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Travel Tip Tuesday : Paris Guestlist iPhone App

This Travel Tip Tuesday, I have something fresh, new and exciting for those who want to party like a rock star in Paris.  It’s the essential tool for fashionable European jet-setters.  This past July, a new iPhone app, called Paris Guestlist was released, and it’s available for use on all iPhones, iPads and iPods.

Satellite Google Maps tell you where the parties are at the most exclusive nightclubs, discotheques, lounges, art-galleries, and other venues in the city. The app provides a full description of every event and even gives you the chance to book your place on the ‘guest list’ directly from your iPhone. You can also share via Facebook so all your friends can see the parties you’ll be attending!

Fashionistas will love the listings of fashion shows and sample sales.
Since the app is pretty new, only a small smattering of what’s on offer in the City of Light is currently available, but keep checking back as they are working feverishly to keep up on and enter cool and exciting events.

There are actually two versions of the app.  If you are interested, you can download the “Lite” app for free or pay only $4.99 for the full version. A steal in my opinion. You can get more info about Paris Guestlist on their website or in the iTunes store.

Happy Partying!

It’s always a party at My Bella Vita.  Check out Cherrye’s travel tips today!

Travel Tip Tuesday : Paperwallet

A month or so ago, I was contacted by the powers-that-be regarding a new product.  I’m always up for trying out a new product and being able to give my honest opinion, be it good or bad, to my readers.

The product is something called Paperwallet.

Now, I know that may sound a bit odd. A wallet made out of paper?  But I was certainly intrigued.

I promptly received a bright purple Paperwallet in the mail and must tell you, I was quite impressed.

purple paperwallet

I feel it would be a great option for all sorts of travelers.  Let me tell you why:

The pros:

• The paperwallet is thin, lightweight and indestructible.  It’s made from Tyvek, which is paper-thin, yet tear-resistant.
• It comes in a host of colors. New cool designs are coming soon – perfect for travelers with a personality – ahem, like me.
• Its small size would take up minimal space in luggage, daypacks or pockets.  As someone who lives to pack lightly, it’s a great alternative to a regular bulky wallet.  Perfect for carry-on travelers like myself.
• It’s recyclable.  As someone who cares about the environment, I especially appreciate this feature.
• It holds a decent amount.  Really.  It is set up similar to a regular wallet.  A spot for bills, two sides with pockets for credit cards and even two more secure, easy access pockets.  When traveling, normally you only take the basics.  One or two credit cards, ID, medical ID cards, etc.  The paperwallet would hold these comfortably.
• While there is a mention on the website about it being water-resistant, I decided to experiment a bit on my own.  I dropped a bit of water on it, which seemed to bead right up, not soak in and didn’t cause the color to bleed at all.  Yep. Water resistant.
• It’s budget friendly.  Starting at only $9.99 USD.

The cons:

• I would never be able to comfortably and securely stash my entire arsenal of cash, ID, credit cards, medical insurance cards, supermarket and gas cards, and the like, in the paperwallet.  The model I tested claims to hold 12+ credit cards, which I found to be an ambitious stretch for its size and construction.
• No spot for coins.  Men are used to this, but I tend to like a change compartment.  Can’t help it – I’m a girl.

designer paperwallets coming soon!

While I couldn’t personally see myself using this for everyday life, I could definitely see it being used for travel.  And I plan to do just that!

So if you are a green traveler, a budget traveler, someone who likes to travel light or are looking for a great gift idea for any one of the aforementioned travel types, give paperwallet a try.

And here is your opportunity.  Paperwallet has agreed to give my readers a special 10% discount on any style of their wallets!  How cool is that?  Just go shopping and enter the coupon code TRAVEL at checkout.

Happy Shopping!

Full Disclosure :  Paperwallet provided me with a free sample {a $14.99 value} for me to review.

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Don’t forget to check out Cherrye’s Travel Tips today!

Travel Tip Tuesday : Budget Sleeps in Europe

You may remember a Travel Tip Tuesday a while back where I talked about finding budget accommodations when traveling to Europe.  I have even covered cheap sleeps in Paris and in Italy.

As luck would have it a whole new crop of non-hotel websites have popped onto my radar, thanks to a recent article in the New York Times Travel Section, titled Europe Without Hotels.

It’s a great article, definitely worth a read.  To give you a short overview – basically, there are sites out there a bit more sophisticated and safer than Craig’s List, that offer rooms in someone’s home or apartment which can cost much less than a hotel room.

