Venice’s Chorus Pass — a path to revelation
A perfect way to uncover the back canals and secret campos of Venice is to buy a Chorus Pass and use it as a tool to create a random visit to this unique city. This pass provides just enough structure and a collection of specific destinations to facilitate discovery or Venice.
Historic Venetian flourmill becomes the new Hilton Molino Stucky
At the end of the Giudecca island a massive brick structure, looking almost Germanic, presides over the wide canal looking north towards the tourist heart of Venice. In these remains of one of Europe’s largest flourmills, electricity was introduced to Italy, the first Italian elevators began operation and Venice’s largest hotel and convention venue stands.
The best ice cream in Venice
Venice is a tourist town and ice cream stands seem to be on every corner, but after visiting this unique city for years and staying here for extended periods of time, I have come up with my two favorite spots to enjoy what I consider the best gelato in Venice — Gelateria Il Doge and Gelateria Alaska. Both are worth going out of your way to experience.
Backroads of Spain
My favorite times in Spain have been on backcountry drives of discovery. Madrid, Barcelona and Seville are modern, sleek and efficient. The Costa del Sol is packed with beachgoers and high-rises lining endless sand. But only a few kilometers away, around the knoll, down a river, the Old World heart of Spain still beats.
Discovering new magic at Pamplona’s Running of the Bulls
Anna Leocha has already been to Pamplona’s famed Running of the Bulls nine times — and she is only 19 years old. This summer she returns to discover the grown-up side of the fiesta — bulls, dancing and wine — after spending her early years immersed in the surprising family side of the festival — spinning giants, churros and fun fair rides.
Guidebooks to Andalucia
Finding the perfect guidebook for any trip is always difficult. Here are some pros and cons of guidebooks we have used for travels through Andalucia.
Spanish caves, olives and ceramics
Back in those days, the mid-1980s, the longest stretch of straight road through the mountainous terrain and the olive groves was perhaps a couple hundred meters. Those tortuous roads through dusty hills lined with seemingly endless olive trees insulated both Guadix and Ubeda from the tourist limelight.
Arab baths of Granada, Spain
Two sets of Arab baths in Granada offer two different points of view of the Moorish Hammams. One is the ruin of the oldest public bath in the city. The other is a functioning recreation of an Arab bath in which visitors can wallow in the enfolding warmth and soothing sounds of the waters.
An Alhambra state of mind
Looming above the tight downtown streets of Granada, the Alhambra dominates the city skyline. This fortress-palace-garden preserves the most complete vestiges of the Moorish occupation of Spain.
White Towns to Ronda and Granada
Sometimes plans don’t meet expectations. That was the story of today — filled with spectacular natural panoramas, ho-hum sights, too many tourists, changes to loved locations and disappointing restaurants.