I have come to appreciate more and more each day the invigorating light of the Riviera. Henri Matisse once said: “Quand j’ai compris que chaque matin je reverrais cette lumiere, je ne pouvais croire a mon bonheur!” (When I realized that each morning I would see this light again, I could not believe my happiness!). Going out each morning to fetch our croissants and pains au chocolat, I am hit as soon as I step outside with a feeling of happiness and readiness to face another day by the warm light

Locronan

The spectacular region of Brittany, located along France's northern shore, boasts ancient towns, medieval homes, and rugged coastlines with breathtaking views. And impressively, she hosts five of the Most Beautiful Villages of France.

The seasoned traveler knows that one of the greatest pleasures in crossing borders and discovering new places is in sampling different countries’ cuisine; giving oneself up to the endless smells and flavorus that flood the senses and imprint lasting memories on the taste buds. Not all destinations are the same of course, but some are particularly special when it comes to the culinary contrast of colors, textures and sensations.  And Bulgaria is one of them.

Bulgarian cuisine is replete with Sl

If you have not seen the film Chocolat, stop now and go rent / buy / download it so you know what I am talking about. If you have seen it, you know the expressions of ecstasy on the faces of the townspeople as they are transformed by Vianne’s exotic chocolate creations.

In the film – which is perfect for Easter Week – Vianne livens up the inhibited French town with ancient Maya secrets of chocolate preparation from Central America.

Prized by the Mayas, Aztecs and Inkas, and formerly reserved onl

In the travel world, few topics incite more contention and indignation than seatback etiquette—as we learned a while back when we published Six Shocking Stories of Travelers Gone Wild, which stirred up a wild debate among our readers.

In the piece, an editor from Family Vacation Critic (our sister site) and I both shared stories about other passengers reacting churlishly when we inched our seats backward. "When flying out of Portugal," I wrote, "I reclined my seat and fell asleep. I woke up when

por Cristóbal Ramírez

El colorido de sus edificios contrasta con sus montes verdes. Sea cual sea la dirección que tomen sus pies por el centro de Quito, capital de Ecuador, le rodeará la historia. Uno se queda boquiabierto ante tal despliegue de estilos artísticos mientras los quiteños van a su aire y apenas posan la mirada sobre los monumentos. Con razón fue declarada una de las primeras ciudades patrimonio de la Unesco, en 1978.

La Plaza de San Blas da la bienvenida en la parte antigua. Lueg

When the days grow longer and the dreary winter slowly melts away, it’s time to pack your suitcase and head out to meet spring! Our favourite season is simply more beautiful in some places – and some places are simply more beautiful in spring. Stuck for a place to go? Choose one of our top five spring destinations below.

1. Bohemian spring rhapsody in Prague

Prague is the capital of Bohemia – and the Czech Republic, of course. Avoid the summer crowds by visiting in spring, when the Golden City gli

by Andy Jarosz

Walk along the streets of Old Havana, Cuba and you’re quite likely to stop to admire a very curious sight that will pass you by. You’ll probably hear it or even smell its fumes before you see it. You’ll wonder why it looks like a bicycle but sounds like a lawnmower. Welcome to the riquimbili: not quite what Che Guevara rode in The Motorcycle Diaries but a good example of Cuban inventiveness in finding a solution to a very real everyday headache.

Since the Castro revolution in

Samoa - so very serene

A postcard of natural beauty, Samoa won the heart of Bev Malzard on a short break holiday.

It wasn’t quite love at first sight, but a slow feeling of affection growing as I came to know Samoa. After an early (before dawn) arrival at Faleolo Airport to the sound of local singers – and I’m always a sucker for a pretty song – we headed south cutting through the island of Upolu Island from north to south.

Driving through the dark, the soft twilight quietly emerged and we could s

The road warrior, the business traveler, represents a huge 50% or more of a hotel’s revenue, but what we found very interesting is a trend to combine a family vacation with a business trip.

An impressive 67.7 percent of those randomly polled said they combine business travel with family travel, a major shift from just ten years ago when corporations frowned on the practice of mixing business with pleasure.

