A personal guide to authentic experiences
from a veteran travel journalist
Authentic Luxury Travel
[promoslider id="my_id" category="topbanner" height="200px"]
  • Home
  • About Elizabeth
    • Published Articles
  • Authentic Luxury Travel
  • Book A Trip
  • Contact
  • Get Involved
    • Advertise
    • Contribute a Guest Post
    • Keep in Touch
    • Leave a Comment, Ask a Question
    • Plan a Getaway “Contest”
    • Send a Photo
    • Share a Travel Book or Movie
    • Write a Trip Report
  • Map of Posts by Location
  • Trip Planning
  • Africa
    • Botswana
    • Safaris
    • South Africa
    • Tanzania
    • Zambia
  • Air Travel
  • Antarctica
  • Asia
    • Bhutan
    • Cambodia
    • China
    • Indonesia
    • Japan
    • Myanmar
    • Vietnam
  • Australia
    • Great Barrier Reef
    • Sydney
  • Authentic Travel
  • Canada
    • Alberta
    • British Columbia
      • Vancouver
    • Newfoundland
  • Central America
    • Costa Rica
    • Guatemala
    • Mexico
  • Cruises
  • Europe
    • Czech Republic
    • England
    • Finland
    • France
    • Germany
    • Greece
    • Italy
    • Latvia
    • Poland
    • Scotland
    • Spain
    • The Netherlands
    • Turkey
  • Hotels
  • India
  • Islands
    • Bermuda
    • Caribbean
    • Fiji
    • French Polynesia
    • Hawaii
    • Ibiza, Spain
    • Maldives
    • Palau
    • Sir Bani Yas, Abu Dhabi
  • Middle East
    • Abu Dhabi
    • Dubai
  • New Zealand
  • South America
    • Brazil
    • Galapagos
    • Peru
  • Special Interest Trips
    • Ancestry travel
    • Bucket List Travel
    • Classic Car Adventures
    • Destination Weddings & Honeymoons
    • fall colors
    • Family Travel
    • food tours
    • garden visits
    • Golf Vacations
    • Learning Vacations
      • Cooking schools
    • national holidays
    • Performing Arts
      • concerts
      • opera
    • Pet-Friendly Travel
    • Rafting
    • Recipes
    • Romantic Destinations
    • Shopping
    • Snorkeling and Scuba Diving
    • Spa Vacations
    • surfing
    • Walking vacations
    • Wildlife Watching
    • Winter Holidays
    • Women's Travel
  • Staying Healthy
    • Dealing with Illness and Discomfort
    • Eating and Drinking
    • Insects
    • Mind and Spirit
    • Packing
    • Problem Prevention
    • Travelling with Kids
  • Travel Experts
  • U. S. Travel
    • National Parks
    • USA Eastern States
    • USA Midwestern States
    • USA Southern States
    • USA Southwest
    • USA Western States
      • Alaska
      • Central California
      • Montana
      • Northern California
      • Oregon
      • Southern California
      • Utah
      • Washington
  • Vacation Rentals
  • Voluntourism

Tag: shopping

Seattle – in Two Bookstores and a Library

Seattle – in Two Bookstores and a Library

Seattle is one of my favorite cities, so I was happy to receive this guest post from Karen Adams, a talented local writer. I love her focus on a side of Seattle that tourists don’t see, but authentic travelers can really appreciate. If you’re planning a trip to the Emerald City, this post is a […]

May 24, 2016 | Updated: May 25, 2016 | By Elizabeth | Reply More
Paris Shopping -Finding the Best “Souvenirs”

Paris Shopping -Finding the Best “Souvenirs”

Paris shopping is a subject near and dear to the heart of Pascale Heuzé, who lives in  Vincennes – a community in the eastern suburbs of the city. I first introduced you to this lovely lady when I wrote about learning vacations a while back.  More recently, she wrote about Vincennes and why you might want […]

April 7, 2015 | Updated: April 8, 2015 | By Elizabeth | Reply More
Paris On a Private Tour – S’il Vous Plait

Paris On a Private Tour – S’il Vous Plait

Paris has been home to Manuel de Croutte for many years. You may remember that I introduced you to him (“Your Private Guide to France”) a while back when he started his company Exclusive & Private. Because of his family contacts and personal connections, Exclusive & Private is able to offer exclusive access to many historical […]

March 19, 2015 | Updated: March 19, 2015 | By Elizabeth | Reply More
Love this Romantic Los Angeles Hotel

Love this Romantic Los Angeles Hotel

Most Romantic Los Angeles Hotel?  How about one that’s secluded on 12 lush acres in Beverly Hills and is positively steeped in Hollywood love affair history?  You just couldn’t ask for a better backstory. The Beverly Hills Hotel and Bungalows The “pink” palace was built in 1912 and offers 185 rooms and suites – plus […]

January 30, 2015 | Updated: January 31, 2015 | By Elizabeth | 3 Replies More
Edinburgh Insider Tips

