From the excess of the Riviera to the wilderness of Camargue or the big ego of the historical cities, Provence is great from the highest mountain to the serene sea. But at the heart of it all you will find the Luberon - and that is a coup de coeur to last a lifetime.
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Best of Lavender Season: top 8 fields in Provence
Abbaye Notre-Dame de Sénanque Yes, it’s my no.1 too. Topping all lavender tops and Provence guides, the iconic Senanque Abbey is a masterpiece set amidst heavenly lavender fields. Wander through the ancient stone walls, capturing postcard-perfect shots of the abbey framed by fragrant lavender blooms, but take your time offline and gadget-free. The symphony of colors and scents here brings you closer to God, literally. Bonnieux and the Luberon Valley The absolute sine qua non of the lavender season in Provence, The Luberon Regional Park is home to all the wonders: lavender fields, hilltop villages and sinuous country roads where you never cease to french kiss. Bonnieux is one seductive village perched on a…
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SARDINIA #SINEQUANON: THE THINGS YOU CANNOT LEAVE OUT
ONE: Costa Smeralda A little over 20 km of coastline and the most expensive location in Europe (real estate prices are 300,000 euros sqm), Costa Smeralda is famous for its white sand beaches, its scenic route, its hidden coves and bays and known as the VIPs playground ever since the 60’s. Porto Cervo is a celebs hotspot and has one of the most beautiful luxury brands shopping mall in the world, while Romazzino is that ideal real estate project dreamt of by Prince Karim Aga Khan and sought after by Clooney and co. Normally, this kind of labels are something the happy few thoroughly avoid, but in this case we…
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AMALFI COAST #SINEQUANON: THE THINGS YOU CANNOT LEAVE OUT
ONE: RAVELLO This will be a surprising no. 1 for most, as the usual day-trippers and ‘effective’ travel guides will skip it altogether. And that’s a good thing, because the crowds make it difficult enough to reach and enjoy in all its haughty splendour. Ravello is in fact not on the Amalfi Coast, but hanging uphill, just on top of Amalfi. It is spectacular, noble and expensive, and worth it. The narrow road leading to Ravello is cut in the rocky mountain like an initiation path and is called, quite evocatively, the Valley of the Dragon. Ravello is small, which adds to the feeling of exclusivity, especially off- season or…
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Best Open air Opera for the happy few
If you’re a classical music enthusiast or an opera lover, you must have been to the Covent Garden or Scala once or twice. But I discovered something that beats even the gilded interiors of Opera Garnier: the exterior. Dream big: ancient theatre with view of the volcano, a huge lake stage or a musical terrace where you can see the sun rising 315 m over the sea. Set in breathtaking outdoor locations, here are my favorite concert halls: Teatro Greco di Taormina Classical music but also rock concerts are taking place in the ancient theatre of Taormina, Sicily. A large crack in the original arena wall offers a magnificent view…
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A story of tides: the secrets of Mont Saint Michel, revealed
Is it a castle or an island? Is that the desert or the sea? Is it Bretagne or Normandie? Each day, this castle becomes an island, then the sea withdraws to leave treacherous sands behind. Meanwhile, a whimsical little river draws the border between the two realms, making Mont St. Michel part of Normandy. The mountain has always been a place of awe; beautiful and inaccessible, it caused many to perish at the mercy of tides. And as it happens with so many places of awe and beauty, it has always been a site of worship. In the early days of Christianity, monks were using Mount Tomb – that was…
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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 very hot day in August, the kind of day that makes everything quiet and brings out the light in everything, white houses and white sands surrounded by a shimmering halo, people scarce and wrinkled by sun and dry winds. Coming down from Nazare along the coast, we had taken a scourging trip inland to see Fatima and Batalha, and were heading to Obidos for the night. Tired with heat and long drive, I was looking forward to the cool walls, green ivy and refreshing chatter of the Obidos fortress at night.…
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POSTCARDS FROM RONDA, MY FAVE ANDALUSIAN TOWN
Andalusia is one of thehappyfew’ s favorite realms, a true kingdom of Moorish adventures, of wonderful and often dramatic findings and hot temper. It is a country and a culture in itself, and its thrills are downright endless. And still, if I was to pick one place on the map, for a one-time escape, I would pick Ronda. Crossing the Puente Nuevo bridge over the El Tajo gorge and the Guadalevin river, you cannot but marvel at the 100m chasm below. Then take a breath in Plaza Espagna, walk pass the Parador towards the Miradouro for immense views over the Serranía de Ronda mountains. Without a sense of time, stroll endlessly through…
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From beautiful and secluded to wild and hard-to-get: Portugal’s best beaches
This is the treasure map for thehappyfew discovering the coastline. Save your pins! Costa de Prata (between Porto and Lisbon) Infinite white beaches for surfers and lovers of the immense blue, and secret coves that are hard to find and even harder to leave. Direction from Porto / Vila Nova de Gaia – Dunas Sao Jacinto – Nazare – Obidos – Baleal – Peniche, Praia da Mexilhoeira – Foz do Sizandro – Sao Juliao – Magoito, to Aguda, Adraga and down to Guincho. . ALGARVE: the Lagos – Sagres – Cabo Sao Vicente area. Probably the most beautiful beaches in the world, an incredible scenery created by the famous red…
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Day trips from Valencia? Your first choice must be PENISCOLA!
Who was first? The Knights Templar or the dragons? The must escape is yet to come, and, as any proper magic, it should last three days. You simply must go to Peniscola. Take Costa del Azahar north from Valencia towards Barcelona on either the highway or the national road, if you want to make some stops along the way.
