Happy travels!

* All images courtesy of Airbnb
** All prices in $CAD

FRANCE – Eiffel Tower Airbnb

• Airbnb in Paris, France
• $150 per night

Imagine waking up to this view every morning! Of course, such a privilege comes at a premium; with rates going as high as $650 per night, not just anyone can afford to marvel at the Paris skyline while sipping on their morning café au lait. But it sure is an unforgettable experience!

Iceland – Luxury villa

• Luxury villa in Iceland
• $650 per night

Experience this ultra-modern, bold villas in the tranquil village of Akureyri in Northern Iceland, with nature at your doorstep. This is an excellent option year round, as you can both enjoy the midnight sun in the summertime as well as the aurora borealis in the wintertime – as you know, Iceland is always a good idea.

Ireland – Restored church in Galway

• Church in Ireland
• $150 per night

Experience life in a 200-year old restored church just a few minutes from lively Galway, on the scenic western coast of Ireland. Although the church is equipped with every modern amenity, it’s also kept many of its original features – definitely an unforgettable, unique adventure!

Cinque Terre, Italy

• Airbnb in Cinque Terre
• $128 per night

Quite possibly the best balcony in Italy! The apartment is small but frankly this is not the main selling point here, as the romantic terrace overlooks the village of Corniglia in Italy’s legendary Cinque Terre.

Norway – Sognefjord Airbnb

• Cabin in the Norway fjords
• $350 per night

This old thing? Just a fabulous cabin by one of Norway’s most famous fjords. Perfect for hikers and boat enthusiasts – as for me, I will just enjoy a chilled glass of white wine on that lovely waterfront terrace, thank you very much.

Scotland

• Waterside cabin on the Isle of Skye
• $118 per night

A luxury self-catering studio for two on the edge of a bird sanctuary with stunning views of Beinn na Caillich mountain, this bijou Airbnb is close to many Skye attractions as well as a number of shops. The power shower, the cosy fireplace as well as the downright idyllic setting make it a top accommodation of the Isle of Skye. I stayed there myself and had a wonderful time; Fiona is a lovely host.

Scotland – Wigtown Bookstore Airbnb

• The best Airbnb in Scotland
• $55 per night

Bookworms of the world, rejoice: this amazing Airbnb features not only a flat but most importantly the first ever bookshop holiday/residency experience at The Open Book, a charming bookshop in the heart of Scotland’s National Book Town, Wigtown. Meet fellow book lovers and learn everything there is to know about Scottish literature with the help of friendly locals.

Switzerland – Après-ski cabin

• Luxury chalet in the Alps
• $191 per night

Whether you’re in it for the ski or the après-ski, this beautiful luxury chalet in the French Alps (just a few kilometres from a ski resort) features an unusually high cathedral ceiling as well as a wood-burning fireplace – the perfect backdrop for a well-deserved cheese fondue. When in Rome, right?

• https://www.airbnb.com/rooms/49372736
• https://www.airbnb.co.uk/rooms/283638
• https://www.airbnb.co.uk/rooms/49374597
• https://www.airbnb.co.uk/rooms/34444025
• https://www.airbnb.co.uk/rooms/18132082
• https://www.airbnb.com.au/rooms/36105750

The post The Best Airbnbs in Every Country in Europe appeared first on To Europe And Beyond.

7:30 to 9:00

Hopping the bus for a vaporetto transfer to the city centre, I put my suitcase at La Palazzina Veneziana an hour later, a charming little hotel that will do the trick for one night. The nine o’clock strike rings in the chapel of San Geremia.

9:00 to 12:00

Stop at the Torrefazione Cannaregio for a duo cappuccino-cornetto  oh so Italian terrace. It was here that the heart of Venice came alive: old men playing cards, lovers sipping espresso, toddlers bickering on their way to class. 

Later, my footsteps will follow one another according to the ocher, salmon, peach, crimson and brown facades; the colors lining the channels of the Jewish ghetto multiply to the delight of my hyperactive camera, which will sketch some of my favorite shots of this day. 

