ArcaMax

As a young backpacker, I fell in love with the picturesque village of Rothenburg, in Germany’s Franconian heartland. At that time, the town still fed a few farm animals within its medieval walls. Today its barns are hotels, its livestock are tourists, and Rothenburg is well on its way to becoming a medieval theme park.

But Rothenburg is still...Read more

Two hundred and 50 years ago, Bath was the Hollywood of Britain. Today, this former trendsetter of Georgian England invites you to take a 90-minute train ride from London west and sample its aristocratic charms.

The entire city, built of the creamy limestone called "Bath stone," beams in its cover-girl complexion. Proud locals remind visitors ...Read more

The medieval Belgian town of Bruges attracts hordes of day-trippers – but don't let that keep you away. While the ultimate sight is the quaint town itself, the city also entertains with an infectious passion for good living. And it hides some sweet surprises.

The Flemish who live in this part of Belgium call this city “Brugge,” but the ...Read more

On my last visit to Toledo, it seemed holier than ever: Dark El Greco clouds threatened overhead, stark against bright, clear horizons. Hail pelted the masses of people clogging the streets as they awaited the Good Friday procession.

A look back at my write-up reveals nothing but superlatives: Toledo’s street plan is the most confusing in ...Read more

Orvieto is one of the most striking, memorable, and enjoyable hill towns in central Italy. About 90 minutes from Rome, Orvieto sits majestically high above the valley floor atop a big chunk of tufo (tuff) volcanic stone, overlooking cypress-dotted Umbrian plains. A visit here will reward you with a delightful, perfectly preserved, and ...Read more

While most of Croatia's coastal towns seem tailor-made for tourism, Split is real and vibrant. Lounging alongside the Adriatic Sea on the famed Dalmatian Coast, Split is Croatia’s second-largest city (after capital Zagreb), making it a bustling metropolis, serious port city, major transit hub, and top sightseeing destination, all rolled into ...Read more

In Rome, 2025 is a Jubilee Year – so if your travel plans include the Eternal City, it's important to know what the Jubilee is all about, what to expect … and how to prepare for increased crowds.

Since the year 1300, the Roman Catholic Church traditionally proclaims a “Jubilee Year” every 25 years. It’s a time when the pope invites ...Read more

My friends can’t believe I actually took a real vacation. No work … just making long-held travel dreams come true. In fact, I took two vacations!

As the pandemic eased, my favorite travel partner and I found ourselves as busy as ever, and we were ready for a break. We debated what would be our best choice: a week on a gourmet barge floating...Read more

Known as the “Golden City of 100 Spires,” Prague boasts a fairy-tale medieval Old Town, historic churches and synagogues, and perhaps Europe’s largest castle. A good way to introduce yourself to the city, its layered past, and its resilient people is with a walk across town, starting on lively, urban Wenceslas Square, weaving through the ...Read more

It’s hard to top Barcelona, Spain’s most cosmopolitan and fun city. But if you want a break from the crowds, several day trips from Barcelona are tempting scene-changers: the mountaintop monastery of Montserrat, the Salvador Dalí museum at Figueres, and the seaside towns of Cadaqués and Sitges.

For almost a thousand years, Benedictine ...Read more

A visit to the Emerald Isle is not complete without including Northern Ireland. The most important single stop is its capital, Belfast, perhaps best known for the sectarian strife that took place here during the era of the “Troubles,” and as the birthplace of the Titanic. While these two claims to fame aren’t uplifting, this ...Read more

A hundred years ago, bigwigs from London to Moscow began flocking south to the French Riviera and the sun-drenched city of Nice. They came to socialize, gamble, and escape the dreary weather at home, and ended up creating Europe’s first tourist boom. Today, this classy resort town is a popular fun-in-the-sun destination that caters to everyone...Read more

I'm standing on a tiny balcony overlooking the Times Square of all of Spain – Madrid's Puerta del Sol. Within a 10-minute walk I can visit one of the greatest palaces in Europe – Madrid’s Royal Palace, the ultimate town square – Plaza Mayor, or my favorite collection of paintings under any single roof in Europe – the Prado Museum.

...Read more

I'll never forget literally “jumping ship” in Mykonos: enjoying a glass of ouzo in a tiny taverna while watching my mighty cruise ship sail away and taking with it the 3,000 tourists that had inundated that charming port just an hour before. It seemed the locals were satisfied that they’d made their money for the day, they’d pushed away ...Read more

London dazzles year-round, so consider visiting in winter, when the city dresses up to the nines and bursts with festivities. Despite the season's drearier weather and shorter days, London's museums, theaters, and pubs always offer a warm, cozy welcome. And come January, tourist crowds are at a minimum, and airfare and hotel rates are generally ...Read more

Vienna is a city with a rich culture and a vivid history that can be impressively rewarding to the well-prepared traveler. As I walked out of my hotel on a Sunday morning, I decided to skip the sights and immerse myself in Vienna’s wealth of cultural offerings – none of which break the bank.

I kicked off my day with Mass at the Hofburg ...Read more

Turkey is changing fast. And it's modernizing fast. For a recent vacation, I hit the road in Turkey, with romantic memories (from my backpacker days) of horse-drawn carriages and villages with economies powered by hay, dung, and ducks. While that rustic old world is tougher to find, the deep traditions and warm hospitality of the region are as ...Read more