Articles Mentioning Italy Hotels

Vatican City Says Buh-Bye to Pope Benedict XVI

This week Pope Benedict XVI becomes the first pope in nearly 600 years to step down from the papacy, citing mental and physical health issues for the reasoning behind his resignation. After Thursday, he will simply hold the title of “His Holiness Benedict XVI, Roman pontiff emeritus.” But despite His Holiness’ still impressive job description,…

Second Edition: Restaurants With Views Worth Dining For

As we’ve said before, a vacation just isn’t a vacation without delicious food and delicious views. And when you can have both together, well, that’s a match made in culinary heaven. Back in August, we gave you a peak at five hotel restaurants with scrumptious food set against amazing backdrops — and now we add…

Doomsday Vacations: How to Spend Your Last Day on Earth

Well, the time has finally come! We’re in the last stretch of humanity as we know it (according to the ancient Mayan calendar, at least), and we’re searching the globe for the best places on earth to spend our final days — or day as the case may be. We’ve visited every (habitable) continent and…

13 of the Best Luxury Hotels in Europe

There are plenty of different ways to travel in Europe – from shoestring-budget trips to over-the-top getaways worthy of the British royals. Here at Oyster we’ve been lucky enough to be able to do both (seriously, the budget hotels in Europe are pretty nice!), but the holidays are for wishing and dreaming, so we’re going…

Eight Crazy Nights: Hanukkah Celebrations Around the World

This year, the Festival of Lights takes place from this Saturday (December 8th) through the 16th. Celebrations vary from the traditional — lighting the menorah, playing dreidel, and giving gelt — to the more unique gatherings (skiing with the “Adventure Rabbi”, anyone?), but all are heartfelt, fun affairs that involve the whole family. Jews around…

The Most Interesting Hotels in the World!

‘Tis the season for annual awards lists, but if you think you know what’s coming, guess again. Oyster’s awards aren’t like the other guys’ — we’re not like the other guys, so why should our awards be? You can find lists of the world’s best luxury hotels in a dozen other places, but only Oyster…

Winter in Venice: What to do in Venice during the Off-Season

In the summertime, Venice belongs to tourists — 18 million tourists to be exact. Crowds clog the (barely) three square miles of this wondrous city, vastly outnumbering the roughly 270,000 Italians that call La Serenissima home. Literally meaning “the most serene,” this nickname is often replaced by another, less attractive moniker: Italian Disneyland. Though summer…