ArcaMax

I love the knack Croatians have for taking a humble stretch of craggy shoreline and turning it into a wildly romantic bar or café. In the coastal town of Rovinj, several bars and restaurants offer tables atop the town's rocky seawall, and some provide you with a pillow – an invitation to find your own nook in the rocks overlooking the bay. As...Read more

Intriguing Dresden, Germany, winds up on far fewer American itineraries than it deserves to. Don’t make that mistake. Since its horrific firebombing in World War II, the city has transitioned to a thriving cultural center that's well worth a visit. Even with only a day to spare, Dresden is a doable side trip from bigger attractions like Berlin...Read more

Each European country has its marquee city that attracts the vast majority of travelers – think Rome, Paris, Amsterdam. And all too often, that tourist-pleasing destination is a traveler’s one and only stop.

While I’d never suggest skipping those places entirely, I like to complement them with a visit to the country’s “second city....Read more

As the Loire River glides gently east to west, officially separating northern from southern France, it has come to define one of France’s most popular tourist regions.

Because of its history, this region is home to hundreds of castles and palaces in all shapes and sizes. When a “valley address” became a must-have among 16th-century ...Read more

On my last visit to Oslo, I was struck by how peaceful the city felt. It seemed a world away from the commotion and angst that comes with the 24-hour news here in the US. I couldn’t help but take notes: Parents park their baby carriages on the sidewalk as they abandon their infants for a few moments to step into a store to do some shopping. ...Read more

Swiss cities remind me of the guy at high school who’s great at sports, has perfect hair and the best girlfriend, and whom all the teachers love. He’s just too perfect. Sometimes you just want to see him trip or get a pimple. Switzerland’s cities can seem too perfect, too. For me – and most travelers – the mountains provide more real ...Read more

One of Ireland's most popular destinations is the Iveragh Peninsula – known to shamrock lovers everywhere as the “Ring of Kerry.” The Ring, lassoed by a winding coastal road through a mountainous, lake-splattered region, is undeniably scenic. Visitors since Victorian times have been drawn to this evocative chunk of the Emerald Isle, where ...Read more

It's rare that a town's charm will get me out of bed early. The postcard-pretty, lake-cuddling town of Hallstatt, two hours south of Salzburg, is one of those places. First thing in the morning, I head to the high end of town to look at the glassy waters of Lake Hallstatt. With the town’s church spire mirrored in the tranquil water, a shuttle ...Read more

Centuries ago, the towns of Buda and Pest, the leading cities of a mighty Hungarian kingdom, united to become Budapest. Today, Hungary’s vibrant capital maintains its stately ambience and offers plenty of tourist-friendly activities. You can sample spicy paprika at the Great Market Hall (designed by Gustave Eiffel), sip coffee in a genteel ...Read more

With its steel-and-glass Modernist buildings and dedication to green living, Stockholm has the feel of a gleaming metropolis, but it offers a satisfying mix of old and new, from a well-preserved 17th-century warship to its sleek and glittering City Hall from our age.

Before you go, check out Visitstockholm.com and then consider whether to buy a...Read more

For a while now, I’ve marveled at how Berlin has eclipsed Munich in urban energy. Bavaria's capital seems to be comfortable just being itself rather than trying to keep up with Berlin or Hamburg, its big sisters to the north. It’s a city that celebrates its past while looking energetically into the future.

Despite its population of 1.5 ...Read more

Ravenna is on Italy's tourist map for one reason: its 1,500-year-old churches decorated with best-in-the-West Byzantine mosaics. While locals go about their business, busloads of tourists slip in and out of this town near the Adriatic coast to bask in the glittering glory of Byzantium, the eastern Roman Empire.

Imagine … it's AD 540. The city...Read more

While southern England gets most of the glory – and the tourists – the country's far northeastern corner harbors some of England’s best historical sights. Hadrian’s Wall serves as a reminder that this was once an important Roman colony, while nearby Holy Island is where Christianity gained its first toehold in Britain. And both can be ...Read more

Helsinki and Tallinn are two great capitals in Northern Europe. Just 50 miles and a two-hour ferry ride apart, these two cities – facing each other across the Baltic Sea from their respective countries of Finland and Estonia – are not only neighbors, but soul sisters.

Finns and Estonians share a similar history – first Swedish domination,...Read more

I used to think of Athens as a big ugly city with obligatory ancient sights, fine museums, the Plaka (an extremely touristy old quarter), and not much else. “The joy of Greece is outside of Athens,” I wrote. “See Athens’ museums and scram.”

But while updating my guidebook one summer, I enjoyed the city more than ever before. I ...Read more

Whenever I’m in Santiago de Compostela, in the northwest corner of Spain, I have a three-part agenda: See pilgrims reach their goal in front of the cathedral, explore the market, and buy some barnacles in the seafood section – then have them cooked for me, on the spot, in a café.

I make a point to be on the town square facing the towering ...Read more