The Best Part of My Summer
I was heading into the summer before I would be a senior. My entire junior year consisted...
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Swiss-Land!
When you think of Switzerland, what comes to mind? Chocolate? Cows? Cheese? Mountains? If you thought of one of those- you’re right! But let me tell you, there is so much more!
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Europe 09
My name is John Jackson and I am a senior at Spring-ford High School. Over the summer I had a great opportunity to go across the world and visit the continent of Europe. As time passed, departure...
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The Art of Fainting in France
I woke up to find a sea of strange faces hovering over me. Hands and water bottles were pushed towards me by a half dozen strangers speaking several languages at once. My dad, who I then realized was...
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Ireland Goes Green
As I boarded the plane, I felt the familiar anxiety surge through...
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Italian Villas For Your Euro Road Trip
Our kids wanted to go to Venice - my wife and I wanted to go to Tuscany. Here's how we hit the autostrada and did both. On a recent spring break in Italy, after wandering by boat and foot...
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Adventures that changed my life. As simple as that. (2)
Italy. Beautiful, romantic, laid back, peaceful, inviting, all words to describe the intriging country of Italy. Our stay in Italy was much longer than our stay in France. We visited Piza, Rome, Pompeii,...
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College Blah turns Family Hoorah!
Okay, so the title is a little cheesy, but it accurately describes my family’s latest vacation. I am a senior in high school, and have been planning my college career...
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The Sweet Sound of North Wales: A Special Family Vacation
Maybe it’s the impossible to pronounce names like Llangollen or Betws-Y-Coed or Llandrillo that makes traveling in North Wales a fun experience.But when the language is spoken in lyric...
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Pickpockets: Where To Find Them And How To Avoid Them
Thanks to the popular hotel review site, TripAdvisor, we have some fresh thoughts on how to avoid pickpockets, the bane of every traveler's existence. Well, some would say that airport security...
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Away From It All In Flanders, Belgium
Mix countryside and culture in Belgium. Touring the medieval farm town of Damme and using it as a homebase to enjoy the hip city of Bruges makes the perfect Belgian family holiday.Flanders was...
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When in Rome. . . Stare in awe.
Italy. What comes to mind when this word is uttered? Is it the labyrinth of twisting canals and narrow alleys of Venice? The sweetly musical night air that is laced with the sound of serenading gondoliers?...
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Malta Attractions
Find out about the history, culture and beach fun that Europe's small Maltese Islands have to offer family travelers. Mickey Mouse lives in Disney World, but Popeye makes his home at Sweethaven...
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Brussels, Belgium Family Hotels And Restaurants
Brussels, Belgium is a great European destination for a family vacation because of its reasonable prices, fine food and shopping. The climate is moderate year round, and its location is easily reached....
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Santorini Tennis Club, Santorini, Greece
One of Santorini's traditional, value-priced apartment complexes, the STC delivers a big dose of culture along with the simple pleasures of Greece: sun, sand, and rustic charm.Having written...
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Bruges, Belgium Top 10 Attractions
FTF gives you the top ten reasons why Bruges, Belgium is a great international travel destination for the family looking for a European short break. A "short break" is a European concept. When...
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Rollin’ With Rembrandt Across Holland
In the 400 years since Rembrandt's birth, the friendly country of Holland has become synonomous with his extraordinary art.Full disclosure: Holland's Tourism Bureau hosted this writer in 2006...
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Norway Attractions
FTF's family guide to the best of Norway includes the two major cities of Oslo (the capital) and Bergen (2nd biggest city) and a guide to the Fjord tours. Whether you’re itching to visit...
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Florence, Italy Attractions
With good planning and careful choices, your kids can enjoy Florence and the best of Italy's fine art galleries. P.S. Don't forget the gelato. The...
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Edinburgh Summertime Attractions
Here are some must-sees if you're planning to be in Edinburgh over the summer.For a balance of the old and the new, be sure to visit Edinburgh. The summer is a great time to come to Scotland,...
