There is no doubt that if you are looking to be wined and dined on your next vacation, then Crystal Cruises is the company you are looking for. This exclusive cruise company makes you feel as if you are staying in a luxury hotel, only it floats on majestic waterways! At least the Grand Europe Crystal Mahler ship does, it floats along the shores of
There is something special about Lithuania, one of the old Soviet Union countries. If you haven't been here yet, you really should put it on your bucket list. Not too far from the capital city of Vilnius is a lake resort and historic town built on water known as Trakai. It is one of the most impressive cities outside of Vilnius. This town is surrounded
As I continue my series of articles about the Baltic Capitals, the next one I am writing about is Riga, Latvia. You have probably never even considered Latvia as a destination to visit, as I hadn't either. Despite how many times I've been to Europe, I had never really considered visiting the Baltic regions – Estonia, Latvia, and Lithuania. I had heard of these countries
What to do in Positano: "Positano bites Deep!" Positano is a gorgeous slice of Heaven, ok, I mean "beach town" in Italy along the Amalfi Coast. It is famous for its colorful buildings, excellent restaurants, and perfect location for honeymooners, and really anyone who wants to enjoy the Italian sun! With its winding roads that lead down to the sea, there are plenty of
Positano Beach: There is so much to say about the beloved Positano Beach, and yet nothing you can say that will give you the true essence to explain what Positano is all about. It speaks for itself, without superfluous words. It is so stunning that it makes you hunger for more. I can say that I absolutely loved the amazing drive we took down the
So you are going to Mykonos? Mykonos is loaded with great beaches (and churches) and in my humble opinion, they have some of the best beaches in all of the Mediterranean. Mykonos beaches are a paradise whether you’re looking for swimming, sunbathing, beach parties, or any type of water sports. You can visit the Mykonos beaches throughout the day by renting a car/moto (like I did), by
I'd say the Amalfi Coast is right on up there with the top 10 places to see before you die! You have got to go and experience it for yourself. Take your spouse on a romantic getaway. Fly into Rome, rent a car, and drive from Rome to Positano by car. See it for yourself, at your own pace and leisure. That's what we did
From its world-class art museums to its floating flower markets, the city of Amsterdam is reinventing itself from its hedonistic side to now focusing on its rich artistic heritage. Culturally, it’s one of Europe’s most diverse and eclectic destinations. I put together this list of Amsterdam points of interest for first-time visitors so that you will not miss a single thing. You can peddle your
Santorini is one of the Cyclades islands in Greece that literally has everything I want in an island – hidden and blue domed churches, stunning sunsets, volcanoes rising out of the Aegean Sea, cave houses you can stay in, and whitewashed stone buildings that dot the landscape. I especially loved my time spent on a yacht going around the island and seeing its colorful beaches -
I believe that Krakow is the #1 most underrated city in Europe so I won't go into the details of the lavender growing along the old city walls or the shapes of the trees that blow in the wind or even the cobblestone central square, but I do want to tell you about this unusual place found deep within its crevices: the Krakow Salt Mine. The Krakow Salt Mine
A Toast to the Champagne Houses of France (Image by Points and Travel) French Wine Regions: Champagne Region of France There are 10 major French wine regions in France, as for hundreds of years, France has lead the way for being the world's greatest producer of wines. The ten main regions are Alsace, Bordeaux, Burgundy, Beaujolais, Champagne, Côtes du Rhone, Languedoc, Loire Valley, Médoc, and Provence. Today, however,
If you have not had a chance to visit the Emilia-Romagna region of Italy, then have I got a treat for you! It's called Cesenatico and I had a chance to stay at gorgeous Hotel Cesenatico. Cesenatico is a port city located on the Adriatic coast of Italy. It is in the province of Forlì-Cesena, which is in the region of Emilia-Romagna, south of Ravenna. I
Have you ever wanted to take a tour of the Baltics? Well now is your chance! Since 1991 when the fall of USSR occurred. The idea of combining multiple countries that have so much in common, all taken over by USSR and then freed, should be reason enough to want to visit the Baltic Capital Cities. And honestly, it is not that hard to do,
Cesena is a gorgeous local community located in the central region of Italy called Emilia Romagna. This city is just 9 miles from the Adriatic Sea and was once an important town during Roman times which was famous for its wines in the region. My impression is that not that many people have heard of this region of Italy even though it has much to offer
Viking Museum Norway: Introduction At over 1000 years old, the Viking Ship Museum, Oslo houses Viking boats and artifacts from the peak of Viking marine engineering. The Viking Age, from 800-1100 AD, was the age of the sleek, speedy longships. Without this crucial advance in ship technology, the Vikings would never have become a dominant force in medieval warfare, politics, and trade. Viking Ship
Tallinn Old Town – Vibrant Capital On the Shores of the Baltic Sea Tallinn Old Town- Tallinn Guide Tallinn, Estonia is a vibrant, medieval city sitting right dab on the shores of the Baltic Sea in Northern Europe. With her old world charms, you will be glad you visited the Tallinn Old Town during the post-Soviet era to see how she has
I am in love with the Liguria region of Italy, squeezed in between Monaco and Tuscany, it is the thinnest and the smallest of all the regions of Italy. It may not be the most popular area or an area you think of when it comes to a visit to Italy, but take it from me, you need to come here for a visit. The
Italy Vacations - Make This Your Next Authentic Italian Vacation Americans love Italy Vacations. Yet many times when we go, we get bogged down in the massive cities and we begin to feel that the vacation becomes "too touristy". In Rome, the Spanish Steps and Trevi Fountain are so busy that they are almost avoidable areas to go to anymore because of the massive crowds.
