Il DeCameron Hotel
Eastern European tourism has of course been booming in the past decade, and will no doubt recover much of its popularity as the world emerges from coronavirus/COVID-19 lockdown and people begin traveling more again. But the country of Ukraine - Europe's biggest after Russia - has remained more under the tourism radar, attracting a relatively modest 10 million or so visitors in recent years, a good chunk of those business rather than leisure travelers. Part of this is down prob
Featured Posts (5072)
Especially when traveling for ecotourism and/or adventure (or also for attending events), a good set of binoculars is a boon - an not infrequently even a necessity. Gеnеrаllу ѕреаkіng, there are five categories that any nеwсоmеr to орtісѕ ѕhоuld bе аwаrе оf. They оvеrlар but аlѕо dіffеr in vаrіоuѕ wауѕ bесаuѕе they're designed fоr a vаrіеtу оf рurроѕеѕ. In this post I will highlight three саtеgоrіеѕ and whаt thе kеу features are that уоu ѕhоuld bе looking fоr whеn buying thе best
Dieter Mueller
When I started visiting one of Cuba’s earliest settlements (founded in 1514), down in the central south coast some five or so hours from Havana, in the late 1990s, Trinidad was a sleepy little colonial gem in the rough – as in, fairly shabby like most other Cuban towns, seemingly trapped in amber, even smaller feeling than its population of a little over 70,000.
The colonial quarter was all about cobblestone streets lined with those retro old U.S. cars parked in front of low-sl
What would the perfect family getaway look like for you? For many, the perfect answer is a vacation filled with theme park fun, where your kids can meet some of their favorite cartoon characters and enjoy thrilling rides.
And of course the theme-park capital of the world is the city of Orlando in central Florida, with nearly a dozen theme and water parks large and small which attract millions of families - as well as just adults, mostly traveling in couples and groups of friends
The Northern Beaches district on a peninsula on Bantry and Caneel Bays in the coastal suburbs of Australia's biggest city offer something special - most particularly beautiful golden strands and spectacular views. With 30 kilometres of shoreline, the resort towns up here serve up a paradise and laid back lifestyle that begs the question of why people who live there would ever leave. Depending on distance away from Sydney, you can reach them by car and/or ferry in 15 minutes to two ho
sman_5
Not many countries in Europe can offer you the multitude of attractions of Greece, including sandy beaches with limpid waters; ancient ruins and citadels; lush forests; delicious cuisine; numerous cultural festivals; and relaxed lifestyle, not as fast paced as many developed European countries. There are simply so many amazing cities and regions in this relatively small country, and choosing among them can be challenging. But here's a quick look at some of its highlights to help you d
Pil-Art
Your thirties are decade of transition, when most people finally get to better understand the nuances of life and the responsibilities that come with it. You become more mature and focused, and start to think about your life seriously. And if you have a passion for travel, you can still enjoy it to the maximum, and more responsibly perhaps than you did in your twenties. Here's my list of the life-changing experiences you can look forward to:
Travel Back to Time at the Pyramids of Gi
The Capitol Hotel Tokyu, the five-star Tokyo flagship property of Tokyu Hotel Corporation, is now offering unique, authentic Japanese cultural experiences. Two exclusive offers include off-site luxury dining with geishas and genuine Shinto ceremonies at the adjacent Hie Shrine.
Dining with Geishas
The reknowned, kimono-clad hostesses in whiteface makeup are still a part of society in some Japanese cities, adept in the arts of playing traditional instruments as well as dancing/singing for and
The great cruise liner Queen Mary has faced many challenges since her keel was laid in 1930. Now she is part of a new effort to beat an unprecedented enemy as she helps the world get back to business. Here's a little more of her inspiring story.
The ship has been part of southern California's treasures since the city of Long Beach acquired her in 1967. Long Beach then spent several million dollars to prepare her for the waiting public. Her grand California debut was on May 8, 1971.
