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Chris Christensen Chris Christensen

Chris is the creator of AmateurTraveler.com. Amateur Traveler is a popular online Travel podcast and blog that focuses primarily on travel destinations. The Amateur Traveler podcast was downloaded over 2 million times in 2023.

The Amateur Traveler is 18+ years old and they use Amateur Traveler to teach English at Oxford University and to test English proficiency for Employment with the Thailand Foreign Ministry.

Chris has won a Lowell Thomas Award, 5 NATJA awards, and a SMITTY Award from Travel+Leisure as the "best independent travel journalist."

Recent Content

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At#1004 - Cruising The Briare Canal In France With European Waterways &Raquo; 0Effc71C5Dc33E44016354F0F3Fda8F5 8
AT#1004 – Cruising the Briare Canal in France with European Waterways

Hear about luxury barge cruising in France as Chris Christensen describes a week aboard the Renaissance, a European Waterways hotel barge traveling through Western Burgundy and the Upper Loire. Chris …

Hear about luxury ba…

Hear about luxury barge cruising in France as Chris Christensen describes a week aboard the Renaissance, a European Waterways hotel barge traveling through Western Burgundy and the Upper Loire. Chris and his wife previously cruised with European Waterways on the Canal du Midi. For this journey, they returned to France to explore the Briare Canal, one of the country’s oldest canals, aboard a vessel carrying just eight passengers and five crew members. The result was an unusually intimate trip combining French cuisine, historic towns, private châteaux, Sancerre vineyards, canal locks, and lon…

Listen · 56:50
At#1003 - Travel To Fiji (Yasawa Islands, Taveuni, Ovalau, And Viti Levu) &Raquo; 0Effc71C5Dc33E44016354F0F3Fda8F5 8
AT#1003 – Travel to Fiji (Yasawa Islands, Taveuni, Ovalau, and Viti Levu)

Hear about travel to Fiji as the Amateur Traveler talks to Jonty Crane from jontytravels.com about this island nation where he lived this year. Why should you visit Fiji? Jonty says, "Fiji offers the …

Hear about travel to…

Hear about travel to Fiji as the Amateur Traveler talks to Jonty Crane from jontytravels.com about this island nation where he lived this year. Why should you visit Fiji? Jonty says, "Fiji offers the classic South Pacific island experience, with excellent snorkeling and diving, attractive beaches, and welcoming people. It also has a well-established tourism industry, which accounts for approximately 40% of the Economy. Fiji attracts around one million visitors each year, representing about 60% of all tourism in the South Pacific." Jonty’s Experience in Fiji ... https://amateurtraveler.com/tr…

Listen · 1:01:09
At#1002 - Travel To Paris, France &Raquo; 0Effc71C5Dc33E44016354F0F3Fda8F5 8
AT#1002 – Travel to Paris, France

Hear about travel to Paris as the Amateur Traveler talks to Angela J. Reed of Parisienne Farmgirl about museums, cafés, neighborhoods, markets, gardens, and viewpoints in the City of Light. This week…

Hear about travel to…

Hear about travel to Paris as the Amateur Traveler talks to Angela J. Reed of Parisienne Farmgirl about museums, cafés, neighborhoods, markets, gardens, and viewpoints in the City of Light. This week's show is supported by the new Smart Travel Podcast. Travel smarter — and spend less — with help from NerdWallet. Check out Smart Travel ⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠here⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠. Why should you go to Paris? Angela says, “Paris is alive. It has a rhythm of its own, and I think when you visit Paris, you get to become part of that rhythm.�…

Listen · 59:00
At#1001 - Travel To Western Crete, Greece &Raquo; 0Effc71C5Dc33E44016354F0F3Fda8F5 8
AT#1001 – Travel to Western Crete, Greece

Hear about travel to Western Crete as the Amateur Traveler talks to Jonty Crane from jontytravels.com about his hiking adventure around the villages and in the mountains of the largest Greek island. T…

