Vienna was Freud's perfect place for his theories on the human psyche. Austria's pulsating capital can also be every traveler's waking dream and art aficionado's nirvana.  Otto Ernst Wiesenthal does not need a palace. He is happy in his thriving...

In Madeira, Quintas are becoming the new cultural touchstones and enduring icons that define Portuguese hospitality.  It was the best of times. I am traveling to Madeira. It was the worst of times. The plane that would take me to...

Sights, sounds, the self and a schloss -l'Invitation au voyage in the snowy Bavarian Alps.  There are elephants in the room. I am of course referring to the ubiquitous and recurring elephant patterns of my bed’s headboard, as well as...

Buzzing and exuberant, the Croatian city of Split, perched on the Adriatic coast, invites all travelers to experience the joys of Dalmatian life and fjaka.  W  hat does a wayfarer see when she climbs the 183 step-bell tower of Saint Domnius...

Vienna allows a traveler to indulge in a waking dream, and there is nothing more real than setting foot in Austria's alluring capital.  Between Vienna’s imposing Parliament Building and its famous university, which dates back to medieval times, there sits...

Postcard-perfect Lisbon with its dramatic scenes and slopping terrains, there's no better place to experience all that Portugal has to offer than its capital.   Lisbon is in no hurry. It takes its time. The city wakes up when it wants to...

In Malaysia, the country’s cultural diversity and soul is best expressed through its love for food and the makan.  The city train heading to the town center whizzes by fast after halting for a few seconds at Kuala Lumpur Sentral...

You don't have to be a millionaire to taste the good life on the French Riviera. Regardless of what season and reason, there are plenty of ways to soak up this unique corner of southern France where seaside trails,...

Famous for its cuisine, medieval ramparts, and opera, Lucca is Tuscany's best-kept secret that makes for a different kind of Italian drama.   A ugust is coming to a close in Lucca, a masterfully preserved medieval Italian city situated some 50 kilometers...

Picture the South of France without the beach, boatload of tourists, and the bling. You get Uzès - a hidden and meticulously preserved town known for its Renaissance architecture and Roman flair.   Winter is like my neighbor’s receding hairline. Inconspicuous....