Posts Tagged ‘hiking’
Summer holidays in France’s Basque country – and beyond
Although I (admittedly) suffer from acute Wanderlust and love travelling anywhere, my main travel weakness is my status as a complete Italophile. However, as a close second, I’m also a hopeless Francophile. These two countries actually have a lot in common, with their strong regional characters that make exploring the various regions a real treat,…
Read MoreHiking to Spain along France’s Pays Basque coastal trail
This past summer, I enjoyed a fabulous summer holiday to France’s Basque region (Pays basque). It was my first visit to this corner of southwestern France, bordering the Atlantic Ocean to the west and the border of Spain to the south. It was easy to fill my three weeks here with interesting places to visit,…
Read MoreA skier’s paradise: Selva di Val Gardena, Italy
I already wrote about skiing in the spectacular Dolomite Mountains (Dolomiti) in last week’s post. This week, I’d like to concentrate on the little town of Selva di Val Gardena, which we used as our home base during our week-long skiing holiday. Selva – or its German name of Wolkenstein or the slightly tweaked Sëlva…
Read MoreThe historic Hotel De l’Europe Gastein, Bad Gastein, Austria
The art nouveau architecture of the former Grand Hotel de l’Europe in Bad Gastein, an Alpine town in Salzburg province of Austria, hints at its former glory. The grand hotel was built between 1906 and 1909 and once hosted kings, kaisers, heads of state and celebrities who came to this Alpine town for its gorgeous…
Read MoreTennis & more in Abruzzo’s Campo di Giove
My oldest son went to tennis camp in Campo di Giove during the summer, and he loved playing tennis in the cooler mountain air and enjoying walks around the little town of Campo di Giove. Campo di Giove is a small mountain town in the Abruzzo region, with just over 800 inhabitants. It is situated…
Read MoreMedieval skylines & dramatic mountain views in Pacentro, Abruzzo
I was out in Abruzzo’s Majella National Park last weekend picking my older son up from his tennis camp – an idyllic, cooler environment to enjoy a week of tennis. On our drive back, we decided to stop off and explore the medieval town of Pacentro. I must admit, it’s the first time I’d ever…
Read MoreViews from the top of the Stubnerkogel, Bad Gastein, Austria
I’ve already written about hiking up the Graukogel – another of the panoramic peaks of beautiful Bad Gastein, Austria – an idyllic Alpine town in Austria’s Salzburg province. Stubnerkogel (1943 meters above sea level) is the other peak easily reached from Bad Gastein’s center. There are great views from the top – and views out to…
Read MoreWatching Old Faithful erupt, Yellowstone National Park
Last week, I wrote a post about the fabulous and atmospheric Old Faithful Inn, the world’s biggest log cabin, and the lodging found just across from the iconic Old Faithful geyser of Yellowstone National park. I’m certain that all visitors to Yellowstone eventually find their way to Old Faithful, the park’s most famous geyser, erupting…
Read MoreThe biggest log building in the world : The Old Faithful Inn
The Old Faithful Inn, the iconic lodge of Yellowstone National Park, was built in 1903-1904 (started in the winter, if you can imagine) and today is a national historic landmark. It is located just across the Old Faithful geyser. The structure was built entirely with local logs and stones, and it is considered the largest…
Read MoreGoats grazing in the trees? Morocco
Strangely for a city girl, I spend a fair amount of time surrounded by goats. I’m often out in Italy’s Abruzzo region, which once was widely known as a region with more goats than people. And way back in the days of yore, becoming a shepherd was among the most popular career choices for local…
Read More