Salzburg, Austria

By Everett Potter

Vienna’s urban sophistication and verve are a world away from Salzburg’s stately Italianate baroque architecture, with its squares and palaces and domes. It’s vaguely Vatican in feeling, as befits a former papal state. But this UNESCO World Heritage Site is a city that seems pleasantly cosmopolitan and bucolic at once — a rare combination. It has one of Europe’s most chic rooftop bars and the most star-studded classical music festival on the continent. Salzburg lies on either side of the rushing Salzach River, whose grassy banks are often adorned with sunbathing music students. there to absorb the rays and the vibes of this city of Mozart. But raise your eyes and there are green hills surrounding this bastion of classical music. So take an afternoon to go hiking. Nature and culture are rarely this intertwined.

Glockenspiel at Salzburg Museum

1. Glockenspiel tunes
Salzburg Museum
Housed since 2007 in the Neue Residenz — the “New Residential Palace” — on Mozartplatz, the museum has a fine collection of historic paintings that bring Salzburg to life. But the real treat is on the roof of this imposing structure, where you’ll find the Salzburg Glockenspiel, a carillon dating from 1704. Made from giant handmade cogs, wheels and bells, it rings out daily and can be heard throughout the city. You can take a guided tour of the carillon tower, which requires many flights of winding stairs and offers an 18th-century bird’s-eye view of the city.

Hallstatt, Austria

2. Hike in Hallstatt
Hallstatt
An hour’s bus ride (slightly longer by train) gets you from Salzburg to Hallstatt, in the heart of the Austrian lake district. The village, a UNESCO World Cultural Heritage Site, is surrounded by stunning lakes and mountains, and is the ideal starting place for easy hikes into the mountains.

Salzburg Festival

3. Music
Salzburg Festival
Founded by Max Reinhardt, Hugo von Hoffmannsthal and Richard Strauss in 1920, the Salzburg Festival — from July 20 to Sept. 2 — is arguably Europe’s best classical event, encompassing eight weeks of concerts, operas and theater performances throughout the city. This year, expect to see Claudio Abbado, Murray Perahia and Krystian Zimerman, among others.

“Sound of Music” tour, Salzburg

4. The hills are alive
“The Sound of Music”
Some might call it cornball, while others see it as reverential and possibly the highlight of a trip to Austria. Panorama Tours offers the classic four-hour “Sound of Music” tour that goes where the film was actually shot, including Mirabell Gardens (“Do-Re-Mi”) and Nonnberg Abbey.

Rooftop bar at Hotel Stein, Salzburg

5. Drink
The Stein Terrace, Hotel Stein
This has to be one of the most inspiring views from any rooftop bar in the world: a panorama that includes baroque architecture, the streets of Salzburg and — across the Salzach River — the imposing Hohensalzburg Castle, with the famed green hills serving as a backdrop for it all. Whether you’re ordering a glass of grüner veltliner or something stronger, any drink almost seems like an afterthought.

Maier’s, Salzburg

6. Dine
Maier’s
Tucked away on a narrow, meandering back street of Steingasse, well away from the tourist throng, this is where young, fashion-conscious residents come to preen, sip cocktails and dine under the vaulted stone ceiling. The restaurant is known for steak, and with just 25 seats, reservations are essential.

Hotel Sacher, Salzburg

7. A little ‘night, night’ music
Hotel Sacher Salzburg
A river view room at the Sacher Hotel (rooms from $425) ranks as one of the more sublime European hotel experiences. The rooms are elegant, plush and delightfully old-fashioned. And better yet, the original Sacher torte, an Austrian chocolate cake, is readily available, riverside, at Café Sacher.

For more info, go to Salzburg

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Ballynahinch Castle, Galway

By Cari Gray

Ireland is a breathtakingly beautiful island, known for lush green scenery, sheep, Irish whiskey, music, leprechauns, fairies, fresh cuisine and the friendliest of folk – Cead Mille Failte or a hundred thousand welcomes!

The gorgeous West Coast Atlantic scenery is well appreciated on four feet or two wheels. The West coast is an approximately 3 hour drive from Dublin, or a two hour drive from Shannon airport, or right near Galway airport. An hour south of Galway lies the Burren, an approximately 180 square mile area of distinctive exposed limestone or karst mountain scenery and stone dolmen rocks.  Two nights at Gregans Castle gives you time to explore this windswept and romantic area. The hotel is a cozy, elegant manor house, with wood burning fires. Honeymooners love the four-poster bed in the Martyn suite. Golfers also love the proximity to Lahinch golf course. Head to Monk’s Pub in nearby Ballyvaughan for delicious fresh oysters on the pier. Stop in to see the Aillwee cave, one of the oldest in Ireland. Local town Lisdoorvarna is known for its hot springs and matchmaking festival each September.

Cliffs of Moher

The highlight of the Burren is the Cliffs of Moher, Ireland’s most visited attraction, stretching for five miles and reaching a height of 703 feet above the ocean. On a clear day, you can see the Aran Islands: Inisheer, the smallest and closest island to Doolin; Inishmaan, the middle island; and Inishmore: the biggest. Take the 20 minute ferry from the nearby village of Doolin (famous for its live music) to Inishmore. Walk out to the prehistoric stone ring fort of Dun Aengus and explore the rugged, windswept island.

