Philippa Burne
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Philippa Burne
Philippa Burne caught the travel bug late in life. Too afraid of flying to board a plane for over ten years, she was trapped in Australia. When offered the job of a lifetime in London, she succumbed to hypnotism and now possesses a slab of frequent flyer cards. Since then, she has lived and worked in Croatia, Poland, Holland, London, Slovakia and the USA. Currently she is living in London, mainly because it is an excellent transport hub for getting to nearly anywhere in the world.
UK
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May222012
5 Reasons to Go to Evora
Travel Recommendation
Location: Lisbon
My Recommendation Tip:
Évora is a beautiful city in Portugal with archeological findings dating back to 4,000 BC. With a well-preserved UNESCO-listed town center, some beautiful churches and plenty of historical flavor, it is one of the best places to visit during your trip to Portugal. Here are five reasons not to miss Évora. 1. Roman Ruins
Templo Romano is the best-preserved Roman temple in Portugal. It dates from 2AD and 14 ornate Corinthian columns still stand on a marble platform from which you can look across the rooftops of UNESCO protected Évora. Termas Romanos, the Roman Baths that date from 1AD lie beneath the town hall (Camara Municipal) and during office hours you can wander in and see the huge circular steam bath.
May222012
How to Find Accommodation for the London Olympics
Travel Recommendation
Location: London
My Recommendation Tip:
Accommodation in London during the 2012 Olympics is selling fast, so you need to book soon if you’re planning to be in London then.
May212012
Normandy Day Trips
Travel Recommendation
Location: Normandy
My Recommendation Tip:
The D-Day landings at Normandy on June 6, 1944 were the beginning of the end of World War II much due to the heroic action by Allied troops including US and British forces, to begin taking Europe back from the Nazis.
May212012
Swim Like a Star in the Mar Menor
Travel Recommendation
Location: Spain
My Recommendation Tip:
It’s ‘the largest swimming pool in the world according to Esther Williams and she’d know – she was the famous water-ballet star of Hollywood. And I’m sure that many of the people who flock to the Mar Menor in south-eastern Spain are just as adept as Esther at swimming in bright red lipstick and emerging from the sea looking as glamorous as they went in.
May182012
The Easy and Cheap Way to Get Around Venice
Travel Recommendation
Location: Venice
My Recommendation Tip:
The only wheeled traffic in Venice are the trolleys used to take things from barge to shop. And prams. There are no cars and very few bicycles, because of all the steps. It seems obvious to say that there are no cars but there was once a plan to fill in the canals of Venice and bring cars to the city. Thankfully that failed, but some of the wider streets you encounter in Venice are actually filled in canals from the days of this ill-conceived plan.
May182012
The White Village of Ronda
Travel Recommendation
Location: Andalucia & Costa del Sol
My Recommendation Tip:
If you’re looking for the spectacular then Ronda is for you. One of the famous pueblos blancas (white villages) of Andalucia, it’s situated around a 330 feet (100 m) deep gorge with sheer rock sides called El Tajo, which has three impressive bridges spanning it. This town is old, originating with the Celts in 6BC. Later it was Roman, then Islamic, then Christian. In the 20th century it was decimated in the Napoleonic Wars and later the Spanish Civil War. Between these two events, the area became a bit of a home for bandits and now there is a museum to these outlaws: Museo del Bandolero.
May182012
Whitstable – A Place for Oyster’s in England
Travel Recommendation
Location: England
My Recommendation Tip:
Located on the coast of Kent, only an hour and a half from London by train, is the little fishing village of Whitstable.
May182012
Golfing in Iceland
Travel Recommendation
Location: Iceland
My Recommendation Tip:
How much do you love golf? Do you love it so much that you wake up at midnight wishing you were out on the course teeing off on the first hole?
May172012
De Hoge Veluwe National Park in the Netherlands
Travel Recommendation
Location: Netherlands
My Recommendation Tip:
The De Hoge Veluwe park is the largest nature reserve in the Netherlands.
May172012
Trieste: One of Italy's Most Unique Cities
Travel Recommendation
Location: Italy
My Recommendation Tip:
Some cities are just lone wolves – they are not like anywhere else, they have passed from country to country during political upheavals and so have ended up a bit of a hybrid, and geographically they are as hard to describe as never-never land. Welcome to Trieste. Now part of Italy, Trieste was founded by the Romans, batted about by various warring tribes including the Goths and Byzantines, taken over by the Venetians, then gave itself to Austria in 1382 and was for many happy settled centuries that country’s seaport. Have you ever wondered about the Captain in The Sound of Music being in the Navy when Austria has no coast? Well, it did back then. (Some of Italy, some of Slovenia, some of Croatia.)
May162012
Where to Shop in Edinburgh, Scotland
Travel Recommendation
Location: Edinburgh
My Recommendation Tip:
Edinburgh is not a huge city – less than half a million people live there, but they are cultured and stylish.
May162012
Top Tips for Shopping in Florence
Travel Recommendation
Location: Florence
My Recommendation Tip:
Florence is a haven for shopping, from leather goods in the markets, to big name designers, to outlet stores and some of the best food and wine in Italy. Here are some tips for finding just what you’re looking for, getting the right price and bringing it home. Designers Florence has birthed many a fashion icon, including shoe designer Salvatore Ferragamo, Gucci, Pucci, Roberto Cavalli and Patrizia Pepe. You can head to their stores in the historic center or to the department store La Rinascente, near the Mercato Nuovo (New Market), which has a great fashion section. There are also two museums of fashion in Florence: Museo Salvatore Ferragamo, Piazza Santa Trinita, 5 and the Galleria del Costume at the Pitti Palace.
May152012
Cycling in Tuscany
Travel Recommendation
Location: Tuscany
My Recommendation Tip:
A lot of the attraction of Tuscany is getting back to a slower life. The flavors, the landscapes, the art – it all makes us look back to a simpler time. That’s why this is an ideal place in Italy to tour by bicycle. The one downside might be that it is hilly except for along the rivers and coast. But don’t be put off by a few steep hills. What goes up must come down, and as you’re freewheeling you can look around at all that beauty – your reward for slogging up the hill.
May152012
Discover Rome like a Roman in Trastevere
Travel Recommendation
Location: Rome
My Recommendation Tip:
When in Rome it’s tempting and very easy to stay in the Centro Storico, the historic center. But as they say, when in Rome do as the Romans do, which means you need to cross the river and head to Trastevere. This is the heart of real contemporary Rome. Trastevere is the place the city’s inhabitants come in the evenings, to the bars and restaurants that give the narrow cobbled streets such vitality. When I went there with my friends, we chose a small local restaurant at random, and ended up having a wonderful meal and a great chat with the owner who happened to have relatives living in our hometown. Thanks to this connection, our tiramisu and coffee were free. We left feeling like part of the extended family.
May152012
Things to See and Do in Montserrat
Travel Recommendation
Location: Barcelona
My Recommendation Tip:
Visiting Montserrat was one of my travel highlights. Not only is it visually spectacular, but there’s something about the place that takes you out of your normal thinking – even if only for an hour or two. Built by Benedictine monks in 1025, on a black rock ‘serrated’ mountain – hence the name – about 30 miles (50km) from Barcelona, the place is still a pilgrimage site for Christians all over the world.
May152012
Where to See the Olympic Torch Near London, England
Travel Recommendation
Location: London
My Recommendation Tip:
The Olympic Torch’s arrival in and journey around the UK leading up to the 2012 Olympics is not only symbolic of peace, unity, and friendship but is a way for millions to be involved in the games, especially those of us not lucky enough to get tickets or talented enough to actually be competing.
May102012
January in Amsterdam
Travel Recommendation
Location: Amsterdam
My Recommendation Tip:
If you can handle the cold, January is one of the best times of the year to visit Amsterdam.
May102012
Irish History in Boyne Valley
Travel Recommendation
Location: Ireland
My Recommendation Tip:
Not far from Dublin lies the Boyne Valley, site of the Boyne River, in parts a lovely trout and salmon fishing river.
May102012
Tips for Shopping at Harrods, London’s Most Famous Store
Travel Recommendation
Location: London
My Recommendation Tip:
Harrods Department Store, in Knightsbridge, opened in 1849 when Charles Harrod had a grocery store here on Brompton Road.
May092012
Visiting Monaco During the Grand Prix
Travel Recommendation
Location: Monaco
My Recommendation Tip:
It’s fast, loud and all about money: it’s the Monaco Grand Prix. This year the 70th Grand Prix event takes place May 24-27. If you like formula-one car racing head to Monaco then, and if you don’t, avoid the place for a few weeks either side of those dates also. The race takes over the whole country, or it certainly feels that way. It takes time to turn streets into a racing circuit, so in the weeks leading up to the race grand stands and pit areas are constructed, huge advertising signage goes up, television filming scaffolding is built and streets begin being closed to traffic. It’s all part of the build-up of energy and excitement, but in a country as small as this, the race preparations dominate.
May082012
Kate and Will Join the Royal Family in Madame Tussauds
Travel Recommendation
Location: London
My Recommendation Tip:
Everyone from vampish pop stars to heroic sporting legends have been immortalized in wax courtesy of the world famous Madame Tussauds museum and British royalty are no exception, so it’s about time that Britain’s most famous royal couple joined the ranks.
May082012
Five Top Places to Eat and Drink in Glasgow
Travel Recommendation
Location: Glasgow
My Recommendation Tip:
Glasgow is a very cool city. The city center is full of great little bars and places to eat. Here are a few recommended:
May082012
Monte Palace Tropical Garden on Madeira
Travel Recommendation
Location: Islands of Portugal
My Recommendation Tip:
Some places are just magical and this is one of them. Overlooking the Atlantic and the city of Funchal in the Islands of Portugal, the Monte Palace and its Tropical Garden are a must-see. This is partly thanks to the original visionary of this little piece of paradise, the 18th century English Consul Charles Murray, who bought property up the hill in Funchal, which he called Quinta do Praza (The Pleasure Estate). At the end of the 19th century it was acquired by Alfredo Guilherme Rodrigues who built a house inspired by palaces he’d seen along the Rhine River.
May042012
Caves of Nerja
Travel Recommendation
Location: Andalucia & Costa del Sol
My Recommendation Tip:
Cave paintings and skeletons found in the Caves of Nerja (Cuevas de Nerja) on the southern coast of Spain tell us that this complex of caverns which stretches for about 3 miles (5km) was once occupied by primitive people – originally as a winter shelter for nomadic tribes, then as a more permanent residence and place to keep their animals. Then the caves were strangely forgotten for centuries until their rediscovery in 1959 by a group of five local boys who were hunting for bats. I suppose those early inhabitants began to build houses and over many generations the caves were just forgotten as nature took over to cover the natural entry points. Once the boys had stumbled over them, however, it didn’t take long for the caves to be opened to the public in 1960 as a place for tourism – largely because they contain one of the world’s largest stalagmites, which is 105 ft (32 m) high and 43 x 23 ft (13 x 7 m) at its base.
May042012
Things to Do in Gouda (Other Than Eat the Famous Cheese)
Travel Recommendation
Location: Netherlands
My Recommendation Tip:
Gouda is not just a cheese but a town.
May042012
Roman Ruins in England
Travel Recommendation
Location: The North of England
My Recommendation Tip:
One of the most significant Roman ruins in England and one of the most visited tourist sites in northern England, Hadrian’s Wall bisects the country from the North Sea in the east to the Irish Sea in the west.
May032012
San Marino
Travel Recommendation
Location: Italy
My Recommendation Tip:
I have a strange obsession with the small countries of the world. I’m not sure why, perhaps it’s the David versus Goliath nature of these tiny places with populations of under a million people. Nine tiny nations even get together to hold their own Olympic games! The Republic of San Marino, tucked into Italy, is Europe’s third smallest state after the Vatican and Monaco. It has a population of around 30,000 and is just 24 square miles (61 sq km) in size. The economy is mainly based on tourism and finance, the country has no national debt, almost no unemployment and is one of the world’s wealthiest countries by GDP; no wonder I admire these small yet strong nations.
May022012
Florence in One Day: Itinerary
Travel Recommendation
Location: Florence
My Recommendation Tip:
The historic center of Florence is compact so it’s easy to move between the main attractions on foot quite quickly. The railway station is also close in to the center, only about ten minutes walk from the Duomo which is the heart of the city. Here are the top attractions you should try and work into your one-day itinerary.
May022012
Pere Lachaise Cemetery
Travel Recommendation
Location: Paris
My Recommendation Tip:
It’s the City of the Dead all the world comes to visit, the resting place of many icons: Oscar Wilde, Jim Morrison, Marcel Proust, Edith Piaf, Chopin, Modigliani – the list goes on. Pere Lachaise Cemetery is also very beautiful. Opened in the early 19th century it became the place for celebrity burials as a bit of a marketing ploy; many people at the time felt the cemetery was too far from the center of Paris and did not want to be buried there, so the city literally moved a few well-respected citizen’s graves to Pere Lachaise making it the place to be buried.
May022012
Mummies Exhibition: Seeing through to the past
Travel Recommendation
Location: Edinburgh
My Recommendation Tip:
Until May 27th, 2012 Scotland’s National Museum has a ground-breaking exhibition of Egyptian mummies featuring the latest technologies which are unlocking their secrets.
May012012
Meet an Icelander
Travel Recommendation
Location: Iceland
My Recommendation Tip:
Surely Iceland is the only country in the world that would have a website on which local people invite tourists to come and have dinner in their home. It’s true and it’s an official, real website.
Apr302012
London’s Brick Lane Curry Festival
Travel Recommendation
Location: London
My Recommendation Tip:
Londoners love a curry, and the place to go for a really good curry is Brick Lane in the East End.
Apr272012
Celebrating White Night in Locarno
Travel Recommendation
Location: Switzerland
My Recommendation Tip:
If you happen to be in Locarno on May 12, count yourself lucky, as the town goes into a frenzy for Notte Bianca, or white night.
Apr262012
Cycling the Loire Valley
Travel Recommendation
Location: France
My Recommendation Tip:
If it sounds somehow ridiculous that one river valley can house around one thousand chateaux you need to remember that the Loire River is very long; this is the longest river in France extending for 630 miles (1010 km), running from Cevennes is the south of the country, north to Orleans and then west to the Bay of Biscay. The land in the valley is green, flat, rich and sometimes known as the Garden of France. It’s no wonder that so many kings and their friends wanted to build magnificent houses beside this river. These days it’s one of France’s prime tourist magnet
Apr262012
Coffeeshops and the Red Light District in Amsterdam
Travel Recommendation
Location: Amsterdam
My Recommendation Tip:
The Red Light District (De Wallen) in Amsterdam is one of the major drawcards for tourists.
Apr262012
Dublin Marathon
Travel Recommendation
Location: Dublin
My Recommendation Tip:
A few years ago in a place that is the enemy of fitness – a London pub – discussion turned to running a marathon.
Apr252012
Free Things to Do in Cannes
Travel Recommendation
Location: Cannes
My Recommendation Tip:
Cannes has the aura of wealth and glamor, but there’s more to this small village than that annual red-carpet parade held in May. Cannes may feel out of reach for those with a budget in mind, but there's actually plenty you can do without spending a dime! Some great – and free – things to do in Cannes are: La Croisette. This is the famous beach-side promenade of Cannes and it’s great for a stroll and people watching. The other places to go walking and sight-seeing are the shopping streets Rue d’Antibes and Rue Meynadier.
Apr242012
Packing a Picnic at London’s Best Food Markets
Travel Recommendation
Location: London
My Recommendation Tip:
With such wonderful parks dotted all over this huge city, one of the best things to do on a sunny day in London is pack a picnic basket and head onto that green grass with the squirrels and pigeons as company.
Apr242012
Recommended Restaurants
Travel Recommendation
Location: Lisbon
My Recommendation Tip:
Lisbon is a city of flavors with its little cafes, bars and restaurants that can stun you with just how good their food is. I think the secret is in the personal approach – these are not big chains, but places where the owner brings the food to the table and makes sure you order the very best offering on the menu that day. Sometimes there isn’t even a menu – what they’re cooking depends on what was freshest at the markets that morning. Here are two recommendations to try when you visit this delicious city. One I’ve been to and the other is on my list for next visit.
Apr232012
TIps for the Luxembourg Gardens
Travel Recommendation
Location: Paris
My Recommendation Tip:
The Luxembourg Gardens are one of the world’s great places. They’re beautiful and iconic of Paris, they’re full of history and contain plenty to do and see. Built along with the Palais du Luxembourg in the 17th century by a heartbroken Marie de Medicis, after the assassination of her husband Henry IV, the park is typical of the time with its formal layout of avenues of trees, the central fountain and vista of the palace. These days the Palais is the seat of the French Senate and you can go inside and watch a session for free. The building is based of Marie’s home in Florence, the Pitti Palace, with an updated, more French look to it. The 60 acre (25ha) gardens themselves are very popular with both Parisians and tourists. French children grow up pushing boats in the central fountain, Grand Basin, and you can rent the small sailing boats and launch your own.
Apr232012
Valencia by Bike
Travel Recommendation
Location: Valencia
My Recommendation Tip:
People often recommend cycling around small, historic European towns as a great way to see the place and it is; you can cover more distance than on foot but can still look at the sights on the way, stopping whenever something takes your fancy. The major problem with it is that the streets can be narrow, filled with pedestrians and impatient local drivers, especially the taxis. But Valencia is one city I would definitely recommend hiring a bicycle for half or a whole day because they have created one of the best places to cycle: Turia.
Apr202012
Shopping in Venice
Travel Recommendation
Location: Venice
My Recommendation Tip:
Let’s face it; when you think of Venice, you probably think of canals more than anything else. And when you think of shopping in Italy, you likely imagine spending time in the outlets and boutiques of Florence and Milan. However, Venice has been a shopping center for hundreds of years, and you can find high fashion here as well.
Apr202012
Jerez - Flamenco Sights
Travel Recommendation
Location: Andalucia & Costa del Sol
My Recommendation Tip:
That wonderfully passionate dance, the Flamenco, has come to represent the whole of Spain but it all began in the small region of Andalucia, the town of Jerez de la Frontera in particular. The town holds an annual Jerez Flamenco Festival in February and March with workshops where you can learn to dance the flamenco, exhibitions of history and famous dancers, and of course daily performances.
Apr202012
Stonehenge and Salisbury
Travel Recommendation
Location: The North of England
My Recommendation Tip:
Just over two hours from London by train, Salisbury has two claims for our attention: its cathedral and Stonehenge.
Apr192012
Best Pizza in Naples
Travel Recommendation
Location: Naples
My Recommendation Tip:
If you want to start a fight in Naples, ask to have pineapple on your pizza. Or egg. Or even olives, or anchovies. Neopolitans feel very strongly about pizza – after all they invented it – and a true pizza only has tomato, mozzarella and a few leaves of basil. And it must be cooked in a wood-fired oven. This is the Pizza Margherita which the pizzeria Brandi – the oldest in Naples established in 1780 – claims to have invented in 1889 for Queen Margherita. Each year a competition is held judging the best pizza in Naples. Here are five of those which end up on the list year in year out: they’re worth travelling that extra mile for, and even waiting in line.
Apr192012
Bloemencorso: Annual Flower Parade
Travel Recommendation
Location: Netherlands
My Recommendation Tip:
Winter can be long and cold in The Netherlands so when spring comes there is cause for celebration.
