What view you take on the American influence on Florence, there is no doubt that the Italian city (as seen through American eyes) has most certainly made its mark on American life and even the American soul.

Charmed lives on the banks of the Arno

American writers and artists have been inspired by the city’s artistic and literary heritage. Florence, with its plentiful supply of cheap marble, attracted American sculptors aplenty. The American writer Nathaniel Hawthorne captured the views of millions of his countrymen when he wrote of Florence: “I hardly think there can be a place in the world where life is more delicious than here.”

"Americani a Firenzi" is open through July 15, 2012. Photo © hidden europe

Successive generations of Americans have flocked to Florence in search of charmed lives. 150 years ago the literati visited and later the artists. Nowadays the transatlantic pilgrims are more likely to be well-heeled couples who judge that Florence deserves at least a night or two on a whistle-stop tour of old Europe. (Gucci and Prada perhaps possess greater magnetism than the Uffizi or High Mass in the Duomo.) Or their daughters, taking time out on a junior year abroad to jog along the bank of the Arno, isolated from the Florentine soundscape by their iPods or MP3 players.

The Palazzo Strozzi: Americani a Firenze

We were in Florence just before Easter, arriving as always in fear of the crowds and tourist tumult. But it was fun. Florence is always fun. And we stumbled on a exhibition that nicely explores America’s relationship with Florence.

Running at the Palazzo Strozzi until July 15, 2012, Americani a Firenze maps the strong ties between the Old and the New World that have found particular expression in Florence and its Tuscan hinterland. It is a chance to see the work of the American painters who in Florence engaged so powerfully with the Impressionist movement.

City of shadows and mysteries

Writing in the preface to The Marble Thorn (1860), Nathaniel Hawthorne remarked on how easy he found it to write in Florence, yet how difficult it was back at home. Of his native America, he wrote “there is no shadow, no antiquity, no mystery, no picturesque or gloomy wrong, nor anything but a commonplace prosperity.”

It is those shadows, those mysteries which so inflect the Florentine spirit and Tuscan landscapes that were later to make so deep an impression on American artists like John Singer Sargent. Men like Sargent and Henry James, women like Gertrude Stein and Edith Wharton, dreamt the Florentine dream and helped remind the folk back home that Europe deserved a visit.

It is this story of cultural interaction that the current exhibition at the Palazzo Strozzi so perfectly evokes.

While it may stop existing in the real world, like any place one might have spent a fair amount of emotionally-charged time, it will continue to haunt my dreamscapes until I die.

You see, Berlin‘s getting a new airport — the Berlin Brandenburg Airport (BER) (Flughafen Berlin Brandenburg Willy Brandt) — which has been in construction on the other side of Schoenefeld (SXF) airport for years.

Introducing BER

Due to its history, Berlin had been served by three airports: Tegel, Tempelhof, and Schoenefeld. The Tempelhof Airport was closed by public vote in 2008; in the interim, its runways in all their flat, unshaded glory have become one of Berlin’s largest and most popular parks. Tegel and Schoenefeld were to cease operation upon the opening of the new airport on June 3rd of this year.

Berlin residents have long been told that a new airport was necessary in order to ensure demand for the volume of travel to and from the German capital, that this could not be met at the two smaller airports.

The states of Berlin and Brandenburg, the local transportation networks, and the Deutsche Bahn have been working together to ensure that travelers have easy and inexpensive access to the new airport: an express train ticket, departing below the airport terminal and arriving at the central stations of Berlin within 15 minutes, is no more expensive than any other Berlin ABC ticket (at present, €3).

Delayed takeoff

The airport was originally scheduled to open last fall, but due to construction delays, the opening was postponed until June 2012.  And now, three weeks before that intended opening, with tickets long printed with departures from BER, it has been announced that the opening will again be delayed.

At this time, it is still unclear when the construction will be finished and the new airport christened; however, the two airlines most affected by the delay, Lufthansa and airberlin, are pushing for a date no earlier than the start of the winter flight season, in order to reduce further the aftershocks of rescheduling their expansive summer flight plans.

Both airlines splashed out with increased capacity and destinations from their new Berlin hub — Lufthansa with a five-fold increase, airberlin with daily direct flights to long-haul destinations in North America, Africa and the Middle East — that will now have to be shoehorned into Tegel’s already-overloaded gates. You can read more about their side of the fiasco here.

Scheduled to pass through BER?