Fishing at Lough Inagh Lodge

That afternoon, take a separate 40-minute ferry back to Rossaveel where you can drive into the heart of majestic Connemara, the area within County Galway between the Atlantic Coast and the shores of Lough Corrib. The Coast Road (R340) leads right to Ballynahinch Castle (Set on 450 acres, this fairytale castle may seem imposing from the exterior, but inside there is plenty of warmth. The luxury suites in the Riverside wing are very comfortable, and overlook the river. If you prefer a more intimate manor house, check into the nearby 13- room Lough Inagh Lodge (This lodge is nestled on the shores of the lake, with each room facing the water. You’ll need at least two nights to best cover the region. The area holds plenty of activities, including fishing, horseback riding on the beach with famous Connemara ponies, golf, and bicycling. The hiking is truly superb and local expert archeologist Michael Gibbons, owner of the Connemara Walking Centre in Clifden, is the best guide around.

Clifden

The next day, drive the stunning Coast Road, past beaches to the village of Roundstone where a stop at Malachy Kearns Bodhran Gaelic goat-skin drum-making music shop is a must, as is the clam chowder at O’Dowd’s pub. Walk up Mt Errisberg, a 2 hour walk up the hill from Roundstone. Continue on to the charming bustling town of Clifden, the capital of Connamara, is dominated by two beautiful churches built in the early 1800’s. Stop to shop at Millar’s on Main Street, well known for their woolen goods, arts, and crafts. Have a pint at the local watering hole Tom Kings Snug, located on Market Square. From Clifden, take a little more time to drive or walk the seven-mile circular Sky Road for views of Inishbofin and Inishturk Islands and white sand beaches. Head to the seaside village of Cleggan for crab claws at Olivers Bar. For more formal fare, visit the town of Letterfrack, the gateway to the Connemara National Park, where you’ll find the elegant Pangur Ban restaurant. Chef John Walsh’s Bailey’s Cream Cheesecake is a favorite. Further along that road lies the 1868 Kylemore Abbey, open for tours of the house and gardens. Head back to the castle or lodge along the interior bog road, with sweeping views of the Twelve Ben Mountains, and sheep dotting the landscape.

Poster for “The Quiet Man”

For a lavish West Ireland finale, head inland to the shores of Lough Corrib, to the village of Cong (where they filmed John Wayne’s “The Quiet Man”) home to the opulent and traditional Ashford Castle. This former Guinness family estate, celebrates its extraordinary 70th anniversary as a hotel this year. The 350-acre property dates back to 1228 and features a 9-hole golf course, equestrian, falconry, boating, fishing and more. Honeymooners will want to stay in a spacious Master Suite overlooking the lake. The Connaught Room is the more romantic of the castle restaurants. After dinner, head down to the Dungeon Bar for an Irish coffee in front of the fire. For a more contemporary and intimate finale, stay in a lake view suite at the Lisloughrey Lodge, a former gamekeepers lodge on the Ashford grounds. Opened in 2007, the Georgian exterior was preserved but the interiors are decidedly modern and the cuisine at Salt delicious. From Ashford, it’s a 3.5-hour drive back to Dublin or a two-hour drive back to Shannon International.

Monks Bar

Old Pier Ballyvaughan Co Clare

Gregans Castle

Ballyvaughan, Co Clare

www.Gregans.ie

Aillwee Cave, Ballyvaughan, Co. Clare

www.aillweecave.ie

Lahinch Golf Club, Lahinch, Co Clare

www.LahinchGolf.com

Cliffs of Moher New Visitor Experience

Tel +353 (0)65 7086141 Fax +353 (0)65 7086142

www.cliffsofmoher.ie

Aran Islands

www.visitaranislands.com

Ballynahinch Castle Hotel, Recess, Connemara, Co. Galway

www.ballynahinch-castle.com

Lough Inagh Lodge, Recess, Connemara, Co. Galway

www.connemarahotel.net

Roundstone Musical Instruments Ltd, Roundstone,

Co. Galway

www.bodhran.com

O’Dowds Seafood Bar & Restaurant, Roundstone, Co. Galway

www.odowdsrestaurant.com

Millars, Main Street, Clifden, Co. Galway

Oliver’s Bar, Cleggan, Co. Galway

Pangur Bán Restaurant, Letterfrack, Co. Galway

www.pangurban.com,

Connemara Walking Center, Clifden, Co. Galway

Tel: 353-95-21379

Cleggan Beach Riding Centre, Cleggan, Co. Galway,

www.clegganridingcentre.com

Kylemore Abbey, Kylemore, Co Galway

www.kylemoreabbey.com

Ashford Castle, Cong, Co Mayo

www.ashford.ie

Lisloughrey Lodge, Cong, Co Mayo

www.lisloughreylodge.ie

   Cari Gray has traveled the world–  initially as her parents’ excess but well-loved baggage on overseas work assignments, later as a wide-eyed explorer. For over 15 years, Cari worked for Butterfield & Robinson in the luxury active travel business, crafting and guiding custom trips annually for high net worth individuals and corporations. Her many roles at B&R included directing global marketing and public relations. She’s since started Gray & Co., applying her in-depth knowledge and personal experience to create custom high-end active journeys around the world with the best global array of hotels, resorts, villas, events, guides, tour operators and industry consortia.

