Ever since November 2012, when Kayak.com — the long-used, independent travel search engine — was purchased by Priceline.com, I have no longer been depending on it as an independent source of the best airfares. 

The information given at the time of the purchase said KAYAK would remain an independent unit of Priceline. And, indeed, KAYAK looks and works the same, but now when you “select” a ticket option on KAYAK, you are not always sent to that airline’s website. Kayak sometimes sends...

Here’s something my husband, David, and I learned on a 2012 trip to Europe: don’t be afraid of public transportation, even when you are pressed for time. There are times when it really is your best option.

Following a cruise to Norway aboard Royal Caribbean International’s Vision of the Seas that began and ended in Denmark, we would be flying from Copenhagen to Nice. Everyone told us we’d really be cutting it short, since we hadn’t allowed the recommended five hours between docking...

While most travelers to northern Italy are familiar with its beautiful Lake District and the many villages and villas that line the two most popular lakes, Lago Maggiore and Lago di Como, there is a hidden gem located on the shores of the smaller, less-visited Lago di Orta.

The picturesque village of Orta San Giulio has all the elements of a quaint Italian village: a beautiful church, the ochre-colored Chiesa di Santa Maria Assunta (pictured above); charmingly worn buildings with...