Riviera Hopping

On my last visit to Cinque Terre, the inviting October sun inspired a trip along the Italian Riviera. After the olive harvest, of course. There remained a unique hidden gem I had yet to discover, and a few villages to revist. Our journey began via train from Monterosso.

In just over an hour we arrived to one of my favorite and most scenic of Liguria’s seaside villages, Camogli. The beaches were filled with bathers soaking beneath the Mediterranean sun.

From Camogli’s port we hopped aboard a boat to our next destination, a seaside gem I was eager to visit.

Might I add that there’s no better way to travel along the Italian Riviera than by boat. Unless you opt to hike.

I was in awe at the sight of San Fruttuoso. A medieval abbey set on an idyllic cove between Camogli and Portofino. A hidden paradise only reachable via boat or by hiking two hours across the Portofino promontory.

We settled in for a seaside lunch of fresh seafood and pasta at restaurant La Cantina followed by a swim in the tepid sea. I could easily understand why San Fruttuoso captivated anyone who reached its remote shores.

Choosing to travel by boat, we hopped back aboard, destination Portofino. I had first visited this chic port village eleven years ago during my year long travels, just before my love affair with Cinque Terre began.

Our last stop before returning to Monterosso was to neighboring Santa Margherita Ligure for a gelato. My Côte d’Azur clutch fit right in with the kaleidoscope of colors.

In just 45 minutes we were back in Cinque Terre, filled with visions of the picture perfect Italian Riviera, undoubtedly one of the most enchanting coasts in the world.

Visit to Kraków

Childhood summers contained vivid scenes of Kraków, a medieval Polish city which in the years that followed became one of my favorite European destinations. Walking around the expansive market square, called Rynek Glówny to locals, feels much like coming home. Most of all when I have a chance to re-experience the city with my mom, who first introduced me to Kraków, where she lived and studied decades ago.

Walking around the cobbled cafe-lined streets to the sounds of horse’s hooves, I immediately feel transported not only to my youth but to another era. The sight of Starbucks brought me back to the present day. I instead headed to Café Camelot, my favorite haunt from the past.

While you could certainly spend every day strolling around the Old Town, shopping at the Cloth Hall, a Renaissance-era trading outpost, learning about amber at the Amber Museum, admiring 14th-century Gothic church St. Mary’s Basilica, and visiting the regal Wawel Castle, there’s much more to see, do and taste in Kraków. Many of these recommendations I share in my article for Fathom.

On this trip I discovered another noteworthy address, Milkbar Tomasza, where you can taste authentic Polish food cooked just as your babcia, or grandmother, would make it. Some of the best pierogi I’ve eaten!

A scholarly stop that merits a visit is to Jagiellonian University, the oldest university in Poland, and one of the oldest surviving universities in the world. It’s also my mom’s alma mater.

Where to sleep? I opted for historic hotel Pod Różą, a charming medieval haven in the heart of Kraków’s Old Town. What a perfect location! To live like a local, Antique Apartments is the top choice in apartment rentals.

However you decide to experience Kraków, the city is sure to woo you, as it does me time and time again.

 

Luxembourg Palace

Every year during the weekend of European Heritage Days the doors of some of Paris’s most exclusive addresses open to the public. The only question is – Which monumental building to discover? This year we decided to visit the Luxembourg Palace, set in the bucolic Luxembourg Gardens and home to the French Senate.

This princely estate was built at the request of Marie de Medicis, with construction completed in 1630. After becoming home to a number of kings and queens, the palace became a prison. It wasn’t until the 1800s that the Luxumbourg Palace adopted a governmental role. In 1958 it became home to the Senate of the Fifth Republic.

Okay, enough about the history of Luxembourg Palace, ready for a tour of the centuries old interior chambers?

Office of the Vice President of the Senate, shown to the public for its patrimonial relevance. The current offices are are at 26 and 36 rue de Vaugirard.

Once called the Great Gallery, this is now the Library Annex. The first European painting museum was open to the public here from 1750 to 1780, and another museum for contemporary art from 1803 to 1815 and 1818 to 1886. The vaulted ceiling reveals a series of paintings by Jacob Jordaens representing the Twelve Signs of the Zodiac. Here too sits a bronze bust by American sculptor Jo Davidson of Literature Nobel Prize winner Anatole France, who once worked in the library.

The Victor Hugo Lounge owes its name to the bust sculpted by Antonin Mercié in 1889 of illustrious writer and Parliamentarian Victor Hugo who was a senator during the Third Republic.

The Conference Hall, a perfect example of Second Empire style, was designed by Alphonse de Gisors. Here sits a throne where Napoleon I once sat. Depictions of the history of France line the walls, along with eights tapestries from the Gobelins illustrating Ovid’s Metamorphoses. Senators now use this elegant 57 meters long room as a lounge in between meetings.

The Senate Chamber built from 1836 to 1841 is supported by eight stucco columns separated by seven statues of prestigious legislators. The 348 seats are allocated in proportion to the number of members in every political group with each senator having a designated seat.

