Jet Setting With Me | Luxury Travel Hacks and Tips for Unique Traveling Experiences and Dream Destinations

126. National Coffee Day: 6 Coffee Stops Every Luxury Traveler Must Taste

• Michele Schwartz

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Celebrate National Coffee Day with me! In this episode, I’ll walk you through six global stops, three international and three domestic, that changed the way I taste coffee. The coffee wasn’t just good, it was unforgettable. From café culture tips to coffee bean take-home hacks, this episode will help you sip smarter on your next adventure.

Grab the free Sip, Savor, and JetSet checklist: https://makinmemoriestravel.co/freebie

Schedule a free consult and get a coffee map for your chosen city: https://tidycal.com/texasmfs/15-minute-meeting

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Connect with Michele on IG: @jetsettingwithmichele or on Facebook: www.facebook.com/groups/MMTinsiders

Contact Michele to plan your next vacation: www.makinmemoriestravel.co/contact, michele@makinmemoriestravel.co, or schedule a 15 minute consult: https://tidycal.com/texasmfs/15-minute-meeting

This episode was produced by The Podcast Teacher: www.ThePodcastTeacher.com.

Hello jet setters and welcome back to another episode of Jet Setting with me. I am coming to you with my coffee cup in hand. So everyone has a favorite mug, right? You need to grab yours. Mine is actually a Covid souvenir. I didn't get it at Walt Disney World. I ordered it online and it's in honor of Snow White and it has the evil Queen and then on the other side it has a magic mirror. And as you pour your hot coffee into it, the magic mirror like comes to life. It's super cool.


 

And if you didn't know from me talking all about my favorite coffee mug, today we are honoring National Coffee Day. By the way, that I know best by telling you my perfect coffee travel stories. I have hunted beans in Rivertown cafes. I have taken pouring lessons in tiny roasteries. And yes, I have brought the coffee beans home to show for my troubles. So I'm going to take you through three foreign cups and of course three domestic stops that should be on every coffee fan's tasting map. Expect a few sensory notes, a touch of travel nerdery and some practical tips to add that excellent cup of java to your next trip. A little quick housekeeping here if you love these stories.


 

I have got a free checklist called Sip Saber and Jet Set. It pairs coffee stops with local bites, bookable experiences right out of the movies. I will tell you how to grab it at the end. Hint hint. It is on my website. But for now, cups up. Let's travel by taste. First stop, Vienna.


 

I have one Vienna coffee moment that still makes me smile from my Jewish history Avalon River Cruise, which I detail extensively in episode 20 and episode 22. So I ducked into Cafe Conditore Aida, which is really Cafe Aida on Conditore. And actually Cafe Aida is a chain. Of course I didn't know that. I got a slice of the famous sakura torte which was actually originated at the Sakre Hotel. So this was not an original sakura. And I found the most unexpected thing there. It was a beautiful loaf of challah and it was topped with almond slices.


 

It was just so pretty. The cafe sits steps from the Mozart house and the St. Stephen's Cathedral, which is famous for some reason. The St. Stephen's Cathedral, I mean the Mozart house is the last remaining standing Vienna address of Mozart. But I was so completely enthralled by the cafe. All of their locations have these really adorable pink awnings. They have really cute merch which I resisted and a pastry case which made my choices very difficult.


 

But of course, I had to go with the original Socrateur and they boxed it up in this cute little pink box. But I bought several challahs and I went back to the riverboat. Of course, it was like the Charit or Kismet or meant to be. It was Friday night and Shabbat, so I took challahs for everyone for each table, and I shared it with all of my newfound friends on the Jewish History river cruise. And we watched the city glide by as we had Friday night dinner with our challah. It was the kind of small human moment that travel is really all about. And full confession, no regrets. But I didn't make it to the Mozarthaus or the cathedral that day because I was too busy savoring this wonderful cafe.


