The 3 Best Free Views of London

Like many of my fellow travellers, I like to include panoramic views of the places I visit when making my sightseeing plans. Rural vistas can be sweeps of breathtaking scenery while urban views help me get my bearings in an unfamiliar city. Here are my picks for three of the best views of London that won’t cost you a cent.

Soaring – but pricey – views from the London Eye

Travel News: Italy 2014

I've just returned from an amazing and very busy tour of Italy. As expected, the weather was hot. The ticket lines at major sights were long. And we managed to circumvent a railway strike, thanks to our capable tour director. The unexpected can also arise while travelling so if you're visiting Italy this summer, here are some things you should know.

Expect lengthy queues at the Vatican Museum, Rome

3 Perks of the Paris Museum Pass

If you're planning a visit to the city of Paris you'll probably want to go to the Louvre to see Leonardo Da Vinci's masterpiece, the Mona Lisa, or the Musée d'Orsay for its collection of Van Gogh paintings. Or perhaps the 13th century stained glass windows of Sainte-Chapelle are on your agenda. You can pay as you go for admission to these sites but if you're planning to see a number of attractions, you may want to consider purchasing the Paris Museum Pass.

Entrance to the Musée d'Orsay, Paris

7 Ways to Avoid Motion Sickness

I've never forgotten the poor woman who got seasick while taking the jet boat to the Isle of Capri when I was in Italy a few years ago. I’m sure she spent most of her time dreading the return trip back to the mainland, rather than enjoying the beauty of the legendary island. And I'll be spending plenty of time on the water myself when I visit Italy again this summer.

Jet Boat Returning to Sorrento from Capri

Motion sickness is thought to be caused by conflicts in sensory input to the brain when travelling by car, boat or airplane. And I can’t handle motion as well as I did when I was young. (The last time I rode the Tilt-a-Whirl my head continued spinning for hours.) But I love spending time on the water so I did some research and came up with these seven tips to avoid motion sickness.

Novels for Nervous Flyers

Growing up in the 1960s and 70s I was greatly influenced by movies such as Come Fly With Me and Coffee, Tea or Me? which depicted the glamourous lifestyle of the adventurous airline stewardess. I even dreamed of becoming a flight attendant myself but things change. I also wanted to skydive back then. I haven't done it yet and you won't find it on my bucket list.

Take-off from Nice Airport

Tossing a Coin in the Trevi Fountain

The film Three Coins in the Fountain popularized the custom of throwing a coin into Rome's Trevi Fountain and thus ensuring your return to the Eternal City. The first time I tried my luck, the currency was the lira; more recently I used a euro coin. And now I've  planned another trip to Italy, so I'd say the ritual works.

The Trevi Fountain, Rome

Avalon River Cruising

I  travelled with Avalon Waterways last summer on their Burgundy and Provence cruise southbound on the Saone and Rhone Rivers. After a two-day stay in Paris we were transferred by motor coach to the town of Chalon-sur-Saone to board our ship, the Avalon Scenery.

Avalon Scenery

Trafalgar Train Tours

I've loved traveling by train ever since my first trip to Europe in the '80s. I purchased a Eurail Youthpass and journeyed from Amsterdam to Rome, to Florence, Vienna, Munich and Paris. In 2010 I returned, traveling this time with Trafalgar Tours on the Contrasts of Europe train tour through England, France and Italy.

Tower Bridge, London