As Europe transitions into fall, the landscapes glow with vibrant autumn colors. This is the perfect time to embark on a fall river cruise. These journeys offer a relaxing way to explore Europe’s scenic waterways, passing through picturesque towns and vibrant cities. For those planning 2027 travel, consider adding a few days in a European […]

Should you book a private guide in Paris or join a small group tour? I get asked this a lot, and honestly, my answer is pretty simple. If you’re going to be inside a museum, that’s when I would splurge on a private guide. For food tours, and really any walking tour, a small group […]

Provence has no shortage of beautiful luxury hotels. But after years of traveling through France, I’ve learned that choosing the right property involves much more than finding a gorgeous room. During my recent trip to Provence, I stayed at two exceptional hotels: Coquillade Provence and Couvent des Minimes. Both offered beautiful surroundings, impeccable service, and […]

Eating in Paris should be one of the highlights of your vacation. Yet many travelers treat meals as an afterthought, building a packed sightseeing schedule and only looking for food once everyone is already tired and hungry. A little planning goes a long way. You do not need reservations for every meal, but it helps […]

Amsterdam should be more than a quick stopover before your river or ocean cruise. Its world-class sights and hotels deserve a few days. I recently visited four of the best luxury hotels in Amsterdam for cruise travelers. Each offers a very different experience before your sailing begins. Which Luxury Hotel in Amsterdam Is Right for […]

If your cruise starts in Amsterdam, don’t fly across the Atlantic and head straight for the ship. Give yourself three nights to recover, explore, and enjoy one of Europe’s most interesting cities. You’ll start your cruise rested, and Amsterdam becomes part of your vacation instead of simply your departure point. How many days should you […]

There is a lot of pressure in travel to keep going somewhere new. New countries, new cities, new stamps in the passport. But if you are planning another trip to France, I think there is a strong argument for going back instead of constantly chasing somewhere new. I have been traveling to France for more […]

What 92 Meetings in Las Vegas Have to Do With Your Trip With so much travel information available online, you might reasonably wonder why you should use a travel advisor at all. I spent last week in Las Vegas at Virtuoso Travel Week, where I had 92 scheduled seven-minute appointments, plus lunches, dinners, receptions and […]

If someone asks me my favorite time to cruise Europe, my answer is almost always fall. For years, that meant September. Today, I’d probably tell you October. September used to be my first recommendation because the kids were back in school, the weather was still warm, and Europe had generally settled down after the busy […]

I should tell you upfront: my introduction to Menton involved a stolen taxi, a yacht boy we named Thurbert, and the kindest stranger who drove us home in the dark. But we’ll get to that. Visiting the French Riviera for the first time — or the fifth — the coastline never gets old. The Côte […]