Ski on fresh powder out West at major Colorado ski resorts like Breckenridge and Keystone, where individual condos through ResortQuest by Wyndham Vacation Rentals start from just $119 per night. Most of Fairmont Hotels‘ 4-star properties throughout Canada offer rooms for 20 percent off this season, including the Jasper Park Lodge in Alberta, which sits at the foothills of the Canadian Rockies. Not only can you ski at the nearby Marmot Basin, you can also enjoy ice skating, tobogganing, snowshoeing, and dog sledding.

Northeasterns can take a quick jaunt up to Vermont, with arguably the best skiing on the East Coast, and stay near major resorts for less, like the NorthStar Lodge in Killington from $129 per night, the Inn at Stratton Mountain from $79 per night, or the Green Mountain Inn in Stowe from $159 per night (valid February 3-7).

Not interested in hitting the slopes? Take a city getaway instead, like to the 4-star Sheraton Chicago Hotel and Towers, which is only three blocks from the Windy City‘s famous Michigan Avenue, for $102 per night when you stay three nights or longer. Stay over Presidents Days Weekend for $139 per night on Friday, Saturday, and Monday, and for just $79 on Sunday. Or head to our nation’s capital, where you can explore dozens of free, indoor museums perfect for the chilly D.C. winters, and stay at the State Plaza Hotel downtown from $109 per night.

Finally, if you’re looking to go even farther away this winter, take advantage of low flights to Europe, with round-trip rates starting from a mere $740 to Barcelona (from $760 to Rome, and from $803 to Paris). Your passport – and your wallet – will thank you.

Stay at this rate on select dates in November and December in a Double Room with a double bed, a flat-screen satellite TV, a mini-bar stocked with complimentary beverages and refreshments, and soundproofed walls.

The hotel’s central location in the lively Via Nazionale neighborhood makes it an ideal launching pad for visiting the many famous sites that Rome has to offer. The iconic Colosseum, the ancient ruins of the Roman Forum, the Termini Train Station, and many other popular attractions are within a ten minute walk from the hotel lobby.

While the hotel’s facade blends right in to the nearby historic architecture, inside you’ll find a slew of modern amenities that many hotels in Italy lack. Enjoy complimentary access to a fitness center and sauna, an onsite coffee bar and restaurant, and a spacious roof terrace bar with sweeping views of the nearby Vatican. The hotel staff will also provide you with welcome beverages upon arrival.

To book this offer, visit the Artemide Hotel’s website for online reservations and inquiries.

See our Rome destination guide for more trip-planning information, then use our Travel Search price comparison tool to find the lowest rates on flights.

I have cruised around Europe extensively and have sailed on both Wind Star and Wind Surf. If, like me, you prefer smaller ships to the behemoths, you’ll enjoy the intimate ambiance, wonderful service, superb cuisine, and easy camaraderie that these ships offer. Here are few of my recommendations for itineraries among those on sale until July 6:

7-day Istanbul to Athens (or vice versa): Both Wind Star and Wind Spirit are sailing seven-night itineraries through late October that let you experience two great cities, fascinating Istanbul at the crossroads of Europe and Asia and historic Athens with its must-see Acropolis and museums, plus fun-in-the-sun islands such as Mykonos, Santorini, and Rhodes as well as the Turkish beach town of Bodrum and the legendary ancient ruins at Ephesus.

6-day Rome to Barcelona: The line’s largest ship, Wind Surf, sets sail from Rome on October 29 (fall is a great time to enjoy a few pre-cruise days in the Eternal City) on a glamorous itinerary that calls on five ports on the Italian and French Riviera (Portoferraio, Portovenere, Monte Carlo, Cannes, and St. Tropez) before ending in fascinating Barcelona.

7-day Rome to Rome: If exploring out-of-the-way Mediterranean islands is your thing, this October 6 itinerary on Wind Surf is ideal. It begins and ends in Rome and visits magical Capri (and nearby Sorrento on the stunning Amalfi Coast), Lipari (one of the Aeolian islands off of Sicily), Elba (where Napoleon was exiled), and Corsica (a mountainous French island).

