Épisodes

  • Beyond the Horizon: the Ultimate Stockholm Guide
    May 9 2026

    Golden light dancing over the Baltic, cobblestone streets echoing with centuries of history, and a city spread across islands like a perfectly scattered constellation... welcome to Stockholm.

    📄 READ THE WHOLE DESTINATION GUIDE

    In this episode, we take you deep into Sweden’s capital with a refined, insider perspective, far beyond the postcard version. Inspired by my full guide to Stockholm, this journey is designed to help you experience the city the way a seasoned traveler, or a well-connected local, would.

    We begin in Gamla Stan, where narrow medieval alleys lead you toward the grandeur of the Royal Palace. From there, we move into the cultural depth of Djurgården, home to the iconic Vasa Museum and peaceful waterfront paths.

    You will follow a curated flow of the city, from vibrant neighborhoods like Södermalm to elegant boulevards and hidden cafés, all designed to maximize your time while keeping that sense of discovery alive.

    Stockholm is also a lifestyle. Think refined Nordic cuisine, minimalist design, and memorable dining experiences at places like Restaurant Adam/Albin. We also cover the best time to visit, how to move efficiently between islands, and the subtle details that turn a good trip into something exceptional.

    Because Stockholm is not just a destination, it is a rhythm, a feeling, a quiet kind of luxury that stays with you long after you leave.

    Yvan Junior BlanchetteTravel & Cruise SpecialistÆRIA Voyages

    📩 yvanblanchette@aeriavoyages.com📞 1-888-460-3388🌐 aeriavoyages.com



    This is a public episode. If you'd like to discuss this with other subscribers or get access to bonus episodes, visit blog.aeriavoyages.com/subscribe
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    41 min
  • The Ultimate Edinburgh Travel Guide: What to know, where to go, and how to make the most of your visit
    May 4 2026

    Edinburgh is unlike any other European capital. Its medieval Old Town and Georgian New Town, both UNESCO World Heritage Sites, coexist in an extraordinarily compact space. The castle looks down over everything from a volcanic plug 340 million years old. And Greyfriars Kirkyard holds the real grave of Tom Riddle.

    In this episode, we explore the city in depth: the neighbourhoods (Old Town, New Town, Leith, Stockbridge), the essential sites (Castle, Holyroodhouse, Arthur’s Seat, National Museum, Royal Yacht Britannia), Edinburgh’s connection to the Harry Potter universe (George Heriot’s School, Greyfriars Kirkyard, Victoria Street), and the stories no one tells you before you go (the Balmoral clock that runs three minutes fast, the brigadier penguin at the zoo, the alcoholic elephant that once lived in the castle).

    We also cover restaurants, hotels, day trips to the Highlands and the Borders, the best time of year to visit, and how Edinburgh fits into a broader Scotland or British Isles itinerary.

    The full article accompanying this episode is available

    Yvan Junior Blanchette

    Travel & Cruise Specialist

    ÆRIA Voyages

    📩 yvanblanchette@aeriavoyages.com

    📞 1-888-460-3388

    🌐 aeriavoyages.com

    #Edinburgh #Scotland #Travel #podcast #BeyondTheHorizons #AERIAVoyages #HarryPotter #visitscotland #ScotlandTravel #travelguide



