Tourism in Austria is a very big deal: It constitutes about 9 percent of the nation’s gross domestic product. Austria is the 12th most visited country in the world, attracting about 24 million tourists annually. Vienna captures the bulk of that number, and it’s easy to understand why. Over the past five years, Vienna has been ranked both the most livable city on earth and the smartest city on the planet. With a long history and a deep reservoir of cultural events and venues, Austria’s capital teems with opportunities to be impressed. It’s also a great city in which you can follow in the footsteps of Sigmund Freud, Leon Trotsky, and Mozart by lingering over a cup of outstanding java and a rich dessert from a window table at one of the famous coffee houses while admiring all the outstanding architecture surrounding you. From cathedrals to museums, from opera houses to palaces, the entire city seems to have been built for greatness. These are my top five buildings in Vienna. Read more >
Author Archives: stephentravels
Purmamarca: The Most Colorful Place in Argentina
I had never heard of the tiny town of Purmamarca until I arrived in nearby Salta and happened to see a postcard featuring the Cerro de los Siete Colores. I knew at once I had to see the Hill of Seven Colors. The polychromatic mountain, layered in oranges and purples, is a spectacular display of color in the foothills of the Argentinean Andes, standing at the edge of the town, and one of the world’s top natural curiosities. Once I arrived here, however, I quickly learned that the mountain isn’t the only kaleidoscopic thing around: The market in Purmamarca’s only plaza, ablaze with vibrant textiles and clothing, does its fair share in making this village the most colorful place in Argentina. Read more >
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Top 5 Yellows
It may elicit groans and sighs of dismay from children when a yellow school bus pulls up on the first day back to class in September, but it will also make millions of parents secretly smile. In fact, at least to me, yellow remains the most joyful color. Whether it’s the daffodil fields of Oregon, the Yellow Mounds in Badlands National Park in South Dakota, or the predominant color in the ceramics and pottery made in Orvieto, Italy, yellow is bound to add a little cheer to your day. These are my top five occurrences of yellow from around the world. Read more >
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Finding the Best Restaurant in Downtown Bismarck, North Dakota
An unexpected quiet had gently descended on the streets of North Dakota’s capital by 6 p.m. on a Wednesday. The few stores that weren’t boarded up had already closed for the night, nobody was strolling around, and the cars along East Main Avenue didn’t bother to stop. Not exactly deserted, but not exactly teeming with excitement, either. I became pensive as I considered returning to my car to start a search for a broader, or at least existing, range of restaurant choices for my final night in Bismarck. But then I spied signs of life at the historic, 10-story McKenzie Hotel, the tallest building in the city when it opened in 1911. It all centered around Peacock Alley — a fortuitous find for a terrific dinner. Read more >
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Ambling Around One of the World’s Most Beautiful Gardens at Powerscourt Estate in Enniskerry, Ireland
One of the best things about Dublin, Ireland, is the ease with which you can reach other destinations outside this hectic metropolis, whether it’s another city, like Belfast, or the famed Irish countryside. I took advantage of the abundant connections by hopping on a double-decker bus to the village of Enniskerry to see the famous gardens at Powerscourt Estate — 47 acres of spectacular grounds, including Italian and Japanese gardens, the tallest tree in Ireland, and a pet cemetery that includes a tombstone for a 17-year-old-cow named Eugenie. Read more>
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Beauty and History in Montgomery’s Best Buildings
Named for Richard Montgomery, an Irish-born soldier who became a major general in the Continental Army during the American Revolutionary War, Alabama’s second-largest city has earned numerous national accolades, including being cited as an All-America City by the National Civic League and the Best Historic City by USA Today in 2014. It was the first U.S. city to install city-wide electric streetcars, the setting for parts of the Academy Award–nominated movie Selma, and the birthplace of Nat King Cole, Zelda Fitzgerald, and Hank Williams, Sr. Walking around this historically rich city, I could feel its legacy oozing from its built environment, whether it was the Baptist church where Martin Luther King Jr. served as pastor, or the executive residence of Jefferson Davis at the start of the Civil War. These are my top five buildings in Montgomery. Read more >
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Split’s Marjan Hill: Perfect View, No Tourists
For a fantastic view of the second-largest city in Croatia, I headed to the top of the ancient St. Domnius Cathedral. From the observation level, I was enchanted by everything around and below me, but I was also attracted to the big green hill off to the right, a tremendous contrast to the built environment next to it. This was Marjan Hill, and the view of Split from the top of it proved to be even better than the one I was enjoying at that moment. Read more >
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“Local. Really.” The Accurate (and Delicious) Mantra of The Skinny Pancake in Burlington, Vermont
Vermont’s largest city exudes small-town charm, particularly in its pedestrian-friendly downtown. Rising uphill from the cobalt-blue waters of Lake Champlain, Burlington bustles with knowledgeable locals, students from the University of Vermont and Champlain College, content families strolling along Church Street, and laid-back visitors taking it all in. Nowhere presents a better microcosm of this diverse population than The Skinny Pancake, a local eatery that seems to be jumping all day. You’ll be as likely to dine among college students as among yuppie families, aspiring musicians, fit cyclists, and German tourists, all while enjoying the best breakfast — and outstanding crêpes — in town. Read more >
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Crashing a Constitution Day Parade in Bergen, Norway
Watching a parade, like Zurich’s Sechseläuten, is always fun and provides a pleasant sense of local tradition. Being in a parade, however, takes on a deeper meaning as you immerse yourself in the native culture. And when I got to march through the streets of Bergen, Norway, late at night in a torch-lit procession to celebrate Constitution Day, simply because I asked a friendly Norwegian what was going on, I felt like I belonged there, like a member of an extended and warm family, even though I don’t have a drop of Nordic blood in my body. Read more >
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Top 5 Things to See and Do in Wyoming
Traveling to Wyoming at peak season in the summer seems a little masochistic, especially if you’re visiting the incomparable national parks. With only a few main roads in the parks, an elk or bison traffic jam could easily delay you for hours, and that’s a huge amount of time to lose when there’s so much to see. A trip to the Equality State largely centers around nature and the outdoors, and the best time to appreciate it all is autumn: The summer crowds have returned to school and work, facilities remain open before closing up for the winter, and the reds and yellows of quaking aspen, dogwood, and golden larch trees stun you with their brilliance. These are my top five things to see and do in Wyoming. Read more >
Stephen Travels 