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De La Ville Roma

By Marc Kristal

“Location, location, location,” that governing incantation of all real estate deals, isn’t quite as ironclad when it comes to choosing a hotel. For one, part of the pleasure of travel involves discovering unknown, out-of-the-way gems; for another, hostelries in the heart of the action tend to be crowded, expensive, and touristic. The site of the InterContinental De La Ville Roma, however, would be impossible for even the most dedicated alternative traveler to resist. Just down the hill from Trinità dei Monti, at the top of the Spanish Steps, on Via Sistina, the hotel offers the privacy afforded by a discreet, narrow walking street while being a minute from one of the most majestic and storied overlooks in all of central Rome. De La Ville Roma is a pleasant stroll from such famous destinations as the Borghese Gallery and its sublime surrounding gardens and park, the Villa Medici, Piazza del Popolo, and vias Condotti (for shopping) and Veneto (for pretending you’re Fellini); and, if you enjoy sightseeing on foot (and in Rome, who doesn’t?), it’s not much further to the Pantheon and Piazza Navona, the Forum and the Vatican – many of the places that, in spirit and in fact, make the city feel “eternal.” And like the street where it lives, the hotel itself, comprised of three buildings surrounding a central court, owns a discreet, old-world decorousness that enables guests to feel at once a part of, and apart from, the city. The pleasures of its setting aside, De La Ville Roma presents a number of charms that separate it from the typical “brand” hotel, and make it a pleasurable place indeed to vacation, vacation, vacation.

De La Ville Roma

Appropriately, for a city in which the past everywhere haunts the present, De La Ville Roma is layered with history. During the Roman Empire, the land formed a part of the legendary Gardens of Lucullus, developed by the great general and politician whose name is synonymous with extravagant gourmandizing (as in “a lucullan feast”). Beginning in the sixteenth century, a monastery occupied the site; what is today the hotel’s inner courtyard functioned as a cloister in which the monks devoted themselves to prayer. In 1924, the Hungarian architect József Vágó combined the multiple structures into a hotel – which quickly became one of Rome’s most prestigious – and its modern, and very colorful, life began. According to Ciro Verrocchi, De La Ville Roma’s general manager, the hotel’s back door made it a popular choice for philandering politicians, and then as now the place remains a favorite among film stars, rock musicians, and supermodels (and, apparently, a good location: Woody Allen shot a scene for To Rome with Love in one of the suites).

With 192 rooms (24 of them suites), De La Ville Roma isn’t especially large, and the public spaces, though mostly high-ceilinged, are intimately scaled, which gives the hotel the welcome flavor of a private villa or pensione, a quality enhanced by the multiple terraces and balconies, many of them lightly, colorfully landscaped, that overlook the interior court. These alternate with 27 rooms that take advantage of the hotel’s location near the top of the Pincian Hill to deliver commanding panoramic vistas of the city and Borghese Gardens. The availability of the outdoors, the curiosity encouraged by the terrace-ringed communal courtyard, give De La Ville Roma a distinctly Roman companionability that’s unusual in a five-star hotel – in which the experience is typically more about the room than what’s outside the window – a sense of community echoed in the second-floor outdoor dining terraces and the Emperor’s Terrace, the rooftop bar/restaurant that opens in the warm months.

De La Ville Roma

When asked what most distinguishes De La Ville Roma from the competition, Verrocchio answers, immediately, “it has the old charm,” and unlike other hotels with what he calls “a big tradition in the city, like the Excelsior, you have the great location.” Combined with “the consistency of a branded hotel,” Verrocchio adds, “it’s a place you can feel ‘old fashioned’ but with good quality.”

That’s largely a fair assessment, though De La Ville Roma is not without its shortcomings. The traditional hotel, with its festoon curtains and patterned rugs, requires freshening to rescue it from dowager-dom – both the rooms in which I stayed needed a coat of paint and new carpets – and more attentive housekeeping; and certain elements, notably the tiny, underequipped fitness room and frustratingly hit-or-miss wifi, would elicit complaints from travelers used to InterContinental’s dependably consistent amenities. De La Ville does not disappoint, however, when it comes to service: you are fussed over by teams of suitably (but not excessively) friendly and colorful receptionists, concierges, waiters, and bellmen in a fashion that does feel old-school in the most enjoyable and genuine of ways. If the ultimate measure of any establishment is its staff,  De La Ville Roma deserves its five stars – and just outside the door, the heart of Rome awaits.

Visit InterContinental De La Ville Roma

  Marc Kristal is an architecture, design and travel writer. Kristal, a contributing editor of Dwell and a former editor of AIA/J, and has written for The New York Times, Architectural Digest, Elle Decor, Wallpaper, Surface, and numerous other publications. In 2003, he curated the exhibition ‘Absence Into Presence: The Art, Architecture and Design of Remembrance’ at Parsons School of Design, and in 2009 he was part of the project team that created the award-winning Greenwich South planning study for the Alliance for Downtown New York. His books include Re:Crafted: Interpretations of Craft in Contemporary Architecture and Interiors (2010) and Immaterial World: Transparency in Architecture (2011), both from The Monacelli Press. Also a screenwriter, Kristal wrote the film Torn Apart.  He lives in New York.

The post De La Ville Roma appeared first on Everett Potter's Travel Report.

Giffords Circus

By Emily Goldfischer

Looking for a quintessential English countryside vacation that offers fun, interesting activities for the kids but also charm and romance for the adults?  The perfect balance of both can be found little more than an hour’s drive west of London in the Cotswolds. Officially designated as an “Area of Outstanding Natural Beauty,” the 200-mile Cotswold region is famous for its ancient limestone villages, rolling green hills (“wolds” in old English), and bustling market towns that have changed little since the 15^th and 16^th centuries.

Running from the Roman city of Bath in the south to Shakespeare’s hometown of Stratford-Upon-Avon in the north, with the collegial Oxford in the east and the regal Cheltenham further west, there is no shortage of choices for sightseeing.  If you only have a few days, however, London-based correspondent, Emily Goldfischer, suggests sticking to the heart of the Cotswolds – Gloucestershire – where you can fill your days enjoying the spectacular landscape on foot or by bike. Here are five attractions not to miss.