Apr172012
Summer Medieval Fairs in Tuscany
Travel Recommendation
Location: Tuscany
My Recommendation Tip:
If you’re traveling the towns and villages of Tuscany this summer and feel like you’ve just walked into a time warp, you’ve probably lucked out and hit upon a Medieval Fair. Every year a few towns throw themselves wholeheartedly into days-gone-by and dress up in medieval costumes, entertain with storytellers and wandering minstrels, showcase ancient arts like blacksmithing and candlemaking, and generally celebrate the things that made their towns what they are. Here’s a brief list of where and when you can find some of these events:
Apr162012
Runtur in Iceland
Travel Recommendation
Location: Reykjavik
My Recommendation Tip:
Runtur means round tour and, to Iceland natives, this means a trip around Reykjavik’s bars and nightspots.
Apr162012
Queen's Day in The Netherlands
Travel Recommendation
Location: Amsterdam
My Recommendation Tip:
The Netherlands still has royalty and mighty proud of Queen Beatrix they are too.
Apr162012
One Hot Event in Scotland
Travel Recommendation
Location: Edinburgh
My Recommendation Tip:
The Scots have one foot in their modern city and one foot in their pagan past – that’s why we love them.
Apr162012
Columbia Road Flower Market
Travel Recommendation
Location: London
My Recommendation Tip:
Just beyond the financial center of London lies the East End.
Apr162012
Crawling Dublin's Pubs
Travel Recommendation
Location: Dublin
My Recommendation Tip:
Dublin is a city of pubs.
Apr162012
Top 5 Views in Rome
Travel Recommendation
Location: Rome
My Recommendation Tip:
Rome is beautiful and knows it. It basks in its glorious history just inviting you to take its photograph. One of the most splendid aspects are the rooftops – all those spires and domes and jumbled, eccentric angles of apartment buildings – but how do you get up there to take your shot? Is it even possible to get up there? Well, it might cost you a bit in food or wine but it will be worth it. And nothing will beat watching the sunset over the roof of Rome. Here are a few terrace bars and restaurants worth checking out.
Apr122012
Strawberry Hill House
Travel Recommendation
Location: London
My Recommendation Tip:
London is so bursting with history it’s impossible to get a grip on it all.
Apr122012
Built in Belfast: The Titanic
Travel Recommendation
Location: Belfast
My Recommendation Tip:
The world is fascinated by the Titanic.
Apr122012
Most Beautiful Churches in Amsterdam
Travel Recommendation
Location: Amsterdam
My Recommendation Tip:
The Netherlands has historically been a very religious country with many different strands of Christianity represented.
Apr092012
Dublin Literary History
Travel Recommendation
Location: Dublin
My Recommendation Tip:
Dublin is a UNESCO City of Literature.
Apr092012
Things to Do in Toledo
Travel Recommendation
Location: Spain
My Recommendation Tip:
If you were to put a pin right in the middle of a map of Spain you’d pretty well hit Toledo. 45 miles (70km) south of Madrid. It makes an easy day-trip and is well worth the effort. Toledo sits on a hilltop with fabulous views – once a necessity for seeing the approach of all those invading armies – above a bend in the River Tagus, the Iberian Peninsula’s longest river, which travels through Portugal to reach the sea at Lisbon.
Apr062012
The Sierra Nevada- Spain's Highest Point
Travel Recommendation
Location: Andalucia & Costa del Sol
My Recommendation Tip:
While the cities of Spain are wonderful it’s also rewarding to head out into the landscapes beyond. I recently drove through the Andalucian countryside to Granada and around every corner was yet another breathtaking landscape. We passed hills topped with wind-generators – which I have to say I find beautiful in a very modern way – then we rounded a corner to see snow-covered mountains: the Sierra Nevada, continental Spain’s highest point and a popular ski resort and national park.
Apr062012
Day Trip to Volendam
Travel Recommendation
Location: Amsterdam
My Recommendation Tip:
If it’s the picture-postcard Holland of women in traditional floral dresses, striped pinafores and pointed white lace caps and men in baggy, woolen breeches that you’re after then it’s to Volendam that you need to travel. This is a small fishing village on the shores of the IJsselmeer (the IJ), just near that famous cheese town Edam.
Apr062012
Southhampton – Sailing port of Titanic
Travel Recommendation
Location: London
My Recommendation Tip:
Although the Titanic’s home port was Liverpool she never actually visited that city. Built in Belfast, she sailed from Southampton on her maiden voyage to New York, but five days out of port she hit an iceberg and sank. A tragic history was made and never forgotten. 4 of every 5 crew on the ship were from Southampton so it’s unsurprising that the streets, churches and families of the city are still strongly connected to that great maritime disaster which happened 100 years ago, on April 15, 1912.
Apr052012
Best Towns for Easter Traditions in Italy
Travel Recommendation
Location: Italy
My Recommendation Tip:
Italy loves Easter, or Pasqua in local terms. Aside from the deeply religious observation at the many Papal Masses held in Rome, and the explosive tradition of fireworks in Florence, many small towns and regions have long-held traditions for this time of year. Here's a list of just some of Italy's most beautiful and unique Easter traditions.
Apr042012
Where to Find Macaroons
Travel Recommendation
Location: Paris
My Recommendation Tip:
Paris is a city of the senses – sight and taste predominate. In terms of sounds, it can be filled with music or just the rush of traffic; smells can go from sublime to awful depending whether you’re standing in the food court of Galeries Lafayette or next to a busy road, and touch.. But predominantly, Paris fills the eyes and tempts the taste buds. One of the things the French are famous for are their sweet treats – pastries, cakes, and desserts – and of these, one of their most famous gifts to the world is the macaroon…
Apr042012
Top 5 Views in Florence
Travel Recommendation
Location: Florence
My Recommendation Tip:
Florence is undoubtedly one of the most beautiful cities in the world. Its bridges, palaces, and churches can all inspire the feeling of being inside a post card. Here are five places where you can find the typical, and not so typical post-card views when you visit this magnificent city in Italy.
Apr032012
Il Cavallino Matto - Italy's Largest Amusement Park
Travel Recommendation
Location: Tuscany
My Recommendation Tip:
So you’ve been dragging your kids around museums and historic houses, gardens and churches. They have been very patient, well-behaved, even interested. But now it’s time to give them something in return. Il Cavallino Matto. The biggest amusement park in Tuscany. Located not far from Livorno near the Marina di Catagneto Carduccio beach. The park has four rollercoasters, gentler rides for younger kids such as a carousel and aquatic canoe ride, a pirate boat and an African adventure and gold mine ride and etc.
Apr032012
La Boqueria Market
Travel Recommendation
Location: Barcelona
My Recommendation Tip:
The Spanish know how to live. They take such joy in life and one of the reasons, I think, is the food. Is it cause or effect? I don’t know. But when you head into a marketplace in Spain you understand why they take such joy in eating – because they have such wonderful and abundant foods with which to prepare meals.
Apr032012
Iceland for Fashion and Design
Travel Recommendation
Location: Reykjavik
My Recommendation Tip:
For such a small country – a total population of around 300,000 people – Iceland is one of the most creative countries around. We all know their most famous export, Bjork, but do you know about their vibrant fashion and design scenes?
Apr022012
5 Reasons to Visit Rome in April
Travel Recommendation
Location: Rome
My Recommendation Tip:
1. Easter. April 8th is Easter Sunday in 2012 and both Sunday and Monday are public holidays in Italy. Rome is a very religious city and home to the Vatican so it’s a special time here. The Pope says Mass to hundreds of thousands of people who gather in St Peter’s Square at 10.15am on Easter Sunday. He also presides over mass inside the basilica on Good Friday and holds an Easter Vigil on the evening of Easter Saturday, but you need to apply for tickets to these two services direct to the Vatican months in advance.
Mar292012
Villefranche-sur-Mer
Travel Recommendation
Location: French Riviera
My Recommendation Tip:
5 miles (8 kms) outside Nice to the east lies Villefranche-sur-Mer. If you feel like escaping the crowds promenading along the Promenade des Anglais beside Nice’s beachfront, hop on the local bus number 82 to this quiet hideaway. Here you’ll find expensive yachts tied up beside traditional fishing boats. Head to the Hotel Welcome for a drink and look at the all the photographs on the walls of the famous people who have stayed there: Cary Grant, Winston Churchill, Jean Cocteau.
Mar272012
Exhibitions of the Titanic in London
Travel Recommendation
Location: London
My Recommendation Tip:
On April 15, 1912, the Titanic hit an iceberg and sank–claiming more than 1,503 lives. It was the world’s largest ship and it was said to be unsinkable, but it sank, shocking everyone and becoming the most famous shipwreck in history. There are exhibitions and memorials in many places. In London there are several permanent exhibits.
Mar262012
Best of The Cotswolds
Travel Recommendation
Location: England
My Recommendation Tip:
If you want to see the England of picture books and chocolate boxes, head to The Cotswolds. Its green and rolling hills really are the perfect image of dreamy England and the villages are just so English. Lots of thatched roofs on honeycomb colored stone cottages, pubs and little shops in narrow winding lanes. And churches. Market places. Tea shops. And the names! Stow-on-the-Wold, the Slaughters, Moreton-in-Marsh. I promise I am not making them up. To really explore The Cotswolds you’ll need a car, bicycle or sturdy legs because bus services within the area are limited and trains go only to the northern and southern edges, from London Paddington to towns such as Cheltenham Kingham, Chippenham and Gloucester. Otherwise, there are regular bus services from London, Oxford and Bath. If you can, plan to stay the night in order to enjoy the quiet village atmosphere when all the other visitors have gone home. Some of the villages get very crowded with cars and sightseers during the day: it’s all too pretty for its own good!
Mar262012
Murcia: Small City, Big Cathedral
Travel Recommendation
Location: Spain
My Recommendation Tip:
Murcia is a small city with a big cathedral, one of the main reasons for going there. Inland from the popular Costa Calida (Warm Coast) and Mar Menor (Little Sea) lagoon in south-eastern Spain, Murcia is known as the orchard of Spain as it sits in the heart of the rich citrus growing districts. The cathedral was begun in the 14th century on the site of an existing mosque. The bell tower is the tallest in Spain and was built up in five layers of varying styles from the 16th to 18th centuries and contains 25 bells.
Mar262012
Paris in Spring
Travel Recommendation
Location: Paris
My Recommendation Tip:
Spring is a happy time in Paris; everyone’s emerging from their winter hibernation and venturing back onto the streets and into the parks and cafes. You might need to take a jacket and scarf but the sun will be out and the flowers blooming. Some of the best places to soak up the spring sun are: Jardin du Luxembourg Marie de Medici’s royal residence during the Renaissance, there are wonderful formal gardens, daffodils, blossoms and green benches near the fountain for sitting and people-watching, an excellent Parisian pastime. Remember, there is no sitting on the grass – the French are too elegant for that. Jardin des Tuileries Between the Louvre and the Champs Elysees, this is a place to stroll and sit for a while but it’s more about people-watching than floral displays.
Mar232012
Handmade Paper Stores
Travel Recommendation
Location: Venice
My Recommendation Tip:
Venice has its typical souvenirs that everyone buys and every second shop sells: glass, lace, Carnivale masks. Another is paper – writing paper including little books with marbled covers, photo albums and more. I have to admit that these are where my money goes. Historically, Venice has always had a fine reputation for making good quality paper. The city became one of the first places in the world to begin printing books rather than having manuscripts copied by hand.
Mar222012
Treno Natura (Nature Train)
Travel Recommendation
Location: Tuscany
My Recommendation Tip:
Part of the attraction of Tuscany is its unspoiled landscape. Those lovely rolling green hills, olive groves and cypress trees that make you believe you’ve traveled back in time. Our desire to journey to simpler, slower times takes the form of walking and cycling holidays. In Tuscany you can also explore this unchanged landscape by vintage train.
Mar212012
Walking: Center to the Sea
Travel Recommendation
Location: Edinburgh
My Recommendation Tip:
Every city has its hidden secrets and the Water of Leith Walkway is one of Edinburgh’s. The Water of Leith is a 12 mile narrow river running through the city from the outer suburb of Balerno in the south-west of the city right through the sea near the Royal Yacht Britannia. Alongside it runs a walking path. Since 1988, management of the river has been in the hands of the Water of Leith Conservation Trust who organized keep the river clean and its banks well-maintained. Lovely for walking along in other words.
Mar202012
Walking vs Public Transportation in Barcelona
Travel Recommendation
Location: Barcelona
My Recommendation Tip:
Barcelona is a large city, the second largest in Spain, with a population of over 1.6 million people. While it’s got an historic heart containing many of the things any visitor to the city will want to see, there are other attractions dotted further afield that you’ll want to visit, such as Barcelona FC Stadium, Gaudi’s Parc Guell and Montjuic (which is accessed by funicular railway). The historic center of the city itself is best negotiated on foot. It’s flat and many of the streets are either pedestrianized or very narrow for traffic. By walking, you’ll discover places and see sights you never would if you were whisking past in a taxi or on a bus.
Mar202012
The Pantheon
Travel Recommendation
Location: Rome
My Recommendation Tip:
One of my all time favorite buildings in Rome is the Pantheon. It’s not huge, it’s not flashy or complicated, it’s basically just one big round room, but there is something about it that I find really special. Perhaps it’s the Pantheon’s age and history. Built around AD125 by the emperor Hadrian, it’s been standing here ever since, watching Rome act out its dramatic and beautiful life. I love the fact that the Pantheon is such a feat of engineering. Its dome is still the largest unreinforced concrete dome in the world – and it was built two millennia ago! Until 1436 when the Florence Duomo was built, the Pantheon was the largest dome in the world.
Mar192012
Annual Free Monuments Weekend
Travel Recommendation
Location: Italy
My Recommendation Tip:
This year’s Open Monuments Weekend in Italy takes place on the 24th and 25th of March. If you’re in Italy at this time circle the dates in red in your diary. This is the one weekend in the year that many of the privately owned grand houses and gardens throw open their doors and invite in the public. And entrance is usually free. Things just get better and better.
Mar162012
Contemporary Arts Bus
Travel Recommendation
Location: Bordeaux
My Recommendation Tip:
In a country such as France, where the cultural history is so rich, it’s easy to forget that art is still being made. There are artists working right now, today, as I write, and as you read this. Sure, some of it won’t be as great as the legacy left to us by Picasso or Matisse or Monet, but some of it will be. And we’ve all envied those friends and collectors who spotted the next Picasso canvas still on the easel and bought it, enabling the artist to eat, and eventually the buyer’s family to live in a lovely house after selling the painting to a gallery.
Mar152012
Top 3 Horseback Riding Places in London
Travel Recommendation
Location: London
My Recommendation Tip:
It’s just one of those things: when you’re walking in one of London’s huge parks, you think of all the people who have been here before you, and it always turns my mind to the days when people got around on horseback. I’ve always wanted to ride a horse around Hyde Park or Richmond Park, and it’s actually not that difficult to organize. Many stables offer riding lessons for both adults and children, intensive learn-to-ride-in-a-day courses, and also morning and afternoon ‘hacks’ which are a ride around the park for those who have been on a horse before.
Mar132012
Sir John Soane’s Museum
Travel Recommendation
Location: London
My Recommendation Tip:
Even if you have never heard of him, wherever you go in London, you’ll be seeing the influence of Sir John Soane. He was an architect in the late 18th and early 19th centuries in London and designed many famous buildings such as Dulwich Picture Gallery (England’s first purpose built art gallery) and the influential original Bank Of England building. His tomb, which he designed himself, was the model for London’s iconic red telephone boxes. But the most influential building he left with us was his own house in Lincoln’s Inn Fields. Soane lectured on architecture and collected books, artworks, and antiquities to rival the British Museum – he had over 700 Egyptian, Roman, and Greek objects as well as paintings by English artists such as Hogarth.
Mar122012
Musee de l’Annociade - St. Tropez
Travel Recommendation
Location: French Riviera
My Recommendation Tip:
There are more reasons to go to Saint Tropez than to rub shoulders with the rich and famous. Once upon a town this was just a tiny fishing village, and it was to this small town with a superb climate and beautiful beaches and landscapes that some of the best artists in France came to work. A lot of the work they did back then is now collected in a lovely little gallery Musee de l’Annociade (Annunciation Museum). The name comes from the building that houses the gallery, an ex-chapel dating from 1510.
Mar092012
Countryside Villas in Veneto
Travel Recommendation
Location: Venice
My Recommendation Tip:
The mainland region surrounding Venice is called the Veneto. This is where the nobility of Venice would escape to when the canals became too stinky to bear in the hottest months. Most of us think of escaping to the beach in summer but sometimes green hills and pastures provide much needed shady trees and evening breezes. Nobles had lovely villas built for their perfect getaway homes.
Mar082012
Seville Tapa Festival
Travel Recommendation
Location: Seville
My Recommendation Tip:
Don’t you hate going out to eat and having to choose between all those delicious things on the menu? That’s the genius of tapas: you can choose lots of little dishes instead of just one big one. It reconfirms my opinion that Spain is one of the best places in the world. Seville takes credit for inventing the concept of tapas although there is some disagreement about the exact means by which these small plates came about.
Mar072012
Accademia Gallery
Travel Recommendation
Location: Florence
My Recommendation Tip:
Is the Accademia Gallery worth it? There’s the Uffizi which frankly has a bigger and better collection, there’s the replica of Michelangelo’s David standing in its original location in the Piazza della Signoria, and there are all those queues to negotiate and tickets to buy. It may seem pointless to see yet another museum in Florence, but yes, you still should visit the Accademia Gallery.
Mar062012
Vall de Nuria
Travel Recommendation
Location: Barcelona
My Recommendation Tip:
You don’t have to wait long after the snows melt for the wildflowers to begin appearing in the Pyrenees. These fabulous mountains divide Spain (Catalonia) from France, and they’re easily visited in a day trip from Barcelona, or on a longer hiking trip, either organised with a group or on your own staying in a hotel. In the mountains closest to Barcelona is the lovely Vall de Nuria where I went for a day trip.
Mar052012
Twickenham
Travel Recommendation
Location: London
My Recommendation Tip:
The upper reaches of the Thames River were once the playground of the rich and landed who built large elegant riverside houses. Of course the grandest and earliest of these is Hampton Court Palace, but there are many smaller houses. Ham House in Ham, Strawberry Hill House, Marble Hill House, and the painter JMW Turner’s modest hideaway are all in Twickenham, and Syon Park in Chiswick, and the list goes on. Many of these are open to the public through such organizations as English Heritage but others have become working buildings.
Mar012012
Rijksmuseum Schiphol
Travel Recommendation
Location: Amsterdam
My Recommendation Tip:
The Dutch love their art and rightly so – they have an incredibly rich history of painting and have given the western world some of its best painters and imagery. The famous Rijksmuseum in central Amsterdam is one of the most visited art museums in the world and also one of the most innovative. The people behind the Rijksmuseum are the first to have opened an annexe at an airport. Don’t let’s downplay how important Schiphol airport itself is in this – it’s a fantastic airport and obviously very interested in making travelers lives more bearable as they await a plane.
