By Desiree Browne in New York— New York business owners and workers consider foreign tourists notoriously bad tippers. To be fair, many tourists are visiting from countries that don’t expect substantial tipping. And face it, eating, drinking, traveling and getting beautiful in New York is already pretty expensive, even without the gratuity thrown in at » Read more

By Audrey Sykes in Amsterdam— Avoiding tourist scams is part of traveling, and Amsterdam, like any major city, has its fair share of rip offs. There are situations that feel like a scam because they’re simply disappointing (“tourist traps”), and then there are the ones that are downright scandalous (“scams”). We’re focusing on the latter » Read more

By Tom Meyers— Here’s a quick tip for you: When traveling in Paris (or really in any city in our guide), buy your bottled water at a nearby supermarket and not at a newsstand, sidewalk vendor, or train station kiosk where they will have tacked on a steep mark-up. The supermarket is the obvious “local” » Read more

By Bryan Pirolli in Paris— Sometimes when I hear what people spend on certain items in Paris, I can’t help but feel a little depressed, especially if they tell me they’re on a budget. Splurge items aside, there are limits to what I’ll pay on everyday items (mostly in order to afford the aforementioned splurges–I’m » Read more

Rail travelers through Germany who have no great aptitude for languages usually manage to pick up the bare essentials after a few days. Among those essentials is the marvelously Germanic compound tongue-twister Schienenersatzverkehr (“SEV” for short). It’s not a word you’ll want to use a lot. And it’s not a word you’ll want to hear too » Read more

By Jessica Colley— Tourist traps are the same everywhere: Prices are higher than they should be and they’re packed with tourists instead of locals. In some cities – like Dublin – certain tourist traps change by day and by night. It isn’t enough to avoid entire areas, you need to know when to avoid them. » Read more

Jessica Colley— Cheapos can rejoice when it comes to tipping in Dublin. While etiquette varies according to the situation, generally locals believe in keeping their money, and tips aren’t expected like they would be in other countries (especially the United States). For example, approach a bar in Dublin and order a drink. The total will » Read more

By Theadora Brack in Paris— Typically I share what’s hot in Paris, but this week, I’ve decided to drop what’s not so hot. My list is short and personal. There isn’t much I dislike about the city. Heck, I even dig the kitschy Latin Quarter. Like designer Jean Paul Gaultier says, “Everything is beautiful if » Read more

By Bryan Pirolli in Paris— It’s a longstanding and debatable stereotype that Parisians are rude. Many visitors to Paris who try to speak French, order a salad without pork, or try to ask for directions often have the impression that the local they address are anything but kind and welcoming. It may be cultural misunderstanding, » Read more