7-day Oslo to Le Havre (and vice versa): Priced at $1,476, this pair of seven-night voyages on Wind Surf (July 20 and August 26) visits five countries and the less-traditional cruise ports of Oslo; Amsterdam; Antwerp, Belgium; Dover, England; and Le Havre, France – a great itinerary for beer and art lovers.

All three ships have just undergone stateroom renovations and now feature updated contemporary decor in sophisticated neutrals (shown at right). Wind Star’s public spaces have also been refurbished, while Wind Surf and Wind Spirit’s public spaces are due for their renovation in November.

Peruse our Cruise hub for the latest news and advice, then check out our cruise deals to book your next voyage.

Until recently, most people had forgotten there was an air raid shelter underneath the Hotel Metropole in Hanoi, Vietnam. When staff discovered it during some routine work on the pool area, however, the hotel decided to excavate the bunker and restore it to its original state. Now, hotel guests can participate in nightly tours that highlight the shelter’s famous past residents – including Joan Baez, who recorded “Where Are You Now My Son” there in 1972 – and Hotel Metropole’s role during the Vietnam War.

An in-house historian leads groups through the Renaissance Vinoy Resort & Golf Club in St. Petersburg, Florida, each Wednesday through Saturday to reveal such nuggets as the unlikely origins of the hotel and President Calvin Coolidge’s preference to dine with the hotel staff during his visits. The tour costs $5 for guests, $10 for non-guests; alternatively, book the tour and a three-course lunch at Marchand’s Bar & Grill for $25.

New York City’s storied Waldorf-Astoria gives a Landmark Tour every Thursday and Saturday, with emphasis on the hotel’s Art Deco architecture, historical significance, and culinary prowess. The tour costs $50 and includes lunch at either Peacock Alley or Oscar’s Restaurant; call 212-872-1275 to book.

Discover Florida wildlife at Grande Lakes Orlando (home to a Ritz-Carlton and a JW Marriott) with guided bird watching on the resort’s 300 acres of grounds or a guided nature hike on a 2.5-mile trail through the golf club and protected state lands. Both tours include snacks and non-alcoholic drinks, while the bird watching excursion also includes a loaner pair of high-power binoculars. Prices range from $20 to $50 per person depending on duration.

Bird watching is also on the docket at the JW Marriott Desert Springs Resort & Spa near Palm Springs, California, where visitors can uncover the area’s avian diversity on free daily tours. Lucky participants can also feed the resort’s resident flamingos.

From natural beauty to that of the manmade variety, Maui’s Grand Wailea guides guests through the hotel’s extensive international art collection each Tuesday and Friday. The free tours also highlight the resort’s Artists in Residence program, which brings in local sculptors, painters, and photographers to showcase their works.

The private art collection of the Rome Cavalieri encompasses 1,000 works spanning six centuries, from 16th-century Old Masters to Andy Warhol, as well as Beauvais tapestries and rare antiques. You could learn about what’s hanging on the walls through a free downloadable audio tour, but we recommend asking the hotel to arrange a private visit accompanied by a local art historian.

Permanently docked as a hotel in Long Beach, California in 1972, the Queen Mary offers a variety of tour options showcasing the ship’s history and haunted legends. Standouts include a descent into a Cold War-era Russian submarine (visit on weekends when United States Submarine Service Veterans are on board as docents) and after dark ghost hunting with a psychic.

You may recognize the Stanley Hotel in Estes Park, Colorado from The Shining, and you can take a tour to learn all about the property’s own ghost stories. Or, take a spin through Estes Park on one of the hotel’s antique fire engines. Prices vary depending on the tour; call 970-577-4111 for information and reservations.

