Posts Tagged ‘Europe’
Reason #5370 to love Rome: The Appia antica
Even after years of living in Rome, I’m often struck by how truly beautiful it is. My son plays tennis at a club just off the Ancient Roman road, the Appia antica – the Appian way. When I see him play, I can also take a walk along these beautiful, ancient cobblestones lined with cypresses…
Read MoreAdmire Albi’s impressive Toulouse-Lautrec Museum
A few weeks ago, on a trip to southwestern France, my family and I spent a day in the beautiful, medieval town of Albi. Among the town’s many points of interest – its thousand-year-old bridge spanning the Tarn River, the largest medieval brick church in the world – Albi is known to art lovers as…
Read MoreReason #5369 to love Rome: The modern Jubilee Church
When one thinks of Rome, it is not generally modern architecture that comes to mind. And yet, many of today’s ‘starchitects’ have undertaken major projects here in the Eternal City. Renzo Piano built Rome’s Auditorium, Zaha Hadid the MAXXI Museum (Both in Rome’s Flaminio neighborhood). Massimiliano Fuksas’ ‘Cloud’ Roman Congress Center is currently being built…
Read MoreHolidays in Vienna
I always love Vienna, a city I lived in for a short time many years ago. But I especially love Vienna during the holiday season. It’s cold outside, and often white from a dusting of snow. The city is lit up beautifully with thousands of lights, shining off the cobblestones and the storefront windows all…
Read MoreThe Christmas Market in Toulouse, France
I’m a big fan of northern European Christmas markets, with the sparkling white snow, the fairytale forms of the wooden market stalls, the tempting smell of gingerbread, and steaming hot Gluehwein to keep me warm. But lately, I’ve been discovering the Christmas markets in more southern climes. I already wrote about the Christmas market in…
Read MoreA bird’s eye view over Barcelona from the Columbus Memorial
Las Ramblas is certainly one of the liveliest areas of Barcelona, Spain. I’ve already written about Palau Güell, the first major commission of modernist architect Antoni Gaudí, which is just off the Ramblas. Once you’ve visited Gaudí’s impressive project, continue down the Ramblas towards the sea, and leave time to take the elevator up to…
Read MoreReason #5368 to love Rome: History around every corner
You can’t spend ten minutes in Rome without realizing how true this is. Rome is a city that lives and plays around its antiquities. Each day, we walk over the fabulous subterranean remains of the Roman Empire – sadly, only few of them open to the public, although many can be arranged with advance appointments.…
Read MoreAdmiring Gaudí ‘s Palau Güell, Barcelona
On a recent trip to Barcelona, Spain I was excited to see that Antoni Gaudí’s first major project, the Palau Güell, is now open to the public. The impressive family home of the wealthy Güell family, built between 1885 and 1889 is now a UNESCO Heritage site. I was unable to see this beautiful family home on…
Read MoreJourney 5000 years back in time in Malta’s Hypogeum
I’ve already written about lots to see on the Mediterranean island of Malta, including the historical town of Mdina, tempting swimming at the Blue Lagoon, and the colorful local buses that will ferry you around the island. But Malta’s history stretches far back, as evidenced by the Neolithic temples scattered around the island. One of the…
Read MoreVisiting Oxford, UK with kids
On a trip to London with my kids, I looked forward to a day trip to nearby Oxford. Although I hadn’t planned specific child-friendly activities, it was a pleasant surprise that my young children stumbled across so many entertaining things to do in that charming university town. As parents traveling with children know well, this…
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