If you have a ticket into or out of BER, don’t worry:  once the new schedules have been ironed out, your airline will be in contact with you shortly about any possible schedule or airport changes.

If you’re trying to schedule a flight into Berlin after June 3rd, it’s likely that BER is the only airport code that will be accepted. Book it without question; again, your airline will contact you with the alterations to your reserved itinerary.

Tripping to Paris? Do you plan to shop? Well then, look and listen! Throughout Paris, there are shopping zones where you can buy anything, as well as scattered districts where clusters of stores carry similar items. Shopping fanatics, unite. Here’s a mini-guide. So dust off the printer!

But first, a few tips:

1. In France, most ATM machine “keys” do not include letters, just numbers. So what to do if you’ve memorized your password as “Rosebud” and not as “9693292”? Get thee quickly to a payphone booth! Here the keys include both numbers and letters. Voilà, Super Man! This little tip saves the day every time. (More advice about ATMs in Europe.)

2. Looking for discounts? Shop during the two annual Big Sale (“Solde”) periods in either January or June. This year’s summer sales launch on Wednesday, June 27, 2012.

3. Got to shop ’til you drop on a Sunday? I recommend hoofing it to either Abbesses or the Marais, where most stores are open seven days a week. Here you’ll also find beaucoup bars, cafés and pâtisseries going full blast!

Now on to the list:

Hoof it to the Porte de Vanves flea market!

Flea Markets

Bitten by the Flea? Visit the Marché aux puces de la Porte de Vanves (14th arrondissement, Métro Porte de Vanves) or the Marché aux Puces St-Ouen de Clignancourt (18th arrondissement, Métro: Porte de Clignancourt).

Tip! The 95-bus line connects both “puces.” See this Web site for a handy 2012 listing of Paris Fleas, brocantes and vide-greniers.

Trendy (and affordable) Labels

Looking to shake up your wardrobe with a little Zara, Etam or Naf-Naf? Here’s where I go-go for my Chains of Love: Boulevard Haussmann, rue de Rennes, and rue du Commerce, along with rue de Rivoli and Champs-Elysées.

During the Big Sales, the Zara at 40 rue de Rennes usually serves as one of “last stops” for the chain’s leftover clothing.

Bargain Bins

I often find my bargain bin bliss at the Sympa shops on rue Steinkerque and along Boulevard de Rochechouart (Métro Abbesses or Anvers). Located at the foot of Sacré-Coeur in Montmartre, the stock is always cha-cha-changing. Expect Best Mountain, Etam, Naf-Naf, Sinéquanone, and Undiz but at a fraction of their original cost.

Don your elbow pads and eat a healthy breakfast. Game on! (Read more about Sympa shops in Paris.)

Vintage Clothing

Throughout in Paris, you’ll find “friperies” (secondhand clothing shops) and “depôts-ventes” (consignment shops). I’d either book it to Abbesses (Métro Abbesses, 18th arrondissement) or the Marais (Métro Saint-Paul, 4th arrondissement).

Both have deep pockets of vintage clothing shops. Le Caverne à Fripes at 25 rue Houdon in Abbesses or FREE’P’STAR at 61 rue de la Verrerie in the Marais are peek-a-boo-worthy! (Read more about vintage clothing shops in Paris.)

Funky designer shops and studios

Rocking a fairy tale vibe, the skinny rue d’Orsel (Métro Abbesses or Anvers) is lined with a row of clothing shops and studios. Their kitschy, candied-colored vitrines always stop me in my tracks. Located in the textile district, the artists here play with the full spectrum of fabrics like there’s no tomorrow.

Check out: Zélia’s Sur la Terre Comme au Ciel, Marie’s Le Boudoir de Marie, and Kitty’s Killy Grind.

Fabric

At the foot of Sacré Coeur in Montmartre (Métro Abbesses or Anvers) is where I hunt for fabric and notions. I’d kick off the quest on Rue d’Orsel (north of Metro Anvers in the 18th). Flaunting four floors of textiles, notions and baubles, both the Marché Saint Pierre on 2 rue Charles Nodier, and the Tissus Reine at 5 Place Saint-Pierre (with its fifty miniature mannequins!) are definitely worth a visit. Yes, you’ve got the notion!

Looking for African Megawax cloth? Trek it to the nearby Barbès neighborhood. Tip! Most of the fabric is precut at six meters (about 18 feet, enough for two shirts or dresses). Look for the €10 piles of cloth!