The other bonus with these types of rooms?   You get to meet and hang out with a local in their city.  Imagine the cultural lesson you could have.  And the great local spots that they’ll point you too.  Shopping, eating, walking, great music venues….the possibilities are endless!

Here are the websites that were mentioned in the article.

• AirBnB.com The site looks pleasing to the eye, there are reviews from others who have stayed and they have gotten alot of good press recently, which perhaps adds to their credibility.
• iStopOver.com This site also rents office space – but I searched for rooms in Paris and found about 76 options in the City of Light.  Prices ranged from $100 to $2,000 per night and some of the photos looked gorgeous.
• Crashpadder.com If you are heading to London, this is the site for you.  With over 1,000 listings available for rent, you are sure to find something that suits you.  There are considerably less for France and Italy, but perhaps those numbers will grow over time.  It’s certainly worth keeping your eye on this website.

I am going to add my own honorable mention.  At a recent travel conference, I had the pleasure of meeting the founder of an organization called Casa Casa.  Casa Casa is billed as ‘bed & breakfast hospitality on a budget!’  Right up my alley.

Hospitable folks interested in hosting travelers join for a small membership fee of about $20 and get to stay in a selection of 190 members’ private homes. You will only need to pay a small gratuity for your room, rather than the typical nightly room rate at a B&B. The majority of locations are in the U.S., but there are a handful of members in Europe as well.

These type of unique and up-close-and-personal travel experiences are definitely not for everyone.  But for a budget-minded people-person, who loves learning about the local culture, it might just be perfect.

Would you seek out one of these options when traveling?  Would you actually be a host and have travelers stay with you? And if you already participated in this, why not share your experiences in the comments?

Don’t forget to visit Cherrye for your second dose of travel tips!

Travel Tip Tuesday – Travel Bloggers’ Best NYC Tips

I have been a bit absent on the blog of late.  Not intentionally of course.  Part of this is due to my recent nuptials and also because my trusty MacBook cord fried, making it difficult at best to get computer access.

I was also preparing for a travel conference called TBEX, that I attended this past weekend in New York City.

Over 200 travel writers, travel bloggers and travel industry experts gathered for some fun and some good old fashion travel learnin’.

And while most of what I learned will be very helpful to me , I know you could care less about podcasting this and SEO that. Nor would you be really interested in my thoughts on them. There are far more interesting blogs on those topics!

However, I really wanted to find a very direct way to make my NYC trip beneficial to my readers. And I think I’ve found just the thing! I decided to reach out to some of these fine, knowledgable, travel folks that I mingled with, to get their insight, advice and travel tips for the New York City area.  I figured, who better than a bunch of in-the-know travel bloggers to offer up advice after spending some time in the Big Apple?

First, I’d like to share five of my own travel tips, and then we’ll add the tips from the others.

1.  For cheap eats, NYC has some of the best street food and food trucks around.  One that saved me from hunger this weekend was the Halal Food Cart on Madison and 28th in the Flatiron District.  Their falafel platter with yellow rice, iceberg salad and falafel swimming in white sauce was filling, delicious and only Five. Damned. Dollars.  For New York City – it’s a downright bargain!

2.  If you are looking for a good NYC guide, I really like the Not For Tourists series.  It’s portable, and offers subway maps, info on food, drugstores, supermarkets, shopping, hotels, nightlife, bars and coffee houses categorized by sections of the city.

3.  For finding hotel deals and discounts on concerts, attractions and theater tickets, sign up for Travelzoo’s Newsletter.  It’s how I found an affordable rate on my otherwise expensive hotel.

4.  Even if you aren’t traveling by train, I implore you to include a visit to Grand Central Terminal on your itinerary.  This magnificent, historic building is an architectural marvel with beautiful Beaux-Arts decor. Astronomy buffs should remember to look skyward to admire the celestial scene, complete with constellations, on the pretty aqua-colored ceiling. Among the bustling crowds, you’ll find many restaurants, chic cocktail lounges, a gourmet food market, bakeries and over 65 fantastic shops.

5.  Speaking of Grand Central, just steps away from the station is a ladies only, bargain hot-spot for Chinese massage, called Lilly & Raul.  Don’t expect a spa at the Ritz, but it’s clean, basic and a perfect way to rejuvenate after sight-seeing around the city.  Relaxing hour-long massages are only $40!

