france
data-content-type="article"
Biking Through The Loire Valley
My mom and I walked up to the French bike shop, shaking hands with our tour guide for the day. We had scheduled a biking tour through the Loire Valley, and I had been looking forward to this part of the vacation for months. Biking is one of my favorite ways to de-stress, and I knew that biking through the rural fields of France would make the activity even more serene. Once we were all settled with our bikes and bags, we kicked off the curb and started biking along the gravel roads that wind through the Loire Valley.
overrideBackgroundColorOrImage=
overrideTextColor=
overrideTextAlignment=
overrideCardHideSection=
overrideCardHideByline=
overrideCardHideDescription=
overridebuttonBgColor=
overrideButtonText=
overrideTextAlignment=
data-content-type="article"
European Hostels: Get Away for a While
So you’ve always wanted to travel Europe, but unfortunately, you weren’t born into a trust fund. And while you appreciate living vicariously through your Instagram feed, you don’t just want to go to the Colosseum and the Tower of London and the Eiffel Tower; you want to see all of Europe—the lives and culture outside of the big cities. Well, you’re in luck! Here we’ve compiled some of the best hostels throughout Europe that can be jumping-off points for your vacation. These places will help you get away without giving up your budget or your dreams of exploring! So, get ready; after this, all you’ll need is a plane ticket!
overrideBackgroundColorOrImage=
overrideTextColor=
overrideTextAlignment=
overrideCardHideSection=
overrideCardHideByline=
overrideCardHideDescription=
overridebuttonBgColor=
overrideButtonText=
overrideTextAlignment=
data-content-type="article"
Secret Gardens
Throughout the hustle and bustle of cities, you will find whimsical pockets of nature tucked away between alleyways and abbeys. Some are cached away, kept as a secret of sorts from unsuspecting passersby; others may be better known yet inadvertently overlooked.
overrideBackgroundColorOrImage=
overrideTextColor=
overrideTextAlignment=
overrideCardHideSection=
overrideCardHideByline=
overrideCardHideDescription=
overridebuttonBgColor=
overrideButtonText=
overrideTextAlignment=
data-content-type="article"
Plum Crazy
Plums are one of the world’s most delightful fruits. They come in many varieties, and can range from mellow to tart. This versatile fruit is enjoyed by many cultures in both sweet and savory dishes. Here are some tasty examples!
overrideBackgroundColorOrImage=
overrideTextColor=
overrideTextAlignment=
overrideCardHideSection=
overrideCardHideByline=
overrideCardHideDescription=
overridebuttonBgColor=
overrideButtonText=
overrideTextAlignment=
data-content-type="article"
Holy Emblems: The Symbolism in Sacred Gothic Architecture
As you walk into a Gothic church, the ethereal atmosphere is immediately evident. The reverent hush and the dark stonework lit by brilliantly colored stained-glass patterns of light create this aura that is completely unique to sacred Gothic architecture. Most people, whether seasoned or amateur travelers, are relatively familiar with Gothic churches. But the symbolism hidden within these centuries-old structures is often lost on visitors. Gothic churches were built with symbolism incorporated into every element. While each building differs slightly in terms of symbolic components, every symbol allows the visitor to have an enlightened and almost otherworldly experience.
overrideBackgroundColorOrImage=
overrideTextColor=
overrideTextAlignment=
overrideCardHideSection=
overrideCardHideByline=
overrideCardHideDescription=
overridebuttonBgColor=
overrideButtonText=
overrideTextAlignment=
data-content-type="article"
Climbing New Heights at the Tour de France
The Tour de France is the world’s largest cycling race. Every July, elite riders from around the world travel to France to compete against the world’s best. For years, the Tour has attracted spectators who want to witness and be a part of the action. But is there a better way to experience the Tour de France than merely being a spectator?
overrideBackgroundColorOrImage=
overrideTextColor=
overrideTextAlignment=
overrideCardHideSection=
overrideCardHideByline=
overrideCardHideDescription=
overridebuttonBgColor=
overrideButtonText=
overrideTextAlignment=
data-content-type="article"
Escapades: Fairy-Tale Castles
Beloved Disney movies have the ability to transport viewers to beautiful worlds where colors are vibrant, magic is real, and everyone sings on-key. Children pretend that they too are adventurous princesses and quick-witted heroes, living in ornate castles that overlook forests and oceans. However, those childhood imaginings often fade away with age.
overrideBackgroundColorOrImage=
overrideTextColor=
overrideTextAlignment=
overrideCardHideSection=
overrideCardHideByline=
overrideCardHideDescription=
overridebuttonBgColor=
overrideButtonText=
overrideTextAlignment=
data-content-type="article"
Travel After Tragedy
When someone says the name of a famous place, an image floats to the foreground of the mind—a hazy, incomplete portrait of what makes that place important. Washington, D.C., brings to mind various historical sites and patriotic fervor. Tokyo brings to mind bright fashions and neon lights. London brings to mind classic literature and hot tea. Each place has a unique mental flavor, and when travelers leave, they are left with an aftertaste on their metaphorical palette for weeks, or sometimes even months, afterward.
overrideBackgroundColorOrImage=
overrideTextColor=
overrideTextAlignment=
overrideCardHideSection=
overrideCardHideByline=
overrideCardHideDescription=
overridebuttonBgColor=
overrideButtonText=
overrideTextAlignment=
data-content-type="article"
Back to the Blueprint
At the center of the small town of Chartres, a ninety-minute train ride away from Paris, sits a towering cathedral. This edifice, completed in the thirteenth century, has been the center of controversy because of a decision made in 2009 to renovate it. This is not the simple, patchwork maintenance performed on many old monuments; the cathedral’s once gloomy interior, blackened by centuries of use, is currently being painted a sunny, pale yellow. The paint job is part of a monumental attempt to restore the cathedral to its medieval appearance. But the renovation has inspired polemical responses.