Start planning now for the popular ghost tours that take place at the Hotel Galvez in Galveston, Texas on Wednesdays and Thursdays each October. Participants will use an electromagnetic field detector and infrared thermometer to hunt for otherworldly spirits, then sit down to a three-course dinner at Bernardo’s Restaurant. Tour and dinner costs $35; overnight packages are also available.

Use our Travel Search price comparison tool to find the lowest rates and travel deals on flights, hotels, vacation packages, and more.

Money belts have been around for decades, and travelers have relied on them to thwart pickpockets all around the world. Are these people – and in Quito, I was one of them – being smart or paranoid?  Petty crime happens almost everywhere. Certain cities, such as Rome, Paris, and Buenos Aires, have developed reputations for being rife with pickpockets. These thieves prey on tourists, especially those who announce to the world that they’re visitors by carrying large bags, donning souvenir shirts, and taking pictures of famous landmarks. Stop paying attention for just a moment and you could find that your wallet is no longer in your pocket.

Of course, money belts aren’t the only solution. Common sense goes a long way toward keeping your belongings from becoming someone else’s booty. I typically leave the majority of my wallet’s contents at home when I travel. I bring along my ATM card, one credit card, and some cash. I always carry a smaller travel wallet with me so that it’s less conspicuous. I don’t want to flash my belly to everyone at the market in order to access my cash, so I keep it in my front pocket and stash a little extra money back at the hotel.

For some travelers, however, peace of mind comes only from the knowledge that their money is closer to their bodies than two teenagers are allowed to be to each other at a school dance. So many people share this mindset that the choices of money belts now range from the basic, matronly model that I sported in South America to luxurious leather accessories that are so expensive, you’ll have little cash leftover to store inside of them. There are even bras and boxer shorts that conceal your belongings, if you want to combine your money belt with your undergarments.

Regardless of their style, these money belts are all built with the same purpose in mind: keeping someone else’s grubby mitts off of your cash. However, in these crazy technological times, pickpockets often take a backseat to savvier identity thieves. The evolution of criminals has created a need for more secure money belts – at least in the minds of people who swear by money belts.

That brings us to the latest advancement in wearable security: money belts that prevent thieves from scanning your credits cards and passports. There are no specially-lined money belts that prevent your documents from being accessed by criminals. They’re like foil hats for your identification.

Ultimately, is all of this security necessary? I know people who have had been pickpocketed, mugged, and violently separated from their purses. It’s unfortunate and traumatizing. Knock on wood, it’s never happened to me.

It’s impossible to say whether my money belt actually thwarted any would-be thieves. It’s possible that I was never even targeted. What is undeniable, however, is that nylon pressed against flesh creates sweat. I’ll take my chances with my pockets if it means keeping myself dry and comfortable.

What are your thoughts on money belts? How do you keep your cash and belongings secure when you travel? Share your stories in the comments.

Use our Travel Search price comparison tool to find the lowest rates on flights, hotels, packages and more travel deals.

My weak “Twilight Zone” joke aside, The World’s Best Street Food really is one part guidebook, one part cookbook. The book identifies the planet’s top one hundred can’t-miss street treats, revealing their origins and the best places to find them. For the home cook itching to replicate these delicacies, recipes are helpfully tagged as easy, medium, or complex. And, of course, having the ingredients handy will help parents determine if these foods will be potentially problematic for their families, whether they’re trying them in the destination or at home.

While traveling snackers will no doubt find this guide handy, parents who may love street food themselves nonetheless may be reluctant to try out curious and exotic treats on their kids. So how best to minimize the risk to your kin’s digestive health? There are a few precautions you can take, says Robert Reid, Lonely Planet’s U.S. editor.

As a cautionary tale, Reid notes that while living in Vietnam he got food poisoning, “not from the street stands serving vermicelli noodles and grilled pork, or beef noodle soup, or banh mi sandwiches. But from a posh, air-conditioned Thai restaurant. It was excellent food, but no one was [eating] there. I probably got something that had been left out – a sauce, a dish, I don’t know.”