And now onto my friendly travel bloggers’ travel tips.  You’ll find the tips set up with their name, and links to their websites and Twitter handles.  And remember, if you do happen to pop by and comment on their sites or blogs, or happen to follow along on Twitter…please don’t be afraid to say howdy and mention how you found them!

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Evelyn Hannon | Journeywoman | @journeywoman

• Idlewild Books, located at 12 W. 19th Street near Fifth Avenue, is a beautiful independent shop near Union Square, specializing in travel and international literature, it carries fiction and non-fiction from all parts of the world, including new and classic works in translation, travel guides, books about politics and culture, graphic lit, language-learning books, maps and more.
• Quite by accident I came across Kinokuniya Bookstore (1073 Avenue of the Americas) located across from Bryant Park. This Japanese shop is called a bookstore but it is much more than that. It has three floors crammed to the hilt with Japanese merchandise — funky T-shirts, magazines, games, stationery, gift wrap, toys and yes, books. The atmosphere is gentle, perfect for browsing. Best of all I loved the small 3rd floor cafe serving Japanese treats.

Pamela McNaughton | Spunky Girl Monologues | @spunkygirllogue

• Looking for great food in NYC?  Try Momofuku Ssam Bar on 2nd Ave between 13th & 12th Sts. Steamed Buns are the best. Supple. Busy place. Great food.

Marianne Grisham | Enchanted Travel | @enchantedtravel

• You can find the best veggie pizza at Ray’s, located at 5th Avenue and 12th Street.  Try the eggplant, roasted red pepper, spinach and more!

Christine Cantera | Miss Expatria | @MissExpatria

• Ess-A-Bagels are HUGE & delish – their whitefish salad is divine – and they FedEx anywhere in the world.

Mara Gorman | The Mother of all Trips | @motherofalltrip

• Avoid trying to catch a cab between 3 and 5 in the afternoon, especially on the weekend. That’s when cabbies change shifts and you’ll see taxi after taxi pass you by in a mocking procession with their “off duty” lights on.
• The Empire State Building is totally worth it, even if it’s touristy, even if there’s a line. You can beat the crowds by showing up on a weekday right at opening time (8 a.m.). They are open 365 days a year, so you truly can pick when you go.

Donna Hull | My Itchy Travel Feet | @DonnaLHull

• Take time to walk the side streets in Greenwich Village. Stop at the Community Garden behind the library to sit by the water garden.

Laurie DePrete | Scene by Laurie | @ScenebyLaurie

• The Staten Island Ferry, which runs from lower Manhattan to Staten Island, is a great way to get on the water for a tour of the NY skyline including the Statue of Liberty, Ellis Island, Governor’s Island, the Brooklyn Bridge, downtown Manhattan and Wall Street’s skyscrapers. And it’s free!  In Manhattan, catch the ferry from Whitehall and Water Streets, at the water’s edge; nearest Subways are J or Z to Broad Street; 1 or 9 to South Ferry; 4 or 5 to Bowling Green

Andrew Hayes | Sharing Travel Experiences | @andrewghayes

• It seems cheesy, but in fact the best free thing to do in my book when visiting New York is to walk the Brooklyn Bridge.  The architecture is iconic, but walk it and see it from a new perspective.  It’s a busy walkway, and once you get to Brooklyn you will have access to the riverfront and area for bars, restaurants, and great Manhattan views.  Then just jump on the subway to catch a ride back home.  What’s not to like?

Kelly Goodman | Travellious | @kag2u

• Pack bandaids and put them in your day bag.  You’re going to end up walking more than you expected, and you’re definitely going to get blisters.  I don’t care what kind of shoes you have, it’s gonna happen.

Lanora Mueller | Writing Travel | @WritingTravel

• Head out to multi-ethnic Flushing, Queens, near La Guardia Airport, for delicious, affordable Asian food of all kinds. At the Chinese restaurant I visited, dim sum dumplings to die for (you can skip the chicken feet) were less than $2.00 per steamer holding three or four pieces. If I hadn’t been so eager to sample as many different flavors as possible, I could have walked out at lunchtime for less than $10.00. Patience with limited English-speaking servers required, plus the specials are only in Chinese, so you’ll have to ask for translation.

