If you’re planning on choosing a holiday with a whole new sense of adventure, there seems to be a huge number of places still available to surprise - even shock and stun - the most jaded traveler. Yet while the temples of southeast Asia, vast ca
The Land of the Rising Sun is home to an ancient culture with a sometimes tumultuous history, and through these many centuries, inevitably some of that history has been haunted with all manner of ghosts, demons, monsters, and ghouls. And in the 21
Reknowned for its scenic beauty, with highlights including gorgeous beaches; verdant hills and forests; and a network of inland waterways plied by traditional houseboats, Kerala state - which Indians like to dub "God's own country" - is also highl
Located halfway along the coast of Vietnam, Hoi An is famous for its delicious food, excellent tailors and one of Vietnam's most historic old quarters, dating back to the 15th century and marked as a UNESCO World Heritage Site. And beyond its inn
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
Rio de Janeiro‘s greatest and most famous festival is unquestionably one of the world’s, as well, an over-the-top extravaganza of samba schools parading their raucous music, dancing, and extravagant floats and costumes over several consecutive nig
The pre-Lenten season is upon us once again, and although the Carnaval in Rio de Janeiro is the most famous, many other fun, fantastic examples abound across the Americas and Europe - including, of course, right here in Spain. Allow me to introduce
Celebrated by the Japanese according to the Gregorian calendar only since 1873, New Year's Eve and New Year's Day have evolved their own unique set of customs. Let me share a quick primer on Shōgatsu in Japan with you - it's a festive time of yea
Like so many European cities and towns, as of the last week in November, Catalonia's capital dons its Yuletide best and does its best to transform the dark, chilly days of winter into a festive celebration, lasting through January 6 (the "12th day
One of the all-time classic Christmas destinations is the city where Charles Dickens penned A Christmas Carol 175 years ago. And of course the London of today offers an enormous variety of holiday happenings and experiences, from the traditional V
Kashan is an ancient city of some 433,000 in north central Iran, some two hours south of capital Teheran, and its name is tied in the minds of Iranians to its carpets, silks and other textiles - but also golab (rosewater), with its annual rosewater
Mysore, the second biggest city (pop. 887,000) and cultural capital of Karnataka state in southern India, has been transforming itself into a cutting-edge city while preserving its breaktaking legacy of magnificent palaces and extravagant maharaja
As the cradle of Christianity, the Old Continent’s history with Easter is millennia old. And though recently it has evolved from a merely religious observance to an secular cultural (even pop cultural) phenomenon, the mix of elaborate religious pa
The annual Songkran Festival(comes from Sanskrit and means astrological passage) marks the Thai New Year and is the most crazy holiday of national celebration. Thais will spend these days with family, going to temples, parties and water fights (th
Springtime in Japan is about far more than cherry blossoms - nature in all its glory is celebrated across the islands. Here are three in or not far from Tokyo:
Sanja Matsuri at Asakusa Shrine on the Grounds of Sensoji Temple, Tokyo - May 17-19
Welcoming the new year has to be done with tons of celebrations, and going to Budapest and Hungary is a great idea. Budapest is simply one of the most magnificent cities in Europe and in this guide, we will provide you with tips and tricks on going
So you’re in the capital of merry olde England for the winter holidays, enjoying the festive lights and good cheer, and suddenly you realize that your British friends are off on the day after Christmas for something called Boxing Day. Setting asi
The entire idea of experiencing a folk festival is to see into the local culture and understand the tradition that the communities hold onto for generations. What is it that makes these festivals so unique? How do they manage to retain their age-old
Today is one of the United States‘ few annual holidays which most of its inhabitants regardless of origin, age, or creed cherish and when families reunite unlike any other time of year except Christmas. Always observed the fourth Thursday of Novem
This coming November 9-11, visitors to Tochigi City, Japan - dubbed “Little Edo” because of its Edo period townscape and just 70 minutes north of Tokyo’s Asakusa Station on the Tobu Railway line - are in for a special treat, because this is the ye