Among My Souvenirs

Italy, among the world’s top destinations, reigned atop three categories: favorite global, honeymoon and family destination Where are upscale travelers in the know heading for their getaways? The Virtuoso Luxe Report has the inside scoop on the world’s top destinations for the year ahead. Published each year, the report surveys Virtuoso’s expert travel advisors around the globe on the hottest trends they see for the year to come. Read on to discover where everyone from families to adventure-seekers to honeymooners are off to in the coming year.

Cuba is a fascinating country filled with a unique array of experiences and an extensive lesson in history. If you happened to have been glazed over like me during that lesson in high school, take some time to brush up on the entire Cuban history from Spanish colonization, to sugar plantations and the slave trade, to independence from Spain, the Cold War and communism, and most importantly to understand Cuba, read about the Cuban Revolution and what a communist society under Fidel Castro has looked like. Refresh yourself on the Bay of Pigs Invasion and the Cuban Missile Crisis. Read about Cuba’s relationship with the former Soviet Union and how that shaped them, and eventually sent them into an economic hardship upon the dissolution of the Soviet Union. Sorry if you’re not a history obsessed nerd like me, but the history of Cuba is something that cannot be ignored. This is one country that in order to understand and appreciate it’s uniqueness, you have to go back in time. This articl...

By Jen Rasmussen International Marketing Manager at Virtuoso, Ltd. There’s no better way to make an entrance into bustling Hong Kong than on a brand new Boeing 777-300ER plane, straight from the factory. Cathay Pacific recently purchased its 18 th Boeing 777-300ER, and they invited a group of Virtuoso members and staff to come along on the delivery flight. Together with a small group of other VIPs, we celebrated the new aircraft with a private party at Seattle’s Museum of Flight and took a behind-the-scenes tour of the Boeing factory before being whisked away to Hong Kong on the sparkling new plane, with a champagne toast, of course. The new plane boasts super-private business class cabins. We previewed all of the great amenities available while flying in comfort—fully flat beds (complete with massage function), delicious American and Asian menu selections, a 15 inch flat screen television with hundreds of entertainment choices, mood lighting, noise canceling headphones, and, of ...

Reason enough to visit Belgium? The food, of course. Decadent, sweet waffles are sold on nearly every street corner, chocolate is as much a masterpiece as the Bruegels and Rubens artwork, and moules frites are washed down with crisp, cold Belgian beer daily in restaurants across the country. But there’s more – the country has a thriving fashion scene, iconic museums, and impressive architecture, all embedded within a classic historical framework. You can order an open-face sandwich at the very first Le Pain Quotidien in Brussels, or explore a style and design scene that evokes an English country cottage decorated with modern Swedish flair. The very first Le Pain Quotidien in Brussels (Photo: Annie Fitzsimmons) Here are five reasons to travel to Belgium now. An easy add-on in Europe Just an hour’s train ride from Paris, Brussels , and the Flanders region (roughly the size of Connecticut), is easy to get to, easy to navigate, and easy to tack on to other European destinations. It’...

Last year I visited Barbados twice and *spoiler alert* – I absolutely LOVED IT. I saved a baby turtle, I drank a lot of rum and I snorkelled to my heart’s content. In this post I’ll take you through all the things I got up to on my perfect Barbados holiday. I’ve even included a Youtube video in case you’d rather watch than read. OK, let’s get into it. My Barbados Holiday Guide How to get to Barbados and Who to Fly With? Welcome to my Barbados Holiday Guide! Barbados is pretty easy to get to from the UK, there are direct flights from Gatwick with Virgin Atlantic and British Airways. From Dublin the easiest thing to do is book a Ryanair flight to Gatwick and then you’re ready to go. I booked a Ryanair flight, stayed in a Gatwick hotel overnight and then rolled out of bed and onto the flight direct to Bridgetown. Of course, Lord knows what airlines will be in business after this quarantine and what airport slots they’ll ...