*If you go:  East Manor, 4645 Kissena Boulevard, Flushing (Queens), NY  (718) 888-8998

Barbara Weibel | Cultural Travel with Hole in the Donut | @holeinthedonut

• Most vacationers equate NYC with theater, shopping, museums, and visits to iconic tourist destinations, but few mention New York and beaches in the same breath. Yet in 2009 two new water taxi beaches opened at South Street Seaport and Governors Island, joining the original water taxi beach in Long Island City, Queens. South Street Beach offers the most spectacular views of the Brooklyn Bridge and East River, an 18,000 square foot indoor/outdoor beer garden and a nine-hole miniature golf course, making it one of the best places to take the family for a fun-filled day.

Governor’s Island Beach, reached via a free ferry, is the city’s premier waterfront spot for great music all summer long and has one of the best views of the skyline of lower Manhattan. All three have nice sand beaches, but swimming is not allowed. The beaches are open from Memorial Day through Labor Day, with South Street Seaport beach staying open weekends through December, where heaters keep visitors warm.

A big thank you to my colleagues for their participation! Have any fab NYC travel tips that you are just dying to share?  Leave them in the comments!

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And don’t forget to check out Cherrye’s Travel Tips today.

Travel Tip Tuesday : Changes to Paris’ Museum Pass

Chances are that if you have traveled to Paris, you have used, or at least have heard of the Paris Museum Pass. It’s generally an excellent value.  It entitles you to unlimited free entry  to a collection of over 60 major attractions, museums and monuments in Paris.  The best part – having the pass entitles you to skip the lines and move to the head of the class, so to speak!

The pass is available in two, four and six consecutive day options, making it a great fit for almost any traveling situation.

However, there are a few changes to the pass that you should be aware of:

• The old museum cards were sold with no use-by or expiration date, so they were valid for an unlimited amount of time.  New passes issued are only valid for one year from the date of purchase.  The use-by date will be listed on the card, so be aware.
• Cards sold prior to this new change will only be valid for use through the end of this month, June 30th, 2010.  If your card falls into this category, and you pre-purchased your card for an upcoming Paris trip that falls after this date – apparently your card will not be valid.  I would contact the source of your ticket purchase to explain your situation and either ask for a refund, or request that they convert your original pass to the current, updated version.
• Also be aware that museums often close for renovation, which will affect the current availability of museums included in the pass.  It’s best to check the current list before you decide on purchasing the pass as it may not be a good value for you.  The website does list the museums, monuments and attractions that are included in the pass, as well as any that are closed for renovation.

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What’s happening in Cherrye’s travel tip world today?

Travel Tip Tuesday : My Worst Travel Mistakes

Every traveler has their own collection of horror stories.  Some are worse than others, I’m sure.  Often horror stories involve things that just can’t be helped, avoided or prevented. Perhaps it’s why the phrase, “Go with the flow” came to be.  But often, mistakes can be prevented and lessons can be learned in the process of these debacles.  It’s one of the reasons I like to share my knowledge and experiences with other travelers and clients.  It’s not to make me look like a giant ass {which frankly doesn’t take much some days}, but to help others learn from the very mistakes that I have made while traveling.

So, at the risk of embarrassing the heck out of myself – I’ll share some of my worst travel mistakes, so that you can take heed and avoid them.  And please, no eyerolling, ‘I can’t believe she did thats’ or ‘I told you sos‘. I beg of you, have mercy.

1.  Overpacking. No big surprise here.  I am sure it has made everyone’s list at one time or another.  The difference is, some people keep making the mistake.  I only had to do this once, ok maybe twice, before I learned my lesson.   Now I travel with a carry-on.

2.  Lugging around huge guide books. There is nothing worse than weighing down your suitcase and daypack with tons of heavy guidebooks. That was so 1990.  With all of the technology available these days you can use your iPhone, Blackberry or laptop to keep your travel info.  And if you’re not a huge technology buff - keep your info in computer documents and print them out before you leave.

3.  Driving in an unfamiliar city.  I am a driver.  I love to drive.  Love the freedom of the open road and being able to go wherever I want, whenever I want. But I am smart enough to know that I wouldn’t advise driving in a large city like New York.  But, why oh why wouldn’t I take my own advise when I thought it might be easier somehow to drive in say, Rome, where I’m not even close to being fluent in the language.  MISTAKE.

