When I travel in Spain, and anywhere else in the world, I take a tour. Better yet if it’s a private guided tour. I delight in hearing details and quirky anecdotes about the place I’m in, which a good guide provides.While package tours are perfect for those with limited time, “Untours” are the ideal option for travelers staying in Spain for two weeks or more, who want a more in-depth experience in the country. An …
Browsing: Europe
Europe is not only a land of architectural marvels but also one of culinary wonders. But exploring the gastronomy of some European countries can be a challenge for vegetarians and vegans. Meat very often dominates the menu and the concepts of vegetarianism and veganism are still somewhat alien, especially in countries like Belgium, France, Spain and Portugal.
Consider the reaction I got from a waiter in a Brussels café last summer. After quickly scanning the …
We’ve all had it happen to us — you think you’ve packed everything you need for your vacation, only to discover at some point along the way that something, or several things, have been left behind. Or worse, your luggage gets lost altogether in the endless abyss of airline travel only to appear again (if you’re lucky) two weeks later, looking like it’s been to the moon and back, which it very well may have. …
Germany has hundreds of Christmas markets – Munich alone has twenty four. Contrary to what many visitors believe, the most charming Christmas markets in Germany are not always the well known ones, but the smaller ones that often have a unique theme. These are often the Christmas markets that are most popular with locals as well.
Esslingen Medieval Christmas Market
Visiting Esslingen’s Medieval Christmas Market feels like stepping into a time machine and coming out …
Italian has long been referred to as the language of love, and many great Italian authors, such as Dante and Petrarca, have taken inspiration from this enchanting land whilst writing their great poems and novels. The learning of this romantic language is therefore an enticing proposition and has encouraged many people across the world to partake in a lesson or two before their annual holiday or a trip to their local ‘ristorante’. However, the easiest …
Home to Tom Jones, Anthony Hopkins, Catherine Zeta Jones, the world’s oldest language and more castles per square mile than any other place else on Earth, Wales is an old and fastidious land of charmed, dreamy landscapes – farmhouses and snug villages tucked away amongst deep woodlands in the most inaccessible lush places. Heading due west out of England, towards Wales’ Snowdonia National Park and its mystical mountains, the roads unfurled before me, winding through …
The Romans called it ‘Terra Magica’ and it’s no surprise why. There are many things about Istria which make it a unique and enchanting place to visit: its scenic landscape of rolling hills which rivals the countryside of Tuscany, picturesque hill-top villages and medieval fortified towns, lush valleys covered in vineyards, and a beautiful coastline and spectacular islands.
The region also boasts many stunning architectural treasures which are testimonies to its Roman, Venetian and Byzantine …
Upon arriving in Lyon, France’s third largest city and textile capital, it took me all of twenty minutes to figure out how French women maintain their slim figures.
They walk, everywhere. And in a city like Lyon, where the topography rivals that of San Francisco, there’s nothing even remotely simple about a “simple stroll” through the boutiques of the Cote de Grande.
Fortunately, the city boasts a surprising number of alternatives—nine to be exact—thus proving …
Inspiration for your next trip can come from many places — websites, guidebooks, other people’s travel tales and even classic Disney cartoons. Those idealized landscapes, the sweeping opening shots set to iconic music — no trip could ever be as perfect as it seems in a Disney movie, could it? Here are seven trips to try out and see if life is as wonderful as art.
An African safari (The Lion King)
Perhaps …
Hastings is a storied East Sussex resort town, on the southern coast of England, filled with seafront squares, grand Victorian facades, and elegant parks. Okay, it may be a little ramshackle on the fringes, which you’d kind of expect of a town dating back to the 8th century, but the antique look is half the appeal.
Then there’s all the interesting stuff to discover, like the narrow black Net Shops – fifty tall wooden …
Like any good fairy tale, a successful wedding comes out of the combined efforts of a wide range of players. From the decisions between a tiered cake or cupcakes, to handwritten or stamped invitations, to lace or floral print, every detail has its place. But long after the wedding bells have sung their song, you’re not going to remember analyzing your dinner plate’s design, or even the lace-adorned walls and windows. Instead, you’ll reminisce about …
Hostels sometimes used to be thought of as dingy, crowded, last-resort lodging that was only for hippies, students, random backpackers and possibly criminals — and perhaps that is the impression that some people still have of them. That old stereotype is completely outdated in the many shiny and modern new hostels that have been popping up around Europe lately and competing with one another for a chunk of a highly coveted market. Hostels cater to …
Now what, you may ask, is the interest of learning a small measure of French? Those of you who have traveled to France can relate to the frustration of waiting years to use your high school French knowledge, only to be rebuffed with English by a smug crêpe seller. Moreover, they only speak French in that one European country — Paris, or something. Mandarin Chinese is much more practical.
French, the language of love and …
Travel is full of enthralling encounters, of moments that stick with you forever — a glimpse of a wild gorilla, an African sunrise, your first sight of the pyramids.
But those moving moments wouldn’t seem so spectacular if they weren’t peppered with less exciting experiences. For every lion kill there’s a lame museum; for every gargantuan sculpture there is a giant ball of yarn. Here are eight utterly underwhelming tourist attractions, places that have you …