Blogs

Clustered within the Aegean and Ionian seas, 227 of Greece's 6,000 islands are inhabited and a few of these support some impressive wineries. Thanks to a wide-ranging Mediterranean climate with sundrenched days, deep blue seas, and mountainous terrain with challenging soils, 38 distinct indigenous grapes varieties, some nearly lost to the ravages of market demand and changing weather patterns, are still growing strong. Thanks to newly invigorated interest increasing imports worldwide, now has ne

The next time you are in Honolulu, make it a point to experience this unique site. Take a short drive up the Pali (Cliff) Highway to one of Hawaii’s most scenic points – the Nuuanu Pali Lookout.

This vantage point oversees Oahu’s lush and panoramic windward coast. The location was the site of the historic Battle of Nuuanu, after which, victorious King Kamehameha I was able to unite Hawaii under one ruler.

The famous battle claimed the lives of hundreds of warriors from both sides. It is recorded t

From awe-inspiring nature to the joy of slowing down, discovering magic and finding gratitude, a visit to Santa Teresa, Costa Rica just might alter your life forever.

You’ll change your relationship with nature. In Santa Teresa, nature is center stage and everywhere. Walk down amazingly beautiful beaches where it’s just you and the sand, surf, sky and serenity. Encounter the mighty power of Mother Nature in a gushing thunderstorm. Experience the delicate fragility of life in an orchid. And you’ll

Located an hour north of San Diego and a few minutes more than that south of Los Angeles, Temecula Valley wine country just keeps getting better, with mature vineyards and beautiful places to enjoy. On my recent visit, I was impressed by how much the area had grown since my visit 20 years ago. Upscale wineries that rival Napa and Sonoma and scenic views as far as the eye can see.  At that time, you could count the number of wineries on one hand, and now 44 wineries dot the Temecula landscape. Th

by Miguel Martínez Rabanal


Chile is a very special country, full of very special sights and experiences. But the Polynesian island of Rapa Nui is not only special, but dramatically unique in all the world. What makes it worth the time (a five-hour flight from Santiago), effort, and expense to make your way out to this wee chunk of rock in the middle of the southeastern Pacific Ocean –  one of the world’s most remoted inhabited islands? 

Named Isla de Pascua because it was found by Europeans (th

One of Central America’s most atmospheric cities, named upon founding in 1524 after the original Granada in southern Spain’s Andalusia region, this city on the shores of Lake Nicaragua (aka Lake Concibolca) in the west of Nicaragua is the oldest on the the Americas’ continental mainland. About 40 minutes by road from capital Managua and its airport, this Granada (pop.  1118,000) is also one of CentAm’s loveliest and most popular with visitors (quite on a par with its colonial sister capital A

Lucca is a captivating walled medieval city located in Tuscany, one of Italy’s most visited regions.  The exploration of a destination city can be either measured in hours or in days - day tripper versus slow traveler. And we encourage the latter whenever possible… so stop and smell the pizza!

The Day Tripper’s View of Lucca

With a relatively tight timeframe, the challenge is to see as many highlights as possible during a brisk march through town and checking off the must-see sites within the cit

Chile offers a broad spectrum of varietals produced in eight regions across 600 miles of vastly diverse terroir, running the gamut from coastal highlands to craggy Andean plateaus 13,000 feet or more above sea level.

The concept of grapes and wine making was little known in Chile before Spanish conquistadors invaded during the 1500s, planting Pais vines, which are now considered Chiles national grape. At the time, Pais, also known as “mission grapes” fed a growing need for sacramental wine used

The Mayan Riviera, right in the Mexican Caribbean, is not only to be enjoyed during the daytime, with the huge beaches, the bright sunshine and all the water sports and parks. The Mayan Riviera has a wide variety of nightlife for the most demanding partygoers.

On the Mayan Riviera you will find small discotheques and bars in towns such as Tulum, Akumal, Puerto Aventuras and especially at the heart of the Riviera, in Playa del Carmen, a town that concentrates the largest and most varied offer of l

Originally, the Temple of Débod stood in Egypt, on the right bank of the River Nile, and was dedicated to the god Amun and the goddess Isis. At the beginning of the 20^th Century, it was decided, for water conservation purposes, to dam the river at Aswan, downstream of the temple.