4.  Following a chock-full itinerary. Oh yes – the fifteen-cities-in-two-weeks-because-I’ll-probably-never-come-back-here-ever-again-trips. Eating on the run because you have too much to see and no time to slow down and enjoy a meal.  Spending five minutes running through the Louvre to snap a photo of the Mona Lisa – just so you could prove you were there.  Sound familiar?  Well, I certainly wasn’t that bad.  But, I’ve done my fair share of running around and trying to fit too much in.  I’ve learned to slow down; I try to experience one or two areas completely and only plan one or two activities per day.  It just feels better.

5.  Not double and triple checking flight departure times. Isn’t it funny how the mind works?  You get a certain time stuck in your brain.  You are completely confident about said time, and you never, ever, second guess yourself.  Until a few minutes past the point of no return – when you know that it is way too late for you to have any possible impact on that wrong time.  I have made this unfortunate error and as I am recalling, it really wasn’t very funny at all.

6.  Assuming my travel companion ‘took care of it’. “Did you stop the mail?” “Uh, no, I thought you were going to stop it!” “Did you pack the sunscreen?” “No, that was on your list!”  If I had a dime for each one of these little incidents, I’d be a rich woman.  I’ve tried to get better by sticking to lists, which certainly helps, but the only thing that  works like a charm is travelling solo.  No one else to rely on but me.

7.  Always buying a travel pass. I used to snatch up every travel pass I could get my hands on, buying into the mentality that it must be a better value. After calculating the cost of the pass vs. what I would have actually spent outright for the portion I used, I realized that they are not always the best deal. Now I do my homework and decide whether it’s the best idea to buy one.

8.  Succumbing to peer pressure. How many times have you traveled to a place and felt like you just had to see this or had to experience that, just because everyone else was telling you to.  This museum, that attraction, bla bla bla.  I guess I really never considered that people all have different tastes, likes and dislikes. At some point I wised up and decided to listen to my inner voice and only do the things that interest me, regardless of what others say. And vice-versa.  Just because someone didn’t recommend an attraction, a restaurant or a museum, doesn’t mean I won’t try it.  After all it’s my trip and my dime.

What are some of the worst travel mistakes you have made?

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Hop on over to Cherrye‘s to check out her travel tips!

Travel Tip Tuesday : Europe is Cheap – Go Now!

The Euro to Dollar ratio has been steadily dropping, which is making European travel for those on this side of the pond more attractive every second. Yesterday, I ran across a BBC article, which stated that the Euro is at a four-year low compared to the dollar.  As of this writing, the Euro is $1.23, which certainly isn’t cheap, nor equal to the dollar – but it sure as hell beats what I paid last year in May, which was around $1.50.

So,  for those who have been wanting to travel to Europe – I say  GO.  GO NOW.   Don’t look back.  Don’t think too much about it.  Make plans, even last-minute ones, just to take advantage of this 25% savings over last year’s rates.

And if I may be so bold, I’d like to help you make it happen.  Let’s get down to business.

• Airfare

Now, undoubtedly, one of your biggest expenses will be airfare.  And while there isn’t much good news on the airfare front, my advice would be, if you are going to drop a giant chunk of change for airfare – find a cheaper place to stay in Europe and stay longer.  That $1000 RT ticket is a hefty price-tag for just a 4 or 5 day trip.  But if you stay for 10 days to 2 weeks, it becomes more valuable the longer you stay.

Also, limit your movement from place to place.  Pick one city and delve in head first.  Getting to three or four other places can add considerable expense to your trip.

** Read this post for tips on scoring airfare deals.

• Accommodation

The other big expense you will incur is room and board.  If you are a traveler that doesn’t mind hostels or couchsurfing, then you’ll have no trouble finding a good deal on a room.  But for those of you who don’t like sharing a room with others or strangers, you’ll likely have to look further for cheap sleeps.

Finding a good deal doesn’t mean you need to sacrifice things like cleanliness or comfort.  You may need to be a bit further away from the city center (but that often provides other benefits, like off-the-beaten-path discoveries, cheaper food and perhaps a bit of peace and quiet) or not have 800-thread-count sheets, but there are nice places out there for reasonable rates.

Look to monasteries, budget hotels (1 and 2 star), bed and breakfasts – even apartments for larger groups.  Often you can find some hotels which include wi-fi (if you need that) and breakfast, thought I would forgo paying for the hotel’s breakfast in favor of a local cafe.

** Here are some helpful resources for finding inexpensive places to stay in general, in Paris, Rome and throughout Italy.

