The crowds are gone. But the weather’s still pretty good. Fall is a fabulous time of year to explore European cities and villages. Here are some of my favorite places to check out in Europe in autumn, including Portugal, Italy, France and Austria. WESTERN ALGARVE, PORTUGAL We stayed in the village of Burgau, Portugal a few years ago with friends, and absolutely loved it. It’s a small, huggable little town with several nice restaurants, but it’s not as well-known as other villages on the Algarve and never seemed crowded with visitors. You’ll find fabulous hiking along the cliffs in both Read more
Austria
The Big Apple, and sunny destinations such as Orlando and Hawai’i are top of mind for travellers, a new study from Hilton says. According to recent data from Hilton.com, the top searched destinations for stays of 5 days or more between December 23 and January 1 are as follows: New York City Experience the best of the holiday season in the Big Apple at the 1920’s classic landmark hotel Martinique New York on Broadway, Curio Collection by Hilton. The hotel is conveniently located in the heart of midtown, offering unparalleled access to all of NYC’s famous holiday happenings. Guests can Read more
This is the second of my “Europe Shorts” posts, which are aimed at people who don’t have a lot of time but want to read about cool destinations in Europe. VIENNA – This stunningly beautiful city is known for prancing stallions, high-brow music and fancy coffee shops. But there’s also a rich, vibrant modern side to this city, with rooftop bars that blast pulsating dance tunes, wildly inventive architecture, and funky shops based on Monty Python sketches. When I was there last year, tour guide Alexa Brauner, an engaging and enthusiastic art lover, took me on a three-hour walking tour Read more
It was a pretty good year for travel outside Canada, with numerous trips to California, a couple to Hawaii, one to Florida, a river cruise in Austria, Slovakia and Hungary, and two weeks in Western Australia and New South Wales. From Santa Monica to Sydney and Maui to Vienna, here are some of my top experiences, fave foods and hotels of 2022. BEST ISLAND PHOTO: The Abrolhos Islands of Western Australia, as seen from my scenic flight with Geraldton Air Charter. We spotted pods of dolphins from the air. You also can take a trip that includes a nice swim Read more
Viking today is celebrating today the company’s 25th anniversary and its leadership in travel. To commemorate the anniversary, Viking has released a new video message from Chairman Torstein Hagen as he reflects on the company’s key milestones since its founding on August 5, 1997. The new video can be viewed here on Viking’s website, as well as here on Viking’s award-winning enrichment channel, Viking.TV. All this week, Viking.TV daily programming has centered on Norwegian culture and history as a tribute to the Hagen family’s Norwegian heritage. “I am proud of all that we have accomplished in these 25 years. First, Read more
