Joseph "Rich" Francis is a travel writer and full-time traveler of more than 10 years. He's lived on multiple continents and in a hodgepodge of different destinations, from the beach towns of the Mexican Pacific to the idyllic isles of southern Thailand, the ski centers of the Alps to the historic cities of Central Europe. He's a niche expert in surf-travel and adventure travel, and has published work in leading travel brands like Lonely Planet, The Culture Trip, and Seeker.
Today, you can find him blogging about the latest in surf destinations over on The Surf Atlas or about the latest bars in Krakow on KrakowBuzz. You can also find his portfolio site at JosephRichardFrancis.com.
The ancient heartland of the Viking kingdoms and one of the undisputed jewels of the continent, Denmark bridges the cultural and geographical gap between northern Europe and Scandinavia. Here, we delve into ancient burial sites and sophisticated, design-mad cities alike, to bring would-be travelers to the land of the Danes a selection of the top, …
Wild, windswept and caked with icecaps from south to Arctic north, Iceland is a land of steaming volcanos and enchanting fishing towns, rugged canyons and colossal fjords, bubbling hot springs and buzzing vodka bars. Here, we take a look at 15 of the top spots that every traveler to this Scandinavian island should have on …
In the very heartland of Central Europe, the Czech Republic bubbles up in a confident medley of Bohemian history, Moravian charm and Slavic panache. Its cities brim with Gothic wonders, its towns burst with Baroque majesty and its backcountry boasts eye-watering forests, cave systems and mountains. Check out this list of the top destinations to …
In the far reaches of the Mediterranean Basin, where the Greek Aegean gives way to the scorched Levant coast, Cyprus rises from the waters with the promise of ancient legends, timeless Greek and Roman ruins, sleepless party nights, mouth-watering mezze platters, eye-watering backcountry and – of course – picture-perfect beaches. Here, we take a look …
Ranging from the shimmering Adriatic Sea to the rugged Dinaric Alps, the crashing waterfalls of Krka in the south to the rolling borderlands with Slovenia, Italy and Hungary in the north, Croatia is the backbone of the Balkan Peninsula and one of the real jewels of the Mediterranean Basin. In this list of of the …
Rolling down from the pine-clad massifs of the Balkan Mountains and the Rhodope ranges to meet the sparkling blues of the Black Sea, Bulgaria offers everything from sun-kissed beaches to enthralling historical narratives, buzzing party towns to snow-shrouded ski resorts between its borders. In this guide to the 15 best places to visit in the …
A real gem of the European Low Countries, Belgium might be small but boy does it pack a punch! Ranging from the Francophone villages of Wallonia in the south to the Flemish diamond towns and North Sea coast, this nation hosts everything from buzzing European parliaments to sobering war memorials between its borders. Here, we …
Despite all those rugged mountains, the snow-caked heights of the Dinaric Alps, the beautiful Una River and towns like Mostar and Stolac where Ottoman and Byzantine, Roman and Balkan, Slavic and oodles of other styles all coalesce between the ancient streets, Bosnia and Herzegovina remains a somewhat off-the-beaten-track corner of Europe. Check out this list …