Among the lessons he took from this episode was that “busy street stands are actually more transparent than restaurants” and that you’ll likely have better luck with your street food if you “look for popular places where they’re freshly preparing the food. Not serving long-ago grilled barbecue on a stick. Street carts have to be fresh, as they won’t have refrigerators, so in many places you’re more likely to get fresh food.”

Once you start getting a feel for which carts, markets, and bazaars have the freshest food, what are some easy picks for young palates? Among Reid’s favorites are “burritos and tacos. Not just in Mexico, but San Francisco too, where they are a must. The Mission district there developed its own walk-away burrito – stuffed with rice and beans and now internationally known as the ‘Mission burrito.’ You can get them from simple taquerias, or ‘taco trucks’ across the Bay Area.”

Another treat that’s worth having your family experience beyond the confines of  a convenience store or theme park is that deep-fried tube of deliciousness known as a Spanish doughnut or churro. “They’re fun to snack on [on] their own, but better if you get a hot chocolate to dunk them into,” says Reid, adding that “Madrid’s Chocolateria San Ginés is a legendary churro spot.”

Reid also recommends sampling different pizzas, not only in Rome, but by way of the guide’s Roman recipe, which he says is among several that will please young and fussy eaters.

Once you’ve found street vendors that you’re comfortable trying, the easy part is showing your kids that its okay to have a culinary sense of adventure, Reid suggests. “Kids might be more reluctant to try some of the weirder street foods out there, depending on their palate,” he says, adding that one way to shake things up on a vacation is to “skip your hotel’s free breakfast, go to a market, and line up to get a breakfast bowl of noodles (like laksa in Malaysia, pho in Vietnam, or mohingya in Burma), served fresh and hot and slurped up as noisily as you can.”

“Street food isn’t just good food,” says Reid, “but fun food.”

How to Win a Copy of  The Book

Lonely Planet is graciously donating two copies of The World’s Best Street Food to the ShermansTravel Blog. For your chance to win a copy, submit a comment to this post by noon on Monday, March 19, letting me know what’s the best street food you’ve ever experienced, as well as where you ate it.

By submitting your comment:

– You will be eligible to win a copy of the book. I will choose two winners at random next week.

– You give me the honor of possibly quoting your comment (with attribution) for a potential street food sequel post  (should you all send me enough material).

So show your love for street food! Shut your eyes, think about that glorious moment when a morsel of street food made you weep joyfully, and leave me your comment. Remember to indicate where you ate said street food, specifying the destination as well as the vendor location as specifically as possible.

Thanks, all.

Paul

___

Start planning your next getaway with our Family Travel Deals.

IN THE U.S. & CANADA
The Grand Del Mar: Unplug and relax with the “Disconnect Package” at the luxurious The Grand Del Mar near San Diego (shown above at left) and you’ll get one night’s accommodations (with the room TV unplugged and upgrade upon booking if available), berry-infused champagne cocktail upon arrival, choice of a 60-minute couples massage, or a 2-hour horseback ride for two, breakfast in bed for two, and late checkout, from $795/night.

L’Auberge de Sedona: If sightseeing and skiing in Arizona’s red-rock country appeals, romantic L’Auberge de Sedona is offering a “Snowmance” package that includes overnight accommodations, two lift tickets to the Flagstaff Snowbowl (one hour’s drive away), and a $75 food-and-beverage or spa credit, from $265/night with a minimum 2-night stay.

The Fairmont Sonoma Mission Inn & Spa: With the “Romance in Wine Country” package at California’s The Fairmont Sonoma Mission Inn & Spa, you’ll receive one night’s accommodations, two 60-minute spa treatments, a sparkling wine and chocolate-covered strawberry amenity, rose petal turndown, and a sparkling wine tasting pass at Gloria Ferrer Winery, from $429/night. Plus, Santé, the Inn’s Michelin-star restaurant, is offering a Valentine’s Day Tasting Menu (February 10–19) for $125/person.

