Last month, I sailed the Mississippi River with my friend Maddy aboard American Cruise Lines’ American Symphony. I’ve sailed with American before, so I knew what to expect – friendly service, comfortable accommodations and a well-organized trip where we always know what’s happening and where to be. It’s a fool…

Wrapped by the sea on three sides and claiming three millennia of continuous habitation, Cádiz stands as Western Europe’s oldest city—yet it remains one of Spain’s most underappreciated destinations. While masses descend upon Barcelona and Seville, this Andalusian port city maintains an authenticity that has become increasingly rare along heavily…

If you ever want to visit a place where geology, history, and human stubbornness have conspired to produce something improbably charming, go to Kalk Bay. Wedged—almost accidentally—between a mountain that scowls like a Victorian schoolmaster and a sea that shrugs with ancient indifference, it is a village that smells exactly…

Situated in Norway, 217 miles above the Arctic Circle, the charming city of Tromso is the gateway to a captivating land of mountains, fjords, and legends. Whether you visit to observe the breathtaking phenomenon of the northern lights, spot magnificent killer whales in the fjords or hang out with huskies,…

Unless you’re at the beach, going anywhere on St. Vincent becomes an adventure in traveling up and down.  This is a volcanic island with extensive hilly terrain, even near its shoreline, but it also offers a contrasting impression of green interiors, black beaches, bright pastel-colored buildings, busy town waterfronts, and…

The Dolomites are no doubt one of Europe’s most dramatic mountain landscapes. Beyond their UNESCO-recognized geological splendor, however, lies an equally fascinating cultural story—one in which Austrian Gemütlichkeit (snugness) meets Italian dolce vita, and an ancient Romance language you may never have known about persists in five high valleys. The…

While everyone else is fighting crowds at Europe’s usual hotspots, a select group of villages worldwide is quietly showing what travel should really be about: authentic experiences, stunning landscapes, and communities that actually want you there. The United Nations’ list of Best Tourism Villages reads like a dream itinerary for…

How would you “measure” a city many believe to be the world’s smallest? Population? Surface area? While the metrics for the distinction are open to debate, the fact is that sitting quietly in the hills of Croatia’s Istrian Peninsula is the village of Hum, widely regarded as the smallest town…

In a country packed with Alpine delights, four languages, and the world’s topmost producers of watches, sights are of an epic scale, but distances between them are short. Thus, against a backdrop of immense forested mountains, lush meadows, azure lakes, and cobalt-blue skies, I travelled across just a small part…

This year, South African Tourism is celebrating 100 years since the establishment of Kruger National Park. Kruger is one of the world’s great treasures, helping to preserve and protect some of Africa’s incomparable wildlife. Kruger makes the wildlife experience accessible to all. I tend to agree with Ken Burns and…

Exciting news – I’ve found a country I like so much that I’m planning to return time and time again. After a wonderful week in Panama, I’m already itching to go back for more exploring. It’s got exactly what I’m looking for in a holiday, all in such a compact…

Route 66 embodies the American Dream. From Chicago to Los Angeles, from wide-open plains to scorching deserts and pine forests, this iconic road is integral to the history of the USA. Established in 1926, Route 66 played an essential part in the westward migration of the 1930s. A couple of…