Posts Tagged ‘Europe’
Lavender & medieval charm in Simiane la Rotonde, Provence
I always love returning to France’s idyllic Provence region. On a family holiday two years ago, we enjoyed exploring the Haute Provence region, and stumbled upon the medieval town of Simiane la Rotonde. The location is perfect – surrounded by fields of lavender. Sadly, during our August visit, the blooms had long ago been harvested…
Read MoreOne year later -Remembering the Eternal City blanketed in white
This post is merely an excuse to repost some of my Rome-in-the-snow photos in this stunning new WordPress “big photo” template. One year ago today, Rome was blanketed in thick, white snow. I had just returned from a ski holiday with my two sons the night before. My kids were excited about reports of (rare)…
Read MoreBetween Italy and Austria in Bolzano
I’ve already written about the luck my family and I had visiting Bolzano on Saturday for market day and how we stocked up on all the specialties from Alto Adige/Austria. Bolzano is the capital of Alto Adige, the German-speaking half of Italy’s Trentino Alto-Adige. From the architecture and the language spoken around you, you’ll feel…
Read MoreDrove all the way to Ancona, and all I saw was the inside of the Palaindoor…
Unless you’re a huge track and field fan, most foreign tourists in the Marche region’s Ancona will never see its famous indoor track, the Palaindoor. But for Italy’s track and field athletes, their coaches and their parents, this is the mecca during the months of January – March. It’s the closest major indoor track for…
Read MoreModern medieval pilgrims at Saint-Jean-Pied-de-Port, France
Sadly, I wasn’t in this picturesque, medieval French town on a pilgrimage to Santiago de Compostela, but I loved observing all those lucky fellow travelers who were. I was in postcard-perfect Saint-Jean-Pied-de-Port on a family holiday to France’s Pays Basque, and I couldn’t miss out on visiting this pretty town along the pilgrimage to Galicia’s…
Read MoreCommemorating WWI soldiers in Abruzzo
On my recent ski escape, I was in Ovindoli, in Italy’s Apennine mountains of the Abruzzo region. Like most little mountain towns, Ovindoli has a memorial to the soldiers who died both in WWI and WWII. For those who know the region well, most of these towns have much longer lists for the First World…
Read MoreSnow was only okay, but the skiing was fabulous. Abruzzo
Is there anything more magical than the first ski run of the season? Even after all these years, it never fails to put me in a good mood. I’m generally loathe to organize complicated travel plans for the Christmas holidays, since I hate to travel at on of the most chaotic times of the year.…
Read MoreLuckily no more bulls on Madrid’s Plaza Mayor
On a recent trip to Madrid, we enjoyed clear winter days – perfect walking weather to explore Spain’s capital … and explore the city by foot, we did! Our walks, of course, often led us back to Madrid’s Plaza Mayor. The pedestrianized square is stunning – even more so with a lively Christmas market set…
Read MoreTourists in glass houses. Madrid’s Palacio de cristal
On a recent trip to Spain’s capital, I visited the Palacio de cristal – the Crystal Palace. As you can see from the photos, I was lucky enough to have a clear December day with blue skies in which to visit the structure. Situated as it is in the Parque del buen retiro, it’s a…
Read MoreA splendid coastal resort fit for a (Sun) King: Saint-Jean- de-Luz
When we spent a summer holiday in the French Basque town of Guéthary, Saint-Jean-de-Luz was the nearest large market town. It also happened to be an architectural gem, situated on a beautiful bay. I’ve already written about the stunning coastal path we took to walk here, the same coastal path that led us 25 km…
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