Mountain City's Travel Blog

If it isn't on your calendar already, get out a red pen and mark November 26. That's National Cake Day, and although we don't need any excuses to enjoy the star of any birthday, wedding, or Tuesday afternoon, it got us thinking: where is the best travel destination for a day dedicated to celebrating cake?Our conclusion: Austria, with not one, but...

Architecture is the calling-card of a city. Some destinations are made famous by cathedrals or castles, towers or temples, statues or skyscrapers… in modern-day Miami, it's all about the designer parking garage. They even have a name for it: 'park'-itecture.In this glittering city, there's an expanding list of chic places to park your car and gaze on the work of some...

It's a long-standing tradition and one of guests' favorite experiences of a Seabourn cruise. And it doesn't even take place on board the ship.Seabourn's Shopping with the Chef complimentary shore excursions to landmark local markets in ports of call are legendary, and a signature of the luxury cruise line.It's no surprise to find Seabourn chefs shopping in local markets. Take a Seabourn...

There are fewer and fewer veterans of the DDay Landing Beaches to tell their stories, but Canada's Juno Beach Centre introduced us to Jim Parks, who shared his memories of landing on DDay as a young soldier, and why he believes all of us should travel there today.DDay remains the iconic symbol of Allied unity and sacrifice to end World...

A primeval landscape of black lava rocks covered in moss. Pools of chalky, ice-blue healing waters heated by the earth's core. Iceland's Blue Lagoon is mystical and almost surreal to see even in person. It's even been called one of the Wonders of the World. Now, there's a spa hotel where you can sleep overtop of one of the earth's most remote and...

The Juno Beach Centre is Canada's WW2 DDay Landing Beach war memorial and museum, right on the site where Canadians joined British, American, French and Allied Forces on a fateful day in 1944 that was the beginning of the end of the War.Veterans, their families, anyone interested in history, or the sacrifices of ordinary young men on an extraordinary moment...

Seabourn specializes in culinary memories. This luxury cruise line has long been famous for its tradition of 'Shopping with the Chef'. In Quebec City on a Seabourn fall colors cruise from Montreal through Canada and New England, we took Shopping with the Chef one step further – to its natural conclusion, in a delectable Seabourn dish.Shopping with the Seabourn Quest's Executive...

Before every travel destination had a ghost tour and haunted hotels, there was Dracula's Castle.Irish author Bram Stoker's 1897 Gothic horror novel 'Dracula' popularized the vampire genre of fantasy fiction that today is more popular than ever.And although the character of the undead Transylvanian Count is fictional, the Romanian national monument known all over the world as 'Dracula's Castle' is...

The first luxury hotel to win 5 Michelin stars is putting its money where its guests' mouths are. And committing to the cause of tomorrow's food and cuisine.The Four Seasons Hotel George V in Paris has three restaurants. Between them, they've earned record recognition by Michelin.  3 stars for Le Cinq, 1 star for Le George (pictured, top) and 1 star for...

Tequila has grown up. No longer a frat house or a blurry vacation cliché, Mexico's national spirit has returned in recent years to its roots, with new premium brands sprouting up that are perfect for sipping and stylish cocktails at home or on holiday. Here are 5 things you might not have known about Tequila – and a great recipe from our...

If you're a flower lover, a Tulip Time spring cruise in the Netherlands is already on your bucket list. If you're not a particular flower lover, it should still be on your bucket list.BestTrip sailed on the Avalon Vista and discovered there's so much more to a Tulip Time cruise than spring flowers.We'll never forget the incredible sights of fields of...

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It's hard to believe it's ten months into 2018!

Munich's annual extravaganza of beer halls, buxom girls in dirndls, pretzels and the best of the 'wurst' (pun intended!) actually gets underway in September. Its origins in Germany involve a wedding and a harvest festival, but now, Munich's Oktoberfest is one of the most famous multi-day parties in the world.If you're missing Bavaria's biggest party this year, you're not out...

It's the largest island in the Mediterranean, with 14,000 years of history.Sicily is in the center of the Mediterranean Sea and has been central to several world-changing civilizations including the Greeks, Phoenicians and Romans. It is rich in artistic, musical, literary, culinary, and architectural heritage, and has some of the most beautiful beaches and scenery in the Med. Yet many...

And he even used a light saber. The actor famous for his role as one of space's greatest heroes didn't need to use the Force to launch the new Skywalk at the top of the Rock of Gibraltar. The best part may be the Stormtroopers chilling in the background.Mark Hamill's appearance at the Rock of Gibraltar Skywalk was a dramatic opening...

It’s a short time span between birth and graduation. Over the past few weeks, cameras have captured little humans and youths posing for their first-day-of-school photo.

There are a few important things on our check list of a great hotel: alluring architecture and design, lifestyle, dining and sipping... and if possible, an amazing view.The Balmoral Edinburgh has it all. This storied hotel in Scotland's capital is located at 1 Prince's Street. It's an unrivaled position overlooking some of the best views of the city: Edinburgh Castle,...

We can't get enough of the Monograms way of travel. Have someone else do the legwork while you get to have all the fun? Count us in.All Monograms tours give guests the VIP treatment: a Monograms Local Host and driver to pick you up and drop you off when you're arriving and departing from the city (no matter how you...

They're calling it a $20 billion 'umbilical cord'. The longest bridge in the world to cross sea water is an unbelievable 34 miles - 55 km - long and spans the Pearl River Delta. China's new Hong Kong-Zhuhai-Macau Bridge connects mainland China with two of China's Special Administrative Regions on the sea: Hong Kong and Macau. It's the first time...