Travel Blog

“The best morning of my life.” That was a cameraman’s reaction to filming in one of the hottest cruise destinations today. The Arctic’s icecaps, glaciers, icebergs and fjords are drawing intrepid cruise travelers who want to experience some of the most remote, pristine, – and epic – scenery in the world.  You may have already cruised to Alaska and experienced some of the wilderness along some of its Arctic and Pacific northwest coast. But that doesn’t even begin to touch the scale...

It’s the best of both worlds. Part of the appeal of luxury, all-inclusive resorts is the array of dining options on the property where you can enjoy effortless, delightful dining you’ve already paid for.  But what about getting a taste of the local restaurant scene on the rest of the island? And how about supporting other local businesses? Sandals Resorts has come up with the perfect answer in its immersive, “Island Inclusive” dining program that now invites couples at two of its...

If you thought CERN, the renowned particle physics research facility in Geneva, was just for Nobel laureates and PhD’s, think again. The facility has inaugurated Science Gateway, a new, visionary hub with free admission for anyone from 5 to 95 to get involved in the next generation of human understanding of the universe at what may be the world’s most famous science facility.  CERN’s Science Gateway is an architectural achievement as well as providing a new level of access to the...

Did you know there’s a UNESCO World Heritage Site that isn’t even finished yet? Many churches in Europe are World Heritage Sites… but most of them are hundreds, even a thousand years old. Only one of them is still under construction! And recently, Barcelona’s Sagrada Familia just achieved another milestone in its journey towards completion.  The idea of a work-in-progress UNESCO World Heritage Site runs counter to our concept of World Heritage buildings that reflect long history as well as exceptional...

Fans of ultra-luxury, all-inclusive boutique European river cruising have two reasons to celebrate. Uniworld has announced the addition of two ships to its fleet. Following the line’s tradition of naming ships after European queens, empresses and other royalty, the new ships names are S.S. Victoria and S.S. Elisabeth. The ships will begin sailing in 2024 and 2025 respectively.  We say ‘new’ ships, but they’re not newly-launched; however, they are new-to-Uniworld. Victoria and Elisabeth will be familiar to many fans of luxury...

Til death do you party! Dia de los Muertos is a cherished Mexican holiday honoring the memories of loved ones who have passed away. Coming just a day after Halloween, and symbolized by an elegantly-dressed skeleton, Day of the Dead is often thought of as a similar celebration of the supernatural, but it is a uniquely Mexican holiday that’s more family than frightening.  A number of cultures honor their deceased family members, and Mexico’s Dia de los Muertos has its own...

Word this summer of the introduction of the world’s first phone-free tourist resort island in Finland highlighted a growing holiday trend: digital fasting.  You read that right. Wellness travel has offered vacationers opportunities to undertake juice and other fasts on retreat trips to benefit their physical health. Now, with growing awareness of the benefits of unplugging from our devices, we could be seeing more opportunities for digital fasting on our vacations. “We encourage visitors to put their phones away voluntarily and to focus...

Hiking up the tallest freestanding mountain in the world is on a lot of people’s travel bucket lists. From BFF getaways to rewarding yourself for reaching fitness goals, climbing the highest peak in Africa is the adventure of a lifetime.  Unlike other of the world’s highest peaks, climbing Mount Kilimanjaro takes endurance and a certain amount of fitness, but no specialized skills, making it an attainable achievement.  Here are a few essential things you need to know about climbing Kilimanjaro: 1. World’s Highest...

Don’t wait til spring or summer to visit Austria’s capital. Some of its most unique experiences take place during the frosty months, where one-of-a-kind local events warm your heart and reveal a side of Vienna you can’t see any other time of the year.   Viennese Christmas Markets:Advent, the four weeks leading up to Christmas, is a magical time in Vienna, with the historic city center and shopping streets in their festive best. The city’s most beautiful squares, streets and parks are...

Aruba’s hotel and resort scene is more alluring than ever. The Dutch island in the south Caribbean is known for its desert environment, perpetual tradewinds that shape its iconic divi divi trees, colorful, colonial town, and a famous beach that’s been named best in the world, where most resorts are found.  News from three resorts highlights new experiences to give travellers reasons to return to Aruba or visit for the first time. A New Nature Preserve by Bucuti & Tara Beach ResortAruba’s...

