I took my older relatives on a 2-week tour of Italy. It was fun, but I wish we'd done 3 things differently for a better trip.

Let's face it: Solo travelers often get the short end of the stick when it comes to cruise vacations.

Jan 13, 2025 • 5 min read

Jan 13, 2025 • 5 min read

TAP Air Portugal is making it easier to plan an epic getaway to Europe and beyond this winter with a flight deal that has roundtrip tickets starting at just over $400.

Forget yachting in the French Riviera and skiing in Switzerland — the Venice Simplon-Orient-Express grand suites sit atop the wealthy traveler's bucket list.

Singapore has the most powerful passport in the world for 2025, claiming the top spot with more easy access than any other country.

Having previously visited Greece and enjoyed it, I wanted to explore more of the Adriatic with some friends and family for my 40th birthday.

When it comes to flying, I usually just take my seat in coach.

Globus is offering its most expansive selection of itineraries in Italy in 2025, with 33 different itineraries visiting 13 unique regions across 99 cities across several different travel styles. 

Last March, my daughter and I were headed from Berlin, where she was studying, to Italy for her spring break. Our 8:50 p.m. Ryanair flight to Rome was delayed for several hours and eventually postponed to the next morning at 6 a.m. We were given the address of a hotel and told we would be reimbursed for it, as well as transportation and meals, according to European air passenger protections. The hotel was full, so we found an alternative nearby for 61 euros. As a backup plan in case our flight was canceled, I reserved a second “Flexi Plus” Ryanair flight for the next evening, for $908 total, that would allow us to postpone for a future date as long as we rescheduled up to 2.5 hours before departure. Our original flight did take off at around 9 a.m., so when we finally got to Rome, we tried and tried for two hours to rebook the backup flight for another trip in May on the Ryanair app, but the “confirm changes” button just wouldn’t work. So I got in line for customer service chat — I was number 200 — but the app eventually quit on me. I then called Ryanair, but the agent told me that to reschedule the flight by phone would cost 180 euros. I declined and decided take it up with the airline again — and file for expenses — when I got home. Neither went well. I got what appeared to be an automated (nonsensical) response about the app fiasco. And the reimbursement form Ryanair has online required I submit my bank account information with an IBAN code — which American banks don’t have. When I wrote in to ask about alternatives, what also must have been an automated response ignored what I wrote and directed me back to the same form, twice. I believe Ryanair owes me about 100 euros for the hotel, taxi and meal, plus a flight for two from Berlin to Rome. Can you help?

A gondola ride in Venice is one of the most iconic experiences in Europe. When I recently visited Italy with my children, it was one of the experiences I was most looking forward to sharing with them.

The Jubilee begins with a symbolic moment: the Pope opening the Holy Door, which this year took place on Christmas Eve.