Forty 1° North: Valid February 10–15, 2012, the “Do Not Disturb” package at the contemporary, LEED-certified Forty 1° North in Newport, Rhode Island (shown at right), includes a welcome of Hibiscus Flower Champagne, a Jellybath soak in your room’s deep-soaking tub, a half bottle of Veuve Clicquot and raw oysters, a customized romantic playlist, complimentary chocolates, a Malin + Goetz Essentials amenity, and late checkout, from $250/night.

La Valencia Hotel: Book the “Romance by the Sea” package at La Valencia Hotel in picturesque La Jolla, California, and you’ll get a partial ocean-view room, a champagne and chocolate welcome amenity, a three-course dinner for two in the hotel’s Mediterranean Room or the Whaling Bar & Grill, and a double kayak tour through the seven caves of picturesque La Jolla Cove, from $460/night.

The Fairmont Queen Elizabeth: Healthy hearts are the theme in romantic Montreal, with The Fairmont Queen Elizabeth’s “Bare Your Heart” package, which features one night’s accommodations, En Couer Kir strawberry-liqueur cocktails for two, and a heart-healthy breakfast in bed – plus, with each package booked, the hotel will donate $10 to help children with heart disease, from $218/night.

OPUS Vancouver: With the “Exclusively Yours” package at the urbane OPUS Vancouver, you’ll receive a Valentine’s Night (or weekend night, subject to availability) stay, and a Personal Cupid to customize the romantic ambience with a half-dozen roses or orchids, a half-bottle of Veuve Clicquot, a framed photo of your choice, plus sparkling wine upon arrival and breakfast in bed, from $295/night.

White Barn Inn & Spa: New England-style luxury is on offer at the White Barn Inn & Spa in Kennebunkport, Maine, where the “Romance Package” includes one night’s accommodation, a champagne and chocolate-covered strawberries welcome amenity, country-style continental breakfast, afternoon tea, and a special romantic dinner for two, from $600/night or $1,130 for two nights.

Island Hotel Newport Beach: If you plan to get away the weekend before or after Valentine’s Day (February 10–11 or February 17–18), check out the “Bubbly & Extra Sweet” package at the Island Hotel Newport Beach in California, which includes one night’s accommodation, a bottle of Veuve Clicquot champagne, a visit to the Cocoa Lounge dessert buffet (closed Sundays), and complimentary valet parking, from $265/night.

W Fort Lauderdale: Book the one-night “Crazy Love, with W Style” package at the W Fort Lauderdale in Florida and indulge in a flirty his-and-hers makeover (involving a series of head-to-toe treatments) at the Bliss Spa, a style consultation with a W Store stylist, a $50 resort credit to be used at the on-site restaurants and bars (shown at left), and a DVD of Crazy, Stupid, Love (which inspired this package), from $899/night though February 29, 2012.

Smyth TriBeCa: With the “Tryst in TriBeCa” package from the Smyth TriBeCa, a downtown boutique hotel in New York City, you’ll get a one-night stay, chilled in-room champagne upon arrival, a Kiki de Montparnasse Intimacy Kit, and an aphrodisiac-inspired, six-course chef’s tasting dinner at Plein Sud, from $389/night, valid February 10–12 and February 17–19, 2012.

JW Marriott Chicago: Book the “Disconnect to Reconnect” package at the JW Marriott Chicago to truly unplug by leaving your cell phones at the front desk (which will even hold the TV remotes from your room), before enjoying a 2-hour Couples Connection experience at the VALEO spa (with wine or champagne), followed by in-room multi-course Dessert Bites tasting with champagne, and late check-out, from $534/night (from February 10–20).

Portola Hotel & Spa: With the “Romance by the Bay” package at Portola Hotel & Spa in Monterey, California, you’ll enjoy a one-night stay, chocolate-covered strawberries, homemade chocolate-chip cookies, dinner for two at Jack’s restaurant with two glasses of sparkling wine, and complimentary on-site parking, from $334/night.