 

The coffee in Vienna is like silk. It goes, it pairs very well with the sakura torte. It is somehow a really beautiful travel souvenir. It's warm, shareable, communal. And if you're the type to linger in beautiful cafes asking for a friend, build buffer time into your museum stops or plan the cafe as your full experience and pencil the museum in for a future visit. The counter service cafes are fast and lovely, but it will definitely steal your attention. That is of course, intentionally. Next up, Estonia.


 

So Tallinn is in Estonia and it's a stop off of many Baltic cruises. This city surprised me in the very best way. So you we still stepped off of the Baltic Princess into a port which is Tallinn, Estonia, and it drops you right into a perfectly walkable medieval town. It's got cobbles, spires, and that totally wow, this can't be real vibe. I mean, you are stepping back into the 1950s. First stop is the KGB Museum, spy novels and Cold War history. This is a fabulous stop. It all comes alive right in front of your eyes.


 

It's a must do in this city. But then of course, we went there first and then the sky opened up and it started raining cinematic Baltic way. Suddenly we had to find a warm cup of coffee. By the way, at this point, I was the only coffee drinker in my family, so they all wanted hot chocolate. So we ducked into a tiny cafe, just random. It was, you know, off the cobblestones in the middle of a street. And I, I kid you not, it was the best cup of coffee I have ever had. And of course they paired it with chocolates.


 

Or you could get hot chocolate made with chocolates right there in Estonia. Chocolate, which my family, who are chocolate stuff snobs, especially my son, said it's the best chocolate they've ever had right there in Estonia where clearly the universe was saying, stay for a bit, stay here, stay for a while. I hadn't expected to fall for Talon. I don't even know that I'd really ever heard of Estonia before that cruise. But the rainy morning, the coffee in my hand, I decided I would definitely be back. And spoiler alert, I am going back in February on our Lapland group trip and this time the beans are coming home with me. I'm not letting them get away, so practical tip for you While you're in a small city port, be sure and leave enough time to just wander. Upcoming we're going to Bordeaux and we don't have an actual wine tasting or excursion planned.


 

We just want to walk around this beautiful old city that some people say is one of their favorites in the world. You can buy a bag of the fresh roasted beans to pack in your suitcase. They do travel well and don't miss out on the historic and cultural sites too. So I recommend visit the museum first and the coffee second so you can warm up afterwards and enjoy and savor not only the cup but the moment. Next up, we're going way south to the Caribbean and Jamaica and their own own Blue Mountain Coffee. Two things you just can't leave Jamaica without. Blue Mountain Coffee and Jamaica Rum Cake. That's just non negotiable for me.


 

My first Blue Mountain cup actually happened on that Panama Canal cruise that I spoke about in the recent episode on Traveling with Blended Families. Remember I talked about Dunn's River Falls and how amazing it was. I still have a great picture of my daughter that every time I see it, I can't believe she's not 21 anymore. We climbed up Dunn's River Falls, got gloriously soaked, and then we desperately needed something hot that would warm us from the inside out. And it's that memory of the excursion with the when we got the coffee and we were sitting in the van and we were drying off and it makes me say just stop. Hold that moment. Quit. Growing up, I loved you so much under that waterfall.


 

You were so cute. I enjoyed the Jamaican coffee so much that next time I actually visited the Blue Mountain estate we got a family roast demonstration and a tasting and seeing the beans from tree to cup gave the whole experience context. So you can do coffee tours in Jamaica, Costa Rica, even in Mexico, Panama and I really recommend them. I bought beans to bring home and of course I also purchased the excellent rum cake. Now Blue Mountain is a velvet silky body, delicate, floral with some nutty notes. It's got a lingering sweetness. So of course I love it because for me, coffee is really more about the cream than the actual coffee. And I love the sweet.


