Posts Tagged ‘Europe’
Stepping back into the past, in elegant Mantova
My first two years living in Italy, I was in Milan. While there, I explored many towns in the Lombardy region, of which Milan serves as the regional capital. Since I’ve moved to Rome, I have returned to Milan, but it has been years since I’ve been back to eplore many of Lombardy’s charming towns.…
Read MoreA night at the opera … in Madrid
While in Madrid last month, I also made time for an opera performance. The Madrid opera was playing Giaccomo Puccini’s Manon Lescaut, and I got tickets to see it. My hotel in Puerta del Sol was less than a ten-minute walk from the opera house, making it quite easy to reach after a hectic day…
Read MoreFrankfurt’s picturesque Römerplatz
I had been many years since I was back in Frankfurt, so when I returned last spring, I was eager to return to picturesque Römerplatz, otherwise known as Römersberg. This is the heart of Frankfurt’s old town, and has served as the seat of municipal government since the 15th century. In the past, I’ve been…
Read MoreAn evening in Teramo, Abruzzo
I spend a lot of time in the Italian region of Abruzzo, but strangely, until this summer, I had never visited Teramo. I’d driven by Teramo numerous times, heading off to other destinations. I always told myself that if I had time, I’d stop off – but I never did. So, when my younger son…
Read MoreWalking the medieval walls of Rothenburg ob der Tauber, Germany
The adorable medieval town of Rothenburg ob der Tauber – referring to the Tauber River – dates back to the tenth century. I had been here as a young child, then again as a young teenager – meaning it had been many, many years since my last visit. Since I was nearby in Würzburg with…
Read MoreTaking my May Flowers at The Three Coins Inn to visit Todi
My latest release, May Flowers at The Three Coins Inn, is the third in my Three Coins series. While the first in the series took place mostly in Rome, the second and third in the series are set primarily in the lovely hilltown of Todi, in Italy’s Umbria region. The story is centered around an…
Read MoreKeeping cool in the mountain air of Abruzzo
It’s been a hot summer in Rome. But then again, every summer is a hot summer in Rome. Come weekends, my youngest son and I were often escaping the heat in the nearby mountains of Abruzzo. Our little town of Ovindoli is 1400 meters from sea level, das are warm but minus humidity, and evenings…
Read MoreWhere time stands still, in Ushguli, Georgia
We had a great time driving around Georgia on our Caucasus roadtrip. But when we were staying in Kutaisi and planned to travel to Ushguli, Europe’s highest village, we decided to travel there with an organized tour and driver. And are we glad we did! If you have a four-wheel drive, you could probably manage…
Read MoreBatumi, Georgia: Former Soviet-era Black Sea beach resort with an art deco soul
I’ve already written about our wonderful vacation last summer in Georgia and Armenia. While staying in the western Georgia city of Kutaisi, we took some enjoyable trips, including to Batumi on the Black Sea. Batumi was a well-known beach resort during the Soviet era – and you can see why. This was a great place…
Read MoreMedieval Manhattan … in Tuscany’s San Gimignano
I’ve been a few times to the gorgeous Tuscan town of San Gimignano, but I hadn’t visited in several years. So, earlier this month – the Summer Solstice, to be precise – I was thrilled to get back to this wildly picturesque medieval hilltop town. What makes this town so special are the thirteen narrow…
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