Williamsburg Lodge: The 3-day/2-night “Chocolate Lovers” package at the Williamsburg Lodge in Virginia is available February 10–12 and February 17–19 and includes nightly accommodations, daily breakfast, admission to the Colonial Williamsburg Historic Area, admission to the Art Museums of Colonial Williamsburg, reservations for the $45/person Chocolate, Coffee and Cognac event, and 25 percent savings on select activities, from $336 for two nights.

IN THE CARIBBEAN & MEXICO
Hacienda San Angel: With the “Sweetheart Serenade” package at romantic Hacienda San Angel in Puerto Vallarta, Mexico (shown at left), throughout February you’ll get three nights in a junior suite (with upgrade upon availability), a private terrace dinner for two, a private mariachi serenade, in-suite massages for two, and daily breakfast, from $1,620.

Bimini Bay Resort & Marina: Book the “Romance on Us” package at Bimini Bay Resort & Marina, an easy-access Bahamas island getaway (there are daily flights from Fort Lauderdale) and you’ll save 25 percent and get a complimentary bottle of wine upon arrival, daily breakfast for two, and a private, three-course chef’s dinner on the beach, from $307/night with a minimum 3-night stay.

CuisinArt Golf Resort & Spa: Inspired by the 2010 season of The Bachelor (which filmed here), CuisinArt Golf Resort & Spa on Anguilla is offering “The Bachelor’s Journey” package, which includes five nights’ accommodations in a beachfront suite, VIP airport transfer from St. Maarten, welcome drink upon arrival, welcome in-suite champagne and roses, daily breakfast, four dinner experiences (from beach casual to gourmet), a Couples Rendezvous spa escape, and a one-day car rental, from $5,505.

Marriott Frenchman’s Reef Beach Resort: Book the “Ultimate St. Thomas Romance” package at the Marriott Frenchman’s Reef Beach Resort on St. Thomas in the U.S. Virgin Islands (which requires a 5-night minimum stay) and get a 50-minute couples massages, a dinner on the beach, and turndown with champagne and strawberries, from $249/night.

St. Kitts Marriott Resort: Golf-loving couples can book the “Escape His ‘N Her” package at the St. Kitts Marriott Resort, which just completed a $3 million soft goods renovation, and get accommodations, a bottle of wine upon arrival, daily breakfast buffet, two spa treatments, two rounds of golf, and room tax and gratuities for the maid and bellman, from $442/night with a 3-night minimum stay.

IN HAWAII & THE SOUTH PACIFIC
Tahiti, Moorea and Bora Bora: If you like your romance far-flung, consider several packages (all including round-trip airfare from Los Angeles on Air Tahiti Nui) being offered by Tahiti Tourisme, such as the 5-night “Tahiti & Moorea” package that includes one night at the InterContinental Tahiti Resort (shown at right) and four nights at the InterContinental Moorea Resort & Spa, breakfast daily, lei greeting, round-trip ferry from Tahiti to Moorea, and all transfers, from $1,899/person; or the 7-night “Bora Bora & Moorea” package, which includes one night in the InterContinental Tahiti Resort, three nights at the InterContinental Moorea Resort and Spa, three nights at the InterContinental Bora Bora Le Moana Resort, daily buffet breakfast, round-trip inter-island transfers, flower lei greeting, and all transfers, from $3,499/person.

Ka’anapali Beach Hotel: If Hawaii is on your wish list, check out the 5-night  “Island Romance” package at the Ka’anapali Beach Hotel on Maui, which includes five nights’ accommodations, a 25-minute massage or facial for two, daily buffet breakfast, daily car rental, and dinner or Sunday brunch at the Tiki Terrace, from $2,039.

Namale Resort & Spa: Through February 28, 2012, you’ll stay seven nights for the price of five at the luxurious Namale Resort & Spa in Fiji with the “Fiji Romance Package,” which includes seven nights’ accommodations, daily breakfasts plus daily three-course lunches and five-course dinners, all beverages, daily laundry service, round-trip transfers from Savusavu airport, and complimentary water and land activities, from $4,875 for seven nights.