One study actually suggested that business travelers filed 80% more medical claims than

I was at a Mexican restaurant recently, and its colorful assortment of piñatas reminded me of all my trips to Mexico - not to mention one of my oldest childhood memories. You know that car commercial that’s been all over the tube recently, the one with a kid whaling away at a piñata that stubbornly refuses to break – a stand-in for the durability of this particular make of car? It brought me back to one of my earliest childhood memories, my own kiddie party, when my dad handed me a plastic bat

Modestly Priced Gay Accommodation, Buenos Aires Style With Latin Flair

By Roy Heale

For members of the LGBT community who are planning to experience adventures in Buenos Aires tourism and would prefer to stay at a gay bed and breakfast, Buenos Aires now offers an exclusive gay venue in trendy Palermo.

Located in the heart of Palermo Soho, this exclusively gay Palermo Uno Bed & Breakfast offers guests an urban resort experience. Owned and operated by an Argentine travel guide and journalist this is

More and more parents are realising the value of a digital detox. A chance to uplug from our interconnected world and get back in touch with nature, these holidays are also a win win when it comes to spending quality time with the kids. Ranch stays offer unrivalled opportunities to live life in the slow lane, cattle drives, team penning, teepee camp outs and guest rodeos ideal for families who want to follow the rhythm of the herds. Tour operator, Ranch Rider has rounded up a list of six fun wee

by Susana Alosete

When you think about films associated with Morocco, your mind can’t help but shift to black and white, as the faces ofIngrid Bergman and Humphrey Bogart appear along with the soundtrack of “Casablanca.” However, this mythical movie was shot entirely in California, though it has left us with the memory of a romantic but dangerous Morocco.

Many movies have been filmed in this African nation, which prides itself on its own version of Hollywood or, as we Spaniards would say, its

If you've never visited the Greek island of Crete, you’re in for a lot of surprises. Travelers are so often astounded by the scenery, the diversity, and utter uniqueness of this Island. However surprising the geography may be however, the simplicity of village life has to be the more pleasurable discovery. Why there's even a term that best describes the people you'll experience here. So well noted for stellar seascapes, the term Filoxenia (the love of visitors) outshines any Cretan photo op. For

Manila is one of those sprawling mega-cities that somehow defines the modern era, somehow defines Southeast Asia, and somehow defines what it is to be human in an era in which quantity seems to have triumphed over quality.  We just may be victims of our own success—reproductive, that is—as the fruits of our collective loins threaten to overwhelm us.  The Philippines share much of the blame for this, being the only Catholic country in a region mostly Buddhist or Muslim, and with a reproductive ra

por Cristóbal Ramírez

El mar, sus vientos y sus olas, forman parte de esta ciudad coqueta. A Coruña, una de las ciudades más pujantes de Galicia, se abre a su bahía y permite que el visitante se llene los pulmones de aire salado. No hay más que pasearse por la Avenida de la Marina. En esta calle nos sorprenderán las galerías de las fachadas, que conforman el mayor conjunto acristalado del mundo. Nos dejamos llevar mirando las fachadas señoriales y llegamos,Jardines de Méndez Núñez mediante, hast

by Wendie Hansen with Kaleel Sakakeeny

Ralph Waldo Emerson had this to say about the Old North Bridge in Concord, MA, a suburb of Boston:

“By the rude bridge that arched the flood,
Their flag to April's breeze unfurled,
Here once the embattled farmers stood
And fired the shot heard round the world.”

But what does the bridge in Concord,  the home of the American revolution for independence, have to do with revolutions in Tahrir Square, Egypt, Libya, Tunisia, and all places where the struggle for fre

“In a remote and lush corner of Costa Rica, lies a realm of giant trees, roaring monkeys, jaguars on the prowl, and breaching whales. This is one of the last places on Earth where virgin rainforest grows right to the high tide line, and a visitor might walk for hours – or days – along its isolated coast without meeting a single person. This is the Osa Peninsula and there is no other place in the world like it.”

-Osa: Where the Rainforest Meets the Sea by ecologist Dr. Trond Larsen and photographe

Narita International Airport, also known as Tokyo Narita Airport, is the most popular gateway to Japan,

but in reality, it is not in Tokyo at all. It is a 60-minute express train ride (80-90 minute bus ride) outside of Tokyo

in Chiba Prefecture. Adjacent to the airport is Narita City, with a population of almost 129,000. This may be a pittance compared to Tokyo's 12 million, but there is much to do and see culturally in both Narita City

and its next-door neighbor Sakura City – population nearly 172