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The InterContinental Hotels’ Family Experience
At certain international properties, the upscale, business-oriented hotel chain has invested in noteworthy amenities for traveling families. The InterContinental Hotel Group has more than...
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Wonderful Wales
Go off the beaten path in the United Kingdom with a trip to Wales - a fascinating country whose culture combines history, literary legends and natural mystery.Rising between the Irish Sea and the...
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Spring In Switzerland
This mom recounts a snowy spring trip to Murren, the Jungfrau and Gimmelwald (among Europe's highest elevations), and how she got everyone into some family hiking. Snow pelted the funicular...
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Buried In Time At Pompeii, Italy
Learn how the Romans lived when you visit the ancient city of Pompeii, a fascinating family destination outside the southern Italian city of Naples.The stone streets are gouged by the tracks of...
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Paris with Max
A happy reader revisits her favorite haunts in Paris and sees them anew through the eyes of a three-year-old son enjoying his first French vacation.I wanted other families to know about our wonderful...
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Olymbos, Greece: Flashback To The Past
Step back in time onto the shores of a Greek island whose isolation has helped it preserve the traditions of long ago.The F/B Nearchos steams silently across the moonlit Aegean. Destination:...
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Iceland: Land Of Ice And Fire
Before you travel to Iceland, read Family Travel Forum's visitior's guide. Brush up on your history and learn how to get the most out of your trip. In 1783 the Laki volcano in this glacier-covered...
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Apartments To Let In Paris, France
Traveling with the family to France's biggest city? Here's an interesting and cost-efficient way to stay during your visit, if you choose to live like the locals in your very own rental studio. A...
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Ionian Islands: Greece A La Carte
Follow a British family of explorers as they roam the Ionian Sea of Greece in the tailwinds of Odysseus, and finally settle on Kephalonia for their beach vacation.From London, we landed on Kefalonia...
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The Magic of Venice
You may have been to the Venice of East or the Venice of the West but nothing compares to the real Venice, travelers' favorite stop.The distinctiveness of Venice as a city on water makes it...
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Europe’s Top 20 Family Destinations
FTF staff and contributors pool their experiences to come up with 20 must-see attractions for families traveling to Europe with children under 16.First trip to Europe with the kids? Overwhelmed...
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Auschwitz: Connecting With Heritage
Looking back at her own family's heritage, a Family Travel Forum member visits Poland's infamous concentration camps, reflects on human nature, and connects with a relative who is a survivor.My...
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Cyprus – Island Of History And Hospitality
Attraction and lodging ideas, along with the island's cultural highlights, for those traveling to the Mediterranean island of Cyprus. When I was invited on a press trip to discover the eastern Mediterranean...
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Custom Itinerary – Switzerland
Paul E. of Rosiori de Vede, Romania writes: We are planning a trip to Switzerland with our 6-year-old daughter. We want to see interesting sites and also relax. Do you have any suggestions for us?
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A Fairy Tale in Prague, Czech Republic’s Capital
Come see the spires of kid-friendly Prague, shop, party, dine and absorb European history without ever entering a museum.When you step into Prague, Czech Republic, you’ll think you’ve...
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Planning Your Study Abroad Adventure
Should I move to Sevilla, the bull-fighting capital of Spain, or Paris, the city of love and light? Maybe I’ll go to Australia, where American girls swoon over Aussie boys’ accents, or China,...
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Rotterdam, Netherlands Hotels And Resorts
Rotterdam is a compact city, with most of the elements of interest to tourists grouped near the harbor. There are several hotels which would be suitable for traveling families in this area. There...
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Venice, Italy Hotels And Resorts
Can anyone afford to stay in Venice? Read a family's review of various accommodations in this fabulous, but pricey town.Venice is romantic, beguiling, historic and artsy. And often, crowded,...
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Theme Parks Grow Globally
Theme parks are popular not only in the United States, but all over the world, including Europe and Latin and South America. The United States is home to more theme parks than any other country...
