By C H Kwak— Madrid’s museums, Barcelona’s nightlife and Andalucia’s architecture attract throngs of tourists to Spain. The Basque region, on the other hand, has curiously remained off the tourist radar outside of Europe. Gorgeous landscapes, sumptuous food and unique cultural heritage are but just a few of the reasons to trek up north. I » Read more

By Laura Mongillo in Florence— Even though Florence is the home of the “bistecca fiorentina,” a steak that is sold by the kilo and never to just one person, the city is quite welcoming to vegetarians, vegans, people who eat kosher and various other diets. Oddly enough, almost all of the vegetarian and vegan fare that Florence » Read more

By Lara Kavanagh in London— London is full to bursting with museums and galleries. Here are three small and unusual choices, none of which charges a penny to enter. Sir John Soane’s Museum 13 Lincoln’s Inn Fields, WC2A 3BP Tuesday to Saturday 10 a.m. to 5 p.m. (last entry 4.30 p.m.) Free entry Tel: 020 » Read more

By Nicky Gardner and Susanne Kries— Chile wasn’t the only subterranean tale this past week. The news that engineers had burrowed through the Gotthard Massif to create a 57 km-long tunnel deep under the Alps was accompanied by plenty of news reports predicting a revolution in European rail transport. Don’t hold your breath. The first » Read more

By Regina W. Bryan in Barcelona— As I said last week, it took me a while to figure out Barcelona‘s transport system, especially the buses. Now that you’ve learned (and I have too) how to see the sights of Barcelona on the public transport system, it’s time for some of the finer points. Here are seven » Read more

By Suzanne Russo in New York— Autumn is in the air, and that means as many pumpkin-flavored taste treats as there are colors of falling leaves. But it also means one of my favorite holidays of the year. No, I don’t just love Halloween for the costume parties, I’m also partial to the scarier, haunted side of » Read more

By Joann Plockova in Prague— Prague has its share of tours – via shuttle bus, horse drawn carriage, and antique car – but why would you pay top dollar when you can hop on the tram (street car) for just 26 kc? Comprised of 33 lines, Prague’s tram system offers not only a local perspective, » Read more

By Bryan Pirolli in Paris— Visitors coming to Paris might be at a loss when it comes to the cheapest way to navigate the Metro. It is one of the most convenient modes of transportation in Paris, but there are a few tricks that can help make sure it remains the least expensive as well » Read more

By Theadora Brack in Paris— Fond of Chet Baker, Elliot Smith and Elvis Costello? Well, then you’ll adore Paris-based band My Friend Jeff, featuring the super talented Csaba Palotai, Boris Boublil, Diego Voglino, Emmanuel Marée—and Jeff Hallam, the band’s namesake. I’ve fallen head over heels—and NYC area Cheapos should also note the band is playing » Read more