I really love this city. Istanbul, the bridge between Europe and Asia, and Turkey’s largest city, is a truly remarkable place. It is beautiful, vibrant, has some world-class sights, features great food, and is really unique. But there are also some challenges visitors find when exploring here. I’ve now been to Istanbul three times, including…
Heraklion is the capital and largest city of the Greek island of Crete, and Greece’s fifth or so (depending on metric) most populous city at around 150,000. For tourists, however, the city is pretty much a blank spot. Yes, some will fly in and spend a day (or cruise in) and then head to Chania…
When I told family and friends - and random blog followers - that I’d be spending a month in Athens, I was met with disbelief. Apparently, Athens is a place people go for a day or two on the way to/from somewhere they perceive as being better, probably one of the Greek islands. Or it’s…
I knew I’d like Edinburgh. But I didn’t realize just how much I’d love the city. It is historic, beautiful, full of exciting things to see and wonderful people to meet. Scotland’s capital really has a ton going for it, for a short trip or a long stay. I spent a month solid in Edinburgh,…
In recent decades, Sicily has become a top tourist destination. And really, why not? Mediterranean coastline, mild winters and hot summers, good food and wine, fascinating ancient history and some reasonably exciting more modern stories as well… what else could a traveler want? Add to that reasonable prices in comparison to most of Western Europe,…
Tokyo is obviously Japan’s premier gateway, and at about 40 million people in the metro area, is the largest city in the world. But this region, called Kansai, is Japan’s second largest (roughly 20 million) and maybe the most popular part of the country with tourists. Sitting to the southwest of Tokyo, roughly 2-3 hours…
There are no two ways around it - Tokyo is a world-class city. Cool sights, great modern culture, and some of the best food anywhere in the world… all of these make Tokyo more than just the gateway to Japan. It is a destination in and of itself, a city that is easily near the…
Not to be confused with Cartagena, Spain (though it is named after the Spanish city) Cartagena, Colombia is a vibrant large city on the Caribbean coast of South America. For many Americans, it is a cruise stop, either before or after a Panama Canal sailing. But in recent years, with the stability of Colombia as…
For most Americans, Brussels is not a top-tier European destination. Heck, Belgium as a whole often gets completely skipped over. But while Brussels does not have the volume of sights as a city like London, Rome, or Paris, or the allure of Barcelona or Amsterdam, it is a truly incredible city. Consider, for instance, that…
Florence, the birthplace of the Renaissance. It’s a small city, and unimportant in modern Italy, but a hub for tourism. Along with Rome and Venice, Florence is one of the places on nearly every Italian trip itinerary. And rightfully so. The city is beautiful, and has a lot to do. It also makes a great…