The Queen Ma
Located at the northeast coast of Mexico's Yucatan Peninsula, this L-shape resort island, alongside a city home to hundreds of thousands of Mexicans, many of whom work in the tourism industry, was essentially created by the Mexican government in 1974. Its core appeal has always been its beaches and nightlfe (along with the chance to take day trips to incredible Mayan archaeological sites; there's even a tiny one right here, called Ruinas del Rey). And over the years many other options have evolv
Honeymoon trips are always among the most memorable, and after our wedding I wanted to splurge a bit and make our honeymoon as enjoyable as possible. My soon-to-be husband and I love beaches, so we chose was the tropical islands Andaman and Nicobar, in the Bay of Bengal. Filled with a number of pristine beaches offering the best view of nature and the sunset allowing the travellers to explore the best of the marine life Andaman was one perfect honeymoon destination that comes under the union t
When you're backcountry camping in the woods away from the amenities and utilities of commercial camping resorts, food and water are both critical, of course, but you can survive longer without the former than without the latter, so after shelter, water may be the single most important factor on your outing. And if you're not carrying a sufficient amount with you (which for multiple days may get quite heavy and unwieldy to manage), you will need to purify the water you will find there. Water fro
Switzerland's second largest city, and capital of Romandy, the French-speaking region that makes up a quarter of the country, is a handsome, elegant, and affair with a gorgeous lake- and riverside setting, cosmopolitan cultural and dining scene, and majestic views of the soaring French Alps (more or less three hours away, if you love skiing or snowboarding) and just an hour from another wonderful Francophone Swiss city, Lausanne.
Geneva has plenty of great places to visit, including the co
For many around the world (and even in the United States), New York City is essentially synonymous with its central borough, the island of of Manhattan, which hogs much of the wealth, glamour, and attractions of this metropolis. And of course in recent years the borough of Brooklyn has also been winning a measure of reknown for its hipster, cultural, and dining scenes. But there are three other boroughs that have much to offer but are less well known, or known for the wrong rea
A Halong Bay Cruise
In Vietnam's northeast, a 3½-hour drive from Hanoi through the verdant rice field of the Red River delta, “Descending Dragon Bay” has been twice recognized as a UNESCO World Heritage Site of Vietnam. First was in 1994 for the outstanding beauty of its seascape, covering more than 1,500 square kilometers of more than 1,600 towering, jungle-clad, vertical limestone islets, hiding many cave such as Sung Sot and "Surprise Cave" - all of it a breathtaking sight any time, and
Honeymooning in Australia is wonderful, and you may have considered spots like Sydney Harbour Bridge, the Great Barrier Reef, Phillip Island, the Blue Mountains, perhaps the Yarra River or Byron Bay. There are a lot of places in Australia that get a ton of honeymoon buzz, but there are also quite a few other picture perfect and romantic destinations - some of which may not have occurred to you - that deserve to be on your bucket list. Here are ten examples:
Hamilton Island
Year after year, Hamilt
Our Southern California Wine Review Council recently enjoyed wines made with Italian grapes from both Italy and New Mexico. Reviewers were assigned wines and then tasked with creating food pairings to share with the group (we often find food pairings selected for one wine are paired as well or better with another wine). As wine reviewers, we discuss and decide which wine garners our most appreciation, although I think we’d all agree the true enjoyment is found in the gastronomic journey and th
If this was not in fact the highest point in Dublin, it certainly felt like it. After climbing the 198 steps to the top of Glasnevin Cemetery's Daniel O’Connell Tower (below) - Ireland's highest round tower - I was able to gaze over the entire city, laid out almost like a map. It stretched from the western limits, past the airport to the north, by way of the Hill of Howth, the Irish Sea and the Liffey River mouth round to the Dublin Mountains in the south. This amazing revelation was the culm
Founded on Florida's Gulf coast in 1888 - and, yes, named after the famed Russian city (on a whim of one of the city's founders, who actually flipped a coin to decide the matter with his co-founder) - "St. Pete" has fairly little in common with its larger Slavic namesake. But one major exception is that in both you could spend days on end exploring a wealth of fascinating museums. In addition to the classic Florida sun and nearby beaches that it's known for, the ever growing arts scene and art
The last time I visited Buenos Aires, one of the most memorable days of the trip, was spent, ironically enough, in Uruguay. A comfy, Buquebus high-speed ferry ride away across the wide, murky Río Plata (one to three hours, depending on the ship, as well as a 2½-hour drive from Uruguay’s capital Montevideo) lies a small city that's home to the loveliest Spanish colonial old town in South America’s Southern Cone (and one of the most fetching on the entire continent, well deserving of its