Hear about travel to…

Hear about travel to Western Crete as the Amateur Traveler talks to Jonty Crane from jontytravels.com about his hiking adventure around the villages and in the mountains of the largest Greek island. This week's show is supported by the new Smart Travel Podcast. Travel smarter — and spend less — with help from NerdWallet. Check out Smart Travel ⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠here⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠. Why should you visit Western Crete? Jonty says, "Crete is a diverse Greek island, home to excellent hiking, dramatic gorges, atmospheric villages, epic coastlin…

Listen · 49:23
At#1000 - Travel To Uzbekistan And Turkmenistan &Raquo; 0Effc71C5Dc33E44016354F0F3Fda8F5 8
AT#1000 – Travel to Uzbekistan and Turkmenistan

Hear about travel to Uzbekistan and Turkmenistan and the annual Amateur Traveler trip as host Chris Christensen and guest Bill Abbott talk about a tour to 2 of the 5 'Stans in Central Asia. This week'…

Hear about travel to…

Hear about travel to Uzbekistan and Turkmenistan and the annual Amateur Traveler trip as host Chris Christensen and guest Bill Abbott talk about a tour to 2 of the 5 'Stans in Central Asia. This week's show is supported by the new Smart Travel Podcast. Travel smarter — and spend less — with help from NerdWallet. Check out Smart Travel ⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠here⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠. Why should you go to Uzbekistan and Turkmenistan? Chris says, "In this area, you can stand in these beautiful cities that date back over two thousand years. This is a trip thr…

Listen · 1:15:20
At#999 - Travel To Umbria In Italy &Raquo; 0Effc71C5Dc33E44016354F0F3Fda8F5 8
AT#999 – Travel to Umbria in Italy

Hear about travel to Umbria in Italy as the Amateur Traveler talks to Katerina Ferrara, the author of the Ultimate Festival & Travel Guide Umbria. This week's show is supported by the new Smart Tr…

Hear about travel to…

Hear about travel to Umbria in Italy as the Amateur Traveler talks to Katerina Ferrara, the author of the Ultimate Festival & Travel Guide Umbria. This week's show is supported by the new Smart Travel Podcast. Travel smarter — and spend less — with help from NerdWallet. Check out Smart Travel ⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠here⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠. Why should you go to Umbria? Katerina says, "Travelers should include Umbria in their plans because the hill towns feel just completely suspended in time. These are beautifully preserved places that stay off the main tou…

Listen · 1:04:37
Travel To Delaware - Episode 998 &Raquo; 0Effc71C5Dc33E44016354F0F3Fda8F5 8
Travel to Delaware – Episode 998

Hear about travel to Delaware as the Amateur Traveler talks to Dannelle Gay from the Traveling Cheesehead about her recent visit to The First State. This week's show is supported by the new Smart Trav…

Hear about travel to…

Hear about travel to Delaware as the Amateur Traveler talks to Dannelle Gay from the Traveling Cheesehead about her recent visit to The First State. This week's show is supported by the new Smart Travel Podcast. Travel smarter — and spend less — with help from NerdWallet. Check out Smart Travel ⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠here⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠. Why should you go to Delaware? Dannelle says, "If you are a foodie, if you're a history buff, if you're a beach person, there are so many different reasons. If you're into military history or you get into aircraft World War II h…

Listen · 56:13
At#997 - Travel Jerez And Cádiz, Spain &Raquo; 0Effc71C5Dc33E44016354F0F3Fda8F5 8
AT#997 – Travel Jerez and Cádiz, Spain

Hear about travel to Jerez de la Frontera and the province of Cádiz in Spain as the Amateur Traveler talks about a recent press trip to the 2026 Culinary Capital of Spain. This week's show is support…

Hear about travel to…

Hear about travel to Jerez de la Frontera and the province of Cádiz in Spain as the Amateur Traveler talks about a recent press trip to the 2026 Culinary Capital of Spain. This week's show is supported by the new Smart Travel Podcast. Travel smarter — and spend less — with help from NerdWallet. Check out Smart Travel ⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠here⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠. This episode is based on a recent press trip to Cádiz and Jerez, with guest Kristen Henning from Travel Past 50 joining Chris to talk about why travelers should consider this corner of Andalusia. Why Visit Cá…