I emerge a few hours later on the Grand Canal, not without stopping at the Gelateria Ca ‘D’oro for my first dose of frozen stracciatella.

12:00 to 15:00

I make a stop at Palais Ca d’Oro. It houses the works of Venetian masters such as Bellini and Carpaccio, all recognized for their perspective of realism to be mistaken.

I visit some of the chapels of the San Marco district in the passage, including San Giovanni Crisostomo and Santo Stefano, and San Salvador which features Titian’s fabulous Annunciation painting.

The bell towers remind me that it’s lunch time. I’m waiting on the terrace of Ristorante Da Ivo, whose specialties perfectly combine the Venetian and Tuscan cuisines.

15:00 to 18:00

The postcards had not lied to me: the canals of Venice are indeed crowded with gondolas, maneuvered by affable gondolieri  in search of credulous tourists who will pay the full price without complaining.

However, I am rather trying to get away from the sea level, sinking in the alleys of Campo Marin to the palace Contarini del Bovolo. It is because the modest palazzo – oxymoron if there is one – is endowed with a splendid multi-arch spiral staircase opening, at its pinnacle, offering a panoramic view of the roofs of Venice.

In the direction of the last cultural stop of the day, St. Mark’s Square, I regain strength with a dose of gelato well deserved at Bacino Orseolo, one of the most famous merchants of the city. 

I cross the famous square, mingling amongst the tourists lost in the sights of Venice, selfie sticks in tow, before taking refuge in the basilica of the same name, whose millennial age and Byzantine opulence amaze.

18:00 to …

After 10 laborious hours navigating the topography of Venice, I embrace, with a little too much enthusiasm the tradition of aperol spritz i cicchetti.

Some good addresses discovered during this aperitif walk: the Cantina do Mori (the oldest bàcaro of Venice, dating from 1462), the Cantinone-già Schiavi carpeted with bottles of wine, the Osteria Banco Giro and its terrace overlooking the Grand Canal and, in particular, the Do Spade with its platters of seafood and the Vini de  Gigio near my hotel. 

I collapse for the night, satisfied with my journey, saying only a goodbye rather than a farewell to the fabulous Venice.

The post How to see Venice — in just 24 hours appeared first on To Europe And Beyond.

Welcome to a wanderlust-inducing photo odyssey of this dreamy property. Please note that I am hereby excluding myself from any liability pertaining to the spontaneous purchase of flights and travel plans :-)

A history of Emilia Romagna wines

Cleto Chiarli moved to the Modena countryside in 1850 to fully dedicate himself to winemaking, more specifically Lambrusco wines—his true passion. This new endeavour ended up being a small revolution in the area as the delicate sparkling red wine was not yet broadly commercialised; Chiarli improved bottling methods, using a unique process where the wine is bottled as is and only carbonates (i.e., turns into sparkling wine) once through re-fermentation, as carbon dioxide is naturally released from the alcohol sugar’s fermentation. He even went on to win an esteemed award at the 1900 Paris’ Exposition Universelle, a first for Lambrusco wines. Nowadays, Cleto Chiarli winery produces over 15 types of wines, both regular and sparkling, whites, reds, and rosés, each more delectable than the last.

But Cleto Chiarli was adamant about one thing: affordability. His goal was never to become a wine tycoon; he was adamant about keeping his products at a low price point, as he simply wanted the good people of Emilia Romagna to have the opportunity to enjoy quality Lambrusco wine regardless of their social standing.

And although Chiarli wines are still very decently priced (most bottles are under the €20 mark), it is thought that Cleto Chiarli would still be besides himself for having to pay so much money *LOL* for a humble sparkling wine.

Located in the southern outskirts of Modena, Cleto Chiarli specialises in Lambrusco wines, a sparkling and pleasant red wine very dear to the heart of locals. According to the Chiarli family, their Lambrusco “may well be the oldest in Europe”; indeed, the red nectar was mentioned in some of Virgil’s writings and poems… in the Augustan Period, roughly the year 50 BC. The grapes are now a denominazione di origine controllata, a severe and tightly-controlled quality assurance label for Italian food products.

