By Regina W. Bryan in Barcelona— No box of chocolate See’s, no tacky stuffed bear, no lovey-dovey cards from Hallmark. Nope. The Catalans have an entirely different way of celebrating love: with books and roses. Men give one red rose (instead of a dozen) to their sweetie on St. Jordi’s Day, Barcelona‘s most romantic day » Read more

Bring out the red carpet–it’s February in Berlin. Unlike other film festivals, the Berlinale is truly a people’s celebration with a wide open door. Here’s how a regular Joe can attend an international film premiere.

By Monica Cesarato in Venice— Ah,  the “Carnivale di Venezia,” an experience that should be had by every traveler at least once. Extravagant costumes, colorful masks, crowds dancing in Piazza San Marco, and special Carnival desserts that bars and cafés display proudly all make it unforgettable, and unique to Venice. What’s better is that many events » Read more

By Laura Mongillo in Florence—Feel like catching a movie in fair Firenze without having to first get a degree in Italian? Ha! This can prove to be more difficult than getting into the Uffizi on a Saturday. Most movies in Italy are shown almost exclusively in the Italian language, meaning they are dubbed and translated » Read more

A lot of folk in Scotland sleep in on New Year’s Day. The indulgences of Hogmanay take their toll on body and soul alike. A long sleep and a cold shower are the only effective remedies. But, quite contrary to the rest of Scotland, Orcadians are often up bright and early on January 1. Kicking » Read more

By Laura Mongillo in Florence— Winter in Florence is an amazing time. Without the snow and ice of colder spots in Europe, Florence remains cool enough to still feel like winter. Florence fully embraces the holiday season and all the joys associated with it. The holiday lights, combined with smaller crowds, really brings out the » Read more

By Nicole Arriaga in Rome— For those of you with plans to ring in the New Year in Rome, the problem is not finding something to do. Rather, the real dilemma lies in narrowing down your celebratory options. Fortunately for Cheapos, Capodanno (New Year’s Eve) is one time when the city’s squares come alive with » Read more

By Monica Cesarato in Venice— Christmas in the lagoon is, in my opinion, a privilege. During the holiday season, Venice is an enchanted and old-fashioned sight, minus the traffic jams and queues at shopping centers that plague most cities at this time of year. With so few tourists walking down the city’s quiet calli (small » Read more

By Theadora Brack in Paris— Oh, the weather in Paris has been frightful, but the city is still delightful. So crank up Tino Rossi’s classic “Petit Papa Nöel” on the gramophone, or pull on your boots and bravely hot step it outside. For your wandering pleasure, I’ve created a personal list of my favorite holiday » Read more