Skip to Content

Mattie Bamman

Mattie John Bamman is a culinary-travel author and freelance writer focused on Italy, Croatia, Slovenia, South Africa, and Cascadia. He lives in Portland, Oregon, where he has coauthored 10 books on culinary travel and is a strong proponent of the local poetry scene. Catch up with him on his wine blog or his website.

Wine Tasting in the Ahr Valley of Germany

  It’s time to get down with spätburgunder! Spätburgunder doesn’t roll off the tongue, but it tastes delicious. Better known as pinot noir, spätburgunder wines come from Germany’s Ahr Valley—located half an hour south of Bonn—and pinot noir lovers will want to descend upon this up-and-coming red wine region on their next European wine journey. …

Read More about Wine Tasting in the Ahr Valley of Germany

First Time Visitor’s Guide to Piran, Slovenia

The first-time visitor is often drawn to Piran, the fishing village on the Adriatic coast, by beautiful photographs of a turquoise sea and Venetian-style architecture, but it is more than just a place to relax, it is a culinary heaven with some of the best wellness spas on earth. The town grew up on olive oil …

Read More about First Time Visitor’s Guide to Piran, Slovenia

A Road Trip through Slovenia’s Karst Region

  “My soul is jolly/As though it had been drinking the Karst teran,” wrote poet Oton Župancic. A karst is a landscape characterized by eroded limestone formations, and the word is derived from Slovenia’s Karst region. Located in southwest Slovenia, the Karst region, which runs alongside the Italian city of Trieste, is an uncommon mixture …

Read More about A Road Trip through Slovenia’s Karst Region

Guide to Wine Tasting on Mt. Etna in Sicily

The Mt. Etna volcano in Sicily is famous for steaming volcanic chasms, snowy peaks, and wild jeep expeditions, but the volcano’s most recent claim to fame is its wineries and wine tastings. Just a short drive from the famous seaside resort town of Taormina, as well as the bustling coastal city of Catania, Mt. Etna’s …

Read More about Guide to Wine Tasting on Mt. Etna in Sicily

Where to Stay in Killarney, Ireland

The small town of Killarney offers all accommodation types, from top-notch 5-star hotels to authentic Irish B&Bs; and the local hotels are famous for their hospitality. When choosing where to stay, note that the Killarney National Park is within walking distance of the Killarney town center (as are most of the sights in Killarney). Organized …

Read More about Where to Stay in Killarney, Ireland

Where to Stay in Budapest

Where to Stay in Budapest – Editor’s Picks A city of almost 2 million, Budapest, Hungary is a great European cultural and financial center that offers a fantastic selection of hotels. When choosing where to stay in Budapest, note that the forint-to-dollar exchange rate works in the dollar’s favor, and many hotels come at an exceptional value. …

Read More about Where to Stay in Budapest

8 Surprising Facts About the Netherlands

These surprising facts touch upon the most famous icons of the Netherlands—from tulips and Van Gogh to windmills, clogs, and liberal laws. Holland isn’t the Netherlands Though it’s become totally acceptable to call the Netherlands “Holland,” Holland originally referred to two regions within the Netherlands: North Holland and South Holland. Amsterdam is located in North …

Read More about 8 Surprising Facts About the Netherlands

Where to Stay in Istanbul

The hotels in Istanbul, Turkey come in a wide variety of styles and prices, and it isn’t difficult, when choosing where to stay, to book a hotel in the historic districts of Sultanahmet and Sirkeci. In choosing these ‘where to stay’ options, we gave priority to centrally located hotels with free WiFi. Our ‘where to stay’ …

Read More about Where to Stay in Istanbul

Kinderdijk, Holland’s Famous Windmills

Visiting the famous windmills of the Kinderdijk is a truly moving experience. These windmills were originally built to pump water out of the country, which highlights the fact that the Netherlands has been sinking into the North Sea for centuries. Much of the Netherlands is comprised of peat bogs, and the Dutch used to harvest …

Read More about Kinderdijk, Holland’s Famous Windmills

10 Days in Sicily Itinerary

This 10 day Sicily itinerary will help you get the most out of a trip to Sicily. It features most of the important sights, museums, islands, and activities that Sicily has to offer. Literally in the middle of everything, Sicily has been conquered and re-conquered by almost every Mediterranean power imaginable, from the ancient Greeks and Romans to Arabs …

Read More about 10 Days in Sicily Itinerary
Europe Up Close