Europe Italy

48 Hours in Lake Como on a Budget

On our busy tour around Northern Italy—which included Trieste, Venice, Bologna, Bergamo, Brescia, and Verona—Big & Small fell head over heels for the spectacular Lake Como. With its glistening waters rippling against the foothills of the Alps and its scenic towns colored by stacks of modest abodes and luxury villas, it’s hard not to fall in love. Even big-name celebrities like George Clooney and Madonna have been unable to resist its charms. This kind of…

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Europe Italy Travel

7 Fun Facts About the Leaning Tower of Pisa

PRESS PLAY ABOVE TO FIND OUT 7 FUN FACTS ABOUT THE LEANING TOWER OF PISA! We hate to ruin our undoubtedly cool image (!), but Big & Small are, well, history geeks. So, when we were deciding on a place to settle down for a few weeks in Italy, we chose the cozy, historical town of Pisa. Of course, staying in Pisa for more than 24 hours isn’t your typical itinerary. There’s usually only one…

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Europe Italy

VIDEO: See the Best of Rome in Just 3 Minutes!

There are few places left in this world where you can casually walk through 2,000 years of history. Wandering through Rome, Italy, you are constantly reminded of a storied empire that laid the foundation for Western civilization. Around every corner, you’ll run into a formidable ancient monument, grandly gilded cathedral, or priceless piece of Renaissance art. But behind all that outward splendor and beauty are tragic tales of power, religion, death, and destruction – this…

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Europe Hungary Travel

72 Hours in Budapest, Hungary

Ruin Pubs, Thermal Baths, the House of Terror, and the World’s First Rock Star *DOWNLOAD A FREE 16-PAGE PDF OF THIS 3-DAY ITINERARY!* This is a city that shines brilliantly through the darkness. It especially shimmers at night, with golden rays of light bouncing off the opulent palace in Buda and the commanding Parliament in Pest, setting the Danube River ablaze. The iconic Szechenyi Chain Bridge is in the center of it all, a symbol…

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Europe Music Travel

I’m Afraid of the Internet: The Death of Bowie and Content as We Know It

This post was originally meant to be a rumination on post-travel blues, but it has turned into something else entirely as I come to terms with settling in back home and working out my next big life step… I’ve spent all of 2016 clicking on an endless amount of content telling me what to eat, what to do, what to be, what not to be, how to be, who to be, who I should be, who I think…

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Europe Iceland Travel

Top 6 Iceland Attractions

Whether or not you’re facing the woozy effects of jetlag, landing in Iceland still feels like landing in another world—the raw beauty is simply stunning. This is an island of active volcanoes, glacial lagoons, intense rainbows, resplendent fog, towering mountains, and… perhaps even a troll or two. This was the first stop for my wife and I during our two-month honeymoon and it remains a highlight—every place else seems second-rate in comparison; its unblemished beauty…

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Europe Italy Travel

PhotoPhiles: Cinque Terre, Italy – The Italian Riviera

  It’s hard to pick the most breathtaking spot in a country full of them, but this is one part of Italy that will truly wow you into submission. On the coast of the Italian Riviera, in the Liguria region, Cinque Terre or “The Five Lands” comprises a quintet of quaint villages: Monterosso, Vernazza, Corniglia, Manarola, and Riomaggiore. The stunning and jaw-dropping architectural beauty of Cinque Terre was created over a millennium by farmers and residents. Houses and buildings rise sharply from the…

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