    This is a public episode. If you'd like to discuss this with other subscribers or get access to bonus episodes, visit blog.aeriavoyages.com/subscribe
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    41 min
  • Brief | The Ultimate CANYON SPIRIT Guide: What It Is, How It Works, and What to Expect
    Apr 29 2026
    Canyon Spirit is America’s answer to the Rocky Mountaineer experience. It comes from the same company.Daylight only. Glass-dome coaches. All meals, all beverages, and all storytelling included in the fare. No sleeping cars because darkness is precisely what the train was designed to eliminate. And the American Southwest rolling past the windows all day long through landscapes that genuinely cannot be seen any other way.We cover the full guide, including:The origin story: Rocky Mountaineer’s Armstrong Collective applied its Canadian Rockies formula to the American Southwest, launched as Rockies to the Red Rocks, and rebranded as Canyon Spirit for the 2026 season with expanded routes and its own distinct identityThe glass-dome design: single-level coaches with dome windows curving from the side walls to the roof, so canyon walls rising hundreds of metres above the train and ridgelines overhead are visible from your seat without standing or moving. When the train runs through Glenwood Canyon along the Colorado River, the canyon does not appear beside you. It surrounds you.The routes in 2026: Denver to Moab in two days through Glenwood Canyon and into Utah’s red rock country, or Denver to Salt Lake City in three days continuing through canyon country to the Wasatch Mountains. Both directions available, weekly departures April through November.The three package tiers: Signature Rail for the train and mid-journey hotels only, Signature Rail and Stay adding hotels at the journey endpoints, and Signature Rail and Beyond adding curated national park excursions including guided programmes through Utah’s Mighty 5Signature vs Premier: all-inclusive seat-delivered meals and beverages for every guest at the Signature level, with the Premier upgrade unlocking a private lounge car with paired wines, signature cocktails, a dedicated Host, and an exclusive outdoor viewing areaWhat is included in every fare: all meals, all alcoholic and non-alcoholic beverages, gourmet snacks, Host storytelling, luggage handling, motorcoach transfers, and mid-journey hotel stays in Glenwood Springs and Moab. Gratuities for onboard crew included.Moab as the centrepiece destination: Arches and Canyonlands National Parks within 45 minutes, Colorado River rafting, red rock hiking in every direction, and a town whose scale feels proportionate to the landscape around itThe Reba McEntire partnership: a brand alignment around American storytelling and the spirit of exploration. She does not appear on the train.How Canyon Spirit compares to Rocky Mountaineer, Amtrak’s California Zephyr, and VIA Rail’s The Canadian, and for whom the daylight-only glass-dome formula is the right callCanyon Spirit is not efficient transport.Denver to Salt Lake City by air takes two hours. Canyon Spirit takes three days by design.The guests it suits best are those who see that not as a trade-off, but as the entire point.🎧 Listen on your favourite platform* Spotify* Apple Podcasts* YouTube* and more…Learn more🌐 blog.aeriavoyages.com🌐 facebook.com/beyondthehorizonpodcast📄 READ THE FULL GUIDEPlan your trip or cruise with ÆRIA VoyagesAs a travel advisor, I’m here to turn your ideas into a journey that’s truly yours. Feel free to reach out, I’d love to guide you every step of the way.Yvan Junior BlanchetteTravel & Cruise Specialist ÆRIA Voyages📩 yvanblanchette@aeriavoyages.com📞 1-888-460-3388🌐 aeriavoyages.com This is a public episode. If you'd like to discuss this with other subscribers or get access to bonus episodes, visit blog.aeriavoyages.com/subscribe
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    3 min
  • The Ultimate CANYON SPIRIT Guide: What It Is, How It Works, and What to Expect
    Apr 29 2026
    Canyon Spirit is America’s answer to the Rocky Mountaineer experience. It comes from the same company.Daylight only. Glass-dome coaches. All meals, all beverages, and all storytelling included in the fare. No sleeping cars because darkness is precisely what the train was designed to eliminate. And the American Southwest rolling past the windows all day long through landscapes that genuinely cannot be seen any other way.We cover the full guide, including:The origin story: Rocky Mountaineer’s Armstrong Collective applied its Canadian Rockies formula to the American Southwest, launched as Rockies to the Red Rocks, and rebranded as Canyon Spirit for the 2026 season with expanded routes and its own distinct identityThe glass-dome design: single-level coaches with dome windows curving from the side walls to the roof, so canyon walls rising hundreds of metres above the train and ridgelines overhead are visible from your seat without standing or moving. When the train runs through Glenwood Canyon along the Colorado River, the canyon does not appear beside you. It surrounds you.The routes in 2026: Denver to Moab in two days through Glenwood Canyon and into Utah’s red rock country, or Denver to Salt Lake City in three days continuing through canyon country to the Wasatch Mountains. Both directions available, weekly departures April through November.The three package tiers: Signature Rail for the train and mid-journey hotels only, Signature Rail and Stay adding hotels at the journey endpoints, and Signature Rail and Beyond adding curated national park excursions including guided programmes through Utah’s Mighty 5Signature vs Premier: all-inclusive seat-delivered meals and beverages for every guest at the Signature level, with the Premier upgrade unlocking a private lounge car with paired wines, signature cocktails, a dedicated Host, and an exclusive outdoor viewing areaWhat is included in every fare: all meals, all alcoholic and non-alcoholic beverages, gourmet snacks, Host storytelling, luggage handling, motorcoach transfers, and mid-journey hotel stays in Glenwood Springs and Moab. Gratuities for onboard crew included.Moab as the centrepiece destination: Arches and Canyonlands National Parks within 45 minutes, Colorado River rafting, red rock hiking in every direction, and a town whose scale feels proportionate to the landscape around itThe Reba McEntire partnership: a brand alignment around American storytelling and the spirit of exploration. She does not appear on the train.How Canyon Spirit compares to Rocky Mountaineer, Amtrak’s California Zephyr, and VIA Rail’s The Canadian, and for whom the daylight-only glass-dome formula is the right callCanyon Spirit is not efficient transport.Denver to Salt Lake City by air takes two hours. Canyon Spirit takes three days by design.The guests it suits best are those who see that not as a trade-off, but as the entire point.🎧 Listen on your favourite platform* Spotify* Apple Podcasts* YouTube* and more…Learn more🌐 blog.aeriavoyages.com🌐 facebook.com/beyondthehorizonpodcast📄 READ THE FULL GUIDEPlan your trip or cruise with ÆRIA VoyagesAs a travel advisor, I’m here to turn your ideas into a journey that’s truly yours. Feel free to reach out, I’d love to guide you every step of the way.Yvan Junior BlanchetteTravel & Cruise Specialist ÆRIA Voyages📩 yvanblanchette@aeriavoyages.com📞 1-888-460-3388🌐 aeriavoyages.com This is a public episode. If you'd like to discuss this with other subscribers or get access to bonus episodes, visit blog.aeriavoyages.com/subscribe
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    51 min
  • Brief | Rocky Mountaineer: What It Is, How It Works, and What to Expect
    Apr 29 2026

