Travelers looking for an enchanting and affordable adventure might consider exploring the Northern European Baltic region. The Baltic States include three small countries of Estonia, Latvia, and Lithuania. Culturally rich and aesthetically beautiful, each country has its own charm. Though located in Northern Europe nestled right below Scandinavia, these countries are entirely unique—historically, culturally, and politically. Considering the abundance of natural beauty, colorful cityscapes, and bustling business areas, the region has experienced a dramatic growth in tourism over the past two decades. Fortunately for tourists, visiting the Baltics is still extremely affordable, despite the high standard of living inhabitants enjoy.

The natural beauty and turbulent history of these countries offers visitors fascinating tours, views, and stories from various eras in modern and ancient history. In 1991, the Baltics gained independence from the former Soviet Union—and have worked tirelessly to promote their own languages, cultures, and economies with great success. Each country has its own landmarks and must-see tourist destinations. Some of the highlights include the following:

• The colorful, medieval city center of Estonia’s capital, Tallinn, is both a UNESCO World Heritage Site and a thriving business center. The views from the modern, high-rise hotels in the city are simply incredible.
• The Lithuanian city of Siauliai (pronounced shoe-lay) with hundreds of wooden and metal crosses placed into the ground in a tradition believed to have begun in the 14th century. Lithuania also hosts a modern capital city Vilnius within a short drive from magnificent, ancient pine and oak forests in the countryside.
• Latvia boasts the Latvian ethnographic museum that hosts over 121 ancient buildings and thousands of artifacts in the context of how they were used in everyday life by Latvian peoples at different locations and points in history.
• All of the Baltics are also known for their plentiful—and relatively inexpensive—amber, though be sure to ask for specifics on filling out customs declarations before you go (and more importantly, before leaving).

While Estonia, Latvia, and Lithuania hold quaint villages and historic landmarks, their capitals (Riga, Tallinn, and Vilnius) are unmistakably modern—and bustling! Each country has been a member of the European Union and NATO since 2004. Their economies have all experienced rapid growth over the past two decades. Estonia is the most expensive Baltic destination, reflecting its economic leadership with start-ups based in its capital of Tallinn, including the now world-famous Skype. If you haven’t ever considered visiting the Baltics, now is the time! The nations sit on the Gulf of Finland, meaning gorgeous summer views over the Baltic Sea. For more information, check out the Baltic tours at Jetvacations.com.

Has anyone taken a vacation lately? My sister recently went to Ireland, and she won’t stop talking about it! She keeps repeating how inexpensive it is now—so I finally started listening. I might be planning a tour for myself soon! I did a little research, and it does appear that for some families, discounted airfares, hotel costs, and low-rate package tours are finally making vacations a reality.

It has always been notoriously expensive to fly and stay in Ireland, as well as in Northern Ireland. However, apparently hotel prices are down, meaning people who have always dreamed of seeing the lush green hills and sipping rich, dark, freshly brewed Guinness in an Irish pub can actually live their dreams and take a tour to all of the cities they’ve wanted to visit there.

To get the best prices, it has always been best to go with an agency—and this is still true. Agencies get discounted rates because they are able to buy in bulk. For the best prices and destinations, don’t go with a general tourist agency–go with one that specializes in Ireland Vacations. They will tell you all of the hotspots to visit in Dublin, Belfast, and cities and villages along the coast.
If you do decide to go, please send photos!

[Photo credit: Christopher Meneboeuf http://www.pixinn.net]

If you have never had the pleasure of taking a romantic gondola ride around Venice, now might be the time. Italy has always been one of the more affordable destinations in Europe despite its incredible charm, ancient landmarks, and vibrant culture. I have often heard it said—and agree—that Italy is one of those countries that people want to visit time and time again. Each city has a distinctly different flavor, so visiting Venice is an entirely different experience, for example, than touring Rome. Everything looks and feels unique from city to city –the architecture, natural surroundings, cuisine, music, and people. While Italy is known for its leisurely pace and a culture where enjoying a fine meal, strolling to the market, and chatting along the way, are not hurried—some cities like Rome are more prone to hustle and bustle of tourism and business than, say, the region of Tuscany, home to cultural centers like Florence, home of the Italian Renaissance.

