by Marita Acosta

Just this week came word that the Corleones' mansion in New York City is up for sale. Well, you know...the place where it was filmed...to the tune of $2.89 million. More details on the house below, which has entered pop-culture immortality as a key part of the Big Apple stomping grounds of the notorious fictional Mafia family, becoming a classic travel circuit for millions across the world.  And not only are the wiseguys of this powerful movie trilogy based on Mario Puzo’s nov

David Beckham, Leonardo DiCaprio and British rock band Coldplay are just some of the big names from the world of celebrity who have come on board to save rhinos. Not on the regular "A" list there are also several rising horn stars hoping to change the game plan on poaching: rhinos in the wild facing the very real threat of extinction by 2026. While each one is more than deserving of media attention it's important to remember that all travellers can make a difference, every visit to Africa's nati

Medieval, cobblestone streets, and magnificent abbeys and century-old chateaus abound the “Most Beautiful Villages of France” in Burgundy. So much to discover, and so little time.

Châteauneuf / Côte d'Or

Chateauneuf-en-Auxois

Chateauneuf-en-Auxois is a pretty hilltop village watching over flat open country and the Burgundy Canal. Châteauneuf is best known for its 12th-century chateau, which once played an important defensive role for the road leading to Autun. The medieval streets reveal many fi

I had to pick my time carefully to visit the city of Bath. I wanted to go before the bulk of the tourists came, but after the rush of Christmas crowds around the many shops. But, that’s the way it’s always been, for visitors have been coming to Bath since before the Romans came, over 2,000 years ago.

Bath is the only place in Britain with natural hot springs. They aren’t of volcanic origin; they are heated by water passing over the limestone of the nearby Mendip Hills. Ask any American soldier …

Wherever a trip may take you, it’s always interesting to get to know the history and culture of the natives. Museums are one of the ways to do this of course, so when I found myself in Paros island, I made sure to visit its  Archaeological museum in the city of Parikia.

My first impression of the museum was a beautifully landscaped exterior, decorated with a few carefully chosen exhibits that intrigued me enough to want to see more! It was there I first saw the mosaic from the 3rd-century BC of

We had not been on a train in years, so when invited to experience a weekend getaway on the rails that was “drive free,” we jumped at the opportunity. The adventure entailed making our way to the Diridon Train Station in San Jose, California, and boarding the southbound Amtrak Coast Starlight train bound for Santa Barbara. Here’s how it all went:

Checking baggage

Coast Starlight passengers are allowed to check two bags each, with similar baggage restrictions to those of the airlines. However, our

One of the top places to go in Costa Rica, in the Central Valley, is the spectacular Else Kientzler Botanical Garden in Sarchi, Costa Rica.

The flourishing Costa Rica botanical garden showcases more than 2,000 species of exotic tropical plants from around the globe in its 11 gardens on seven hectares (17.3 acres). The popular Costa Rica tourist attraction is located in Costa Rica’s Central Valley in the artisan town of Sarchi, just north of the main town center.

Visitors can stroll two kilomet

The olive fields, lemon trees, and vegetables splashed across the Greek landscape bear testimony to a rich, varied and dynamic cuisine connected to the environment. The Greek lifestyle is reflected in its cuisine – full of flavor and nothing pretentious. The fresh products which end up on Greek stoves demonstrate the care and passion that they put into their selection of  raw ingredients. Greek cuisine is based on the Mediterranean diet, although it has both eastern and western influences.

Alt

So you are in Tuscany and you've had enough food and wine. What to do?

Well, there is several companies in the region that offer balloon rides. If you need a little more excitement, it's a pretty good time.  I visited Tuscany in September, which is the end of ballooning season (apparently) due to the conditions.  Its not way too expensive, but its not exactly cheap.  Its priced about right, and offers a great view of the tuscany landscape.  Its romantic for you lovers out there, and pretty exciti

Baguio is the only bump in a long ride up the coast from Manila to the far reaches of north Luzon.  I’m sure there’s a route that hugs the coast the entire way, but I wanted to stop at Baguio first, before continuing on to Vigan.  Manila is only 150mi/250km away from Baguio, but after a seven-hour bus ride, seems much farther.  That’s because the going is so slow through town after congested town full of motorbikes and three-wheelers putt-putting around and clogging up the main road, that it’s

A genius gone mad.

Every time I see Antoni Gaudí’s perpetually unfinished Sagrada Família, the crown jewel of the Catalan architect’s vast œuvre, these four words well up along with, I confess, an occasional tear. It’s simply not possible to witness the soaring prayer in stone that is this most unusual of temples, and not be moved — in part, no doubt, by the mad genius’ inability to see his grand opus through to completion.

It seems, however, that we finally have a date: Barcelona architect J

A city whose unique beauty none can challenge is Prague. I had the chance to visit it once again a few days ago. Beautiful Prague welcomed me with pleasantly warm temperatures. I stayed for four days as I was on a business trip, however I got the chance to take the short cruise on Moldau River and enjoyed the city from another point of view!

Prague is the largest city and the capital of the Czech Republic. According to historians, this an area inhabited since the Eolithic age. It's also the bas

by José Miguel Rodriguez

Most of the time we find ourselves passing through expansive airports with amenities and services galore, and nice, wide, long runways. And then, of course, there are the other airports. The ones that make for great cocktail-party tales of harrowing landings amid spectacular settings. Today we take you on a quick tour of some of the most dangerous airports in the world: 

Courchevel, France

Located at the renowned French Alps ski resort of the same name, Courchevel po

The 5 million people living on the island surely make Sicily the largest one in the Mediterranean Sea. It has a rich and unique culture, especially with regard to arts, music, cuisine history and language. If visiting for a week, here’s our list of top 5 things to do when in Sicily.

#1. Etna – Europe’s largest active volcano

Etna is a must. To see Europe’s largest active volcano, is a fantastic experience. We recommend getting right to the top along with a volcano guide and wander around the crate

The northwestern province of Guanacaste in Costa Rica has one of the largest dry tropical forest areas in the Americas. Dry tropical forests are unique with many deciduous broad-leaf trees and vegetation that survive with much less water than a tropical rainforest. It endures a dry season lasting approximately eight months, yet is still home to a splendid diversity of plants, trees and wildlife.

The book Green Phoenix: Restoring the Tropical Forests of Guanacaste, Costa Rica, by William Allen (20

The Pantanal is one of the most prominent nature destinations in Brazil. It is one of the largest tropical wetlands in the world, an enormous stretch of land which extends into the Brazilian states of Mato Grosso and Mato Grosso do Sul, as well as into Paraguay and Bolivia. Contrary to what its name suggests, the Pantanal is not a large pantano, or ‘marsh’. It is a hugely extensive alluvial plain which is partially covered with water during the rainy season and exposed during the summer. The ri

Halloween, the annual festival, brought to America by immigrants from Ireland and Scotland has become America's biggest party day, perhaps after New Year's eve. For the last 200 years Americans have celebrated Halloween. The customs of carving pumpkins, jack o' lanterns comes to us from the Celtic traditions. What is the magical allure that so many folks want to celebrate at Halloween?  The costumes?  The Halloween parties? The memory of childhood?  A chance to throw off inhibitions and to becom

Along with showcasing exceptional wines, paired with equally spectacular food, the partnership of Martin Corso (Chef Marty) of The M Group, and Ken Barnes of Temecula Night Out, has fostered a sense of camaraderie and fellowship in the Temecula Valley Wine Country community in presenting “Good Times in the Vines.”  The beautiful wine country home of Al and Jean Glaser on a lovely summer evening made for a perfect setting. The evocative musical ambience – a walk down memory lane with Neil Diamond