• Food

Eating will likely be another big expense, especially if your first thought is to eat sit down meals at gourmet restaurants every day. That isn’t my idea of Europe on the cheap.  Pinching pennies along the way will certainly leave room in the budget for at least one fab gourmet experience though.

** Check out my suggestions on how to save money on food in Cheap Eats.

• Sightseeing

Some of the most wonderful sights to see in Europe are free.  There are free churches, museums and sometimes just wandering the streets taking photos can be great fun.  There are also ways to get discounts on tickets, free museum days and on-line coupons that can bring down sightseeing costs.

** Check out these free or cheap things to do in Paris, Florence, and Rome.

Here are a few other posts that give helpful tips on budget travel.

• The Falling Dollar
• Europe – You Can’t Afford Not To Go.

When all else fails, and after scouring my site and others, if you still feel you want or need some help or specifics on getting to Europe on the cheap, I can still help.  Often having the help of someone in the know can be of great value, as well as a time and expense saver. I am available for consultations and often just getting a little advice can pay off in the end and also give you peace of mind.

What is your best tip for travel on the cheap?

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Let’s see what Cherrye is talking about for Travel Tip Tuesday today.

Note:  Just wanted to give my readers a heads-up. For the next few months Travel Tip Tuesday will be published every other week so that we can all enjoy our summer vacation!

Travel Tip Tuesday : iPhone Apps for Rome

With the recent unleashing of Apple’s iPad tablet, and the public’s accidental discovery of their new iPhone 4 model (left at a bar by an Apple engineer), it seems that Apple’s unique technology has been gaining immense popularity.

For those who already own an iPhone, (or an iPad), there are many applications (apps) you can download to enhance your travels. There are even locale-specific applications available for use. Let’s say you are planning a trip to Rome—there are quite a few apps that are specific to making your travels in Rome even more exciting. Here are a few:

• Rick Steves Ancient Rome Tour

This app  just seems so cool! If you are not familiar with Rick Steves, he is known for his travel guidebooks, mainly on European cities and countries. With this app, you can have Steves as your own multimedia (merges text, audio, and video) tour guide through ancient Rome. It provides you with a map showing tour sites, which allows you to tap on the sites and find out detailed information about their history (especially the Colosseum and the Forum). This app also allows you to find out more information about hotels and restaurants, and allows you to zoom in for closer looks at the locations. It costs $2.99 for this ancient Rome tour—a bargain when you compare it to other more expensive tours available in Rome. It is actually on sale right now!

• Leonardo Da Vinci Airport Guide

If you fly into Rome, you will most likely arrive at the Leonardo Da Vinci airport; and if you are familiar with how confusing airports can be, especially in countries where you don’t speak the native language, it can become tricky to get through it all efficiently. Luckily, for Rome-goers, there is an iPhone app guide to the Da Vinci airport. With this gem, you can access transportation information, airline numbers and terminal information (complete with maps), and airport pictures. You even get a Rome Metro map! On top of all of this, this app. only costs $1.99 and there is no internet connection required.

• Free Rome

Although the Free Rome app itself is not free, it helps you save money by providing information about free things you can do in Rome. It has over 80 listings of free activities, including entries about free Roman museums, monuments, and festivals. The information is updated periodically and continually adds new entries for your travels. Since the price is $0.99, you can get a wealth of information for less than a dollar.

• ItalyGuides Vatican Museum Tour

Often, when I explore large museums, I tend to get lost—not in the exhibits and ideas of history and art—but actually physically lost. A museum tour app then, is certainly useful, especially for a place like the Vatican. It features interactive maps, a navigation menu, suggested routes, a photo gallery, audio, soundtrack; all of these make the Vatican Museum experience easy and gratifying. The full version of this app costs $4.99, but there is also a “Lite” version available for free. The free guide still gives you the maps and navigation menu, but does not provide interactive media, and only gives information on a few of the rooms. I’d say both apps are pretty desirable.

• DK Top 10 Rome

This app is an exact replica of the DK Eyewitness Top 10 guidebook for Rome. It presents maps that cover central Rome and the historic centre, bus routes, and areas of interest. With this app you also get a currency converter, insider knowledge about Rome’s ancient sites, historical buildings/locations, Roman artists, great places for children, hotels, shopping, and restaurants. If you don’t like the idea of carrying around a guidebook every day, then this app is perfect for you! Cost $7.99.

When travelling, everyone tries to keep themselves on some kind of budget. Even if we tend to get caught up in the moment and spend extravagantly while on vacation, we can still get in touch with our technological sides and take advantage of these extremely affordable and fascinating apps.