    Rocky Mountaineer has won the World’s Leading Travel Experience by Train award eight times.

    It travels by daylight only. Every kilometre of the Canadian Rockies rolls past glass-dome windows while passengers are awake and seated. There are no sleeping cars because darkness is precisely what Rocky Mountaineer was designed to eliminate.

    And in 2026, one of its most beloved routes may be operating for the very last time.

    We cover the full guide, including:

    The fundamental design: why a flight covers the same distance in under two hours and Rocky Mountaineer takes two to three days by design, and why the guests who understand that distinction before booking are the ones who describe the experience as one of the best of their lives

    GoldLeaf vs SilverLeaf: the bi-level glass-dome coaches with rotating seats and a dedicated lower-level dining room versus the single-level panoramic dome with seat-delivered meals, and how to decide which one fits your travel style and budget

    The four routes in 2026: First Passage to the West through the Fraser Canyon and the Spiral Tunnels to Banff, Journey through the Clouds to Jasper via the Yellowhead Pass and Mount Robson, the new Passage to the Peaks running exclusively in June and July between Banff and Jasper for the first time, and the Rainforest to Gold Rush through Whistler, the Cariboo, and northern BC

    The Rainforest to Gold Rush closure: Rocky Mountaineer announced on March 30, 2026, that this route will not operate in 2027 and is not in the 2028 schedule. CN Railway is discontinuing operations on the trackage the route depends on. If this route has ever been on your list, 2026 is almost certainly your last opportunity.

