It’s no surprise that any trip through Florence will eventually lead you to the famed Ponte Vecchio (old bridge). This bridge was first mentioned during Roman times and spans the Arno river at its narrowest point. It has survived a few floods and story has it that even Hitler ordered that the bridge not be destroyed during WWII. When you …
Orsanmichele
I’m one of those annoying people who want to ring on every doorbell just to see what’s behind that door. This is particularly true when you travel with me through a city like Florence. I want to explore every nook and cranny, climb every decrepit stairwell no matter the vertigo, and peer inside every window just for a glimpse of …
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Happy Holidays From Firenze!
This year’s Christmas post is from Florence, Italy, one of my favorite places in the world. The first time I came through here, I was blown away to finally see everything I had studied for four years in college about Italian art history. Brunelleschi, Ghiberti, Ghirlandaio, Boticelli, Michelangelo, Donatello and other Renaissance masters all came to life to me as …
Berghotel Kockelsberg
I get a lot of mail from readers about the hotels I visit on my travel. I can’t say I have any real hard rule to follow, especially if the destination is in the middle of nowhere, with the exception of “no B&Bs”…until I stumbled into the charming Berghotel Kockelsberg on this trip. I got there late in the evening …
Trier, Part One
Trier is one of the oldest cities in Germany, possibly founded before 16 BC. It is a lovely town in the Rhineland-Palatinate and Mosel wine region, population of around 100,000. One of its most celebrated landmarks is the UNESCO World Heritage Site Porta Nigra (Latin for black gate), a huge Roman city gate built around 186-200 AD. The name most …