What are your favorite iPhone apps for Rome?  Share in the comments.

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Now roam over to My Bella Vita for some more travel tips!

Written by Stephanie

Travel Tip Tuesday – Five Fees to Avoid on Your Next Vacation

One of the most obvious ways to get ripped off on vacation is to have your money or wallet stolen or pickpocketed.  But there are other, less obvious, ways that you can lose money during your travels. Here are five types of fees that can drain your cash quickly and painfully. Be aware, so you can avoid them on your next trip.

1.  Airline fees.  Any regular reader of this blog knows by now how I feel about airline fees.  One of the quickest ways to get ripped off is by not paying attention to additional fees both during and after booking. Beware hidden charges such as:

• seat assignments
• blankets
• meals, beverages and snacks
• booking over the phone
• checked luggage
• redeeming frequent flyer miles
• overweight luggage

Make sure you double and triple check the total ticket cost and know the prices of extras you will be charged for, before hitting that “Buy Now” button.

2.  Wi-fi fees. This one is also a huge pet peeve of mine.  If I can find a hostel or hotel in Europe that includes free wi-fi, there should be no excuse for any hotel charging between $12 – $15 a day to use the Internet.  On a ten-day trip – that’s a waste of up to $150!  My advice? Don’t pay for wi-fi under any circumstances and always ask specific questions to determine if the Internet connection is free.  Keep in mine that some places even charge to use the wi-fi on computers in their common areas.

3.  Hidden Hotel Charges. An extra towel for the shower, use of the room safe, bottled water, the newspaper and even holding luggage can add charges to your hotel bill.  Read the fine print, ask about charges before you use any service, review all charges on your bill during check-out and fight any charge that wasn’t clearly posted.  Use your credit card to pay and dispute any charges the hotel refuses to refund directly through the credit card company.

4.  Exchange and foreign transaction fees. Exchanging money at the airport will kill your budget.  Changing money at an overseas bank or an exchange bureau isn’t any better.  It’s just like handing over shovels-full of cash.  Even using the wrong credit card for ATM withdrawals and purchases will result in unnecessary fees that will add up.  Make sure you do your homework.  Research and use participating banks and the credit cards with the lowest transaction fees.  Check with local credit unions, which can have excellent rates!

5.  Car Rental Insurance. If you have ever rented a car, you have been asked to purchase a Collision Damage Waiver. Well, perhaps asked is too nice a word.  More like strong-armed.  Those agents put the fear of God in you and you’re convinced if you don’t sign on the dotted-line, that your life will be over if you have an accident.  You’ll end up paying the price of a Mercedes to cover the Yugo you cracked up.  Well, truth be told – you may be paying for something you don’t really need.  Check with your credit card company before booking to see if you’re covered.  If so, use that credit card to rent the car and skip the extra insurance.

What hidden charges or fees have you encountered and what advice do you have for avoiding them?

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Let’s see what travel tips Cherrye has for us today!

Travel Tip Tuesday : 5 Airlines Won’t Charge For Carry-on Bag

A few weeks ago, Spirit Airlines announced that it would now be charging a new fee, up to $45, for travelers with carry-on luggage that doesn’t fit under the airplane seats.

And though I thought it was an outrage, I personally didn’t concern myself with it because honestly, I have never flown Spirit Airlines, and after their ridiculous announcement, I never will.

However, I did have a nagging thought in the back of my mind.  I know full well that once one airline comes up with a new, sneaky  way to nickle and dime passengers, it’s just a matter of time for the other airlines to jump on board.

So, the question on my mind was, “Who’s next?”

Well, I can’t answer who is next, but instead, and perhaps more importantly, I can answer who isn’t.

Yesterday it was reported that my Senator, Charles Schumer, was able to garner commitments from several domestic airlines that they will not be charging passengers a fee for carry-on bags.

Those airlines are Delta, Jet Blue, American, United and US Airways.

Not only do I love Senator Schumer, but I love that he has been able to go to bat for folks who prefer to travel light!

So, next time you are thinking of traveling light – I hope you’ll consider using one of the above airlines and avoid the silliness of a fee for carry-on bags.

Now it’s your turn to weigh in!

What do you think of the notion of a carry-on bag fee?  Will you avoid using an airline that charges that fee?

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For your double dose of Travel Tip Tuesday, pop over to Cherrye’s.