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Northern Italy

toptraveller — Fri, 20 Nov 2009 22:45:52 +0000

Riva del Garda Lake Garda ItalyTo my mind, there is no place more magical on earth than Italy. Within the confines of its boot, there is something for everyone. For the gourmet, there is some of the finest food in the world. For the archeologist, there are some of the world’s most ancient and best-preserved ruins to explore. The outdoors type can climb beautiful mountains and ski. Art lovers cannot find enough time to see all the museums and churches filled with works by some of the world’s best artists-- Michelangelo, Leonardo da Vinci and Raphael, to name just a few. There is the Italian Riviera for those who like the beach and lakes for those who seek tranquility and beauty. Italy is truly a perfect place to explore.

Here is one of my favorite driving itineraries for northern Italy that combines beautiful towns, glorious mountains and stunning lakes.

Vienna Highlights

toptraveller — Tue, 17 Nov 2009 01:49:31 +0000

Vienna AustriaIn a former incarnation my husband must have been a courtier in the palace of the Austro-Hungarian Emperor Franz Joseph. How else can I explain his never-ending passion for visiting Vienna? Whenever I propose a trip to Italy, he counters with Vienna. If I suggest travel to China, he brings up; yes you guessed it, Vienna. Needless to say, over the years I have gotten to know Vienna and Austria very well.

That being said, I must admit that over those years I have begun to understand the powerful attraction. Vienna is beautiful, elegant, aristocratic and cultured. It has palaces, gardens, music, museums, elegant cafes and wonderful food. Austria with its endless stunning views of mountains, valleys and lakes can inspire even the tone deaf to sing like Julie Andrews in “The Sound of Music.”

Florence

toptraveller — Sat, 07 Nov 2009 01:50:15 +0000

Florence Sunset ItalyI took my first trip to Florence right after college. I remember walking near the train station when two fellow American students stopped me and asked if they could “do the highlights” of Florence in three days.

I knew even then that the two-week period I had allotted for my first stay in Florence was not going to be nearly enough. Since then I have been lucky enough to return again and again.

Florence is best appreciated by wandering the historic ancient streets, stopping in churches that abound with masterpieces, poking your head into trendy boutiques, sitting and enjoying a cappuccino or gelato in one of the sidewalk cafes, strolling through the piazzas, and ending the day in a perfect small restaurant for delicious pasta, or for the famously huge, delicious, juicy steak known as Bistek Fiorentina. But for the sake of answering the question those students asked me so many years ago, here is a plan of “doing the highlights” in about three days.

Italy

toptraveller — Sat, 31 Oct 2009 06:24:32 +0000

Positani, Amalfi CoastItaly’s endless charms have always drawn travelers in search of culture and la dolce vita. Few countries can compete with Italy’s classical origins, its art, architecture and wealth of historical remains left by an empire, which ruled the known world from Britain to Africa.

From the northern snow-capped peaks of the Alps to the sun-kissed coasts of Sicily lies a beautiful country with a plethora of distinctive regions and people. Throw in the great food, wonderful wines, warm, friendly people and a beautiful language that sounds sung rather than spoken and you have the makings of an enchanting experience.

India

toptraveller — Tue, 06 Oct 2009 04:45:20 +0000

India

India was the last place on earth I wanted to visit the very first time I went there. I was on a one-year trip around the world and India was cheap so I went reluctantly. It didn't help that in the very first afternoon of my arrival a large, grey ugly rat greeted me in the shower in the $10-a-night "hotel" in Bombay where I was staying. After three months, I was glad to leave, tired of the poverty, the beggars, the noise and the tongue-burning spicy food.

In a letter home I wrote: "India is a country with too many people, too many cows, too many customs and too many Gods."

About a year after I left, India began to draw me back. Perhaps nostalgia had settled in and blunted the sharp edges of my memories. I wanted to look out a train window again to see flooded rice fields, men dressed in white loincloths guiding bullocks by their tails, women in brilliant-colored saris whipping clothes against rocks in the river. I may have been miserable in India, but I was never bored.

Rome

tay — Tue, 06 Oct 2009 02:37:38 +0000

Beautiful View Of RomeDuring a day in Rome you can encounter more amazing art and architecture than in a year-long art history class. One interesting way to see the Eternal City is by spicing it up with intrigue and mystery. I am talking about the "Angels and Demons" tour where you visit sites featured in the Dan Brown novel, later made into a movie starring Tom Hanks.

The story unravels in some of the most magnificent spots in Rome, including the Pantheon, Piazza Navona and Piazza del Popolo, the Vatican and Castel Sant'Angelo. Hanks plays the role of Robert Langdon, a Harvard professor of art history and religious symbols, who, along with the beautiful Vittoria, tries to stop a secret society called the Illuminati from destroying the Vatican by unleashing a doomsday weapon.

Austrian Foods

toptraveller — Tue, 01 Sep 2009 05:09:05 +0000

A cafe in ViennaGo to Vienna for the Food

Although he would probably never admit it, I think one of the reasons my husband likes to visit Vienna at least four to five times a year is the food.

The opulent heritage of a splendid past, the music, the art and the architecture all make Vienna a wonderful place to visit. If you throw in Viennese cuisine and pastries, then it is a done deal.

Viennese cuisine has the distinction of being the only cuisine in the world named after a city.

Vienna

toptraveller — Tue, 01 Sep 2009 04:30:18 +0000

Vienna StadtparkI have visited Vienna at least 20 times, but only during my recent visit did I see its intrinsic beauty and grace with totally new eyes. The reason--I played tour guide to my sister who was visiting the city for the first time.

We arrived at our hotel in the afternoon, the Raddison SAS, perfectly located on the Ringstrasse and across from the Stadt Park where the famous golden statue of Waltz King Johan Strauss awaited us violin in hand.

As we began walking towards the center of town, about a ten-minute walk, my sister began photographing every building along the way. I watched indulgently telling myself that soon she will realize that if she wants to photograph every beautiful building in Vienna, she will have to photograph them all. That’s how Vienna is.