Many times, “style” and “inexpensive” seem incompatible. While a budget hotel in Barcelona may have the right location and low rate, on many occasions these places leave something to be desired when it comes to color, furnishings, art and decor in general. There are a few hotels and hostals in Barcelona that rise above the » Read more

So London has officially gone Olympics crazy. There is barely a television program that doesn’t talk about past sporting legends and future possible gold medalists, barely a corner you can turn without being reminded there are only five, four, three, two.. more days to go. As the excitement builds Londoners are starting to wonder what » Read more

Germany is not blessed with much of the Alps, and most of the country’s small Alpine towns live well from tourism. They are not, it has to be said, our favorite spots. Bad Reichenau and Garmisch-Partenkirchen are more resorts than real mountain communities. Oberstdorf has sold its soul to skiing, and Füssen is overcrowded with » Read more

For today’s Hotel Crush, I’ve chosen the Hotel Museumzicht in Amsterdam, an old-time EuroCheapo favorite. Audrey Sykes, our Amsterdam correspondent, visited this month and just submitted her review, along with more than 80 photographs! Apparently, the hotel was rather photogenic! (We only published 37 of the photos due to space constraints and iPhoto fatigue…) The » Read more

Perfect pints and traditional music, sure—but beaches? In Dublin? While Ireland isn’t known beyond its borders for beaches, the country is actually home to lovely stretches of sand and world-class surfing spots. While the best surfing is found on the west coast of Ireland, there are several beaches near Dublin that are ideal for a » Read more

“I really had to cover a lot of miles to make sure I got good value from my Eurail pass.” We’ve heard comments like that often, and you surely have, too. It is a refrain uttered by folk as they return home from a manic dash around Europe, sometimes even covering seven capitals in as » Read more

A short stroll from Piramide (Metro Line B), Testaccio is one of the most vibrant, yet under-rated neighborhoods in Rome.  A hub of pubs, late-night clubs, markets and cute specialty shops, there is plenty to see and do in this historical part of the city. While tourists flock to Trastevere and squish into bars around the » Read more

Traveling with the kidos in Barcelona? Not always easy. Many hotels do not allow kids, or do not have services for families with small children. My Barcelona tip for booking a room for the familia is to go for an apartment. There are many hostals and hotels which also have a few vacation apartments available » Read more

Few cities have civic initiatives with the purpose of demonstrating the warmth of its citizens. In Dublin, hospitality is part of the national character, and one program is helping visitors to see it: the City of a Thousand Welcomes. The program connects first-time visitors to Dublin with hospitable locals: 1,000 of them to be exact. » Read more