Hear about travel to Saxony as the Amateur Traveler talks about a recent press trip to Leipzig, Dresden, Meissen, and more in this southeast corner of Germany.

This week's show is supported by the new Smart Travel Podcast. Travel smarter — and spend less — with help from NerdWallet. Check out Smart Travel ⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠here⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠.

Recommended Saxony Itinerary

Day 1: Arrive in Leipzig

Start in Leipzig. Base yourself in the compact historic center, ideally near the Old Town Hall. Chris stayed at the Steigenberger Icon Grand Hotel, close to the market square and the old town.

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https://amateurtraveler.com/travel-to-saxony-germany/

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Hear about travel to Las Vegas, Nevada, as the Amateur Traveler talks to Meryl Pearlstein about this glamorous city in the desert that keeps drawing her back.

This week's show is supported by the new Smart Travel Podcast. Travel smarter — and spend less — with help from NerdWallet. Check out Smart Travel ⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠here⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠.

Why Go to Las Vegas if You Don’t Gamble?

Meryl makes the case that Las Vegas is far more than casinos. She highlights the city as a place where you can combine top-tier dining, arts and culture, unusual museums, live entertainment, and desert outdoor adventures, all in one trip. She also points to adrenaline-fueled experiences, from exotic cars to go-karting and off-roading.

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https://amateurtraveler.com/travel-to-las-vegas/

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Hear about travel to West Africa (Senegal, The Gambia, Guinea-Bissau) as the Amateur Traveler talks to Jenna Fletcher from LifeKineticTravel.com about her quest to see baby sea turtles in Guinea-Bissau.

This week's show is supported by the new Smart Travel Podcast. Travel smarter — and spend less — with help from NerdWallet. Check out Smart Travel ⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠here⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠.

Why should you go to West Africa?

Jenna says, "It is absolutely breathtakingly beautiful: green, flowers, animals. It is one of those spots that is definitely less explored by Western tourists. I think it gives you a different perspective on some of the history that you've learned about throughout school. And so I really enjoyed learning about the horrors of slavery while in Western Africa, and also a different perspective on colonialism."

Itinerary

Jenna’s recommended route is a two-week itinerary starting in The Gambia, continuing into Senegal, and ending in Guinea-Bissau, arranged partly around the fixed dates she could get for Orango National Park.

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https://amateurtraveler.com/travel-to-west-africa/

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Hear about travel to the Alentejo Region as the Amateur Traveler talks to travel blogger and adviser Julie Fox from JulieDawnFox.com about this overlooked but spectacular region of Portugal.

This week's show is supported by the new Smart Travel Podcast. Travel smarter — and spend less — with help from NerdWallet. Check out Smart Travel ⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠here⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠.

Why should you go to the Alentejo?

Julie says, "There's plenty to see and do in the Alentejo. So yeah, it's a great place if you're into slow travel, small towns, and the countryside. It is quite varied, and you've got natural parks with mountain ranges. You've got turquoise waters and pale sand in places just south of Lisbon."

Itinerary

Julie’s recommended one-week Alentejo itinerary is a round trip from Lisbon by car, with the first four nights based in Évora and the last two nights in Monsaraz, then a return to Lisbon via Setúbal and Azeitão.

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https://amateurtraveler.com/travel-to-the-alentejo-region-of-portugal/

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Hear about travel to East Java in Indonesia as the Amateur Traveler talks to Kiara Kolaczyk from Kultura Travel about this less-traveled region where she once lived.

This week's show is supported by the new Smart Travel Podcast. Travel smarter — and spend less — with help from NerdWallet. Check out Smart Travel ⁠⁠⁠⁠here⁠⁠⁠⁠.

Kiara’s recommended East Java itinerary starts with the better-known sights, then shifts into a more Malang-centered, off-the-beaten-path route. She opens with Mount Bromo as the big classic excursion, especially as a sunrise trip, then mentions Borobudur and Prambanan as the other major temple stops, though she notes those are more of a Central Java add-on than part of her core East Java route.

After that, her main recommendation is to base yourself around Malang and explore cultural sites there instead of just doing the standard Bali-to-Bromo run.

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https://amateurtraveler.com/travel-to-east-java-indonesia/

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Hear about travel to Southeastern China as the Amateur Traveler talks to Jonty Crane from JontyTravels.com about his first trip to China, to a less-visited region.

