It’s tough being a tourist in Barcelona. There are so many things to see and do (for starters: the Gothic Quarter, Picasso museum, Gaudí buildings and other Modernist architecture) as well as so much that tempts to eat and drink (again, simply for starters: tapas and wine bars). Unless you…
Barcelona is a dream come true for anyone who loves markets. The best known and biggest of the markets in Barcelona is La Boqueria, near the Ramblas, but there are 39 others in locations throughout the city. Santa Caterina market, for example, is another that is also central to…
La Boqueria market is one of those much-hyped travel recommendations that lives up to the praise. Located next to Barcelona’s main promenade known as Las Ramblas, it’s easy to find this covered market and well worth a stop. The variety and quality of fruits, vegetables, fish…
Sunlight bouncing off St. Paul’s dome and umbrella furled inside the battered suitcase. Could this really be London? It’s my first leg of the trip and too brief by far to fit in everything I’d like to do (always the traveler’s lament), but here are a couple highlights: * The markets….
Parisians flee the city in droves and head to the seashore or countryside each August. Those who don’t much like Parisians take that to mean that August is the perfect time to visit. I’m definitely not in that camp. But I do think that visiting…
It has been about a month since I returned from traveling, and yet I haven’t fully adjusted to being home. I don’t mean jet leg. Within a week my internal clock had adjusted and I was no longer reaching for a book at 3 AM….
I recently returned from a month in the south of France. Peter Mayle spun a year’s worth of adventures into A Year in Provence, which spawned several sequels. I found that with “only” four weeks in Provence, one can easily amass as many fascinating experiences and…
The Marais neighborhood of Paris is filled with shops that are chic or shabby and everything in between. Toward the southern end of the Marais is Saint-Paul Antiques Village, a cluster of shops and ateliers. You’ll know you’re in the right vicinity when you see…
Paris abounds with antiques and vintage items. Serious buyers can easily spend days if not weeks hopping from one antiques shop to another and still not hit them all. But what if you are interested in scouting for antiques but don’t want to hike a…
Songs proclaim it, movies portray it, and myths perpetuate it. As much as the phrase seems like a cliché, springtime in Paris is indeed a special time in a unique place. Paris food markets celebrate the season as outdoor stalls overflow with thick asparagus, tangled…