Blog
The latest stories, guides, and insights from across Europe.
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The Aperitivo: Italy’s Gift to the Happy Hour
It’s 6 PM in a small neighborhood bar in Milan. The after-work crowd has started drifting in —…
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Italian Festivals: From Venice Carnival to Siena’s Palio to the Infiorata
Italy doesn’t just have holidays.
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The Italian Family: Sunday Lunch, Mamma’s Cooking, and Moving Out at 35
You’re visiting your friend Marco in Rome. He’s 32, successful, making good money as an architect. He invites…
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Calcio: How Football Became Italy’s Second Religion
On a Saturday afternoon in Milan, the city divides itself. One half wears the red and black stripes…
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La Passeggiata: Italy’s Daily Evening Stroll and Why It Matters
Around 6 PM every evening in nearly every Italian town, something magical happens.
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Italian Food Rules That Will Get You Judged: A Survival Guide
You’re sitting at a restaurant in Rome, feeling proud of yourself. You’ve ordered a beautiful plate of spaghetti…
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The Sacred Rules of Italian Coffee: A Guide to Not Ordering a Cappuccino at 3 PM
If there’s one thing that will mark you as a tourist in Italy faster than a fanny pack…
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Name Days, Evil Eyes, and Spitting: Greek Superstitions and Social Customs
In Greece, there are beliefs that are so woven into daily life that many Greeks who hold them…
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Greek Coffee, the Kafeneio, and the Art of Sitting in a Chair All Day
There’s a specific sound that defines the Greek kafeneio (traditional coffee house): it’s the sound of backgammon pieces…
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The Greek Island vs the Mainland: Two Very Different Countries
If you’ve been to the Greek islands, you might feel like you understand Greece.
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Plate Smashing, Bouzouki, and Syrtaki: Separating Real Greek Culture from ‘Zorba’ Clichés
You’ve seen the image: a man in traditional clothes, dancing wildly, plates shattering on the ground, bouzouki music…
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Ouzo, Raki, and the Greek Drinking Culture: How to Drink Like a Greek
You’ll see it in every Greek taverna: a small glass of clear liquid, ice cold, usually accompanied by…
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French Fashion Beyond the Stereotypes: What French People Actually Wear
The stereotype of French fashion is that all Parisians wear a striped shirt, a beret, and a scarf,…
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The Café as a Way of Life: Why the French Sit for Hours Over a Single Espresso
The French café is not a place to grab a coffee and run. It’s not optimized for efficiency.…
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French Cinema: A Beginner’s Guide to the Country That Invented Movies
France didn’t just invent movies—it invented the idea that cinema could be art.
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Bastille Day, Fête de la Musique, and Beyond: France’s Festival Calendar
The French calendar is punctuated by festivals and cultural moments that have shaped French life for centuries.
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Why the French Are Rude (They’re Not): Understanding French Social Etiquette
The reputation of the French as rude people is largely a misunderstanding between two cultures with different rules.
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The Art of the French Market: How to Shop Like a Local at a Marché
The French market—the open-air marché that appears in a town square on Tuesday or Saturday morning and disappears…
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French Wine for People Who Don’t Know Wine: Regions, Rules, and How to Order Without Panicking
You walk into a wine shop in Paris or Lyon or Bordeaux, and suddenly you’re surrounded by thousands…
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The Unwritten Rules of French Dining: A Traveler’s Guide to Not Embarrassing Yourself
There’s a reason French people seem so relaxed in restaurants while everyone else looks anxious about which fork…
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The Danish Concept of ‘Frihed’: Freedom, Trust, and Leaving Your Baby Outside
One of the most shocking things visitors witness in Denmark is the sight of babies sleeping in prams…
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Christiansborg and the World’s Oldest Monarchy: How Danish Democracy Works
Denmark has the world’s oldest surviving monarchy.
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Midsummer in Scandinavia: Denmark’s Sankt Hans Aften and the Bonfire Tradition
If you time your visit to Denmark correctly, you’ll experience Sankt Hans Aften (St.
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Danish Cycling, Danish Furniture, Danish Pastries: The Small Country of Perfect Design
Denmark is a small country—about the size of Massachusetts—but it punches far above its weight in design. The…
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Janteloven: The Unwritten Rule That Shapes Danish Society
Janteloven might be the most important concept in Danish culture that most travelers have never heard of.