Turkish carpets are highly valued worldwide for good reason; the skill it takes to create them has been perfected over thousands of years. On a recent trip to Turkey my husband John and I caught a glimpse of the incredible craftsmanship involved. With a small group we visited a carpet-making factory famed for their top-quality […]
Where to Stay in Turkey: Six Choice Hotels
On a recent trip, John and I found six hotels in Turkey that we consider excellent choices. These are not the grand palaces an Ottoman sultan might have envied (though Istanbul has several of those); rather, they’re comfortable, well maintained, hotels with great locations, good Turkish hospitality, and individual style. And they are a lot more […]
Gran Paradiso National Park, Italy’s Paradise
Fresh grilled trout, fields of wildflowers, battling queens,and a lofty mountain—Paradise can’t get better than that. This particular paradise is Gran Paradiso National Park, in northwestern Italy between Aosta Valley and the Piedmont region. Established in 1922 on land that had been saved as a hunting reserve, it was the country’s first national park. Its main snow-covered peak, […]
Top Things To Do In Turin You Can’t Miss
Turin (Torino in Italian), a prosperous city on the Po River in northwestern Italy, isn’t considered flamboyant, but it’s lively. Italy’s first capital has so many intriguing museums, churches, palaces, arcades, wine bars, and cafes you can stay for months and scarcely scratch the surface. Here are my Top Ten Turin Tourist Attractions, (not in order of […]
Italy’s Best Chocolate: Gianduja
One of the greatest of Italian inventions is gianduja, and the best place to sample it is Turin, Italy. About 60% of Italy’s chocolate comes from this city on the River Po, in northern Italy’s Piedmont region. If you’ve ever tasted the creamy combination of chocolate and hazelnuts called Nutella, you’ve had a slight hint […]
Douja D’Or: Asti’s Celebration of Food and Wine
Douja D’Or , which means Pitcher of Gold, is a ten-day celebration of the outstanding wines and foods of the Piedmont region in northwestern Italy. Wine production is hugely important here. In the Piedmont province of Asti, miles of vineyards stripe the hillsides, growing fat clusters of grapes that will become some of the […]
Where to Stay in Asti, Italy
Asti, a town of charm and style in northern Italy, doesn’t get the tourist crowds that swarm to more famous places, but those who do come fall in love with this historic, hospitable town. You may now be wondering where to stay while in Asti. Lodgings in Asti, an hour’s drive from Milan, range from […]
Things to Do in Asti, Italy
Walking through Asti’s narrow cobble-stoned streets and 18th-century squares is the best kind of time travel: you’re transported back through history, but you can stop almost anywhere along the way for a great meal and a glass of wine, and end the day in a modern, comfortable hotel room. Asti is a mid-sized town in […]
Asti’s Palio: Horseracing, Italian Style
The Asti Palio is not just another horse race. In Asti , an ancient, mid-sized town in northwestern Italy, the annual Palio is laden with tradition, pageantry, exuberance, gloom and joy. And it’s great fun. As in Siena, where a better-known Palio is held, people prepare all year for the big event. Medieval costumes are purchased […]
Remarkable Cathedrals of Northern France
Remarkable Cathedrals of Northern France The medieval cathedrals of northern France are marvels of craftsmanship, designed and created with incredible skill. Centuries later we still gaze at them in awe. Four that I find remarkable are in Strasbourg, Tours, Bourges and Laon. And for more even more beautiful cathedrals, you should read this post about […]