Renowned Jeweler Tiffany Helping to Preserve Japan's Gold Leaf Art Techniques as a Cultural Treasure
Japanese arts and crafts are cherished souvenirs from a trip to Japan. And now, one of the country’s most treasured and elegant crafts has a new future – thanks to a luxury jeweler best-known for its aspirational robin’s egg-blue boxes. Tiffany & Co. Japan has launched a new initiative to help preserve gold leaf art skills in Kanazawa, the celebrated home of this craft. Kanazawa is on the western coast of Japan in Ishikawa prefecture, and its name translates to “gold marsh.”...
VIDEO: The Best Highlights of a Viking Great Lakes Expedition Cruise
Zodiaks, kayaks and submarines, oh my! Expedition ships are opening up a whole new way of cruising and experiencing the world – even parts of the world you may think you already know! We sailed on board a Viking expedition cruise of the Great Lakes. Both of Viking’s two expedition ships, the Viking Polaris and the Viking Octantis, were designed specifically to sail through the navigational channels of what some call North America’s “Inland Seas.” So they can spend summers showing travelers a...
Save During Wave! All the Reasons to Book Your Next Cruise During 'Wave Season'
It couldn’t come at a better time. The thrills of the holidays have passed, and cold weather, cabin fever, and the doldrums of winter are descending. Everyone needs something to look forward to. Welcome, Wave Season! It’s the catchy name for the cruise travel equivalent to Black Friday. But instead of just a day, it’s a whole season of the best cruise deals of the year. Wave after wave of promotions, offers and perks that make booking your next cruise in the first...
Where to Dive in to the Hottest - or Coldest! - New Wellness Trend
Have you resolved to travel more and to focus more on your health? You can do both by taking a holiday where you can practice the latest activity touted to benefit your mental and physical health. ‘Wild swimming’ is swimming in the open water, whether river, lake or the sea – regardless of the temperature. Swimming with the snow and ice is encouraged! If you haven’t yet heard of the ‘wild swimming’ trend, you may be scratching your head. Isn’t ‘wild...
These 3 Cities are the 2024 European Capitals of Culture
The EU’s Capitals of Culture program was designed to showcase the cultural riches of European cities that might not otherwise get the attention they deserve. Every year, new cities are designated that represent the incredible diversity of Europe’s landscapes, history, and resulting unique lifestyle heritage of different parts of the union. A year-long calendar of events brings visitors from their own countries, Europe, and around the world to discover or rediscover what makes these ‘Capitals of Culture’ special. And EU...
Best Souvenirs from an Emerald Cruise on France's Rhone River
A river cruise on the Rhone allows you to indulge in French cuisine, culture, scenery and lifestyle – and you’re going to want to take the best of the best of the region home! Our river cruise on the Emerald Liberte on the Rhone took us from Lyon, north on the Saone river, then down the Rhone to some of the most charming and storied towns in the south of France. Naturally, I picked up treasures along the way to cherish...
This Cruise Line is Submerging Thousands of Bottles of Sparkling Wine in the Ocean
They’re calling them ‘Bubbles of the Sea.’ Celebrating with sparkling wine is a year-round event on many cruise lines. But Hurtigruten is taking celebratory sparkling wine to another level: down. Norwegian coastal cruise line Hurtigruten is sister cruise line of eco-conscious expedition cruise line HX / Hurtigruten Expeditions. Its ‘Bubbles of the Sea’ (or ‘Havets Bobler’ in Norwegian) program involves submerging bottles of sparkling wine at a depth of 112 feet off the coast of Norway for six months. The purpose of...
Huge Hotel Brand Launches First All-Inclusive
The all-inclusive trend keeps growing! All-inclusive resorts used to be all about packaged beach vacations. But more and more people are tuning into the benefits of all-inclusives, especially the ease of paying upfront once, then putting your wallet away and not having to think about keeping to your holiday budget, even as you enjoy food and drinks, entertainment and activities and amenities that enrich your holiday and give you opportunities to connect with loved ones and friends during your vacation....
12 Ways Fairmont Hotels are Celebrating the 12 Days of Christmas and More
Take a break from planning Christmas festivities and shopping and treat yourself to Christmas cheer, Fairmont-style. Get into the spirit of the season with a dozen merry programs at Fairmont Hotels & Resorts throughout North and Central America– from ugly sweaters to a Thirsty Elf, a Home Alone tribute in New York, and Holiday Hula in Hawaii. In a nod to the 12 Days of Christmas, 12 of the family of hotels and resorts have devised their own unique ways to...
VIDEO: The Best Christmas Markets on a Viking Rhine River Cruise
A Christmas market river cruise in Europe may be the very best way to capture the magic of the season. Our Viking Christmas on the Rhine river cruise from Switzerland to the Netherlands took us to four countries, each with its own Christmas markets, traditions, flavors and specialities. WATCH THE VIDEO ABOVE with highlights of some of the best Christmas markets on a Viking Christmas on the Rhine river cruise! On our Viking “Longship,” we sailed from Basel, Switzerland, into a mediaeval...