Most people stay away from Europe in the winter. There are a lot of reasons. Mostly weather, some people don't have vacation time time in the winter and some are too pre-occupied with the holidays. But there are a lot of reasons to travel to Europe in the winter, in fact, I am leaving for Germany today.
Once again, The Traveling Professor will be exhibiting and speaking at The New York Times Travel Show at the Jacob Javits Convention Center in New York. This will be my third consecutive year at the show. It is a great opportunity for people to come out and chat with me personally. I will also be a featured speaker. For more information about my appearance and how to get free tickets, check out my blog post.
Lodging is usually the most significant expense when taking a tour to Europe. If you are like me, hostels aren't an option and hotels can be pricey, especially in big cities like Paris or Rome. Another great option is an apartment rental in Europe, especially if more than one bedroom is needed. Check out today's blog post and The Traveling Professor will fill you in on some good pointers on apartment rentals in Europe.
By the end of the year, The Traveling Professor will have made 118 blog posts on topics ranging from airfares, hotels, trip advice, insurance, itineraries and a bunch of other stuff. In my last blog post of 2015 I am going to post links to my top blog posts of the year. These posts are loaded with time and money saving trip ideas. Best wishes for a Happy New Year from The Traveling Professor.
Travel is all about trying something different. We might try escargot in Paris. How about radicchio lasagne in Padua? Lomo saltado in Peru, or maybe even wild boar in Tuscany? We all know each place The Traveling Professor visits has different foods, but what about different cocktails? Read my blog post and find out The Professor's favorite cocktails, including the recipes.
One of the joys of traveling is experiencing new and different cuisine. For instance, I love escargot in Paris. There is not enough pasta to satisfy me in Venice. I'll even go for bangers and mash in London and reindeer in Norway. I've had piranha in Peru and alpaca in Bolivia. The bratwurst in Bavaria is fine with me. But there are some local foods that, as much as I try, I can't seem to get used to. For more, see my blog post.
People always ask me for recommendations on Christmas gifts for their traveling friends or even for themselves. Sometimes I recommend travel guides, travel clothing and even a copy of "The Traveling Professor's Guide to Paris". But the best travel gift I can recommend for the holidays this year is posted in today's blog post.
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 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!
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.