By Larry Olmsted

In the face of record hotel rates that continue to grow, coupled with sustained high airline fares, some travelers feel they can no longer take a luxury European vacation. They are wrong.

After being locked down at home during the pandemic, it’s understandable that people got antsy and wanted to travel, and that pent up demand manifested itself with record airline bookings and an explosion in international travel. But it was the end of 2022 when adults started receiving vaccines, and more than two years after travel returned to somewhat normal, the frenetic pace shows no sign of abetting. The “new normal” in travel is here, and it’s more expensive. Especially in Europe … continue reading

Award-winning travel journalist Larry Olmsted is the author of “Real Food, Fake Food.” He is a Contributing Editor to Cigar Aficionado Magazine and “The Great Life” columnist for Forbes.com. His newest book is“Fans: How Watching Sports Makes Us Happer, Healthier, and More Understanding.”