    Circle Journeys: combining First Passage to the West and Journey through the Clouds into a four-day rail experience that crosses the Rockies twice from different directions, connected by the Icefields Parkway between Banff and Jasper

    What is and is not included: all onboard meals, beverages, Host commentary, luggage transfer, motorcoach transfers, and the overnight hotel in the intermediate city. Hotels in Vancouver, Banff, and Jasper at journey start and end booked separately.

    How Rocky Mountaineer fits into a Canadian Rockies itinerary: Vancouver before, Banff and Jasper after, and the Icefields Parkway as the overland connector that makes the Circle Journey the most recommended structure in the market

    How Rocky Mountaineer compares to Canyon Spirit, VIA Rail’s The Canadian, the Belmond Royal Scotsman, and the Glacier Express

    The train does not move quickly. That is the point.

    The Fraser Canyon appears within two hours of Vancouver. The Spiral Tunnels loop through the mountain. Mount Robson generates its own weather system and is cloud-covered on most days. Seeing it clearly is considered a notable piece of luck.

    The Rainforest to Gold Rush will not run in 2027. 2026 departures are available now.

    🎧 Listen on your favourite platform

    * Spotify

    * Apple Podcasts

    * YouTube

    * and more…

    📄 READ THE FULL GUIDE

    Learn more

    🌐 blog.aeriavoyages.com

    🌐 facebook.com/beyondthehorizonpodcast

    Yvan Junior BlanchetteTravel & Cruise Specialist ÆRIA Voyages

    📩 yvanblanchette@aeriavoyages.com📞 1-888-460-3388🌐 aeriavoyages.com



    This is a public episode. If you'd like to discuss this with other subscribers or get access to bonus episodes, visit blog.aeriavoyages.com/subscribe
    Afficher plus Afficher moins
    3 min
  • The Ultimate ROCKY MOUNTAINEER Guide: What It Is, How It Works, and What to Expect
    Apr 29 2026

    Rocky Mountaineer has won the World’s Leading Travel Experience by Train award eight times.

    It travels by daylight only. Every kilometre of the Canadian Rockies rolls past glass-dome windows while passengers are awake and seated. There are no sleeping cars because darkness is precisely what Rocky Mountaineer was designed to eliminate.

    And in 2026, one of its most beloved routes may be operating for the very last time.

    We cover the full guide, including:

    The fundamental design: why a flight covers the same distance in under two hours and Rocky Mountaineer takes two to three days by design, and why the guests who understand that distinction before booking are the ones who describe the experience as one of the best of their lives

    GoldLeaf vs SilverLeaf: the bi-level glass-dome coaches with rotating seats and a dedicated lower-level dining room versus the single-level panoramic dome with seat-delivered meals, and how to decide which one fits your travel style and budget

    The four routes in 2026: First Passage to the West through the Fraser Canyon and the Spiral Tunnels to Banff, Journey through the Clouds to Jasper via the Yellowhead Pass and Mount Robson, the new Passage to the Peaks running exclusively in June and July between Banff and Jasper for the first time, and the Rainforest to Gold Rush through Whistler, the Cariboo, and northern BC

    The Rainforest to Gold Rush closure: Rocky Mountaineer announced on March 30, 2026, that this route will not operate in 2027 and is not in the 2028 schedule. CN Railway is discontinuing operations on the trackage the route depends on. If this route has ever been on your list, 2026 is almost certainly your last opportunity.

    Circle Journeys: combining First Passage to the West and Journey through the Clouds into a four-day rail experience that crosses the Rockies twice from different directions, connected by the Icefields Parkway between Banff and Jasper

    What is and is not included: all onboard meals, beverages, Host commentary, luggage transfer, motorcoach transfers, and the overnight hotel in the intermediate city. Hotels in Vancouver, Banff, and Jasper at journey start and end booked separately.

