When you think of Christmas Markets the first place that comes to mind are the traditional ones located in Europe – specifically in Germany and Austria, where old cobbled streets decorated with stringed lights house wooden chalet stalls that sell everything festive.
Strasbourg, France
Located in the Rhine Valley, Strasbourg is a sprawling metropolitan city. It has a mix of French and German cultures because of its proximity to the German border. Here you will …
When you’re traveling around Europe, you have a lot of choices in terms of historical sites to see. It seems like, everywhere you look, there is a beautiful ancient cathedral or grand historic parliament. You could overdose on all of the bygone grandeur — almost.
But Berlin is something different. It is a city that oozes history, and I’m not just talking about the divisive era of the German Democratic Republic, although that is of …
Varanasi, also called Benares and Kashi, is a pilgrimage destination in India. According to ancient texts, the city was founded by the Hindu deity Shiva, making it one of the most important pilgrimage sites in the country. Varanasi is also considered one of the oldest inhabited cities in the world and is the home of many prominent Indian writers, musicians, artists and poets.
As a cultural and religious center of North India, Varanasi welcomes over …
As Ireland’s national holiday approaches, visions of all things green will sweep over the island, as well as fill the minds of Irish descendents spread across the globe, many of whom make pilgrimages back to their motherland on the ever-popular St. Patrick’s Day. Green everything in all shades is usually the order of the day, especially for those visitors looking to make their visit to the Emerald Isle, well, extremely emerald. Green beer, green clothing …
The fact that I missed my early morning Eurostar from London to Paris may be down to the fact that, through use of the plagued Eastern European, African and South American railways, I’ve conditioned myself to expect train travel to be functionally disorganized. But it also may be down to the fact that I have poor time management, a lacking sense of urgency and a faulty alarm clock. Whatever the case, this is exactly what …
Adventurers have found many ways of conquering the legendary Cape to Cairo route – by pedal bike, motorbike, battered Land Rover or fragile aircraft. But if you really want to travel this fabled journey in style, climb aboard the Rovos Rail.
This South African train bills itself as the most luxurious in the world, and for once it isn’t over-the-top hyperbole. The exquisitely restored carriages cocoon you in a world far removed from reality, in …
Virginia has long been a reliable source of natural beauty. Preservationists have taken on the painstaking responsibility of conserving their national forest and parks, while making them available to campers and other nature lovers. So far their success has been phenomenal.
There are many campgrounds available on Virginia’s pristine beaches.
Located by the Chesapeake Bay, First Landing State Park also hosts a camp store, bath houses, and a …
If you’ve never experienced an assault on all your senses simultaneously, take a trip to Cairo. Now the political turmoil is easing, yet Egypt’s always hectic capital is suffering from a severe drop in tourism triggered by the uprisings. Which makes it a great time to visit, since there are bargains to be had from the hotels and you’ll have the luxury of seeing its great attractions in almost splendid isolation.
But steel yourself, because …
Liverpool, a city with a glorious history as a mercantile hub and gateway to the New World, is today a key destination for art lovers, fans of the theatre and museum-goers. The very name of the city invokes images of a magnificent nautical history, two of the Premiership’s biggest football teams and two majestic Cathedrals. Yet relatively few visitors, other than Beatles devotees, put Liverpool on their vacation itineraries. Liverpool has always been a big …
Kraków, Poland is quickly becoming known as a must-see European city all around the world, in part thanks to its grand Old Town neighborhood that survived numerous wars and occupations and is a nearly flawless depiction of its glorious past. It’s not just Old Town that Kraków has to offer, though, and this is what makes it an even more alluring destination to visitors no matter what the interests, travel schedules and budgets are. There …
As a tourist to Germany it’s not likely that you will find yourself invited into a local’s house. Germans are famously reserved at first, but if you keep your eye out for a broomstick over a door, consider it your personal invitation to enter into the house.
The broomstick represents a besen, the German word for “broomstick” and is a type of wining and dining establishment found only in the wine growing regions of the …
Rubble and debris crunch under my feet as I step over the remnants of a three-year war. Looking out through a windowless frame of the ruined Dom Policije Vranjače (Police House originally used as a vacation home for police officers and later as a vantage point for intruding Serbian forces), I can feel the weight of a thick fog lingering above the city. From here, atop the Trebević Mountain that still houses the 1984 Winter …
Home of the mighty Pharaohs, Egypt has awed visitors from Alexander the Great to Napoleon. This vast nation is packed full of so much history that it can be difficult to decide what to see if your vacation is short on time. Bundle the best of Egypt into one week using the attractions below as a guide. This is a slice of the nation’s most riveting sights which even the speediest vacationers can achieve.
Egypt …
The sun was still asleep behind some distant peaks when I clomped out of the tiny town heading for the mountains. Soon it would be a blazing 35 degrees Celsius, and I didn’t want to be halfway up a mountain in that heat. Halfway down a mountain would be fine — but we were still on the upward trajectory.
The cunning plan was to complete the ascent in the shade, then take the sun-baked downhill …
