http://travel.nytimes.com/2012/10/14/travel/hidden-gems-of-europe.html?pagewanted=1&_r=1&

http://finance.yahoo.com/news/the-world%E2%80%99s-best-places-to-live-153612169.html

Need a new or renewed passport?

The United States Postal Service will be accepting and processing passport applications at Loyola’s annual undergrad study abroad fair, Thursday, February 2 from 11:30 a.m. – 2:00 p.m. The fair will be held in the St. Charles Room, 1st Floor, Danna Center.

 To apply, you will need:

• Birth Certificate (original version)

• Valid Photo ID

• 2″ x 2″ Passport Photo. USPS is making the application easier by
  offering a photo service at the fair for $15.

• Passport Fees ($110 payable by check or money order)

• Execution fee ($25 payable by check or money order)

Don’t miss this opportunity to apply for a passport, valid for 10 years!www.travel.state.gov.

For details about the passport application process, please visit

For those of you travelling to Budapest this summer, the internet is rich with travel guides and resources to help you plan!

• The folks at Hostelworld have published a concise, informative, free pocket guide to Budapest.
• Visitbudapest.travel has a wealth of travel forums and blogs which feature peer travel tips and daily updates on Budapest’s cultural happenings.
• The New York Times offers its quirky tips for seeing the Best of Budapest in 36 Hours.
• Finally, luxe travel magazine Condé Nast Traveller highlights the best of the bath scene in Budapest.

Additionally,  please remember that you will receive the Budapest Program Handbook and the Budapest DK Eyewitness travel guidebook (already included in your program deposits) this month!

Welcome back! Now that the Spring semester has arrived, it’s time to begin planning for your Summer Legal Studies experience!

For many of you, planning will begin with finding a good flight. Here are a few tips:

• Try Internet-based travel reservation sites like Expedia, Travelocity or Orbitz. These sites are great, as fares are usually cheaper than those offered directly through the major airline websites. Kayak is also helpful, as it researches and displays flight prices from all the major online travel reservation sites.
• *Special tip: Research has shown that Tuesday evenings are the best times to book a flight online, as rates are generally lower then. Avoid booking trips Friday – Sunday, if you can; the airlines raise flight prices on those days because that’s when folks have the most free time to net surf. 
• Read the small print. Taking a few minutes to review your charges, connection airports, baggage fees, etc. can save you time and money.
• If you’d rather not book online, hiring a travel agent is also a good option. Please note that you may be subject to paying commission fees in addition to the flight price, though.
• Sign up for fare alerts so you will be immediately notified when a cheap flight is released. A good fare alert website is Airfare Watchdog.
• Consider booking an open-jawed flight (to fly into one destination and depart from another). Open-jawed flights are often the same price as regular flights and will allow you to see more of the region you are travelling to.
• Consider flying into a large airport near your destination, then travelling by train the rest of the way. It’s more expensive to fly into smaller airports, so using the plane/train option can often lower your travel costs. Example: Rather than flying directly into Vienna, you may want to fly into Munich and then take the train.
• Remember to schedule your flights at least 2.5 hours after your exams are complete!
• Most importantly: Don’t be afraid to ask a question! The Center for International Programs staff is always available to answer your travel inquiries!

Those travelling to Moscow and St. Petersburg this summer are in for a treat: TripAdvisor reports that Russia had the happiest travellers in 2011!

What makes Russia so special? Travel writers have recently praised everything from its cultural vibrance and architectural grandeur to the modern museums and vast culinary offerings. Moscow News columnist and avid blogger Phoebe Taplin raves that simply walking the streets of Moscow is an inspiration! You will likely enjoy her Moscow Walks blog, which expounds the advantages of seeing Moscow on foot.

Ready to read up on Russia? Remember that this month you will receive your Russia Summer Legal Studies program handbook and the Moscow DK Eyewitness travel guidebook (both included in the program activity fees)!

With our departure to Brazil less than five months away, now’s the time to start making travel plans! As the host of the 2014 World Cup and the 2016 Summer Olympic Games, Rio is white hot right now. Not to mention, the TripAdvisor community named Rio its No. 5 travel destination in the world!

As you enjoy the last few days of winter break, please take a few minutes to check out the following:

New York Times Feature: 36 Hours in Rio

Condé Nast Traveller’s Guide to Rio

Please remember that you will receive the Rio 2012 Handbook and Lonely Planet Travel Guidebook this month (already included in your program fee)!

Happy Thursday, everyone!

As we return for the new year, planning for the 2012 Vienna trip will commence! The best way to start travel planning? GET EDUCATED ABOUT YOUR DESTINATION! Today the New York Times published a brief, but incredibly informative guide to seeing the best of Vienna in 36 Hours:  

http://travel.nytimes.com/2012/01/08/travel/36-hours-vienna.html?ref=travel

And Vienna offers SO much more! Your Vienna DK Eyewitness travel guidebook (included in your program deposits, and to be distributed this month) will be ideal source for reading up on all of Vienna’s treasures!

For the third successive year, Vienna was ranked number one in Mercer’s 2011 Quality of Living index, which awards points for a range of criteria, including political and economic stability, culture, health and sanitation, quality of schools, public services and housing.

See the rest of the article here.