Every now and then I go on a "fishing trip" to check out possible new tour opportunities. The Traveling Professor just returned last night from a short holiday in Bavaria, Germany. Take a look at my blog post and see my recap of the trip and if "The Christmas Markets of Germany" will be a Traveling Professor Small Group Tour in 2016.
A lot of people, when they travel to Paris, Italy, Scandinavia, etc. spend a lot of time picking out hotels. One way to select a hotel is to go by the government assigned star rating to hotels. Does that mean a 5-star hotel is better located than a 1-star? Does it mean a 4-star have more space in the rooms than a 2-star? Not necessarily. Check out today's blog post to find out more about what star ratings mean in European hotels.
I read a lot on traveling "cheap". If you are like me, you are NOT going to:
These are the kinds of "tips" I get delivered into my mailbox all day. Take a look at my blog post to see how to travel less expensively, without sacrificing luxury or comfort.
When on a solo tour to Paris our when taking one of my Traveling Professor small group tours to Paris, a welcome part of the day is lunchtime. Paris is not the place to "grab and go" with a lunch but a time to savor lunch, watch the world go by, and enjoy some of the best food in the world. In today's blog post I recommend 4 places for an inexpensive and enjoyable lunch in Paris.
I travel a lot. I will have put in over 100,000 air miles this year alone. I am always looking for good travel equipment, guide books, gear, and entertainment items. In my blog post I am putting down my favorites for travel gift giving this holiday season. Merry Christmas and Happy New Year!
Last year, The Traveling Professor ran his first small group tour to Iceland. Norway was also included on the itinerary. It sold out in about 2 days and another tour was added that sold out immediately also. People who went on the tour absolutely loved Iceland. So, what's the big deal? Isn't Iceland way too expensive? Isn't Iceland cold? Then why do people love Iceland so much and why is it a great tourist destination? Check out my blog post to see why.
Our Traveling Professor tours are not budget tours, and with the exception of one tour we run, they are not super-luxury tours either. On our Traveling Professor tours we like to stay at good 3 or 4 star hotels in a central location that are a good value. But some people, when traveling on their own, like to plan a budget tour. Here are some of my ideas for saving money without sacrificing comfort.
On The Traveling Professor's small group tours to Paris or if traveling on your own, there is nothing like a Paris river or canal cruise. Almost everyone knows about the Seine River cruise but fewer know about the charming Canal St. Martin that runs through some of the most charming of Paris neighborhoods. Take a look at my blog post to find out the best Paris cruises.
When most people travel to Italy for the first time, they usually wind up in Rome, Florence, Venice and maybe even the Amalfi Coast. These are all wonderful places to travel, but let's face it, there can be quite touristy with big crowds and high prices. There are other parts of Italy worth seeing. I think they are more authentic, less crowded, and much less expensive. See my blog post for my favorite places to visit in Italy second time around.
One of the reasons we all travel is to experience the differences of our cultures. The American concept of "customer service" is different from that of Europe. I find that this does cause confusion among travelers and sometimes even anger or disdain. But if you know what to expect on your next tour to Europe, I think you will have a more enriching experience.