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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LONDON #SINEQUANON: THE THINGS YOU CANNOT LEAVE OUT
ONE: THE CLASSICS, AT NIGHT 360 view in the heart of London: a late night stroll crossing Westminster Bridge, taking in the view up and down the Thames, The Houses of Parliament, Big Ben, Westminster Abbey, the Eye, all in a splendid swirl. TWO: THE HIGH(EST) VIEW London seen from above is more than extraordinary, is utterly dramatic and incredibly enjoyable, especially with a glass of prosecco to complement the view. Book your ticket to The View from the Shard (yes, it’s worth every penny and then some) or/ and to Sky Garden for a true show of wonder. Tip 1: Sky Garden is free entrance, but you need to…
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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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NORMANDY: #SINEQUANON: THE THINGS YOU CANNOT LEAVE OUT
ONE: MONT SAINT MICHEL The only possible number one. Although is closer and more intimately connected to Bretagne, it will be top-of-mind for any escape in Western France. I wrote more about “the wonder” here. TWO: THE ALABASTER COAST AND PAYS DE CAUX La Cote d’Albatre is the French counterpart of the famous white cliffs that are the picture-perfect signature of the English Channel coastline. It makes for a great roadtrip, with its towns and villages of quaint charm and the often striking beauty of the high falaises. Stop in Etretat, Yport, Fecamp, Veules-les-Roses, Dieppe. Etretat has the most beautiful cliffs, Fecamp is a jewel of a town where you…
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ROME #SINEQUANON: THE THINGS YOU CANNOT LEAVE OUT
Rome wasn’t built in a day, and it’s not to visit in a day. Follow #vacanzeromane to see how endless and timeless Rome really is, but if you have but a weekend or a few days for the città eterna, this is what to absolutely do and the “NO, grazie!”. ONE: THE SPANISH STEPS AND TRINITA DEI MONTI Piazza di Spagna is high on the must list, but what you are really looking for is the scalinata (the Spanish steps) in fiore, and the classic climb up to Trinita dei Monti. Take your time in the Piazza della Trinita dei Monti and then some more time to visit the little…
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VENICE #SINEQUANON: THE THINGS YOU CANNOT LEAVE OUT
ONE: VENEZIA, OFF-SEASON Off-season Venice: by all means, travel outside summer season or Carnival week (unless you have tickets to one of the official balls, then you simply have to throw it all in). Venice is so full of tourists that you can hardly call any time of the year “off season”, but I discovered that La Serenissima is only serene in winter, and maybe some blissful days in early spring or late autumn. Check this out for Venice in winter. The wind in the lagoon may be chilly at times, but you’ll discover a truer, more fascinating face of Venice. TWO: A ROOM WITH A VIEW A room with…
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VERONA #SINEQUANON: THE THINGS YOU CANNOT LEAVE OUT
The city of Romeo and Juliet can become a love story, and not necessarily a tragic one. Of all the things to love here, the house of Giulietta and the famed balcony are the least lovable – in fact the tons of heart and Cupid and flashy red souvenirs are maybe the only real tragedy that happened to this place. So forget about that story, and bear in mind that Shakespeare wrote two more Verona-related plays: Two Gentlemen of Verona and the wonderful Taming of the Shrew. I very much wanted to see the house where Katherina was tamed, but no reference to that, I’m afraid. There is still the…
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FLORENCE #SINEQUANON: THE THINGS YOU CANNOT LEAVE OUT
There are only 9 absolute musts, but thousands of other reasons to Florence ONE: The view from San Miniato al Monte Let everybody else stop at Piazzale Michelangelo for the view over the city. While a very good spot for the pics, it is basically an over-crowded parking. Go uphill, Via delle Porte Sante, to San Miniato al Monte. This is the church with the most beautiful view in the world. TWO: THE ROOFTOPS OF FLORENCE Flirence has a magical skyline to dream on to. The miraculous dome of the Duomo, the unmistakable tower of the Signoria, the tiled rooftops, the marbled facades and the Rennaissance palazzi create an immersive…
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VALENCIA #SINEQUANON: THE THINGS YOU CANNOT LEAVE OUT
Last day in Valencia and here are the likely and unlikely musts in this gorgeous and happily (and thankfully) underrated city – besides paella and the old city center. Random order, you really have to try them all1. Bioparc You can call it a zoo, but you’ll be a gross understatement. This is the most wonderful “bio immersion” you’ve seen. The concept of immersing the visitor into the animals’ habitat – and not the other way round, the way a classical zoo does – is magically re-creating Africa in Valencia downtown.
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TUSCANY #SINEQUANON: THE THINGS YOU CANNOT LEAVE OUT
Take two weeks for it. You will want it to last forever anyway. There are places you can fast forward, and there are places you can resist the temptations that come along the way. Toscana is not one of them. You have to take it in, breath it, taste it, not just visit it. You have to have the time to live it. ONE: Rent a car and discover the countryside. Toscana has the most beautiful medieval castles and villages in the world, and the most wonderful country roads. If you don’t have the freedom to move between vineyards and take in the iconic cypress tree lined landscape, don’t even…
