Italy, France, the UK, and beyond. Find itineraries, hotel reviews, and practical advice gathered from years of exploring Europe one trip at a time.
Choosing where to live abroad is usually more about everyday life than postcard views. Visa requirements, healthcare, and the cost of living often have a bigger impact than the scenery once the excitement of moving has settled.
The UK is built for walking on your own: centuries-old public footpaths, well-marked national trails, and villages spaced a comfortable day apart, each with a pub and a bed. With a company to shuttle your bags between inns, you get the reward of a long-distance walk without a guide or a heavy pack.
Portrush earns its crowds as the base for Northern Ireland’s north coast: the Giant’s Causeway, the ruins of Dunluce Castle, the Bushmills distillery, and one of the world’s great links golf courses all within a short drive. A rental here puts a dramatic stretch of coastline on your doorstep.
A few steps from Fiesole’s famous overlook, an unshowy trattoria serves hearty Tuscan plates at local prices, well below what the same meal would cost down in Florence.
A local bus climbs from the Duomo to Fiesole in about half an hour, where Florence spreads out below as the evening light changes. The hill town itself is every bit as rewarding as the view.
Fans of Under the Tuscan Sun come to Cortona to glimpse Bramasole, the villa behind the book. The quieter surprise is the hill town around it, worth the climb whether or not you’ve read a word.
Carnevale transforms Venice with elaborate masks, historic costumes, and traditions that have shaped the celebration for centuries. Visiting during the festival offers a very different perspective on the city than any other time of year.
Positano’s dramatic setting explains why it has become one of the Amalfi Coast’s most recognizable towns. Even a short stay is enough to understand why so many visitors wish they had planned longer.
The film turned Frances Mayes’s memoir into a romance, but the book is something quieter: a story about restoring an old villa and building a life in Tuscany. Knowing the difference makes it easier to appreciate each on its own terms.
Florence has a way of raising your standards the moment you arrive, so it pays to pack a few things that rise to it. The right accessories, chosen to travel well and dress up an outfit, let you look the part without hauling a wardrobe. In a city this stylish, a little intention with what you bring goes a long way.
Some travel memories stay with you because of where you were. Others stay because of how you felt in the moment. A quiet breakfast overlooking Positano turned out to be one of those moments.