The Duomo di Milano, plagued by advertisements

Milan, one of the most modern cities in Italy, is probably best known for its nightlife and  fashion boutiques. Despite that, no great city in a civilization with history stretching as far back as that of the Italians exists without a few impressive structures and landmarks from years gone by. In Milan the must-see sight is right in the center of the city: the Duomo di Milano.

This magnificent Gothic-style cathedral took five centuries to build and is the fourth largest church in the entire world – its no wonder the Duomo di Milano tops the list of all tourist guides for the city of Milan. But, perhaps due to the radically modern and fashion conscious spirit of Milan itself, even this magnificent structure is not free from the capitalist world in which it resides. Read the rest of this entry »

Trouw is housed in an old newspaper building

When you walk into Trouw, Amsterdam’s newest hip restaurant and nightclub, you may think you left the city altogether.  Set in an old newspaper warehouse, Trouw has a distinct industrial feel so different from the rest of the brick-lined metropolis.  But that’s what makes it so cool.

Trouw does its best to cater to the younger penny pinching crowd, which is why they offer a four course meal at their restaurant for €28 (a steal compared to most nice Dutch eateries).  The menu consists of typical but tasty street food, as well as a selection of international dishes that changes monthly (this month’s fare is inspired by India, Latin America, Mexico and China).  They also have a late night kitchen open until 2:00 on weekends, offering the now famous Trouwburger (meat and veggie options available!), as well as more unusual items like fried rice with satay for around €5 each. Read the rest of this entry »

A sight in and of itself: Striking employees protest recent government decisions in front of the Louvre (Francois Guillot/AFP/Getty Images)

Those considering visiting one of Paris’s several world-renowned museums may be disappointed – the city of lights is seeing one prominent institution after another turn off its own.

Employees of the Pompidou Center went on strike just over a week ago, after the government decided to replace only half of the city’s retiring civil servants and to cut certain cultural subsidies – budgetary moves that will leave museums with less funding and drastically fewer employees. The Pompidou has since been joined by several other institutions, including the Palace of Versailles, the Rodin Museum, the Musée d’Orsay, and as of today The Louvre – the world’s most visited museum.

A vote is held amongst the strikers every morning on whether they will continue to strike for another day, according to the Associated Press.

Deventer's annual Christmas market

If your idea of Christmas markets are Hallmark events with Santa Claus, Rudolf and his elves trying to get you to buy useless crap, think again.

Christmas markets in the Netherlands are magical (excuse my cheesiness) events, filled with enough activities, fattening food and funny and authentic Dutch stalls to keep any college-aged student entertained.  Here are some of the best ones (hint: don’t go to Amsterdam!) that are sure to get you in the holiday spirit.

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Which of these rocks is Aphrodite's Rock?

On the road from Limassol to Pafos lies a small pebble beach called Petra tou Romiou. If you didn’t know better, it would look much the same as lots of other little beaches scattered around Cyprus. You might notice the huge, two-story rock that sticks out of the beach or the second huge rock out in the water with the waves crashing against it. But you might also be tempted to drive on by looking for something sandier.

Do not give in to this temptation! According to legend, Petra tou Romiou is the birthplace of the Greek goddess Aphrodite, goddess of love, sex, and beauty. Aphrodite was born out of the sea foam and one of the rocks on the beach is said to be the first piece of land Aphrodite ever touched. Aphrodite’s rock supposedly has magical powers, but legend being what it is, I’ve heard three different rocks claimed as Aphrodite’s rock. Also, no one can quite decide if you have to swim around the rock or jump off it to activate its magic. If you do figure out how to make the rock work, however, you are rewarded with eternal beauty, so it might be worth a try.
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Cadbury World

It didn’t close its gates when rival companies started stealing its secret recipes. It doesn’t have an eccentric owner who delights in singing, surprises, and wearing outlandish clothing. And it doesn’t have little colorful men from a fictional land running its many high-tech gadgets and gizmos. Birmingham’s Cadbury World – the capital of the chocolatier’s international brand – is not the Willy Wonka factory one might hope it to be. But it does offer light-hearted fun to the youngest child and the oldest child-at-heart, and what’s best – it will make you fall in love with chocolate like never before.

The map that you receive at the start of the tour aptly resembles the game board from Candy Land, and just as you travel through Molasses Swamp and the Gumdrop Mountains in that game, so do you travel through many different locales along the tour. The tour starts on a very high note –  free chocolate buttons and a CurlyWurly.

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With the sweeping tobacco ban in 2008, it seemed that Amsterdam’s coffee shops would take enough of a hit, but with recent news of the nation’s crackdown on so-called drug tourism, the Dutch city may no longer be the destination it once was.

For years, it seemed a rite of passage to visit this canal-laden city, where the gedoogbeleid – Holland’s drug policy – permitted the use of reasonable amounts of marijuana. Smoked or consumed via candy and baked goods, the easily-accessible cannabis made the city light up (no pun intended) with experiences not quite available in surrounding European locales. Mix that with the red light district and you’ve got one crazy, blurry cocktail (again, no pun).

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All Hikers Should Have An Emergency Survival Kit With Them

Before you head out for your hiking trip, it is important to pack an emergency hiking survival kit in your backpack. An obvious statement to make, but it is amazing how many of us actually forget to pack what is vital to our survival when hiking in the great outdoors.

Thankfully there are many shops that already stock emergency survival kits depending on what type of activity you will be doing, and whether you will be focused more on land- or water-based activities. Many also prefer to devise their own survival kit based on the hiking they will be doing, how long they will be hiking and the type of terrain they will be crossing.

Below are some pointers to help decide how to make your own emergency hiking survival kit for your next trip through Europe.

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A deservedly empty table at the Kafka Cafe awaits soon-to-be-disappointed patrons.

A few guidebooks to Prague recommend the Café Franz Kafka (birthplace of the writer himself) in the ancient Josefov neighborhood.  If you go, you’ll probably see some of these same guidebooks on the tables, next to the camera apparatus, sloppily folded maps, half-consumed bottles of water, and other signs you’re in a room full of tourists.  Apparently the restaurant considers its popularity among out-of-towners as a license for laziness, because when I had lunch there, the people running the place just didn’t seem to be trying at all.

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View from Sleepzone's breakfast room

Sleepzone Connemara is easily the most beautifully situated hostel I’ve ever stayed in. The first time I stayed there was on a whim in 2006 while traveling by myself, and I loved it so much that I took my best friend back there when he visited me in Ireland in 2008.

Connemara is one of Ireland’s most rugged, westerly regions, with barren hills that strike up out of tufts of brown grass dotted with bits of bright emerald green. It is known for being one of the few Irish-speaking regions left in the country, and driving around the back roads there, you will often spot directional signs with no English on them. Connemara might possibly be my favorite place in the world. Ever. Full stop.

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