Sauna Finlandese Sometimes in life, as in travels, we really don't know what to expect when encountering other cultures, countries, and continents. Some things come as a pleasant surprise, and other things, no so much. You can imagine my bible-belt cultural shock when I found out about how the Finlandese love their saunas. In fact, the Finlandia sauna is a huge part of the Finnish
What are Viking River Cruises like? Let's peek thru the window with fascination and find out. The day I received the invitation, I was so happy as a travel journalist and Instagrammer. I was ready to take on the challenge of experiencing every detail of the Viking River Cruises. But, what are Viking River Cruises really like? I knew they were the jewel of the sea
Norway is absolutely beautiful and every traveler should include this country on their bucket list. With its scenic mountain views, interesting history, vibrant architecture, and wonderful people, the sheer beauty of this Nordic country is just too compelling to be ignored. And if that’s not enough to convince you, here’s my list of 16 amazing things to do in Norway during a Norway Winter. 16
Monaco Spa: Thermes de Spa Whatever your quest is in your health, things like anti-aging, detoxification, slimming down, or deep relaxation, then this Monaco spa known as the Thermes Marins Monte-Carlo is the exact place for you. It lies somewhere between technological worlds and a few islands of tranquility but either way, it is perfection. Read on for my experience! Thermes de Spa ceiling,
Stavanger is a city that is close to the fjords and mountains along the southwestern coast of Norway. It is a place where it is easy to go hiking and to explore the famous fjords of Norway. I honestly was not expecting such a pleasant little city when I rode the Oslo to Stavanger train. Stepping outside of the train station, one of the first things
When you only have two days (in this case: 48 Hours in Oslo, Norway) in any major city, you need to be prepared and ready to zip off and enjoy the day, which is what happened to me recently on a side trip to Oslo, Norway. I was so excited to return, as it is a gorgeous city and a "DO NOT MISS" city in my opinion,
All-Inclusive Italy Just as the sun was beginning to peek into my 18th-century room at a luxury hamlet in Tuscany, I begin to wake out of one of the deepest sleeps I had been in for a while. The glow of the sun tossed shadows on to the whitewashed walls and hardwood floors and I was curled up in my white comforter with deep hunter
The Bremen Town Musicians statue is based on one of the many Brothers Grimm Fairytales and is a major attraction in Riga, Latvia. The story is simple enough. The Brothers Grimm story is about a donkey, a cat, a dog and a rooster who are past their prime. They feel too old to be useful and are terrified they will be put down by their
Have you ever wanted to take a Christmas Cruise? I just returned from a Viking Christmas and Danube River Cruise. It was delightful! Here are my thoughts: Visions of sugar plums danced in my head the first time I even heard the words "Christmas Market Cruise". I didn’t even know they existed until one day reading a travel blog and I came across an article
With a history that spans for centuries, Rome is a city that takes a lifetime to discover. No matter how many times I go to Rome, I always find something new. It seems to contain an infinite number of secrets and sights to behold. While many are well-known and are on the top of travelers’ bucket lists, this capital city has its share of secret places
I stepped onto the shores of the Normandy Beaches where I couldn't stop thinking about how World War II had finally ended in 1945. The end would have never happened if it was not for the bravery of the Allied Forces who landed on the beaches of Normandy in June of 1944, Codename Operation Overload. American, British, and Canadian soldiers, who sacrificed their lives for
It was a foggy morning close to the Black Forest near Breisach, Germany where we had gotten up early to catch the bus to go into the southwest state of Baden-Wurttemberg, near Bavaria. Along the way, we saw many church steeples and stork nests, where on one steeple they actually had their own stork webcam. I have posted it here for you to view and see if
When I found myself with the better part of a day to explore the medieval city of Perugia, I stumbled across a Perugia food tour. It was offered by Via Del Vino Food & Wine Tours. This four-hour tour, created by Susan Guerra, seemed just the ticket for the perfect places to eat in Italy. Now I confess to not being a connoisseur of great
It was my first day of arrival into Switzerland and I could not wait to get my Christmas Market tour underway. Arrival into the small city of Basel, Switzerland was fast and cheap on the train from Zurich. Basel is located where the Swiss, French, and German borders meet. It is the third largest city in Switzerland. It also has suburbs in France and in Germany.
My Croatia Vacation: It was over a year ago that I had typed these words to the top of my bucket list on my website: Croatia Vacation. I have been in the travel business for over 5 years and I often hear about all the wonderful places to visit in this world. Whisperings of Croatia island hopping and amazing Croatia resorts have been going on
Travelocity October on Travelocity! Every month I use my 25 years of travel experience on the Travelocity website about my latest travel experiences. I am a travel ambassador for Travelocity, and they like to call me one of their "Gnational Gnomads", which I think is super cute. This is an excerpt from those stories. You can read the entire article here on Travelocity: 6 Ultra-Indulgent
Regensburg, Germany is a Bavarian medieval city along the Danube River in southeast Germany. It is well known for its well-preserved medieval old town. It also has a famous 12th-century Stone Bridge that has 16 arches that cross the Danube River to the old town center. Located in the south of Germany, Regensburg is a popular day trip from Munich. An atmospheric and charming town,