Feb282012
Festivals in March
Travel Recommendation
Location: Valencia
My Recommendation Tip:
There are two good reasons to go to Valencia in March. One is the sunshine – escaping the lengthy northern winter is often why people hop on a cheap flight to the reliably warm south of Spain. The other is Las Fallas, literally the fires. To mark the end of winter and the coming of spring each year, Valencia goes crazy with fireworks and fires. Pretty well every day in the first weeks of March at 2pm in the Plaza del Ayuntamiento, the main square, firecrackers go off in a cacophony of noise known as La Mascleta leading up to Saint Joseph’s Feast Day, March 19th.
Feb282012
Ripley’s Believe It or Not!
Travel Recommendation
Location: London
My Recommendation Tip:
Believe it or not, I remember the TV series, Ripley’s Believe It or Not! – the 1980s version with Jack Palance that is, not the 1940s original with Robert Ripley himself. And now Ripley’s Believe It or Not! is taking over the world with its museums of oddities – not bad for one man’s obsession with the curiosities of the world. Robert Ripley began his career as a cartoonist, doing sports cartoons and subjects such as people running backwards – clearly he always had a unique take on life. His own curiosity took him traveling around the world in search of the strange and interesting and, when he began to tour North America with a stage show of amazing stories and objects, people flocked to hear him speak.
Feb272012
Women's Day and St Joseph's Day Rome
Travel Recommendation
Location: Rome
My Recommendation Tip:
March in Rome has two special days: one for him and one for her. Neither of them are official holidays but in some parts of Italy and Rome in particular, they are popular days to celebrate. March 8th is International Women’s Day and in Italy this is known as Festa della Donna. The symbol of the day is the mimosa flower, the bright yellow version. In the first week of March you’ll see buckets of them at all the flower stalls and on March 8th itself you’ll see everyone carrying them. It’s not just a day for romantic gesture like Valentine’s Day, but is a day when everyone gives women flowers: mothers, sister, friends and all. Lovely. Later in the month it’s the guys’ turn. March 19th is Saint Joseph’s Day, Festa di San Giuseppe...
Feb272012
Barrio de Gracia - March Festival
Travel Recommendation
Location: Barcelona
My Recommendation Tip:
Gracia is a barrio (district) of Barcelona that you must not miss. It has a fantastic community spirit and seems to have endless street festivities throughout the year. March 3rd is one of the most fun especially for kids, because it’s all about candy. You’ll almost certainly discover that Sant Medir is in fact the patron saint of the fava bean, known to us as the broad bean – sworn enemy of children everywhere
Feb242012
Top 5 Activities for Families in Lisbon
Travel Recommendation
Location: Portugal
My Recommendation Tip:
Here are some great things to do as a family visiting Lisbon! 1. Marionette Museum (Museu das Marionetas, Rua da Espercanca, 146, Lapa). In a lovely 18th century former convent, this collection of over 1000 puppets includes knights, princesses, and devils – something for everyone! Some of them date from as far back as the 17th and 18th century, and while most are from Portugal there are also puppets from places like China, India, and even New Zealand. Naturally they hold frequent puppet shows here. 2. Childrens’ Museum (Musea das Criancas). Located inside the zoo, each room has a central activity so it’s perfect for young kids who get bored looking at exhibits. You’ll need to get the helpful gallery assistants to translate from the Portuguese instructions for some activities.
Feb242012
Race to the Sun
Travel Recommendation
Location: French Riviera
My Recommendation Tip:
The Tour de France might be the most famous cycling race through France, but it’s not the only one. The professional cycling year begins with the Paris-Nice race, also known as ‘the race to the sun’, which has been going since 1933. It’s a grueling 720 miles (1156 km) over eight stages, which takes place in March.
Feb242012
Blackpool Tower
Travel Recommendation
Location: The North of England
My Recommendation Tip:
Blackpool is one of England’s most famous seaside towns. Or should that be infamous? Nearly everyone English has a story about Blackpool and it’s seaside theme park attractions. This famous town is located in The North of England, on the Irish Sea coast, north of Liverpool and Manchester. Blackpool has gone from being farmland of peat lands which gave the river and sea a black color, to being a fashionable seabathing resort in the mid 18th century and a booming resort with the coming of the railway and building of the pleasure piers in the 19th century. By 1920 Blackpool was hosting around eight million holiday-makers a year.
Feb242012
Diving to the Center of the Earth
Travel Recommendation
Location: Iceland
My Recommendation Tip:
Ever wanted to slip between the plates of the earth's surface and see what goes on down there under the crusty rock we walk on every day? Well, here’s your chance. In the middle of Iceland, in Thingvellir National Park – incidentally one of the most beautiful places on earth – the Eurasian and American continents meet and, in fact, drift apart at a rate of about 2cm a year. This leaves a rift in the earth’s surface, a crack that you can peer down into or, if you like adventure, dive into the waters of the Silfra Rift.
Feb232012
Galignani Bookstore
Travel Recommendation
Location: Paris
My Recommendation Tip:
Living history and written history, the famous Parisian bookshop Galignani has both. With family roots going back to the first printing presses in Venice in the 16th century when Simone Galignani published a Latin grammar book, Galignani has been an important name for books since they became mass produced. There has been a Galignani bookshop in Paris since 1801, also a publishing business and a reading room for books and newspapers in English.
Feb232012
Mantua
Travel Recommendation
Location: Italy
My Recommendation Tip:
Mantua is the capital of Lombardy, in central northern Italy. It is the city to which Romeo was banished in Shakespeare’s famous tale, after Romeo murdered Juliet’s cousin Tybalt and the Prince of Verona expelled him. Aside from the fact that his beloved Juliet was not there with him, Romeo couldn’t have ended up in a better place. Since the 13th century Mantua had been free of the rule of Rome, and had become prosperous and artistically rich.
Feb232012
Most Beautiful Bookshop in the World
Travel Recommendation
Location: Netherlands
My Recommendation Tip:
No euro-trip is complete without a visit to Amsterdam. The best way to travel through the Netherlands is by train and, there’s a lot of time to do some reading. These days it’s all about the e-reader and travelers do not need to carry heavy books around the world anymore. Call me old fashioned, but I still love bookshops. Being able to browse through pages of photographs and stories about the place I’m in, to discover the local writers and artists, to find obscure little brochures of local history; it makes travel so much more opulent.
Feb222012
Cordoba Bath Houses
Travel Recommendation
Location: Andalucia & Costa del Sol
My Recommendation Tip:
Cordoba once had 300 public baths, and they were at the center of community life. People came herd to bathe, to gossip and to arrange marriages. But once the Catholic Spaniards took control of the city from the Moorish rulers in the late 15th century, the bathhouses were closed and left to crumble. Some were opened as architectural splendors with their domed and tiled rooms, but there was no water to be found in their baths. Then about ten years ago, the Baños Arabes reopened in Cordoba as a fully functioning hammam and people quickly rediscovered the joys of a good soak, steam and scrub.
Feb222012
Giant Pandas at Edinburgh Zoo
Travel Recommendation
Location: Edinburgh
My Recommendation Tip:
They arrived in December and already these eight-year olds are the sweethearts of Scotland. The first giant pandas to live in Britain for nearly twenty years, Tian Tian (Sweetie) and Yang Guang (Sunshine) took their first sick leave days this month when they got colic but they’re now back on show at the Edinburgh Zoo.
Feb222012
Montjuic
Travel Recommendation
Location: Barcelona
My Recommendation Tip:
From all over Barcelona you can see Montjuic, the hill rising greenly above the city. It makes sense then that from Montjuic you get great views over Barcelona and its harbor. While there are parks and the Botanic Gardens to wander in, Montjuic is also full of fascinating history and has the Fundacio Joan Miro gallery, the Catalan museum of archaeology and the historic Montjuic Cemetery. The main building on the hill though is the grand Palau Nacional -
Feb222012
Cortona
Travel Recommendation
Location: Tuscany
My Recommendation Tip:
Did I hear you say you wanted a room with a view? Well, you’ve come to the right place. Cortona is the town that tumbles down a hillside, virtually guaranteeing that every building has plenty of rooms with views over the hillsides and valley floor of Val di Chiana all the way to Lake Trasimeno. Did you just say that the town of Cortona rings a bell for some reason? If you haven’t read the book or seen the movie of Frances Mayes’ year in Tuscany renovating her house you’d be one of the only people around – yes, that house was just outside Cortona. Much of the movie was actually filmed here.
Feb212012
Dublin: One City, One Book
Travel Recommendation
Location: Dublin
My Recommendation Tip:
In 2010 Dublin was named one of UNESCO’s Cities of Literature (of only five) which is hardly surprising given the rich literary scene, both past and present. Each year in April, the city holds One City One Book, a festival during which they encourage everyone to read the same book and they hold events to celebrate that book and author.
Feb212012
Picasso and Modern British Art, Tate Britain
Travel Recommendation
Location: London
My Recommendation Tip:
There is an exhibition at Tate Britain which acknowledges British art’s debt to Picasso and his influence on British modern art. Sixty works by Picasso are hung with work by seven British artists: Duncan Grant, Wyndham Lewis, Ben Nicholson, Henry Moore, Francis Bacon, Graham Sutherland and David Hockney. They are all great artists in their own right, some of Britain’s best, but it is hard to stand up alongside Picasso, the genius. We travel all over the world to see him; his paintings still travel all over the world to be seen.
Feb212012
Osita Antica
Travel Recommendation
Location: Rome
My Recommendation Tip:
If you’re not going south to Pompeii on your journey through Italy, then this ancient Roman port is the next best thing. In fact, in some ways it’s better because it’s less crowded so you can really feel what daily life was like in Rome rather than the 21st century tourist vibe. Ostia Antica was founded at the mouth of the Tiber River in the 4th century BC and became an important port city both for trade and defense. In the 5th century AD the city was abandoned after malaria and barbarians simultaneously attacked. River silt did to the city what lava did in Pompeii – covering it and preserving streets and buildings.
Feb172012
Augusta Raurica
Travel Recommendation
Location: Switzerland
My Recommendation Tip:
Along with an accompanying Roman castle, the restored ruins and open-air theatre/museum of Augusta Raurica are listed on the Swiss Inventory of Cultural Property of National and Regional Significance. Situated on the south bank of the Rhine near the villages of Augst and Kaiseraugst, Augusta is the oldest known Roman settlement in the region. The site consists of a full scale Roman theatre (home to an annual summer festival that is attended by tens of thousands), a museum with a collection including more than a million artifacts, an animal park wherein ancient Roman practices of animal husbandry are still practiced, and a fully restored example of a working Roman home complete with period-specific décor. Visitors interested in taking in the former colony should set aside a full day at a minimum.
Feb172012
What to see in Strasbourg
Travel Recommendation
Location: France
My Recommendation Tip:
I am ashamed but willing to confess that for most of my life I thought that the city of Strasbourg was in Germany. It’s not. It’s in France. Far eastern France, only 1.8 miles (3 km) from the border with Germany. And in fact the city’s name is German. So I think I can be forgiven. Strasbourg is France’s ninth largest city, probably because it is home to the European Parliament.
Feb162012
Best Places for Seafood Chowder in Ireland
Travel Recommendation
Location: Ireland
My Recommendation Tip:
Sometimes you just stumble across something when you’re travelling and suddenly it defines your whole journey. Ireland and Seafood Chowder are a little like that. I’ve always loved seafood chowder but had forgotten how much. Then a friend reminded me and suddenly it was all I could think about eating. Ireland is rightfully proud of its chowders, especially along the west coast where the Atlantic Ocean seafood is big, fresh and tasty. County Galway, Co Clare, Co Limerick, Co Mayo, Co Cork and Co Kerry are full of villages with pubs and restaurants that will proudly serve you a hearty bowl of chowder with a plate of brown bread and a pat of Irish butter on the side. The soups may vary from county to county but the variety will make you a connoisseur and give you an obsession to compel you from village to village, town to town.
Feb162012
Top 5 Places to Stay in Amsterdam
Travel Recommendation
Location: Amsterdam
My Recommendation Tip:
I’ve pretty well run the gamut of places to stay in Amsterdam. From five star hotels when visiting the city for a conference to a squat by the railway line when self-funding a trip, also in many different style apartments borrowed from friends and friends of friends. So here are my ideas of where to stay in the wonderful city of Amsterdam:
Feb162012
Regent Street
Travel Recommendation
Location: London
My Recommendation Tip:
Regent Street, London. We all know the elegant curve of its Georgian facades – it’s the famous shopping heart of this city, crossing with Oxford Street at Oxford Circus. Regent Street has the huge flagship Apple Store, the famous Hamleys toy shop, and Liberty department store. It’s so crowded before Christmas that you can hardly move along its pavement. But do you know its history?
Feb142012
Florentine New Year
Travel Recommendation
Location: Florence
My Recommendation Tip:
So you thought you were done with New Year celebrations for 2012? Think again. In Florence March 25th marks the Florentine New Year and there’s a traditional parade and festivities to mark it. In the Catholic calendar, March 25th is the Feast Day of the Annunciation of the Blessed Virgin Mary. From the Middle Ages until the mid 18th century, Florence used this special day to mark the beginning of the city’s own civic year.
Feb142012
ArcelorMittal Orbit
Travel Recommendation
Location: London
My Recommendation Tip:
Who else grew up playing with Meccano? Clearly artist Anish Kapoor grew up playing with Meccano, all those strips of metal you could bolt together to make the weirdest inventions, most of which would never fly, roll or even stand up. Here’s hoping that Kapoor’s latest vision, London‘s ArcelorMittal Orbit, stands up for many hundreds of years.
Feb142012
Top Biking Trails in Scotland
Travel Recommendation
Location: Scotland
My Recommendation Tip:
They’ve got the wide open spaces, the highlands, the lowlands, the hills, mountains and views, so of course Scotland is becoming one of the world’s greatest places for mountain biking. And being smarter than they are often given credit for, and canny with their money which they are often given credit for, the Scottish have realized the outdoor assets they have and are developing fabulous world-class trails for riding. Some of the top places to ride are: 1. Nevis Range. Ben Nevis is the highest mountain in the British Isles and is a ski resort in winter and a climbing and mountain bike haven in summer...
Feb132012
Bargain Shopping in Paris
Travel Recommendation
Location: Paris
My Recommendation Tip:
Paris is a city where you want to shop. Perhaps it’s the fashionable French people you see passing the café window as you sip your café au lait. Or perhaps it’s all those Audrey Hepburn, Brigitte Bardot and Audrey Tautou movies which make us want to be equally stylish. But after those first few forays into the department stores and boutiques, it all begins to seem a bit of a burden on the credit card. So here are my top four tips for bargain shopping in Paris.
Feb132012
St Patrick's Day Festival
Travel Recommendation
Location: Dublin
My Recommendation Tip:
Yes, the day of green beer is growing closer, the day of the year when all of Ireland goes crazy for their patron Saint Patrick, he who rid the country of snakes and made it the green and pleasant haven it is today. March 17th, put it in your diary, if it’s not already there. In Dublin, the city holds a major festival from March 16th to 20th. This includes a parade on March 17th which this year has the theme of How? What? Why? in line with Dublin being the City of Science 2012. Marching bands from Ireland, the UK, Russia and the USA will add music to the pageantry which begins at noon at Parnell Square and finishes near St Patrick’s Cathedral.
Feb102012
Traditions to Try in Portugal.
Travel Recommendation
Location: Portugal
My Recommendation Tip:
Delicious Pastries If you do nothing else in Lisbon, you must go to the Belem district and eat a Pasteis de Belem. Known around the world as Portuguese tarts, you have not tasted one until you have had one here, the original and the best. The recipe originated in one of the convents of Lisbon, invented by the nuns of Jeronimos Monastery in the 18th century. It involves a base of filo pastry, cream, milk, vanilla and some secret ingredients. Perhaps it was the nuns’ purity or spirituality or calm that infused these pastries with such divine flavor, but whatever it was it’s lasted into the modern era and I’m not complaining.
Feb102012
The Alhambra
Travel Recommendation
Location: Granada
My Recommendation Tip:
It’s one of the most visited tourist sites in Spain and with good reason. The Alhambra palace and fortress complex in Granada is both beautiful and historically fascinating for its combination of different influences and styles, both of architecture and garden design. The name Alhambra literally means ‘the red one’ and the red fortress with thirteen towers was begun in 1238, with building continuing into the 14th century. It’s on the top of a hill called Assabica overlooking Granada and began life as the palace complex for the last Muslim rulers of Spain, the Nasrid dynasty, so the oldest buildings are Moorish in design. In the 16th century, Charles V, Ruler of the Holy Roman Empire (also known as King Charles I of Spain) built himself an enormous European-style palace (Palace of Carlos V) within the Alhambra walls.
Feb102012
Touch Venice's Stone Heart - Find Love
Travel Recommendation
Location: Venice
My Recommendation Tip:
I always say never try to find an address in Venice: the street numbering system is a mystery only understood by fifth-generation Venetians, and the street layout is equally baffling. However, if you’re looking for lasting love (and who isn’t?) then you’ll have to find your way to one small street in Venice, touch your hand to a stone heart embedded in the wall and trust in the magic of the city to do the rest. Venice is full of wonderful stories, legends, mysteries, ghosts. The magic of the stone heart comes from one of these stories. Once a Venetian fisherman called Orio caught in his net a mermaid called Melusina. They fell in love...
Feb102012
Stay in Historic Homes
Travel Recommendation
Location: England
My Recommendation Tip:
Pride and Prejudice, Downton Abbey, Brideshead Revisited – we’ve watched the tv series, seen the movies, read the books. These stories of life in England during centuries past are one of the reasons we visit this small island. The stories and the houses. They are gorgeous – huge, historic, mysterious. The National Trust of England looks after many of the historic houses as well as gardens, castles, villages, coastlines, islands and important lands.
Feb092012
Ninfa Gardens - 40 Miles from Rome
Travel Recommendation
Location: Rome
My Recommendation Tip:
Please don’t stop reading because you are not a garden-person. I myself am no garden fanatic; I can appreciate a beautiful garden, a majestic piece of design, a skilled pair of secateurs, but I have two black thumbs and have never successfully grown anything. But the Gardens of Ninfa is one of those places that makes everyone swoon, garden-fancier or not.
Feb092012
West Frisian Islands and Mud Walking
Travel Recommendation
Location: Netherlands
My Recommendation Tip:
Keeping the North Sea from completely swamping the northernmost part of The Netherlands is a series of barrier islands called the West Frisian Islands. They ring the entrance to the inland sea and are a popular holiday destination for the Dutch, easily reachable from Amsterdam by train or car and ferry. Five of the islands are inhabited – from west to east: Texel, Vlieland, Terschelling, Ameland and Schiermonnikoog – with small villages, holiday cottages, and hotels, and also farms. In fact, the lovely black and white dairy cows, Friesians, which are now found all around the world originated in this region.
Feb082012
Top 5 Piazzas for Relaxing in Florence
Travel Recommendation
Location: Florence
My Recommendation Tip:
The historic center of Florence is densely urban. Everything is built of stone, and it can be exhausting. You’ll be gasping for a breath of fresh air. Even the River Arno gives little relief as it is choked with traffic rushing along the narrow road alongside it, and only the Ponte Vecchio gives a space to stand and peacefully view the river and breathe the air.
Feb072012
Carnival in Viareggio
Travel Recommendation
Location: Tuscany
My Recommendation Tip:
It’s not just Venice that celebrates Carnival in style. In the lovely seaside Tuscan town of Viareggio, Carnival is less about masked decadence and more about their world-famous parade of papier-mache floats. In 1873 this parade was born when the town officials decided to celebrate the coming of Lent in a new way, which quickly became a means of poking fun at the tax collectors who everyone disliked.
