327 articles found

Centralia, Pennsylvania's Endless Underground Fire

Centralia, Pennsylvania's Endless Underground Fire

Somewhere beneath the scrubby, cracked asphalt of what used to be Route 61 in Centralia, Pennsylvania, an underground coal seam has been on fire since 1962. Smoke still seeps through fissures in the ground. The earth radiates warmth underfoot. In win...

Coffee Culture in Puerto Rico

Coffee Culture in Puerto Rico

Puerto Rico has been growing coffee since the 18th century. At its peak in the late 19th century, Puerto Rican coffee was served at the Vatican and to the royal families of Europe. The island's mountainous interior, the Cordillera Central

What Every American Traveler Should Know Before Visiting Serbia

What Every American Traveler Should Know Before Visiting Serbia

Serbia is a country that operates almost entirely outside the standard Western European tourist experiences. While there is no Eiffel Tower, or Rick Steves itineraries, or queues at the ticket booth, Serbia can promise lower prices, genuine hospitality, and remarkable food.

The Tatra Mountains: Hiking, Zakopane, and What to Know

The Tatra Mountains: Hiking, Zakopane, and What to Know

In the south of Poland, the <strong>Tatra Mountains</strong> rise from the Carpathian foothills to form the only alpine landscape in Central Europe north of the Alps. The Polish Tatras are a national park with glacial valleys, granite peaks, and clear mountain lakes.

Gdańsk: One of Poland's Greatest Cities

Gdańsk: One of Poland's Greatest Cities

At 4:45am on 1 September 1939, the German warship Schleswig-Holstein opened fire on the Polish military transit depot at Westerplatte, on the outskirts of Gdańsk. The 182 Polish defenders held for seven days against overwhelming German force. It was ...

The History of the Danish Language: From Old Norse to Modern Dansk

The History of the Danish Language: From Old Norse to Modern Dansk

Danish sounds, to many first-time visitors, like a language being spoken with a hot potato in the mouth. Even other Scandinavians joke about it. But behind that famously soft, swallowed pronunciation is one of the oldest continuously recorded languag...

Danish Minimalism: Why Denmark Mastered the Art of Living with Less

Danish Minimalism: Why Denmark Mastered the Art of Living with Less

Walk into a typical Danish home and you might be struck by what's not there. No excessive décor. No maximalist art walls. No rooms packed with furniture. What you find instead is carefully chosen: clean lines, warm natural materials, soft lighting, a...

Randers, Denmark

Randers, Denmark

Most travelers to Denmark go straight to Copenhagen, maybe Aarhus, and call it a country. But drive into central Jutland, to the point where Denmark's longest river spills into a long sheltered fjord, and you'll find Randers — one of Denmark's oldest...

Which countries are actually European?

Which countries are actually European?

Where Does Europe Actually End? Is Iceland in Europe? What about the United Kingdom? Greece? Romania? Turkey? Georgia? Cyprus? And where, exactly, does Europe stop being Europe and become Asia? For travelers, Europe can seem like one of the easie...

Heydar Aliyev International Airport: Why Baku's Gateway Is One of the Coolest Airports in the World

Heydar Aliyev International Airport: Why Baku's Gateway Is One of the Coolest Airports in the World

Most airports are infrastructure — something you pass through to get somewhere else. A few airports are, genuinely, destinations. Heydar Aliyev International Airport in Baku, Azerbaijan is in a third category: a building that makes you stop before yo...

How prevalent is smoking in Turkey?

How prevalent is smoking in Turkey?

If you've spent any time in Turkey, you've probably noticed that there is a lot of smoking, and for first-time visitors, the prevalence can come as a surprise. But is it really as pervasive as it seems? The Numbers Are Real Turkey isn't just seem...

Where to Eat and Drink in Paris: The 2026 Food and Nightlife Guide

Where to Eat and Drink in Paris: The 2026 Food and Nightlife Guide

Paris's food and drink scene operates on a different level as a city of 2.1 million people with over 40,000 restaurants, bars, and cafés, including Michelin-star restaurants and nine-table neighborhood bistros.