We just got back from another small group tour to Paris. After waving goodbye to our 8 guests, I had the opportunity to check out some new hotels. 2 of them were further out in more residential, leafy sections of town, and another one was right in the center of all the action. Check out my blog post to find out more about my recommendations for hotels in Paris.
Gone are the days of a good travel agent to help make airline ticket purchases easy. Travelers are on their own now and boy, do we see travelers make some bad mistakes when purchasing airline tickets. It can cause them to lose all their money and possibly have no recourse to get it back. It can cause major headaches when trying to make changes or get adjustments. The Traveling Professor will tell you what mistake to avoid and why.
Tuscan style food is some of the most popular food in the world. There is la bistecca all Fiorentina, a healthy portioned t-bone steak. There is chingiale, the wild boar dish exclusive to the region. Let's not forget the most traditional of dishes, the ribollita peasant soup made from beans and the unique black cabbage. Anything with truffles is good. Read The Traveling Professor's blog post to get 3 of his favorite dining spots in Florence.
Everyone should visit Rome in their lifetime. However, travelers must realize Rome is big, gritty, and one of the most crowded cities for travelers in all of Europe. The Professor has LOTS of experience traveling to Rome, so listen to his practical and useful tips for planning a trip to the Eternal City.
If you are like The Traveling Professor, you like to save money without sacrificing luxury or comfort. There are ways to enjoy a trip without busing the budget or without sleeping in a hostel or cheap hotel. There are also ways to wisely save money and get more out of a visit to Italy, Scandinavia, Paris, or any other destination. Read The Traveling Professor's 4 practical tips to save money on travel.
I often get the question, "Professor, where should I stay in Paris?". First of all, you want to avoid the area near the Eiffel Tower and the Champs Elysees. They are way too touristy, are overpriced, and are crowded. The Champs Elysees is hardly "French" at all. However, there are a few neighborhoods in Paris I like to stay in. My criteria is based on convenience of getting to other sites I want to see, restaurants, transportation access, value, and overall pleasantness of the area. See my choices in today's blog post.
If you are like me, you get credit card solicitations every other day in the mail. They all offer all sorts of bonuses, deals, points, and just about everything else. I ignore most of them - except for the one described in my blog post. Not only have I really, really made money on this credit card, it provides me with useful and money saving services that every traveler needs. If you travel, YOU NEED TO HAVE THIS CARD.
When traveling, we often don't think of safety, but we really should. This month's Travel Product of the Month provides protection in a hotel room, or even more importantly, if renting an apartment or an AirBnB. I carry this product wherever I travel and so should you. This Travel Product of the Month is also a great gift for someone you love.
When traveling to Machu Picchu on one of our small group tours, we always need to stop over a few days in the ancient city of Cusco. But ancient in terms of a modern and sophisticated food scene it is not. Some of the best restaurants in the world can be found in Peru and Cusco features some of the best chefs and most creative cuisine to be found. Read the blog post and find out where The Traveling Professor eats on his small group tours to Peru and Machu Picchu while staying in Cusco.
Everyone is always asking me about their favorite restaurants in Paris. Well, to be honest, there are quite a few of them that I absolutely love. In today's Paris blog post I list 3 of my favorite Paris restaurants. Most of these in this list are traditional and well-established dining establishments. Enjoy!