Riga, Latvia

(Second of three parts)

The second leg of my spring 2017 visit to the Baltic States began with a relaxing drive from Vilnius northward through the peaceful countryside of north-central Lithuania and into Latvia, a country with a population of just under two million.

I was traveling, on a partially hosted basis, as part of a group of 15 on a 2-week “Baltic States & Berlin” tour with smarTours (New York, NY; 800/337-7773, www.smartours.com)....

Traveling with a hair dryer or curling iron? It may or may not require a converter to safely power up overseas. How about your cell phone and tablet? These have built-in voltage converters, so only an adapter is needed to plug into a foreign wall socket. 

Here is the skinny on powering up your devices in foreign lands.

Adapter or converter?

Most of the time, what you need for plugging in overseas is simply an adapter plug, not a converter. 

While it...

Horror stories about driving in Europe abound. They’re fun to tell, but driving is really only a problem for those who make it one. If you know what to expect, your drive can be a highlight rather than harrowing. Here are a few tips to know before you get behind the wheel.

RESEARCH YOUR RENTAL. Most European rental cars use stick shift (standard transmission), so be sure to ask for an automatic if you’re not used to changing gears, especially if you’ll be driving on...