Latest Articles on Historic

9 Hotels That Are Hot This Week

Oyster.com’s massive team of hotel photographers and experts can be found all over the world; any given day, we have multiple team members out in the field around the globe so we can continue to add the coolest, newest properties to the site. After all, the more hotels and resorts you have to choose from,…

The 10 Most Adorable Cobblestone Streets in the U.S.

The undeniable history, charm, and romance of cobblestone streets have a way of winning over even the most stubborn of self-proclaimed modernists. If we’re going to be completely accurate, true “cobblestone” streets are only those that are distinctly bumpy, with roundish stones, originally designed for horses (and their hooves) to get a good grip. Later…

Creepy Abandoned Hotels Across the U.S.

Courtesy of Lecates via Flickr When business slows and the game is up for struggling hotels, sometimes there’s nothing for the owners to do but leave everything as is and shut the whole mess down. From ill-advised, Gold Rush-era expansion to miscalculating the willingness of travelers to pay for luxury in the middle of nowhere,…

Barcelona vs. Madrid: Which Is Better for You?

Plaza Mayor in Madrid; image courtesy of Kyle Valenta. Urban rivalries are no new thing — just ask residents of New York City and Los Angeles in case you’re curious. Throughout our travels, we’ve learned that the desire to prove your city’s superiority isn’t strictly an American thing, either. While we at Oyster.com love both…

Visiting Cambodia's Killing Fields, a Dark Tourism Travelogue

Inside Tuol Sleng Prison; image courtesy of Kyle Valenta. This guy calls himself “G” and that stands for garnet, but we see none of those blood-red stones anywhere on his body. Instead, there are long stretches of tanned white skin over sharp bones, a silk shirt billowing open in the breeze. It’s hot and we’re…

7 Spots Christopher Columbus Traveled to That You Should Too 

Intrepid explorer, nautical navigator, and prolific colonizer — Christopher Columbus was a man of many talents. In his tenure, Columbus, along with his three ships Nina, Pinta, and Santa Maria, crossed the Atlantic four times in search of treasure in the New World. And while his conquests earned him wealth, Columbus left behind a controversial…

7 Unforgettable Day Trips from Lisbon

Image courtesy of Flickr/Paulo Valdivieso With a long and winding coastline, laid-back and friendly locals, and countless golden beaches, one could easily describe Portugal as the California of Europe. That would then make Lisbon, a city with trolleys and a suspension bridge, the San Francisco. Every year, tourists from around the world flock to Portugal’s…

5 Countries to Visit That You Couldn’t Travel to Before

The world is a big and beautiful place that travelers wish to explore. Unfortunately, some countries are closed to visitors, especially American travelers. Today, the U.S. has issued serious travel warnings to places like Syria and Yemen, making it hard — not to mention, dangerous — for Americans to visit such destinations. On the bright…