Feb072012
Carnival in Barcelona and Sitges
Travel Recommendation
Location: Barcelona
My Recommendation Tip:
The Spanish love a party so it’s not surprising that the lead up to Lent is a festive time in Barcelona. Carnaval (Carnival) literally means ‘farewell to meat’, and it’s a time of feasting in preparation for the 40-day fast period of Lent. This year Carnaval kicks off on February 16th with Dirty Thursday (Jueves Ladero or Dijous Gras) – let the eating begin!
Feb072012
Top 3 Hostels in Reykjavik
Travel Recommendation
Location: Reykjavik
My Recommendation Tip:
Location, location, location. If you, like me, travel without hiring a car and without wanting to spend half your time working out the local transport system, then you’ll want to stay in walking distance of the main attractions whenever possible. In Reykjavik that’s pretty easy – the city center is small, with much of what you’ll want to see nearby, and the tour buses leaving for further flung excursions like The Golden Circle and the Northern Lights do so from the center of town.
Feb062012
Charles Dickens' Birthday
Travel Recommendation
Location: London
My Recommendation Tip:
Whether we know it or not, we’ve all grown up on the writings of Charles Dickens, one of London’s most famous chroniclers. He wrote The Christmas Carol, inventing Scrooge and the ghosts of Christmas past, present and yet to come. He wrote Great Expectations and Bleak House – who hasn’t watched those on film or TV?
Feb062012
Vienna, Graz, and Salzburg
Travel Recommendation
Location: Austria
My Recommendation Tip:
Imagine my surprise: I got on a train in Bratislava, Slovakia, bound for Vienna, Austria — the land of mountains and snow, high lakes and skiing skiing skiing! But out the window all I saw was flat land. As far as the eye could see, it was flat. And covered in wind turbines generating electricity. What was going on? Was I on the wrong train? Lesson number one about Austria: it’s not all alps. Eastern Austria (officially called Lower Austria), bordering Slovakia, is in fact flat – hence the name, I guess.
Feb032012
French Spas Use Wine for Health Benefits
Travel Recommendation
Location: Bordeaux
My Recommendation Tip:
Wine, wine everywhere, and not a drop to drink. Because you’re soaking in it. Yes, some wonderfully innovative types in Bordeaux, surrounded by some of the world’s best wine producing country, have come up with new ways to enjoy the goodness of the grapes. They noticed that French people are very healthy, despite all the wine and rich food. What’s the secret? At Les Sources de Caudalie, 20 minutes from Bordeaux, they’ll share their knowledge of this ‘French Paradox’ with you, combining naturally occurring hot thermal waters with wine and grape pulp to bring you back to peak health and beauty.
Feb032012
Carnival in Venice
Travel Recommendation
Location: Venice
My Recommendation Tip:
Life and theater, all in a mask. This is the theme of the 2012 Venice Carnival and what better stage setting could you find for acting out your daily life than Venice. Carnival marks the beginning of Lent; it is the extravagant celebration of food and fun that leads up to the forty days and nights of abstinence before Easter. Begun as a Venetian tradition in 1296 the Carnival ceased in the mid 19th century and was revived in 1980. Since then it has grown every year as one of the city’s greatest traditions and definitely its biggest annual party.
Feb022012
Aviva Stadium
Travel Recommendation
Location: Dublin
My Recommendation Tip:
In 1872 a young Irish athlete called Henry Wallace Doveton Dunlop realized his dream: to build Dublin a proper, dedicated sports venue. Landsdowne Road Stadium, only about a mile from St Stephen’s Green in central Dublin is this venue. In 1876 it hosted its first rugby match, in 1878 it held its first international rugby game. By the turn of the 21st century, Landsdowne Road was the oldest sporting stadium in Europe. It’s inevitable then that it’s had an update.
Feb022012
Maritime Museum in Amsterdam
Travel Recommendation
Location: Amsterdam
My Recommendation Tip:
The Netherlands is all about the sea. Firstly because it exists in constant danger of being flooded by the North Sea and therefore spends a fortune on defensive dikes and floodgates, and also on reclaiming land. Secondly because the Dutch Golden Age in the 17th century – from when all those glorious buildings and artworks that we flock to see in Amsterdam emanate – was built on an incredibly successful seafaring trade in spices, silk, porcelain etc. So, the Dutch know a lot about ships and the sea. In a city full of museums, one of the more significant ones reopens in October after a four year renovation. Het Scheepvaartmuseum (The National Maritime Museum) is located in a fabulous historic building, huge for the city of Amsterdam.
Feb012012
3 Beautiful Roads to Drive
Travel Recommendation
Location: French Riviera
My Recommendation Tip:
Beloved of both tourists in their hire-cars and boy-racers in their Ferraris and Maseratis, the Cote d’Azur’s Corniches are some of the most spectacular roads in the world. There are three roads running between Nice and Monaco and on to Menton near the border with Italy. Clinging the beachfront is the Basse Corniche (or Corniche Inferieure) which passes through lovely coastal villages and enables you to make side trips onto the peninsulas which house the rich and famous: Cap Ferrat and Cap Martin.
Feb012012
New Wing in the Louvre
Travel Recommendation
Location: Paris
My Recommendation Tip:
It would be a big mistake to think of the Louvre as only a storehouse for the past. Although the collection is an historic one and is set in the magnificent ex-palace building which has been an art museum since the late 18th century, contemporary directors of the museum have their feet firmly planted in the 21st century as shown by the new Islamic wing due to open in summer 2012.
Jan312012
Palazzo Medici-Riccardi
Travel Recommendation
Location: Florence
My Recommendation Tip:
When you visit the Palazzo Medici-Riccardi in Florence, Italy you will probably think I am crazy to say that I was a bit disappointed. The loggia courtyard is impressive and the small garden out the back is elegant and lovely. I’m really not sure what I expected. Perhaps it is because so much of the palace was not open to the public. ...
Jan302012
Guggenheim Museum in Bilbao
Travel Recommendation
Location: Basque Country
My Recommendation Tip:
Established in the 14th century, Bilbao developed into a port industrial town during the 19th and 20th centuries, growing in population but perhaps not in status. All that changed in the late 1990′s when the Guggenheim foundation decided to build an art gallery in Bilbao.
Jan272012
Highclere Castle - The Real Downton Abbey
Travel Recommendation
Location: England
My Recommendation Tip:
The TV show won four Emmys this year, so it’s clear that we all love the glamor and drama of stately English country living. Downton Abbey is filmed at Highclere Castle, a wonderful house in Hampshire, west of London and south of Oxford.
Jan272012
Grand Canal Bridges
Travel Recommendation
Location: Venice
My Recommendation Tip:
Venice consists of 117 islands, 150 canals and 409 bridges. The biggest of all the canals is, unsurprisingly, the Grand Canal but it’s only crossed by four bridges. Until three years ago, this was only three. And, oh, the controversy that raged before the fourth was built, and it still rages now.
Jan262012
Rotterdam Film Festival - Now Playing
Travel Recommendation
Location: Netherlands
My Recommendation Tip:
There’s nothing that brings a city to life as much as a film festival. This year is Rotterdam’s 41st running from January 25 until February 5th 2012 in the Netherlands. Their slogan is Beautiful Moving Erotic Deeply Dark Film, which does sound rather enticing.
Jan262012
Pilgrimage to Assisi
Travel Recommendation
Location: Italy
My Recommendation Tip:
Assisi, Italy is a little town with a big reputation. The population is around 3,000 people, but Assisi is visited every year by more than 4 million tourists! And it’s all because of one man: Saint Francis, patron saint of Italy and one of the world’s most popular saints
Jan252012
RSA and the National Gallery of Scotland
Travel Recommendation
Location: Edinburgh
My Recommendation Tip:
Every major city has great galleries, and every country has its national gallery with a few key pieces of major international art of different periods. So it can seem a bit of a cliché to say go visit the National Gallery of Scotland in Edinburgh, but the thing is that national galleries do tell you a lot about the country especially if they have a good national collection.
Jan252012
Top Flea Markets and Thrift Stores in Reykjavik
Travel Recommendation
Location: Reykjavik
My Recommendation Tip:
With their well-known economic challenges, it’s not surprising that the Icelanders have a healthy interest in recycling clothes, household goods and other things. It’s actually not a new thing for them – I suppose living on a small island like Iceland makes you naturally resourceful in using everything as well and as often as you can. Within central Reykjavik, known as 101 (its zip code) there are a few secondhand shops I like in particular.
Jan242012
The Magnificent Villa Reale
Travel Recommendation
Location: Tuscany
My Recommendation Tip:
The Count Ortessi built it, Napoleon’s sister desired it so much that he gave it to her after he invaded Tuscany, and, rumors flew that newlywed royals William and Kate were going to stay there for a few days at the end of their honeymoon. The Villa Orsetti just outside Lucca
Jan242012
The Capuchin Crypt
Travel Recommendation
Location: Rome
My Recommendation Tip:
Some people find it macabre and some find it a celebration of life on earth. The Capuchin order of Franciscan monks (whose crypt it is) consider it a homage and reminder of the swift passage of life on earth. Located in Rome beneath the 17th century church Santa Maria della Concezione dei Cappuccini on Via Veneto
Jan202012
Vence A Town of Art in the South of France
Travel Recommendation
Location: French Riviera
My Recommendation Tip:
Vence is France’s town of art near the French Riviera. This might sound like a big claim in a country so soaked in art history, especially 20th century art, but the lovely historic town on Vence in the South of France between Nice and Antibes has been a magnet for artists who left their legacy in both spirit and artworks.
Jan202012
Visit Lourdes
Travel Recommendation
Location: Toulouse
My Recommendation Tip:
So popular that it has the second highest number of hotel beds in France after Paris, Lourdes is one of those places that our quest for the spiritual has turned into a bit of a theme park. Over 150 years have passed since 14 year old Bernadette Soubirous saw apparitions of the Virgin Mary in a cave near Lourdes
Jan192012
The Ceremony of the Keys, Tower of London
Travel Recommendation
Location: London
My Recommendation Tip:
Once upon a time the Tower of London was all about locking people in. For nearly 1000 years it has been London's royal fortress, stronghold, and prison. It was originally built by William the Conqueror in 1080 to scare the Londoners he’d just conquered, and also to hide inside if they revolted against him. Although many kings and queens have stayed within the tower walls over history, it was never built to be a royal palace but rather a fortress, which it was until late in the 19th century.
Jan192012
Things to See in Galway, Ireland
Travel Recommendation
Location: Ireland
My Recommendation Tip:
The ‘Bilingual Capital of Ireland’, Galway is the country’s third largest city after Dublin and Cork, and is the gateway to the Irish-speaking part of the nation. You’ll find much of the town signage in both English and Gaelic and many people around you speaking in the lilting native tongue.
Jan192012
Biking Around Amsterdam
Travel Recommendation
Location: Amsterdam
My Recommendation Tip:
I’m not the first to say it but really the only way to get around Amsterdam is by bicycle. It’s cheap, the city is flat, and you can go where the mood takes you and see the real Amsterdam.
Jan182012
Being a sport fan in the Czech Republic
Travel Recommendation
Location: Prague
My Recommendation Tip:
Like most nations, the Czech Republic loves sports. And like the rest of Europe, and most of the world, in fact, they love soccer (football in Europe). While the national team didn’t make it into this last World Cup, taking in games for free in Prague’s Old Town Square
Jan182012
Granger and Co. - Great Breakfast in Notting Hill
Travel Recommendation
Location: London
My Recommendation Tip:
Australians are famous for being great chefs and opening restaurants with interesting food and a relaxed, hospitable ambiance. One of Sydney's favorite and famous sons is Bill Granger. Now he's opened his first restaurant in London, bringing to Notting Hill some of the laid back Aussie attitude combined with the excellent food that made Bill's so popular in Sydney.
Jan182012
Scotland's 5 Best and Most Historical Golf Courses
Travel Recommendation
Location: Edinburgh
My Recommendation Tip:
Scotland is the home of golf. No matter where the original roots of the game may have sprung from, be it the Romans, the Chinese, the French or even the English, there’s no doubt that the game as we know it has its foot firmly planted in Scottish soil. Here are some of the best places to play golf while you are in Scotland...
Jan172012
How to Not Miss Out on Versailles
Travel Recommendation
Location: Paris
My Recommendation Tip:
Can you imagine going halfway around the world, finally catching a train to Versailles to see the massive palace and gardens that you’ve studied in art history and seen in films such as Sofia Coppola’s Marie Antoinette, and then finding the gates locked and the place shut for the day? I don’t have to imagine it because that’s what I did.
Jan172012
Russian Art in Prado Museum
Travel Recommendation
Location: Madrid
My Recommendation Tip:
The Prado in Madrid and the Hermitage in St Petersburg Russia are two of the world’s greatest museums. This past year marked the Spain-Russia Dual Year, so these two world-leaders of culture got together and agreed on a bit of an exchange program. Until March 26th 2012, you can see 170 treasures from the Hermitage at the Prado
Jan172012
Annual Templbar Irish Music Festival
Travel Recommendation
Location: Dublin
My Recommendation Tip:
From January 25-29th 2012, the 7th annual Irish Music and Culture Festival will bring Temple Bar and the rest of Dublin alive during the cold days and dark nights of winter.
Jan112012
The Town of Norwich
Travel Recommendation
Location: England
My Recommendation Tip:
The things you find when you head out of London on a train! When I ended up in Norwich almost by chance, I had no idea that I was stepping into such an historically important city – or such a lovely one. In the 11th century, Norwich was England‘s largest city after London, and in fact it was massively important until the Industrial Revolution.
Jan112012
Padua and the Church of Saint Anthony
Travel Recommendation
Location: Italy
My Recommendation Tip:
January 17th is the feast day of Saint Anthony, the patron saint of animals, lost articles, the poor and many other people and things beside. Although born in Portugal, not Italy, the early 13th century monk died in Padua and his relics are a site of pilgrimage, housed in the Basilica of Saint Anthony of Padua.
Jan112012
Brielle - A Fortified Town
Travel Recommendation
Location: Netherlands
My Recommendation Tip:
Some towns are locked into a moment in time and Brielle (Den Briel) in south-west part of the Netherlands is one of them. Still with its fascinating 18th century star-shaped fortifications in place, visiting Brielle is like stepping back into history.
Jan112012
The Bargello Gallery
Travel Recommendation
Location: Florence
My Recommendation Tip:
Everyone who comes to Florence has their head turned by the magnificent David of Michelangelo but David is not the only tall handsome warrior in town. The Bargello Gallery has wonderful sculptures by some of the world’s best ever artists: Donatello, Cellini, Ghiberti and Brunelleschi (of Duomo fame), and of course Michelangelo himself.
Jan112012
The Scottish National Portrait Gallery
Travel Recommendation
Location: Edinburgh
My Recommendation Tip:
Scotland‘s National Portrait Gallery reopened on December 1st after a massive renovation that’s taken over two years. The main difference is that now they have the space to exhibit 60 % more of their 3,000 piece collection, much of which was previously in storage.
Jan102012
Urban Trekking in Siena
Travel Recommendation
Location: Tuscany
My Recommendation Tip:
The local government of Siena have always been a progressive bunch.
Jan102012
Iceland Selects Its Song for Eurovision
Travel Recommendation
Location: Iceland
My Recommendation Tip:
Around 50 countries each year compete to win the Eurovision song contest. Why? Probably because the winner gets to host the following year, which brings their country lots of tourism dollars. This year, Iceland wants to win.
Jan062012
Skiing in France
Travel Recommendation
Location: France
My Recommendation Tip:
So, here are five top spots to hit the slopes in France this winter.
Chamonix. On the top of Europe, in sight of Mont Blanc, so you get views and some of the best options from beginner slopes to challenging pistes and powder fields.
Jan062012
Venice's Feast Day of the Epiphany
Travel Recommendation
Location: Venice
My Recommendation Tip:
In Venice, life is celebrated on the water. It’s not surprising then that in Venice, the feast day of Epiphany is all about. January 6th is Epiphany, the day in the annual calendar that marks the 12th day of Christmas when the Magi, or three wise men presented their gifts to the baby Jesus. Italy is a very religious country and thus these feast days are important across the nation.
Jan052012
The National Leprechaun Museum in Dublin
Travel Recommendation
Location: Dublin
My Recommendation Tip:
A relative newcomer to the scene of museums and visitor attractions in Dublin, the National Leprechaun Museum opened its doors in early 2010. Its aim: to teach visitors to Ireland about Irish myths and folklore, and to let them experience life as a leprechaun if only for an hour or two.
Jan052012
The Hermitage Museum of Amsterdam
Travel Recommendation
Location: Amsterdam
My Recommendation Tip:
Since 2009, the famous Hermitage Museum of St Petersburg in Russia has had an offshoot in Amsterdam. They hold exhibitions curated from the incredible collection held in St Petersburg. For those unlikely to travel to Russia, it’s a great opportunity to see art from the huge collections of western and other art collected there.
Jan042012
The Epiphany and La Befana
Travel Recommendation
Location: Florence
My Recommendation Tip:
La Befana’s role has been as a gift-giving figure, traditionally their version of Santa. On the evening of January 5th, she rides around on her broomstick to visit the children leaving gifts for those who have been good and coal to those who have been naughty. In Florence, La Befana is celebrated by a huge parade on the morning of January 6th, the Cavalcade of Three Kings
Jan042012
Lisbon's Elevator Nightclub
Travel Recommendation
Location: Lisbon
My Recommendation Tip:
Located in one of the best and most unusual pieces of public transportation anywhere in the world, the Lift Club is a small, hidden nightclub with seriously good views over Lisbon’s center. The Santa Justa Elevator is the 1902 engineering-creation of Raul Ponsard, an apprentice to Gustave Eiffel who designed the Eiffel Tower in Paris.
Jan042012
Van Gogh in Arles
Travel Recommendation
Location: French Riviera
My Recommendation Tip:
Arles is best known to us for its association with the painter Vincent van Gogh. It was here that van Gogh was living when he famously cut off his ear. He lived here for just over a year, from 1888 to 1889, but he completed some of his most famous paintings in Arles, around 500 works in total.
Jan042012
ZZZ Zen
Travel Recommendation
Location: Paris
My Recommendation Tip:
Finally a dream has come true – Paris now has a bar for sleeping. That might sound lame – and many people have scoffed – but I think it’s genius.
Dec292011
Teatro La Fenice
Travel Recommendation
Location: Venice
My Recommendation Tip:
My interest in in Venice, a beautiful opera house and a famous theater in Europe, began with a book: The City of Falling Angels by John Berendt. In his particular ‘creative non-fiction’ style he tells the true story of when La Fenice burnt down in 1996, bringing to life a tangled web of personalities, politics and history in Venice.
Dec292011
Caffe Greco - The oldest cafe in Rome
Travel Recommendation
Location: Rome
My Recommendation Tip:
You could be forgiven for thinking that the Italians invented coffee. They have certainly made it their own by naming all the various ways to drink it: cappuccino, espresso, macchiato, caffe latte. But actually coffee beans as a source of energy were first noted in Ethiopia in the thirteenth century. From there the drink spread to the Egypt, Yemen, and eventually through the Middle East and into Turkey. The close trading between Turkey and Venice in the 16th century brought coffee to Venice and it was here that the Italians first learnt to love the coffee bean with the Pope giving his approval for Catholics to imbibe in 1600.