Kitchenware

WWJCD? (What would Julia Child do?) That joke never gets old! For gastromical sakes, she’d hunt the aisles of kitchen-equipment specialist E. Dehillerin! “Thunderstruck!” was her description of the heated encounter she first had there. Located at 18 Rue Coquillière (Métro: Les Halles), the centuries-old shop’s shine has not dulled the least bit.

Also, check out Julia’s photograph behind the cash register!

Tableware

When it comes to dinner parties, presentation is everything! So channel your inner Martha Stewart, and roll on over to shops along rue de Paradis (south of Métro Poissoniere, 10th arrondissement). There’s also a row of funky tableware shops along rue de Rennes (Métro: Rennes, 6th arrondissement). For the love of whimsy, all three shops are worth a pop-by: La Vaissellerie (85), Culinarion (99), and Plastiques (103). (Read more on buying kitchenware in Paris.)

Vintage Postcards

One of my favorite hunting grounds for “cartes postale ancienne” (known as CPA in the trade) is at Caveyron Devey, located at stall number 7 and 8 in the Passage Lecuyer (off Rue Jules Vallès) in the Marché aux Puces St-Ouen de Clignancourt (Métros: Garibaldi or Porte de Clignancourt). Stocked with postcards organized by category or genre, if you’re looking for a specific category, don’t be afraid to ask! The Porte de Vanves Flea also carries them, along with vintage magazines.

Books

Also at the Clignancourt Flea, you’ll find one of my favorite bookshops. La librairie de l’Avenue is a large but still intimate bookshop, stocked with new and used art books, catalogues, vintage prints and antique magazines. After hunting at the Porte de Vanves Flea, book it to the book and prints flea market. Located at intersection of Rue Brancion and Rue Fizeau in the 15th arrondissement, the market is open Saturdays and Sundays.

Your favorite shopping spots?

Cheapos, do you have a favorite shopping district in Paris? Do spill!

Also in our guide: If you’re planning your Paris vacation and need suggestions for great affordable hotels, check out our reviews of budget hotels in Paris. All of our picks have been visited, inspected and approved by a EuroCheapo editor. Read more in our Paris guide.

If you’ve fallen in love with France as I have, you have probably traveled there more than once. Now that you have seen Paris and beyond, including all the regular tourist attractions, its time to learn about the fabulous Gard region of France.

The Gard is located just west of Provence in south central France. This magical region abounds with natural beauty and less touristy towns, which makes it even more attractive to those looking for the France Profonde (The authentic France).

Pont du Gard

The Gard’s most popular attraction is the Pont du Gard, an ancient Roman aqueduct that is considered a magnificent engineering feat, but is also an architectural masterpiece. The graceful arches of the Pont (Bridge) cast a warm glow in the sunlight as it frames the lazy Gard River below.

A visit to the Pont du Gard must also include a visit to the recently constructed visitor’s center which contains a museum and a hands-on Children’s Learning Area. There is also a comfortable outdoor café on the grounds serving very tasty lunches and snacks along with an excellent view of the Pont du Gard.

A bull grazing in the Camargue.

Camargue

If you love nature, you must visit the wild Camargue, or more formally, The Parc Naturel Régional de Camargue, a World Heritage site. Located between the Mediterranean Sea, and the two arms of the Rhone River delta, the Camargue and the Petit Camargue are natural wonderlands. Here you will see hundreds of flamingos, plus as many as 400 other bird species. Bring your binoculars!

You can also hike, ride the famous Camargue white horses or take a boat trip within the 360 square miles of this natural marshland. You will likely also observe wild bulls grazing in the long grasses.

Cevennes National Park

For an adventure in nature of a different sort, consider the Cevennes National Park. The Cevennes is a maze of deep valleys with winding rivers and hills covered in forests and mulberry bushes that were planted ages ago for feeding the silkworms which were bred in the mills called magnaneries. This is a wonderful place for camping, hiking and enjoying nature.

There are a few towns that I believe are must-see when you are in this region. Number one has got to be Nimes and of course Aigues Mortes, Beaucaire, and Uzes.

Take a tour of Nimes' Coliseum.

Nimes

Your favorite jeans are made of denim, the fabric originally made in Nimes: de Nimes (of Nimes) beginning at the latter part of the Middle Ages. Nimes was also a center of the silk trade.

