Notes From Europe

AmaWaterways, Scenic, Avalon, Uniworld. The differences between river cruise lines rarely show up in the brochure, but they're the reason some clients come home thrilled and others come home wishing they'd booked something else.brochure, but they're the reason some clients come home thrilled and others come home wishing they'd booked something else.

Both river cruises and curated land tours can deliver an extraordinary European experience. Here’s how to decide which one is right for you — and for this particular trip.

The best cabins, the best departure dates, and the best prices on European river cruises go to people who book early. Here’s the timeline that gets you what you actually want.

The word ‘all-inclusive’ means something very different on a river cruise depending on the line. Here’s what is and isn’t typically included — and what to check before you book.

The Danube and Rhine are the two most popular European river cruise routes and they feel completely different. Here’s how to decide which one is right for your first cruise.

Private is not always better. A food tour is genuinely better in a group. Here’s how to know which one you want and the question worth asking before booking any experience in Europe.

The restaurant with twelve tables and a three-month wait. The private wine tasting with a fourth-generation producer. The cooking class that’s been fully booked since March. Here’s what’s worth booking in advance — and what it takes to get in.

A curated day in Europe is not a slow day. It’s a full day where every hour was chosen on purpose — from a private guide at the Uffizi to a vineyard tasting at sunset. Here’s what it actually looks like.

Greece is one of those destinations where everything depends on how the trip is structured. Here’s the approach that works.

The flight is not the enemy. The first day is. Here’s how to plan for both.

Spain is not in a hurry. The sooner you accept that, the better your trip will be. Here’s what else most travellers miss.

Ordinary life is full of logistics. Travel replaces them with different ones — and those ones are more interesting.

The train is not a stressful experience. The station sometimes is. Here’s how to tell the difference — and how to arrive prepared.

Florence is one of the best base camps in Europe. Here’s how to use it properly — and the tourist trap test that will save more than one dinner.

If you have any flexibility at all, my answer is almost always the same: not July or August.

Portugal looks small on a map. It travels bigger than it looks. Here’s how to approach it properly.

I didn’t like Paris the first time. It was crowded and overwhelming. By the third visit I loved it. Here’s what changed.

Your second trip to Europe should feel nothing like your first. If it does, something went wrong.

I spent a week in Rome with no plan and no tourist sites. Here’s what happened — and what it taught me about European travel.

A well-located hotel changes the rhythm of an entire trip. Here’s what to prioritise when choosing where to stay in Europe.