Part of what makes this wine so special is that, contrary to most of its counterparts, it is not aged; grapes are harvested in late summer and bottled almost immediately, which gives the Lambrusco a unique and refreshing zing. If you’re like me and you’re not too keen on red wines, this is a way to open up your palate to softer, fruitier flavours.

I got as many bottles as Canadian customs let me bring home and I savoured them deliberately slowly, with some of my closest friends, plenty of Italian salami, and bits of aged Parmesan, aka the only way Lambrusco should be enjoyed as far as I’m concerned.

How to visit Cleto Chiarli

• The winery is located in the beautiful countryside in the outskirts of Modena.
• DON’T DRINK AND DRIVE. If you can’t be bothered to stick to the alcohol limit (who would blame you, with such amazing wines?),  there’s a hop-on-hop-off bus route that stops at several sites of interest in and around Modena, including the Cleto Chiarli Winery and many others. It costs €60 per person for two days and includes transportation in air-conditioned coaches as well as guided visits and tastings at every stop. I’ve done it, and I think it’s worth the price.
• If you do travel to the winery independently, know that winery tours and tastings are available by reservation only. If you go with the hop-on-hop-off bus, you are entitled to a free visit and tasting anytime between Monday and Sunday, from 10:15AM to 5:15PM, between May 1st and October 31st.
• There is a shop on-site where you can buy as many bottles as you wish. They accept international credit cards.

The post Italy in a glass: drinking Lambrusco at Cleto Chiarli appeared first on To Europe And Beyond.

Admittedly, I have seen very little of Italy. Venice, Rome, and Bologna, to be exact – which is not much at all. But I take great pride in saying that I have been to Modena, a city that represents Italy in many aspects, from the foodie culture to the car industry, and to the wonderful terracotta-coloured architecture.

Not familiar with Modena? You will be after this post. This idyllic town located on the flat plains of the sluggish Po River is home to some of Italy’s most precious culinary traditions as well as an infinitely authentic, deeply magnetizing atmosphere that I have rarely seen in my travels.

PS I will not be held responsible for any spontaneous plane ticket purchase made after reading this post. Continue at your own risk!

Modena Travel – In Photos

Piazza Grande and Duomo di Modena

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The view from atop the campanile

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[left]Photogenic alleyways behind the Duomo[/left]

[right]The impressive walk to the top![/right]

It makes sense to start at the beginning, right? This is why I headed to Piazza Grande and the Modena Cathedral first thing in the morning; I knew the view from atop the soaring Ghirlandina tower would not only make for good photos (and it certainly delivered on that aspect!), but would also help me get the lay of the land.

Duomo di Modena was first built a whopping millennium ago and has since been listed as a UNESCO World Heritage Site because of its exceptional architecture, a “masterpiece of human creative genius” that remains, to this day, one of the finest examples of Romanesque architecture in Europe.

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Ducal Palace of Modena

Now home to the Italian Military Academy headquarters, the Palazzo ducale di Modena served as the residence of the Este Dukes of Modena (one of the most prominent European families) for over 500 years. The building’s striking Baroque features are enhanced by the vast and virtually bare piazza in front of it.

Hosteria Giusti, one of the oldest restaurants in Modena

Via Luigi Carlo Farini

Parrocchia Di Santa Maria Assunta Nella Metropolitana

Of course, one of Modena’s most popular and well-known features are the long and elegant arcades. I tried to find out where exactly this classic Emilia-Romagna feature might be from; after all, you don’t go through all the trouble of building countless ornate archways just for the sake of it, right? Was it because of weather issues, or simply because of Modena’s wealth as a major trading point between Northern and Southern Europe?

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One of the best meals of my life was at Da Danilo in Modena. Tortellini is a local speciality, and each restaurant has its secret, mouthwatering filling that made me want to order second servings every time. Pictured here is a ricotta-spinach tortellini glazed in sweet balsamic vinegar. With a glass of local lambrusco, of course.