 

So that's the kind of cup that just makes you feel smiley and maybe a little romantic. So I recommend if you want to do a coffee tour, to book that estate tour for first thing in the morning. Because especially in Jamaica, the altitude and the logistics, you know, you want to do it first thing in the morning. We're definitely going to book you a private transfer to get up there. And then you can combine it with Port Antonio if you want to stop by the beach beaches. Or you can combine it with something in the city, in Kingston for the music and the culture and the rum cake. Do yourself a favor, buy a small sealed bag of the beans from the estate, from the Blue Mountain estate. They do travel well, as I said, and they will make your morning at home feel like you're back on the beach vacation encore.


 

So those are the foreign cups experiences that I have really loved. Of course, every cup brings you a different, different travel story. Each one can be, not necessarily the reason to book the trip, but a super special memory to bring home with you. So if you want these as a mini itinerary, you can book my 15 minute consult, it's in the show notes and I will send you a coffee map for your chosen city. Now, I mentioned buying the beans and bringing them home. So a quick bean buying. How to you want to be sure and pack the roasted beans in a vacuum seal. You can bring a vacuum seal bag with you or take a heavy duty Ziploc bag to tuck them into your chuck luggage so they behave on the flight.


 

Obviously you want to check local customs rules. Roasted beans are usually fine, but if you're trying to get a large quantity, that might be restricted. So be sure if you have something that you're not sure about, just declare it. Yes, it will take you a little bit longer to get through customs, but it will definitely avoid any border drama. Okay, let's bring it back to domestic travel. First stop on every coffee person's, you know, just map that we all talk about on a daily basis. It's become in the vernacular, so to speak, is Seattle Pike Place. Yes, you should see the original Starbucks at Pike Place.


 

It's a tourist ritual for a reason. It's got the logo, it's got the market bustle, it actually even has a selfie line. But if you want a real Seattle cup of coffee after the photo op, walk two blocks away and find the Roastery where the baristas care about the beans like sommeliers care about wine vintages. I actually favor the post market pit stop at the local Starbucks reserve for theater level coffee craft. I'm not kidding. You can get a coffee flight and then you can wander the piers with something that really is extra level extra AF coffee. Pike Place Espresso is iconic for its moment. The roastery pour you'll get down the street is brighter, more nuanced floral chocolate notes depending upon what bean you choose.


 

And of course a practical tip. Do the tourist thing first. It's fine. Take the IG photo, buy the sticker and then treat yourself. Book a roastery stop for a proper pour over or reserve that tasting flight at the Starbucks. Reserve Roastery AKA use the Starbucks app. That is a unique experience. It combines the good taste of coffee, the technology that Starbucks uses and a little bit of great theater.


 

Next up we have Boston. Boston for me will always be a walking city. It's got brick streets, red brick townhouses, and enough history to fill up multiple podcasts. We're not going to do that today. My first Boston memory was actually following my high school graduation with my mom and dad. We did a historical road trip, traveling from Austin all the way up to Mayflower and then back down again. Course we had to end at Epcot and Walt Disney World. That was my first trip to Epcot.


 

Even so, I graduated high school in 1989 and Epcot had just opened a few years before. So I was of course full of adolescent swagger. I didn't even drink coffee yet. And we walked and walked and walked on the Boston Freedom Trail. We took the photos back then. They were actual photos in a scrapbook. And kids, ask your parents. And I remember thinking and remembering how important that place is to history, which everyone should study.


 

Now. Fast forward years later and that is where my stepdaughter went to college. So we returned in the fall season, obviously many years later. And this time I was the one standing in the parking lot doing mom math, definitely trying not to cry. And I definitely needed coffee at this point. Not a souvenir cup, a good proper cup of java. It was in the fall, so it was a little chilly and the cup warmed my hands and it definitely cleared my head. And then I could go back and walk that freedom trail with a very different meaning and heart.


 

So Boston earned its spot because it is where old world history meets a serious third wave craft. It's a university crowd and they demand that quality. Obviously they have some cold winters that makes a real hot coffee cup non negotiable. And local shops, they really care about local roasting and local coffee places. P.S. they also can sell marijuana there. It's about roasters who obsess over the origins of the beans. And the baristas are profound professionals who treat coffee like a love language.


