I am leaving for a tour of Paris tomorrow.  Although I don't expect to make too many large purchases there, you might be on your next tour of Paris.   In Paris, a surcharge called the VAT is added to most purchases.   Since it is about 20% of the purchase price, it can be a significant amount, especially if making large purchases.   So, how do you get the VAT back on a purchase in Paris?  Check out today's Paris blog post.

What is the best time of year to visit Paris?   Actually, my answer would be that any time of year is a great time to take a tour to Paris.  Each season offers distinct advantages in terms of weather, costs, and crowds.   There are also some times to avoid when visiting Paris.  In this blog post The Traveling Professor will present the pros and cons of visiting Paris during different times of the year.

What is the best cell phone option to use when traveling to Europe?  It is a question The Traveling Professor frequently gets from travelers on his tours to Italy, Paris, and Spain.  The Professor will dial you in on the best phone options to use in Europe when phoning home to say "bonjour" from your tour to Paris, or to say "ciao" and tell your family and friends what a great time you are having on your trip to Italy.

#1 on just about everyone's bucket list is a trip to Peru, especially Machu Picchu.  We've done the trip many times and we think we have the best tour to Peru and Machu Picchu out there.  Our itinerary is terrific and includes many places no other tour company will take you in Peru and Machu Picchu.  We stay in some of the top hotels not only in Peru, some of them ranked in the Top 50 in the world by outfits like National Geographic.  We take all of the details to make sure your trip goes smoothly.  And, we only travel with small group of adult travelers.  Take a look at the details to the best trip to Peru and Machu Picchu in today's blog post.

On all of my small group  tours to Paris, Italy and Spain, The Traveling Professor recommends using a credit card to pay for as many things as possible.   However, it is important to use a credit card in Europe wisely.   In this blog post, I give some basic tips for credit card use in Europe that will save the traveler money and help avoid problems.

For the most part, there are two ways to get to Machu Picchu:  take the train or walk.  Fortunately the train ride to Machu Picchu is spectacular and one of the highlights on The Traveling Professor's tours to Peru and Machu Picchu.   However, it is much more involved than buying a train ticket, hopping on and arriving at Machu Picchu.  To help make a tour to Peru and Machu Picchu a success, read more in my blog post on how to take the train to Machu Picchu.

On my tours to Paris, Italy, Spain and Peru, travelers often ask me what type of travel insurance, if any, to purchase.   There are several travel insurance products out there.   The descriptions can be lengthy and confusing.   So for your next tour whether it be to Paris, Italy, Spain or even Peru and Machu Picchu, I have put together some concise information on what kind of international travel insurance a travel might want to consider purchasing for their next tour.

After 50 tours to Paris, I stopped counting.   But why go so much?  Paris is a city of discovery where there is something new every time I go.   Whether it be leading my small group tours to Paris or traveling solo to Paris, it never gets tired.   But what does a person do who has been to Paris as many times as I have been.  Check out the blog post for some inspiration of what to do on your next tour to Paris.

When going on a tour to Paris, take the opportunity to visit the varying neighborhoods of Paris.   Some are sophisticated, some are smutty, some are charming and others are cheap.    They all have an element of "je ne sais quoi" making each of them appealing in their own way.   I have written about two neighborhoods to visit while on your tour of Paris, and I have listed one, that may be of a surprise to you, that I recommend avoiding.

Probably one of the most common questions I get whether it be from travelers on my small group tours to Paris, Italy or Spain or from those traveling on their own tours is what to tip.   Tipping practices in Europe are definitely different from those in the United States.   So to clear up the controversy, read my blog post to get my tips on tipping in Europe.