Tourists visiting to Italy should keep the pace of life in mind—especially if you are planning to go during an Italian holiday. Italians love holidays, and nothing is more important than relaxing, celebrating, and being with family and friends. Tourists quickly learn that this means organizations cease to operate—this includes banks, galleries, and shops! Here is a list of Italian holidays visitors should note:

• January 1–Capodanno (New Year’s Day)
• January 5 and 6–Befana (Epiphany)
• Lune di Pasqua—date changes yearly–(Easter Monday)
• April 25–Fiesta della Liberazione (Liberation Day)
• May 1–Fiesta del Lavoro (Labor Day)
• August 15–Ferragosto (Assumption Day)
• November 1 and 2–Ognissanti (All Saints’ Day)
• December 8–L’Immacolata Concezione (Immaculate Conception)
• December 25–Natale (Christmas Day)
• December 26–Santo Stefano (St. Stephen’s Day)

Also note that when a holiday falls on a Thursday or Tuesday, it often carries over to Monday or Friday! If you have local friends to spend time with, these days are some of the best for visiting Italy. If not, just remember that you may not be able to enter some of the landmarks on your list of must-sees (though many monuments are amazing to view from the outside alone). One more recommendation for visitors to Italy is to consider renting an Italian villa versus staying in a hotel. This will keep you in a real neighborhood where you can really get a taste of the local culture in each city you visit.

The decline of the dollar has made European travel frustratingly expensive! For any of you who are unwilling to just sit back and accept that you’ll never again be able to make an exciting, exotic trip abroad—I have a suggestion: start researching Cape Town.

Cost and exchange rates aside, Cape Town a must-see tourist destination. This city is the most popular destination for visitors to South Africa—and there are many reasons. The natural surroundings include mountains and breathtaking views of both the Atlantic and Indian Oceans. The infrastructure of the city is well-developed, and there are several natural landmarks in the area. The most famous of these is Table Mountain, which branches into Table Mountain National Park. This is located at the end of the City Bowl. Tourists can take a cable car to the top of the mountain; however, hiking up is also an option. Chapman’s Peak Drive is a narrow road that links Noordhoek with Hout Bay—tourists drive along it to soak in unforgettable views of the Atlantic Ocean and nearby mountains.

Many tourists come exclusively for Cape Town’s beautiful beaches. Each beach has a different setting and atmosphere, and it is possible to visit several in the same day. Get ready though—the Benguela current from the Southern Ocean makes the water along the Atlantic coast very cold! False Bay beaches are on the Indian Ocean side of Cape Town–and tend to be about 15 to 20 degrees warmer. Both coasts are equally popular, though the beaches along the Atlantic Coast are more lively with restaurants and cafés, including the well-known strip of restaurants and bars at Camps Bay. Close by, visitors travel to Boulders Beach near Simon’s Town to see its colony of African penguins. This is also a popular destination for surfers, as this city hosts the yearly Red Bull Big Wave Africa surfing competition.

Cape Town is an excellent city to visit—both for experienced travelers or those taking their first trip abroad. It is a navigable city close to every kind of destination tourists love—beaches, mountains, fine dining, and great shopping. Anyone interested in visiting Cape Town or other destinations in South Africa might want to take a look at a site like LuxExperience, which offers local tour packages in the region.

I don’t know about all of you, but the nippy air has me daydreaming about spa treatments! I thought I’d share a little secret about my favorite spa in the world. Literally. It’s called the Blue Lagoon. No, I am not joking. It is blue, and though it’s manmade, it feels very much like a real lagoon. Even more intriguing is its outside location, which makes it very steamy and alluringly dark skies against almost fluorescent blue water. And what may surprise you…It’s in Iceland.
For those of you who just went, “Iceland? I can’t go to an outside spa in Iceland. Too cold” Take it from me, Iceland is a country all ladies, and especially all ladies who love shopping and spas, must visit. I’ve shopped there, and yes, soaked in the Blue Lagoon itself for many relaxing hours. But you don’t need a spa in Iceland for healing water—even the regular showers there are heated naturally (geothermal heat under the ground) and contain sulphur, which smells not so good, but does wonders for the hair and skin.

One thing about Icelanders that everyone should know: they are among the most fashionable gals and girls on the planet. Yes, I am including Parisians and New Yorkers in that equation. I am almost ashamed to admit that while in Iceland, as I looked at the cutting edge styles, the precise futuristic hairstyles, and the state of the art gadgets in everyone’s kitchens and homes, I felt almost…well, almost unstylish.

Oh, and we rich girls love our rich food. Well, note that Iceland is host to the finest dining in the world right next to Japan, both price and delicacy. I’m not pretending that any of you might want, for example, to eat shark meat, or whale meat, or heaven forbid a puffin (the bird that looks like a cross between a penguin and a parrot), but you could do so legally in Iceland if you so wish.

