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Spain

More than 40 million Americans visited Europe last year, checking out amazing cities, fascinating history, cultural icons and dazzling landscapes. In 2024, the number of US travelers visiting Europe surged, with 40.2 million Americans flying to the continent. As travelers increasingly seek out unique destinations, certain European countries have seen a rise in popularity, with Western and Central Europe emerging as key favorites. Here’s the top 10, according to Travel and Tour World: United Kingdom  I’ve been lucky enough to visit all of them, and they’re terrific. England is, of course, home to London, which is one of the great Read more

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And now my Jimmy Awards for Best International Travel Experiences in 2024. I didn’t do a lot of overseas travel, but I did manage trips to Istanbul and Singapore, and our MSC cruise on the World Europe took us to Italy, Malta, Spain and France. Thank you to everyone who helped along the way, both in big and small ways.  Best Tour: We had a superb tour of Palermo, Sicily with a local guide on our MSC World Europa visit. We admired the beautiful cathedral, nibbled on cannoli the size of a football, and briefly toured a furiously noisy local Read more

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Expedia has come out with its list of top world destinations for 2025, and there are some great picks. Here’s their top nine for the upcoming year. A Catalonian culinary haven Girona, Spain   As Catalonian capital Barcelona hits the headlines for record-breaking tourism numbers, conscious travellers are keeping visits short and sweet, basing themselves primarily in nearby Girona, a hill-top medieval showstopper just 40 minutes away via the new Avlo high-speed train service. In gastronomic circles, Girona has been an insider secret for years, with 12 Michelin-starred restaurants in the region, snapping at San Sebastián’s crown as Spain’s culinary Read more

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A new study reveals the best cities for budget travelers, and Rome ranks first for offering the most free tourist attractions. Bangkok offers the lowest average hotel price at just $8 (all figures USD) and the most affordable meal price of $3.14. Lisbon stands out with the highest weather index of 98.6, which allows visitors to enjoy outdoor activities year-round.  A recent study by DIPNDIVE revealed the top ten best cities for budget travelers based on a comprehensive analysis of various key factors. The data used in this study included the number of free tourist attractions, average cost of living, meal prices at inexpensive Read more

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Here’s a fun chart: A look at the world’s best cities for Instagram sunset posts. New research by Heepsy analyzed 54 cities worldwide to identify the ones that have the most Instagrammable sunsets. The study considered several key factors, including the number of Instagram hashtags, average annual sunshine hours, air quality index (AQI), tourist arrivals, and popular sunset spots, to determine the cities that offer the most stunning and popular sunset experiences.  Here’s their top nine, including total score based on the above factors and key places to watch the sun go down. As a California native who grew up Read more

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