Accommodations, Destinations, Europe, France

European Capital of Culture: Highlights of Marseille

Catherine Sweeney
February 18, 2015
European Capital of Culture: Highlights of Marseille

“Marseille is a way of life”. It’s the playing of pétanque (similar to bocce), the imbibing of pastis (an anise liqueur developed in Marseille as a substitute for the banned absinthe in 1915), the savoring of Bouillabaisse (for which Marseille is famous), and a certain “joie de vivre”. It is also a way of life that embraces the diversity of this melting pot on the Mediterranean and its rich culture, history, and art — giving an ample number of reasons for its designation as a 2013 European Capital of Culture.

Attractions, Destinations, Europe, France

Off-Season Highlights of Provence

Catherine Sweeney
January 6, 2015
Off-Season Highlights of Provence

There’s no blooming lavender in sight. The Cavaillon melons won’t be ripe until summer, and the waters of the Mediterranean are a little chilly for swimming.

There are still many reasons to visit Provence in the off-season as we discovered on our trip in December.

Destinations, Europe, Italy

Top 5 Reasons to Visit Emilia-Romagna

Catherine Sweeney
September 22, 2014
Top 5 Reasons to Visit Emilia-Romagna

It’s not a secret that I fell in love with the Emilia-Romagna and Puglia regions of Italy last year. As in Puglia, in Emilia-Romagna we met many wonderful people who were friendly, helpful, and very understanding of our extremely limited Italian language skills. Now I want to highlight some of the things you can do when you visit Emilia-Romagna to make it special for you, too.