Unfortunately, some important ancient monuments would be lost beneath the surface of the resulting lake … including the beautiful Temple of Isis on Philae Island, and the not-so-well regarded Temple of Débod nearby,

How

In case you didn't already know it, Puerto Rico is a commonwealth territory of the United Sates. While Spanish is the official language, just about everyone knows some English, so you should be fine if you don't speak any. 

As you can imagine the area is tropical, with temperatures nearing 90 degrees year round. There is minimal change in water temperature through the different seasons, making this a great destination for both snorkeling and scuba diving.

Since the temperature only fluctuates arou

Guanacaste is one of the most popular provinces in Costa Rica, especially its beaches. But if you’re willing to go exploring, you can still find many beautiful and incredible off-the-beaten-path places to enjoy. These secret travel destinations offer beautiful sights, and interesting and unforgettable experiences. 

Llanos de Cortés Waterfall

In Guanacaste you can find spectacular waterfalls hidden around the Rincón de la Vieja Volcano, like the Llanos de Cortes Waterfall. To get there, take the P

For vacationers, of the great Autonomous Community of Catalonia’s four provinces, Barcelona tends to get most of the attention, closely followed by Tarragona and Girona. But west of these, Catalonia’s largest province (4,690 square miles/12,150 square kilometers) is Lleida (pronounced Lyey-da), also known in Spanish as Lérida, which is known as an agricultural heartland (especially for fruit-growing) and nature/adventure paradise, from the mountainous heights of the Pyrenees to the rich Lleida

Sixty-five years – that's a good long run for any museum in a rural area, but the Corning Museum of Glass, in the Finger Lakes Region of New York State, is not just any museum; it's arguably the foremost glass museum in the world. What's more, it isn't only an art museum, but one that also explores the history and technology of a material that's as old as Egypt's pyramids and comes in more forms than a wizard on LSD. We called upon to marketing director Beth Duane and former curator of moder

by Cristóbal Ramírez

The half-timbered, flower-festooned houses are like something right out of les Frères Grimm – except for the blue-and-gold European Union flags waving from the balconies. The EU may be going through its challenges at the moment, but here in Strasbourg, capital of Teutonic-flavoured Alsace-Lorraine, Europe is always in fashion, as the European Parliament and the Council of Europe are among the 20 international institutions based here.

But lest you think this has become just ano

Pandaw River Expeditions has become the first Western operator to reach China’s Yunnan Province via the Mekong River, when the RV Champa Pandaw moored yesterday at Guanlei.

The Champa Pandaw, which has 14 teak-finished staterooms, was specially built to withstand the strong currents and challenging navigational conditions of the Upper Mekong and deliver Southeast Asia’s first ever “four country” river expedition.

Running from October through April, Pandaw’s 14-night cruise The Mekong: from Laos to

Maine is the outdoor haven of the northeastern USA. Between the beaches and the camping, there is no shortage of outdoor activities here for people to enjoy.

There's a reason that this is such a popular location in this part of the country. It's an idyllic location that offers the best of every world: old charming towns, stunning landscape, and great places for kayaking and paddling.

There are so many different places that you can choose from in this gorgeous state that picking only five places w

Back in the bad old days of the Cold War, Warsaw was one of the main names associated with the Communist bloc thanks to the fact that its military alliance was called the Warsaw Pact. With today’s peace and prosperity under a mixed economy, the capital of Poland on the Wisła (Vistula) River is in the midst of an unprecedented boom, and is widely considered one of Europe’s more “livable” capitals. Though on the darker side, the current rightwing government has been becoming distressingly illib

Several long blocks outside the picturesque village of Westerly, Rhode Island, casually-elegant Ella's Fine Food & Drink, helmed by seven-time James Beard-nominated Chef Jeanie Roland serves up seasonally influenced American-Asian fusion dishes prepared with classical French techniques showcasing ingredients that change with the seasons including locally sourced dairy, produce, seafood, and certified organic meats.

Growing up in Waterbury, Connecticut, Chef Jeanie was inspired by both her mother

Just below the historic Pelourinho District in Salvador de Bahia, you'll find Brazil's largest artisan market. Neoclassical in style, it was rebuilt twice after fires in 1969 and 1984 - the second time around in its original 19th-century style. It is located at Cayru, in the lower city of Salvador, near the well-known Lacerda Elevator and the church of Nossa Senhora da Conceição da Praia.

Modelo Market has more than 250 market stalls and businesses, featuring the best creations of the Afro-Brazil