Laurie's light travel travel tips

I'm a sucker for romance, especially when the press release includes some of my favorite destinations. By far, Rome remains the most memorable city I have ever visited, for several unromantic reasons -- the ruins, the lasagne, the language among them. I had not thought of romance because I went there alone, but that is a kind of romance, sì ? HotelwithTub (great name) crunched the numbers and shares its top 50 cities for the newly married. (In my view, these "honeymoon" destinations also double as great spots for singles, but then I'm biased.) Here are the key findings: 1. Rome is the Most Romantic Destination in 2026 With 1,613 swoonworthy restaurants and 1,328 romantic hotels, the Eternal City earns the highest Romantic Score (66) and stands as the world’s most romantic destination in 2026. 2. London Leads Global Date-Night Culture With 2,173 romantic restaurants and more than 12,800 romance-related hashtags, Blighty achieves a Romantic Score of 63, ranks #...

Some of us have never been married, much less been a housewife, but it doesn't take much of an imagination to see domesticity can become dull or frustrating. So much is written about "girlfriend getaways" but who ever talks about the solo housewife break? Women, perhaps especially wives and mothers, are so busy giving to others that very often they neglect themselves. Being a martyr, especially a tired and grumpy one, won't earn you any points in the long run. So take my advice: get the heck away from the walls that bind you, the cooking, cleaning, crying kids and demanding hubby. Take your iPhone, drawing pad, comfy sneakers and anything else that brings you happiness but just go alone. Paris Whether you come for the French Open, or simply long to stroll along the Seine, Paris will bring out the explorer, single gal and giddy kid in you. Stay in the 10th Arrondissement where you can escape a lot of the tourists and just take in the people, cafes, and sites. Don...

Responsible tourism is not only about taking an organic approach to travel, such as "using outhouses and sleeping in a yurt," but according to the PR for NightSwapping , which bills itself as the new player in the home-stay accommodation industry, it means getting back to basics. Why run one's credit card and rack up debt, not to mention mounds of paperwork and regret, when we can just hit "send" and share our homes? Everyone's heard about AirBNB , but it's not the only entity to cash in on the marriage between low budget and high adventure. Launched over a year ago, NightSwapping now welcomes some 10,000 new members every month, touting a 'back to the roots' way of travelling where no money changes hands. It all reminds this examiner of that scene in "The Holiday," in which Kate Winslet's character e-mails Carmeron Diaz's character - or maybe that's the wrong way round - and they end up swapping homes. I'm in. At Ni...

Travelling to Europe is but a dream for many, yet it needn't be. And too many people flock to organized tours when a solo journey offers deeper rewards. How else will you be asked for directions in French when you have decided, spur of the moment, to walk from the 10th arrondissement all the way to Musée d'Orsay? And in this moment overhear how the natives actually pronounce "oui" (it's more like "weh!"). You will need some tips, though, and lodging is always a good start. In that spirit I offer two hotels across the pond - one in Paris and one in Vienna: Hotel De L'avre 21, rue de l'Avre, near Gare de Montparnasse train station. E-mail: hotel.delavre@wanadoo.fr; Phone: 1-866-599-6674. Cozy, out-of-the-way yet accessible to La Tour Eiffel, I highly recommend this boutique hotel for anyone on a budget or just fans of courtyards and quiet breakfasts outdoors. Une chambre-double-sur-rue (a room for two on or facing the street) is about 164...