A Year in Review & A Big Reveal for 2018 2017 is coming to an end, and like most people during this time of sparkly lights, festive parties, and scrumptious Holiday buffets, I like to reflect on the past year. Was it good? Was it bad? What can I do better in the coming year? For …
A trip for Valentines Day? What a way to make some everlasting memories with the man or woman on your side. Here are some ideas for the most romantic Valentines Day destinations in Europe: The Most Romantic City in Europe: Paris by Honeymoon Always You can’t go without mentioning Paris when speaking about Romantic getaways in …
Have you ever heard of Bergmannkiez? When traveling through Germany, especially in Berlin and the north of the country, at some point you’ll come across the word ‘kiez’. Pronounced ‘keetz’, kiezes are these smaller locales. There are many kiezes in Berlin, but some stand out from the pack. When roaming through the western end of Berlin’s …
Whether you’re an embracer of change or a stickler for the straight and true, third wave coffee culture has all but taken over much of the western world in recent years. While the old guard in Europe has been slow to accept the modern approach – ever-faithful to Mediterranean habits over single origin roasts and …
This year, I spent three weeks at a Slovenia Spa. Every day, I was confronted with difficult decisions. Should the oil for my massage be grape seed (antioxidant effect), almond (softens the skin), or herb-infused oil (detox benefits)? Did I prefer classic, Hawaiian, Tibetan, Indian, or Thai style? What was my preference for duration: the …
Sighisoara, in Romania’s Transylvania region, is a picturesque city with winding streets and spiky towers, centered around a medieval fortified city center on top of a hill. It is well set-up for tourism, with comfortable hotels and dining places that are reasonably priced and strategically located for sightseeing. But it gets full of tourists in …
Sometimes called Europe’s best-kept secret, Belgium is slowly starting to climb the ladder of popular western European destinations. Although less-visited than its neighbors (the Netherlands, France and Germany), it does have an overwhelmingly extensive menu of historic sites and attractive sights – a menu of which, once you’ve tasted one dish, you’ll be a craving …
France has wine shows. Germany has its Oktoberfest. Belgium has beer festivals. Mention that you’ve frequented Belgian beer fests to a fellow enthusiast and you may get some envy or respect–for good reason. These events typically appeal to the aficionado rather than the casual beer drinker. Every year, thousands of Belgian and foreign beer hounds …
I had a mixed experience visiting Sicily recently, a wonderful place full of spectacular scenery, delicious wine and kind hearted people. The rolling green hills that form the heart of the island give way to a rugged coastline, full of white sandy beaches and wave-blasted rocky inclines, lashed by turquoise blue water. However, Palermo was another …
Budapest is a bargain for travelers: it is the new Prague. Western travelers are discovering this exciting city, and prices are still much lower than in Western Europe’s top cities. Hungarian composer Gyorgy Ligeti summed up Budapest beautifully when he once said, “If you come from Paris to Budapest you think you are in Moscow. …