Nimes’ Coat of Arms is a crocodile chained to a palm tree. When the Romans conquered Egypt, a coin was struck in Nimes with that depiction as well as the words Col Nem (colony of Nimes) to celebrate the event. The Nimes populace grew to love the coin and adapted it as the city’s crest.

There are several Roman artifacts adorning this compact city. The Maison Carree or Square House is a Roman Temple set in the center of town. Built in the 1st Century AD, it was completely restored at the end of 2010. The Roman Amphitheatre is one of the best preserved of the Roman world. Built in the 1st century AD, it is still used to this day for bullfights and other events.

Walk the streets of Aigues Morts

Aigues Mortes

On the western edge of the Camargue, is the medieval town of Aigues Mortes (dead waters). The city was a Roman town built in about 10 AD. The walled city we see today was re-built by Louis IX in the 13th century as France’s only Mediterranean port at that time. It was the embarkation point of the Seventh Crusade (1248) and the Eighth Crusade (1270).

Beaucaire

Beaucaire sits across the river from the castle town of Tarascon. Like Tasascon, Beaucaire has its own castle and dragon legend. Beaucaire was a rich market town in the middle ages. You can see the vestiges of magnificent hotels, used to house the visiting merchants, now used as apartment buildings and palatial homes.

The Palace of the Duke in Uzes.

Uzes

Uzes captured my heart the moment we arrived. It is a small, walkable town that oozes charm around every corner. I loved the Saturday market, held in the Place aux Herbes. It is a favorite because of the vast variety of market items on sale. If only I could stuff more into my suitcase!

The palace of the Duc of Uzes is set right in town, and there is still a Duc who lives there, on occasion. On our tour, we spotted the Duc talking with one of his employees. Here’s a hint: if the flag is flying at the castle, the Duc is in residence.

Uzes lies at the source of the Eure river, and it is from here that the Roman aqueduct was built to carry the water 25K away to Nimes. The Pont du Gard is part of this aqueduct.

I have honestly just scratched the surface of this little corner of France. On your next trip to France, be sure to check out the Gard.

About the author: Terri Fogarty is the publisher of EuropeUpClose.com.

New link to St. Petersburg

A much-needed rail service from Tallinn to St Petersburg is planned to start on May 27. This new daytime service is a joint venture of Estonian rail operator GoRail and RZD Russian Railways. Look for a seven-hour travel time in each direction and that includes longish stops at Narva and Ivangorod for customs checks (for the European Union and the Russian Federation respectively).

Let’s hope this is a train that survives. Last time there was a daytime cross-border service from Estonia to Russia it was axed after just a few weeks.

Berlin to Gdansk direct

Just in time for the 2012 UEFA European Football Championship, a new rail link between Germany and Poland will debut next month. A new once-daily train will link Berlin with the Polish Baltic cities of Gdansk, Sopot and Gdynia. Gdansk is one of the host cities for UEFA 2012. The new service starts June 6. Travel time from Berlin to Gdansk will be 6hrs 24mins and the train is listed as having an on-board restaurant.

Last EuroCity to Szczecin

But with this new link to the Polish Baltic coast, another Baltic connection is sadly withdrawn. The once-daily EuroCity service from Prague via Berlin to Szczecin in Poland, introduced only in late 2010, will be withdrawn after June 5. The direct trains from Prague via Berlin to Germany’s Baltic coast (and to the Baltic island of Rügen) are unaffected.

Regular regional trains will continue to link Berlin and Szczecin (many requiring a change of trains in Angermünde). And with a great value one-way fare of just €10 for travel between the two cities, those regular regional trains will continue to attract a budget-conscious crowd for whom EuroCity comfort was perhaps a superfluous luxury.

More options from Paris

The new Trans-European Express service from Paris to Moscow, launched last December, has evidently been a success. We were much impressed by the train when we traveled on it last month. Until now, departures from Paris have been thrice weekly, but that increases to five times each week from May 30.

From London to southern sun

Eurostar’s regular summer direct services from London to Avignon will be returning for the 2012 season. The service restarts on July 6. It gives a very welcome fast route for travelers fleeing London for the delights of the southern Rhône Valley and Provence.

Vienna to Africa

For travelers from central Europe bound for Italy’s Cinque Terre coast, the new Toscana Mare night train from Vienna to Livorno is already proving a great boost. The service launched in late March and is scheduled to operate until late September. At Livorno there are connections with the Grimaldi Lines ferry links to Barcelona and Tangier.

