Celebrate Your Love for Europe in 2023

Dear Travellers,

The cold and snow have arrived. If you are still here in Canada this winter, the weather for most of us is not pleasant and enjoyable. Unless that is, you are devoting these cozy months to reading, dreaming, and planning a delightful Spring or Fall escape overseas.

With almost all restrictions lifted around the world, travel in 2023 is invigorating, exciting, and on everyone’s to-do list after the pandemic years. It’s good to know with Senior Discovery Tours that you will still be in safe hands when venturing abroad; we continue to take smart precautions to help ensure both an exhilarating and healthy holiday for all.

This is also February, the month of love. To celebrate, we thought we would show our affection with a tasty recipe: a strawberry and chocolate fruit dip that’s easy to prepare and healthy too! See below.

So, let’s take your mind off the blizzards and dipping temperatures. Allow us to entice you with beautiful dreams of Europe. Ready to hop aboard?

Tuscany to Nice: A Radiant Tour of Two Rivieras

Does your travel taste run more to sunshine, sea, and medieval hill towns? The perpetually popular countries of France and Italy – rich in art, culture, and stunning shorelines seduce sophisticated travellers year after year. Think rugged coastal towns and century-old vineyards. Renaissance art, rolling hills, opulent chateaus — and chic glamorous seaside resorts of the rich and famous. Sounds delectable, doesn’t it?

We have put together for you an enchanting two-week tour covering so many of the most desirable places along the French and Italian rivieras – with a departure this October. Our Mediterranean Magic tour will include the highlights of Tuscany and the Italian Riviera – like the artful magnificence of Florence, the leaning tower of Pisa, and the dramatic coastal scenery of Portofino and Cinque Terre. Then in France, you will enjoy a dreamy six-night stay in beautiful Nice, on the azure seas touring all the jewels in the French Riviera’s dazzling crown.

Did you know that the Côte d’Azur enjoys the highest sunshine index in France with no less than 300 days of sunny skies each year? Interested in learning about the fascinating history of the French Riviera? Read about it here.

Eastern Europe Delights: Exploring Budapest, Vienna, and Prague

Sprinkled with hilltop castles, ornate cathedrals, and imperial palaces, the grand cities of Vienna, Budapest, and Prague never fail to captivate and astound the visitor. These illustrious capital cities of Europe have successfully emerged from the shadow of Paris and London over the last few decades to become well-deserved tourist hotspots. Each one is imbued with a special magic, a pearl of wisdom, and richness in its weathered buildings and storied sites that only centuries of dramatic history bring. No lifetime would be complete without a few days spent in each of these dynamic capitals discovering their war-torn pasts, radical art movements, and unique local cultures.

This September, we have for you a wonderful two-week Magic of Eastern Europe tour to Budapest, Vienna, and Prague. In it, we will take you through the medieval villages, gothic castles, and famous monuments of three of Europe’s oldest and most fascinating cities.

Here are three interesting facts about these great cities:

1. Prague is home to the largest castle in the world! Its 130-metre-wide medieval castle with its massive 70,000 square metres of land has made the Guinness Book of World Records. This is a Czech attraction we will visit on our Magic of Eastern Europe Tour

2. Vienna is the birthplace of the “French croissant”. These buttery and soft delights are based on an Austrian pastry called Kipferl (meaning ‘crescent’ in German). They were made by Viennese bakers to commemorate the Austrian victory over the Ottoman Turks in 1683. It was Marie Antoinette who first introduced her favorite Viennese pastry to France.

3. Budapest has been dubbed the “Queen of the Danube” and proudly wears this name with a stunning mix of historic buildings. Some argue that Vienna deserves the title, but Budapest beats it with the greatest variety of styles. It is also known as a “city of spas” – so bring a bathing suit when you go.

Roasted Strawberry Fruit Dip with Dark Chocolate

We thought you might enjoy this rich, creamy, and healthy fruit dip with roasted strawberries and dark chocolate. This is a wonderful dish for a few reasons: Greek yogurt, fruit, and even dark chocolate are full of healthy nutrients and antioxidants, so it’s a snack you can feel good about eating. Also, this dip tastes rich and flavourful, so you can trick your brain into thinking you’re getting an indulgent treat. Plus, its lovely strawberry and chocolate combination is perfect for the month of love!

Ingredients:
– 12 ounces (weight) of fresh strawberries
– 2 tablespoons honey or agave nectar
– 2 teaspoons vanilla extract
– 1 cup plain Greek yogurt
– 1 tablespoon of dark chocolate shavings (use a vegetable peeler), plus extra shaved chocolate for the garnish
– Variety of fruits for dipping (bananas, strawberries, raspberries, pineapple, etc.)

Preparation instructions:
1. Preheat the oven to 375° F.
2. Remove the stems from the strawberries and cut the berries in half. Place the berries in a large mixing bowl and add the agave and vanilla extract. Stir until well-combined. Arrange the berries on a baking sheet that you’ve lined with parchment paper. Roast the berries for about 18 minutes, or just until the berries soften and begin to release their juices.
3. Place the berries in a large mixing bowl and puree using an immersion hand blender (or blend using a food processor or blender). Strain any excess liquid from the Greek yogurt and add it into the bowl. Sprinkle dark chocolate shavings over the dip. Stir to combine all ingredients.
4. Transfer the dip to a serving bowl and serve chilled with a variety of fruits for dipping.

 

Our Fall Tours Brochure Has Arrived!

Finally, we wanted to let you know that our new travel brochure Volume 3 -2023 Fall Tours is now ready. It should reach your doorstep soon! We are very excited about our new itineraries – like a Scotland East Coast tour, an Italian Dolomites and Slovenia walking tour – and an exotic tour of the United Arab Emirates — along with the return of many favourites. You can peruse it online here.

Lastly, we hope you stay warm this winter – and that you will join us on an inspiring journey to somewhere wonderful in 2023.

Sincerely,

Danny Shay
President, Senior Discovery Tours

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Ready to travel? Let us save your seat!
Call to book 1.800.268.3492 or visit SeniorDiscoveryTours.ca

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CARP Members: Book your spot on any tours booked in 2023 and receive $100 off per person, per booking. Use promotion code: CARP at the time of booking. The discount must be applied at time of booking, is not valid on existing bookings, is not combinable with any other offer, and has no cash value.

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