overrideBackgroundColorOrImage=
overrideTextColor=
overrideTextAlignment=
overrideCardHideSection=
overrideCardHideByline=
overrideCardHideDescription=
overridebuttonBgColor=
overrideButtonText=
overrideTextAlignment=
data-content-type="article"
overrideBackgroundColorOrImage=
overrideTextColor=
overrideTextAlignment=
overrideCardHideSection=
overrideCardHideByline=
overrideCardHideDescription=
overridebuttonBgColor=
overrideButtonText=
overrideTextAlignment=
data-content-type="article"
The Take Home of Souvenir Shopping
It’s tough to find a souvenir that encompasses the life-changing experiences, memorable people, and indescribable sights that only travel provides. A few Google searches before your trip will help you avoid on-the-spot thoughts like, Maybe I’ll just buy a snow globe or an “I love Moscow” T-shirt—even though both gifts were probably made 14 time zones away. Here are some tips for taking home a piece of the places you visit and eliminating the stress of souvenir shopping.
overrideBackgroundColorOrImage=
overrideTextColor=
overrideTextAlignment=
overrideCardHideSection=
overrideCardHideByline=
overrideCardHideDescription=
overridebuttonBgColor=
overrideButtonText=
overrideTextAlignment=
data-content-type="article"
Buen Camino: A Pilgrimage in Spain
For more than a thousand years, the city of Santiago de Compostela, Spain, has welcomed weary pilgrims with open arms. Each year, Spaniards and other travelers from around the world trek hundreds of miles through the rolling hills, wooded forests, and pastoral fields of the Camino de Santiago, and the warmhearted people of Spain wish them buen camino or “good walk.” You too can make the pilgrimage and take in the stunning scenery, the rejuvenating camaraderie of other travelers, and the unexpected exhilaration of a life-changing walk.
overrideBackgroundColorOrImage=
overrideTextColor=
overrideTextAlignment=
overrideCardHideSection=
overrideCardHideByline=
overrideCardHideDescription=
overridebuttonBgColor=
overrideButtonText=
overrideTextAlignment=
data-content-type="article"
Exploring Paris’s Catacombs
Many tourists who fill the bustling streets of Paris do not realize that there is a twisting network of tunnels and caverns deep beneath their feet—and that it is lined with the bones of the dead. These tunnels and caverns are part of the eerie underground world of Paris’s catacombs, which continue for miles on end. More than six million Parisians—nearly three times the population living in the city above—have found their final resting place here. Although Paris’s catacombs often go unseen by the typical tourist, they are a must-see for adventure-seekers and history buffs.
overrideBackgroundColorOrImage=
overrideTextColor=
overrideTextAlignment=
overrideCardHideSection=
overrideCardHideByline=
overrideCardHideDescription=
overridebuttonBgColor=
overrideButtonText=
overrideTextAlignment=
data-content-type="article"
Four Corners of the Kitchen: Avocado
The avocado is a tree-grown food loved by people the world over. Even the ancient Egyptians loved avocado, applying it daily to their hair to keep their locks healthy and shiny. The avocado is also called the Alligator Pear because of its bumpy green skin. Did you also know that this creamy food is actually a fruit, high in nutrients and incredibly versatile? These recipes will give you a taste for just some of the ways that the avocado is enjoyed in different parts of the world.
overrideBackgroundColorOrImage=
overrideTextColor=
overrideTextAlignment=
overrideCardHideSection=
overrideCardHideByline=
overrideCardHideDescription=
overridebuttonBgColor=
overrideButtonText=
overrideTextAlignment=
overrideBackgroundColorOrImage=
overrideTextColor=
overrideTextAlignment=
overrideCardHideSection=
overrideCardHideByline=
overrideCardHideDescription=
overridebuttonBgColor=
overrideButtonText=
overrideTextAlignment=
data-content-type="article"
Comic Book Town, France
Snails are slimy, sticky, and gross, yet the French are famous for loving their escargot. In one city, images of snails are even painted on the walls.Throughout Angoulême, France—a city that is more than 2,000 years old—approximately 30 wall paintings celebrate comic-book art. CitéCréation, a company that specializes in large-scale paintings, completed these paintings during a nine-month period in 1998. The artwork has been popular among locals and visitors ever since.The citywide art project is entitled Les Murs Peints, or The Painted Walls. Some of these painted walls are as large as a multistory building; others are as small as a tennis racket.
overrideBackgroundColorOrImage=
overrideTextColor=
overrideTextAlignment=
overrideCardHideSection=
overrideCardHideByline=
overrideCardHideDescription=
overridebuttonBgColor=
overrideButtonText=
overrideTextAlignment=
data-content-type="article"
Euro Fans
An octopus that predicts the future. Grass-scented toilet paper. When you attend the UEFA European Football Championship, you’re always surprised at the interesting behavior of soccer fans from around the world.
overrideBackgroundColorOrImage=
overrideTextColor=
overrideTextAlignment=
overrideCardHideSection=
overrideCardHideByline=
overrideCardHideDescription=
overridebuttonBgColor=
overrideButtonText=
overrideTextAlignment=
data-content-type="article"
Famous Streets: These Roads Are All the Rage
Many big cities around the globe have world-famous streets that provide the culture and excitement you’re looking for, all in one location. Here are some of the most famous, exciting, and culture-infused streets in the world.
overrideBackgroundColorOrImage=
overrideTextColor=
overrideTextAlignment=
overrideCardHideSection=
overrideCardHideByline=
overrideCardHideDescription=
overridebuttonBgColor=
overrideButtonText=
overrideTextAlignment=