Europe Up Close

Port Livorno – A Charming Seaside City

Published/Revised February 8, 2018 By This post may contain promotional and affiliate links. EuropeUpClose may receive commissions for purchases made through links in this post. Please read our disclosure for more info.

Port Livorno - Part II Unexpected treasures in an undervalued port Ask an Italian about Livorno and the reply may include the words “port city” or “industrial area” – evoking dirty streets, smoke-billowing factories, ugly grey buildings. Read part I of our Livorno mini-series here, and part II here.  Go to Port Livorno and you will find an elegant town of 160,000 with wide clean streets ... Read Full Article

Visiting Cascais: Jewel of the Portuguese Rivera

Published/Revised July 11, 2017 By This post may contain promotional and affiliate links. EuropeUpClose may receive commissions for purchases made through links in this post. Please read our disclosure for more info.

Visiting Cascais Portugal Cascais - Jewel of the Portuguese Rivera Once the playground of luminaries such as poet Fernando Pessoa and the Portuguese royal family, Cascais (pronounced kush-kaish) is rich in a sense of whimsical charm and character. Replete with winding laneways, contemporary art museums, and a pedestrianized old town with plenty to see and eat, it's no wonder Cascais is now – as ... Read Full Article

Sète: a Modest, French Fishing Village

Published/Revised June 14, 2014 By This post may contain promotional and affiliate links. EuropeUpClose may receive commissions for purchases made through links in this post. Please read our disclosure for more info.

Between the Mediterranean Sea and the Thau Lagoon, lies Sète, an exquisite little French fishing port. Hardly known outside France, Sète likes to keep a low profile and its inhabitants don’t go out of their way to call attention to their home. In fact, they have no time for it. Sète is a busy place where people work hard. There are no glitzy crowds, plush hotels, or lavish shops. Instead, you will ... Read Full Article