Dec292011
Ice skating in London
Travel Recommendation
Location: London
My Recommendation Tip:
It’s that time of the year in London. As the days get shorter and the air gets colder and colder, people are strapping on ice skates and spinning in circles. Well, if you’re me, you are just falling down and bruising every part of yourself, but for other people the winter ice rinks across London are a highlight of the year.
Dec292011
Irish Session
Travel Recommendation
Location: Dublin
My Recommendation Tip:
Ireland is famous for its music: jigs, polkas, reels. The harp, the accordion, the fiddle. Traditionally Irish music was based in the community or the extended family; you invited people over for a seisiun (Irish for session), they brought their instruments and everyone played or tapped their feet in appreciation. Tunes were played by ear, memorised, passed down the generations. But as with so many things, the 20th century brought some changes.
Dec272011
New Year’s Eve in Paris
Travel Recommendation
Location: Paris
My Recommendation Tip:
Paris is one of the world’s top 5 favourite places in which to welcome in the new year. Not really surprising – it’s gorgeous, it’s romantic, and it has wonderful champagne. This is a city of hopes and dreams and that’s what New Year’s Eve is all about, right?
Dec212011
Picasso Museum in Antibes
Travel Recommendation
Location: French Riviera
My Recommendation Tip:
There is a Picasso Museum in Antibes. You should visit it.
Dec202011
Secrets of London: The Cut
Travel Recommendation
Location: London
My Recommendation Tip:
London has many secrets, be it streets, shops, legends, or something you never even thought of. One is The Cut. Tucked in just behind Waterloo Station and Southbank is a street called The Cut. You can’t miss it the famous Old Vic Theatre is on the corner.
Dec202011
A White Christmas in Scotland
Travel Recommendation
Location: Scotland
My Recommendation Tip:
I was happy to be going so far north for my first wintry Christmas; naturally I was hoping for snow. We left London amidst forecasts of snow, arrived in Edinburgh under those heavy grey skies that promise snowstorms, got on the train with literally seconds to spare and headed north to Pitlochry, a small town in the Scottish Highlands.
Dec192011
5 Places to Eat and Drink Like a Local
Travel Recommendation
Location: Dublin
My Recommendation Tip:
These are places in Dublin where you’ll find the locals having a pint, a coffee or a meal. Dubliners are all about getting out and about and socializing over good food and drink, the craic as they call it. Here are a few places to find them
Dec162011
Shopping the Rialto Markets
Travel Recommendation
Location: Venice
My Recommendation Tip:
A good reason for early rising is to hit the markets around the Rialto. This is the heart of the city, the place everyone comes to get fruit, vegetables and fish.
Dec162011
The Best Fish and Chips
Travel Recommendation
Location: England
My Recommendation Tip:
It may seem a long way to go for fish and chips but it’s worth it. This is England’s national dish so when you taste it you might as well taste the best. The little fishing village on the East Suffolk coast called Aldeburgh is your destination.
Dec162011
Coimbra
Travel Recommendation
Location: Portugal
My Recommendation Tip:
Coimbra is a university town.
Dec152011
Nativity Scenes
Travel Recommendation
Location: Italy
My Recommendation Tip:
More so than Christmas trees, the Christmas decoration of choice in Italy is the nativity scene or presepe. They’re set up on December 8th, the Feast Day of the Immaculate Conception, in churches, squares, and shops with the baby Jesus often not added in until Christmas Eve.
Dec142011
The David
Travel Recommendation
Location: Florence
My Recommendation Tip:
Probably the three most recognizable images of Florence are the Duomo, the Ponte Vecchio, and Michelangelo’s David. David was a favourite subject for Renaissance sculptors. He was the ideal of the Renaissance man.
Dec092011
Christmas Market in Lille
Travel Recommendation
Location: Lille
My Recommendation Tip:
Lille is one city on the edge: it’s architecture hints at its closeness to neighbouring Belgium, it’s a major French student town (always cultural edgy…) and it’s a major intersection in the European rail network with Eurostar coming through from England with links to Brussels, Paris and the southern cities of France.
Dec082011
The Living Nativity at Mansion House
Travel Recommendation
Location: Dublin
My Recommendation Tip:
If you’re in Dublin between the 8th and 24th of December this year make sure you see the living nativity scene at the Mansion House. Each year since 1956, in celebration of Christmas, they make the Live Animal Crib – a specially constructed life-size stable with animals brought in each morning to set a traditional nativity scene.
Dec072011
St Tropez for Paupers
Travel Recommendation
Location: French Riviera
My Recommendation Tip:
You can’t go to the South of France without seeing the place of legends, of scandals and movies and royal playtime. But could I actually afford to go there? And then we found Saint Maxime, the overlooked cousin of St Tropez, just across the water.
Dec062011
Christmas Shopping in London
Travel Recommendation
Location: London
My Recommendation Tip:
If you’re after something a bit more unusual as gifts this year avoid the high street shops in London and try one of these: 1. Traditional Christmas Market at Southbank
Dec062011
Christmas in Lisbon
Travel Recommendation
Location: Lisbon
My Recommendation Tip:
This is a particularly family-focused time in Portugal with a big meal on Christmas Eve, gifts exchanging, then on to Midnight Mass. On Christmas Eve the generations of the family gather together in front of the nativity scene, the presepio, to celebrate. A traditional supper might consist of boiled bacalhua (salt cod), with boiled potatoes and cabbage.
Dec062011
Fashionistas head to Florence
Travel Recommendation
Location: Florence
My Recommendation Tip:
Don’t be blinded by that fashion capital Milan, remember that Florence has also birthed many a fashion icon including shoe designer Salvatore Ferragamo, Gucci, Pucci, Roberto Cavalli and Patrizia Pepe. To pay homage to these leaders there are two excellent museums to visit
Dec052011
Mosque Hammam
Travel Recommendation
Location: Paris
My Recommendation Tip:
Winter is closing in on Paris so it’s time to find places to get warm. For an authentic Parisian experience off the tourist beat and very relaxing, head to the Paris Mosque. This place is an oasis. There’s a lovely café with mint tea and cushioned sofas to relax on.
Dec022011
Carols at Kings' College in Cambridge
Travel Recommendation
Location: England
My Recommendation Tip:
One of the most famous Christmas traditions in England is the carol singing by the choir of Kings College Cambridge. Every year there are two carol services; the first held in early December is for members of the college only and is played on BBC on Christmas Eve. The other is held on Christmas Eve and is open to the public.
Dec012011
Christmas Traditions
Travel Recommendation
Location: Netherlands
My Recommendation Tip:
Traditionally, Christmas in The Netherlands is more about family than presents. Their day for gift-giving is the evening of Dec 5th/morning of December 6th when Sinterklaas comes to town from Spain. Thus the celebration of the birth of Jesus is more about feasting and family.
Dec012011
Christ of the Abyss
Travel Recommendation
Location: Italy
My Recommendation Tip:
For two thousand years people have made statues of Christ and venerated them. They have put them in churches, in small roadside shrines, and high up on hilltops. In northern Italy, they have put one under the sea.
Nov302011
Storytelling and the John Knox House
Travel Recommendation
Location: Edinburgh
My Recommendation Tip:
The Scottish Storytelling Centre in Edinburgh aims to keep the storytelling tradition alive and bring out the best storytelling skills in the current generation of Scots. They run storytelling workshops, performances, seasonal events, a café, a library, and a bookshop and giftshop and also the John Knox House.
Nov302011
Saint Thorlakur Feast Day
Travel Recommendation
Location: Iceland
My Recommendation Tip:
If Christmas is coming then it’s time for the feast of Saint Thorlakur. A 12th century cleric who studied in Paris and England, he was Bishop of Skalholt in Iceland until his death on December 23rd 1193.
Nov292011
Carols at St Martin in the Field
Travel Recommendation
Location: London
My Recommendation Tip:
One of my favorite churches in London is St Martin in the Fields. It sits on the edge of Trafalgar Square opposite the National Gallery and it’s so pretty and, to me, just so London. Probably because of its location, which makes it symbolize the city for me. The 1726 church is very pretty from the outside and surprisingly plain inside, but there’s been a church on this site since at least 1222.
Nov292011
Tuscan Christmas
Travel Recommendation
Location: Tuscany
My Recommendation Tip:
No one does Christmas quite like Italians. And Tuscany is no exception. With numerous holiday events going on all around Italy, we rounded up some of the best in Northern Tuscany.
1. Cinque Terre: The stretch of Italian coast in northern Tuscany where the villages of Cinque Terre cling to the edge of the land is spectacular enough at any time of the year, but at Christmas this area really turns it on.
Nov282011
Christmas and Pantomime
Travel Recommendation
Location: Dublin
My Recommendation Tip:
This is not something very familiar to people outside Ireland and the UK but they are hugely popular and a sold-out feature every year in the Christmas season: it’s Panto time. Pantomimes are basically very simple, very gaudy, very noisy theatre shows, suitable for all ages, and requiring loud vocal audience participation.
Nov282011
Christmastime in Rome
Travel Recommendation
Location: Rome
My Recommendation Tip:
Since Rome is basically the place from where Christianity was consolidated and spread, it’s no surprise that its makes a big deal out of Christmas–as it should; the Eternal city’s monuments and ancient architecture are prime for decorating, and the city does Christmas right.
Nov222011
Give Art for Christmas
Travel Recommendation
Location: Scotland
My Recommendation Tip:
If you’re looking for something different to give as a gift this year, head for the Open Art Exhibition at the Royal Scottish Academy in Edinburgh. Open from mid-November to mid-December, its focus is on small scale, affordable artworks and there are literally hundreds of pieces to choose from, or just admire, by artists from across Scotland.
Nov222011
Top 5 Christmas Things To Do
Travel Recommendation
Location: London
My Recommendation Tip:
London is a Christmas-y town (didn’t you see Love Actually?) and there are tons of holiday events going on. Here are just a few suggestions.
1. Christmas Lights: London’s Christmas Lights are famous, especially along Oxford and Regent Streets where this year they are giant parcels, a nice change from recent year’s film tie-ins… Don’t miss Carnaby Street around the corner with holly and berry garlands and mistletoe chandeliers. And Covent Garden’s display is impressive with a huge topiary reindeer and a Christmas tree in the piazza.
Nov212011
Imaginosity
Travel Recommendation
Location: Dublin
My Recommendation Tip:
So the kids have finally had enough of historic buildings, historic libraries, and the Guinness factory in Dublin? Time to indulge their fantasies a bit and take them to Imaginosity, Dublin’s Children’s Museum. With the ethos of hands-on play and stimulating young imaginations, it’s definitely not a regular museum in the traditional sense of the word.
Nov182011
Top 5 Reasons to Visit Evora
Travel Recommendation
Location: Portugal
My Recommendation Tip:
Evora may be one of Portugal‘s best kept secrets, but just in case you needed extra convincing, here are my top 5 reasons to visit Evora.
Nov182011
Best Views of Venice
Travel Recommendation
Location: Venice
My Recommendation Tip:
Venice boasts some of the most spectacular sights in Italy. Here are my top 5 best places to get a good view of Venice.
1. Campanile: It’s the city’s tallest building at 325 ft (99m) and is slap bang in the middle of one of the greatest tourist precincts in the world. Happily, it has a lift. From up here you can see the whole lagoon over to the Lido, the lovely jumble of the city’s rooftops and on a clear day even the Dolomite mountains in the distance.
Nov172011
Christmas Markets in Italy
Travel Recommendation
Location: Italy
My Recommendation Tip:
It’s that time of the year – a frenzy of gift buying for family and friends and if you’re in Italy it just gives you more of an excuse to shop in the world’s top style destination. Not surprisingly many cities and towns turn on special Christmas markets (Mercatino di Natale) from the end of November through to early January, so here’s a few of them
Nov172011
The Maastricht Caves
Travel Recommendation
Location: Netherlands
My Recommendation Tip:
I have to admit that due to my well-developed claustrophobia visiting caves is not high on my list of things to do. Especially not caves as intricate and deep as the Maastricht Caves. Located under Saint Pieterberg Hill and stretching under the city, there are over 20,000 passageways creating this labyrinth of tunnelling dug by centuries of miners of marl, a lime stone for building houses.
Nov162011
The Royal Edinburgh Military Tattoo
Travel Recommendation
Location: Edinburgh
My Recommendation Tip:
Since 1950, the forecourt of Edinburgh Castle has hosted the annual Royal Edinburgh Military Tattoo. Set up to raise money for charity, the Tattoo began with eight items on the programme; this year it will run for three weeks during August, with hundreds of performers representing four continents.
Nov162011
Palazzo Strozzi
Travel Recommendation
Location: Florence
My Recommendation Tip:
Florence is honestly full of gorgeous historic palaces which amaze you with their glimpses into how people once lived – well, the wealthy people anyway. Palazzo Strozzi has the added attraction of being a modern arts center as well as an historic palace.
Nov152011
Christmas Tree Lighting in Reykjavik
Travel Recommendation
Location: Iceland
My Recommendation Tip:
It’s already started snowing in Iceland – well, the first snows have fallen on the mountains across from Reykjavik – so you’re pretty well guaranteed a white Christmas if you head there for December. With the onset of the cold and long dark days ahead, Icelanders embrace the festive season by emblazoning their towns with light.
Nov142011
Ham House
Travel Recommendation
Location: London
My Recommendation Tip:
Ham House. Terrible name, wonderful house. This gorgeous 17th century mansion is on the banks of the Thames River near elegant Richmond on the edge of London. It was home to Elizabeth Murray, Countess of Dysart, a woman very involved in political life during the time of the Civil War, that shortlived time when England was a Commonwealth without a king or queen.
Nov142011
Roma Moderna
Travel Recommendation
Location: Rome
My Recommendation Tip:
Benito Mussolini is a name that still haunts Italy and Rome. Every empire founder needs a city built to their glory – Mussolini decided to create Roma Moderna, his 1935 vision of a city within a city.
Nov112011
Chamonix and Mont Blanc
Travel Recommendation
Location: France
My Recommendation Tip:
France is full of top ski resorts and one of these is Chamonix. You can’t go wrong heading to a valley under Western Europe’s highest and most famous mountain, Mont Blanc. I am not a skier, I am more likely to say Pen when people say Mont Blanc, but that’s where the Aiguille Du Midi cable car comes in.
Nov102011
Sinterklaas
Travel Recommendation
Location: Amsterdam
My Recommendation Tip:
He might be an old man with a flowing white beard and a long red cape but The Netherland’s Sinterklaas is a little different to the Coca-Cola-type Santa Claus we all know. For starters, he comes from Spain, which means there is no tradition of snow and reindeer and sleighs. Instead, Sinterklaas arrives by boat from Spain, coming up the Amstel River in mid-November
Nov092011
Catch a Bus on the Cote d'Azur
Travel Recommendation
Location: French Riviera
My Recommendation Tip:
discovered the most fantastic thing in Nice: the local buses cost €1 no matter where you go. (Well, there are limits.) Although it would be difficult to tire of Nice itself and that gorgeous seafront, the museums and food, we were keen to explore a little more of the coast but didn’t have a car.
Nov082011
Shopping the Markets in Florence
Travel Recommendation
Location: Florence
My Recommendation Tip:
Milan may be the fashion capital, but Florence is known for its shopping, too. Leather goods and jewelery are particular specialties. The markets and their charming, haggling stallholders are world famous, and you must never accept the first price offered: bargaining is a game here and they expect you to play: it’s half the fun.
Nov082011
Madeira has Year Round Sunshine
Travel Recommendation
Location: Islands of Portugal
My Recommendation Tip:
If the approaching winter is beginning to scare you, you can always head for Madeira. This island in Portugal sits in the Atlantic Ocean on about the same latitude as Casablanca in Morocco, hence all year round sunshine. The islanders boast it is never too hot, never too cold, and they can grow bananas all year round. To those of us who watch the snow build up outside our windows for a few months each year, that’s envy-worthy.
Nov072011
The Arts Are Alive and Well in Montmartre
Travel Recommendation
Location: Paris
My Recommendation Tip:
104 Centquatre in Paris is an artists’ studio and exhibition space that’s reenergizing artistic life in Montmartre. Once home to visionaries such as Picasso, Dali, Monet, van Gogh, Montmartre inevitably became trendy and gentrified and too expensive for artists to inhabit. But a new arts space has opened up in an old 19th century building that was, until 1997, home to the municipal undertakers, Pompes Funebres.
Nov042011
Bristol: from Brunel to Banksy
Travel Recommendation
Location: England
My Recommendation Tip:
The port city of Bristol has always been a place of innovation. Once it was the city where explorers set out across the seas to discover new lands, more recently it has been a source of great contemporary music and home to the infamous graffiti artist Banksy.
Nov042011
Madonna della Salute
Travel Recommendation
Location: Venice
My Recommendation Tip:
n 1630-31, Venice was gripped by a second plague in a century. It claimed nearly 100,000 lives, or one in three Venetians. The Doge appealed to the Virgin Mary, promising to build a magnificent church of thanks if the plague ended. End it did and he made good on his promise with the Church of Madonna della Salute.
Nov032011
Visit Picturesque Groningen
Travel Recommendation
Location: Netherlands
My Recommendation Tip:
Groningen is perhaps not a name that immediately springs to mind when you are thinking of cities in The Netherlands, but this university town in the north might surprise you. There’s been a university here since 1614, and it graduated the first female student in The Netherlands and also the country’s first astronaut!
Nov032011
Palace of Caserta
Travel Recommendation
Location: Italy
My Recommendation Tip:
Back when the south of Italy was the least wealthy part of the country and people struggled to feed their families, the King of Naples decided to build a grand palace. Construction of the Palace of Caserta was begun in 1752 and it was the largest European palace built in the 18th century. Charles wanted his very own Versailles and he came close to achieving it.
Nov022011
Reykjavik's Pools
Travel Recommendation
Location: Reykjavik
My Recommendation Tip:
Iceland is blessed with an endless supply of hot thermal waters. It’s what makes the country habitable in the winter. So you’ll find that all these local pools have outdoor thermal pools. My favorite is Sundlaug Seltjarnarness where there are three outdoor hot pools, a large swimming pool and kids’ pool and a sauna.
Nov022011
The Sherlock Holmes of Edinburgh
Travel Recommendation
Location: Edinburgh
My Recommendation Tip:
The creator of Sherlock Holmes, Arthur Conan Doyle was born in Picardy Place, Edinburgh in 1859 and studied medicine at the University of Edinburgh. He based the character of Sherlock Holmes on his teacher Joseph Bell, an Edinburgh surgeon famous for being able to draw medical conclusions from small shreds of information: he was one of the first forensic medical investigators.
Nov012011
Seeing Kate Middleton's Wedding Dress
Travel Recommendation
Location: London
My Recommendation Tip:
I have to say I had no idea just how fabulous Kate Middleton’s dress was until I visited Buckingham Palace during the summer openings and saw it up close. It is absolutely a work of art. Unlike Diana’s dress, which was so over-the-top and dated so fast it now looks frankly a bit silly, Kate’s dress will, I’m confident, continue to look elegant and quite, quite beautiful for years, if not centuries to come.
