mixture of meaningful history alongside edgy and sophisticated big-city cool that appeals to us — the old and the new. So many choices on all fronts!