Chiesa di Santa Maria della Pomposa

Modena Travel: Know Before You Go

• I stayed at Hotel Libertà just off Piazza Mazzini Giuseppe.
• If indeed you wish to stay overnight and discover what Modena’s tummy is made of, get a ticket for the Discover Ferrari & Pavarotti land shuttle bus that will take you to wineries, Parmesan cheese and balsamic vinegar factories, Luciano Pavarotti house museum, Ferrari museum/factory and many more iconic Modena attractions.
• Personally, though, considering I got my driver’s licence at the ripe age of 28 years old I wouldn’t say cars are a passion of mine! But Modena is, nonetheless, a famous car town. Ferrari, Maserati, Bugatti and many more are headquartered there – so if you’re a car enthusiast, this is definitely the place to be.

The post 22 Photos to Inspire You to Visit Modena appeared first on To Europe And Beyond.

Tortelloni

Hands down the best meal I had in Italy – I literally came this close to ordering a second serving! This dish of ricotta-spinach tortelloni was served in a locally-sourced sweet balsamic glaze. It was at Da Danilo in Modena (see map below).

The only aspect on which locals agree on in regards to the origins of tortelloni is that they’re from the province of Modena; otherwise, your guess is as good as mine. There is, however, a cheeky rumour that the owner of the inn where Lucrezia Borgia, the famed Duchess of Ferrara, Modena, and Reggio, once stayed was in fact so enamoured by her beauty that he couldn’t resist the urge to peek into her room through the keyhole after she had gone to sleep; as the bedroom was only lit by a few candles he only caught a glimpse of her navel, which apparently was enough to inspire him and create the now-iconic pasta that night. Because Italy.

Good to know: tortelloni and tortellini are not the same thing. The former is much larger than the latter (slightly bigger than an adult palm), and is normally stuffed with cheese and served in sauce. Tortellini, at least in Italy, is usually on the meat side and served in broth as a soup.

Prosciutto

Give me prosciutto wrapped around a piece of melon, as a topping on my pizza, in a sandwich with fresh bread, I’m not picky: I’ll take any prosciutto I can get. When you’ve lived in France for as long as I have, you develop a certain addiction to charcuteries…!

Prosciutto is a Protected Designations of Origin in the European Union and must, therefore, adhere to certain rules to be considered authentic. For starters, only a handful of breeds can be used to produce prosciutto; eligible pigs have to be from Northern Italy where they are fed a diet that contains a secret blend of cereal grains and whey from the Parmigiano-Reggiano cheese production. It truly doesn’t get more local than that! The meat is heavily salted, trimmed, dried, and hung to cure for anywhere between 12 to 40 months.

If you’re particularly interested in the production of prosciutto, make sure to visit the Charcuterie Museum in Castelnuovo Rangone, right outside Modena.

Balsamic vinegar

As it turns out, I knew nothing about balsamic vinegar before I went to the oldest producer in the world, Giuseppe Giusti in Lesignana. And by this, I mean proper vinegar, not the tangy, sour stuff we have in supermarkets back home. I was, indeed, pleasantly surprised to find out that artisanal balsamic vinegar is actually quite sweet yet very potent – just a few drops are necessary to fully exploit the flavours.

The traditional way of producing this rich elixir is by boiling down just-harvested white Trebbiano grapes to create a must, which will be fermented and aged in wooden casks – for at least 12 years – in order to concentrate and  become sweeter.

One of the best ways to enjoy good balsamic vinegar? By sprinkling it over aged parmesan cheese, or, if you’re feeling adventurous, over vanilla ice cream. Sounds weird, tastes delicious.

Parmesan cheese

Now, the rather large bags under my eyes – courtesy of jetlag – have prevented my face from showing the full extent of my excitement, but believe me when I say that rarely felt this giddy in my entire life. Think of Ron Swanson’s giggling when he thinks of breakfast food; this is how I felt in this gigantic parmesan dairy and warehouse. Behind me, ladies and gentlemen are a few million euros’ worth of ageing parmesan wheels.