Ever since it was inaugurated in October, 1933, Air France has been flying high as an international beacon of the uniquely French art of travel and art of life. 90 years later, flying to France on the airline remains the best way to become immersed in French “savoir vivre” and elegance before you even touch French soil.  Since its creation, the company has been celebrating excellence, French-style, a “je-ne-sais-quoi” recognized around the world. So, to mark its 90th anniversary, the airline asked...

It is extraordinarily charming to cruise any of the rivers of Europe, but they call it “The Romantic Rhine” for a reason – at least three reasons! And on my most recent sailing on the Rhine on a Viking river cruise, I was reminded of why the Rhine is one of my – and many seasoned river cruisers’ – favorites.  On 'The Romantic Rhine,' you can see, taste, and listen to a perfect tapestry of Northern European culture. And a river...

Every year, beer lovers look forward to the month that celebrates friendship over a stein of brew. The original Oktoberfest has returned full strength and has also inspired a world of imitators that look nothing like the beer tents and wooded hills of Germany’s Bavaria.  Wherever you celebrate, it’s all about the “Gemutlichkeit.” Some call it fellowship, friendliness, or even good times. It’s the atmosphere surrounding you at Oktoberfest as you clink beer mugs with new and old friends. Munich – The...

30 times in 30 years. That’s an incredible vote of confidence in the resort chain named “The Caribbean’s Leading Hotel Brand” for the 30th time at the 30th annual World Travel Awards. It wasn’t the only win for Sandals Resorts International, either. It scored 13 more prestigious awards.  Sandals Resorts International is the parent company of two luxury, all-inclusive resort chains: couples-only Sandals resorts, and family all-inclusive Beaches resorts. In addition to the company as a whole winning top honors, individual resorts also brought...

New Zealand consists of two main islands, the North Island and the South Island, and whether you call yourself a nature lover, adrenaline junkie, foodie, wine or culture aficionado, you’ll find reasons to visit both.  North IslandWhile New Zealand’s North Island is the smaller of the two islands, it has more people and the country’s major cosmopolitan cities, including the capital, Wellington, as well as Auckland. New Zealand’s famous wine scene is ripe on the North Island, and you don’t even have...

Scotland’s most famous legend… may not remain a mystery for much longer. A new Loch Ness Centre at the famous lake in the Scottish Highlands is promising to unleash the biggest search for “Nessie” in over half a century. And visitors can join in the quest!  Nessie may be the biggest attraction in the Scottish Highlands that no one can prove they’ve ever seen. Reports of a monster in the dark, murky depths of Loch Ness – the largest lake in volume in...

More and more travelers are tuning in to the charms of river cruising through the hearts of some of the world’s most fabulous destinations. Two new ships have just debuted that will make exploring France’s fabled Rhone River and Egypt’s legendary Nile even more appealing.  VIKING ATON With the August, 2023 launch of the Viking Aton, the ocean, expedition and river cruise line now has 4 ships plying the historic waters of Egypt’s legendary Nile River.  The new, 82-guest ship is identical to...

August, 2023 may go down in the cruise travel history books, with the launch of an exceptional number of new, ground-breaking ships that inspire us to take to the seas – and give us a glimpse into the direction cruise travel, design, and experiences are heading.  Five new ships sailed to sea in the first couple of weeks of the month, ranging in size from 100 guests to 4000! And here’s how they rolled out: EXPLORA INot just a new ship, but...

The Mediterranean is full of ancient maritime cultures, but some seaside countries are just recently becoming popular cruise destinations. One up-and-coming cruise hub in the eastern end of this historic sea offers the best of Mediterranean, modern European, and Middle Eastern cultures and lifestyles. Not to mention the spiritual attractions of the home of Jewish, Christian and Islamic faiths.  And the best news is that more and more cruises are calling in Israel’s ports and also embarking and disembarking from Israel,...

Japan is famous for its volcanic peaks, which also hint at a national treasure underground: geothermally-heated mineral spring waters. For longer than records have been kept, Japanese have been bathing in natural, hot spring-fed ‘onsen’ to benefit from their restorative and healing powers.  For travelers to Japan, a visit to an onsen is an essential cultural and wellness experience, but, like many other Japanese traditions, there are rituals and etiquette to participating.  Here’s what you need to know about onsen:                                                       There are thousands...