Nov012011
The San Miniato Truffle Fair
Travel Recommendation
Location: Tuscany
My Recommendation Tip:
In Tuscany during November, people flock to the San Miniato Truffle Fair. It’s held in a medieval hall on the 2nd, 3rd and 3rd weekends of November, the heart of truffle gathering season. 25% of Italy’s truffles are found in this region and other towns also have truffle festivals in October and November including Volterra and San Giovanni d’Asso near Siena. If you haven’t tried truffles, this is your chance
Oct312011
The Hugh Lane Gallery
Travel Recommendation
Location: Dublin
My Recommendation Tip:
In 1908 art collector Hugh Lane left his collection to Ireland, which established Dublin City Gallery The Hugh Lane. This gallery of modern and contemporary art includes works by Monet, Manet, Degas – important Impressionist works. Since then the collection has grown to over two thousand pieces, including such artists as Sean Scully and Joseph Beuys.
Oct312011
Verano Cemetery
Travel Recommendation
Location: Rome
My Recommendation Tip:
Verano Cemetery in Rome was the first municipal cemetery built in Rome and is still the city’s largest. Begun in 1811 it was situated just outside the then city walls on land that had belonged to the Verani family.
Oct252011
Bringin Back Tartan
Travel Recommendation
Location: Scotland
My Recommendation Tip:
Sir Walter Scott may have been the world’s best marketer. What was he selling? Scotland.
Oct242011
O'Connell Street
Travel Recommendation
Location: Dublin
My Recommendation Tip:
Cities and their streets are as much victims of fashion and the changing of government policy as the rest of us. Take O’Connell Street in Dublin for example.
Oct242011
The Shakespeare and Co. Bookshop
Travel Recommendation
Location: Paris
My Recommendation Tip:
The Shakespeare and Co. Bookshop place is one of my favorite haunts in Paris. It has a wonderful location on a small street, Rue Bucherie, beside the Seine, within eyeballing distance of Notre Dame, and close to the crepes and red wines of the Latin Quarter.
Oct212011
Bicester Village
Travel Recommendation
Location: Bahamas
My Recommendation Tip:
This place is a shopper’s paradise with pretend little village streets full of designer stores in which everything is massively discounted – clothes, homewares, cosmetics. Sometimes its samples, sometimes last season, sometimes the greatest find of your life which then lasts you for years because its well made, of good cloth and gorgeously styled.
Oct212011
Belem Tower
Travel Recommendation
Location: Lisbon
My Recommendation Tip:
Back in the day, Portugal was quite the maritime force in the world, and Lisbon was the center of the beginnings of globalization.
Oct202011
Delft
Travel Recommendation
Location: Netherlands
My Recommendation Tip:
The iconic blue and white pottery and tiling you see throughout the Netherlands is known as Delftware and comes from the town of Delft in southern Holland.
Oct202011
Bari - Gateway to Everywhere
Travel Recommendation
Location: Italy
My Recommendation Tip:
One of the main reasons travellers find themselves in Bari is because it is a major ferry port. From here you can get to Greece, Turkey, Croatia, Serbia, Montenegro and Albania. And being the major city of southern Italy, train connections within Italy are also good, heading for Rome and Milan in the north as well as many of the southern towns.
Oct192011
The Isle of Skye
Travel Recommendation
Location: Edinburgh
My Recommendation Tip:
Fifteen years ago, a strange thing happened on the Isle of Skye – a bridge was built linking the island to the mainland. Before this, the only way of reaching the place was by ferry and the ferry could be rather cold in winter.
Oct192011
The Vasari Corridor
Travel Recommendation
Location: Florence
My Recommendation Tip:
Florence is known for its history of powerful rulers and political intrigues. Combining these both into one massive architectural show of power and secrecy is the Vasari Corridor.
Oct182011
Lobster Soup
Travel Recommendation
Location: Iceland
My Recommendation Tip:
The New York Times food reviewer said it was the best lobster soup he’d ever tasted. In his life. Anywhere in the world. And it’s found in a tiny rustic cabin alongside the docks in Reykjavik, Iceland.
Oct182011
Lucca and Puccini
Travel Recommendation
Location: Tuscany
My Recommendation Tip:
Once one of Italy’s wealthy fiefdoms, Lucca retains all the beauty of art and architecture that you’d expect from northern Italy and Tuscany. Smaller than Florence, it gained its freedom from Rome in the 12th century and except for one small glitch when Pisa took control, it was self-governing for 500 years until Napoleon arrived and gave the city to his sister.
Oct172011
Cocteau's Church
Travel Recommendation
Location: London
My Recommendation Tip:
The Notre Dame de France Church is one of my favorite London secrets. Hidden away in one of the busiest places in the world, just off Leicester Square in the center of London, and with its doors open and free entrance for everyone, you have to know it’s there to find it. For years I walked straight past with no inkling of what I was missing.
Oct172011
The Healing Power of the Villa d'Este
Travel Recommendation
Location: Rome
My Recommendation Tip:
What do you do if you were passed over for Pope? Five times! You build a the Villa d’Este gardens of course, channeling all your frustrations into making one of the world’s best gardens and creating a wonder of Italy.
Oct132011
Trinity College in Dublin
Travel Recommendation
Location: Dublin
My Recommendation Tip:
Some places just have that magic feeling about them – they seem filled with dreams and history, you can almost feel anything is possible, and you can hear the chattering voices discussing ideas and changing the world. Trinity College in Dublin is like that. In terms of universities, it’s legendary.
Oct132011
Markets of Amsterdam
Travel Recommendation
Location: Amsterdam
My Recommendation Tip:
One of the most exciting things about Amsterdam is its diversity. Its history as a trading nation has made it very open-minded, especially in terms of food.
Oct112011
Rock Art of Vale do Coa
Travel Recommendation
Location: Portugal
My Recommendation Tip:
In northern Portugal, well inland from Porto, is a small rugged valley that was destined to be flooded into becoming a dam but is now a protected World Heritage national park. Why did its fortunes change so dramatically? Because someone realised that some scratchings in the rocks were actually Palaeolithic art.
Oct072011
Ferry across the Mersey in Liverpool
Travel Recommendation
Location: England
My Recommendation Tip:
Remember the days when pop stars looked humbly away from the camera, a little amazed at their fame? In Liverpool, during the mid-1960s, Brian Epstein managed not just The Beatles but Gerry and the Pacemakers who forever made us want to catch a ferry across the Mersey River.
Oct062011
The Dolomites
Travel Recommendation
Location: Italy
My Recommendation Tip:
Italy is one of those lucky countries that has it all – art, architecture and history, food, fashion and urban life, beaches, rolling hills and spectacular mountains. It’s these mountains, the Dolomites, that I’m becoming increasingly entranced by. Traveling to Italy from pretty much anywhere overland, you become aware of the mountains that ring the northern part of the country, where it borders Switzerland and Austria.
Oct062011
Walk of Fame, Rotterdam
Travel Recommendation
Location: Netherlands
My Recommendation Tip:
I suppose it had to happen. Europe now has a Walk of Fame in an attempt to match that of Hollywood. And just like the one in LA, this walk in Rotterdam is becoming a popular tourist attraction.
Oct052011
Escape from Elba
Travel Recommendation
Location: Tuscany
My Recommendation Tip:
There’s just something magical about islands. I’m not sure what it is. I love the sea and I love the idea of solitude, although I doubt I’d like the reality of being Robinson Crusoe. Elba is an island with particular resonance because it’s where Napoleon was imprisoned in 1814. Mind you, he was made sovereign of the island, and allowed to have 600 loyal soldiers with him. Perhaps unsurprisingly he managed to escape within a year, clearly not appreciating the wonderful beaches, glorious views and excellent walking trails.
Oct052011
Samhuinn
Travel Recommendation
Location: Edinburgh
My Recommendation Tip: There’s just something magical about islands. I’m not sure what it is. I love the sea and I love the idea of solitude, although I doubt I’d like the reality of being Robinson Crusoe. Elba is an island with particular resonance because it’s where Napoleon was imprisoned in 1814. Mind you, he was made sovereign of the island, and allowed to have 600 loyal soldiers with him. Perhaps unsurprisingly he managed to escape within a year, clearly not appreciating the wonderful beaches, glorious views and excellent walking trails.
Oct052011
Five Rooftops in London
Travel Recommendation
Location: London
My Recommendation Tip:
London is a crowded city. Despite the huge parks dotted around, Londoners are still quite squeezed for outdoor space. So when the nicer weather comes, they head up onto the roof. Here are some suggestions
Oct042011
Thingvellir National Park in Iceland
Travel Recommendation
Location: Iceland
My Recommendation Tip:
Also known as Þingvellir for those of us with Icelandic keyboards, this is one of the key sites to visit when in Iceland. An easy hour-long drive from Reykjavik, Thingvellir National Park is the site of Iceland’s first (and the world’s longest running) parliament.
Oct032011
Eating Like the Romans Do
Travel Recommendation
Location: Rome
My Recommendation Tip:
It’s very easy to become overwhelmed by the sheer number of cafes and restaurants in a city like Rome, especially in the historic center. It’s easy to fall into one of the places that are frankly a bit of a tourist trap, serving average pastas for above average prices. This can get expensive when you’re out and about all day and want to grab a fortifying lunch then relax over a well-earned dinner.
Oct032011
The Ring of Kerry
Travel Recommendation
Location: Ireland
My Recommendation Tip:
Ireland is renowned for its green, green landscapes, lovely villages and wild cliffs and seas. In south-west Ireland, on the Iveragh Peninsula you get all of this and more. Known as the Ring of Kerry, this famous tourist drive sums up Ireland in one scenic go-around. The main road is about 112 miles long but you’ll want to take lots of diversions. (If you drive round without stopping it takes about four hours.) There are old monasteries and pagan standing stones (Ogham stones), lakes, national park, beaches and sea.
Oct032011
Canal Life in Amsterdam
Travel Recommendation
Location: Amsterdam
My Recommendation Tip:
You cannot visit Amsterdam without thinking of canals, mainly because the city is centred on a ring of canals. The inner, historic ones Herengracht, Prinsengracht, and Keizersgracht date from the Golden Age of the 17th century. Another inner canal Singel is older, having been the moat of medieval Amsterdam in the 16th century. In total, Amsterdam has around 62 miles (100 km) of canals, 90 islands and 1500 bridges.
Sep272011
Top foods to try in Scotland
Travel Recommendation
Location: Scotland
My Recommendation Tip:
A trip to Scotland can be an adventure for your taste buds as much as a feast for your eyes. Due to its rugged country and land and its often harsh history, certain eating habits developed which can lead to both smiles and shouts of dismay.
Sep272011
Top 5 Coffee Shops in London
Travel Recommendation
Location: London
My Recommendation Tip:
like a good coffee. I do not like coffee from chains that put quantity over quality. Sometimes I like coffee because the view that goes with it is wonderful, or the atmosphere. Keep that in mind as I tell you my five top coffee spots in London....
Sep262011
The Stag's Head Pub
Travel Recommendation
Location: Dublin
My Recommendation Tip:
No trip to Ireland would be complete without a trip to a good Irish pub. Luckily, The Stag’s Head Pub is right in the heart of Dublin but it is a hidden gem. This means that those propped on the stools around the bar tend to actually have Irish accents, not American or Australian or any other backpacking nation, even in the height of tourist season.
Sep232011
Bellinis with the Stars - A Visit to Harry's Bar
Travel Recommendation
Location: Venice
My Recommendation Tip:
Famous for inventing the delicious drink, the Bellini (Prosecco and fresh peach juice), Harry’s Bar is a Venice institution. Located at the end of small Calle Vallaresso not far from San Marco Square, I was surprised to find it does not have waterside frontage, and is in fact very closed in.
Sep232011
Portugal's Hidden Lake: Alqueva
Travel Recommendation
Location: Portugal
My Recommendation Tip:
When you think of holidaying in Portugal, everyone thinks of that wonderful Atlantic Coast, primarily of the Algarve. But this region is now overrun with tourists and has lost some of its charm. If you’re happy to swim in fresh water rather than the sea, be one of the first to discover Alqueva Lake.
Sep232011
Summering in Cornwall
Travel Recommendation
Location: England
My Recommendation Tip:
The summer in England is coming – so they say. Many of those who are not jetting off to other countries to find their beach holiday will be starting to think of Cornwall. This southwest tip jutting off England is one of the best places to find sun, sand and surf.
Sep222011
A Symbol of Peace – Visiting the Hague
Travel Recommendation
Location: Netherlands
My Recommendation Tip:
The third largest city in the Netherlands, Den Haag or The Hague is not like other Dutch cities. For starters it is much greener and more open, with wider streets and fewer canals. A lot of the city was bombed during the Second World War and has since been redeveloped. In addition to this, the city has expanded hugely in its role as a major center for the UN (along with Geneva and New York).
Sep222011
The Giotto Chapel - One of Art History’s Gems
Travel Recommendation
Location: Italy
My Recommendation Tip:
If you have any interest in art history, then you must visit Padua and go to Cappella degli Scrovegni. The chapel was built by the wealthy Enrico Scrovegni for his father who was denied burial in an existing church due to his occupation as moneylender. Scrovegni did it his own way and he did it well, employing the wonderful painter Giotto to fresco all the walls inside the chapel.
Sep212011
Get a peek inside Edinburgh’s historic buildings at Doors Open Day
Travel Recommendation
Location: Edinburgh
My Recommendation Tip:
I don’t know about you, but I am a complete sticky beak when it comes to looking inside buildings, especially those not generally open to the public. I don’t usually go as far as pretending I’m going to buy a house to get inside – well, I only have once or twice – but I do love a good open day.
Sep212011
A Day Trip to Pisa from Florence
Travel Recommendation
Location: Pisa
My Recommendation Tip:
Here’s the thing about trips to Pisa: if you want to go to the top of the Leaning Tower of Pisa, you have to get there early. Of course, there is more to do in Pisa than see the famous leaning tower and take salacious photographs.
Sep202011
Thermal Water Spa in Secret Tuscany
Travel Recommendation
Location: Tuscany
My Recommendation Tip:
It’s no secret that I am obsessed with hot water, particularly thermal water flowing from the core of the earth. And at Saturnia in Tuscany there’s a river of the stuff, and waterfalls! I’m excited!
Sep202011
Cafes and Bars in Reykjavik
Travel Recommendation
Location: Reykjavik
My Recommendation Tip:
Locals in Iceland like to meet for a coffee and a chat. They also don’t mind having a drink or two in an evening. Hence, the center of Reykjavik is well supplied with cafes and bars. The main shopping street is Laugavegur and you can’t go very far without hitting one of the excellent, usually quirky cafes or bars.
Sep192011
Outdoors Swimming All Year at Hampstead Heath
Travel Recommendation
Location: London
My Recommendation Tip:
There are people who swim year round in London – outdoors. Yes, I also think they are crazy but I have to admire them. The place to do it is the Hampstead Heath Swimming Ponds, world-renowned and very London. Located on the Highgate side of the huge wilderness known as Hampstead Heath, there are two ponds open all year around: the Highgate Men’s Bathing Pond and the Kenwood Ladies’ Bathing Pond.
Sep192011
The Aventine Keyhole's View of Rome
Travel Recommendation
Location: Rome
My Recommendation Tip:
When in Rome, do as the Romans. And since the Aventine Keyhole is where the locals bring their friends to marvel over the splendor of Rome, you should not miss out. It’s just a little bit off the beaten tourist track although you might still find yourself having to wait patiently while others take their turn to look through the ornate keyhole at the splendid vista of St Peter’s Basilica floating at the end of an avenue of carefully trimmed trees. It might not sound that exciting but what is special about it is the sense of artistic vision which went into creating this perfect sightline, and which really is the drive behind the aesthetic splendor of the Rome we go to admire.
Sep152011
Get an Inside Look at Dublin's Architecture on Open House Weekend
Travel Recommendation
Location: Dublin
My Recommendation Tip:
Dublin is renowned for its historic buildings and lovely architecture. During October you can get behind those facades during Open House weekend, this year October 7th-9th. Run by the Irish Architecture Foundation, all the tours and entries to buildings are free; it’s just a matter of getting hold of a listing (online) and deciding where to go.
Sep152011
Amsterdam’s Rijksmuseum
Travel Recommendation
Location: Amsterdam
My Recommendation Tip:
I have to say it feels like the Rijksmuseumhas been under renovation forever. In 2000 the decision was made to modernise the 1885 building designed by Pierre Cuypers, and now the date given for the gallery fully reopening is 2013. It does sound like the new-look Rijksmuseum will be worth the wait – the architects are staying faithful to the lovely Cuypers fairytale building, but they are opening it up a bit, adding a couple of new buildings, and modernising visitor facilities, security and climate control for the art works.
Sep132011
The Roundhouse: an icon of London’s past and present
Travel Recommendation
Location: London
My Recommendation Tip:
The Roundhouse is an icon of London music and performance. Located in Chalk Farm, the stunning round brick building dating to 1847 was originally a railway engine workshop, built round so trains could turn around inside. By the 1930s it was abandoned and became derelict, becoming home to a theatre company in the 1960s. The Doors played their only UK show here in 1968. But even this sort of history couldn’t save it from the closing during the 1980s when getting rich was much more popular than local theatre. Luckily in the mid-90s someone again saw the value of the place, bought it, and reopened the doors, giving it a major facelift in 2004.
Sep132011
Hidden church music in Florence
Travel Recommendation
Location: Florence
My Recommendation Tip:
One thing I’ve learned about travelling is that you have to be open to the unplanned. A friend and I were in Florence, in one of those lovely little alimentari café/delis where they have bowls of delicious things behind glass and you choose a plate, get a glass of wine and have a delicious meal much cheaper than in any touristic restaurant. We must have looked quite flummoxed by the choices because a local who was there doing the same as us offered help. We ended up with plates of great food and also a couple of wonderful tips for things to do in Florence.
Sep092011
Venture out of Venice to Experience Murano
Travel Recommendation
Location: Venice
My Recommendation Tip:
When you’re enclosed in the labyrinthine streets of Venice it’s easy to forget that Venice is actually a whole series of islands dotted across the lagoon, and that some of them are not quite as manically busy and claustrophobic. When the twists and turns of the stone streets between the Rialto Bridge and Piazza San Marco all gets a bit much for you, hop on a vaporetto and head out to the island of Murano. Murano is where the famous glass-makers in Venice were exiled in 1291 when the regular accidental kiln fires threatened the main city one time too many. The industrial secrets of Venice’s glass-makers were so crucial to the wealth of the republic that any possibility of betrayal was punishable by death.
Sep082011
Eating in the Netherlands
Travel Recommendation
Location: Netherlands
My Recommendation Tip:
Anytime you travel one of the most challenging, exciting and perplexing things can be eating. There are menus to unravel and strange untranslatable things that may or may not be the biggest culinary mistake or discovery of your life. Whether or not you’ll find out depends how brave you are. As a vegetarian I find this particularly challenging, especially in countries which argue that chicken is not meat. Happily, the Netherlands is fairly easy to negotiate, even for a vegetarian. Mind you, vegans would probably be challenged by all the cheese.
Sep082011
Cinque Terre
Travel Recommendation
Location: Italy
My Recommendation Tip:
Literally translating as the “five lands,” the Cinque Terre comprises five gorgeous little villages clinging to the coast of the Italian Riviera, an easy trip from Florence. A popular thing to do is hike between villages along the clifftops, looking down on the blue, blue sea. Another way to do it is by boat: a ferry runs between four of the five towns. Or you could catch a train. The one thing you can’t do is drive your car there; these colorful towns and landscape are carefully protected and that’s part of the charm, and a major reason it’s been declared a UNESCO World Heritage area.
