New Year’s Eve in Spain or Latin America is, not surprisingly, one of the prime party evenings of the year. It’s also pretty much inconceivable without the famous ritual of the “12 uvas de la suerte,” or twelve grapes of fortune. Basically,…

Starting to thing about sun, sand and sea or action, adventure and adrenaline for next spring and summer? It might not be an easy choice, but luckily, some places have it all.

Croatia has long been a hidden gem for travellers. In…

While the Great Depression gripped most of the world in 1931, Milton S. Hershey built an opulent hotel atop Pat's Hill overlooking his chocolate factory in Hershey Pennsylvania. The Hershey Hotel is truly a testament to the fact that greatness marches to the beat of a…

by Javier Pereira



One of the first things we learn in school about geometry (more specifically, plane geometry) is that the shortest distance between two points is a straight line. Obvious, right? And yet…



The fact is, this obvious truism is only true in two dimensions, as on a flat map,…

This fall marks 500 years since Spanish explorer Vasco Núñez de Balboa “discovered” the Pacific Ocean while traipsing across the isthmus of Panama. That event changed mankind’s concept of geography and the world, and Panama has played a key role in world…

In Costa Rica for Christmas there are plenty of events and activities happening. Find out the best things to do during the holiday season in Costa Rica, from parades and fairs to sparkling Christmas trees…

The story of Amorgos Island is a tale of beauty. Folklore has it that adjacent islands in the Cyclades told a tale of a neighboring island where only beautiful women resided. This tale of omorfos (beauty) was folklore about the less traveled Amorgos Island.

The Main Port of Amorgos – From The Aegialis Hotel &…

Wellsboro, PA reminds us of the quality of life and friendly folks of Bedford Falls depicted in Frank Capra’s classic 1946 Christmas flick, “It’s a Wonderful Life.”



For one thing, Wellsboro has a wide grassy median down the center of Main Street (like in the movie), and…

You will find Plovdiv at an hour’s distance from Sophia, Bulgaria. It’s the second most populated city of the country, built on both banks of the Maritsa River. The very first impression is pure urban as you approach the city -- multi-floor flats, concrete and steel.. However, things quickly get quite different!…

Spain's mix of the modern and the traditional is second to none, in my opinion, but around the holidays, tradition naturally comes to the fore – and nowhere more in the case of Christmas than in the nativity scenes that pop up all over the country, in public and private.



Montar el belén, literally “setting up the Bethlehem,”…

Incorporated in 1829, Waterville Valley is a New Hampshire village at the end of a winding scenic road just 15 miles off I-93, 2 hours from Boston surrounded by over 40,000 acres of White Mountain National Forest under a dramatic backdrop defined by 4000 foot mountain peaks.

You're as far as you want to be from anything resembling the hectic everyday…

Irish coffee – that delicious hot drink combining coffee, good whiskey and cream – has become such a classic nowadays, that it hardly raises an eyebrow anymore. In fact, one might say that it has fallen out of fashion even. But once you try it, especially on a wet and cold evening, you will quickly become a fan! Why am I mentioning it here…

Calm seas and abundant marine life in the spectacular Pacific Ocean at Quepos and…

by Miguel Martínez Rabanal



As a resident of Mexico City, a lover of Mexican food, and a passionate defender of the arts of the kitchen, I have been finding that if there’s one thing that defines this town in the second decade of the 21st century, it’s the heady feeling of constant change. Inevitably, this…

In the summer, of course, the third largest of the Balearic Islands is arguably the party capital of the world, throbbing practically 24/7 from its beaches, yacht marinas, and discos to the cobblestone lanes of its ancient cities and towns. But as winter approaches and Ibiza’s population shrinks from millions closer to its usual year-round…

On the train from Cuzco to Machu Picchu, thinking about my upcoming climb up the picture-postcard peak of nearby citadel Huayna Picchu, known as “the young mountain,” I realized I'd left my hiking shoes behind! But I'd traveled great distances to climb Machu Picchu’s highest peak, so even a lack of proper footgear wasn't going to stop me. Perhaps I would be the first person to hike this majestic peak in Hugo Boss loafers - maybe I could get Hugo to pay me for bringing his brand to the top of…

Tozeur is the largest Tunisian oasis, and one of the most charming towns in the country.  This can be seen in the winding streets in the center of the town, with its characteristic brick designs, in the suq, not as overwhelming as many other Maghreb and Arab markets, and in its vast palm grove, with a surface area of more than 1,000 hectares and live…

Above: One of the Abbey of Our Lady of Guadalupe's sumptuous fruitcakes, awaiting an evening snack down.…

Kayaking (or boating) through the Tamarindo Wildlife Refuge in Guanacaste, Costa Rica, is an exciting experience. You never know what animal or bird you’ll suddenly come upon…