Brenner closure

The closure of the Brenner Pass rail route for a spell this coming summer will lead to significant disruption of rail services using this major north-south axis through the Alps. The northern part of this route (from Innsbruck south to the Italian frontier) is long overdue for track renewal and the Austrian rail administration has scheduled the work for a four-month period starting early June. For much of that spell one of the two tracks will still be available for trains, but from August 6 to September 10 the route will be completely closed.

And in addition, there will be no trains over the Brenner Pass on six other weekends prior to August 6 or after September 10.

Buses by day, diversions by night

This Brenner festival of track maintenance will mean significant disruption to all rail services from Munich and Salzburg via Innsbruck to Verona and beyond. Passengers using daytime EuroCity services will be transferred south of Innsbruck by bus as far as Brenner. This will add significantly to journey times. Tourists may judge the timing as perverse. Closing a key route during the peak tourist travel season might seems not to make sense. But in truth the Brenner rail line is first and foremost a freight route, and cargo traffic drops off during the peak summer months. For those who don’t fancy the Brenner bus ride, there are many alternative options – such as crossing from Germany to Italy via Switzerland instead of Austria.

The City Night Line Pictor overnight train from Munich to Venice normally uses the Brenner route, and also does the Lupus night train from Munich to Rome. The Pictor will be rerouted via the Tauern Tunnel and Tarvisio every night from 10 June to 25 September. The Lupus diversion dates are more complicated, as the Tauern / Tarvisio route means a significantly longer travel time to Rome, so the plan is to divert the Lupus only when absolutely necessary.

A similar diversion will apply to the Moscow to Nice train which also traverses the Brenner route by night (in both directions). Innsbruck will not be served by these night trains on those days when they are rerouted via alternative lines.

While walking down Avenue Montaigne in Paris and checking out the Chanel and Givenchy shops, I get self-conscious. This is why I rarely walk down that particular street. Fashion is a quintessential part of Parisian culture, whether we like it or not.

Alas, if I’m not going to wear designer clothes in Paris, I should at least make sure that the clothes I do wear are clean. Tourists making their way across Europe will often feel the need to stop in at the local laundry facility after hours spent on planes and trains, but there are a few tips to keep in mind.

Washers just waiting for you. Photo: jeMie

1. Know the difference between “laverie” and “pressing.”

I have never dry-cleaned anything in Paris, but if I wanted to, I’d go to the pressing. Here you can also pay a premium and let someone else do all of the dirty work, while you hit the Louvre and pick it up later.

Otherwise, if you want to do it yourself, you’re looking for the laverie. These laundromats can be found in every neighborhood, are full of washers and dryers, and are usually open from the morning until around 7 or 8 p.m. Ask at your hotel for the nearest laverie.

2. Bring along some patience.

One thing to keep in mind is that a wash cycle in a front loading French washing machine will take a while.  Count on 40-50 minutes of washing followed by 20 minutes of drying. Every laverie varies slightly.

Weekends are an especially busy time to do laundry, so if you can, think about going during a weekday morning to avoid the locals who are getting errands done while not at the office over the weekend.

The wait for a dryer can be particularly painful in the wintertime when hanging clothes out to dry is hardly a possibility. Otherwise, skip the dryers and hang up your linens back in the hotel if you have the opportunity. In the summer they’ll be dry within hours.

3. Be prepared to pay.

Unfortunately there are no passes or discounts when it comes to doing laundry. We’re all equal in the eyes of the laverie. Prices for washing will depend on the size of the machine you use, with larger ones costing up to €6 or €7 for a wash.

Drying is usually by the hour, so expect to pay about a euro for 5-10 minutes of hot air and tumbling. It can all start to add up, so come with plenty of coins!

4. Buy detergent there or at the supermarket.

Depending the laverie, detergent is usually available from a dispenser. If you need other products, however, the supermarket does sell both liquid and powder detergent relatively cheaply. Look for the word “lessive,” which means detergent. Common brands are Skip and Persil, amongst others.

If you want fabric softener, which is the only way to make your clothes feel like they actually got clean, a bottle will set you back a few euros but it will last a long time. It might be worth asking your hotel or hostel desk if they have any, to avoid buying a whole bottle for one load. Look for the brand “Cajoline” (Snuggle, in English) to find the other assouplissants.

