Alba Iulia, in Romania’s Transylvania region, has a hilltop citadel where many historical eras come to life, dominated by two massive cathedrals with over 600 tumultuous years dividing them. But far from being stuck in the past, the city is a trailblazer in terms of renovating its assets and achieving recognition on the international stage. In 2012 the municipality was named a European ... Read Full Article
A Visit to Deva Castle in Romania
Deva, a city in Romania's Transylvania region, has an evocative hilltop fortress that pays testimony to many past conflicts - military and religious. Deva's extensive ruined castle perches atop a volcanic hill 370 meters high. That makes it easy to see from anywhere in town, especially with the large white letters that spell DEVA around the hill. Unusually for a Transylvanian city, the ... Read Full Article
River Cruise: The Ultimate Shopping Shuttle
You’ve done Paris, you’ve seen Rome but when’s the last time you’ve dug for vintage treasures in Budapest? Or shopped off-the-runway furs in Vienna? For true shopaholics looking to welcome 2015 with a (fashion) bang there’s no better place than Central Europe. With local Christmas markets popping up across the region, from big cities to small hamlets, it really is the most wonderful time of the ... Read Full Article
The Crazy Days! ‘Carnival’ All Over Europe
The ritual of ‘Carnival’ has been a prominent institution of cultural life since well beyond the days of antiquity—Ancient Greeks and Romans honoured deities Dionysus and Bacchus with wine feasts and orgies; Germanic Tribes chased wild winter spirits during the smoky nights of the ‘Rauchnachte’; Christians continued on with festivities of their own, with countless offshoots of festive tradition ... Read Full Article
Warm Yourself in the Thermal Baths of Budapest
If you leave Budapest without soaking in a Hungarian thermal bath, you have cheated yourself of a memorable experience. Last visit, I found myself floating naked in a body-temperature pool under a 500-year old Ottoman dome pierced by jewel-colored glass “eyes”. The Rudas (ROO-das) bath experience left me as relaxed as I’ve ever been in my life, I have to say. Thermal Baths of Budapest The ... Read Full Article
Vintage Heaven in Budapest
We’re just going to cut right to the chase on this one. If vintage fashion makes your heart beat a little faster, if you’re a treasure hunter, if you’re crazy for antiques, Budapest is THE shopping destination for you. What is a rarity in other parts of Europe, what takes painstaking research and relentless digging, is an overflowing fountain of vintage goodness in Budapest. Clothes, ... Read Full Article
A Fashion Road Trip through Eastern Europe
Americans love road trips. Americans love shopping. So, it seemed only natural that we fashionistas would combine our two favorite pastimes and plan a mini road trip through Eastern Europe, all in the name of shopping. The plan was to start in Prague, travel through the Czech Republic into Austria, then Slovakia and end up in Budapest. As usual, we wanted first class ... Read Full Article
Treasure Hunting in Praha
Praha (Prague) is arguably the most charming city in Europe. Small, cobblestone streets make way for sprawling renaissance squares and ornately sculpted buildings in creamy hues leading to dramatic bridges that link two sides of the city together. What could make a day strolling on the Charles Bridge followed by a decadent lunch of crispy duck, sweet cabbage and pillowy knedliky better? Well, ... Read Full Article
Tables With a View in Prague
One of Prague’s main attractions is the views of the city itself, panoramas of the red roofs, iconic churches, spires, and leafy parks that comprise the Golden City. And the sightseeing doesn’t have to end come dinnertime, as many restaurants and bars across Prague have terraces and gardens with sweeping views of the cityscape. While soaking in the storied surroundings, one can also delve into the ... Read Full Article
A Crash Course in Polish Gastronomy in Poznan
One of the unintended effects of Communism in Europe was that it preserved traditional cooking techniques for a lot longer than in many other places in Europe. The Iron Curtain acted as a culinary time capsule: While much of the West was moving forward with the industrialization of its food production, people from Bucharest to East Berlin to St. Petersburg were still picking wild tea ... Read Full Article