Luxury Dining in a Train Station

Luxury Dining in a Train Station

In the contemporary psyche, fine dining is the last thing associated with train stations. Yet at the Paris Gare de Lyon, Le Train Bleu has been delighting guests in the classic culinary tradition of the great Parisian brasseries for over a century.

read more
The Odyssey Revisited – Athens to Delphi

The Odyssey Revisited – Athens to Delphi

Even before I ever set foot in the country I knew of its myriad islands and endless coastline. Add a plethora of archeological treasures in various stages of restoration, bountiful dinners of taverna fare and soulful rebetika music. I felt I had Greece covered.

read more
The back roads of Tuscany – Casentino

The back roads of Tuscany – Casentino

Hard to imagine that any corner of Tuscany could ever escape attention of tourists. But the Casentino Valley, a rural area wedged into the foothills of the Appenine Mountains a mere 50 kilometers east of Florence has managed to remain mainly ignored by visitors.

read more
The back roads of Tuscany – Val d’Orcia

The back roads of Tuscany – Val d’Orcia

Today I take to the back roads of Tuscany toward the Val d’Orcia. The region abounds with medieval hill towns with their own important cultural heritage. Among them Siena and her Piazza del Campo, one of the greatest medieval squares in Europe.

read more
The Oltrarno – where ancient Florence lives on

The Oltrarno – where ancient Florence lives on

No visit to Florence feels complete without a foray into the narrow alleys of the Oltrarno. Located outside the city’s walls, on the oltr’Arno the other side of the Arno), was from the start home to the traditional Florentine craftspeople carried on their trade. Today’s picture framers, gilders, engravers, enamelers and restorers of fine antiques still do.

read more
Everyday life amid Renaissance wonders

Everyday life amid Renaissance wonders

To wander around Florence is to walk back in time to the birthplace of modern western culture. The Renaissance began here, in the maze of narrow streets lined with the palazzos and monasteries of the old town. Their façades look like stark fortresses. But step through their foreboding, metal studded gates and a world of serene gardens, elegant cloisters and inexhaustible treasures await.

read more
Florence – Cradle of the Renaissance

Florence – Cradle of the Renaissance

Florence, the widely acknowledged cradle of the Renaissance, owes its splendor and unique influence on the development of the western world in great part to the dominant ruling family of the period, the Medici.

read more
The medieval gem in the heart of Belgium

The medieval gem in the heart of Belgium

Bruges, just one hour’s drive from the cosmopolitan center of Brussels, is one of these enchanted cities European fairy tales are made of; cities vanished into the sea at the height of their grandeur to reappear untouched by time every 100-years or so. Bruges, however, shines on.

read more

Subscribe!

Enter your email address to subscribe to this blog. An email will be sent to confirm your subscription, please click 'activate'. If you do not see our email in your inbox, check your spam folder.

Top Posts

A Paleolithic Treasure Under The Sea — Cosquer Cave
Scenes From The Stone Age – The Cave Paintings of Lascaux
In and around Palermo - The Great Byzantine Mosaics of Sicily
Moorish Palaces and Gypsy Grottos - Granada
Tahiti Diary –  The Garden of Eden Islands, Huahine and Taha’a
Tahiti Diary – The Mythical Marquesas II, Tahuata and Nuku Hiva

Archives

Josette King

I was barely in my teens when travel became a driving force in my life. Now as a travel writer and photographer, I have visited over 45 countries in some of the most photogenic corners of the planet, taking tens of thousands of pictures along the way. With my work, I thrive to capture the natural… and cultural uniqueness of each area I visit. Get to know me better…

The International Food Wine & Travel Writers Association