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 Nicky Gardner and Susanne Kries— During a day or two in a small town in the Czech Republic this summer, we noticed a local gently chiding two tourists for smoking while standing at a bus stop in a small village. The lady’s reprimand was delivered in the politest possible way, and clearly no offence » Read more

Eating at restaurants in Stockholm can be hard to do on a budget. Erik did an excellent job of pointing out some great Swedish breakfast joints. After breakfast, it is time for lunch. Restaurants throughout Sweden offer a dagens lunch, the lunch of the day. The idea of a dagens lunch is simple: it’s an inexpensive » Read more

September is our favorite time of year for visiting the Maramures area of Romania. Head for the Iza Valley, where ripe apples hang heavy in the orchards that cluster round every village and the fields are full of distinctive haystacks—little wonders of design in their own right. Fall colors already tint the oak and beech » Read more

While it’s not hard to find a supermarket in Rome that carries all of the essentials on your grocery list, there’s nothing like scouring a mercato all’aperto (an open-air or farmers’ market) for the freshest fruits and veggies. Ah, yes. Shopping at these markets is a real Roman rite of passage and the perfect chance to » Read more

You know Germans take their baked goods seriously when the recipe for the famed Black Forrest Cake is strictly regulated by the state. Fittingly, one of the most venerable traditions in Germany is Kaffee und Kuchen, or coffee and cake eaten after an afternoon stroll. Finding affordable Kaffee und Kuchen is… well, a piece of » Read more

My name is Laura and I’m addicted to gelato. I’d eat it morning, afternoon or night, winter, spring, summer or fall. I’d eat any flavor you hand me, even though I’m a picky eater. So trust me, I’ve done my research for finding the best gelaterias in Florence. Tips for finding good gelato Gelato is » Read more

(Updated June 2011 to reflect new Velib’ policies.) We’ve been fans of Paris’ Vélib’ bike program since it debuted in July 2007. But how’s it faring three years later? In many respects it’s been a big hit with both locals and tourists (at least those lucky enough to have the right type of credit card). » Read more

Feeling musically inspired by Berlin’s vibrant arts and entertainment scene? Cheapos, step right up to Bearpit Karaoke! In February 2009, Irish expat Joe Hatchiban plugged in a karaoke set at Berlin’s Mauerpark Flea Market in Prenzlauer Berg. A bicycle courier by day, Hatchiban toted the necessary equipment on his vehicle: a laptop with karaoke mp3s, a microphone, » Read more