 1. Westonbirt Arboretum (www.forestry.gov.uk/westonbirt) – With more than 17 miles of paths across 600 acres, Westonbirt—the national arboretum of England—is a wonder.  On display you’ll find some of the oldest, biggest and rarest trees in the world – more than 2,000 varieties – all easy to navigate with adventure trail maps.  We loved the fort building station equipped with moveable wood planks! The arboretum is located three miles outside of the upscale market town of Tetbury. Filled with antique shops and gastro-pubs, it’s also the location of Highgrove (www.highgrovegardens.com/), the private estate of Prince Charles and the Duchess of Cornwall.  The magnificent gardens at Highgrove are open to the public (pre-booking essential) but not great for kids, so for a sample of royalty don’t miss the Highgrove shop in town (www.highgroveshop.com/) with goods produced by Prince Charles’s charitable companies.

Cotswold Farm Park

2. Cotswold Farm Park (www.cotswoldfarmpark.co.uk) – this working farm gives insight into the region’s agricultural past and is the ultimate countryside experience for kids. They get to see more than 50 kinds of rare-breed animals, hold bunnies and guinea pigs, and even bottle-feed lambs.  Demonstrations include lambing around Easter, followed by shearing and milking later in the season.  Other excitements include mini electric riding tractors, zip line, jungle gym.  Hungry? Grab sustenance at the organic café on-site then drive ten miles to the most fantastic pub in the Cotswolds – The Wheatsheaf Inn in Northleach (www.cotswoldswheatsheaf.com/) —for afternoon tea or an early dinner.  Simple, rustic “field to fork” cuisine by Chef Antony Ealy, who formerly cooked for the band U2, features regional meat, game, seafood and produce.  Everything was delicious and reasonably priced, from the succulent, crispy crab toast, to the roasted sea bass with gnocchi, to a light, crunchy Eton Mess (traditional English dessert of meringue, whipped cream and seasonal fruit).  Kids can enjoy pub classics – fish and chips, sausage and mash, or full roast.

Blenheim Palace

3. Blenheim Palace (www.blenheimpalace.com)– A World Heritage Site, the spectacular Blenheim Palace was a gift from Queen Anne to John Churchill, 1st Duke of Marlborough, following his famous victory at the Battle of Blenheim in 1704. You can visit the gilded State Rooms, which house one of the finest art collections in Europe, and explore the Churchill Exhibition including the room where Sir Winston Churchill was born in 1874. For kids, there’s a “Palace Detectives” hunt within the exhibition displays, but the best part is outside – the 2,000 acres of landscaped parkland designed by the famous “Capability” Brown with lakes, formal gardens and a pleasure garden that houses The Marlborough Maze, the world’s second largest symbolic hedge maze. It covers an area of just over an acre and has wooden bridges, which provide perfect vantage points. Within the maze area is a model village, putting greens, as well as a giant chess and checkers set.

Gifford’s Circus

4. Giffords Circus (www.giffordscircus.com).  A Cotswolds institution.  From May through September, this troupe travels to different villages offering a two-hour show that mixes music, dance, magic, horses and comedy evoking the golden age of circus with a modern twist.  Kids will be awed by the tightrope walkers and flaming hoop jumps, and parents will love the quaint big-top tent, antique circus cars, and old-fashioned vibe.

Burton-on-the-Water

5. Bourton-on-the-Water (www.bourtoninfo.com) –This charming village, run through by a small river and crossed by elegant low bridges, is known as the “Venice of the Cotswolds.” A setting so precious and picturesque it looks like a movie set, it is a popular stop for tour coaches.  While we try and suggest places off the beaten track, Bourton-on-the-Water makes our list because it offers activities that can be enjoyed in rainy weather—it is England after all! Try the Model Village, an exact replica of Bourton village in one-ninth scale; the Cotswold Perfumery, one of Europe’s very few remaining manufacturers of perfume; the Cotswold Motor Museum, real and toy versions of vintage autos; a small Model Train Museum and toy shop…yes, all a bit touristy but fun and, mostly, indoors!

Accommodations:

Calcott Manor

Calcot Manor (www.calcotmanor.co.uk) Set on 220 acres just outside of Tetbury, this former English farmhouse has been transformed into a 35-room ‘country-modern’ hotel (think clean lines and neutral tones, nothing chintz or floral to be found) with spa, indoor and outdoor pools, hot tub and a well-staffed, complimentary kids club that is open seven days a week.  The hotel has 10 purpose-built family rooms and suites, most are L-shaped with sleeping nooks for the kids fitted with bunk beds or trundles.  The grounds are well suited for walking or cycling (they have bikes in all sizes for guest use). We made it around the hotel’s two-mile trail on foot, seeing butterflies and birds along the way.  There is a choice of two restaurants on property – a casual pub or the more romantic Conservatory – excellent, farm fresh food at both, and one of the best breakfasts in the Cotswolds with choice of eggs, pancakes, kippers, smoked salmon plus an extensive buffet of pastries, cereal and fruit.  Family rooms start at £330 per night.

