Stories from the road.
Notes from the planners.
Travel inspiration, planning insight, and behind-the-scenes notes from the specialists who design your trips.
A real 10-day Costa Rica itinerary day by day: Arenal, Monteverde and the Pacific coast, with honest drive times, park caps and dry vs green season.
Read the storyMore from the journal
Norway Itinerary: 10 Days from the Fjords to Lofoten
A real 10-day Norway itinerary, day by day, in both a summer fjords-to-Lofoten version and a winter aurora version, with honest internal travel times and costs.
Read More
Scotland Itinerary: 10 Days Through the Highlands and Islands
A real 10-day Scotland itinerary day by day: Edinburgh, Speyside, Torridon, Skye and Glencoe, with honest drive times, ferry bookings and what to cut.
Read More
Switzerland Itinerary: 10 Days by Rail
A real 10-day Switzerland rail itinerary day by day: Zurich, Lucerne, the Bernese Oberland, Zermatt and the Glacier Express, with 2026 reservation rules.
Read More
Greek Islands That Actually Work for Multigenerational Groups
Santorini is the wrong Greek island for a group with grandparents - its caldera villages are stairs. Crete, Naxos, Paros and Rhodes, and why they work.
Read More
Iceland with Teenagers: The Ring Road Reality
Iceland with teenagers is the best trip going, but the full 1,322 km Ring Road usually isn't. Minimum ages for Silfra, glaciers and snowmobiles, plus daylight.
Read More
Ireland with Kids and Grandparents: A Multigenerational Guide
Planning an Ireland trip with kids and grandparents? Driving legs of 60-90 minutes, whole-house rentals, split days, and the sites that genuinely don't work.
Read More
Italy with Three Generations: Where It Works and Where It Doesn't
A multigenerational trip to Italy works as a Tuscan villa base, not a five-city train tour. Honest detail on Venice's bridges, Amalfi stairs and Pompeii access.
Read More
Japan with Kids: An Honest Guide to What Actually Lands
Is Japan good with kids? Yes, for reasons parents don't predict. Trains, vending machines and teamLab land; long temple circuits don't. Plus luggage forwarding.
Read More
How To Choose the Right Italy Honeymoon Package
Choosing the right Italy honeymoon package can be difficult when you’re both so excited to see the country and sights. Juniper Tours can help.
Read More
Ireland Honeymoon Package Planning Guide
Planning a honeymoon is one of the most detail-oriented tasks without the right guidance. Use Juniper Tours’ planning guide for an Ireland honeymoon.
Read More
Best Time to Visit Greece: Island Season vs Mainland Season
The Cyclades run May to October; Athens, Crete and the Peloponnese run year-round. Month-by-month weather, ferry seasons and when Greek islands actually open.
Read MoreMost-read planning guides
New to the journal? These are the guides readers open most when they are planning a trip, grouped by the decision they help with.
Honeymoons
- Ireland & Scotland Honeymoon Guide
Castles, cliffs, romantic itineraries and costs for a two-country honeymoon.
- Japan Honeymoon Itinerary
A 10-day Tokyo, Hakone and Kyoto route, plus a longer island extension and a winter onsen trip.
- Is South Korea Good for a Honeymoon?
The honest case for it, the real downsides, when to go and what it costs.
- Italy Honeymoon 2027
The best regions for a honeymoon, when to go, what it costs and the booking timeline.
Costs and booking
- How Much Does a Trip to Japan Cost?
Price tiers for 2027, hotel and ryokan rates, whether the JR Pass pays, and the new travel taxes.
- How Much Does a South Korea Trip Cost?
Price tiers for a 10-day trip, Seoul hotel rates, and the KTX compared with a private car.
- Machu Picchu Permits 2027
Which tickets sell out first, the daily visitor cap, Inca Trail permits and how far ahead to book.
- How Much Does a Vietnam Trip Cost?
Price tiers for a 14-day trip, hotel and guide rates, and what $8,000 buys compared with Japan.
Choosing where to go
- Bali or Vietnam
One island you stay on or a long country you travel through: cost, pace, food and beaches compared.
- Northern Italy and Switzerland Itinerary
Zurich, Lake Como and the Dolomites combined in one trip.
- Glass Igloos in Iceland
Sleeping under the Northern Lights: what the igloos are like, your aurora odds and how long to stay.
- The Norwegian Fjords Without a Cruise Ship
The Bergen Railway, the Flåm Line and small boats into the Nærøyfjord, compared with a cruise.
Ireland and Scotland
- Famous Ireland Landmarks
The eleven sites most first-time visitors build a trip around, and how to see them in one loop.
- What Is the Oldest Castle in Ireland?
Eight castles compared, from Trim to Carrickfergus and Dunluce, and which ones you can visit.
- Castles in Scotland to Tour for Free
Which castle grounds, glens and parks cost nothing to explore, and where you need a ticket.
- Best Scotland Tours for First-Time Visitors
Edinburgh and the Highlands, Glencoe, Skye or a castle-hotel trip, and how to choose between them.