Culture & History Travel Guides in the USA, Europe, & Beyond
Visiting Europe in September is a great idea for many tourists. You’ll be able to skip the families traveling during school holidays, you can take advantage of end-of-season discounts, and the crowds start to thin out a bit. Here are some of the best places to visit in September in Europe to enjoy the end … Read more
I just adore a great Mediterranean vacation. Whether it’s basking on the shores of Cyprus, Tunisia, Malta, or Greece, I never say no when someone suggests we head to one of the best beaches in the Mediterranean! So if you’re dreaming about a beach getaway, here are fifty(!) fabulous Mediterranean beaches for you to choose from. … Read more
There really is nothing better than the combination of travel and history. There is so much to see and to learn about when you visit historical sites – so much more than you could ever learn in a book or online. However, does that mean that they’re all worth visiting? Here’s my take on the … Read more
Anyone who’s had the privilege of traveling in a Muslim-majority country like Azerbaijan, Turkey, or Tunisia can tell you about how stunning Islamic architecture around the world can be. Whether you’re exploring the famed Blue Mosque in Istanbul or the much less visited Blue Mosque in Yerevan, stepping into a mosque for a non-Muslim is both … Read more
Traveling to Orthodox Monasteries … My New Obsession I had no idea when I picked Cyrpus as my first place to travel after quitting my job that it would be the beginnings of an obsession. After seeing the gorgeous Painted Churches in the Troodos in Cyprus, then seeing Meteora in Greece and Rila in Bulgaria, I … Read more
Introduction I love dishing with travel bloggers about their experiences: which spot lived up to the hype, which was a total bust, and which spots were even better than they imagined. Below, travel bloggers share their favorite historic places, the ones that inspired and delighted beyond their expectations. Then I list a few of my … Read more
Listen to the Episode “The Walls of Constantinople” Listen and Subscribe on iTunes Other Ways to Listen and Subscribe Patrick Wyman is a historian and podcaster I hold in great regard and I’ve invited him on the show today to discuss the history and prominence of the great Walls of Constantinople and the role … Read more
Listen to the Episode “Istanbul’s Grand Bazaar” Subscribe in iTunes Other ways to subscribe Traveling throughout Europe, you can find the legacy of the Ottoman Empire just about everywhere. But if you want to experience a place that has lived through the ebbs and flows of the empire, and connects us through more than 500 … Read more
Whenever I travel, I always look for a fun or elegant performance that I can add to my itinerary. In London, this was seeing a Shakespeare production in the Sam Wanamaker Playhouse. In NYC, this meant seeing Hamilton during a fantastic New York weekend. And in Vienna, this, of course, meant going to the Vienna … Read more