Venice, Italy, is not known for its beaches. But Lido di Venezia, one of Venice’s 118 barrier islands, is almost exclusively beachfront and an easy day trip from Venice or nearby U.S. military bases in Vicenza or Aviano.

A mountain of mining waste in Bavaria has been transformed into a first-class recreational experience at Monte Kaolino, an amusement park in the picturesque town of Hirschau, approximately 12 miles south of Tower Barracks in Grafenwoehr.

Karzakkan Forest isn’t pristine. The coast isn’t curated. But together, they offer something increasingly rare — authenticity.

The German-French Garden, a sprawling public park on the outskirts of Saarbrücken, is a lovely place to meander and reflect on the hard-won peace between the two countries that exists today.

The Moselle River city of Bernkastel-Kues, Germany, is a veritable monument to a 15th-century native son named Nicholas of Cusa, a cardinal who embodied the term “Renaissance man.”

Underneath Oxford Street in one of London’s most popular districts, the Twisted Museum contains a vast array of exhibits that entice those eager to see just how many ways the brain can be tricked.

Alpakas Eifel, a small, family-run trekking business in the bucolic village of Plütscheid, Germany, invites guests to explore the countryside with a leashed alpaca by their side.

On our first family bike riding adventure of the season, we spent more time sightseeing in the southwestern German town of Otterberg than cycling the path that led us there.  

Frankfurt has an impressive collection of thrifted and vintage clothing and furniture. Here are five hot spots for second-chance finds.

Little Kids Town, about 15 minutes outside of Wiesbaden in Eppstein, provides a safe, clean space for children 6 and under to play, while parents can take a well-deserved breather.