In June 2019 we travelled from Zagreb through the national parks and along the Dalmatian Coast to Dubrovnik. We wanted to see for ourselves why so many people flock to the city and whether it was as bad in terms of over-tourism as we’d read. Whil
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Café on the Left Bank: choosing between 2 Paris icons
Just a block apart on Boulevard Saint-Germain-des-Prés in the City of Light, a pair of iconic and rival cafés, Café de Flore and Les Deux Magots, have been iconic fixtures of the Latin Quarter since the late 19th century. But is there any real reason
4 tips for doing Copenhagen on a budget
Denmark's capital is a dream, and it’s worth every krone you’ll spend to visit. However, it's also notoriously pricy. So I’d like to share a few tips on how you can cut your costs to get the most out of "wonderful, wonderful Copenhagen."
Read more…Discovering Ithaca, Greece, and Reinventing Family Holidays
Spring 1990 brought us to the small island of Ithaca, Greece, in recent times known for little but its sheer beauty, but in literature famed for its king and hero Odysseus who, Homer tells us, was the brains behind the winning wooden-horse idea that
Read more…Meet me in Monaco
Few are the names that so reek of true Olde Worlde glamor; money both old and new; and self-conscious "class" than Monaco, aka Monte Carlo. The second smallest state in the world after the Vatican and the world's most densely populated - about ¾ o
Read more…Driving Germany with the family: best fairy tale castles to visit
Visiting the castles of Germany is a wonderful experience for children. And of course many adults love it at least as much! You'll feel like you've stepped into a magical fairy tale. There are a number of scenic driving routes which will allow you
Read more…5 reasons to take a city break in Valencia
Spain's third largest city (with a population of just under 800,000) is situated halfway down Spain's eastern Mediterranean coast, in between Barcelona and Murcia. It's easygoing, easy to get to (with links from all over Europe), and easy to get
Celebrating Easter in Rome
It goes without saying that Easter (aka Holy Week) is a big deal in most countries with majority-Christian traditions (especially in my home country Spain, famous for its Semana Santa extravaganzas in various cities). But as the site of the Vatica
Read more…5 breathtaking places to hike in Europe
When it comes to hiking, admittedly I am an addict. Give me mountains to climb, lake shores to wonder, ridges to scramble across - anything that involves a pair of walking boots, a backpack and stunning views and I’m a happy gal. Living in the UK
Paris ethnic restaurants - exotic treats for palate/wallet
The many immigrants who’ve made Paris home over the years have left an exotic mark tasty enough to justify a visit by itself — especially if you’re curious about unusual cuisines that may be hard to find even in, say, New York, London, or Los Angeles
Sunny Beach, Bulgaria's premier Black Sea resorts
This city of Thracian origin, situated in the heart of Sunny Beach on the shores of the Black Sea, boasts no fewer than 41 churches huddled within its old quarter, including a basilica and the Bishop’s residence. This picturesque town is also renown
Read more…3 best family road trips in France
France has beaucoup more to offer, of course, than the glamor and glitz of its cities, The rural side of the country is full of cliffside castles, vibrant vineyards, charming towns, and fragrant fields that can make family road trips very memorabl
Read more…Kinsale, jewel of Ireland's south coast
With its deep water harbour and a population of a bit over 5,200, the town of Kinsale in County Cork has been an important sea port for more than 1,500 years. St Multose founded a monastery here in the 6th century, and the early Celtic settlement t
In Crete, a festival in honor of firewater tsikoudia
Starting the first week of November, tsikoudia, a local spirit also known as raki, is the subject of yet another great Cretan festival in Voukolies, west Crete.
Tsikoudia or raki is a local Cretan strong distilled spirit with approximately 37% alcoh
Read more…Canal boating around England
Done the London tours? Check. Tower of London? Check. Churchill’s bunker? Check. British museums? Check. Day trip to Stonehenge? Check. Everything to be seen on a visit to London. So what now?
Pay attention to the boat traffic on the Thames as it
Galway is an Irish charmer - and a 2020 European Capital of Culture
Ireland's fourth largest city (pop. 80,000), located roughly midway along the country's Atlantic coast - and a nearly straight shot of a bit over two hours west of Dublin - boasts a history stretching back nearly a thousand years. But today it's
Read more…Poland/Slovakia/Romania lauded as budget travel bonanzas
Are you dreaming of exploring Europe but worried about the cost? Luckily there are several countries in Eastern Europe that tend to be significantly less expensive to visit than popular favorites like France, Italy, Spain, and Great Britain. Here
Read more…7 unusual excursions from Vienna
Where would you go if you had an extra day during your Vienna vacation? Most travellers head for more city sightseeing to nearby cities after they visit Vienna. While right outside Wien, a few top class attractions hide from the mainstream. Here I'
Read more…Madeira - Portugal's wild Atlantic garden
The Madeiran archipelago, together with those of the Canaries, Azores, and Cape Verde, comprise Macaronesia, "the Fortunate Isles", to which the gods of Greek mythology brought the heroes when their adventurous lives were over. They are volcanic in