5. Be smart and safe.

Keep in mind that laundromats are public places where anyone can enter and that there are rarely any personnel present. In the winter, these auspiciously warm indoor areas can attract some unsavory characters looking for a respite from the cold. While usually harmless, these loiterers hanging out in laveries, especially if drinking, could be intimidating, so keep your wits about you.

Also, if you are going to take a walk while your clothes dry, be sure to set a timer so you return before the dryer stops. Some impatient locals will have no problem taking out your fresh clothes and plopping them on top of a dirty machine. It’s also impolite to keep other people waiting for a machine.

Your laundry tips

Have any advice or questions about doing laundry in Paris? Share with us in our comments section.

Also in our guide: If you’re also looking for advice on affordable places to sleep while you’re in Paris, be sure to read through our editors’ recommendations for cheap hotels in Paris. Each of our picks has been visited, inspected and approved by EuroCheapo. Read more in our Paris guide.

I’ll be honest, I’m not a huge fan of sleeping in a dorm room unless there’s no other alternative. Those days of communal snoring are pretty much a thing of the past for me, and yet here I am, crushing on Ítaca Hostel in Barcelona.

Of all the hostels I’ve visited in Barcelona (and I mean hostel like youth hostel, not hostal) Ítaca stands out in my mind as being the most welcoming. Plus, its location is unbeatable.

Cristina and Nuria own the hostel and have created a cool, communal vibe while offering lots of perks to guests. I can see how it would be easy to meet other travelers at Ítaca over free coffee and tea in the downstairs lounge area or upstairs in the ample communal kitchen. I also like the arty flair at Ítaca, its walls adorned with colorful murals.

Finally, a communal bathroom without any ick! factor.

Tidy points

One of the reasons I tend not to like hostels is the grime factor (and the lack of privacy). I’m not into a messy communal bathroom – no gracias! So Ítaca gets points from me for being tidy, plus having separate bathrooms for ladies and gentlemen.

Hang-out room at the Itaca.

If you’re not into hostels in any way, shape or form, Ítaca also has a few apartments for holiday lettings in another building. While these are more expensive, they are of course private and have kitchens, which could save you bucks in the long run.

Location, location…

Ítaca is about a block from one of the top tapas bars in all of Barcelona. I kid you not, the patatas bravas at Cala del Vermut are some of the best in town. And I’m not the only one who thinks so – inside you’ll see photos lining the walls of random famous people who have come to drink a beer here and munch a brava or two. Better yet, get a Vermut here, which is a liquor drink served on ice with a orange slice that happens to be all-the-rage and go well with tapas.

As if Cala del Vermut was not a good enough reason to book at Ítaca (and it is), the Cathedral is also right around the corner, as are many Roman ruins, great shopping, the Santa Caterina Market, and El Born neighborhood. Just up the street a bit on Via Laietana you’ll find the impressive Palau de la Música, and going the opposite direction on the same street you’ll get to the Port and beach.

A breakfast room that's spic-and-span.

Yes, Ítaca is in the middle of it all, and yet removed on a little side-street that few venture down (meaning quiet nights).

Perfect for budget travelers

I’ve recommended this hostel many times over the years to shoe-string travelers. There are tons of hostels in Barcelona but few can check off as many boxes as Ítaca.

The only other hostel that I’ve seen come anywhere close to Ítaca is Hello BCN Hostel, and it’s on the other side of town without Ítaca’s top-notch location. For the time being, I’ve only got eyes for Ítaca.

Also in our guide: Our editors have inspected and reviewed budget hotels all over central Barcelona. Read more in our guide to cheap hotels in Barcelona.

If your accommodation in London doesn’t include breakfast, then a hearty brunch can be a great way to set yourself up for a busy day of sightseeing. It also saves you from splashing the cash on two separate meals. As if that weren’t reason enough, it’s also darn tasty and a great way to recover from a heavy night out.

London is awash with options for brunch, but steer clear of the pricey smart hotels that target tourists and head to some of these local’s favorites instead:

The Diner's Soho location. Photo: Ewan-M

The Diner
18 Ganton Street
W1F 6BU
Web site

Tucked away just off London’s Carnaby Street and a safe distance from the bustle of Oxford Street, The Diner offers all-American indulgence in the form of tasty all-day breakfasts and shakes to those in need of a little TLC. Pancake stacks, muffins, huevos rancheros and omelettes stuffed with all the ingredients you could wish for grace the menu, making it the ideal retreat for when you’re feeling a little on the fragile side.