Sep082011
5 Beautiful Destinations in England
Travel Recommendation
Location: England
My Recommendation Tip:
1. The Lake District 2. Bath
This area is stunningly beautiful to walk around, ride a ferry, sail, or just sit and read the Romantic Poets: Coleridge, Wordsworth et al.
Bath is one of my favorite places for its links with Jane Austen, its gorgeous Georgian architecture, the amazing Roman Baths, the Abbey, the lovely shop-covered Pulteney Bridge, and also its recently renovated spa where you can swim in the centuries old Cross Pool, or in the more modern rooftop outdoor pool.
Sep072011
Charming Siena
Travel Recommendation
Location: Tuscany
My Recommendation Tip:
Siena is the other Florence. What do I mean? I mean that you’ll find people generally fall into two groups: fans of Florence and fans of Siena. Both are incredibly beautiful, both are full of incredible art, both are in Tuscany, and the two cities have a long history of rivalry that goes on to this day – a least in the hearts and minds of their visitors. Perhaps Florence is better known because of the Medici family and their patronage of some of the world’s most innovative Renaissance artists, but Siena dominated in the period before, the Gothic, and the paintings you’ll find adorning the walls of Siena’s public buildings and galleries are magnificent.
Sep072011
The Story of Ben Hur, Live in Rome
Travel Recommendation
Location: Rome
My Recommendation Tip:
We travel to Rome to be amazed by a city where at one time audiences of 50,000 filled the Colosseum to watch gladiators live in action, and to see mock sea battles, animal hunts and dramas based on classical mythology. The city’s turning it on again this year, although these days such a massive spectacular has to be staged in a more modern facility: the Nuova Fiera di Roma. From September 30th until late November, Ben Hur Live will be on stage in Rome. This is the show that took 15 years to develop before it opened in London in late 2009. It will feature music by Steward Copeland who was drummer for The Police.
Sep072011
Go back in time with The Crystal Palace Dinosaurs
Travel Recommendation
Location: London
My Recommendation Tip:
On the edge of London, there are dinosaurs. Not real ones, not even very realistically modeled ones, but they are impressively large and enjoy the highest historic protection classification given to man-made structures in London. There are around thirty of the models gathered around a couple of lakes in Crystal Palace in south-east London. Some look more like huge deer, frogs or even crocodiles because less was known about dinosaurs back in the 1850s when these were made.
Aug292011
A Trip to The Vatican
Travel Recommendation
Location: Rome
My Recommendation Tip:
Nestled in Rome, the Vatican is the smallest country in the world. Since 1929 it has been an independent city-state of just over 110 acres with a population of 800. It has its own stamps and coins, even its own passports although very few are issued. The head of state is the Pope. Except where the Vatican opens towards the river along the Via della Conciliazione, the Vatican is surrounded by walls. Approach from the river as medieval pilgrims did: walk or catch a taxi to the Ponte Sant’Angelo on the far side of the river, cross the wonderful bridge of angel statues, heading for the majestic fortress (now museum), Castel Sant’Angelo, then veer left and walk up the long promenade facing the magnificent Saint Peter’s Basilica. The curving colonnades of the church forecourt seem to embrace you, welcoming you in.
Aug252011
Strolling the Jordaan
Travel Recommendation
Location: Amsterdam
My Recommendation Tip:
One of my favourite areas of Amsterdam is Jordaan. Across Prinsengracht canal from the Anne Frank house and bordered by the streets Marnixstraat and Rozengracht, and the canal Brouwersgracht, it is a gorgeous area of narrow streets and gabled houses. Wander the narrow streets – beware of bicycles clanking through – and explore the shops, cafes and restaurants dotted throughout.
Aug232011
The Town of St Andrews
Travel Recommendation
Location: Scotland
My Recommendation Tip:
For a smallish town, population around 15,000, gorgeous medieval St Andrews in Scotland has quite a few claims to fame. For starters there’s the golf. St Andrews is the heart-center of golf worldwide. Argument rages over who actually invented the game; the Dutch have tried to claim it, so have the Chinese but the Scots really do have claim to the modern game as we play it. The Royal and Ancient Golf Club of St Andrews is a name to inspire veneration in the hearts of most, so we’ll give it to the Scots. And the course which stretches along clifftops is beautiful enough to just walk, even if you can’t raise the money or connections to actually be allowed to play.
Aug232011
Stratford-Upon-Avon
Travel Recommendation
Location: London
My Recommendation Tip:
Scholars might still argue about whether William Shakespeare himself actually wrote all those plays, but no-one quibbles about just how good the plays are, nor about where William Shakespeare was born. Thanks to the power of storytelling, Stratford-upon-Avon has become one of the most visited towns in England.
Aug222011
The Ha’penny Bridge
Travel Recommendation
Location: Dublin
My Recommendation Tip:
Given that everyone who visits Dublin ends up taking a photo of this bridge, I think it’s a little bit unfair that people often describe it as not very spectacular, or just ‘nice’. The pretty little pedestrian bridge spanning the Liffey River between Temple Bar and the North Quays is simple, elegant and definitely more than just nice. Built in 1816 it’s of arched cast iron painted white, with lamps to light it at night; that’s when many people come back to take their second or third photo of this Dublin icon. When it originally opened the Ha’penny Bridge replaced seven ferries and no-one minded paying the halfpenny fare to cross the bridge just as they had done to board the ferry.
Aug192011
Eden Project in Cornwall
Travel Recommendation
Location: England
My Recommendation Tip:
What do you do when the human need for raw materials – in this case, clay – has left a huge hole in the ground? If you’re the people from the Eden Project in Cornwall, you build a startling series of domes and gardens to inspire people to live more harmoniously with the planet.
Aug192011
Arriving in Venice
Travel Recommendation
Location: Venice
My Recommendation Tip:
There are many ways to arrive in Venice and your first view of this magical city will remain in your mind for a long time. The least romantic or memorable but easiest, is by train (to Venice Santa Lucia station). In the nineteenth century a two mile long causeway was built from the mainland bringing the railway out to the lagoon islands of Venice; in the twentieth century a road was built alongside it and a large carpark constructed – there are no cars in Venice itself so it’s park and ride (vaporetto or gondola).
Aug192011
The Town of Fatima
Travel Recommendation
Location: Portugal
My Recommendation Tip:
The small town of Fatima, 88 miles (140km) north of Lisbon, is one of the world’s most important holy sites. In 1917 the Virgin Mary appeared here to three shepherd children and in 1930 the Catholic Church officially recognized these visions and the Basilica of Our Lady of the Rosary was built.
Aug182011
Say Cheese!
Travel Recommendation
Location: Netherlands
My Recommendation Tip:
One thing you’ll notice as you travel around the Netherlands is all the cows. Peacefully grazing, they are generally a happy bunch because they get to live long, productive lives giving milk for the Netherland’s huge export industry: cheese.
Aug182011
Vacation in Lake Como
Travel Recommendation
Location: Milan
My Recommendation Tip:
Just the name Lake Como conjures up images of movie stars and waterside palazzos and glamorous wooden speedboats. It’s all true but there’s also room for us mere humans there. The deepest lake in Europe, Lake Como sits in the Italian alps along with nearby Lake Garda, also a popular resort.
Aug172011
Michelangelo in Florence
Travel Recommendation
Location: Florence
My Recommendation Tip:
Florence’s most famous son must be Michelangelo. Yes, he left for Rome and painted the Sistine Ceiling for the pope, but in Florence I always feel his presence very strongly. There is The David standing proudly outside the Palazzo Vecchio, which on any visit to Florence you’ll likely pass the famous statue more than a dozen times. Of course, it’s a copy, the original having been moved inside Accademia Gallery to protect it from the weather, pollution and vandals. Then there’s the Basilica of San Lorenzo. The front of the church is unfinished although Michelangelo designed a façade that was never built.
Aug172011
Somerset House
Travel Recommendation
Location: London
My Recommendation Tip:
This wonderful white stone building which sits around a courtyard, fronted by the river on one side and The Strand on the other is home to cultural and artistic organizations such as The Courthauld Institute and The Courthauld Gallery – one the best collections of art in London. There are also offices for fashion, music, environmental and literary organizations. In summer, the courtyard hosts fountains and film screenings (hopefully not at the same time), and in winter it becomes an ice skating rink. But the current building and activities represent the mere tip of the history of this site and its importance in London. The current building dates from the late 18th century and rose from the rubble of the previous palace, which dated back as far as the Tudor Era (1500s), when the first royal mansion was built just after the death of Henry VIII. The area was popular with courtiers who built their houses here from the 12th century on, but it wasn’t really until Queen Elizabeth lived here before her coronation that Somerset House became a royal palace.
Aug172011
A trip to Rosslyn Chapel
Travel Recommendation
Location: Edinburgh
My Recommendation Tip:
Even if you’re not a fan of the Da Vinci Code, I urge you to hop on a bus in Edinburgh and travel those seven miles south to the town of Roslin and the Rosslyn Chapel. Built in 1446, the chapel has wonderful carvings which have lead to many of the wild theories about the place. It has links to the Templars and to the Freemasons, and some people say the Holy Grail is buried underneath. Interestingly, the chapel remains under the ownership of the family who built it, the St Clair family. These days it is managed by a Trust, chaired by the Countess of Rosslyn, a St Clair naturally. The Trust is very serious about preserving the chapel which has suffered from age and climate, and for the past thirteen years, a huge metal awning has covered the place to keep the roof dry and allow the damp to go in order for preservation works.
Aug162011
Incredible views and fine dining at the Perlan
Travel Recommendation
Location: Iceland
My Recommendation Tip:
When you drive into Iceland’s main city, Reykjavik, one of the things that will draw your eye immediately is the gleaming blue-grey space-age looking glass dome perched on a hilltop just outside of town. That’s the Perlan, a water storage, restaurant and museum. The water storage tanks have been on this hilltop for many years; in the early twentieth century the Icelanders perfected a method for harnessing the abundant thermal water below the ground and now the city is supplied for free with endless hot water, much of it is stored in these tanks. In 1991 the structure needed an upgrade and the then local mayor decided to take advantage of the hilltop position and build the Perlan, designed by local architect Ingimundur Sveinsson. Inside it’s a huge domed space rising many floors. At the lowest level is The Winter Garden, a huge exhibition and concert space. The acoustics of the dome have been carefully designed and local musicians often hold concerts here.
Aug162011
Wine Tasting in Tuscany
Travel Recommendation
Location: Tuscany
My Recommendation Tip:
Chianti. I don’t know about you but I grew up in a household that loved the stuff and we always had the empty twine-covered bottles sitting around the house with candles shoved into them. Being a little (a lot) older now, I finally understand where those bottles came from and why my parents loved the stuff so much. Chianti the wine comes from central Tuscany, an area between Florence and Siena called Chianti, filled with dreamy landscapes of gentle hills and idyllic farmhouses surrounded by vineyards.
Aug152011
Via Margutta made famous by Audrey Hepburn
Travel Recommendation
Location: Rome
My Recommendation Tip:
Roman Holiday did not only make Audrey Hepburn a star, it also shot a small back street in Rome to prominence. Via Margutta was the location of the flat (number 51) occupied by Gregory Peck’s character, Joe Bradley, where many of the couple’s scenes were filmed. If you’re a fan of the film, you’ll often find the gate to the courtyard open and you can go in and see the steps up to the apartment and the arbor and the little balcony from where the landlady watched them. The street basically runs between the Spanish Steps and the Piazza del Popolo although you need to negotiate a few twists and turns and alleyways to find it. Once an area of Rome occupied by low-rent paying artisans (during the Renaissance and since), the area is now known for its famous creative residents and high-end art galleries.
Aug102011
Dublin Fringe Festival
Travel Recommendation
Location: Dublin
My Recommendation Tip:
As if Dublin needed an excuse to get out and party; the 2011 Absolut Fringe Festival is on from September 10-25. That’s sixteen days of over one hundred performances, music, theatre, comedy, dance etc etc. Venues are dotted all over Dublin so it’s an excellent way to explore the city. The beauty of fringe festivals is that prices are much lower than the big arts festivals because this is new talent testing out new material. That means you’ve got a good chance of later on saying: I saw them before they were famous, in fact, I bought them a drink afterwards at the pub down the road from the theatre. (After all, they’ve just entertained you, shouting them a pint is the least you can do.)
Aug092011
Courtauld Gallery
Travel Recommendation
Location: London
My Recommendation Tip:
Although I’d always heard about it from others who’d been, it took me years to finally make my way to the Courtauld Gallery located in Somerset House in London. Now I can’t stop going back. It has a reputation as one of the finest small galleries in the world and it’s true.
Aug092011
Sintra, A World Heritage Site
Travel Recommendation
Location: Portugal
My Recommendation Tip:
Sintra has palaces and castles enough to satisfy anyone – even UNESCO, who made it a World Heritage Site in 1995 for its nineteenth century Romantic cultural landscape. That famous English libertine Lord Byron called Sintra “the most beautiful [village] in the world”. There is the Pena National Palace with its yellow and red towers reaching high into the sky. Once a monastery on top of a hill, Portuguese royalty redeveloped it as a palace in the nineteenth century, one so majestic it can even be seen from Lisbon on a clear day. It’s still used by the president of Portugal for official occasions.
Aug092011
San Lorenzo Market in Florence
Travel Recommendation
Location: Florence
My Recommendation Tip:
Florence is famous for its shopping, mainly leather goods and food. If you’re in the market for a new bag, pair of gloves, coat, wallet, belt or shoes, this is the place to be. To get the bargains, head over to the San Lorenzo Market. It’s not difficult to find; it lines the streets around the San Lorenzo Church and Medici Chapel. There is stall after stall of leather goods, hats, souvenirs and paper goods. And the service makes for half the fun. You’ll quickly get used to every stallholder trying to engage you in conversation – they’re not shy these flirty salesmen – and you have to remember that this is half the game. It’s a performance, and a sales technique.
Aug052011
Walking Venice
Travel Recommendation
Location: Venice
My Recommendation Tip:
Venice is famous for Carnevale, when people wear masks and cavort in the streets. To me this annual event is symbolic of the city itself: Venice wears a mask most of the time. Don’t get me wrong: the city is wonderful, beautiful, charming and I’m quite happy to converse with this masked entity.
Aug042011
Haarlem
Travel Recommendation
Location: Netherlands
My Recommendation Tip:
Only about 20 minutes away by train, the town of Haarlem is older than Amsterdam, established in 1245 on the river Spaarne. It has beautiful medieval and Gothic buildings and a lovely, almost traffic free center to wander around. The Grote Markt is the huge market square in the center of town, surrounded by important civic buildings including the Town Hall and the nineteenth century Sint-Bavo Cathedral, the main Catholic church for the Haarlem-Amsterdam area.
Aug042011
Naples
Travel Recommendation
Location: Naples
My Recommendation Tip:
See Naples and die! Since that expression was coined in the nineteenth century it’s been a rallying cry to express just how gorgeous this city is and how much life and passion it has.
Aug042011
Bathing in Bath
Travel Recommendation
Location: England
My Recommendation Tip:
For a town called Bath, I was disappointed to find there was actually only one place to bathe, Thermae Bath Spa, recently redeveloped around some historic health-giving baths. The town of Bath has a long history of healing. It is thought to have been founded by King Bladud some 2800 years ago after he was cured of leprosy by the waters in the local marshes.
Aug032011
Getting Around Lisbon
Travel Recommendation
Location: Lisbon
My Recommendation Tip:
One of my favourite things about Lisbon is the transport. It has everything. A modern metro decorated with contemporary art, iconic yellow trams, funiculars for those hills, even an elevator for one extreme hill in the center of town. And then of course, being a city built on a major river, the Tagus, there are ferries.
Aug032011
Uffizi Gallery
Travel Recommendation
Location: Florence
My Recommendation Tip:
The Uffizi Gallery is the number one place to visit on most people’s list when they’re headed for Florence, but I'll admit I didn’t go until my fourth time to the city. It is difficult not to at least see the lovely building designed by Giorgio Vasari and commissioned, of course, by the Medicis, as its colonnades lead from the Piazza del Signoria (dominated by the Palazzo Vecchio) to the river close to the Ponte Vecchio. (Vecchio means old which I suppose is why so many things seem to be called Vecchio in Florence.)
Aug022011
The Noble and Somewhat Unusual Icelandic Horse
Travel Recommendation
Location: Iceland
My Recommendation Tip:
.These gallant horses are a very special breed: strong, fearless, intelligent, full of character and also gentle and easy to ride. If you're interested in a unique experience, ride an Icelandic horse. They’ve been carefully bred and are highly protected.
Aug022011
Edinburgh Castle
Travel Recommendation
Location: Edinburgh
My Recommendation Tip:
Sitting impressively atop the rocky crag of central Edinburgh is the castle. This was definitely a good place to build in those tumultuous times when anyone was likely to attack at any moment and try to take your crown. Three sides of the extinct volcano are sheer drops thanks to once upon a time glaciers, and the black rock gives Edinburgh its distinctive dark and dour mood. If anyone did manage to make it up close enough to attack, then the thick walls of the castle itself would see them off. The last to try were Bonnie Prince Charlie’s army in 1745 but the palace is still headquarters of the Royal Scots Regiment so I suggest you visit in peace.
Aug022011
Leaning Tower of Pisa
Travel Recommendation
Location: Tuscany
My Recommendation Tip:
In the early twelfth century an Italian architect made a mistake. He built a tower on a piece of unstable soil. It was probably not totally his fault – those commissioning the bell tower wanted it to be close to the cathedral, and building methods back then were not quite what they are now. Still, historical record leaves us unsure exactly who was responsible for the mistake, which saw the bell tower of Pisa begin to lean only a few years after its lower levels were built.
Aug022011
Southbank
Travel Recommendation
Location: London
My Recommendation Tip:
The cultural hub of one of the world’s cultural hubs is London’s Southbank. Situated alongside the river Thames, just down from the London Eye, the area is filled with theatres and galleries and is the place in London to promenade along the river on a sunny afternoon browsing the book stalls and watching the skateboarders in their specially built and graffitied concrete undercroft.
Aug012011
St Patrick's Cathedral
Travel Recommendation
Location: Dublin
My Recommendation Tip:
For a Catholic country, it is ironic that the two largest cathedrals in Dublin are both Protestant. But that’s a good indication of its long history as part of Britain before the struggle for Irish independence succeeded in the 20th century. The current English Gothic style St Patrick’s Cathedral dates from 1220 and is situated next to the well said to be where Saint Patrick baptized pagans to become Christians on his visit to Dublin in the 5th century. Over the centuries the church had fallen into disrepair but in the late 19th century restoration work was done, largely sponsored by the famous Guinness family.
Aug012011
The Spanish Steps
Travel Recommendation
Location: Rome
My Recommendation Tip:
Gracefully designed and good for a rest and people watching, I admit I was not overwhelmed by the Spanish Steps the first time I saw them. There seemed to be a lot of traffic, a lot of chaos, and too much grime and rubbish. However, after staying nearby and passing through the area everyday, along with my progressive understanding that the glory of modern Rome is its very chaos and grime; I came to love them. I was there in spring, and lovely purple-pink flowers dotted the steps. The fountain, Barcaccia, the sinking boat at the foot of the steps soon became a welcoming sight, like a friend always just happily burbling away no matter what mayhem is going on nearby.
