Today's featured summer travel destination has undergone a massive transformation in recent decades. Once regarded as an isolated capital on the red side of the Iron Curtain, it is now the sixth most visited European city behind London, Paris, Rome, Madrid and Berlin. Having ...Click on a label to read posts from that part of the world.
Czech Republic
Prague in pictures
Today's featured summer travel destination has undergone a massive transformation in recent decades. Once regarded as an isolated capital on the red side of the Iron Curtain, it is now the sixth most visited European city behind London, Paris, Rome, Madrid and Berlin. Having ...A Stinky Tour Through the Czech Town of Olomouc
The last thing I wanted to do before I got to Olomouc [pronounced Oh-low-moatz], a town in the north-eastern part of the Czech Republic, was eat cheese that reeked of unwashed feet. But there I was, in a village just outside of the historic university town, at a museum ...Useful foreign phrases, Part 2: how to say, "Can you write this down for me?" in 10 languages
A post written by Chris on Tuesday reminded me of this little language series I started in March. In "Ten things Ugly Americans need to know before visiting a foreign land," Chris recommended brushing up on the local language. He joked about dashing around Venice clutching ...Useful foreign phrases, Part 1: how to say, "I'm just looking" in 10 languages
I've frequently pimped Lonely Planet's Phrasebooks on this site, but I swear I don't get kickbacks from the company. It's just that I'm a big believer in not being a). A Tourist (although, let's face it, if I'm not at home, I am indeed A Tourist) and b). helpless.
Even if ...The ten best castles in Europe
Castles originated in Europe over a thousand years ago. These fortresses were one of the original defense systems, and erecting the structures on hills or just beyond moats was a functional choice. Castles were built to house rulers, impose power, and above all, spurn ...Schengen and the disappearance of European passport stamps
Creative new use for border crossing posts at German/Austrian border.
In the late 1980s, an American spending a summer traveling across Europe with a Eurailpass would see his or her passport stamped possibly dozens of times. With a few exceptions, every time a border ...Lovely Bones: The East Bohemian Bone Church
When I got off the train in a barren-looking town in eastern Bohemia, I was initially alarmed. Communist-era apartment blocks rose to the sky and broken down cars from the '70s were plopped in front of houses. It wasn't supposed to look like this.
I was in Kutna ...The sushi invasion of Eastern Europe
Traveling through Eastern Europe recently, what stood out to me the most (aside from ultra low prices and varying success with capitalism) is the extreme popularity of sushi. Particularly in Kiev and Warsaw, sushi restaurants are nearly as prolific as the national cuisine ...The Top Non Santa Claus European Christmas Traditions
When I was young, my dad liked to narrate Santa Claus' travels to me on Christmas Eve. I'd hang on his every word as he'd announce, just after dinner, "Welp, Santa should be pulling into China right now." A few hours later, around 9 p.m. St. Nick would reportedly be in ...Epochs of Indulgence: How Prague Became a Luxury Destination
It's true: Prague really doesn't let go--to paraphrase Franz Kafka, one of the city's most famous native sons, who likened the capital of Bohemia to a wicked mother from whose escape (literal, emotional, and mental) was futile. Kafka's Prague was much different than the ...Ten budget-friendly destinations in Europe
For Americans, Europe can be very expensive. Let's take a moment to acknowledge this fact. Tourist costs are high, and currently the euro is doing well against the dollar, even if the pound is down somewhat from its stratospheric performance a few years ago. So yes, ...Weekending: Prague
While I'm living in Istanbul, I try to take advantage of all the amazing destinations a few hours' flight away and travel there as often as possible. I like to focus on destinations that are harder to access from the US for just a few days (such as Turkey's beach town ...Czech Republic: From Prague Castle to Česky Krumlov Castle, a land of castles and fairy tales
For hundreds of years, Czech Republic was the land of knights and castles, royalty and moats, and drawbridges. Though the country boasts hundreds of castles and palaces across its hills and mountains, several impressive castles are close enough to Prague to be seen within ...What to do in Prague, Europe's most authentic capital
Visitors flock to Paris for its romance and light, to London for its influence and renown, and to Rome for its ancient roots and history. But Prague, unlike other major European cities, has something even more to offer: authenticity.
Since its beginnings in the 9th ...5 reasons to be a tourist
After three months living in Istanbul, I've gained a stable of a few dozen Turkish words to string into awkward sentences; learned some local intel on what soccer teams to root for, where to get the best mantı, and the best Turkish insults (maganda is the local equivalent ...Top five weekend travel media stories
Here are some of the best travel stories from this weekend's English-speaking newspaper travel media.
1. In the New York Times, Stephen Heyman profiles six moderately-priced New York City boutique hotels. One of the boutique hotels reviewed even has nightly rates under ...Trade Mocked
You were a cheerleader, you dated a cheerleader, or you hated the cheerleaders. As I recall, that's how high school worked.
Thanks to travel PR, that same primeval paradigm lives on long after graduation. That miniskirts-shouting-slogans thing still works, whether you're ...Daily Pampering: Mandarin Oriental Prague takes the spa to a spiritual level
Few places in the world combine pampering and prayer, but the Mandarin Oriental, Prague figured out a way to do it.
If you're seeking complete harmony between mind, body and spirit, The Spa at Mandarin Oriental, Prague might be the best starting point.
It's the only ...Blogger David Farley
1. Where was your photo taken: La Torre, a great restaurant in Viterbo, about an hour north of Rome . The guy to my left is Paul Steffen, an 87-year-old American dancer who, at one time, was quite famous in Italy for his choreography. Those who have read my book, An ...Adventure Tourism Development Index rates top adventure destinations
The Adventure Tourism Development Index is a study put together by the Adventure Travel Trade Association, in conjunction with George Washington University and Xola Consulting. The joint effort examines 192 countries and ranks them based on their commitment to sustainable ...