The prices are nice too, with breakfasts ranging between £5 and £9 each, so you’re even left with some change for a bit of retail therapy afterwards.

Homa
71-73 Stoke Newington Church Street
N16 0AS
Web site

“Stokey” is an area well worth exploring if you haven’t already discovered it and Church Street is absolutely packed with quirky little cafés and bars. Homa is a beautifully airy restaurant and an absolutely perfect spot for reading the paper and enjoying brunch on a lazy morning. The product of the Turkish and Italian owners, the menu is quite unusual, offering everything from bruschetta with wild field mushrooms to taleggio cheese and rocket, and smoked haddock kedgeree with slow cooked hen’s egg.

Prices are very reasonable, with most dishes costing between £6-£8.50, unless you decide to splash out on the sumptuous champagne English muffin combo, which rocks in at £14. Brunch is served from 10 a.m.- 3 p.m. Monday-Friday and until 4 p.m. on weekends.

Bill’s
St Martin’s Courtyard (off Long Acre)
WC2E 9AB
Web site

A small, funky chain with six outlets across England, Bill’s is a really fun choice for brunch with a laid-back vibe and delicious food. The colorful Covent Garden branch is definitely my favorite, mainly due to its hard-to-find location in a relaxed square in the city centre. Choose from full English breakfasts, to all kinds of eggs (benedict, florentine, royale) or indulge that sweet tooth with the amazing french toast topped with banana, strawberries, walnut yogurt and maple syrup… heavenly.

Breakfast prices range from £2.95 to £9.50 and is served weekdays until midday and weekends until 1 p.m.

The Breakfast Club
33 D’Arblay Street
W1F 8EU
Web site

This place is so popular on weekends that queues have been known to stretch right down the street, but Londoners “in the know” are happy to wait as their patience will be rewarded. The Breakfast Club’s brunch menu is extensive and covers all bases, from generous English breakfasts and all-American pancakes, to green eggs and ham or breakfast burritos. For those who like their brunch with a twist, the posh sausage sandwich (with smoked cheddar cheese, red onion chutney and portobello mushrooms) really hits the spot, and the chorizo hash browns are also well worth sampling.

The Soho branch is the original and most central Breakfast Club, but other branches can also be found in Hoxton, Spitalfields and Angel. Brunch is served every day from 9 a.m.-5 p.m.

Also in our guide: Now that you have your brunch plans settled, we’re here to help out with choosing a hotel, as well. Our editors sneak around London, inspecting budget hotels and choosing their favorites — only hotels that are central, clean and cheap. Read their suggestions in our London hotel guide.

It is no exaggeration to say that bread is the staff of life in Germany, and although the recent organic health-food renaissance may make whole-grain bread seem like a recent phenomenon, it clearly is not. This wholesome, dense bread dates back to the time of the Gauls and Visigoths and has withstood repeated modern efforts to refine it.

Although bäckerei are a common fixture on any Berlin street, not all loaves are created equal. But fear not, here’s a quick(-rising) guide to three of my favorite bakeries in Berlin:

Soluna Soluna Brot und Öl.
Gneisenaustr. 58, 10961 Berlin
(+49) 30 61671191
Mon-Fri, 10 a.m. – 7 p.m., Sat 7:30 a.m. – 4 p.m., Sun 10 a.m. – 4 p.m.

Owner, Peter Klann is a baker of the Old World. His Kreuzberg-based bakery’s wood-oven stone near the entrance hints at the quality of loaves that rise here, luring customers in with the yeasty aroma of freshly baked bread.

The shop offers a range of traditional German style brots, as well as some foreign-inspired starches, such as Ligurian Olive Bread or the traditional French baguette. There are also house-made spreads (known as “pistes”), cheeses, cured meats, leberwurst, and other amiable bread companions available for purchase.

Weichardt
Mehlitzstrasse 7, Wilmersdorf
(+49) 30 873 8099, weichardt.de
Tues-Fri 8 a.m. – 6:30 p.m., Sat 9 a.m.-2 p.m.

Located off a sleepy street in Wilmersdorf, Weichardt’s modest entrance and size belies its reputation when it comes to the art of German bread-baking. Although a small space, it manages to craft a vast variety of German-style breads that easily rival the size of your head.

