Christine Cantera

Whether you're visiting a destination for the first time or the 15th, in a family of 10 or going it solo, looking to lounge on a beach or preparing to summit Kilimanjaro, there's a travel specialist for you. Here, we show you the extraordinary experiences and logistical feats these industry superstars can pull off.

Whether it’s dune boarding in the Sahara or baking alongside locals in Sicily, the right “experience maker” will intuit your desires before you even know what they are—then they’ll make them happen. These travel specialists can do exactly that, no matter what your interests are.

Planning an extended trip takes a lot of work, and something many first time planners do is obsess over their route and where they’re going to go. One suggestion we offer is to build a route that offers flexibility – that perfect blend of “having a plan” vs. spontaneity, which you can do with this base route.

Whether they’re economic migrants or political refugees, the recent influx of people into the European Union has outshone the Greek crisis as the number-one issue affecting the 28-country bloc. The stories and images coming from this part of the world have invoked outrage, sympathy and calls to strike a balance between welcoming the newcomers and managing their numbers.

Outside Rome's famous city walls, just south of the newly trendy Pigneto neighborhood, lies "La Certosa" (The Charterhouse), an overlooked enclave that recently avoided being razed to make room for a shopping mall. Turns out the locals have a fraught relationship with commerce: The traditional Roman neighborhood centers on the The Eternal City's last Communist restaurant, Betto e Mary.

Everyone asks what there is to do in Paris, but no one seems to ask what not to do. Here's some solid advice for all visitors to Paris, whether it's your first or your 51st time in the City of Light.

In Sète, the most languid city in France's come-as-you-are Languedoc province, life is lived next to the water, which reflects auto shops, hair salons, halal butchers, laundromats, and open-air restaurants filled with bohemian locals. The only formally attired man in this canal town is the warrior depicted in La Gloire de la Joute, a 15-foot-tall statue of a man brandishing a 20-foot-long lance that keeps watch on Pont de la Civette.

Tijuana may be best known for its “anything goes” mentality and cheap prescription drugs (that don’t require a prescription), but to many San Diegans, a trip south of the border also means cheaper flights, and many more nonstop destinations. Locals crossing the border for a visit to Tijuana International Airport (TIJ) are now in for a much more pleasant experience.

Welcome to the springtime of France's discontent. Here's how to survive the country's worst rail strikes in more than two decades.

In an effort to make their grievances known far and wide, the employees of the SNCF, the country’s state-owned railway network, have declared what's called a rolling strike (or grève roulante), with major disruptions to train service in France scheduled on 36 days between this week and June 28.

Every year, thousands of travelers become ill during their journeys. While you can’t provide yourself with 100 percent protection, TPG Contributor Christine Cantera goes over steps you can take to minimize your risks of becoming sick while on the road.

Cheese. Bread. Pastries. With all the amazing things to eat in Paris, it’s a wonder anyone has time to visit the museums! If your itinerary for Paris looks more like a grocery list than a guide book, check out our tips for food lovers who are ready to fall in love with the City of Light.

Whether it’s dune boarding in the Sahara or baking alongside locals in Sicily, the right “experience maker” will intuit your desires before you even know what they are—then they’ll make them happen. These travel specialists can do exactly that, no matter what your interests are.

If you’ve traveled often enough, no doubt you’ve come home from more than one trip wanting to do an Olympic-style dismount through the front door. With summer travel in full swing and all the hub-bub surrounding the 2012 Olympics in London, which starts July 27, we got to thinking what a Travel Olympics might look like. Can you think of an event to add to this list?