The reality of Rome: the place to be, or not?
Visiting Rome was a mistake. We were supposed to be smooching in a candlelit cave retreat down in Matera, but thanks to a ‘slight’…
Europe
Venetian masquerade masks – mask painting workshops
Art has never been my strong point. I was once thrown out of a GCSE class for sketching Donald Duck in a sailor outfit….
City Wonders – tour Venice without the crowds
Exploring hidden Venice with City Wonders Two things concerned us about Venice. The crowds and the appalling reputation of the food. Keen to avoid both,…
Le Suite di Giulietta – romance in Verona
There was a cabbage in our bedroom. Along with a pepper and an artichoke. I’d expected Le Suite di Giulietta to be a bit…
One day in Verona…
I’ve never read Romeo and Juliet. Or the Two Gentlemen of Verona for that matter. I wasn’t a fan of Shakespeare at school and…
Suite dreams at Hotel D Strasbourg
Where city breaks are concerned, country-boy Hubbie has one rule. If I’m to convince him to join me then the accommodation must be pretty much…
Why Strasbourg might surprise you!
Strasbourg surprised me. To begin with it’s in France, not Germany! The city doesn’t feel French at all, and with it’s architecture, cuisine and name,…
Hotel Le Colombier Colmar – sleeping in history
You may know by now that I’m kinda fussy when it comes to where I stay on my travels. I’ve been known to choose our entire…
Unlocking the charms of Colmar’s cobbled streets
The entire sum of what I knew about Alsace before I visited Colmar could be counted on one hand. Thanks to fancying my high school…
The Passage Hotel Basel – find your contemporary zen
There’s nowhere quite like Basel, where a thriving contemporary arts scene peacefully coexists with one of Europe’s great historical hubs. In fact the two compliment…
Basel – land of the beer Basilisk
There aren’t many places where you can still use a 17th Century map to navigate your way around. Then again there aren’t many places…