Do you love to travel, but don't have the time to do all the research? Want to truly learn about and experience the best a place has to offer, but not sure where to start? Steve Solosky, the Traveling Professor, is the answer. The Traveling Professor offers guided trips to Paris, Rome, and Machu Picchu. He's an educated insider to these locations - offering you more than you ever imagined. From hotel and restaurant treasures to actually meeting people, the Traveling Professor provides a wealth of experience in each trip.

We caught up with Steve to find out more about his trips, his book, top Paris travel tips, and more. Here's what he had to say...

WE: Please tell us about your site, the Traveling Professor...

SS: TravelingProfessor.com is a website I created about 5 years ago.   It was initially created as an informational site for those who loved to travel to Paris.   Over the years it has evolved to include Italy and Peru.  It contains a blog, videos, links, and practical advice on traveling to Paris, Italy, and Peru/Machu Picchu.

WE: What was the genesis of your site?

SS: I spent many years traveling to Paris.   Being an academic, I took meticulous notes on museums/attractions, hotels, restaurants and other practical travel information.   Friends encouraged me to write a book, which I did.  "The Traveling Professor's Guide to Paris" turned out to be a great success, competing with publications from authors like Rick Steves and Arthur Frommer.   I supplemented the book with my website, travelingprofessor.com.   People liked my book so much, they asked me to take them to Paris.   They liked my Paris tours so much, they asked me to take them on other trips.   We added Italy two years ago and last year inaugurated 2 trips to Peru and Machu Picchu.

Falls at the Garden of Mandor at Machu Picchu

WE: You take small groups to Paris, Italy, and Machu Picchu - can you please share more about these trips? What can people expect?

SS: We only travel with small groups of adults, usually about a dozen people.   The average age of our travelers is 50 years old but we have had people as young as 28 and as old as 67 go with us.  We don't take students.  Some of our travelers are single travelers who don't want to travel alone. 

In brief, our Machu Picchu tour includes a tour of Lima Peru, the Inca capital of Cusco, and Machu Picchu.  We then travel through the Andes Mountains to Puno with 5 stops along the way.   We end up at Lake Titicaca to visit the inhabitants of Uros who live on the islands made of reeds and then visit Taquile, a remote island in the middle of the lake.    We are the only tour company I know of that does 3 days in Machu Picchu including a sunrise hike up to Huaynu Picchu and a hike to the Sun Gate.  

Also on the tour is a "backstage tour" of Machu Picchu where we hike to the waterfalls at the stunning botanical gardens at Mandor.  I am sure no other organization includes such a comprehensive tour of Machu Picchu.  We use professional guides when necessary and stay at well-known, good quality hotels.   Our tours are priced far below comparable programs.  And of course, The Traveling Professor is on each and every tour.

Sunrise at the top of Huaynu Picchu, overlooking Machu Picchu

WE: What are your top Paris travel tips?

SS: My first Paris travel tip is to find a good quality, centrally located 2-star hotel.   Hotels above a 2-star ranking can be very expensive in Paris, so I recommend a few good 2-star hotels on my website and in my book.   My second tip would be to purchase the affordable Paris Museum Pass for unlimited, VIP admission into the best Paris attractions like the Louvre, Orsay, and Rodin Museum.   Lastly, I suggest traveling in the off-season to get the best value on airfare and hotels.

WE: What do you recommend travelers do to best prepare for a trip to Paris?

SS: There is so much to see and do in Paris.  It takes research, research and more research to get the most out of a vacation.  It can be overwhelming.   I recommend a traveler sketch out an itinerary, making note of which days certain attractions are closed so as to not be disappointed, then sticking to that itinerary as much as  possible.  By the way, it is not important to be fluent in French before traveling there.   Most of the French have a good working knowledge of English. However, a cheery "bonjour" is the protocol to commencing a friendly conversation.

WE: You've also got a book, The Traveling Professor's Guide To Paris - what can readers find in there?

SS: My book is short and to the point.  It is concisely written to give readers what they want to know without the trivial nonsense that I see in so many other travel books.    Readers can find extremely practical travel information such as detailed information on how to get to/from the airport.   I recommend quite a few good 2-star and 3-star hotels.   I suggest authentic and reasonably priced restaurants. I lay out sample itineraries and give very specific valuable travel tips.  I list some of my hidden secrets of Paris (yes, you'll have to read the book) and tell about the best ways to visit the major attractions.   The book is available in hard copy on Amazon.Com and on digital readers like the Kindle.

WE: Is there anything else you'd like to share with us?

SS: I was fortunate enough to take early retirement from my tenured position as a professor over a year ago.  I feel so fortunate to have started this travel business and able to give people the opportunity to travel to places they always have wanted to go.   I love taking people to Paris and Italy, but my new discovery of Peru and Machu Picchu is a wonder beyond wonders.  Please visit my website, travelingprofessor.com for more information about traveling to Paris, Italy, and Peru, to find out more about me, and for detailed information about the tours that I run.

WE:  Thanks so very much, Steve! We highly recommend the Traveling Professor to our Wandering Educators.

To learn more, please head to:

travelingprofessor.com

All photos and video courtesy and copyright the Traveling Professor