by Jessica Colley— Ireland has a tea culture. It’s almost considered rude to ask someone how many cups of tea they consume in a single day. For many, the answer could be in the double digits. Others who don’t have much of a “tea habit” can drink up to five cups a day. So what » Read more

By Regina W. Bryan in Barcelona— Bakeries are a tasty way to save big in Barcelona. There are SO many bakeries in this town that it’s hard to walk two blocks without running into one selling flaky croissants, baguettes, chocolate napolitanas, and large loaves of pa de payés, a Catalan farmers’ bread. Bakery sandwiches Bakeries » Read more

Nice’s role as a prime vacation spot was sealed by mid-19th-century artists. Even many guidebooks today reproduce those dreamy sketches and soft watercolors depicting the broad sweep of the Promenade des Anglais, well-dressed couples walking arm-in-arm, the azure Mediterranean to the right, the hills of Mont Alban and striking Mont Boron in the distance. Times » Read more

By Bryan Pirolli in Paris— When it comes to discovering Paris, walking is the only surefire way to really get to know the city. Boats and buses are wonderful ways to explore, but they limit you and prevent you from going at your own pace. Bikes are great, but zipping through traffic means that you » Read more

By Sarah Amandolare in Brooklyn— It’s no secret that Brooklyn is well stocked with trendy shops and hipster eateries, but the borough also offers a wide array of fine independent bookstores. Here are five of my favorites, from DUMBO to Greenpoint: WORD 126 Franklin Street Brooklyn, NY 11222 Hours: 11 a.m.-9 p.m. daily Web site » Read more

By Tom Meyers— If you’re planning a trip to Europe this year and nervous about how to afford it, we have a few basic rules that, if followed, should help you save on the biggest items in your travel budget. Sure, everyday small charges like cafe cremes in Paris (€2-4) and vaporetto rides in Venice » Read more

Earlier this month we looked at new flight connections within Europe for 2011. We now follow up with a review of new transatlantic links for summer 2011. A raft of new routes creates many new opportunities for North Americans looking for creative itineraries to and around Europe. New routes from California California gets its first-ever » Read more

By Lara Kavanagh in London— Now that the worst of the winter weather seems to be finally easing off, lots of fun London activities are quite rightly taking themselves outdoors. Theater is one of London’s biggest selling points, and one of the city’s beloved spring and summer activities is to catch an Open Air Theatre » Read more

By Theadora Brack in Paris Who’s the top macaron in Paris? Two names I often hear during heated gastronomical debates in my circle are the historic old school favorite Ladurée, and the flashy newcomer Gérard Mulot. While both are certainly splurge-worthy, I’ve often wondered if one had a bit of an edge over the other. » Read more