 

And the cafes also work as a practical pit stop if you're doing the Freedom Trail. So as I just mentioned, Boston boasts independent roasters craft cafes and they prioritize direct trade and seasonality. They lean toward a fuller, comforting body. Think more warm chocolate and caramel. For me it was really strong. It's underpinned by a a polite acidity with a long honeyed finish. And it goes really well with that morning winter pastry. Well, that pastry that you're having in the winter morning.


 

When tackling the Freedom Trail or any long historic walk, please plan your coffee stops as anchors. Schedule 1 after the longest museum block, pick cafes with seating and restroom access. You will thank me for that later. And of course, if you're doing multi generation, you want to walk shorter segments between your coffee breaks so that everyone can kind of rest and regroup. Next up is Portland. Now Portland is coffee pilgrimage territory, but don't just box it in as a roaster town for us. We went to Portland multiple days and a stop every single morning for coffee was a must for for me, of course I sit here doing this podcast with my cup of coffee. I limit myself to two now though, as you get older, you know, can't have caffeine after 12 so I can sleep.


 

But we had an epic food truck tasting tour and it was literally a culinary scavenger hunt in Portland. They're all the food trucks are all in pods so they're all together. It's so fun. And of course you cannot go to Portland without a stop at Powell's City of Books. Powell is the world. Yes, I did say world. Not just the U.S. the world's largest independent new and used bookstore.


 

And you can browse for days. And of course I still remember that food truck pod. Flaky pastries, savory empanadas. I loved the empanadas. And my husband, Mr. Jet setting with me adored the spicy Korean bowls.  Michele doesn't do spice. And of course I loved the local coffee food truck.


 

And I remember getting a cup and walking from the food truck pod over to Powell's where I just bought home books that I will never read. But I just had to have them on my bookshelf because they were so Beautiful. Now that food Truck tour. It's one of the best family food tours we've ever done. It was casual, obviously very local, and the food was delicious. Or as I always say, chef's kiss. Portland Espresso can lean smoky chocolate while its pour overs sing with bright citrus and strong fruit notes. It's a perfect city for the contrasts typical of Portland.


 

Right? Do your coffee first thing in the morning and then do your food truck tasting tour midday. So like it's lunch, you will be totally full. It keeps you walking light, lets you pair those contrasting flavors and even gives your non coffee companions a menu to choose from. Of course, save time for Powell's Buy a book and read it with your second cup. Pick up a small bag of beans from a neighborhood roaster as a packable souvenir. And if you're with a big group, get that food truck tour private so you can hit the best pods. Like I said, there's multiple pods without any guesswork. Okay jet setters.


 

We have traveled from Viennese salons to Portland's food truck pods. Quick takeaways to keep you caffeinated and organized. Travel with intention. Pick one coffee experience as your anchor. Maybe it's the Blue Mountain Estate Tour or maybe it's the coffee flight at the Starbucks Reserve in Seattle. Build your travel day kind of around that Pack smart fresh roasted beans travel well, but be sure to bring that sealed back home. That way your morning coffee ritual takes you back to your vacation. Book the estate tours and the roastery demos in the morning.


 

They are best early and private transfers always are going to save time. And for your group, the seating does matter. So if you want a ready made sip map, book a 15 minute planning session with me. Hint hint. You can do that by going to the show Notes and I will sketch you a coffee Forward starter itinerary for your next trip. Don't forget the free guide Sip Savor and setjet which is available on the website. Next week I will be recapping my recent London trip. The best sites, the insta worthy photos and of course I'll be leaking a few secrets about the Bridgerton Spring soiree trip that Cass Moran and I are leading next year and you can join us so don't miss it now.


 

Thanks for spending National Coffee Day with me. Go make or order a memorable cup. Snap that photo and tag me if you're sharing. I want to see where you're sipping your best coffee. Until then, set jetters, jet setters, however you refer to yourselves, have safe and happy travels.

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Michele Schwartz

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