This week's show is supported by the new Smart Travel Podcast. Travel smarter — and spend less — with help from NerdWallet. Check out Smart Travel ⁠⁠⁠here⁠⁠⁠.

Why should you visit Southeastern China?

Jonty says, "China is a unique country, with a fascinating history, and interesting sights, and these three areas discussed have seemingly almost no Western visitors despite only being half a day's travel from Hong Kong."

Jonty visited over the New Year 2025 from Hong Kong. Visiting China isn't quite as simple as visiting other countries. We cover what you need to know in this episode. 

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https://amateurtraveler.com/travel-to-southeastern-china/

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Hear about a road trip through Central America as the Amateur Traveler talks about traveling overland through Costa Rica, Nicaragua, El Salvador, Honduras, and Guatemala in search of volcanoes, tropical birds, colonial cities, crater lakes, Mayan ruins, and a few new countries added to his map.

This week's show is supported by the new Smart Travel Podcast. Travel smarter — and spend less — with help from NerdWallet. Check out Smart Travel ⁠⁠here⁠⁠.

Why should you visit Central America?

This multi-country journey combines some of the region’s best experiences into one trip: cloud forests in Costa Rica, volcanic landscapes in Nicaragua, changing fortunes in El Salvador, the Mayan ruins of Copán in Honduras, and the lakeside villages and colonial cities of Guatemala. Along the way, Chris finds colorful markets, Scarlet Macaws, crater lakes, beautiful colonial architecture, and more volcanoes than he expected.

In this episode.

Chris shares stories from a 15-day small-group trip that began in San José, Costa Rica, and ended in Antigua, Guatemala. The trip was designed to pick up three new countries for him: Nicaragua, Honduras, and El Salvador, while also revisiting Costa Rica and Guatemala.

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https://amateurtraveler.com/central-america-road-trip/

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Hear about visiting the hidden gems of London, England, as the Amateur Traveler talks to Jonty Crane from Jonty Travels about this city he once called home.

This week's show is supported by the new Smart Travel Podcast. Travel smarter — and spend less — with help from NerdWallet. Check out Smart Travel ⁠here⁠.

Why visit London?

London is one of the world's great cities, and it can easily fill a week, if not two, exploring the city. Everyone has heard of Buckingham Palace, Big Ben, Tower of London, Tate Modern, Changing of the Guard, British Museum, and the London Eye, but there are so many more sights that are arguably as interesting and less busy.

Jonty lived in the UK for the first 29 years of his life, worked in London for 5 years, and visited London almost every year for 15 years after moving to New Zealand.

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https://amateurtraveler.com/hidden-gems-of-london/

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Hear about travel to Slovenia as Chris talks with travel writer Sam Baldwin about an active, slightly off-the-beaten-path itinerary through one of Europe’s most underrated countries.

This week's show is supported by the new Smart Travel Podcast. Travel smarter — and spend less — with help from NerdWallet. Check out Smart Travel here.

Sam has been visiting Slovenia since 2007, lived there for five years, and recommends a road trip that combines Ljubljana, alpine lakes, mountain scenery, rivers, wine country, and a few unusual cultural experiences. His experiences of living, working, and exploring the wildlife and wild places of this stunning country are told in his travel memoir book, Dormice & Moonshine: Falling for Slovenia.

Why should you go to Slovenia?

Sam describes Slovenia as beautiful, safe, compact, and surprisingly diverse. In a short drive, you can go from alpine scenery to Mediterranean-influenced landscapes, from lakes and mountains to wine regions and warm rivers. He also emphasizes that Slovenia feels much more Central European than many travelers expect.

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https://amateurtraveler.com/travel-to-slovenia/

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Hear about travel to Dublin, Ireland, as the Amateur Traveler talks to tour guide Garvan Rushe from DublinTourGuide.ie about the capital and largest city of Ireland.

This week's show is supported by the new Smart Travel Podcast. Travel smarter — and spend less — with help from NerdWallet. Check out Smart Travel here.

Why should you go to Dublin?

Garvan describes Dublin as approachable and human in scale, a capital that feels more like a town than a sprawling metropolis. Visitors often find a sense of connection here, whether or not they have Irish ancestry. The city’s story reflects its complex past: British rule for over 700 years followed by independence only about a century ago, leaving visible traces in architecture, monuments, and institutions.

Practical Orientation

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https://amateurtraveler.com/travel-to-dublin-ireland-2/

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