A look at a very disapointing list of the world’s most colourful cities, and also some thoughts about Slovenia, tourism in Boston, a nice Greek Islands cruise deal , and a great sale from the folks at Rocky Mountaineer. All in today’s travel blog. WORLD’S MOST COLOURFUL CITIES LIST MISSES BY MILES I liked their overcrowded destinations post from the other day, but MSN badly misses the mark with this list of the most colourful cities on the planet. Where is St. John’s, the ultra-colourful capital of Newfoundland and Labrador? It’s a city that’s far more colourful than Lisbon (somehow Read more

I like to talk about great places to go, but sometimes it’s good to warn people about places they might want to avoid. Not because they’re bad, but  because they can get pretty overrun with visitors in the height of tourist season. MSN has an interesting list of 16 places that really don’t need more tourists. Of course, these places have become popular for a reason, so my advice would be go if you wish, but try to visit in the shoulder season or off-season. Not only will your experience be more pleasant, but you’ll also likely save a ton Read more

Cruise line food. Adventure Travel. Top Vrbo rentals, and news from Las Vegas and San Francisco. BEST CRUISE LINES FOR FOOD LOVERS Food and Wine magazine (link) recently published a list of the top cruise lines for foodies. Here’s their top 10. Explora Journeys The Ritz-Carlton Yacht Collection Aqua Expeditions Silversea Crystal Oceania Cruises Regent Seven Seas Cruises HX Expeditions Ponant Celebrity Cruises I can’t say I have enough cruising experience to rank them, but I hear amazing things about Explora, and I had a magnificent cruise with Silversea back in 2011, with truly spectacular food. ADVENTURE TRAVEL: IT’S NOT Read more

If all the studies and polls I read are correct, it looks like it will be a very busy summer (in the northern hemisphere) for tourism. The price of flights and the jet fuel surcharges and bag fee hikes we’re seeing could slow things down, but people are travelling in near-record numbers these days. That means things could get pretty crowded in some of the world’s fave destinations. With that in mind, here’s one world traveller’s suggestions on great places to go in late April, May and into early June. I’ll have another, similar list in a week or so. Read more

It’s not the easiest time to sell a U.S. destination in Canada. But Visit Florida folks are a determined bunch. The new head of the group charged with boosting tourism to the Sunshine State, Visit Florida President and CEO Bryan Griffin, was in Toronto this week to chat about the state’s ongoing efforts to keep Canadian travellers heading south. I sat down with him for a one-on-one chat that covered off everything from lesser-known corners of the state to explore to Michelin restaurants. And, of course, the ongoing problem of diminished Canadian visitation to Florida. “This is part of my Read more

A new list of the top 10 food and wine cities in the world leads with Hong Kong. I also have updates on ambitious, new plans to boost tourism in Toronto and across Canada, plus Expedia tips on where to go in Canada and Europe this year, and the ideal time to book your trip. Food and Wine magazine also looked at the world’s best cities for food and wine. Here’s their top 10 for world cities: Hong Kong (truly spectacular cuisine) London (it wouldn’t have made the list 25 or 30 years ago, but the city has come a Read more