    How Rocky Mountaineer fits into a Canadian Rockies itinerary: Vancouver before, Banff and Jasper after, and the Icefields Parkway as the overland connector that makes the Circle Journey the most recommended structure in the market

    How Rocky Mountaineer compares to Canyon Spirit, VIA Rail’s The Canadian, the Belmond Royal Scotsman, and the Glacier Express

    The train does not move quickly. That is the point.

    The Fraser Canyon appears within two hours of Vancouver. The Spiral Tunnels loop through the mountain. Mount Robson generates its own weather system and is cloud-covered on most days. Seeing it clearly is considered a notable piece of luck.

    The Rainforest to Gold Rush will not run in 2027. 2026 departures are available now.

    🎧 Listen on your favourite platform

    * Spotify

    * Apple Podcasts

    * YouTube

    * and more…

    📄 READ THE FULL GUIDE

    Learn more

    🌐 blog.aeriavoyages.com

    🌐 facebook.com/beyondthehorizonpodcast

    Yvan Junior BlanchetteTravel & Cruise Specialist ÆRIA Voyages

    📩 yvanblanchette@aeriavoyages.com📞 1-888-460-3388🌐 aeriavoyages.com



    This is a public episode. If you'd like to discuss this with other subscribers or get access to bonus episodes, visit blog.aeriavoyages.com/subscribe
    Afficher plus Afficher moins
    39 min
  • Brief | The Ultimate GLOBUS Guide: What It Is, How It Works, and What to Expect
    Apr 28 2026

    In 1928, Antonio Mantegazza began ferrying passengers across Lake Lugano in a rowboat.

    He had no way of knowing he was founding what would become the most awarded tour operator in North America. Nearly a century later, Globus operates 304 itineraries across six continents and sends more than 500,000 travellers on guided vacations every year.

    What it does well has not fundamentally changed since the rowboat: it takes the full logistical complexity of international travel, solves it completely on the client’s behalf, and hands them a vacation where the only decision left is what to order for dinner.

    We cover the full guide, including :

    The Tour Director: not a contracted guide per departure but a full Globus employee who travels with the group for the entire tour, manages every transition, and whose tenure with the company is often measured in decades. One guest review from 2026 mentions a Tour Director who had been with Globus for 42 years.

    VIP access and the Happy Line: priority entry at the Vatican Museums, the Louvre, the Uffizi, the Acropolis, and dozens of other high-traffic monuments where general admission queues run two to four hours. By conservative estimate, a Globus guest recovers the equivalent of one full day of their trip that a self-planned traveller spends standing in line.

    The seven travel styles in 2026: Classic for the broadest destination coverage at the best value, Small Group Discovery at 15 guests for boutique access and private experiences, Choice Touring where guests select from a menu of included activities on key days, Undiscovered for repeat travellers ready to go somewhere genuinely different, Escapes for off-season departures with single supplements waived on most itineraries, Independent by Globus for self-guided travel with full Globus logistics support, and Private Tours for families and groups who want the Globus infrastructure without sharing it

    What is and is not included: all accommodation in centrally located 4-star hotels, all ground transport, Tour Director and Local Guide services, VIP access, porterage, daily breakfast and a proportion of dinners. Most lunches and some dinners at the guest’s own choice. Flights, insurance, and gratuities not included.

    The Globus family of brands: how Cosmos, Monograms, and Avalon Waterways relate to Globus, and why combining a Globus land tour with an Avalon river cruise in a single booking is one of the most recommended European itinerary structures

    How Globus compares to Cosmos, Trafalgar, Insight Vacations, Tauck, and G Adventures, and which profile of traveller each one serves best

    Globus has been solving the complexity of international travel for nearly a century.

    The rowboat is long gone. The result is the same.