Edinburgh Insider Tips

 During festival time in Edinburgh, Scotland, the city is alive with events and bursting at the seams with tourists, but it’s still possible to escape the crowds and enjoy the locals’ favorite places. I asked Ross from The Luxury Editor, the Edinburgh-based independent luxury travel magazine, to give us an insight into best place to go and […]

August 27, 2014 | Updated: October 31, 2014 | By Elizabeth | Reply More
New York Botanical Garden

New York Botanical Garden

The New York Botanical Garden wasn’t on my must-see list the first time I visited New York City. Nope. Instead, I chose to wait in line interminably to take the elevator to the top of the Empire State Building, and I rushed back and forth across Manhattan from one mega-museum to another. I don’t regret […]

August 26, 2014 | Updated: October 31, 2014 | By Elizabeth | 4 Replies More
Florence – 6 Insider Tips

Florence – 6 Insider Tips

  This guest post was written by Marlane Miriello, owner of Il Campo Cucina – a unique cooking school in Radicondoli – 30 minutes south of Florence. You can Win a Food and Wine Adventure in Tuscany at Il Campo Cucina if you enter the contest before midnight PST on Sunday, August 4, 2013. Visiting Florence, one of the […]

August 2, 2013 | Updated: October 31, 2014 | By Elizabeth | 6 Replies More
Farmers Markets for Authentic Travelers

Farmers Markets for Authentic Travelers

  Farmers markets are great places to connect with the local lifestyle of a place you’re visiting. Luscious red tomatoes, carrots with frilly green tops…and what’s that spikey thing? It’s fun to see what’s grown nearby and get inside information – and maybe samples – from the vendors. Suddenly, dining out is more fun, as you order dishes […]

April 29, 2013 | Updated: February 4, 2015 | By Elizabeth | Reply More
The Cypress Inn, Carmel, California

The Cypress Inn, Carmel, California

My husband and I just spent two wonderful days in Northern California at The Cypress Inn in Carmel-by-the-Sea, and I can’t decide what I loved most about it. First of all, the inn is pet-friendly and standard schnauzers, labs, and cocker spaniels give it a homey feel and provided natural ice breakers for meeting other […]

November 14, 2012 | Updated: October 31, 2014 | By Elizabeth | Reply More
Insider Tips – Exploring Northern Tuscany, Italy

Insider Tips – Exploring Northern Tuscany, Italy

Forte dei Marmi, Northern Tuscany, Italy When travelers think of Tuscany, it’s usually the splendid cities – Florence, Siena, Lucca, and Pisa – and the Chianti region that come to mind. However,things to do and sights to see are also located in the Versilia area of Northern Tuscany – a coastal section stretching from south […]

February 19, 2012 | Updated: October 31, 2014 | By Elizabeth | 1 Reply More
Is Cruising Safe?

Is Cruising Safe?

The Costa Concordia sinking off the coast of Italy This week has made many travelers wonder if cruises are a safe vacation option. Of course, industry officials are saying “yes,” while the media is re-capping stories of passengers who disappeared in stormy seas, vessels attacked by Somali pirates, and contagious illnesses that swept through ships […]

January 17, 2012 | Updated: October 31, 2014 | By Elizabeth | 1 Reply More
Vietnam Travel Companies

Vietnam Travel Companies

Everywhere we went in Vietnam, we were greeted with smiles Of all the trips I’ve taken, the one to Vietnam stands out as being the biggest surprise. I expected to meet people who didn’t like Americans – and was greeted by smiling faces. I knew very little about the history, other than the period of […]

April 22, 2011 | Updated: October 31, 2014 | By Elizabeth | 3 Replies More
India – Trade Deals & Top Hotels

India – Trade Deals & Top Hotels

I felt very smug this week when President Obama, traveling in India, announced that the U.S. would soon begin trading more with this South Asian nation. Trade deals with India are not new to me. I’ve been making them for years. In fact, each time I’m in Delhi I acquire so many “bargains” that I […]

November 11, 2010 | Updated: October 31, 2014 | By Elizabeth | 1 Reply More

Subscribe

Join me and discover the joy of authentic travel experiences. Subscribe here. Watch your inbox for an activation email.

Privacy guaranteed. We never share your info.
[jr_instagram id="2"]
Let our Boutique Hotels inspire you
Discover the ancient and magical culture of  Peru
Discover Vietnams hidden treasures with the help of a private tour guide
Spectaular Italian Villas and homes for rent

Need Help Planning Your Trip?

I enjoy helping travelers plan custom itineraries that wander off the beaten path instead of following the well-worn trail of tourist sites. Elizabeth Hansen
Find out how I can help .

"I truly want to thank you for helping to make our trip a joyous adventure. We will always be grateful to you for enhancing our experiences." —N. Higgins, Black Mountain, NC

Find Authentic Luxury Destinations

Click the map to find articles and travel tips about your favorite destinations.

Subscribe via RSS Feed Follow Me on Twitter Connect on Facebook Connect on Google Plus Connect on LinkedIn
© 2023 Authentic Luxury Travel. All rights reserved. Design & Development by Acorn Interactive.