Gaudí at 100: Barcelona's Most Famous Architect "Raising the Roof" of the City
One hundred years after his death, Antoni Gaudí remains impossible to separate from Barcelona. The Catalan architect died on June 10, 1926, one of the most defining architects of any era, tragically struck down by a tram. A century later, his extraordinary buildings are not only the city's most recognizable landmarks, but they have also become symbols of Barcelona itself. For...
Scotland's Greatest Summer Spectacle: the Royal Edinburgh Military Tattoo
Every August, something remarkable happens on the esplanade of Edinburgh Castle. The ancient fortress, perched atop the craggy remnants of a volcano in the center of Scotland’s capital city, becomes the backdrop for one of the world's most moving and evocative live performances: the Royal Edinburgh Military Tattoo. Not ‘That’ Kind of TattooDon’t let the name fool you. There’s no ink...
Opera by the Sea: Where World-Class Music Meets the Waterfront
The world’s waterfronts are undergoing incredible transformations, from no-go industrial sites to revitalized centers of urban lifestyle and community living. Increasingly, the centerpiece of that renaissance… is a landmark, architectural marvel music hall. Often labeled ‘opera houses,’ these venues are the opposite of stuffy, formal halls that host exclusively traditional performances. Sitting directly on the water, these new icons of modern...
Why is it Called ‘Easter’ Island?
You likely already know that’s a trick question. This tiny dot in the eastern South Pacific Ocean, but technically a territory of Chile, is actually properly called Rapa Nui. The world over, Easter Island has been synonymous with exotic mysteries of an impossibly distant, long-lost civilization and mind-boggling human endeavor. It may be the most remote inhabited island on the planet. Only...
100 Years After Monet: Giverny Exhibit Celebrates Impressionism’s Origins
2026 marks a century after the passing of beloved Impressionist artist, Claude Monet. The museum devoted to his work in Giverny, the community north of Paris that has become synonymous with Monet and the water lilies and gardens he immortalized on canvas, presents a retrospective exhibition. From March 27 to July 5, 2026, the Musée des Impression Giverny hosts "Monet in...
Astonishing Facts About China's Terracotta Warriors
You never forget the moment you come face-to-face with one of the thousands of Terracotta Warriors underground in Xi’an, China. As ancient wonders of the world go, these may make the strongest impression even on an experienced traveler like me. I think it’s because, unlike the vast, mystical monuments like Egypt’s pyramids or Machu Picchu, the warriors are so… personal. On...
Places Outside of Dublin to Get to Know Ireland – and the Irish
On St. Patrick’s Day, the saying goes, there’s a ‘little bit of Irish’ in us all. For some of us, it’s true all year round. Today, Ireland has about 5 million people. But there are over 30 million Americans (10% of the entire population, the second-highest European ancestry in the USA!) and an even higher percentage of Canadians – nearly...
Cuisine to Caftans: Latest Cultural Heritage of Humanity Listings Inspire Travel
For the first time, a country’s entire cuisine has been recognized as part of the “Intangible Cultural Heritage” of humanity. It was an astonishing moment at the announcement of UNESCO’s 2025 listings that annually celebrate living cultural traditions – and highlight them for support to ensure they remain alive. You may be most familiar with UNESCO World Heritage sites: famous monuments...
Special Airfares for Travelers to Explore More in Japan - and Why You'll Want To
There’s more than sushi and Mount Fuji in Japan! Travel to the poetically-nicknamed Land of the Rising Sun has never been more popular, but too many visitors never get beyond the country’s big three destinations of Tokyo, Osaka and ancient Kyoto. Of course, you’ll want to savor the skyscrapers, cutting-edge technology, anime, gaming, neon nightlife and street foods of Tokyo and...
Celebrate Jane Austen's 250th Birthday in Britain
If the famous line, "It is a truth universally acknowledged, that a single man in possession of a good fortune, must be in want of a wife,” makes you smile affectionately and fantasize about the green pastures, elegant architecture, style and social intrigues of Regency Britain, you are not alone. For two centuries, Jane Austen’s witty, observant and kind novels have...
