On any tour to Paris, dining out is an important component of the trip.   Whenever I take a tour to Paris I like to dine at least one restaurant that has that typical Parisian atmosphere.  You know, it could be those places with high ceilings, paneled with mirrors, or it could be a romantic spot, with chandeliers and candles.   Read The Professor's blog post to find out his picks on the best Paris restaurants for classic beauty and style.

Since The Traveling Professor has been running small group tours to Paris, Italy, Spain and other destinations in Europe, every year the price of a tour goes up.   In fact, on our first tour to Paris back in 2008, we could run a tour for $999.   Since then I have added many, many amenities and improved our tours significantly, but the price has gone up too, almost three times the original amount.   But just because of the weakness in the US dollar, costs on running a tour to Europe have risen significantly.   But now, the US dollar is stronger than it has been in about 15 years and for the first time since I have been running tours, prices have gone down.  NOW is the time to go to Europe.

With the strong dollar, the days of luxury hotels at bargain prices are back.   The Traveling Professor introduces travelers to one of the most spectacular hotels in all of Europe, perched on the cliffs overlooking the Bay of Naples, the gateway to the Amalfi Coast.  We'll see Ravello, Positano, Sorrento and of course, Capri.   From there we head up to our top-rated hotel in Florence where we will base ourselves for our tour of Tuscany - at the perfect time of year.   Luxury is back at affordable prices.   See the details on The Professor's newest tour in this blog post.

One of my favorite activities when on a tour of Paris is to visit one of the many different markets.   A Paris market can be found just about any day of the week selling anything from flowers to antiques to birds.   Some are located in central Paris and some require a little bit of planning to get there.   Check out The Professor's blog post on his favorite markets of Paris.

I ran my first tour back in 1992 to Spain.   Since then, I have seen a lot change in the travel business.  One thing I could always rely upon was that travel was going to get more and more expensive each year - until now.   I can remember traveling to Paris in the 1990's and easily be able to afford luxury hotels.   Airfares were dirt cheap.   Italy was a bargain for Americans.   Then in the 2000's things began to change. But let the good times roll again!  It is time to go back to Europe and I will tell you why.

Picnic in Paris.  How authentic is that?  Whenever I am on a solo tour to Paris or traveling on one of my small group tours to Paris, it's always a good idea to take a break from sitting in a cafe or bistro and do what the Parisians do - enjoy a picnic.   Grab a baguette, pick up a bottle of wine and enjoy the day.   In my blog post you will see The Traveling Professor's favorite spots for a Paris picnic:

First timers always visit Rome, Florence, and Venice.   Our most popular small group tours to Italy involves Rome, Venice, and Florence also.  However, we recommend to get past the tourists and trinket shops to get a more intimate view of Italy.   In the past few years, I've discovered the Veneto region of Italy.  I love the authentic culture, food, in a relaxed atmosphere.  Check out my blog post and I will tell you more about Verona, Vicenza, Padua and Lake Garda.

It's a fact:   The Traveling Professor gets lower airfares than you do.   For instance, I got a $1, that's right a $1 fare (plus taxes) on American Airlines to Copenhagen for July.   I booked it again for a buck in June.   If you know how to do it, you can find airfares that are super-cheap and itineraries that fit your travel style.  Read my blog post to see what great deals are out there and how you can book great airfares too.

When visiting Paris solo or on a small group tour, it is always a good idea to put some religious sites on the itinerary.   Some are important for their historical or cultural value, some for their religious value of course, and some because they have been featured in famous Hollywood films.   Read The Traveling Professor's blog post and find out about some interesting Paris religious sites on your next tour to Paris.

Stuff happens and stuff happens while on vacation.   Instances like lost luggage, flight delays or cancellations, late pickups for tours, overpriced items, problems with hotels and more can happen to anyone.   When it does happen, getting the issue solved and solved in a satisfactory manner should be your goal.   Take a look at today's blog post and see how I effectively complain and (usually) get what I want.

When on a tour to Paris, travelers will find that most churches and parks are free to enter.   But some museums and other attractions are free of charge also.  Some of the attractions listed in the blog post are familiar but I have also listed some of the best free Paris attractions too, that you have probably never heard of. Today, The Traveling Professor will review some of the better free locations to visit next time you are on a trip to Paris.