Travel Muse Magazine
Stories, tips, & joy.
Category: European Travel
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6 Amsterdam must-Visit places Along One Tiny Street you likely won’t see on any other guide – but will love!
Spui is one of those magical parts of Amsterdam we think of when we envision the idealized Amsterdam. Quaint streets with bikes parked along brick-paved sidewalks, a lovely canal nearby to watch boats float by, taking us to some other time that is somehow both past and future at once. About 10 easy-walked-minutes from the…
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The Call of Amsterdam & Why You Should Go, Despite Overtourism (& How to not be Part of the Problem)
Amsterdam is unique. Glittering canals reflecting colorful four-storied, window-brightened (curtain-less) homes jutting up at sometimes curious angles (that reveal the floors inside are far from flat) are not something you’re going to see anywhere else. These water-streets are peaceful, even when scores of bicyclists are hurrying by on their way to work. It feels like…
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Review: Dan Brown’s The Secret of Secrets
Dan Brown revolutionized the historical thriller genre when his book The Da Vinci Code was published 22 years ago, in the process elevating literary tourism in the European locations featured in the novel. Now Prague is hoping his latest in the Professor Robert Langdon series, The Secret of Secrets (released just last month), can do…
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Literary Travel Guide to Prague inspired by Dan Brown’s “The Secret of Secrets” novel
Prague is the shining star The Secret of Secrets of Dan Brown’s latest novel starring beloved genius Professor Robert Langdon (brought famously to the screen in the adapted film The DaVinci Code, played by Tom Hanks). Long overdue to be the featured character in a modern novel, Prague is filled with beauty and appreciation of…
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Armchair Travel to Italy
I’ve only been to the northern Italy – the lakes district and Milan. But I dream of going back to visit the rest of this gorgeous (and delicious) country and finally getting to Florence, Rome, the Amalfi Coast, Naples, Capri, Pompeii, Venice, Pisa, Cinque Terra, Genoa… yep, everything else! While I wait, my mind’s been…
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UK’s UNESCO Literary Cities
Books, bookish things, and literary places… with lots of reading to boot. These are the heart of what it takes to become designated as a City of Literature by the United Nations Educational, Scientific and Cultural Organization, better known as UNESCO. The unique places that earn UNESCO’s City of Lit label all recognize “past, present…
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My Week in Lisbon: Advice for an Excellent First Trip to Portugal’s Capital
From the heavenly floral bouquet of blooming Jacaranda trees to fresh salty sea breeze, there’s nothing like actually getting to Lisbon in person and finally experiencing the beauty of this ancient capital city in person with all your senses. Instagram might have pointed out its loveliness, but being there in person, eating the food, seeing…
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DIY Walking Guide in Lisbon’s Famed Alfama
Crimson tile roofs juxtaposed with bright blue of the river Tagus, framed by the purple paradise of jacarandas and magenta bougainvilleas, all accented with blue and white azulejos. It’s hard to believe the views from Lisbon’s miradouras are real when you see them with your own eyes, no Instagram filters, no editing. They’re really just…
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2 English Bookshops You Need to Visit in Paris (& a few more bookish places to see too)
Heading to Paris and just need to get your book fix? No problem. Here are two English book stores you need to visit… along with a few more bookish places to see while you’re enjoying this jewel of a city too. Shakespeare and Company If you love books, reading and or writing… or watched or…
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Steal This Itinerary: Milan to London (or Amsterdam)
My first time in Milan was for my honeymoon. We had planned to take the train to Zermatt and around Switzerland, but then there were transportation strikes and had to drive instead to keep our pre-paid reservations. So we rented a car. I would not recommend this to anyone. It is a last resort. The…
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