IN EUROPE
The Dylan Amsterdam: Wine lovers should consider the “Valentine’s Day High Wine Package” at boutique property The Dylan Amsterdam, which from February 13–19 includes an overnight stay in an exclusively designed room, full buffet restaurant in restaurant Vinkeles, and an extended six-course Valentine’s Day High Wine food and wine pairing (shown at left), from $585/night.

Hotel Mediterraneo: Book the “Valentine’s Day Package” at Art Deco-style Hotel Mediterraneo in Rome and get two nights’ accommodations, sparkling wine and a red rose upon arrival, early check-in and late checkout (based on availability), daily breakfast for two, and a romantic dinner for two, from $390 for two nights. 

Villa Magna: Splurge on the “Be My SUITEheart” package (available February 10–19) at the luxurious Villa Magna in Madrid and you’ll receive accommodations in a suite, welcome champagne and assorted treats, Valentine’s cocktails at the Magnum Bar, a three-course wine-paired dinner for two at Restaurante Villa Magna, romantic Valentine’s Day room service breakfast, one-hour private chauffeured tour of Madrid in a classic Morgan car, a 60-minute couples massage, Blaise Mautin skincare products, and 4pm late checkout, from $1,300/night with a 2-night minimum stay.

See our Sonoma guide, San Diego guide, Orange County guide, California guide, Chicago guide, Rhode Island guide, Fort Lauderdale guide, Sedona guide, Maine guide, New York City guide, Vancouver guide, Montreal guide, Maui guide, French Polynesia guide, St. Kitts guide, Anguilla guide, Bahamas guide, St. Thomas guide, Puerto Vallarta guide, Rome guide, Madrid guide, and Amsterdam guide for more trip-planning information, then use our Travel Search price comparison tool to find the lowest rate on flights, hotels, packages, and more travel deals.

Classical history refresher: Back in those halcyon pre-gay days, Hadrian, arguably Rome’s most beloved emperor, was openly involved with a Greek boy named Antinous. While traveling through Egypt, Antinous drowned in the Nile River. Hadrian wept, and like all great men of worth and power (cough, Taj Mahal, cough), in his sorrow went on to deify his lover. Coins were minted with his image. Cities were named after him. And in his capital city, some of the grandest remaining monuments – Pantheon, Castel Sant’Angelo – and fantastic pieces of art were commissioned to the memory of his lover with “the perfect male form.” The End? Not quite.

“We consider Hadrian and Antinous’ relationship to be a fascinating piece of history and want to offer our clients a way to see the historical foundations of the Eternal City while feeling embraced by gay culture,” says LeAnne J. Smith, the Creative Director of Rome Walks. “Many of our guides themselves are gay and love the topic.”

Taking it slowly over 3 hours, the English-speaking and often PhD-holding guides will take a closer look at two of Rome’s most visited sites, the Pantheon and Castel Sant’Angelo (aka Mausoleum of Hadrian), uncovering the many clues of the Emperor’s dedication to the memory his lover. In addition, time will be spent in the aristocratic residence-turned-national museum, the Palazzo Altemps, where statuary of the male form was said to be based on Antinous for over five centuries, and will continue through the cobbled streets of the historical center, ending on Pincian Hill overlooking the city skyline where an obelisk (what else?) was erected to the youth. Expect plenty of storytelling and photo ops along the way.

Tours start at the Ponte Sant’Angelo and run on request from 8:30am to 5:30pm, every day except Monday. Costs are $291 (€225) for a private group up to four people; additional $32 (€25) per person over that. Visit www.romewalks.com or contact info@romewalks.com to book. For general trip-planning info, check out our Rome Travel Guide.