Cotswold House (www.cotswoldhouse.com) is a 28-room property in the heart of Chipping Camden, a prosperous wool-trading town from the 17^th century with ancient, higgledy-piggledy buildings of beautiful yellow Cotswold stone. The hotel is one such building, though completely modernized inside, with several cottages around a lovely garden.  The cottages are ideal for families, spacious, with massive bathrooms (TV over the bath!) and are equipped with large Bang & Olufsen television/DVD players. Cribs and high chairs are free to borrow.  There’s a lovely restaurant with kids’ menu – we enjoyed a proper high tea in the bar – fresh, warm scones so light and flaky they floated into our hungry mouths.  Rooms start at £170 per night.

Cotswold Inns & Hotels (www.cotswold-inns-hotels.co.uk), is a collection of three and four star properties dotted throughout the Cotswolds, with more traditional décor but updated with flat screen TVs, Nespresso makers, and offering kind, welcoming service.  We stayed at two of the properties – the Manor House Hotel in Moreton-in-Marsh and the Hare and Hounds Hotel just outside Tetbury and within walking distance of the amazing Westonbirt Arboretum.  Rates start at  £120 per night and include a lovely full English breakfast.

Emily Goldfischer, a former luxury hotel executive, is a London-based food and travel writer. Follow her at www.twitter.com/em_goldfischer.

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Hiking routes sign at the Kronbergs summit

Story and photos by Monique Burns

Just two hours’ east of Zurich, Appenzellerland is Switzerland’s most traditional enclave.  Think cows and cowbells, farms and meadows.  City folk who appreciate good food, cozy lodgings, pristine mountain scenery and colorful primitive art will be entranced by Switzerland’s most bucolic region, just across Lake Constance from Austria and Germany, and bordering Liechtenstein.  No fewer than four cable cars glide up the Alpstein range, where visitors can enjoy easy walks through rolling meadows, or hunker down in mountain lodges for long leisurely lunches.  Foodies can learn the art of sausage-making at a local butcher shop, visit a cheese factory, or taste traditional pastries at bakeries and cafés.   When the day is done, there are superb restaurants serving farm-fresh fare, and hotels ranging from quaint country inns with hand-painted furniture to five-star resorts with luxury spas.

From Zürich HB, the Swiss capital’s central station, trains depart regularly for the town of Appenzell, with a stop in the city of Gossau.  Or take the train from Zürich to the pleasant metropolis of St. Gallen, known worldwide for its centuries-old textile and embroidery industry.  From there, change for the little red train that chugs its way through the countryside to the town of Appenzell.   Either route is scenic and takes just under two hours.

Bucolic mountain road in the Alpstein

Tiny Appenzell is a peaceable kingdom of fountain-adorned squares, narrow cobblestone streets and wooden chalets with colorfully painted facades.  A five-minute walk from the train station, check into an “Appenzeller-zimmer,” with old-fashioned canopy beds and painted wardrobes, at 28-room Hotel Löwen.   You’ll also find a traditional wood-paneled dining room, a spacious breakfast room, a bar and a sunny courtyard garden.   Stay three nights in any area hotel and receive the Appenzell Card, offering such discounts as free cable-car rides and museum admission.

Right outside your hotel door, on Hauptgasse, Appenzell’s main street, the Löwen-Drogerie, a bright-red chalet adorned with paintings of herbs, sells its famous herbal liqueur, Innerrhoder Kapuzinerbitter, as well as herbal teas and tinctures.   At nearby Spezialitäten Metzg Wetter, taste traditional cold-cuts like mostbröckli, thinly sliced dried beef, and alpenklüber, cervelat and schüblig sausages.

Amble a few blocks west, past souvenir shops selling wooden milking pails and leather suspenders adorned with brass cow medallions.  At Drei Könige bakery and café, sample fresh-baked birnweggen pear bread and biberli, traditional gingerbread stamped with images of farm scenes and town landmarks.

Steps away, several restaurants, cafés and hotels ring Appenzell’s historic main square, the Landsgemeindeplatz, site of the annual open-air assembly where direct democracy is still practiced.  If you’re in town on the last Sunday in April, don’t be surprised to see grown men strutting around with swords clanging against their hips.  Centuries ago, that’s how the Appenzell’s men folk proved they were old enough to vote.  Today, many still do.

Farm fresh meats at Specialitaten Metz Wetter butcher shop, Town of Appenzell

A few blocks farther west, at Metzgerei F. Fässler, butcher Fred Fässler and his family give monthly classes on sausage-making.  Even if you’re not in town for the class, you can still tour the facility, and sample various dried meats and sausages, including the house specialty, siedwurst, a traditional beef and pork sausage.

Beers and other wares at the Appenzeller Brewery Town of Appenzell

At the other side of town, across the River Sitter, visit the new Brauerie Locher AG visitor center to learn how Appenzeller bier is made.  Sample the various brews, but don’t forget to taste the intriguing (and delicious) malt whiskey made from recycled hops.  The nearby Appenzeller Alpenbitter Distillery produces a famed digestive liqueur crafted from 42 local plants and herbs, as well as a chocolate candy blended with herbal liqueur.

Cheese making, the old fashioned way, at the Appenzeller Volkskunde Museum, Town of Stein

Appenzeller cheese, another local specialty, is made from the milk of the tan-colored Braunvieh cattle and aged in herbal brine.  Take a bright-yellow PubliCar van to the nearby town of Stein and the Appenzeller Schaukäsereishow dairy to watch cheese-making, and buy a half-dozen varieties of Appenzeller cheese.  At the homey restaurant, with wood-paneled walls and carved wood furniture, lunch on local favorites like macaroni-and-cheese with applesauce.   Next door, spend an hour or two at the Appenzeller Volkskunde-Museum, housing folk costumes, painted wardrobes, and Switzerland’s finest collection of primitive paintings, many depicting local farmers, dressed in traditional red vests, yellow breeches and black hats, leading cattle on the annual pilgrimage to the high pastures.

