As one of the best preserved medieval towns in Tuscany, San Gimignano is considered a “Medieval Manhattan” with its medieval skyline of towers dominating the Tuscan countryside. This hilltop town is one of the best towns to visit in Tuscany and there are plenty of things to do in San Gimignano worthy of spending a full day here. Wander down picturesque cobble stone alleys, gaze over the lush Tuscan countryside, enjoy a panoramic bird’s eye view from one of the many towers and take a step back in time!

Have you ever been influenced by a book you read to visit a place? Siena, Italy was such a town for me. A book set in the heart of a medieval Tuscan hilltop town, riff with rivalries between neighborhood families, taking their frustrations out in a horse race through the heart of a burnt siena city center which still takes place today. Sounded intriguing enough for me. I researched Siena and added it to my Italy bucket list and now this medieval jewel should be on your list of places to visit in Italy too.

For red wine drinkers, Chianti red wines needs no introduction and few wines trigger nostalgic memories like enjoying a glass of Chianti with a plate of pasta at your favorite Italian restaurant. And it was possibly while you were drinking said glass of wine that you suddenly wondered, “Where does Chianti wine come from?” Believe it or not, but Chianti wine comes from one of the most iconic regions in Italy, known as Tuscany. And here, you’ll find a “strada” (street) meandering through Tuscany’s most beautiful wine producing villages.

When people search for the best beach destinations in Europe, they often think Italy or anywhere along the Mediterranean Sea. And while a trip to the French Riviera in France or the Almafi Coast or Cinque Terre in Italy sounds idyllic, there are other places to consider for a beach holiday in Europe. For example, there are a plethora of more affordable beach holidays in the Balkan countries such as Croatia and Montenegro. So let me introduce you to a collection of gorgeous seaside towns along the Adriatic Sea at a fraction of the price you might pay anywhere else in Europe.

Everyone is a newbie at something at some point or another. We all live and learn by our mistakes or the mistakes of others. Now, after nearly 10 years living in Europe and having spent most of my adolescent years traveling primarily to Europe,  I’ve learned from a lot of mistakes that will help you travel with ease in Europe!

When it comes to traveling and picking out a new destination to visit, I take many things into consideration. From, location, hotels, city center, activities and restaurants. When traveling, I always stop to think about the things to do on every holiday we go on, from making sure we can do a city walking tour, to visiting a library and most importantly, starting any sightseeing at the local city hall. WHY you ask!?

So, you’ve discovered one of the most quintessential British traditions, afternoon tea. You’ve seen the Brits take tea on The Crown and Downton Abbey and now you want to experience a traditional afternoon tea the next time you’re in the United Kingdom, but you don’t know the first thing about taking tea. You want to own your afternoon tea experience more like a Duchess and less like a newbie. Have no fear, with these simple tips and tricks for afternoon tea, you’ll soon be a tea snob, adding an afternoon tea to every holiday and soon you’ll even host your own tea party!

Let’s admit it, half of the reason why we have an addiction to travel is so that we can try new authentic foods that we can’t get at home (of equal deliciousness). PLUS, they say that “when you travel, calories don’t count”, riggght?

Crowd control measures have been taken in Venice & Cinque Terre, locals in Barcelona are demanding that tourism be brought under control to save their city, London and Paris are elbow to elbow with millions of tourists every day and Dubrovnik and Amsterdam are being swallowed up by the sheer number of daily tourists. And while cities are struggling to handle the stress of mass tourism, all it takes it one rotten tourist to ruin it for others.

There are two kinds of people who go on holiday – those that travel and those who vacation. What’s the difference you might ask? The traveler wants to see and experience everything to learn about a destination while the vacationer prefers to relax in a beautiful destination, sipping on a cocktail soaking up their surroundings. One is not better than the other, just that there are difference ways to see this beautiful world.