Listen · 1:06:15
At#996 - Travel To Santiago, Chile &Raquo; 0Effc71C5Dc33E44016354F0F3Fda8F5 8
AT#996 – Travel to Santiago, Chile

Hear about travel to Santiago, Chile, as the Amateur Traveler talks to Kristin Henning from TravelPast50.com about this city that she called home for a time. This week's show is supported by the new S…

Hear about travel to…

Hear about travel to Santiago, Chile, as the Amateur Traveler talks to Kristin Henning from TravelPast50.com about this city that she called home for a time. This week's show is supported by the new Smart Travel Podcast. Travel smarter — and spend less — with help from NerdWallet. Check out Smart Travel ⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠here⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠. Why should you go to Santiago? Kristin says, "You can get to the mountains quickly. You can get to the valley for wine tasting quickly. You can get to the coast, Valparaíso, and beach towns quickly. But Santiago itself does hold a…

Listen · 42:34
At#996 - Travel To Santiago, Chile &Raquo; 0Effc71C5Dc33E44016354F0F3Fda8F5 8
AT#996 – Travel to Santiago, Chile

Hear about travel to Santiago, Chile, as the Amateur Traveler talks to Kristin Henning from TravelPast50.com about this city that she called home for a time. This week's show is supported by the new S…

Hear about travel to…

Hear about travel to Santiago, Chile, as the Amateur Traveler talks to Kristin Henning from TravelPast50.com about this city that she called home for a time. This week's show is supported by the new Smart Travel Podcast. Travel smarter — and spend less — with help from NerdWallet. Check out Smart Travel ⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠here⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠. Why should you go to Santiago? Kristin says, "You can get to the mountains quickly. You can get to the valley for wine tasting quickly. You can get to the coast, Valparaíso, and beach towns quickly. But Santiago itself does hold a…

Listen · 42:34
At#995 - Travel To Saxony, Germany &Raquo; 0Effc71C5Dc33E44016354F0F3Fda8F5 8
AT#995 – Travel to Saxony, Germany

Hear about travel to Saxony as the Amateur Traveler talks about a recent press trip to Leipzig, Dresden, Meissen, and more in this southeast corner of Germany. This week's show is supported by the new…

Hear about travel to…

Hear about travel to Saxony as the Amateur Traveler talks about a recent press trip to Leipzig, Dresden, Meissen, and more in this southeast corner of Germany. This week's show is supported by the new Smart Travel Podcast. Travel smarter — and spend less — with help from NerdWallet. Check out Smart Travel ⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠here⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠. Recommended Saxony Itinerary Day 1: Arrive in Leipzig Start in Leipzig. Base yourself in the compact historic center, ideally near the Old Town Hall. Chris stayed at the Steigenberger Icon Grand Hotel, close to the market square and th…

Listen · 1:03:36
At994 - Travel To Las Vegas, Nevada &Raquo; 0Effc71C5Dc33E44016354F0F3Fda8F5 8
AT994 – Travel to Las Vegas, Nevada

Hear about travel to Las Vegas, Nevada, as the Amateur Traveler talks to Meryl Pearlstein about this glamorous city in the desert that keeps drawing her back. This week's show is supported by the new…

Hear about travel to…

Hear about travel to Las Vegas, Nevada, as the Amateur Traveler talks to Meryl Pearlstein about this glamorous city in the desert that keeps drawing her back. This week's show is supported by the new Smart Travel Podcast. Travel smarter — and spend less — with help from NerdWallet. Check out Smart Travel ⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠here⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠. Why Go to Las Vegas if You Don’t Gamble? Meryl makes the case that Las Vegas is far more than casinos. She highlights the city as a place where you can combine top-tier dining, arts and culture, unusual museums, live Entertainment, and de…

Listen · 56:24