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These Real World Destinations Inspired Your Favorite Fairy Tales
Fairy tales have captured our hearts and minds since once upon a time, and these imagined lands are often so vivid that they stay with us into adulthood. We dream of escaping to these fantastic, otherworldly settings to escape the bore of daily life.
But the authors who imagine these enchanting lands often draw inspiration from locations in real life. From the mountains of Germany to the plains of sub-Saharan Africa, there are many places around the world which look like they’ve been ripped from the pages of a fairy tale. And that’s because the real world inspired the story.
If you love fairy tales and have a serious case of wanderlust, you can visit these real places that inspired some of the best stories of all time. None of these destinations require a fairy godmother to reach – just a short flight!
read moreHow to Be a Spontaneous Traveler
It’s a romantic and wildly adventurous way to travel; to rock up in a new city with no script, and wing it after you arrive. To have the freedom to wander where and when you please, to stay longer in a place that truly intrigues you, or choose to move on when you get bored.
There’s something dangerously thrilling about traveling without a fixed itinerary, and I’ve always fantasized about what it would be like. I envy spontaneous travelers, though OCD means that not having a solid travel plan makes me break out in hives!
But I’ve vowed to to build more spontaneity into our trips for 2018, and pull back from over planning. So if you too are looking to recover some wildness in your trips, the following tips are how to successfully manage travel without a script.
read moreH10 London Waterloo Hotel Review: The Perfect 10 of London Accommodation
London is all the buzz at the moment. But honestly, it always has been! The cultural heartland of the UK, this gargantuan, bustling city is jam-packed with a seemingly endless array of hotspots, and a thousand things to do.
A thriving cosmopolitan, the city is bursting with world-class attractions, edgy fashion, and a combination of modern day architecture and majestic buildings which date back nearly two millennia. No other city is full of this much excitement or allure.
But one incredibly difficult decision while in London, is chooing where to stay. Finding a London hotel with a great location is vital to an unforgettable British holiday.
We’ve chosen to review the H10 London Waterloo; a stylish luxury boutique, quintessentially British, and perfectly positioned on London’s famous Waterloo Road close to all the iconic landmarks you know. And, great news for those traveling to London before December 2018, Luxury Escapes is offering 61% off your four or seven night stay.
read moreDear Travelers: Portable Carbon Monoxide Detectors Save Lives. Don’t Leave Home Without One!
Who would’ve ever thought that packing a carbon monoxide detector would be an essential and life-saving item in one’s travel-kit arsenal?
We certainly didn’t until tragedy struck and my husband nearly lost his life to carbon monoxide poisoning at a “boutique hotel” in Central Mexico.
After dropping our twins off at their much-anticipated 6th grade camp in a rural community outside of Guadalajara, Frank and I set out to enjoy our weekend together, knowing that our children would be in good hands in the company of their classmates and the Camp La Cañada counselors, including a medic on staff.
But instead of enjoying a romantic weekend of exploring and relaxing together, we spent it fighting for Frank’s life. So I pen an open letter to all travelers.
read moreWhere to Stay in Paris: The Best Apartment Rentals for Travelers
Whether you’re planning on staying in Paris for a few days, a few weeks or a few months, staying in an apartment is the best way to get a taste of life as a local, among locals. Hotels are still popular, of course, but if you’ve ever dreamed of living the Paris lifestyle, it’s now very easy and affordable for travelers to pick up the keys to a proper home!
With more space, a kitchen, and a washing machine, more travelers are choosing to stay in apartments over hotels (especially in Paris), and it’s become quite a popular trend. So much so that rental agencies like Paris Attitude, who cater to travelers, have gone from a portfolio of 20 properties 10 years ago, to 7,000 today!
And why not?! You get to spread out in some of the city’s most famous residential buildings for often a fraction of the normal nightly hotel price. And you have far more choice when it comes to location, with apartments on every street corner, with views of your favorite monument / attraction.
There is a definite shift away from hotels in favor of apartment rentals, so we’ve covered some of the best apartment rentals in Paris for travelers.
read moreHow to Be an Ethical Volunteer
A quick Google search (or scanning of JK Rowling’s Twitter account) makes it clear that ethical volunteer tourism is a hot topic in today’s travel climate—and for good reason.
It’s important that we, as individuals who want to spend our time and resources in international service, are doing so in a way that is effective, productive, and sustainable. After all, no one “wants to become that volunteer who has just built a bridge where no bridge was needed.” —Lonely Planet.
So, should we write off all volunteer tourism as the wrong way to spend your vacation or extended periods living abroad?
read moreThings to do in Bologna – One of the Best Cities to Visit in Italy
A city often overlooked by many tourists heading to Italy, Bologna is somewhat of a hidden gem. It may not have the iconic landmarks we all head to Italy to experience, but it has beautiful canals like Venice, leaning towers similar to Pisa, equally as stunning architecture as Florence, unbelievable food like Naples, and a large masterpiece of a fountain like Rome’s Trevi.
With 2,000 years of history, about the only thing the city doesn’t have is an amphitheatre that rivals the Colosseum. But something which does give it an edge over Rome is a distinct lack of mass tourism.
Bologna is a wonderful city to experience authentic Italy away from all the hype and commotion that often comes with Italy’s major cities. So if you’re looking to experience authentic Italy, here are 5 reasons to make Bologna your next Italian destination.
read moreIsland Hopping: 5 Tips for Planning a Trip to the Greek Islands
With 6,000 islands and islets scattered across the Aegean and Ionian Seas, island hopping is a popular way to experience Greece.
And as the main characteristic of Greece’s morphology and an integral part of the country’s culture and tradition, this is a great adventure for the people who love discovery.
If you’re dreaming of an island hopping adventure in Greece, the following tips will help you plan it out.
read moreMinsk Nightlife: 5 Authentic Bars You Should Visit in Minsk
Eastern Europe has a drinking culture which dates back centuries; toasting to another’s health or welfare is a long established custom, and the tradition of clinking glasses when first taking a sip has been passed through generations.
Bordered by Russia, Ukraine, Poland, Lithuania and Latvia, Belarus is firmly landlocked within the vodka belt of Eastern Europe. So as you would expect, it’s capitol city Minsk isn’t lacking in authentic bars.
But it’s not common to visit a bar several times a week just to grab a small beer near your home. In Minsk, going to a bar is a special event, where people spend more money and choose the best possible options.
Minsk nightlife isn’t made up of bars which are popular just for being cheap; the scene is very much made up of authentic places to drink, eat tasty food, and socialize. So we’ve put together a list of the 5 most authentic bars in Minsk.
read moreDiscover Yamba & the Luxurious Angourie Rainforest Resort
Nestled between Byron Bay and Coffs Harbour on Australia’s stunning northern NSW coast is the relaxing seaside town of Yamba. Although it may not receive the same attention of larger cities in the region, make no mistake, Yamba offers travelers a wealth of adventure and excitement rivaling the likes of Sydney and Brisbane.
With stunning beaches, a wealth of outdoor recreation, iconic wildlife, and numerous parks and reserves, there’s a reason Australian Traveller Magazine named it Australia’s number one town! And the best part, is that Yamba allows you to escape the crowds.
Wrapped within 600 hectares of rainforest near famous Angourie surf beach, the luxurious Angourie Rainforest Resort is fast becoming a hotspot for travellers to northern NSW. And it’s one of the best places to base yourself for access to Yamba and surrounds.
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