Nitpicker’s travel journal: do travelers really need an AI assistant for surviving road toll complexity in EU?

highway traffic moving slowly on a highway in Italian Riviera

A long, but exciting and entertaining road trip took us across Europe from Estonia to southern France in October. All eight countries that were along our route are members of European Union. Thanks to EU, we didn’t have to worry about phenomenal roaming charges for our mobile phone communications, or … Read >

Voted by travelers: Valencia, Spain is the best city destination in Europe

plaza de la virgen, valencia, spain.
Plaza de la Virgen in the city center of Valencia.

Do you trust recommendations from other travelers? Well, here is something for you whenever you want inspiration for your next city break in Europe. Conde Nast readers have voted for the best city destinations in 2024, and the winner is … Read >

Travel safely in Europe: here are the safest countries

iceland scenery by moyan brenn on flickr
Iceland scenery by Moyan Brenn.

Some travelers like to throw themselves into adventures when they seek experiences in foreign destinations, whereas others want to enjoy safe travel destinations without too many unexpected risks.  If you belong to the latter category, and want to travel safely, here are the safest countries … Read >

Which European countries have the cleanest waters for swimming?

benidorm beach. image by arihak

On a hot summer day, nothing beats swimming in a sea, lake or in a river (cold beer comes close, though). If the urge to swim hits when you are traveling in Europe, which countries are managing their environment so that designated bathing waters have remained clean? European Environment Agency … Read >

If mobile internet access is crucial for you when traveling in Europe, here are the fastest networks

Saltstraumen, Norway. Lapland. photo by arihak
Saltstraumen near Bodö in Norway.

Very few travelers plan their trips in Europe based on average mobile network speed and reliability in a destination, but if you are planning to work and attend videoconferences, network experience will make a difference to you. For a traveler, mobile network access is the … Read >

Which European countries have the most Unesco World Heritage sites?

torino, italy. flower market on a street. photo by arihak.
Street market in Italy.

So far, I haven’t been disappointed when I have visited a destination that Unesco has awarded the World Heritage title. They are wonderful travel destinations, although the purpose of the World Heritage program is conservation, not tourism. Since 1978, Unesco has awarded more than 1000 heritage … Read >