Since its inception in 1977, Weichardt has leavened its reputation amongst Berlin bread-lovers dishing out traditional loaves, such as Roggenbrot (rye) and Volkornbrot (whole-grain). If you have sweet tooth, then their Schokosahne Torteand, a decadent confection composed of bitter chocolate and cream is a must.

Brotgarten
Seelingstrasse 30, Charlottenburg
(+49) 30 322 8880, brotgarten.de
Mon-Fri 7 a.m.-6:30 p.m., Sat 7 a.m.-2 p.m., Sun 7 a.m.-3 p.m.

The whole-grain bread movement first took shape in the late 19th century under the direction of the “life reform” movement, which sought to return dense unrefined bread to the table and reinstate its place in German life in order to counter the rise of starchy white rolls. A close cousin of the Austrian-led organic movement, its hearty reign continues today and Brotgarten, located in Charlottenburg is further evidence of it.

Founded in 1978, Brotgarten is considered one of Berlin’s first whole-grain bakeries. It offers an impressive variety of 29 whole-grain style loaves keeping customer healthy (not to mention full). Next-door is a sister cafe, where you can dip your crusty loaf in some warm soup or indulge in the traditional afternoon, kaffee and kuchen ritual with a sweet slice of their Linzertorte and a frothy latte macchiato.

Also in our guide: If this post has raised your interest, stop loafing around and head over to our Berlin guide where you’ll find a wide-variety of information on budget travel, including reviews of the best budget hotels in Berlin.

Throughout history the Dutch have been known for being good at business. In Amsterdam, tolerance is essential for a lucrative economy. The cannabis industry is a perfect example: One quarter of all tourists in Amsterdam visit a coffeeshop during their visit.

However, a new law making marijuana use off-limits to tourists is slated to change all of that when it goes into effect this month (May 2012). Why would the business-savvy Dutch do such a thing?

In a country where less that ten percent of locals even admit to smoking marijuana, it’s a backwards move for the Dutch capital. That’s why passing and enforcing the law has been slow moving, but regardless, here’s the skinny:

What is this law all about?

The new law to make coffeeshops in the Netherlands for “locals only” happened not because of unruly, high tourists in Amsterdam, but because of cross-border drug tourism.

Cities in the south (like Maastricht) experience many foreigners in neighboring countries (like Germany and Belgium) driving across the border, buying out a coffeeshop’s stock, and then driving back home. The European Court of Justice issued this law after a coffeeshop owner complained that these acts had temporarily closed down his business — he just couldn’t keep up his supply.

So where tourists in Amsterdam go to coffeeshops for the full experience, others near the Dutch border walk in, buy as much as possible, and walk out. This new law is intended to stop this behavior. By making coffeeshops for residents only, business owners — and the government in general — can regulate the market more effectively.

No, marijuana is not legal in the Netherlands. It’s decriminalized, which means buying and selling small amounts is tolerated. Stockpiling large quantities isn’t.

The “Weed Pass”

The law makes sense, but it spells trouble for tourists and the coffeeshop owners. The law will force coffeeshops to become coffeeshop “clubs” — and members who want to join must fill out a form and prove residency within the country.

The coffeeshop will maintain a membership list, and each time a member enters the shop they’ll have to show legal identification. This is called the Weed Pass Policy, although no passes are given out because of possible forgeries. And each coffeeshop can have no more than 2,000 members.

Sounds like a pain? It is, and the law is being met with resistance. Coffeeshop owners are afraid to lose business–a very obvious concern. There are politicians challenging the law, however as of yet they have been unsuccessful.

Amsterdam, in particular, fears it’s tourism industry will take a hit. And it certainly will.

Any Hope?

Luckily there are some pros to this con. First, the law will first go into effect in the southern part of the country, and Amsterdam, located in the north, won’t need to comply until late 2012.

Secondly, coffeeshop owners across the country have been given extra time to make necessary changes. This can also mean extra time to challenge the law, and extra time to rework the law into something more acceptable for everyone.

Finally, the Dutch are extremely clever with finding loopholes and exceptions to any rule. For example, psychedelic mushrooms were outlawed, but smart shops still sell truffles. And although smoking was banned from indoor cafes, bars still pass out ashtrays at night.

Criticism that the law was made too quickly has already sprouted concern across the country. However, the policy has been passed and is currently in effect for 2012. It’s now just a matter of enforcing it.