It is that time of the year. Grape harvest season means Toscana for the happy few. Two weeks of the slow, artful, almost timeless happiness in the Tuscan countryside. But first we Florence in style. When Stendhal visited Florence for the first time, he experienced a one-time feeling: a mixture of amazement, beatitude and exhilaration that proved literally overwhelming. He was dizzy and confused and sick with emotion, while physically incapable of leaving the city. I felt it too, my first time in Firenze: the allure, the wonder, the perfect beauty and the inconceivable happiness of just being there. You know that special tension you feel when you’re desperately in love,…
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Beautiful is absolute, and so is PENICHE
“One more stop” he said. We were chasing daring lighthouses, pure beaches and wild coastline, as usual. It had been a scorching hot day in August, the kind of day that hushes everything and brings out the light, white houses and white sands surrounded by a shimmering halo, people scarce and wrinkled by sun and dry winds. Coming down from Nazaré along the coast, we had taken an arduous trip inland to see Fátima (grossly overrated) and Batalha (true gem), and were heading to Óbidos for the night. Tired from the heat and the long drive, I was truly looking forward to the cool walls, green ivy, and refreshing chatter of…
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With love, from CHIANTI: 300 years of Chianti Classico
On Sept. 24, 1716, the Grand Duke of Tuscany Cosimo III de’ Medici officially delineated the borders of the Chianti wine region. Which basically makes him a personal favorite and a hero. Him and Barone Ricasoli, of course. Cosimo had quality control teams patrolling the vineyards in the area and made sure that no other wine outside this blessed realm could be called Chianti, ever again. A predecessor to what would become the modern Denominazione d’Origine Controllata (DOC) and DOCG wine labelling system, the Grand Duke’s act was the first of its kind in Europe. Genius. 300 years later, thehappyfew couldn’t have missed the celebrations. On September 24, 2016, there…
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Valencia and beyond: the best day-trips
Valencia, as a city, is a happy few favourite for a city break: the sparkling sea, the vibrant taverns, that immense beach, and those incredible urban landmarks. But what if we make it a whole holiday in the area? Embrace the open road for day trips that are nothing short of an escape to wonderland. ESCAPE ONE: Peñíscola Who was first? The Knights Templar or the dragons? If this is your kind of mind race, you simply must go to Peñíscola. Take Costa del Azahar (Azahar means citrus blossom 🙂 ) north from Valencia towards Barcelona on either the highway or the national road, if you want to make a…
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ON RICE AND MEN (and possibly giraffes): VALENCIA
Delicate rice fields rolling under the sun, equally delicate elephants roaming freely, immense beaches stretching to the horizon, and the true, original paella – these are but a few of the rather extraordinary findings in one singular city, Valencia. A citybreak wonderland escape indeed, it’s the place where even a river lives a heroic second life, perfectly reincarnated into verdant gardens. I had underestimated Valencia for years; between the fascination of Andalucia, the pull of the islands and the overwhelming buzz of Barcelona and Madrid, Valencia never made the Spanish top list. I am happy to admit I was in the wrong. Surprises of such magnitude are priceless for the happy few, so…
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THE BEST TRAVEL ADVICE IN THE WORLD
ONE: Travel to wonderland. Just use the rabbit hole and go where the magic is: visit Disneyland or the Harry Potter Studios, fly a kite on the beach, spend a week in an old mill or farmhouse, camp in the desert and bathe in the Milky Way at night. Travel back to yourself, recapture the world as it was before you grew up. TWO: Return to your happy place. You must have one. It’s either a cabin, or a lake, or a beach, or a city, a precise time of the year, a table with a view, or a person. Return as many times as you can, or move there.…
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Istanbul survival guide: some snobbish advice
Istanbul: one word for it? Spectacular. Another two words? Grand Bazaar – that’s a brilliant synonym, really. Istanbul is very much a “love it or… well, love it anyway” kind of story, and a must-see, regardless. You can never truly hate it, no matter how utterly chaotic it may seem at times. But you’ll find there’s a very thin line between absolutely adoring it and simply ticking it off your list. While most people are thoroughly addicted to Istanbul, I suspect the happy few will need this rather snobbish advice to truly feel the poetry. Some quick survival pointers: the good, the bad and the warnings The Best Bits The…
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If you were a supernatural being, where would you live?
Toscana. Rich, old, and full of charm. This is where legends aren’t simply told; they are rather hanging about, rolling into the richest vineyards and cradling the noblest cities of art the world has ever known.. Time itself is slow, flowing seamlessly into history. So, if you happen to be a supernatural being with a most discerning eye for prime real estate, where, precisely, would you reside? Right. For the happy few who appreciate an enduring legacy, a hint of the spectral, and the very finest of wines, these are some great Tuscan haunts. Father of Chianti Classico, reveal your presence! Ricasoli is the oldest winery in Italy. Winemakers since…
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Val d’Orcia And The Ideal City
One fine day, the Architect looked out of the window to see the future; he saw a utopian landscape of pale green fields and pure skies, rolling into forever. Then he took a brush and four colors and started painting: pale yellowish green for the fields, dark green for the cypresses, azzuro for the skies and warm brown for the roads and the farms. You think I’m being rather corny, poetic with a touch of mysticism. I can be all that, but today I’m merely factual. The Val d’Orcia, another world favorite of the happy few, is a region of perfect landscape south of Siena, included in the UNESCO World…
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The Beauty And The Beast: NAZARE
Far enough up the coast from Lisbon, Nazaré is only transited by tourist packs during the day. If you avoid the classical summer rage, you find a blue and white village that has not sold its soul to the devil of leisure just yet. The legend It is an old fishing village, truly ancient. Around the year 700, its inhabitants fought pirates when a legendary duo entered the scene: a monk and a king. The king wielded a sword of bravery, and the monk bore a statue of redemption. Roderic, the last Visigoth king, settled here with his monk and a statue of the Virgin Mary, borne from distant Nazareth.…
