Cities tips

Florence is one of Italy and Europe’s most idyllic cities, but it’s not without its perils. Before heading here for the first time, make sure you pack plenty of sunscreen, a pair of comfortable shoes, and more than one map of the city. Luggage Bring a ba

Enter the Hamptons Lane “Discover Historic London” sweepstakes by July 15, 2016, for a chance to win the grand prize: a five-day trip for two to London, including air from New York, hotel, a $500 gift certificate redeemable for art at 20×200, and a Tarts & Pies box from Hamptons Lane.

Bike sharing has become a way of life for many Americans—a quintessentially Northern European trend that took hold of our hearts and wallets in recent years, and that grows each time someone moves to a city and opts for a two-wheel commute. Trendy and sustainable, bike sharing is now a major presence in every major U.S. city.

With the launch of many new direct flights from the U.S. to Cuba, it may seem like the door to the formerly forbidden country is wide open for Americans. Unfortunately, that’s still not quite the case. Right now, you’ll still need to travel under one of the Department of Treasury’s Office of Foreign Assets Control (OFAC) 12 categories of travel, the easiest of which is a “people-to-people” Cuba educational tour.

The Department of Transportation today announced its nominees to operate nonstop flights to Havana, Cuba. In all, eight airlines were approved for service to Havana from 10 U.S. airports, as follows:

How high can mandatory resort fees go? Sky high, apparently.

Minneapolis is well known for its art, culture, and history, along with many recreational activities. But be aware of the following warnings and dangers before visiting. [viator_tour destination=”22206″] Avoid Areas Covered

Stuck paying for a timeshare you want out of? You’re not alone: Some 85 percent of the nine million timeshare owners in the U.S. are looking to get out of a timeshare contract. This is according to a service that helps people get out of timeshares, called Timeshare Exit Team—which has mixed reviews online with success stories among them, and a favorable rating from the Better Business Bureau.

Every summer, Americans selectively schedule their vacation time, typically taking a week or two to get out and enjoy the sun or a dreamy, far-off destination. But as the midyear heat wanes and the holiday season approaches, more of us should assess the vacation days we’re not using—all 658 million of them.

These days, budget air deals aren’t hard to come by. There are plenty of flash sales and discount carriers to choose from, but not all of them are created equal. It’s become easy to find reasonable flights between big air hubs, but dreamy, far-off islands will almost always cost you more.

Fall is often referred to as the sweet spot of travel for many destinations because you’ll encounter fewer crowds and pleasant weather, post summer’s high season.

Routinely voted one of the most beautiful cities in America, Savannah is one place that calls to mind southern elegance and charm. Travelers will find a city of lovely mansions and carefully laid out squares right by the water. However, even this jewel of a city may have some hidden dangers that you must bear in mind during your stay. [viator_tour destination=”

Travel website, Trippy, has put together an awesome infographic showing prices for food, beer, taxis, and hotels in the most and least expensive countries. And the best part is that it updates daily, so you can see the average price of something when you’re planning a trip or once you’re in the destination.

Are you planning on visiting the beautiful Sarande in Albania on your next vacation? Read on to find reviews on some of the best locations to enjoy people watching, food, drink, music, and more. Evening P

In a recent data report from Foursquare, local and tourist hotspots were compared to figure out who was going where in the Big Apple. As one of the most visited cities in the world with 58.3 million visitors last year, NYC continues to define tourism trends, while the 8.4 million locals pride themselves on originality. So find out who goes where and know which places to avoid if massive crowds aren’t your thing.

There’s a silver lining for Britain-bound travelers in the wake of the United Kingdom’s vote to leave the European Union: Insanely cheap flights and hotel rates are springing up. Americans in particular have perhaps the biggest advantage in the post-Brexit bookings race thanks to a strong U.S. dollar and low oil prices.

As featured in SmarterTravel’s The 12 Best Places to Travel in 2019 and 10 Best U.S. Cities to Visit in 2019, Puerto Rico is a trending destination this year, and the musical Hamilton has a lot to do with it. Starting on January 12th, Lin-Manuel Miranda reprises his role of Alexander Hamilton for a special featured performance of the hit musical in his father’s home of Puerto Rico.

Looking for a new museum to add to your travel to-do list? TripAdvisor (SmarterTravel’s parent company) has released the Travelers’ Choice Top 25 Museums of 2018, including the top 10 worldwide and the top 10 in the United States, with some surprising frontrunners. The findings also highlight bookable ways to see each winner—think VIP tours and scavenger hunts—with some offering the added perk of allowing you to skip the lines to get in.

Just when you thought the Boston vs. New York City rivalry couldn’t get any more heated, TripAdvisor (SmarterTravel’s parent company) released a controversial study stating that Regina Pizzeria, located in Boston’s Little Italy neighborhood, is the best pizza restaurant in the U.S.

Sir Richard Branson’s latest trending project isn’t galactic space travel, it’s hotels. The 66-year old mogul has dabbled in the hospitality industry before with his Virgin Limited Edition business, but now he’s bringing the Virgin brand stateside with a handful of Virgin Hotel properties. The first of these is Virgin Hotels Chicago, which I was able to experience in person on a recent trip to Chicago.

Shorter days, cooler weather, and back-to-school sales are right around the corner—but don’t let summer come to an end without enjoying one last vacation. Book one of these cheap Labor Day weekend getaways to take advantage of low airfares, affordable hotel rates, and special events in a variety of U.S. and international locations.