If a day of sightseeing stirs up an appetite, you’re in luck.  This is farm country, and the food doesn’t get fresher than that.  In Appenzell, on the Landsgemeindeplatz, be sure to book a table at the four-star Romantik Hotel Säntis, with its colorful red, white and yellow painted façade.  In the upstairs gourmet restaurant, sample well-prepared appetizers like smoked duck breast with brioche and fig port wine, and entrees like deer entrecôte with glazed chestnuts and pears in red wine.  Just off the square, Restaurant Marktplatz serves such well-prepared dishes as pork steak with polenta and veal schnitzel with fries in a cozy dining room whose wood-paneled walls are etched with playful farming scenes.

For a splurge, take the train from Appenzell two stops to the town of Weissbad.  A stone’s throw from the train station is four-star Hotel Hof Weissbad with 136 rooms and a world-class wellness center in a grand yellow-and-white building.  Feast on innovative dishes in your choice of three dining rooms, including a glass-walled black-and-white space overlooking the hotel herb garden and craggy, snow-capped Hoher Kasten peak.  Then work off those extra calories with after-dinner dancing to live piano music in the graciously appointed lobby.

Appenzell countryside framed by the 8,000-foot-high Alpstein range

Or just head for the hills.  This is Switzerland, after all, and everyone should spend at least one afternoon, and preferably more, walking in the mountains and breathing in the fresh air.  As Swiss mountains go, the 8,000-foot-high Alpstein range is low-slung, but it’s very accessible, with a pastoral beauty of velvety meadows dotted with farm houses, grazing cows and rustic mountain inns.

The Kronberg rises in Jakobsbad, three train stops northeast of Appenzell.   Near the mountain’s base, take the bobsled run, or explore the climbing park, a favorite with children.  Then hop the bright-yellow cable car to the summit, and bask in dazzling sunlight at the terrace restaurant.  West, in Brülisau, another short train ride from Appenzell, a gleaming-white cable car ferries visitors to Hoher Kasten’s revolving summit restaurant.  Or hike three hours from Brülisau to Berggasthaus Ruhesitz, a traditional mountain lodge just below Hoher Kasten’s summit, for well-prepared local dishes, including a fitness-teller salad with fresh herbs, greens and berries, and grilled chicken or pork.

Cowbells in Appenzeller Volkskunde Museum, Town of Stein

It takes a little doing to reach the 8,208-foot-high Säntis, Eastern Switzerland’s highest peak, but it’s worth the effort.   Hop a train to Urnäsch or Nesslau, then a post bus to Schwägalp.  If you’re not in a rush, Schwägalp has several attractions: the Säntis Nature Discovery Park, the Schwägalp Demonstration Dairy, the Geology Rock Park.  Or have a hot meal or a cold drink in the three-starBerghotel Schwägalp.   From Schwägalp, catch a blue-and-white or green-and-white cable car to the Säntis summit where you can see nearly a hundred peaks from various restaurants and terraces.   Folkloric evenings, with traditional fiddle and dulcimer music, are held here year-round.

The Ebenalp lies 3,000 feet below the Säntis.  From Appenzell, take the train to Wasserauen, then ride the bright-red cable car to the top.  Wedged precariously  into a rocky crevice is the Berggasthaus Aescher.  Come for a hearty lunch with superb mountain views, or brave the shared dormitory rooms for a once-in-a-lifetime overnight experience.  Just below is the Wildkirchli, a cave “chapel” once inhabited by religious hermits and, legend has it, a bear.

IF YOU GO

The following list includes first-class and deluxe hotels that also serve excellent meals, as well as a traditional Appenzell restaurant:

Hotel Löwen, Hauptgasse 25, 41-71-788-87-87, CH-9050 Appenzell.  Doubles, with breakfast, start at 160 CHF (about $165).  www.loewen-appenzell.ch

Romantik Hotel Säntis,Landsgemeindeplatz(Town Square), CH-9050 Appenzell, 41-71-788-11-11.  Doubles start at 240 CHF (about $260). www.saentis-appenzell.ch

Hotel Hof Weissbad,Im Park 1, CH-9057 Weissbad, 41-71-798-80-80.  Doubles, with two meals daily, start at 270 CHF (about $280) per person.  www.hofweissbad.ch

Restaurant Marktplatz, Kronengarten 2, CH-9050 Appenzell. 41-71-787-12-04. www.marktplatz-appenzell.ch

For more information, visit Appenzell Tourism (www.appenzell.ch) and Switzerland Tourism (www.myswitzerland.com).  For Switzerland flights, contact SWISS (www.swiss.com), the national carrier.  For the Swiss Pass rail pass, contact Rail Europe (www.raileurope.com).

  Monique Burns is a longtime travel writer and editor, and a European Correspondent for Jax Fax Magazine, a travel for U.S. travel agents.  A former Travel & Leisure Senior Editor, she travels frequently to Europe, but can sometimes be found in far-flung locales like India and Asia.  After more than 30 years in the travel business, she still appreciates the world’s many cultural differences and can honestly say that she’s never met a place she didn’t like.

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Dolder Grand, Zurich

By Linda Hayes

Bleary-eyed after an early morning chauffeured drive down to Zurich from the alpine village of Gstaad, where I’d been enjoying the royal treatment at The Gstaad Palace, I perked up big-time at my first glimpse of The Dolder Grand, my home for the next two days. Set prominently on a verdant dolder, or hilltop, with “a Beverly Hills address” and big views of the city, LakeZurich and the Alps, the historic hotel was an architectural marvel.

