Recently updated on November 27th, 2023 at 03:29 pm
Home celebrations can often underwhelm. Anxious fears about weather, restaurant bookings or potential no-shows can spoil the party. In contrast, Trafalgar’s guests know that life’s milestones call for special celebrations… in the shape of unique travel experiences. So from 30th wedding anniversaries to babymoon and graduation trips – read their stories to discover how to best celebrate milestones with travel.
5 ways to celebrate milestones with travel
Bernie and Laura Dake’s 30th wedding anniversary
Bernie and Laura Dake celebrated their 30th wedding anniversary in style on a 10-day Wonders of Italy tour – across Rome, Lucca, Cinque Terre, Pisa, Vatican City, Venice, Verona, Bologna, Assisi and Tivoli.
Inspired by friends who toured with Trafalgar, the happy couple chose to celebrate milestones with travel on their first ever tour to fulfil their long-time goal of visiting Italy. And it surpassed their (already high) expectations. Their tastebuds tingled with every bite of authentic Italian food and the blissful setting to match, such as a family-run Tuscan wine farm where they tasted Chianti wine and olive oil.
“So many incredible moments! Trafalgar arranged some of the best foodie experiences we have ever had. The Be Our Guest meals were beautiful. We didn’t have to wait in lines to visit museums or sites including the beautiful boat ride on the Grand Canal in Venice.
Cinque Terre and Tuscany were also unforgettable and we really appreciated the attention to detail from the travel director and local specialists.”
Laura Dake
Amazingly, Bernie’s birthday marked yet another milestone on the trip – and that night, Trafalgar travel director Marco arranged a birthday cake and all tour guests sang happy birthday during dinner at Villa Machiavelli, the ancient stone house where great political theorist wrote his immortal work, ‘The Prince’.
RELATED CONTENT: Trafalgar guests’ Bernie & Laura’s anniversary trip of a lifetime
The Tsipouras-Clark family celebrate Mariah’s graduation
Complete with crumbling castles, Irish dancing and stunning scenery – Tsipouras-Clark celebrated their daughter Mariah’s graduation with an Iconic Ireland and Ashford Castle tour in June.
Just-turned graduate Mariah (22) chose this trip to celebrate her achievement – and her older sister Marisa and parents Maris and Chris were more than happy to join. Remarkably, Chris (Dad) was able to connect with some Irish family heritage on the trip, which made it even more special.
“Ireland allowed us to disconnect from our busy lives back home and really enjoy quality time together before my sister and I step into our own lives. (Marisa just got married and now that we are both working full-time).
It reminded me how much I love being with my family.”
Mariah
The highlight?
“One of our favourite memories was visiting Blarney Castle and climbing up the narrow steps to kiss the Blarney stone. We were laughing and cracking jokes the whole way up.”
Mariah
Are you looking to celebrate milestones with travel? Why not take a look at our best family tours.
Morgan and Jared got engaged!
Nothing swells the heart quite like Venice. One couple who feel that beautifully is Morgan and Jared – who became engaged while in ‘The Queen of the Adriatic’ (Venice) on a 12-day European Whirl tour.
Jarden combined with our Travel and Wellbeing Directors to make sure the stars aligned and the setting was perfect for him to get down on one knee. And as the sun soared, they drifted blissful down Venetian canals. Jared popped the question. And the rest – they say – is history.
Happy engagement Morgan and Jared!
RELATED CONTENT: Trafalgar’s most romantic travel experiences
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Leanne and Shawn O’Donnell Hermann mark 25th years of marriage
From North Carolina (USA), Leanne and Shawn O’Donnell Hermann travelled to ‘The Emerald Isle’ for a special 25th wedding anniversary trip. During which, they decided to renew their vows at Knock Shrine (a National Marian shrine) – supported by all 48 of Trafalgar’s Best of Ireland tour guests!
Leanne and Shawn connected with their Catholic heritage; and Shawn also connected with his family heritage too. As they traced his family ties back to County Donegal when his fifth-generation grandfather, Dennis O’Donnell (and his two brothers) emigrated from Ireland in the late 1700s and settled in western Pennsylvania, USA. So this trip was extra special for him!
They loved touring Donegal Castle, found by the beautiful river Eske, where they roamed the Banqueting hall and museum of this magnificent 15th century Norman tower house. As well as the nearby meadows.
Incredibly, there were also three honeymoons on tour. Proving that love is in the Irish air.
RELATED CONTENT: Once-in-a-lifetime trips to add to your bucket list
Jeff and Kim enjoy their ‘babymoon‘
This is one of our favourite ways to celebrate milestones with travel. Jeff and Kim proved it’s never too early to treat your little ones to the magic of travel, culture and history when they embarked on a 12-day babymoon trip across Belgium, Netherlands, Germany, Austria, Italy (including Vatican City), Switzerland and France.
They returned home in a blissful, culturally enlightened state: after roaming bright Swiss countryside, sharing a meal with a local family at their home (set within a garden of oak trees against the backdrop of Tuscan vineyards and olive groves), and cruising the Rhine (spotting Medieval castles on route).
Which trip(s) have inspired you to celebrate milestones with travel? Tell us in the comments below!