Friends will tell you that you have to go to these ‘world famous sights’. But we’re here to tell you that sometimes, your friends are wrong. Reserve your precious holiday time for the best these destinations have to offer, not the overcrowded, overpriced tourist traps. Here are some of the most overhyped sights in Europe…
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If ever there was a need to use tender, loving care, it's when you work in place with some of the most precious and irreplaceable paintings, sculptures and artifacts. Of course, in this case, we're talking about The Louvre in Paris. The Musée du Louvre had a record 10.2 million visitors in 2018—an increase of…
Abydos one of the oldest cities of ancient Egypt, and also of the eighth nome in Upper Egypt. Considered one of the most important archaeological sites in Egypt, the sacred city of Abydos was the site of many ancient temples, including Umm el-Qa'ab, a royal necropolis where early pharaohs were entombed. These tombs began to…
You can't make this stuff up.... Twenty six employees of Thai Airways are accused of faking their own deaths to collect a death benefit, but still going to work and continuing to collect a paycheck. It’s a small example of one of the four reasons Thai Airways was on the verge of collapse even before…
Ein Hausboot ist gut = A houseboat is good As arctic temperature froze rivers and lakes in northern Germany, workers at houseboat charter companies were already gearing up for what they expect to be a busy summer season. "I think that big trips abroad and flying will still not be the dominant type of vacation…
...gotta get a rain check on.* Where street art is everywhere, the sea is never far, and you can skip leg day for hiking up the city’s steep hills...Valparaíso, or Valpo to the locals, is a maritime city overlooking Chile’s Pacific coastline, about 90 minutes from the nation’s capital, Santiago in South America. While brimming…
Every so often - including now - "news" pops up about the legendary / notorious Los Angeles Cecil Hotel. Located in downtown LA, the neighbourhood is populated by characters that might appear in a Tom Waits song. It's not for the nervous. The Cecil (now known as "Stay on Main") has a history of unfortunate…
There is an urgent need today for the citizens of a democracy to think well.’ These words, which could have been written yesterday, come from Thinking to Some Purpose, a popular book by the British philosopher Susan Stebbing, first published in 1939 in the Penguin ‘Pelican’ books series, with that familiar blue-and-white cover. This little…
This a little-known, but fascinating place in Greece. The city of Pavlopetri (Greek: Παυλοπέτρι), underwater off the coast of southern Laconia in Peloponnese, Greece, is about 5,000 years old, making it one of the oldest submerged lost cities, as well as the oldest in the Mediterranean sea. Pavlopetri is unique in having an almost complete…
Australia - there is no place like it on earth. The food...the wine. Everyone tends to think - naturally - of places like Sydney or Melbourne. But look beyond and see what other joys await you. Broome, for example. Broome’s exotic pearling town past has left a rich history and a unique multicultural mix of…
Our affiliate friends, G Adventures, have been changing the world through travel: that’s been their goal since 1990. The trip of your dreams doesn’t need a Hollywood-sized budget or years of planning. Simply join a small group of like-minded travellers that, like you, are eager to experience all the things that make our world worth…
It may only be 1.6m (5ft 6in) wide at its narrowest point, but London's thinnest house will still set you back 1.1m euros. Wedged between a doctor's surgery and a hairdressing salon, the unusual five-floor property is in Shepherd's Bush in the west of the city. According to the selling agent, it's a little bit…
It comes as no surprise that Europe has been around for almost ever. And, ancient Europe - crumbly castles and all - are still in place for us to marvel, gasp and dream about. Medieval times—most often called the Middle Ages—refers to a period of about 1000 years between the fall of the Roman Empire and the…
If you're of "a certain age" you may remember Lawrence Welk, who was an American musician, accordionist, bandleader, and television impresario, who hosted the television program The Lawrence Welk Show from 1951 to 1982. His style came to be known to his large audience of radio, television, and live-performance fans (and critics) as "champagne music." But, as is often the…
In the wonderful world of finance, you can often do well by buying a property, especially if it's in a place that you love. Fortunes go up and down, but property - well chosen - is usually a good bet. Our friends at A Place in The Sun have recently published a selection of desirable…
We all want to save money when we travel, and one of the most unwanted costs is when we over-pack our luggage. But four travelers teamed up to make lemonade out of lemons–actually orange juice out of oranges–after being faced with exorbitantly higher baggage fees to transport their oranges home. 30 minutes later, they had…
The LGBTQ+ community are fighting for something that non-LGBTQ+ travellers have always taken for granted. Belonging. The ability for an individual to choose where in the world they feel like they really belong has always been the privilege of those who conform. Discrimination based on sexual orientation, gender identity or gender expression is an all-too-familiar…
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Some airlines and airports now offer rapid COVID-19 testing to accommodate travelers required to show a negative test at their destination. But what happens if a traveler tests positive before a trip? Travel insurance comparison site, Squaremouth, breaks down three things travelers need to know about COVID-19 testing and travel insurance. Things are changing on…
Don’t get me wrong – yes, I’m a professor at Yale University, but I’m no genius. When I first mentioned to our four grown children that I was going to teach a new course on genius, they thought that was the funniest thing they’d ever heard. ‘You, you’re no genius! You’re a plodder.’ And they…