Reopened in 2008 after a major, 4-year restoration and addition by world-renowned architect Lord Foster, of Foster and Partners in London, the steepled, 1899 main building was flanked with eco-chic glass wings — the Golf Wing and the Spa Wing — wrapped with glazed, stencil-cut aluminum screens that curved gracefully off each side.

My eyes opened wider as I entered, entranced by both the grandness of the aptly named Stone Hall, with its sweeping staircase, and the significant artwork (all part of a more than 100-piece collection that includes works by such notables as Andy Warhol, Fernando Bartero, Joan Miro and Keith Haring) placed strategically within the adjoining reception, lobby and bar.

A palatial view from the Dolder Grand, Zurich

The dazzle continued with entry to my suite in the Spa wing. Sleek and modern, yet comfortable and serene, it was typical of the new wing rooms, except, perhaps, for the ultra-extravagant Carezza, Suite 100 and Masina Suites (scenes from Girl With the Dragon Tattoo were shot in the latter). Rooms in the original core building are more traditional Swiss in style, though no less luxurious, in decor. Circling through sliding mirrored doors that linked the bedroom with the bath and dressing rooms, and out onto the terrace, I was tempted to press the ‘do not disturb’ button on my door and retreat.

Luckily, I didn’t. For then I would have missed hopping the cherry-red Dolderbahn funicular down into the city for a tour of historic Old Town, and a lush organic facial at The Dolder’s Zen-like spa, which, in addition to 18 treatment rooms (two suites have Mother-of-Pearl walls), also featured Japanese-inspired lounge tubs filled with smooth, warm pebbles and the Snow Paradise, a cave-like room encased floor-to-ceiling entirely in “snow.”

But what I would have missed most was the elaborate dinner prepared by chef Heiko Nieder at The Dolder’s gorgeous, 2 Michelin Star dining room, called, simply, The Restaurant. Beginning with several plates of “small greetings” and ending several hours and too many courses later to count with miniature chocolates and petits fours, it was a true testament to the impeccable taste and generous hospitality the Swiss are noted for.

The Dolder Grand has 173 guest rooms starting at $590USD.
Kurhausstrasse 65, (011) +41-044-456-60-00
www.thedoldergrand.com

Aspen-based freelancer Linda Hayes writes about culinary travel, architecture/design and the luxury lifestyle. She has been a long-time contributor to Luxe Interiors & Design, SKI, Association News, Aspen Magazine, Mountain Living, Stratos, genconnect.com and gardenstotables.com, and has written for Western Interiors, Elle Deco, Hemispheres, Hawaiian Style, Robb Report and others. When she’s not on the road, Linda makes her home in an architect-designed, modern straw bale house with elk and deer for neighbors. She lives with her husband, Kelly J. Hayes (a wine writer and spotter for NBC’s Sunday Night Football), a black Labrador named Vino and a sourdough starter named Rosemary.

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The ghost of actor Oskar Werner in a Vienna bookshop.

by Everett Potter

Vienna is one of my favorite cities in the world. Long on charm, style and tradition, Vienna is undergoing a massive infusion of energy, money and building. A  Ritz-Carlton has just opened and the Hotel Topazz, a Design Hotel, opened last year.  There is an edgy new bar in the heart of the most traditional quarter, a host of eateries with inspired takes on Viennese fare, one of Europe’s best flea markets, and a hotel that redefines the boutique concept. The art that defines the city has never seemed more important. In 2012, the city celebrated the 150th birthday of native son and painter Gustav Klimt, master of eroticism. This year, it’s the reopening of the Kunstkammer Wien and its trove of imperial treasures. If you want to visits cafes and visit the opera, it’s your city. If you want to see cutting edge art and party all night, that works as well.

Cafe Mozart

1. Café Mozart
You can spend hours arguing about which is the best café in Vienna — Sperl and Landtmann are among many contenders — but for creaking Thonet chairs, mildly grumpy waiters, a musical diet of Mozart and a room with the look of fin de siècle Vienna, you can’t beat Café Mozart. A simple café mélange (an Austrian café au lait) and a newspaper (they’re kept on rollers) is the way to go. Novelist Graham Greene was a habitué and sat here working on the script for “The Third Man.”

Naschmarkt, Vienna

2. Naschmarkt
There’s a fruit and vegetable market here, and a variety of restaurants serving everything from currywurst to fresh fish — with lots of outdoor café seating — but save your visit for a Saturday morning. That’s when the weekly flea market moves in, with hundreds of seasoned dealers selling everything from books to vintage 1950s radios. It’s flotsam, jetsam and a few treasures from pre- and post-war Austria.

P. Bruegel “Hunters in the Snow” at Kunsthistoriches Museum, Vienna

3. Kunsthistorisches
In a city jam-packed with museums, the roomful of works by Brueghel (The Elder), including “Children’s Games” and “The Peasant Wedding,” at the Kunsthistorisches is enough to take your breath away. So is the gallery filled with Dürers. . On January 13, the Kunstkammer Wien, featuring objects commissioned or purchased by the emperor or members of the imperial family, reopens.