Better than gold, if you ask me.

Legit Parmigiano-Reggiano can only be produced in a small, designated area around Modena and Bologna and must be aged for a minimum of 12 months. The younger it is, the easier it is to grate over pasta; but as it gets older, it is best enjoyed in chunks and, like I said, sprinkled in balsamic vinegar. It’s incredible how the 12 months and the, say, 48 months taste vastly different.

Lambrusco

I’ll just go ahead and say this right away: Chieto Chiarli is one of the most beautiful wineries I’ve ever seen. I’m not sure if it’s because of how typically Italian this family-owned estate looks or because of how kind and passionate the owners are, but I completely fell in love with this place.

Located in the southern outskirts of Modena, it specialises in Lambrusco wines, a sparkling and pleasant red wine very dear to the heart of locals. The wine is not aged; the grapes are harvested in late summer and bottled almost immediately, which gives the Lambrusco a unique and refreshing zing. If you’re like me and you’re not too keen on red wines, this is a way to open your palate to softer, fruitier flavours.

Tagliatelle al Ragù

I visited Bologna at the end of my journey in Emilia-Romagna and I mistakenly thought it wouldn’t, couldn’t, get better. What I fool I was! Upon the recommendation of my local buddy Nick I had lunch at Trattoria del Rosso, where I didn’t even bother to look at the menu before I ordered a tagliatelle al ragù (the local way of asking for bolognese, which, by the way, isn’t served with spaghetti) – that I generously covered in Parmigiano-Reggiano before I slurped my way through the dish in less time than I care to admit.

This “bolognese” is really more of a ragout with two kinds of meat (pork and beef) and a healthy dose of veggies chopped so finely they’re barely perceptible to sight or taste. I’ve been trying to recreate it at home ever since, to no avail.

I’ve got to go back, right?

Eating in Italy: know before you go

• Some restaurants are only open for lunch; others will be closed for the afternoon before reopening for dinner. Best to check schedules before you go!
• Restaurants will usually charge a few extra euros if you opt to sit outside on the terrace.
• Water is never free in Italian restaurants. You can choose between sparkling or still water, and it’s going to set you back 2-3 euros per bottle.
• There’s a hop-on-hop-off bus route that stops at several sites of interest in and around Modena, including the historic balsamic factory, the parmesan factory, the Ferrari museum and plant, the Charcuterie Museum, wineries, and many others. It costs €60 per person for two days and includes transportation in air-conditioned coaches as well as guided visits and tastings at every stop. I’ve done it, and I think it’s worth the price. Check it out here.

The post 6 iconic Italian dishes you didn’t know were from Emilia-Romagna (and where to get them) appeared first on To Europe And Beyond.

That’s quite a reputation to live up to, right? No pressure, Rome. You continue doing that “best and most historical city in the world thing” you got going on. No biggie!

Between the piazzas, the sprawling terraces, the dramatic fountains, and, oh, just 2000 years of history, Rome has plenty to keep first, second, and hundreth-timers plenty busy. If you factor in the time you’ll spend finding your way in the maze that are Roman alleys, and also the gelatos you’ll inevitably get as a reward for indeed, making your way back to your next destination, you could spend a lifetime in the eternal city (see what I did there?) and still not manage to fully grap it.

Welcome to Rome!

Photos of Rome – Piazzas, Fountains, and Churches

Piazza Navona

Piazza Navona

Italian lasagna FTW!

Foro Romano

Pantheon

The famous ceilings of Sistine Chapel
Inside the Vatican

Santa Maria dei Miracol

Colosseum at night

Admittedly, I was only in Rome for a short 48 hours as a weekend getaway from London. You know how it is with the European low-cost airlines, eh! Even though I’m well aware I only scratched the surface of the eight world wonder that is Rome, I left the city with a feeling of having accomplished something.

I freaking saw the Colosseum for God’s sake! If that’s not on your bucket list, then I don’t know what is.

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