But never fear, there are a few practical steps that budget travelers can take to lower their costs. Here are four things you can do now to find a hotel deal even in Europe’s priciest cities:

1. Lose a star (or two)

Do you really need a trouser press, in-room safe, view of the town’s square, and air-conditioning (especially if you’re traveling outside of summer)? If you can do without additional amenities, your budget will thank you. Instead of booking a three-star property, go for a simpler bed-and-breakfast, family-run pension, or even a private room in a hostel. And if you’re willing to share a bathroom, rates will be even cheaper.

In Rome, for example, the Suore di S. Elisabetta, a convent-turned-pension, offers rooms for €60-80 a night. There’s no air-conditioning, but rooms are clean and the breakfast is included. A comparable sleep at a three- or four-star hotel nearby will cost you more than double that amount.

If you’re seeking hotels in London, a private room with two twin beds at the YHA St. Pancras near the busy and recently-renovated St. Pancras train station costs as low as €45 a night. Rooms here are cheap, cheerful, and within walking distance of major London sights.

2. Consider seasonality

Going to Brussels or looking for a hotel in Geneva? Stay on a weekend when the bankers and Eurocrats aren’t in town, filling up all the hotels.

In mountainous winter wonderlands like Austria and Switzerland, checking-in during ski season will obviously set you back much more than if you travel during spring or early autumn.

Consider academic vacation schedules, as well. Did you know that two-thirds of European school children have a vacation in the last week of October or first week of November? They fill up hotels, too!

3. Try out a new neighborhood

Consider hotels near a train station or explore a less touristy quarter outside the city center for a cheaper night’s stay. Hopping over an old medieval wall or crossing a river to get to your hotel will often help you find a lower rate.

In Brussels, the area just north of city center near the Gare du Nord train station might not be the hippest, but rooms usually go for about 25 percent less per night than rooms near the city’s more central hoods, like the Grand Place or the Bourse. The Sleep Well, for instance, is located here and offers spotless private rooms for between €50-60 per night.

4. Beware of additional or hidden charges

In many cities, such as Paris, you will be asked upon check-in if you’d like the hotel’s breakfast. If you’re looking to save a pocket-full of euros, the answer should be, “Mais non!” You can just as easily grab the same (or better) croissant and coffee at any cafe down the street for far less.

Be careful with hidden charges, too. Maybe those cold bottles of water in your room aren’t included in the nightly rate or there’s a surcharge for stowing luggage or using the room’s safe. And don’t even get us started on Wi-Fi charges. If a Wi-Fi connection isn’t included in your room rate, find one that is – usually in cafes and even fast food restaurants (including many McDonald’s throughout Europe).

“Fall’s most reliable and notable trend is the drop in prices post Labor Day,” says Genevieve Shaw Brown, editorial director at Travelocity. “It’s a more affordable time for a family to take a vacation than the summer months.” For families and other bargain-hunting travelers, it’s a shoulder season “when prices are lower, crowds are fewer, and the weather is still agreeable,” she says.

If you got queasy while pricing airfares this summer, fall domestic fares are more than 15 percent lower by comparison, Brown told me, and for European flights, more than 20 percent lower. So how might a shrewd family capitalize on this pricing? One option, she suggests, is to couple the relatively cheap overseas fares with an inexpensive cruise.

“Celebrity, for example, has several Mediterranean cruises this month departing from places like Istanbul, Barcelona, and Rome for about $110 per person per night for an inside cabin,” Brown observes.

If you’re trying to gauge whether family vacationing during the fall shoulder season will be a better value than last autumn, the news is mixed. While there’s more than a 10 percent increase in airfare from last fall to such popular fall getaway cities as New York, Los Angeles, Washington, D.C., Chicago, Seattle, New Orleans, and Denver, the good news is that in all those cities, average daily hotel room rates “are all down more than 10 percent since last fall,” Brown says.

So while flying to those cities may cancel out that 10 percent savings, you might do better than last fall if you drive to those destinations for a week or even a long weekend, as long as you don’t spend a fortune on gas.

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