Rovinj, Croatia is one of those stunning places you see on postcards and wonder if the reality will live up to the image. The old town is crammed onto a small peninsula, which juts off northern Croatia’s Istrian coast. A spindly bell tower reaches skyward from atop the peninsula’s central hill. Concentric circles of tall […]
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10 Interesting Things to Do in Amsterdam
Amsterdam is one of my favorite cities. In addition to its stunning architecture and canals, it boasts enough quality attractions to keep even the most discerning traveler busy for at least a week. From museums and a royal palace to cheese shops and the Red Light District, there are some very unique and interesting things […]
How to Visit the Kinderdijk Windmills from Amsterdam
No image is more iconically Dutch than the windmill. (Well, except maybe the tulip.) For centuries its sails have harnessed the power of wind to help manufacture items as varied as paper, mustard, and chalk. Saw mills were particularly important in early shipbuilding when a large naval fleet was a key to economic success. Later, […]
Crazy for Kyiv: My Four Days in Ukraine
I was searching for flights for a last minute getaway from Riga, and the cheapest direct flight was to Kyiv. Until that moment, Ukraine wasn’t on my travel radar. Russia’s annexation of Crimea was big news in Latvia and the 2014 Euromaidan riots still seemed all too recent. Was it safe to visit Ukraine? Mr. […]
A Fun Weekend in Helsinki, Finland
When discussing plans to visit the Baltic countries, folks often recommend tacking on a day trip to Helsinki. It’s certainly easy to do, given that the Finnish capital is a mere two hours from Tallinn by ferry. But I think there are enough interesting things to do to make a weekend in Helsinki worthwhile. During […]