Stay a full day and night in Nuremberg, a charming city that has been entirely rebuilt in a medieval style. It's a regional gathering place on weekends for its outdoor markets. Try an eis becher (enormous ice cream sundae) at an outdoor cafe there at night.

In Salzburg, one-time home of famous classic musicians, be sure to try a concert at Schloss Mirabell, a wedding hall in a palatial mansion with surprisingly good acoustics. Learn more by clicking here.

Here's a tip on tipping: On a $25 meal, tip $2.(in euro equivalent, obviously) Waitstaff in Europe don't rely on tips the way their American counterparts do. In Germany and Austria, the gratuity may not be spelled out. Also, in Germany and Austria, don't leave money on the table; hand it to your server. Enjoy your trip!

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Rockville, MD: My daughter, 19, and I are planning to meet in Rome during Easter week (April 8th) since she will be in Ireland studying. We have arranged flights and hotel thanks to points. Our hotel is on the outskirts of Rome (Rome Marriott Park Hotel). What and how is the best way to see it in a week? What are day trips we can't miss? I would even be willing to stay a night somewhere since our hotel is free. We will be there for Easter morning and my daughter would love to see the Pope. What and how is the best way to do that? We enjoy traveling together and are always looking for the unbeaten path and time to relax while seeing everything!

Budget Travel editors: What a wonderful plan! A week will give you enough time to begin chipping away at the city's fascinating layers. You can catch the blockbuster attractions (Parthenon, Colosseum, Roman Forum, Trevi Fountain, Spanish Steps...) concentrated in the historic center as well as wander around quirkier, artsy neighborhoods like Trastevere and Testaccio. Context Travel's small walking tours are led by English-speaking experts--archaeologists, architects, art historians, or food critics--and make a great introduction to Rome's history, art, and lifestyles (contextrome.com). You can find insider tips on the best places to eat, shop, and play, in our Rome Snap Guide and in our article Rome Sweet Rome.

As for Easter, the Pope leads a procession with the stations of the cross on Good Friday (Apr. 6) from the Colosseum to the top of Palatine Hill and then delivers a public mass before the crowds at St. Peter's Square on Easter morning. For more details on how and where to see the Pope, check Context Rome's handy page, Easter in Rome. Romans traditionally flock to the countryside to picnic and hang out with friends and family on Easter Monday, dubbed "Pasquetta" or Little Easter. You could follow suit with a day trip to the popular seaside town of Ostia Antica.

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Boulder, CO: Where can my family including my 3 year son go for a dependably sunny warm vacation in April or May?

Budget Travel editors: By dependably sunny do you mean destinations with little or no rain? If so, there are a number of places you and your family can relax while leaving your umbrellas at home. In the Caribbean look no further than the ABC islands--Aruba, Bonaire, and Curacao--tucked away from the main chain of Caribbean islands off the northern coast of Venezuela. Since all three are located outside the hurricane belt, you can expect clear skies with temperatures in the mid-80s virtually year-round (but wait until May when hotel prices and airfare begin to drop). In Mexico you might consider Cabo San Lucas, which typically records very little rainfall between February and July. Like Palm Springs, Calif., most days are hot and sunny with very little humidity. And for options closer to home don't rule out Phoenix, Ariz.--in summertime temperatures sky-rocket into triple digits--but from September to May the weather is bliss with warm days, cool nights, and little to no rain.

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St. Paul, MN: My son (sr. in high school, age 18) and I would like to explore southern India during his spring break. We can travel on the evening of March 8th or anytime on March 9th. We need to be back in St. Paul by Monday March 19th. I had hoped to take a tour, but am not finding much that fits that time line. We are experienced travellers and generally prefer to get around on our own, but our trip to Egypt in 2005 was kind of intimidating to do on our own...hence the initial desire to hook on to a prearranged tour. We are interested in the Kerala region, and would like to learn how to cook some Indian specialties, take a trip into the interior to see some wild life, see the beach, and maybe explore the backwaters. Can you recommend an honest and helpful travel agent that could help us put together a trip that is not too expensive and not too difficult for us to navigate on our own. I would like to have our transportation, lodging and some activities planned in advance to make the trip a little less stressful. Thanks for any help that you can provide.

Budget Travel editors: To find out more about the southern state of Kerala, you can start by reading the Trip Coach piece we ran in the Dec 06/Jan 07 issue. A couple from Chicago was headed off to India, and we advised them to visit Kerala to see the wildlife at Periyar Wildlife Sanctuary (periyartigerreserve.org), take a cooking class with a local family (nimmypaul.com), and tour the backwaters with Kerala Tourism Development Corporation (ktdc.com)-- all the things you've said you and your son would like to do. You should also take a look at the online Trip Coach we ran with Diane Mehta. Those pieces should give you direction in booking some of the activities you've mentioned before you arrive.

In researching the piece, we were in touch with a few local tour operators who were very helpful and responsive. In addition to KTDC, Tour India's office in Kerala (tourindiakerala.com) was useful. Both companies informed us about prices, itineraries, and packages and generally responded within a day or two by email.