When Marcus Aurelius founded Vienna (then Vindobona), he did so with the sharp foresight of a realtor — location, location, location!
While Vienna itself has an incredible offering of tourist attractions, it is beautifully located in close proximity to a number of different sites. These new and exciting locations give you respite from the hustle-and-bustle tourism of Vienna, and all are convenient day trips away from the Gateway to the East. Four day-trip locales stand …
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 …
Valparaiso, for want of a better word, is a shanty town on the coast of Chile. Starting from its docks, sitting in that all too commonly found water, colored grayish brown by the offal of container ships, it extends up scattered hills away from the sea. The city grows up with them; it’s a bit all over the place – disjointed and beautiful. It makes up a sort of patchwork cloth of a city, with …
Bed, treats, water dish and leash: Pooch needs a suitcase too. More and more people are packing up their dogs and taking them on vacations.
Pet lovers want to travel with their dogs for both practical and sentimental reasons. Many dog-loving travelers head to California resorts for a trip to share with their four-footed furry friends. The mix of tourist-oriented hospitality, year-round warm weather and miles of beaches in California creates an exceptionally dog-friendly state. …
The Sunderbans Bengal Tiger Reserve takes some finding; and getting to it is no mean feat either as the three-hour road trip to Basanti from Kolkata is rough and regularly found my rickety taxi at the bottom of deep potholes which caused it to strain every metal sinew to escape, only to continue on a sea of corrugations that made it creak and rattle in protest.
I arrived at Basanti, where my ferry waited, in …
Mouthwatering piña coladas aside, the largest island in the Eastern Caribbean has a ton to offer every kind of travel enthusiast. From its old-world charm and stunning beaches to its vast array of adventure options, making the trek to Puerto Rico will satisfy even the most severe case of wanderlust.
Get adventurous.
Snorkeling and zip lining? Kayaking and cave exploration? Canyoning and surfing? Yes, yes and yes. Options abound for thrill-seekers, so allot a …
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 …
I lolled back in my pool side lounge chair, opened my eyes, glanced out at the navy blue strip of ocean I could view through the railing slipping silently past as we cruised to our next gorgeous Caribbean port, and lazily mulled over whether to apply more sunscreen, move into the shade, or possibly just go visit the soft serve ice cream dispenser.
Then I checked out what my girlfriends were doing. One was deeply …
We rev up the 600 horses in the ancient engine, which at first sputters, then coughs, then spurts to life.
I’m sitting in a 68-year-old fighter plane from World War II, an AT-6, nicknamed “The Texan” by the cocky young pilots who flew her. I’m going to do some stunts, in tandem with Dennis Van Swol, the vastly-more-experienced pilot who’s sitting in the second cockpit behind me.
As we turn onto the runway at 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. …
Though best known for their colorful Carnival, Aruba has all kinds of cool festivals, annual events, and visitor-inclusive celebrations happening all year round!
Though Carnival lasts for three months, it really doesn’t matter when you visit Aruba as there are all kinds of gala events going on all year-round. And you need never worry about the weather for outdoor festivals: Aruba is outside of the hurricane belt and boasts a balmy average of 85 degrees …
New Zealand is a surprising wine destination, to say the least. Given that cold, rainy islands aren’t usually known for producing great wines (let’s face it, have you ever heard of a British vintage?), Kiwi wines can be shockingly good. For obvious reasons, many of New Zealand’s most celebrated wines are whites, as well as lighter bodied reds, such as Pinot Noir, which don’t require the blazing sunshine of France/Italy/California to mature properly. Likewise, New …
Now that American-Cuban relations have improved, it’s a good time to start planning a visit to this West Indies island. There’s no better place for a great beach vacation than along the silky beaches of Cuba and you’ll find the classic getaway vacation with plenty of sea, sand, sun and socializing in the northeastern province of Holguin. Rolling hills dotted with royal palms, sugar cane fields and nature preserves lead to some of the prettiest …
Bohol is often known as the “Bohemian” region of The Philippines. Life moves a little slower here than the frenzied pace in Manila. Even the largest city on Bohol, Cebu, has more of a laid-back vibe, home to many universities and a real college-town feel. The main island of Bohol is surrounded by several smaller islands, many home to diving meccas attracting visitors from all over the world. Many don’t visit more than the beaches, …
