Marilyn McFarlane

Planning a trip to Venice? Here are the 20+ best things to do in Venice, Italy. Indulge in Italian classics from St. Marks Cathedral to relaxing gondola rides and decadent gelato.

Are you looking for things to do outside of Rome? Here are some incredible and off the beaten path day trips from Rome you can’t miss.

Some of the world’s most impressive ancient burial chambers, or dolmens, stand in the green fields and copses of Wales. On a recent trip, my husband John and I tracked down several of these prehistoric sites, and each time I felt the eery sense of an ancient past brought into the present. The dolmens, which …

The Gap of Dunloe is a  narrow, scenic mountain pass in County Kerry, a perfect seven-mile walk for those who want a close-up look at western Ireland’s green beauty. It’s nothing short of entrancing, and I’m grateful to our Irish friend Dan for arranging an outing through Gap of Dunloe Tours. Another great way to …

After you’ve decided where to go and how you’ll get there, the big question is where to stay. A hotel is still the most popular choice, but there are other options, and plenty of savvy travelers are choosing to rent an apartment or house. My recent trip to France is a good example of the …

  Vincent Van Gogh visited Montmajour Abbey at least fifty times, he wrote, just to look at the view across the plain.  Today’s visitors to Provence, France, are drawn to the abbey for the same reason and to see the impressive old ruin in stone, a French historical monument and the oldest abbey in Provence. It …

Dozens of  inviting villages are scattered throughout sun-drenched Provence, in southern France. Two of my favorites, perhaps because they’re lesser known and have such unpretentious charm, are Eygalières and Mausanne-les-Alpilles,  in the Bouches-de-Rhone region. Both lie near the Chaine des Alpilles, a low east-west range of limestone peaks that rise steeply from the Rhone River …

Paul Cézanne was devoted to his hometown of Aix-en-Provence, in southern France, and it’s easy to see why. More than a hundred years after the great artist’s time, it’s still a lovely, livable city. “When you’re born here,” Cézanne said, “nothing else is good enough.” He was fascinated by the light of Provence and painted the …

  In charming, lively Aix-en-Provence, lodgings abound for every taste and budget. This civilized, cultured, fountain-filled city in southern France has been a popular tourist destination  for a very long time. Here are five hospitable choices in the historic center, close to the famous main boulevard, Cours Mirabeau: Hotel Cezanne 4-Star Hotel Cezanne,  named for Aix’s …

  Marseille is in the spotlight this year; the historic seaport on France’s Mediterranean coast was chosen European Capital of Culture for 2013. A dazzling array of displays, performances, and exhibitions is underway and, happily for visitors who can’t get there this year, much of it will spill into the future. The city, with government and EU …