Luxury stay in Athens Greece: Hotel Grande Bretagne

Athens is a sprawling, hot, and bustling city, and if you want to be pampered when you make your way to your accommodations after each long day of sightseeing, make your home the Hotel Grande Bretagne. A Marriott Luxury Collection property, the Bretagne is ideally located in the heart of Syntagma Square, right next to the Parliament. You’ll be wowed the moment you step inside the historic lobby … [Read more...]

Portugal with kids: Martinhal Cascais review

If you’re visiting Portugal with kids, you’ll certainly be spending multiple days in Lisbon. Read our tips for Lisbon here. When you need a reprieve from city touring, head to the nearby seaside town of Cascais, where Martinhal Cascais is a resort destination in and of itself. Most resorts designated as ‘kid-friendly’ or ‘family-centric’ are loud and overstimulating. Martinhal Cascais … [Read more...]

12 reasons to explore Germany’s Romantic Road

We write regularly about beautiful road trips exploring the US or some of the best places in Europe. Today we are going to show you the ultimate European trend related to road trip and experience you won’t forget! We are talking about Germany’s Romantic Road. We had the chance to try it and now we are going to share with you, our top 12 reasons to go for it! Let’s do this! 1. It is a scenic path. … [Read more...]

Guide to Iceland’s southern coast

It's easy to find advice and guides to Iceland's famed Golden Circle, and yes, this well-trafficked and easy route from Reykjavik is definitely worth doing. However, beyond the Golden Circle, there's so much to see in Southern Iceland. Here's where to go and what to see on Iceland's southern coast along the Ring Road. Touring Iceland's Southern Coast From Reykjavik, take the Ring Road (Route … [Read more...]

Beyond the Blue Lagoon: Iceland hot springs off the beaten path

Yep, we went to Iceland for eight days and never went to the Blue Lagoon. Why pay a crazy entry fee to go to an overcrowded geothermal pool, when so many remote, beautiful, and FREE pools exist all over Iceland? During our camper van road trip in Iceland, we dipped our toes in steaming water every single day, and never paid an entry fee of more than $25 (and usually paid nothing at all). Where … [Read more...]

5 Tips for Traveling to Europe With Kids

Traveling to Europe with kids is an exciting, rewarding, and exhausting experience. You'll create lots of family memories and give your kids invaluable chances to experience other cultures. At the same time, you need a lot more planning and plenty of patience. Plan Travel in Advance It is so important that you do your research. Plan your destinations and transportation on Europe-specific travel … [Read more...]

Florence Italy at Christmas

Last holiday season, we made a last minute decision to add Florence, Italy to our European family vacation. We arrived in Florence on December 24, Christmas Eve, and left December 27. While planning, I worried that perhaps, spending Christmas in Florence wouldn't feel festive...after all, their seasonal Christmas markets close before Christmas Day. However, I couldn't have been more wrong. … [Read more...]

Guide to Paris Christmas markets

One of our favorite memories of a Paris Christmas was touring the many Paris Christmas markets across the city. Some Christmas markets pop up fairly spontaneously from year to year, but there are a few staples you'll find to be consistent. Here's where to go to find Paris Christmas markets, plus tips for best enjoyment of these seasonal wonders. Top Paris Christmas markets: The biggies each … [Read more...]

How to visit the Paris catacombs with kids

One attraction near the top of my teen's list of things to do in Paris was the Paris Catacombs. This underground network lies in the heart of the city, spanning two km. It's creepy and fascinating and toured completely on one's own, unless you opt for a guide. We recommend it, as the actual visit only takes about 45 minutes and can easily be added to a Paris itinerary with teens or older kids, but … [Read more...]

Three medieval towns in Northern France to tour with kids

Paris may always be a good idea, but families can't go wrong exploring the French countryside as well. While charming medieval towns, many of which are UNESCO sites, dot the map across France, travelers will find plenty to choose from within reasonable driving distance from the capital city. Rent a car and plan to spend 2-3 days exploring the following small to medium-sized medieval cities in … [Read more...]