“This fragment, which is part of the eastern frieze of the Parthenon, depicts a foot and a part of the peplos (dress) of Artemis, and was acquired in 1816, by the British consul in Sicily, Robert Fagan…the fragment is now displayed in a glass case [on the top floor of the Acropolis Museum], within its place in the reconstruction and also to the actual historical site.”

I hope everyone is nurturing some travel dreams for the not too distant future, and in this post I’ll give my top recommendations for where to travel in Eastern and Central Europe over the next year. As much damage as the pandemic has done to the travel industry, for people who are ready to hit the road again soon, you’ll find some incredible opportunities and bargains.

You can easily imagine that the Habsburgs, as the most important family in European history, amassed some pretty amazing real estate. And who hasn’t dreamed of living in a palace, of relishing the crème-de-la-crème life of European royalty? The Habsburgs didn’t have to dream, of course, but we can all indulge our “let them eat cake” fantasies by touring the lavish homes they left behind. So let’s play “House Hunters International” with my picks for the most fabulous Habsburg palaces!