By Molly Hannon in Berlin— It is no exaggeration to say that bread is the staff of life in Germany, and although the recent organic health-food renaissance may make whole-grain bread seem like a recent phenomenon, it clearly is not. This wholesome, dense bread dates back to the time of the Gauls and Visigoths and has » Read more

“I’ve done central Europe and have no real interest in going back,” said the traveler we ran into on the train though Spain last month. Cities from Berlin to Budapest had, it seemed, been ticked off as done and dusted. It’s a common view that, as long as there is virgin territory waiting to be » Read more

By Bryan Pirolli in Paris— When people ask how I ended up in France, I tell them I got stalled on my way to Italy and haven’t bothered to move.  It’s partly true – I have plenty of Italian blood in me and often feel the need to go “home.”  But Italy is well represented » Read more

By Sarah Tighe in Rome— The historical Jewish Quarter of Rome is a bustling neighborhood a short walk from Lago Argentina. The area was historically a ghetto, separated from the rest of Rome by large walls and strict curfews. To this day the small streets and enclosed piazzas give the area an intimate feel you » Read more

In this guest post, Colm Hanratty of Hostelworld.com tells us his favorite places to go for a late-night snack in the Irish capital.  Dublin is famous for many things—friendly locals, outspoken rock stars and pubs being three. After sampling the local Guinness in one of its celebrated “boozers,” chances are you’ll be in search of » Read more

By Nina Derham in London— If you are going to let loose your indulgent side in London then there’s no better time than Easter. Whether or not you’ve spent the last 12 weeks on a chocolate ban (like your author here has), London’s cake shops and patisseries are at their most tempting around this time » Read more

By Regina W Bryan— There’s a rivalry between Spain’s two largest cities, Barcelona and Madrid. From soccer—Real Madrid vs. Barça—to which city has better nightlife, there have been many a heated debate between locals from both sides. I live in Barcelona and love it here, but I have to admit: Madrid is pretty cool! Every » Read more

By Molly Hannon in Berlin— The predominantly Turkish district of Neukölln in Berlin is no longer a no man’s land of imbisses and döner kebab stands. Although the Turkish influence still looms large, there are some new kids in town, the majority of whom are artists, designers and chefs, all drawn to the neighborhood’s affordable rents. » Read more

By Bryan Pirolli in Paris— A culinary capital renowned for its elaborate pastries, steak frites, cheese and wine, Paris isn’t by any means perfect. Recent investigations revealed that many of those carefully prepared dishes that tourists dine on in restaurants are nothing more than reheated frozen meals (more on that here in English). Zut alors… » Read more