View of the Luxembourg Gardens from the vast library where senators spend time reading and researching.

The Questeur’s Office where three Questeur’s manage the Senate’s administrative matters and run its budget.

Office of the President of the Senate, and thought to be the study of then First Consul Napoleon Bonaparte.

Monumental stairway by Boffrand featuring a stone balustrade, at the mansion used for offical receptions.

If you find yourself in Paris during European Heritage Days, take a tour for yourself! Now, where to next year…

Weekend in Provence

Before the official end of summer, also known as the rentrée in France, we decided to head south for a weekend in Provence. Just over three hours by train from Paris to Aix-en-Provence, our adventures began. Our first stop was Moustiers, considered one of the most beautiful villages of France. We quickly understood why.

After a decadent lunch at one of the top eateries in town, we headed to our next destination, the Gorges du Verdon. This river canyon in southeastern France is considered the most remarkable in Europe, breathtaking from both above and below. We traded the car for a kayak and paddled our way through the gorge, surrounded by dramatic cliffs rising into the sky. What a thrill! We turned back just as the white-water rapids began.

From here we got back on the road, accompanied by the most panoramic views all along the Gorge du Verdon.

By early evening we arrived to our home at lavish 5-star resort Terre Blanche, perfectly situated between Provence and the Côte d’Azur. From here we could visit the charming villages of Fayence and Seillans, or even Sainte-Maxime. But once we discovered the bucolic property where golf carts are the primary mode of transport, and days are spent overlooking Provençal landscapes and dining on an array of local cuisine, we had no intention of leaving. At least not until it was time to return to Paris.

Energized and ready to enter a new season, we stopped for dinner at the pastel-hued city of Aix-en-Provence before jumping back on the high-speed train. This adventure had come to an end but many more awaited.

 

Franschhoek

All aboard the wine tram! Our next and last stop was to Franschhoek, a town boasting centuries-old vineyards in South Africa’s Western Cape. It was French Huguenots that settled here after fleeing France when Protestantism was outlawed in 1685. This, the ‘Valley of the Hugeunots’ is full of French charm and Cape Dutch architecture, proving an idyllic weekend escape an hour’s drive from Cape Town. It’s also where you can discover some of South Africa’s best chefs, not to mention the wine.

We arrived just in time for the last wine tram of the day.  We hopped-on, ready to experience what Franschhoek is best known for. With several tram lines to choose from and dozens of wineries along the routes, we managed to limit ourselves to three tastings.

Each winery told a unique story. Sometimes we felt as though we were in Provence, and at other moments it was clear that the ethereal beauty could only be South Africa.

By early evening, we were happy to return to the village and explore the many boutiques and art galleries.

Our home in Franschhoek was The Last Word, a utterly charming boutique hotel located in the very heart of the village. We could not have ended this epic trip to South Africa in a more perfect setting. Our last meal was one to remember, the tasting menu at La Petite Colombe, a top address in town.

Both my Italian and I shall dream of South Africa for many days and nights to come. Until the next visit.

On Safari

Our next stop was 320 kilometers (or a four hour drive) northwest of Johannesburg. Madikwe Game Reserve is located in South Africa’s North West Province, bordering Botswana. We chose this lesser known park for its variety of wildlife and malaria-free location. Even before arriving to our lodge, Visser, our skilled ranger, introduced us to a male lion napping in the late afternoon sun. What a sight! We were now officially ‘on safari’.

Our home became the Motswiri Private Safari Lodge, a five-star luxury lodge that took every care to make us feel like this new routine of heading out at 6 am to look for animal tracks in hopes of catching a glimpse of one of the many wild animals living in Madike, was all part of the fun. From day one, we were hooked!

Within our first 24 hours on safari, we were lucky enough to see the “Big Five” – African lion, African leopard, Cape buffalo, African elephant, and the rhinoceros – named for their difficulty in being hunted (not to mention the five deadliest animals). The regal giraffe and zebra were also quite a sight!

It was the elephants that we became most familiar with. From their bathing habits to nearly being charged by one of the eldest in the group.  I still find the African elephant, the largest land animal in the world, to be a gentle creature – at a distance, of course. We were sad to learn of the continuous poaching going on in all parts of Africa, of both the African Elephant for its ivory and the rhinoceros for its horns (which have absolutely no medicinal value). I designed my Kenya bag collection in an effort to raise money in protection of this elephant.

My favorite sightings during our four-day safari were the lions. These gorgeous creatures are fierce yet uniquely beautiful. King of the jungle (and the African bush), after all. It was this moment, catching a couple lazily lounging in the late morning sun with their cubs nearby,  that I will remember forever.

I leave you with this breathtaking sunset, enjoyed not only by us but by a sole rhinoceros. Can you spot him?

Next and last stop was to discover a charming “French Corner” of South Africa after a final visit to Cape Town.

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