Sherman's Travel

Believe it or not, summer is right around the corner. You may be sniffling from spring allergies now, but Memorial Day will be here before you know it, bringing warm temperatures, shortened work days, and summer vacations. Don’t let the season sneak up on you; take advantage of the many early bird specials out there and book your summer travel now. Read more

If you’re looking to take an exotic vacation this season, we’ve got deals for you from all over the world; from Africa to Europe to the Caribbean islands. Stray outside of your comfort zone and take the journey you’ve always dreamed of; with these fantastic deals, you’ve got few excuses not to. Read more

In the world of luxury travel, few providers hold a candle to Abercrombie & Kent. A&K travel conjures up images  of elegant, five-star accommodations, customized itineraries with expert guides, the finest of Michelin-rated dining, and cushy modes of transportation. And, of course, the hefty price tag that comes with all of those extravagances.

Looking for all that glitz on a budget? Consider A&K Connections, a new line of luxurious journeys for small groups of 24-28 guests that offers 17 itineraries from six continents. Some of the available destinations include Australia, France, India, Morocco, and Peru. I recently joined A&K on a preview of their “Spain: Seven Cities tour” to see firsthand what Connections is all about.

The cities that make up the title include Barcelona, Granada, Marbella, Gibraltar, Seville, Cordoba, and Madrid. Tally up the day-trips to Malaga, Ronda, and Jerez, however, and you’re looking at a whopping ten cities packed into a ten-day tour. The preview trip was condensed into seven-days. Needless to say, at times, this felt like a break-neck pace, even with Gibraltar sliced off the itinerary. I’d imagine the ten-day version to be just slightly less speedy.

Despite the pace, it’s hard to say which part of the trip I would eliminate to slow things down.  In retrospect, it’s easy to see why Simon Butler-Madden, an A&K vet who built many of the Connections itineraries, included all the sights we saw; the trip provides a cohesive overview of Spain’s diverse history, and how that history affected all aspects of modern Spanish and Catalonian culture. Read more

Set at the epicenter of Spain’s capital city on the lively, cafe-lined Plaza de Santa Ana, hip hotel ME Madrid Reina Victoria is now offering ShermansTravel readers an exclusive discount on their design-savvy digs, with reduced rates from just $149 per night (a savings of as much as 35 percent off) throughout 2012, with plenty of extras thrown in, including a complimentary room upgrade, late checkout, VIP guest status, and more.

The hotel is a hotbed for hobnobbing celebrity A-listers (the likes of Jennifer Lopez and Halle Berry have counted amongst recent guests) and “it” nightspots popular with its hip hotel clientele and local scenesters alike. At the rooftop bar, The Roof’s (hotel guests are granted VIP access), views are even more intoxicating than their signature ME Mojitos, while the new Mint Terrace sidewalk tapas bar debuted this summer, offering an alfresco oasis for tapas and a choice selection of beers and wines.

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Lonely Planet has come out with a new guide to the world’s best street food – and, it’s a cookbook!

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.

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Romance is revving up all over the place during the month of February, from sun-kissed beaches to sophisticated big cities. Here are 25 deals and packages – from Fort Lauderdale to Fiji, Maine to Madrid, and St. Kitts to Sedona – that you can still book to make this Valentine’s Day the most memorable ever:

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. Read more

Once a gritty district populated with brothels, the “Triangle of Ballesta” (aka triBall) – so named for the shape that the streets of Gran Vía, Corredera Baja de San Pablo, and Fuencarral form around the main Calle Ballesta – has become the Spanish capital’s latest avant-garde epicenter. Shop-owners like Beatriz Tabara, who opened a clothing boutique-combo-café last fall called Scarly, epitomize the hood’s enterprising vibe. “Everyone has their own story,” says Tabara of triBall’s business owners. “But many of them are professionals who took the leap to make their hobbies a way of life.” Tabara, also a full-time attorney, reveals some favorite spots in the emerging barrio.

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Make the most of the waning days of summer or beautiful early fall with this European air sale from American Airlines. Book by June 27 and travel August 14 through October 27 to get this deal. Depart from your choice of cities across the United States, including New York, Boston, Raleigh, Indianapolis, Orlando, Chicago, Houston and Albuquerque, and fly to a number of great European destinations including London, Brussels, Helsinki, Madrid, and more. Finish summer with a bang by spending it in Paris, or fly to Frankfurt and take a train to Munich for Oktoberfest — this sale is flexible on dates and locations.

THE VALUE: The same routes cost over $1,000 in summer on other airlines, so this deal saves over $400 on round-trip tickets.

THE CATCH: Travel must be completed by November 24, and taxes and fees of up to $190 are not included.

THE DETAILS: Click here to book online with American Airlines.

WE’VE GOT MORE: Find the best place to stay in Europe with our Travel Search tool, or check out what to do when you get there with our European Travel Guides.

The early bird may get the worm, but the last-minute traveler gets the cheap air tickets to Europe with this sale from Aer Lingus. Travel June 16-30 or July 2-August 22 (depending on the route) from New York, Boston and Chicago to select cities in the Netherlands, Germany, France, Spain, and Italy for as low as $348 (each-way).  Nine great cities are included in the sale — even Paris, Barcelona, and Amsterdam.

THE VALUE: The same routes cost over $1,000 in summer on other airlines, so this deal saves over $400 on round-trip tickets.

THE CATCH: Tickets must be booked seven days in advance of travel, and taxes and fees are not included.

THE DETAILS: Click here to book online with Aer Lingus.

WE’VE GOT MORE: Find the best place to stay in Europe with our Travel Search tool, or check out what to do when you get there with our European Travel Guides.

Spring usually means the arrival of warmer weather, blooming flowers, and higher airfare to Europe. Fortunately, KLM is breaking tradition and slashing rates on flights to London, Venice, Amsterdam, Copenhagen, Rome, Barcelona, Helsinki, Oslo, Prague, Madrid, Zurich, and Stockholm! This sale coincides with the start of festival season in Europe, so why not pop over to Budapest for the Palinka food and wine festival, Barcelona or Madrid for May Day fiestas, and Stockholm for the popcorn film festival?  Fly now through May 15 from Chicago, New York, Dallas, or San Francisco for rates as low as $278 one-way.

Sample Fares (O/W)
•    New York City – Barcelona: $278+
•    Dallas – Amsterdam: $313+
•    Chicago – London: $336+
•    Miami-Budapest: $374+
•    Washington – Oslo: $379+
•    Houston – Venice: $384+
•    San Francisco – Madrid: $419+

THE VALUE: Fares to Europe in April and May are often close to $500 each way, so this sale saves you an average of $400 round-trip.

THE CATCH: Taxes and fees are not included, and these one-way prices are based on round-trip purchases.

THE DETAILS: Click here to book your flight with KLM.

WE’VE GOT MORE: Use our Travel Search price comparison tool to find the best hotel deals in Europe.