Jul282011
Van Gogh Museum
Travel Recommendation
Location: Amsterdam
My Recommendation Tip:
One of the best things about Amsterdam is the art history. So many significant artists lived, worked, were born and/or died here. One of my favorites is that tormented genius Vincent van Gogh. Living through the second-half of the nineteenth century, van Gogh was actually born in the southern Netherlands, only coming to Amsterdam to study theology before he really took up painting. Most of his career as an artist was spent in France.Nonetheless, Amsterdam is the location of the museum dedicated to his work and it is well-worth braving the often very long queues to see his paintings in the flesh, as it were.
Jul272011
Portobello Baths and Beach
Travel Recommendation
Location: Edinburgh
My Recommendation Tip:
Edinburgh is not the first place I think of going to the beach. But on the other side of Arthurs Seat from the city centre is the suburb of Portobello, which has a long beach fronting onto the Firth of Forth. Lovely for strolling and gazing across the water.
Jul272011
Westminster Abbey
Travel Recommendation
Location: London
My Recommendation Tip:
At the end of April 2011, London will stop. In fact, England generally and most of the United Kingdom will grind to a halt as the wedding of Prince William and Kate Middleton takes place at Westminster Abbey.
Jul262011
Palazzo Pitti
Travel Recommendation
Location: Florence
My Recommendation Tip:
The Pitti Palace is a huge Renaissance palace on the south side of the Arno River in Florence. It is across the river from the main part of the city, and crosses the famous Ponte Vecchio. The palace is huge, with rough stone storeys sitting heavily on top of each other. When it was first built in the mid fifteenth century for wealthy banker Luca Pitti it must have been an extremely formidable and powerful statement – it still is today.
Jul262011
Loch Lomond
Travel Recommendation
Location: The Scottish Highlands
My Recommendation Tip:
After a few days trudging the streets and hills of dark, glowering Glasgow, I decided I needed to get into the countryside. Consulting a map and a train timetable, I decided that Loch Lomond would make an excellent one-day jaunt by train.
Jul262011
Il Palio - Madness on Horseback
Travel Recommendation
Location: Tuscany
My Recommendation Tip:
Siena is a lovely city rivaling Florence in its architecture and art; the divide being that Siena’s highpoint was the Medieval era and Florence’s, the Renaissance. Throughout much of Italy, some of the most spectacular traditions from these eras have endured through the centuries.
Jul262011
Buckingham Palace Summer Opening
Travel Recommendation
Location: London
My Recommendation Tip:
During summer each year in London, the Queen throws open the doors of her home, Buckingham Palace so that we, the general public, can visit the State Rooms. In July and August, while she is safely away on holiday at one of her other houses (usually Balmoral Castle in Scotland) we can see places normally only seen by visiting royalty and foreign dignitaries.
Jul252011
Bewley’s Oriental Café
Travel Recommendation
Location: Dublin
My Recommendation Tip:
Every city has its key landmark café that has survived the test of time; in Dublin that café is Bewley’s. Beginning in the tea trade in the 19th century, the Bewley family moved into coffee roasting and opened their first café in 1894. These days the flagship café is in Grafton Street – it was opened in 1927 when Ireland was just emerging from the Irish War of Independence and the subsequent civil war.
Jul212011
The North of England
Travel Recommendation
Location: The North of England
My Recommendation Tip:
The North of England has always taken music very seriously, from spawning The Beatles in Liverpool to the House scene and Oasis in Manchester. But recently they have begun to also take public art very seriously; you know, those sculptures and visual surprises you stumble across outside city buildings. Well, in the North they’ve taken them out of the cities and into the landscape.
Jul192011
The Royal Mile
Travel Recommendation
Location: Edinburgh
My Recommendation Tip:
Glowering over Edinburgh is the castle, and leading up to the castle is one long road: The Royal Mile. At the other end of the road is the Palace of Holyroodhouse, the British Queen’s official residence in Scotland (Edinburgh Castle itself is now an historic site and museum).
Jul192011
River Thames
Travel Recommendation
Location: London
My Recommendation Tip:
The Olympic Games come to London in 2012 and details of venues and events are just starting to leak out. One thing that got me excited is the announcement that the Olympic Torch will travel on a floating stage down the River Thames from Hampton Court Palace to Stratford, the site of Olympic Park in East London.
Jul182011
Borghese Villa and Gallery
Travel Recommendation
Location: Rome
My Recommendation Tip:
The Borghese Gallery is simply one of the best galleries in Rome, housed in a lovely historic villa in beautiful gardens of 150 acres. Built by Cardinal Scipione Borghese under the auspice of Pope Paul V (who was his uncle) in the early seventeenth century, the villa was built on a large vineyard, which was quickly turned into the Cardinal’s vision for a Theatre of the Universe. Rare plants and animals were imported, there were waterfalls and hunting grounds, huge groves of trees and still some vineyard and farming to sustain the family.
Jul132011
Temple Bar
Travel Recommendation
Location: Dublin
My Recommendation Tip:
It is a well-known pattern of cities that over time business changes, industries close down or shift away, and whole areas fall into decline and decay. Rents drop and artists move in. Gradually the area becomes lively again, interesting, attractive. Cafes and bars open and flourish and the area becomes a cultural hub. So it was with Temple Bar in Dublin.
Jul122011
Afternoon Tea
Travel Recommendation
Location: London
My Recommendation Tip:
When I first came to London, I was determined to do the one thing I had read about in books, seen in films and on TV, and dreamed about for years: take afternoon tea. Yes, I am sure there are many others things first on your list to do here, but it is just so quintessentially London, and so wonderfully indulgent that I had to partake.
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San Lorenzo Market - Good Florence Leather Market
Travel Recommendation
Location: Florence
My Photos:
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Jul062011
SOHO - the heart of London
Travel Recommendation
Location: London
My Recommendation Tip:
Yes, it has become a tourist mecca, and no, it is not the hotbed of seething nightlife and breeding ground of artists that it used to be, but Soho in London is timeless and still pretty great. Old Compton, Frith, and Greek Streets are still great places to get a late night drink, or a budget meal anytime of the day or night.
Jul052011
London Gardens
Travel Recommendation
Location: London
My Recommendation Tip:
The sun is coming out in London and people are heading for Kew Gardens. Bulbs bursting into flowers are a very reassuring sight after a long, cold, windy winter – and Kew Gardens is the best place in London to see spring blossoming.
Jul052011
Charles Rennie Mackintosh
Travel Recommendation
Location: Glasgow
My Recommendation Tip: One of the prides of Glasgow is the architecture of Charles Rennie Mackintosh. His work is dotted all over Glasgow and his geometric, linear designs can be seen all over cups, tea towels, furniture and buildings – some of these you can buy to take home, others you just have to enjoy and photograph. The iconic ladder-back wooden chairs are highly recognizable but not terribly comfortable. The most famous Mackintosh building is the Glasgow School of Art, up a steep hill in Renfrew Street. He won the competition to design this building when he was only 27, and only fairly recently graduated from the school himself.
Jul052011
Whisky in Scotland
Travel Recommendation
Location: Edinburgh
My Recommendation Tip: Scotland really makes you understand the attractions of whisky. One snowy Christmas, I tasted my first really good dram and I was converted. Not only was it delicious, but it warmed me right through and trust me when it’s winter in Scotland you need more than just a good jacket to keep you warm. I guess that’s why whisky is the national drink of Scotland, and has been since the fifteenth century. There are distilleries dotted all over the country and for those with a good palate, it’s possible to taste the regional differences.
Jul052011
Arthur's Seat and Other Views
Travel Recommendation
Location: Edinburgh
My Recommendation Tip: When packing to visit Edinburgh, put on some sturdy walking shoes. Firstly, the center of town is hilly – Edinburgh is built on seven major hills. Edinburgh Castle sits on top of a dark crag of volcanic rock and when viewed from certain angles, it’s a mystery how you would ever get up there. Just east of the castle is the area of Holyrood Park. The highest peak in Edinburgh is Arthur’s Seat, and its popularity stems from the fantastic views of the city and the easy walk up to the top. Arthur’s Seat is an easy way to get a taste of the Scottish Highlands. This landscape was formed by volcanoes (now thankfully extinct), and the deep valleys and sharp cliffs were formed by scouring glaciers.
Jul052011
National Gallery of Ireland
Travel Recommendation
Location: Dublin
My Recommendation Tip: Every country has its national gallery and usually locates it in its capital city. It’s no surprise to find the National Gallery of Ireland in Dublin. What might be surprising is just what a strong collection of European art it holds: Caravaggio, Titian, Fra Angelico, Vermeer, Picasso, van Gogh, Raphael, Monet, Rembrandt. There is also a major collection of British art, not surprising given the historic ties of the two nations, including 31 watercolours by the master J.M.W. Turner. And naturally in addition there is a significant national collection of Irish art.
Jul052011
Kilmainham Gaol – Former Historic Irish Prison
Travel Recommendation
Location: Dublin
My Recommendation Tip: Irish history is a history of rebellion. For centuries the people living on this gorgeous island have fought for their independence from British rule. The biggest mistake you can make today is to think that Ireland is part of the United Kingdom; it is not. It is a fiercely proud independent republic, the Republic of Ireland. And its freedom was hard won. There were rebellions in 1798, 1803, 1848, 1867, 1883, 1916, with the Republic of Ireland finally being declared in 1949. The 1916 Easter Rising lasting seven days was one of the biggest and most famous rebellions with rebels taking over City Hall, the Post Office and other major city buildings. Although many of the leaders were executed, this resistance to British rule did succeed in turning the political tide though it took many more years for the British to let Ireland go.
Jul052011
Cliffs, Beaches and Castles
Travel Recommendation
Location: Dublin
My Recommendation Tip: One of the loveliest things about Dublin is its location at the mouth of the River Liffey on Dublin Bay. The city grew from the convenience of the area as a landing place for the Vikings and now stretches around all three sides of the bay.
Jul012011
Kensington Palace
Travel Recommendation
Location: London
My Recommendation Tip: It’s a year for the new princess, Kate, and my feeling is she’ll be quite different to her famous predecessor, Diana. But Kate has reinvigorated the dreams of many a girl that one day she might become a Princess. Kensington Palace, sitting in Kensington Gardens adjacent to Hyde Park, has been a royal residence since the 17th century and these days it’s all about that dream with its ongoing exhibition Enchanted Palace located within the State Apartments. Combining fashion, performance and installation the exhibition evokes the lives of seven past princesses who lived in the palace in a unique and quite magical way.
Jul012011
Richmond
Travel Recommendation
Location: London
My Recommendation Tip: A favorite place to spend a London summer’s day is Richmond where as well as green grass to lie on and trees to shade under, you get glorious riverfront to stroll beside and a gorgeous village feel with meandering narrow streets lined by cafes, bookshops and clothing stores. Once the site of a royal palace, Richmond has been a favorite place for both royalty and us commoners to get away from the crowded city center for centuries.
Jul012011
Regent’s Park
Travel Recommendation
Location: London
My Recommendation Tip: When the sun comes out in London, Londoners head to the nearest park and take off their shirts. One of the favorites is Regent’s Park, 410 acres of green space (part of the ‘lungs of London’) tucked in behind Madame Tussaud’s just west of central London, and rising up to Primrose Hill, which has some of the best views of London.
Jul012011
Chelsea Flower Show
Travel Recommendation
Location: London
My Recommendation Tip: A major event on the London calendar each year is the Chelsea Flower Show. This year it runs from May 24 -28. I went to the show for the first time a few years ago because a friend had free tickets. Mainly I went because it’s such a famous event, but having little interest or aptitude for gardening I figured I would follow him around for a while then persuade him to head for a Chelsea pub by the river. But pretty well as soon as we entered the gates I was a convert. To be surrounded by such glorious flowers was totally uplifting.
Jun292011
Rembrandt House
Travel Recommendation
Location: Amsterdam
My Recommendation Tip:
You’d be unusual to have gone your whole life without ever seeing a painting by Rembrandt. One of history’s most famous painters, he lived and worked in Amsterdam during the seventeenth century, a time known as the Dutch Golden Age. He became successful early on as a portrait painter and was able to move to a large house in which he painted in a studio on the top floor and met clients and displayed his work on the ground floor. But then as now, early success guaranteed nothing and Rembrandt faced financial hardship as well as personal tragedy with the deaths of his wife and three of his four children. Only his son Titus lived to adulthood and died a year before Rembrandt himself.
Jun282011
An Iconic Night in London
Travel Recommendation
Location: London
My Recommendation Tip:
One of the things you must do when in London is cross the Thames River at night. Even if it’s freezing cold, deep winter, wrap a scarf around your ears and brave the ice-wind that kicks up off the water – it’s worth it for the view. Crossing Waterloo Bridge is my pick because on either side you have a clear view of those iconic London buildings lit up at night – it’s like stepping into a postcard. St Paul’s Cathedral still dominates the skyline on the city side, surrounded by other church spires popping through the buildings crowding down to the riverbank. Down river you can see the modern Gherkin building, and Canary Wharf, and upriver there’s Big Ben and Parliament.
Jun212011
Historical Bayeux
Travel Recommendation
Location: Bayeux
My Recommendation Tip:
Sometimes I am astounded by the sheer age of things in Europe; you can almost feel the weight of history – but in a good way. Bayeux, in Normandy, northern France, close to the coast of the English Channel, was first settled by the Romans in the 1st century!
Jun172011
Castel Sant’Angelo
Travel Recommendation
Location: Rome
My Recommendation Tip:
The first time I went to Rome (and I have been more than once probably because I threw a coin in the Trevi Fountain), I was lucky to be with someone who was returning to the city and knew a few secrets. Actually more a tip than a secret. When we were heading to Saint Peter’s Basilica, he insisted we did not take the metro or a bus, but that we approached from across the river to get the best experience.
Jun092011
Navigating Venice
Travel Recommendation
Location: Venice
My Recommendation Tip:
When in Venice the most challenging part of adjusting to the fact that the main highways are made of water is the sheer chaos of them. Stand on top of the Rialto Bridge for a while and look up or down the Grand Canal and you’ll be struck by the way the vaporetto (ferries) plunge across the canals from side to side, gondola weaving in between, cargo boats trudging up the middle laden with food and furniture and building materials, while private motor boats dart in and out of the narrow side canals.
Jun082011
Jeronimos Monastery
Travel Recommendation
Location: Lisbon
My Recommendation Tip:
Churches are designed to strike awe into the hearts and minds of those who enter them, to bring them to a belief in God, of whatever conviction. I’ve always known this but mostly I’ve ended up in awe of the architects and builders who can get these massive and generally beautiful buildings to stand up, to make those spires and domes soar so high. But the day I walked into the Church of Santa Maria at Jeronimos Monastery in Lisbon was the day I understood what church architecture was all about.
My Photos:
Jun072011
The Nine Streets (De Negen Straatjes)
Travel Recommendation
Location: Amsterdam
My Recommendation Tip:
In the heart of the historic center of Amsterdam, criss-crossing the inner ring of seventeenth century canals, is a small network of streets known as The Nine Streets. Here is where you’ll find much of the city’s best shopping and some excellent little bars and cafes to stop and rest between purchases.
Jun062011
Throw a coin into the Trevi Fountain
Travel Recommendation
Location: Rome
My Recommendation Tip:
Anyone heading to Rome for the first time knows they have to go to the Trevi Fountain and throw in a coin. It means you will return to the city. Clearly Rome has such a mythological power over us all that we don’t even take the time to decide if we enjoy Rome and want to come back, we just head straight for the fountain to ensure our return before we’ve even begun.
My Photos:
Jun062011
Paris from high above
Travel Recommendation
Location: Paris
My Recommendation Tip:
Paris is about beauty. Not just its art, or its fashion, or even its inhabitants, but the design of the city itself: the buildings and street layout. It’s also a very dense city with narrow streets, lined by generally four or five story buildings. So, how do you get a sense of this city ringed around the Seine River? You need to get high above it, to find a vantage point, get a view. Luckily Paris had lots of places you can do this. The most obvious is the Eiffel Tower.
My Photos:
Jun062011
Surreal Blue Lagoon
Travel Recommendation
Location: Reykjavik
My Recommendation Tip:
Iceland is a land of contrasts: very dark winters and very light summers; very black lava and very white glaciers; very cold winds and very hot waters. It’s the last of these that is such a surprise.
Jun032011
Scoppio del Carro
Travel Recommendation
Location: Florence
My Recommendation Tip:
The city of Florence loves Easter. They call it the Scoppio del Carro – literally, explosion of the cart. The city turns out to watch this tradition, which originated in the fifteenth century but has its roots in an even older event. During the First Crusade to Jerusalem, a brave Florentine soldier was rewarded with three chips of stone taken from the walls of the Holy Sepulchre of Christ.
Jun022011
Charming Eze Village
Travel Recommendation
Location: Nice
My Recommendation Tip:
On the coast between Nice and Monaco on the French Riviera is one of the loveliest places I have ever been: the tiny village of Eze. Situated on the cliff side of that magnificent road The Grand Corniche, medieval Eze is refreshingly vehicle free with narrow cobbled streets that barely fit a donkey or large family, let alone a car.
My Photos:
May172011
Skip the Line: Uffizi Gallery and Vasari Corridor Walking Tour
Tour / Activity
My Rating: 
Location: Florence, Italy
My Review: The tour was wonderful - a quick survey of the treasures of the Uffizi without having to wait in the long line outside and then entry to the secret passageway used by the Medici family - amazing.
Mar012011
Celebrate St Patrick’s Day in Dublin
Travel Recommendation
Location: Dublin
My Recommendation Tip:
Three questions: When is St Patrick’s Day? March 17th, right? Everyone knows that. Who was St Patrick? Patron saint of Ireland. Well, most people know that. And that he was attributed with banishing snakes from Ireland (although modern evidence suggests there never were any snakes, just a lot of Druids who St Patrick may also have been instrumental in decreasing in number).
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Feb282011
Spring Trip to Keukenhof Gardens
Travel Recommendation
Location: Amsterdam
My Recommendation Tip:
When spring comes to Europe everyone rejoices; the cold, dark days are over and color comes back into our lives as the flowers bloom. One of the very best places in the world to experience this explosion of happiness is the Keukenhof Gardens near Lisse in the Netherlands. These gardens are only open for a couple of months a year – usually mid-March to mid-May, and are all about the flower quintessential to Holland: tulips. While not native to the Netherlands, tulips have long been a national symbol; in the seventeenth century they became such an object of financial speculation (dubbed Tulipmania) that the government had to step in to stop people losing all their money buying bulbs at huge prices. These days Holland produces about 3 billion tulip bulbs a year! The 70-acre Keukenhof Gardens were opened in 1949 as a place for growers to show off their wares and every year around 7 million bulbs are planted here. Last year over 800,000 people visited to revel in the beauty and be amazed by the sheer variety of tulips. There are seven ‘inspiration gardens’ giving ideas of how to design your own tulip garden, plus tents and kiosks where bulbs can be ordered (they are delivered in September when they are in their deepest hibernation). The garden is also dotted with sculpture by Dutch artists and, naturally, there is a windmill dominating the landscape.
Aug292009
Rotorua Maori Hangi Dinner and Performance
Tour / Activity
My Rating:
Location: Rotorua, New Zealand
My Review: Great guides and a very informative tour about Maori traditions and culture. Excellent.
