Berlin Christmas Markets: The Ultimate Guide

While many cities in Germany have one main Christmas Market, Berlin has dozens of Christmas Markets from which you can choose based on your interests and style. So, which are the best Christmas markets in Berlin?

Whether you're looking for a traditional German Christmas market or something a bit more offbeat, I offer here my handy Berlin Christmas Market guide. The recommendations are based on our experience living in Berlin for ten years and being avid Christmas market fans. It has all the information you need to know, including dates and schedules of Berlin Christmas markets and notes on how to visit my local favorites — these are Christmas markets that will make your visit to Berlin during the Christmas and holiday season even more special.

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The Lost City, Colombia: A Guide to Hiking to La Ciudad Perdida

The hike to the Lost City in northern Colombia takes you 46km (28 miles) round trip through the jungles, hills and river valleys of the Sierra Nevada Mountains. We’d had our sights set on the Lost City Trek for years, so expectations had built up. Fortunately, the challenge, landscape, and experience exceeded so many of them.

This Lost City Columbia Hiking Guide shares why that is and includes a day-by-day overview of the Lost City Trek, all you need to know to choose the right tour, how to pack and organize so that you can enjoy the Ciudad Perdida and this multi-day hike to the fullest.

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Travel to St. Maarten: 18 Unusual Things to Do

St. Martin beaches

Many people travel to St. Maarten / St. Martin for its Caribbean white sand beaches. While they are beautiful and all that you would expect from a Caribbean island, there are so many more things to do in Saint Maarten / Saint Martin than just its beaches. This travel guide shares 18 unusual things to do in St. Maarten / St. Martin drawn from ten days traveling all around the island with the goal of finding some of its more off-the-beaten path experiences and places.

Whether you’re traveling to St. Maarten / St. Martin as a standalone Caribbean island vacation or as an excursion from a cruise, you'll be sure to find something from our travel guide below with favorite outdoor activities, hikes, beaches, and day trips to make your visit memorable.

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Our Offbeat Travel List: 13 Destinations You Are Not Considering…But Should

Unusual Treks, Ethiopia

There is certainly no shortage of “Hot Travel Destinations” or “Best Places to Visit” lists circulating these days. However, we find that most of these lists include many of the usual or well-known travel destinations. So we offer our own version here with our favorite offbeat travel destinations from around the world.

This is an ever-growing list of unusual, lesser-known or unconventional destinations that might not be on your travel radar — but maybe should be.

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Best Hikes Around the World: 15 Unusual Hikes You’re Not Considering…But Should

After over a decade of traveling around the world and hiking on six continents, what are some of our best hikes and multi-day treks? This hiking guide includes 15 of our recommended unknown or lesser-known hikes — some multi-day treks, some day hikes — that you might not have heard of or know about, but should. These hikes are worth a look if you are interested in unusual and immersive experiences in terms of both natural landscapes and local culture.

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Alay Region, Kyrgyzstan: An Experiential Travel Guide

Alay Region Travel Guide

Travel to the Alay Region in southern Kyrgyzstan and you’ll find a growing, off-the-path, accessible adventure destination. Experiences run from mid-alpine treks and horse treks in the Alay Mountains to high-alpine experiences up into the Pamir Mountain peaks and epic Pamir Highway road trips into the high desert. Paths are dotted with yurts, shepherds and high pasture nomadic culture along the way. For pan-Central Asia travels and itineraries, the region also serves as a crossroads between Uzbekistan, Tajikistan and China.

This article explains how to plan and organize a trip to the Alay Region, including what to do and see in the Alay Mountains and Pamir Mountains.

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Taking a Tour in India: Pros and Cons

Traveling India by Tour

Should I travel to India on an organized tour? Or should I travel India independently or solo? We’ve experienced India both ways – the first couple trips on our own and our most recent trip on a small group tour. Recent conversations with our audience, especially solo female travelers, told us a look at the benefits and downsides of small group travel and tours in India was in order.

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Insider’s Prague: 5 Tourist Traps to Avoid and Things to Do Instead

While we lived in Prague for over five years, we were simultaneously awed by its beauty and frustrated by the rapacious tourism development that had swamped its old town. More recently, I've heard from travelers disappointed by their visits to Prague because of the city's crowds and tourist schlock.

Yes, there's a fair heap of that. But, there are also ways to avoid it and there is much to see and experience in Prague without crowds. That's what this insider's guide is all about with tourist traps to avoid, best things to do, favorite Czech beers and pubs, neighborhoods to stay in, and where to eat in Prague.

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