    🎧 LISTEN ON YOUR FAVOURITE PLATFORM

    * Spotify

    * Apple Podcasts

    * YouTube

    * and more…

    📖 LEARN MORE

    🌐 blog.aeriavoyages.com

    🌐 facebook.com/beyondthehorizonpodcast

    📄 READ THE FULL GUIDE

    Plan your trip or cruise with ÆRIA Voyages

    As a travel advisor, I’m here to turn your ideas into a journey that’s truly yours. Feel free to reach out, I’d love to guide you every step of the way.

    Yvan Junior BlanchetteTravel & Cruise SpecialistÆRIA Voyages

    📩 yvanblanchette@aeriavoyages.com📞 1-888-460-3388🌐 aeriavoyages.com



    This is a public episode. If you'd like to discuss this with other subscribers or get access to bonus episodes, visit blog.aeriavoyages.com/subscribe
    Afficher plus Afficher moins
    3 min
  • The Ultimate GLOBUS Guide: What It Is, How It Works, and What to Expect
    Apr 28 2026

    In 1928, Antonio Mantegazza began ferrying passengers across Lake Lugano in a rowboat.

    He had no way of knowing he was founding what would become the most awarded tour operator in North America. Nearly a century later, Globus operates 304 itineraries across six continents and sends more than 500,000 travellers on guided vacations every year.

    What it does well has not fundamentally changed since the rowboat: it takes the full logistical complexity of international travel, solves it completely on the client’s behalf, and hands them a vacation where the only decision left is what to order for dinner.

    We cover the full guide, including :

    The Tour Director: not a contracted guide per departure but a full Globus employee who travels with the group for the entire tour, manages every transition, and whose tenure with the company is often measured in decades. One guest review from 2026 mentions a Tour Director who had been with Globus for 42 years.

    VIP access and the Happy Line: priority entry at the Vatican Museums, the Louvre, the Uffizi, the Acropolis, and dozens of other high-traffic monuments where general admission queues run two to four hours. By conservative estimate, a Globus guest recovers the equivalent of one full day of their trip that a self-planned traveller spends standing in line.

    The seven travel styles in 2026: Classic for the broadest destination coverage at the best value, Small Group Discovery at 15 guests for boutique access and private experiences, Choice Touring where guests select from a menu of included activities on key days, Undiscovered for repeat travellers ready to go somewhere genuinely different, Escapes for off-season departures with single supplements waived on most itineraries, Independent by Globus for self-guided travel with full Globus logistics support, and Private Tours for families and groups who want the Globus infrastructure without sharing it

    What is and is not included: all accommodation in centrally located 4-star hotels, all ground transport, Tour Director and Local Guide services, VIP access, porterage, daily breakfast and a proportion of dinners. Most lunches and some dinners at the guest’s own choice. Flights, insurance, and gratuities not included.

    The Globus family of brands: how Cosmos, Monograms, and Avalon Waterways relate to Globus, and why combining a Globus land tour with an Avalon river cruise in a single booking is one of the most recommended European itinerary structures

    How Globus compares to Cosmos, Trafalgar, Insight Vacations, Tauck, and G Adventures, and which profile of traveller each one serves best

    Globus has been solving the complexity of international travel for nearly a century.

    The rowboat is long gone. The result is the same.

    🎧 LISTEN ON YOUR FAVOURITE PLATFORM

    * Spotify

    * Apple Podcasts

    * YouTube

    * and more…

    📖 LEARN MORE

    🌐 blog.aeriavoyages.com

    🌐 facebook.com/beyondthehorizonpodcast

    📄 READ THE FULL GUIDE

    Plan your trip or cruise with ÆRIA Voyages

    As a travel advisor, I’m here to turn your ideas into a journey that’s truly yours. Feel free to reach out, I’d love to guide you every step of the way.

    Yvan Junior BlanchetteTravel & Cruise SpecialistÆRIA Voyages

    📩 yvanblanchette@aeriavoyages.com📞 1-888-460-3388🌐 aeriavoyages.com



    This is a public episode. If you'd like to discuss this with other subscribers or get access to bonus episodes, visit blog.aeriavoyages.com/subscribe
    Afficher plus Afficher moins
    41 min