You’ve been to Naples. You went to Pompeii. Yet you missed the adventure. Pompeii gets all the attention. But less than 30 kilometres from Naples, in the other direction, there is another Roman city just as extraordinary — that almost nobody knows exists and even fewer have seen. Because it’s underwater.Baia didn’t die in a flash of fire like Pompeii. It sank. One breath at a time, over centuries, until the most decadent resort of the Roman Empire became a silent kingdom of fish and seaweed.The science behind it is called bradyseism — from the Greek for slow movement. The Phlegraean Fields — the vast active volcanic caldera stretching west…
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The sea, the dragon and cloud nine
There is a road along the Campania coast that I have driven perhaps ten times. Like all great beauties, it has no mercy — plunging cliffs, hairpin turns, oncoming buses on roads built for donkeys, views so extravagant they feel like provocation. Yes, it’s the infamous Amalfi Coast. I love it completely. I do it off-season, of course. I even enjoy tight slope parking when I stop for aperitivo in Praiano. But you, you should take the bus, really. The SITA drivers (local bus company) are fearless and the timing is surprisingly good. But here is the catch: the coast is not (entirely) the point. The coast is the way…
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Mont Saint-Michel for the happy few
Everyone dreams of Mont Saint-Michel, the iconic abbey rising majestically from the sea. But most visitors will be swept up in the midday tides of tourism. The real treasure lies in mastering its rhythms. THE FIND The true magic of Mont Saint-Michel is revealed by visiting during specific tidal cycles and times of day. It’s about seeing the island fully surrounded by water, or conversely, walking across the vast sands at low tide, and experiencing it without the overwhelming crowds. This wisely informed decision transforms the tourist trap into a next-level, personal experience. You get to witness the dramatic power of the tides that shape its legend and enjoy the…
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February Challenge: The Sensory Raid On The French Riviera
Et voila! everything pops into scented bubbles, wild colours and shocking beauty. For the happy few, this late winter escape on the French Riviera is the surprise conquest of forgotten festivity. THE FIND A sensory raid on the Riviera during Carnival. Nice, Menton, Mandelieu-la-Napoule This is a masterclass in regional celebration. This Riviera adventure is the ultimate antidote to grey skies, the unlocking of unexpected extravaganza. In February, the happy few go to Nice for the Carnival and stay for the myriad parties, for the golden explosion of mimosa, and for the discovery of Menton’s fantastical citrus architecture. INTEL When to Visit: The main window spans two weeks in February…
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Acqua Alta in Venice, a beautiful disaster
Like all great beauties, she is too much: La Serenissima is incredible, irresistible, fragile and dramatic, altogether. Venezia’s destiny as a forever-endangered realm of wonder has a tragic beauty to it, and nothing makes it more obvious than the acqua alta days. On October 29, 2018, an exceptional high tide flooded Venice. It was the fourth highest ever recorded, and the most dramatic in over a decade. Then, in 2020, the MOSE flood barrier system has happened, and everybody became more relaxed. THE FIND Acqua Alta in Venice, when the waters hold a mirror to her ancient face, revealing her resilience and dramatic vulnerability. During these times, the city transforms.…
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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 La Scala once or twice. But I discovered something that beats even the gilded interiors of Opera Garnier: the outdoor grandeur. Dream big: an ancient theater 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. THE FINDS Arena di Verona Opera Festival Witnessing world-class opera performed in a nearly 2,000-year-old Roman amphitheater, with a cast of thousands and massive sets, is an absolute treat. The atmosphere is magical and the audience is electric INTEL: Teatro…
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The treasure map to Portugal’s best beaches
This is your treasure map to Portugal’s best beaches: from North to South, a pocket collection for the happy few charting an Atlantic odyssey. Save your pins! THE FINDS 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. VICENTINA, the freedom enclave – south of Lisbon South of Lisbon, the coastline morphs to a vast, untamed expanse, a true frontier for those who seek raw nature and expansive solitude. From the privileged Costa Caparica to Europe’s last wild coast, Costa Vicentina, this is the happy few freedom…
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GoT LOCATIONS: MEEREEN
Game of Thrones lovers, don’t just sit and watch in awe: step into the story and go to Meereen. Season’s 6 Meereen was filmed in Peniscola, Spain, and this is one of our favorite escapes to wonderland 🙂 Retrace the tracks of Tyrion, Missandei and Varys and linger on the streets haunted by the Harpies. Plus the dragons are still there, remember?
