The Vikings may be long, long gone, but even these days, getting into the Viking spirit (in a good way) isn’t all that hard: you no longer have to board a narrow longboat with a lot of greasy, smelly chaps and pillage countrysides, but just hop on a
As for the rest of it, this burg that many tend to associate with little more than banks and insurance companies can actually be quite dynamic, fun and funloving, even offbeat and charming. Its “gnomes” of finance and historically modest Protestant
When you think of travel to Bulgaria, what comes to mind first? For me, one of the cool things about visiting this fetching little Balkan country is its touches of exoticism, part of an ancient cultural heritage that stretches back to 5,000 BC, and o
Amsterdamis justly celebrated for, among other things, its canals. But if anyNetherlandscanal city (and there are quite a few) can lay claim to being even more picture-postcard-perfect, it’s Delft, about an hour’s drive away. The city’s canal heri
The Danube river, the longest in the European Union and second longest on the entire continent, passes through 16 countries, changing name depending on the country, with countless islands, some natural and others man-made. Throughout history, some ha
Durmitor National Park, a vast natural protected area of 39,000 hectares, declared Heritage of Humanity by UNESCO and shaped by the action of glaciers and with rivers and underground waters cutting through it. Dense forests of conifers with importan
When someone recently asked what she shouldn't miss when she goes to Italy's capital for all of one weekend, I wanted to ask her – “ma sei pazza??”(Are you nuts?) You could spend every waking hour for weeks barely scratching the surface of this brea
In 1865, the great ring road commissioned by Austria-Hungaryemperor Franz Josef to replace the walls of old Vienna was completed to kudos across Europe. Just over three miles around and and 187 feet wide, back in those days it heralded the advent of
What do you know about travel in Bulgaria? Chances are not much - it's come late to the tourism game compared to other Eastern European countries like the Czech Republic and Hungary. But this small Balkan land has been experiencing something of a vis
Europe's travel riches are just as impressive when it comes to gay travel, with such an amazing variety of cultures, environments, climates, and experiences – all on the most liberal continent on the planet, thanks to the encouraging social (r)evolu
In the summer, of course, the third largest of Spain's Balearic Islands is arguably the party capital of the world, throbbing practically 24/7 from its beaches, yacht marinas, and discos to the cobblestone lanes of its ancient cities and towns. But a
Sodium chloride has been a world-shaping mineral, prized since antiquity and beyond, and over the centuries contributing to the growth of trade and civilization. And though much has come from the ocean and open-air salt ponds, a good deal of salt has
Among various other things, Spain is one enormous banquet table, laden with distinctive and delicious treats from every corner of the land and surrounding seas. But I daresay there’s nothing more distinctive in the country – or in Europe, for that ma
I had to pick my time carefully to visit the ancient English city of Bath. I wanted to go before the bulk of the tourists, but after the rush of Christmas crowds. But, that’s the way it’s always been, for visitors have been coming to Bath since befor
How do I love thee, Quartier Latin? Let me count the ways: Students. Chilled rosé at a sidewalk café. Students. Reveling in the Bohemian joie de vivre. Students. Chantilly-cream crêpes from a street stand. Students. Browsing fascinating museums like
If, as the old saw goes, everyone’s a little Irish on Lá Fhéile Pádraig, as they say in Gaelic (even yours truly just found some Emerald Isle heritage thanks to DNA testing!), what better occasion to visit the the gateway to the Emerald Isle which be
To experience the essence of this ancient region of east central France – site of great, dreamy scenery, and famous for its cuisine and especially its eponymous wine – you want to venture beyond capital Dijon to the historic smaller towns and cities
What lovelier (and tastier) way to learn the nuances of a foreign culture than rubbing shoulders with the locals, tasting the flavors of their land? Well yes, there is literature and art and music, but we certainly can’t appreciate those on an empty
Continental Europe's northernmost point (and Norway's largest yet least populated county), Finnmark is a land of stark beauty. Home of the Sami (aka Lapps), it's an outpost of one ofScandinavia's distinctive cultural subroupings, as well as a primo p
Nearly 6,000 feet up, in the gorgeous Rofan Mountains section of the Alps in Austria’s Tyrol region, part of the country’s southwest "panhandle," you don’t have to be a diehard Alpinist to enjoy the experience. There are valleys like theInntal which
In the summer, of course, the third largest of Spain's Balearic Islands is arguably the party capital of the world, throbbing practically 24/7 from its beaches, yacht marinas, and discos to the cobblestone lanes of its ancient cities and towns. But a
Among various other things, Spain is one enormous banquet table, laden with distinctive and delicious treats from every corner of the land and surrounding seas. But I daresay there’s nothing more distinctive in the country – or in Europe, for that ma
If, as the old saw goes, everyone’s a little Irish on Lá Fhéile Pádraig, as they say in Gaelic (even yours truly just found some Emerald Isle heritage thanks to DNA testing!), what better occasion to visit the the gateway to the Emerald Isle which be
To experience the essence of this ancient region of east central France – site of great, dreamy scenery, and famous for its cuisine and especially its eponymous wine – you want to venture beyond capital Dijon to the historic smaller towns and cities 
