Travelling by rail is one of the great pleasures of life. The pace is lovely, you don’t have to hassle with big security lines, you can gaze out the window at wonderful scenery, and you usually get on and off the train in the middle of great cities; not out in the boondocks miles from town. I had a fabulous train trip all around Europe in 1979, including a journey between Rome and Florence when I met my wife, but also trips within England and Scotland, across France, and also Switzerland, Denmark, Sweden and The Netherlands. I’ve taken the train Read more
train travel
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
MSN has a nice list out of trending travel destinations for this year, including some of my fave places. Here’s a look at what they had to say in their report, as well as some thoughts from yours truly, who’s managed to visit all five (and lives in one of them). JAPAN MSN’s report said Japan “continues to draw travellers who value structure, safety and cultural depth. In 2026, the country’s focus on regional tourism — beyond the usual big-city circuit — makes it even more compelling.” Their story highlighted several great options for exploring the country, including scenic regional Read more
The cheapest cities to visit in Europe, Canadians in love with Japan, top summer travel spots for Americans and a facelift for the Four Seasons Hotel Toronto. I also have items on Via Rail, a new tourism campaign for Canada, and honours for the Fairmont Banff Springs Hotel. A look at what’s new in the travel and tourism world today. CHEAPEST CITIES TO VISIT IN EUROPE Europe is the favorite overseas getaway spot for American and Canadians. But it can get expensive. Yahoo and Insider Monkey have a nice list of the cheapest places to visit in Europe this summer. Read more
I had some wonderful visits in the U.S. and Canada this year, including a monumental train trip from Colorado to Utah, a wonderful six days in Prince Edward Island and great stays in Los Angeles, southwest Ontario, southern Florida and northern California. I also got to visit one of my fave islands, Molokai, and spent four nice but sobering days on Maui to see how they’re recovering from the devastating and still unfathomable wildfires. It wasn’t all pretty, but I had many a remarkable experience and more than a few great meals along the way. Thanks to everyone who helped Read more