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The Angels And Demons Family Tour Of Rome
Using a bestselling mystery, a guidebook, and a Hollywood film, this family is determined to discover Italy's rich history. We just completed a marvelous “vacation” in Rome, Italy. I use quotations...
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Pounds Of Shopping In London, England
Britain's shopping underrated? FTF's retail guru dishes about the boutiques and emporiums where famous American moms spoil their fashionable flock.The city that has most fashionistas...
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Eternal Rome Is Fun For Students
Family Travel Forum's Editor in Chief offers her advice on seeing Rome, Italy, with your big bambini, when they're old enough to appreciate a bit of history. "Mom, it's so funky here. Look at all those...
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Grandtravel Tour To Italy
Read La Nonna's account of seeing Italy through the eyes of her grandson, as she describes their experience on a special tour for grandparents and kids. [Editor's Note: Although...
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See and Ski Norway
Visit Oslo, Norway and enjoy family skiing packages while learning a bit of Viking history. The story of the indomitable Sondre Nordheim, credited as the 'inventor' of modern skiing, and the popular...
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Russians Say: St. Petersburg
Use FTF's guide to Russia's "Venice of the North" to learn all about the family attractions in this beautiful city.In case you were wondering, zdraftst'voitye means "hello" in...
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Overland Across France
FTF tells you who to contact for great lodging and outdoor fun when planning an on-the-ground exploration of the French Alps. Many families find the slow pace and engaging nature of hiking and...
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Out of this World Snowsports
Italy's Sestriere offers skiing families a one-of-kind European experience. Interested in a uniquely European trans-alpino adventure, in skiing or riding 'without borders'? Over 400 kms/240...
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A Green Realization
Lifting up the stubborn window shutter. I narrowed my eyes to the blinding sunlight. I was on a plane hovering over Dublin, Ireland. Shading my eyes with my hand, I gazed at the patches of green below...
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European Air Passes
FTF tells you where to find the best flight deals through Europe. Fought hard to book mileage award tickets or get cheap flights to Europe? Don't forget that intra-European...
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Europe Cycling
Avid bicyclists pack up the kids and the Burley trailers for an escorted ride across Denmark that gives new meeting to the word "deluxe." When I was a child, my mother rode me around...
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France’s Riviera And Neighboring Monte Carlo
Looking for cultural riches and nearby theme parks, Michelin-rated meals and chocolate crepes? Think Monaco and the Cote d'Azur.Every place offers something different. Families coming to Orlando...
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Family Hostelling In Ireland
Here are the pros n' cons of staying in an Irish hostel, from the perspective of one mom and her American teen, both new to shared accommodations.Have you ever been on a family trip, stayed...
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Euro Collectors Arise! New Currency To Horde
Find out how to collect the current European currency and how each Euro reflects the character of the country you are visiting. Since January 1, 2002, when 12 European Union nations formally converted...
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August in Sardegna is Worth the Crowds
The eternal question: is Italy in the summer worth the crowds? On the island of Sardinia, the answer is a resounding YES! Last summer, in the middle of August, we went for 10 days to the northwestern...
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Austria’s Seefeld
This family explores Europe's small towns and festivals on nice n' easy ski weekends.From our home in Heidelberg, Germany we are exploring as much of Europe as possible on long weekends....
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Holiday In Zermatt, Switzerland
Family Travel Forum's resort expert hits the slopes to review Zermatt, Switzerland in winter. Horse drawn sleighs still travel over the- cobbled streets of this quaint mountain town where...
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Paris Passion en Famille
Join avid museum-goers and make the rounds of Paris' greatest collections... Let's say you, like me, have been there before and fallen in love. Madly in love with Paris' beauty, sophistication,...
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Notre Vacances en France: A Euro Road Trip
Your guide to a pleasant drive from the U.K. - even with fussy little ones - and a delightful, budget camping adventure in the south of France. There are many good reasons for taking a holiday...
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The Azores
Learn more about these intriguing islands off the coast of Portugal and how to enjoy a bargain vacation in a little known spot. From...
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