Uglich, Russia — The aha moment arrived around teatime in this charming town along the Volga River known for its historic buildings, watchmaking and cheese. Uglich is one of Russia’s Golden Ring cities — an informal term given to a group of picturesque towns northeast of Moscow with Medieval, well-preserved architecture — and also the place of exile for Ivan the Terrible’s wife and son, Dimitri (later murdered), after the ruler died in 1584. My husband and I were ex...

While on a visit to Tuscany, Marc Atchison visits a famed Michelin-star restaurant in a tiny wine town and is introduced to a chef whose love story is for food lovers.

Marc Atchison visits a unique ski-in, ski-out hotel tucked away in the Swiss Alps overlooking Crans Montana which used to serve as a cable car station.

ABOARD THE M/V VIKING SEA — We cross 66-degrees, 33.8 minutes north latitude, better known as the Arctic Circle, just after midnight; hot golden sunshine is everywhere, as though someone had spilled it.

French is a tough subject for most Canadian teens, unless your parents take you to Paris for a summer vacation so you can appreciate the city's culture, history and fabulous food.

Park it here! That's what Marc Atchison did when he visited Munich and Stuttgart, where Germany's famed car companies have set up ultra-modern museums that pay tribute to their incredible history and products.

Winston Churchill predicted: “History will be kind to me, for I intend to write it.” As one of World War II's most revered victors, Sir Winston’s droll prophesy proved only partially true, for his story is still being written.

GETARA, BASQUE COUNTRY — The lovely coastal highway (N634) that runs along Costa Vasca (Basque Coast) is dotted with some fascinating pit stops, and David, my guide, insists we visit each.

BASEL, SWITZERLAND — I’m not sure what to expect in a city whose name I can’t even pronounce. Is it like the herb I cook with or should I pretend I’m sporting an English accent?

ST. PETERSBURG, RUSSIA — This is a city that doesn’t do anything by halves, when you consider that it has more than two hundred museums and, before the revolution, a thousand or so palaces.