I have lived in New York City nearly my entire life and I have not come close to being victim of a pick pocket. Unfortunately, pick pockets are much more common in Europe and Peru. I remember seeing someone having their pocket picked on the Paris metro, I can recall someone having their bag stolen in Lima, Peru and one of our travelers on a small group tour to Rome would have had his pocket picked (her hand was actually in his pocket) if we didn't scare her away. Violent crime is unusual in Europe and Peru, but the annoying pick pockets are unfortunately, way to common. In this blog post I give some tips to avoid having your pocket picked.
Whether traveling on one of my Traveling Professor small group tours to Paris or going on your own tour of Paris, the best way to get around is by bus or metro. Both the Paris bus and metro are economical, cover the city extremely well, and operate frequently. In this blog post we won't talk too much about the virtues of the Paris public transportation system, but we'll discuss what kind of transportation tickets to buy for your next trip to Paris.
Traveling alone has its advantages and some disadvantages. I have traveled to Paris solo many times. I once spent 10 days in Rome and Florence just by myself. I like the ability to do what I want, when I want to do it. However, the thing I miss when traveling alone is dining with someone else. There are also a few other factors to consider when traveling alone. Take a look at the blog post to get my views on how to plan a trip by yourself.
The top spots to visit in Italy are Rome, Florence and Venice. But after visiting these places I looked for something a little more laid-back, a little less touristy and crowded, a little bit more authentic. So, I traveled to Padua in the Veneto region last March and fell in love with it. I liked it so much that we will be offering regular small group tours to Padau and the Veneto region of Italy in 2014. Read my blog post to see why you want to put Padua on the list on the next tour to Italy.
One of our most popular and fascinating tours is to Machu Picchu. There are right ways to visit Machu Picchu and there are wrong ways to visit Machu Picchu. It took us about a year to plan our small group tour and in this blog post I will pass on my expert advice on visiting Machu Picchu. See what The Traveling Professor says about transportation, hotels, and itinerary planning for a trip to Peru and Machu Picchu.
One of the most popular side trips from Paris is a trip to London. By train, it is only about 2.5 hours on the Eurostar fast train. Since The Traveling Professor is considering expanding our small group tours for adults to Paris to include a side trip to London, I have done the research to see the best options for taking the chunnel train between Paris and London. Read the blog post for more details and tips on taking the Eurostar from Paris to London.
London and Paris Trip Report: Days 5-7
A Visit to Honfleur from Paris
Honfleur is one of those picturesque towns located in Normandy where the Seine meets the Atlantic. Walking the streets narrow streets of the wooden framed buildings with the smell of fresh seafood and baking bread is still with me since my last visit. I have traveled to Honfleur from Paris several times. My friends and guest bloggers Brigitte and Philippe Mercier of Beehome Guest House in Honfleur bring us the story of this Norman village and how to visit Honfleur.
Day Trip to Verona
Segovia - A Day Trip from Madrid
Lost/Delayed Luggage? Cancelled/Delayed Flight? Denied Boarding?
Traveling Between Paris and London on the Eurostar