And last but not least, did I mention the guys? Well, I might need to. They are tall, educated, and super gorgeous. So are the ladies. While the people are admittedly private, they are kind to foreigners, and highly educated. Iceland is a modern eutopia. It’s small, exquisitely charming, and unrivaled in its standard of living. True, they did just have a huge economic fallout (what country hasn’t?), but over the past several decades, Iceland has had the highest standard of living in all of Europe.
And the best part of all? It only takes about 5 hours to fly there from New York. Closer than all other countries in Europe. AND you can fly very cheaply through Iceland Air right now. I highly recommend it. Iceland Air is hosting a get away as low as $699 per person now. And a budget getaway for $449—for the frugal rich girls (he he).

PS. Their Christmas celebrations—out of this world. Seriously. Lights up and down the perfectly decorated streets, ice sculptures, you name it. Did I mention spas and hot guys? Enjoy!

When I think of Austria I think of “The Sound of Music”. I should probably be embarrassed to admit that, but it is what it is. I think of the hills where Julie Andrews did her little song and dance at the beginning of the film. I think of Captain Von Trapp calling his children with the whistle and the children running out of their rooms and marching down the stairs to be introduced to fräulein Maria. Beyond that I know nothing about Austria except that the capital city is Vienna.

Image details:

• St Anton from Hotel Arlberg by chelmsfordblue via Flickr
• Heiligenblut – the most beautiful village in Austria by Peter Giger via Flickr
• Horse-drawn carriage Vienna Austria by Glen Edelson via Flickr
• Buildings in Vienna Austria by Glen Edelson via Flickr
• Buildings in Salzburg Austria by evanden via Flickr
• View of an Austrian village by kippster via Flickr
• Say, “AUstria” by .A.A. via Flickr

For information about Austria check out the wikipedia entry Austria where you’ll learn that the official name for Austria is the Republic of Austria; that the country, located in Europe of course, is landlocked with Germany and the Czech Republic bordering on the north, Slovakia and Hungary bordering on the east, Slovenia and Italy bordering on the south, and Switzerland and Liechtenstein bordering on the west.

There’s nothing quite like spending the Holidays in New York City. If you’ve never spent the holidays in New York City you should definitely plan on doing that in the very near future. There’s just something more exciting about the season when spent in the Big Apple. There’s the lighting of the tree at Rockefeller Center which brings out tens of thousands no matter the weather. There’s the window displays at Macy’s and Saks Fifth Avenue. The dazzling New York City lights, the people bundled in their winter coats walking up and down the streets of Manhattan, the merry sounds of holiday music floating from store to store, New York City during the holidays is truly magical.

Traveling to New York can be a rather stressful experience, so if you decide to make a trip, you should definitely plan ahead for everything, including your transportation from and to the airport.
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Located in Dubai in the United Arab Emirates, Burj Al Arab is presently the world’s tallest hotel, although it will hold this distinction only until such time as the Rose Tower in Dubai is officially opened. At that point Burj Al Arab will become the second tallest hotel in the world; but it will eventually fall to third place at the completion of the building of the Ryugyong Hotel in Pyongyang, North Korea.

Burj Al Arab is owned by the Jumeirah Group who are part of Dubai Holdings which is owned by the Dubai Government. The Jumeirah Group own and operate a number of luxury hotels mainly in Dubai but also in other regions of the world, including Bermuda, China and the United Kingdom.

Burj Al Arab stands on a man-made island erected 919 feet offshore from Jumeirah beach with a private bridge connecting it to the mainland. It is designed in the shape of a ship’s sail and rises 1053 feet into the air. Designed by architect Tom Wright with the UK’s Atkins—an engineering and design firm, and Said Khalil of Mitchelsson Group, it took from 1994 – 1999 to complete. It is considered by some to be the best hotel in the world, and is without question one of the most expensive with rates ranging from $1,000 per night to $28,000 per night.
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Prague is the capital city of the Czech Republic, and according to various reports it is one of the prettiest places in the world or at the very least one of the most beautiful cities in Europe. Here are some aspects of Prague as captured in photographic format:

• Prague River Boat Elbis: david.nikonvscanon
• Prague Main Square with Gothic Church: NoblePiranha
• Quaint Prague: kyle simourd
• The Charles Bridge, Prague: JL2003
• A view of from Prague Castle: fooboarder
• Prague City – as seen from Town Hall: Carolyn Coles
• People walking on a street in Prague: Phillie Casablanca
• Prague Architecture: Life in LDN
• Prague Castle guard: Life in LDN

For more information about Prague, read wikipedia’s Prague entry

Here are 6 reasons I plan to visit Portofino, Italy some time in the near future. They say Portofino is the resort of the rich and famous. People go there hoping to see celebrities I guess, but I am more interested in seeing and photographing the gorgeous pastel houses all along the shore of the harbor.

It’s such a gorgeous place.

Images: Aloa | Boss Tweed |Sonietta46 | edwardbertozzi | tearsandrain | jameswight