Travel Smart

I love everything about traveling—planning the trip, choosing accommodations, finding great things to see, budgeting my time and my money, exploring new places, meeting new people, breathing new air. And I especially love sharing advice related to arts-inspired travel–museums, cultural experiences, concerts, galleries, anything artsy!

When you travel, everything is new—the streets and the food, the people and the history.

You learn when you travel and as an artsy traveler you seek out and enjoy the creative output of your fellow humans.

Travel Smart Tips

Check out these Travel Smart posts to get you started–everything from traveling green to driving tips to staying healthy on the road!

The Golden Rules of Senior Travel in Europe

I've been traveling since I was a child, with my first trip to Europe with my mom in 1970 when ...

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The Best Resources for Planning an Arts-Focused Trip

I love planning trips that prioritize arts and cultural experiences such as museum visits and concerts. To be honest, it's ...

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How to Manage Money in Europe: A Practical Guide

One of the questions I get asked most often is "How much does it cost to travel in Europe?" Honestly? ...

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Airalo ESIM Review: The Best Way To Stay Connected Abroad

On a trip to Europe a few years back, I sprinted into a cell phone store in Germany at five ...

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How to Choose What’s Worth Seeing: An Artsy Traveler’s Approach

Many travelers wonder how to decide what’s truly worth seeing when time is limited. I’ve been traveling around Europe for ...

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Best Travel Gear for Europe: What I Pack and Why

After years of European travel, I've made every packing mistake worth making. I've hauled backpacks that wrecked my shoulders, packed ...

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50 Gifts That Travelers Will Love

Are you looking for thoughtful travel gifts for the special traveler in your life? Then these gift ideas are for ...

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Solo Travel Tips for Women: How to Explore Art & Culture on Your Own Terms

Do you enjoy solo travel? I love traveling on my own and have done so ever since my first solo ...

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How to Experience Europe Without the Crowds: 10 Joyful Travel Tips

I've experienced my share of European crowds: thousands surging into the Colosseum, the queue for the Louvre baking in the ...

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When is the Best Time to Tour Europe?

Are you trying to figure out the best time of year to tour Europe? You probably already know that summer ...

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Green Travel Tips for Europe: Practical, Realistic, and Honest

Traveling green is a challenge these days thanks to ever-increasing fuel costs and encroaching climate change. Can you enjoy traveling ...

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10 Best Charming Hotels in Europe for Independent Travelers

Europe is a great place to find charming, family-run hotels. Most are small, boutique-style places that won't break the bank; ...

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Armchair Travel: Explore the World From Home

If you're staying home for budget, timing, or personal reasons, armchair travel offers a simple, uplifting way to explore the ...

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How to Stay Healthy While Traveling in Europe: Practical Tips

When you travel in Europe, you’re exposed to crowded transportation, popular attractions, shared accommodations, and new germs. That may sound ...

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Driving in Europe: Top Tips for Happy & Safe Travel

Driving in Europe can feel intimidating if you’re used to wide roads, grid patterns, and orderly traffic lights. Narrow village ...

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How to Eat Well in Europe: Dining Tips and Smart Splurges

My family still reminisces about meals we've enjoyed in Europe over the past four decades: the Gorgonzola gnocchi in a ...

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Finding the Best Accommodation in Europe: My Top Tips

I'm not a student anymore, and my back appreciates a comfy mattress. After decades of traveling independently across Europe, I've ...

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How to Plan a European Trip: 9 Easy Steps for a Perfect Itinerary

Planning a trip to Europe is one of life's great pleasures when you give it the attention it deserves. This ...

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About Carol

Carol M. Cram writes novels inspired by the arts; runs Artsy Traveler, an arts-focused travel blog, and Art In Fiction, a curated database of 2,700+ novels inspired by the arts; and hosts The Art In Fiction Podcast. She has also authored 60+ textbooks on computer applications and taught at Capilano University for over two decades. Carol lives with her husband, artist Gregg Simpson, on beautiful Bowen Island near Vancouver, BC.

See all my novels