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 That old stereotype is completely outdated in the many shiny and modern new hostels that have been popping up around Europe lately and competing with one another for a chunk of a highly coveted market.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 …
Heading out to see autumn’s arrival on the landscape is not a popular pastime in Catalonia, Spain, despite the fact that there is plenty to see on the trees come November. During the fall, seasonal tourism has more to do with searching out delectable mushrooms in northern forests and hunting than admiring the way the leaves turn. Low season in northern Catalonia, autumn is an ideal time to find a deal on hotels, avoid crowds, …
Just imagine acres of glorious countryside where hills undulate under a blanket of green and flocks of sheep and cows graze come rain or shine. Think of a destination where the national emblem of the thistle is reminiscent of fierce battles with Vikings from years gone by. This is Scotland, a place for an inherently romantic getaway offering superb scenery. This beautiful country is overflowing with many splendid examples of castles, culture and a sense …
Every European country seems to have one: a city that thoroughly encompasses all that the nation holds dear. Bruges is such for Belgium, sitting there all proud and pretty, epitomizing the grandeur and perfection otherwise relegated to storybooks. With canal boats, horse-drawn carriages and bicycles, the ethnic spirit swallows visitors whole.
It is difficult to sum up the magic of Bruges placid bottle-green canals with steeped-roofed medieval houses, market squares and slumbering parks in just …
Famous Historic Trail : El Camino de Santiago-
Multi-day hike
This is by far Spain’s most famous trekking trail. There are many paths leading to Santiago’s famous cathedral, which is considered to be one of the most holy sites in Christendom. There’s the English Trail, which hugs the northern coastline, the Portuguese Trail from the south, and even a water route arriving by sea and river. The most famed of the Santiago trails is El …
Sometimes you might feel an irresistible urge to see a specific European city or visit a particular continental site, and nothing short of that will do. More often than not, however, it is a certain type of trip that travelers crave. So here are three affordable Eastern European variations on classic vacation themes.
A Habsburg Holiday: Zagreb is an economical alternative for anyone who adores Vienna or Budapest. It’s geographically closer to those cities than …
In recent years, since the Twilight series debuted, the vampire has enjoyed a fantastic popular renaissance. Vampires, to put it mildly, are really cool right now. For those seeking to combine their vampiric interest with their passion for traveling, what better place to go than Transylvania, where the movement first began?
While myths about blood-sucking monsters have abounded the world over for centuries, Dracula was the world’s first “pop culture”
vampire. Dracula, of course, was …
Sand…sun…sea; the checklist to the perfect summer break. The trouble with settling on which beach to choose is that usually everyone else has discovered it as well. If you prefer your slice of sandy heaven to come without being sandwiched in by the sun lounger crowds, plan a beach break with a difference in one of the forgotten corners of coastline below.
Ninety Mile Beach – New Zealand
It may be famous in New Zealand …
