Choosing a hotel can raise an important question: “I’m hardly going to be in the room. Why should I pay more for the hotel?” It’s a reasonable question. And sometimes, a more expensive hotel really isn’t necessary. When choosing a hotel it’s about more than the price of the room. Your hotel is part of […]

Visiting Budapest for the first time happened to coincide with the inaugural ASTA Global River Cruise Expo. It was the perfect setting—Budapest is one of the most important cities along the Danube and a favorite beginning or ending point for many European river cruises. What surprised me was discovering a city and a country I […]

Some Rome travel tips are practical. Others are simply about falling in love with the city. Click your heels together three times and repeat after me: There’s no place like Rome. There’s no place like Rome. There’s no place like Rome. Perhaps the most important advice I could share is this: don’t experience Rome simply […]

U.S. river cruises may not be the first thing that comes to mind when you think about river cruising. For many travelers, Europe and rivers like the Rhine, Danube, and Rhône are much more familiar. But you don’t have to fly to Europe to enjoy a river cruise. Here in the United States, river cruising […]

River cruises are changing. Today, you’ll find more options than just a few years ago, including different cruise lines, ships, levels of luxury, activities, and destinations.

The best choice isn’t always the newest ship or the most advertised brand. It really comes down to your travel style.

What Is Shoulder Season in Europe? Shoulder season in Europe is the time between the busy summer months and the quieter winter period. In most places, this is from April to June and from September to October. Many people think these months are the best time to visit Europe. The weather is pleasant, and the […]

Budapest, Hungary is a city with many unique contrasts. In this article you’re going to first see some of those contrasts. Then we’ll move into the cuisine, and on to things to do.   Hungary, country of contrasts. Hungary is a country in the European Union, but it does not use the Euro. Instead, the currency […]

When you travel with Collette Tours, you get both expert guides and trips that match your interests. A lot of people still picture guided travel as endless bus rides, always packing and unpacking, quick hotel stops, rushed sightseeing, and hardly any free time. Some companies still do things that way. But with the right tour […]

Skip-Gen travel, short for Skip Generation Travel, means grandparents and grandchildren traveling together without parents. Unlike a trip with the whole family, it’s just the two generations spending time together. Picture the joy of being with someone who loves you, away from daily routines.  A few years back, one of my clients began taking trips […]