About Me

Welcome to TravelTawk℠ ! I’m Jeanne Neylon Decker, independent travel journalist and founder and chief content creator @traveltawk.com. The last 18-months have been busy! I spent six weeks exploring Italy’s Cilento Coast, finally visited Naples and the Amalfi Coast (off-season), returned to Sicily to check out Adler’s resort there, and spent a few days back in Rome, where there is always something new to see no matter how often we go.

We flew to Athens from Palermo and took a driving trip around the Peloponnese Peninsula visiting fascinating ruins and museums everywhere we went.  We saw many of Athens’ most venerable sites and visited Greece’s first capital city, Nafplio, on our road trip. Check out @traveltawk on Instagram for a preview of where we went and what we saw until the full stories appear here.

Autumn brought us back to Italy, this time to the wonderful city of Torino, Lago di Garda, and a return to the Dolomites for hiking.  Afterwards, we headed off on a road trip to Slovenia and Croatia. You’ll find lots of mini stories and photos of Lake Bled, Ljubljana, Idrija, Zagreb, Zadar, and the Istrian Peninsula @traveltawk on Instagram.

In 2025 we’ll head back to Spain, where we’ve been lucky enough to enjoy Semana Santa– Holy Week (the seven days leading to Easter Sunday) in a different regions.  You can read all about it here and in Travel World International’s Spring 2024 issue. I also had an article on Autumn Hiking in the Dolomites in TWI‘s Fall 2023 issue.

Look for stories soon from another incredible six-week European adventure:  Munich, after Octoberfest, which included a day trip to Augsburg- one of Germany’s oldest cities; Salzburg, just as charming as I’d imagined and even more special because of time spent with local friends who organized activities including a Mozart concert and a visit to Red Bull’s Hangar-7– a free museum featuring all manner of transportation from Formula One cars to airplanes; Graz, Austria’s second largest city and one often overlooked by visitors, was the next stop. Add this Styrian city to your itinerary– important history, wonderful art, and delicious culinary traditions make this a noteworthy destination.

Vienna has been on my list for ages and I finally made it there, just in time to celebrate my birthday with a delightful stay at the historic and luxurious Hotel Imperial. Five days was not nearly long enough to see all the amazing museums and fully explore this fascinating city.  I’ll be back for sure, maybe in 2025!

Budapest was another first for me and again, there was so much to see and do– a tour of the Parliament Building, boat ride on the Danube, exploring Castle Hill and experiencing Hungarian Christmas Markets were a few of the highlights.

Central Oregon, New England and Galveston Island, TX were some of our 2024 US destinations. If you’re considering Alaska  you’ll want to read about our adventures, which thanks to Explore Fairbanks, included meeting with scientists at the University of Alaska about climate change, learning about native Athabascan culture and traditions, a river boat ride, and a visit to spectacular Denali National Park plus a trip on the Alaska Railroad with Gold Star service!

Look for travel tips and articles on these and other destinations in the coming months.

As always, we welcome you to TravelTawk℠ . Expect stories about overlooked places at interesting destinations, our ongoing quest for delicious, local food, and practical advice for better travel.  At TravelTawk℠ it’s all about the places, plates and people.  Please share your thoughts, ask questions, and join the journey– it’s more fun with friends! jeanne@traveltawk.com

Follow me on Instagram and X @traveltawk and find me on FB and TravMedia Jeanne Neylon Decker.

Member North American Travel Journalists Association (NATJA) and the International Food, Wine, Travel Writers Association (IFWTWA).