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5 Things to Do in Atlanta in the Fall

October 21, 2015 by Amy Johns in Travel, USA, The South, Georgia, Atlanta

Fall is my absolute favorite time of year and, in my opinion, when Atlanta is the most enjoyable. The heat and humidity has finally broken and we can all get outside for a little fresh air without dissolving into a puddle. While, this is not an exhaustive list, here are just a few of my favorite ways to enjoy all of Atlanta's autumnal glory. #fallismyfavorite

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October 21, 2015 /Amy Johns
atlanta, fall, brewery, winery, sweetwater brewing company, monday night brewing, red brick brewing, terrapin beer company, frog town cellars, dahlonega, atlanta beltline, ponce city market, krog street market, piedmont park, stone mountain park, village corner, oktoberfest, silver comet trail, helen, helen georgia, bavaria, troll tavern, pumpkin, pumpkin patch, burt's farm, uncle shucks corn maze and pumpkin patch, cypress street pint & plate, tap, peachtree street, cafe intermezzo, jct kitchen & bar, the southern gentleman, buckhead atlanta, midtown atlanta
Travel, USA, The South, Georgia, Atlanta
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Santorini Travel Guide

October 15, 2015 by Amy Johns in Travel, Europe, Greece, Guide, Amy's Pick

In honor of Kyle and I's five year anniversary this week, I thought I would share a little photo diary and travel guide from our honeymoon in Santorini, Greece! We spent time in both Athens and Santorini, but really, Santorini takes the cake. This place is so beautiful that it is actually, physically impossible to take a bad picture. All of your photos will turn out amazing. It's like a rule or something.

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October 15, 2015 /Amy Johns
santorini, greece, honeymoon, travel, travel guide, athens, oia, sunset, caldera, view, cave, cave hotel, shopping, mystique resort, luxury link, 5 star, boutique hotel, scooter, sailing, volcano, sulphur springs, seafood, snorkel, amoudi bay, akrotiri, red beach, winery, santo winery, kamari, black sand beach
Travel, Europe, Greece, Guide, Amy's Pick
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Frogtown Cellars

August 24, 2015 by Amy Johns in Travel, USA, Georgia, The South

One of Kyle and I's favorite things to do when the weather is nice and we have a free weekend, is head up to some of the vineyards and wineries in North Georgia. We have tried out several now, but our favorite one to visit is Frogtown Cellars. Its just over an hour outside of Atlanta and has the most beautiful views.

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August 24, 2015 /Amy Johns
frogtown, winery, georgia, agritourism, vineyard, wine cellar, wolf mountain vineyard, frogtown winery, panini, wine tasting, clouds, blue skies, fruit and cheese
Travel, USA, Georgia, The South
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Montalcino, Italy

Montalcino + Siena | Italy, part 1

July 12, 2015 by Amy Johns in Travel, Europe, Italy

A few weeks back, Kyle and I embarked on what will henceforth be known as The Great Italian Road Trip! For ten days, we explored as much of Italy as humanly possible. After arriving in Rome bright and early, we picked up our Roman chariot, otherwise known as a rental car, and set out for the town of Montalcino.

amy&kyle, montalcino, italy
Montalcino, Italy
Montalcino, Italy

Operating on a combined four hours of sleep, we wandered through the town, took in the stunning views and then quickly sought an energy boost in the form of the nearest pizza. 

A small, medieval hill town in the heart of Tuscany, Montalcino is most famous for the many surrounding vineyards and their Brunello wines. After lunch, we headed to Mate Winery for a tour and tasting before continuing on to Siena.

Montalcino, Italy
Mate Winery, Montalcino
Mate Winery, Montalcino

When I studied abroad in Italy in college, I was able to visit Siena on a day trip and I absolutely loved it!  I remember having the most amazing lunch of wine and pizza on the Piazza del Campo, followed, for some unknown reason, by a lively serenade from a two-man Italian band. All in all, I found this small city so entertaining that when planning this trip, I knew I wanted to spend more time there.

We stayed at Siena's Grand Hotel Continental, a boutique five star hotel originally built as an aristocratic palace in the 17th century. The hotel was perfect in every single way: unbeatable, location, friendly staff, good room size, clean, free (and delicious) breakfast and incredible views!

That night, we enjoyed a light dinner at a cafe situated right on the aforementioned Piazza del Campo, which is Siena's medieval town square. The "square" itself is actually a shell-shaped public space made of red brick and travertine - it is one of my favorite spots in Italy.

Siena, Italy
Grand Hotel Continental, Siena, Italy
Grand Hotel Continental, SIena, Italy
Piazza del Campo, SIena

On day two of our trip, we woke up ready to explore Siena a bit more before heading to our next locale. After breakfast at the hotel, we visited Siena's Duomo, Santa Maria Assunta. To me, with its black and white interior stripes, this is one of the most unique churches and a must see!

*Tip: All churches in Italy are referred to as duomo's. The word is derived from the Latin word "domus," which means "house," i.e. House of God.

Siena Cathedral
Siena Cathedral
Siena, Italy
Piazza del Campo, Siena, Italy

After, Kyle did a bit of shopping, we made one last pass through the Piazza and then we were off to our next stop...Florence! I lived in Florence during my study abroad and fell in love. I was so excited to share one of my favorite places in the world with Kyle and I can't wait to share it here soon!

July 12, 2015 /Amy Johns
travel, italy, tuscany, montalcino, siena, roadtrip, europe, vineyard, winery
Travel, Europe, Italy
4 Comments