Archives: Articles

This is our collection of newly published articles

In any of the world’s great travel destinations, it’s impossible to cover the best things to see and do in one trip. It becomes a matter of making tough choices from among the many possibilities to try to fit the best things you can into the limited span of time of a vacation.

Last May, when I attended Africa’s Travel Indaba, the trade show held annually in Durban, South Africa, I had the opportunity to …

Read More

Each year, as the air turns crisp and city lights glow a little warmer, New York City enters a season unlike any other. Between late November and early January, the city becomes a living celebration — from parades and public art to Broadway marquees and winter markets. For visitors, these weeks offer a chance to witness the city in full holiday splendor, shaped not just by tradition but by the energy of the moment.

Read More

Easily accessible from the capital of Brussels, Ghent has been Europe’s best-kept secret for many years. The second largest city in the Flanders region of Belgium, after Antwerp, it’s an enchanting and often overlooked destination. Situated on the confluence of the rivers Leie and Scheldt, Ghent is packed with fascinating architecture, scenic canals, chocolate shops, and bicycles. With a cosy vibe, it has a compact and walkable center, and all the main attractions are located …

Read More

Burgundy isn’t just a place – it’s a feeling, a flavour, and a memory in the making.

For travellers seeking a week where time slows to walking pace, European Waterways’ L’Impressionniste offers a six-night voyage through the heart of Burgundy’s wine country, gliding from Escommes to Fleurey-sur-Ouche along the tranquil Canal de Bourgogne. This intimate, all-inclusive river cruise pairs immersive cultural excursions with gourmet dining, creating a product travel professionals can confidently recommend to discerning …

Read More

Whether you’re heading to the Caribbean for your honeymoon, planning a European tour to celebrate your 25th anniversary, or simply pitching a tent for the weekend with your new partner, you need to remember that travel can bring out the best—and the worst— in people.  In addition to the usual hazards (flight delays, unexpected thunderstorms, lost luggage, and so on), there’s the added pressure of simply being together.

This is, of course, the …

Read More

Lounging back on the comfortable love seat of the First Class railroad car on the train, I popped a chocolate brownie in my mouth. There was a sumptuous spread of food on the table before me and someone was strolling around taking drink orders.

I could not be more comfortable. This was the way to travel.

On a train.

No tiny airline seats, no elbows banged into your head as people pass, no seats reclined …

Read More

This one looks delicious, I thought as I swirled the wine around in my glass and took an indelicately large slurp.

“Ah yes, a definite aroma of diesel and a lingering taste of salami. Is that normal for a Malbec?” I wondered as I eyed its odd neon hues.

“No,” my partner said, “but the sommelier did advise us not to try wine tasting on the pavement.”

We couldn’t resist, though. The tables outside …

Read More

From Bizet’s Carmen to Washington Irving’s Tales of the Alhambra, the lure of Spain’s Andalucía region has captivated travelers from around the world for centuries.  There is something captivating about the dry, arid region, where grandiose centuries-old cathedrals in Seville are surpassed in beauty only by the even older Islamic palaces.  Southern Spain, despite the seemingly relentless heat, has a romance to it, a mysterious exoticism that is difficult to experience anywhere else in …

Read More

After experiencing what the UN World Tourism Organization called “the worst year in tourism history,” the global tourism industry has achieved a remarkable milestone in 2024. International tourist arrivals have fully recovered to pre-pandemic levels, marking a significant turning point for one of the world’s most important economic sectors.

The Numbers Tell the Story

According to the UNWTO World Tourism Barometer, international tourist arrivals climbed to 1,465 million last year, matching the pre-pandemic (i.e. 2019) …

Read More

Few passengers careening between tube stations know there is an underground city beneath London.

In the 19th century, digging deep-level underwater tunnels was hazardous. Numerous attempts to cross the Thames underground had failed, with many lives lost. Today, the East London Line uses Brunel’s Thames Tunnel, being the first successful under-Thames crossing.

When steam traction was exchanged for electricity, deeper tunnels could be dug using compressed air and a large circular drilling shield, which was …

Read More

Not all Caribbean treasures wait to be discovered in chests hidden in long-forgotten sites – a visit to the Dominican Republic can also provide a  fascinating glimpse into the world of semi-precious stones to be found around this island nation.  In fact, the island of Hispaniola, which the Dominican Republic shares with neighboring Haiti, is renowned among gemologists for its semi-precious stones of both amber and larimar that have been uncovered here. Nowadays, the traveler …

Read More

There are many nicknames for the city of San Francisco, including “The City.” There is “415” – the area code, “San Fran” – (don’t use this one), “Fog City” – self-explanatory, “Golden Gate City” – for the bridge, and even “Baghdad by the Bay” – with reference to the cosmopolitan nature of the population, much like that of pre-war Baghdad. Lately, The City …

Read More

Founded in 1533 by the Spanish, Cartagena is situated on the northern Caribbean coast of Colombia and was Spain’s gateway to its new empire. Trading in gold, silver, tobacco, and, regrettably, enslaved people, the city boomed. These days, Cartagena draws tourists from all over the world, many of them arriving on cruise ships to explore the cobbled streets and colonial buildings of the colorful old city.

The historic streets of Cartagena’s old city are full …

Read More

I lolled back in my pool side lounge chair, opened my eyes, glanced out at the navy blue strip of ocean I could view through the railing slipping silently past as we cruised to our next gorgeous Caribbean port, and lazily mulled over whether to apply more sunscreen, move into the shade, or possibly just go visit the soft serve ice cream dispenser.

Then I checked out what my girlfriends were doing. One was deeply …

Read More