Sitting in a prime spot between Lake Thun and Lake Brienz, Interlaken is the gateway to the Berner Oberland. This is the region of Switzerland that really looks the part, with waterfalls and peaky mountains stretching in every direction. If
Sion is the capital of Valais and quite striking as you approach it - it’s known for its stunning hilltop fortifications: the 13th-century **Tourbillon Castle ruins and the ***Basilique de Valère complex, with a basilica housing a playable organ over
Beaujolais is a French natural region, corresponding to a former barony, located north of Lyon, extending over the north of the Rhône department, the south of the Saône-et-Loire department, and the northeast of the Loire. I'm pushing a bit beyond the traditional boundaries, up to Tournus, as the themes
Paris is huge and grand, requires a lot of preparation, and deserves at least 4 days for your first visit. They say Paris is overhyped, but we continue to find it charming and exceeding our expectations - a wonderful city! Logistics:
Search for articles on Lucca and you’ll find a consistent theme - this is a gorgeous, lovely town to simply wander through and experience. Walk the walls! Check out the churches! Unlike many historic Italian destinations (like Florence), this is
The Puy-de-Dôme department is not on the beaten path, but it’s especially pretty and has a lot to do. We've made three trips - a first overnight to Clermont-Ferrand while driving to the Dordogne, a romantic weekend in Bagnols, and
My first trip, circa May 2005, was cold and wet: a spring downpour, around 40 degrees. My second trip, December 2024, felt like a repeat: a winter downpour, circa 35 degrees. It’s a pretty, compact city, very Baroque in taste,
Kraków is known for its well-preserved medieval core and Jewish quarter. I found it delightful - a pleasant climate (in the summer at least), excellent architecture, and friendly people that appear to be universally English-speaking. It's very affordable, good value
We love Chur. It doesn’t have any one thing as a standout, just a cute, walkable old town (and the oldest town in Switzerland apparently), good restaurants, surrounded by lots of interesting destinations. It’s packed with darling historical hotels and
We were lucky to visit Mustair during a festival which involved a lot of cows dressed up. Awesome! The church (**Benedictine Convent of St John) is pretty great too, including a big mural of a beheading right behind the altar.