Blog – Page 5 of 21 – Lose the Map

21 Unbelievable Facts About Svalbard: Northernmost Settlement in the World

Joanna KalafatisJanuary 16, 2018

Ever wonder what life is like in the northernmost settlement in the world? If you ever decide to visit Svalbard, you may be in for a few surprises. I went to the main town of Longyearbyen on Svalbard to learn more about this remote place. It turns... Discover More..

AdventureEuropeOffbeatTips

38 REALLY Off the Beaten Path Travel Destinations to Visit in 2018

Joanna KalafatisJanuary 10, 2018

Looking for an exciting destination to visit in 2018, but tired of browsing the same old places you've seen and heard about a million times? Destinations like France, Thailand, and Iceland are, of course, incredible - but what about travelers who ... Discover More..

AdventureAfricaAsiaCaribbeanEuropeInspirationNorth AmericaOffbeatSouth AmericaTips

Longyearbyen, Svalbard: 25 Photos of the Northernmost Town in the World

Joanna KalafatisDecember 27, 2017

At 78.2° N latitude, high above the Arctic Circle, on the island cluster of Svalbard and Jan Mayen - home to 2,600 people, 3,000 polar bears, and 4,000 snowmobiles - lies the northernmost town in the world: Longyearbyen. Note: My visit to ... Discover More..

AdventureEuropeNatureOffbeatPhotographyTips

5 Reasons You Should Explore Europe By Train: Train Tour on Rail Europe

Joanna KalafatisNovember 22, 2017

Earlier this year, I had the amazing experience of embarking on train tour of Europe - specifically, northwestern Europe - pulling out of London early one Monday morning to explore some cities for the second time (Paris), new cities in countries I ha... Discover More..

EuropeTips

Aaptiv: How to Stay Fit When You Travel

Joanna KalafatisSeptember 26, 2017

Travel has a lot of unexpected side effects: it triggers your imagination, it expands your worldview, it encourages you to connect with others and makes you a more confident, self-aware person. Also, it tends to put 10 to 15 pounds on you. The ... Discover More..

AdventureTips

The Backlash Against Tourism: Understanding What You Can Do

Joanna KalafatisSeptember 4, 2017

In the last few months, a barrage of articles has been released pointing to a general ongoing backlash against tourism. Protests in Barcelona, anger in Venice over rising rents and locals being pushed out of the city, Thailand choosing to ban so-call... Discover More..

EuropeTips

5 Must-See Italian Beaches This Summer

Joanna KalafatisJuly 22, 2017

Suppose you're visiting Italy this summer and need a way to cool off from Europe's "Lucifer" heatwave (actual, real-life nickname). In that case, you need to get yourself to some great Italian beaches where you can escape the summer heat and enjoy th... Discover More..

EuropeNature

Terrorism and Resilience in London

Joanna KalafatisJune 23, 2017

I was in London for the first terrorist attack this year at Westminster. A few tube stops away from Parliament, knee-deep in a blog post on my laptop in my West London flat, I had no idea what had happened. Until texts from my US friends started to p... Discover More..

Tips

Amsterdam: Myths, Facts, and Things to Do

Joanna KalafatisJune 5, 2017

My stay in Amsterdam was provided courtesy of RailEurope and the Conscious Hotel Vondelpark. There are affiliate links included in this post, however, all thoughts and opinions expressed in this post, are, as always, my own. Amsterdam has always be... Discover More..

CultureEuropeFoodNeighborhood GuideTips

What to Do in Paris (the Second Time Around)

Joanna KalafatisJune 1, 2017

It was technically my third time in Paris, but only the second one I could remember. I had gone to EuroDisney when I was a child, so that memory of Paris was pretty much lost to time (and no doubt eclipsed by visuals of Mickey Mouse and photographs o... Discover More..

ArchitectureCultureEuropeFoodNeighborhood GuideNightlife