By Monica Cesarato in Venice— Venice, as everybody well knows, is one of the most expensive cities to visit in Europe. Hotels, restaurants and gondola rides can quickly and adversely affect your budget. So we decided to list 10 favorite activities that Venice offers for under €10. Who says Venice has to be expensive? Let’s » Read more

By Monica Cesarato in Venice— The high season is fast approaching in Venice—a city that’s delightful to visit during the spring and summer. High season hotel rates, however, aren’t quite so delightful. One easy way to save money on sleeping is to pitch a tent or rent a bungalow in one of the nearby campgrounds. » Read more

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

Last week we gave a rail service update for Britain, focusing on some of the new train services that started with the schedule changes that came into effect last Sunday, December 12. Now we’ll take a look at how the 2011 schedules look for continental Europe. Discontinued services First the bad news. A number of » 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 Monica Cesarato in Venice— Have you ever wandered around Venice after realizing that, say, you’ve run out of toothpaste, shampoo or body lotion? It can actually be a bit tricky to locate a supermarket amidst the winding alleys of the old city. Well, even if you haven’t run out of toothpaste, I’m pretty sure » Read more

By Nicky Gardner and Susanne Kries— Last week saw the publication of the sixth title in Oxygen Books’ innovative city-lit/city-pick series, with Venice joining a line-up that already includes Berlin, Dublin, London, Paris and Amsterdam. The idea is simple but inspirational. Oxygen’s editors gather together the very best prose to evoke the spirit of a » Read more

By Nicole Arriaga in Rome— If there’s something to be said about Italians, one thing’s for certain, they sure know how to churn out a good cup of coffee. Just about everywhere you turn in Rome, behind every nook, cranny and yes, monument, you will find a coffee bar. To say that Italians are obsessed » Read more

By Monica Cesarato in Venice— Whenever people visit Venice,  they often visit the city’s best known museums, including the Doge’s Palace, the Galleria dell’Accademia, the Peggy Guggenheim Collection and the Palazzo Grassi. However, because of their popularity, these museums are often very crowded and have long lines that can fatigue even the most tireless Cheapo. » Read more