This weekend I'm embarking on my first trip to Europe and I've been struggling to find the words to describe how I feel. If you can somehow squash the words excited, anxious, happy, and elated into one adjective you may begin to understand where I'm at. I'll be traveling to Paris and Italy with Trafalgar Tours for the week. This customized trip will showcase their fabulous At Leisure and First Class programs. This new tour will be taking me through Paris, Provence, Rome, and Tuscany, showcasing the authentic local cuisines and cultures through exclusive Be My Guest and Hidden Treasures experiences. But what really excites me is that the At Leisure itineraries allow you to truly experience where you are. Wherever I go I want to feel like I'm living the lifestyle of that city, seeing sights and eating at locations only the locals really know about, which is why this program is perfect. Trafalgar allows guests to travel like an "insider", providing Travel Directors and local guides for their expertise, but also offering unique experiences in each destination, such as cooking with local chefs and revealing what they call "Hidden Treasures". I hope you'll follow my journey on the blog as I make my way through the each destination. I promise to do my best to share my experiences and the little secrets I learn along the way - everything from walking the cobble-stoned streets, to shopping the local markets, to admiring the breathtaking landscapes! But before I go, I'd love to know if you've been to any of these places and what your experiences were like. Feel free to leave a comment below to share your travel stories, tips and tricks with me! Images via Wikipedia.