Gasthaus Poschl

4. Gasthaus Poschl
If Gasthaus Poschl were in Brooklyn,  it would be a neighborhood hipster haunt. In Vienna, it has much the same function, but the buzzy local crowd is without attitude. If you’re solo, sit at the bar or along a wall, where an elevated bench and high tables are particularly welcoming to solo diners. They serve Wiener schnitzel that will make you rethink Viennese fare, and typical Austrian wines, such as the hearty red Blaufränkisch (Weihburggasse 17)

Loos American Bar

5. Loos American Bar
One of the most sublime bars in the world, this Art Nouveau gem was designed by the great Viennese architect Adolph Loos. It’s an ornate jewel box: stylish, but also dark and cramped. Order a glass of champagne — it’s what everyone orders — and then be prepared to hoist it above your head as someone squeezes by you. For the cavalcade of international scene-makers who parade through nightly, it’s worth the squeeze. But if the weather is nice, move to an outdoor table.

Albertina Passage

6. Albertina Passage
After you’ve seen this year’s production of Strauss’ “Der Rosenkavalier” at the palatial Staatsoper, what do you do for an encore? Go outside and down the stairs to a disused pedestrian underpass that’s been turned into the Albertina Passage — a futuristic bar blasting Motown that’s become one of the city’s underground hotspots.

Otto Wiesenthal, owner of Vienna’s Hotel Alstadt

7. Hotel Alstadt
There’s an artsy, old world gentility to the Alstadt’s large, high-ceilinged rooms. It’s a warren of rooms  in a late-18th-century apartment building, now a stylish, vaguely eccentric and friendly boutique hotel that’s filled with owner Otto Wiesenthal’s contemporary art collection. It’s especially favored by actors in Vienna for an extended stay. Rooms from $207.

Le Bol, Vienna

8. Le Bol 

Given the eye-candy tucking into enormous and inventive salads  – especially welcome after too much schnitzel and strudel — sharing a communal table has never been so much fun.  (Neuer Markt 14; 43-699-1030-1899).

The view from the bar of architect Jean Novel’s new Sofitel Vienna Stephensdom

9. Sofitel Vienna Stephensdom

Basil mojitos ($14) may not be your thing, but even a glass of Gruner Veltliner takes on fresh meaning when you take in the view from the eighteenth-floor penthouse bar of architect Jean Nouvel’s new hotel  (Praterstrasse 1; 43-1-906-160).

Musikverein

10. Musikverein

My favorite place to hear music in Vienna is inside this jewel box.  Catch the Vienna Philharmonic or whoever happens to be passing through this most musical of cities.  Just be sure to book tickets as far in advance as you can.

The post 10 Reasons to Love Vienna appeared first on Everett Potter's Travel Report.

Jenny at Gaudi’s Parc Güell. Photo by Geri Bain

by Geri Bain and Jenny Keroack

Inspired by the grand tours of aristocrats past and the more recent adventures of TV’s Gilmore Girls, 18 year old Jenny Keroack proposed that she and her mom, travel writer Geri Bain take their own grand voyage. This summer, the two set out to share as much of the Old Worldas thirty days would allow, recording their favorite places and activities along the way.  Jenny’s are in italics while Geri’s are in regular type. Read about their adventures, explorations and all the schleps in between. The following is their last installment, logged from Barcelona.

Our schedule precluded our travelling by train from Venice to Barcelona and our two-hour nonstop flight on Alitalia’s Air One was cancelled about a month before departure offering a rerouting with a stopover or a refund. Happily, we found a bargain flight on Iberia’s Vueling which got us to Barcelona in time to enjoy a full day.

The historic Hotel España. Photo by Jenny Keroack

Settling in: The Hotel España is just a half block from the nonstop scene along La Rambla. Yet once inside, the ambience is tranquil and chic. We loved the contrast of the trendy new (2010 renovated) bathrooms and backlit headboards with the historic 1859 architecture and intriguing public spaces designed by celebrated modernist architect Lluís Domènech i Montaner. Particularly noteworthy are the bar, with its museum-worthy chiseled alabaster fireplace, and the tiling and wood work of Fonda España, known for its reasonably priced gourmet cuisine. The chef Martín Berasategui, also manages the nearby eclectic and very upmarket Michelin two-star Restaurante Lasarte. The small rooftop pool and hot tub looked inviting, but they closed at8 p.m. and we never took that mid-day break we’d intended.

Gaudi’s Parc Güell. Photo by Geri Bain

Parc Güell. Everyone knows that Barcelona is Antoni Gaudi’s city, with signature curvy landmarks like the Sagrada Familia and Casa Batlló, but to see his vision for a utopia, visit Parc Güell. The park was commissioned to be Barcelona’s Beverly Hills, a place above the city for the rich. However, after Barcelona’s elite deemed Park Guell too ridiculous to live in, Gaudi bought one of the site’s few homes, which ironically, he didn’t design, and lived on the site himself. The development is now a public park where visitors and locals walk through a Dr. Seuss-like forest, filled with amazing architecture that playfully blends with and emulates nature. Built on a steep hill, the park is the perfect place to photograph Gaudi’s beautiful architecture and, if you walk up high enough, the city below. And in honor of Gaudi’s generous nature, it is free to enter, although there is a fee to visit Gaudi’s former home, La Torre Rosa, furnished with his original designs.

Sagrada Familia. Photo by Jenny Keroack

Barcelona by Bike. With narrow, pedestrian-filled streets in its historic districts and no bike lanes or connected parks, Barcelona isn’t the best place for biking—with the exception of the beachfront promenade and the lovely Parc de la Ciutadella. But Fat Tire Bike Tours, our favorite city touring company offered a guided tour, so we signed on. The seven-mile, four-hour tour provided a wonderful overview of the city’s history and modern highlights with engaging anecdotes such as the one about Sagrada Familia, where our guide told us that when Gaudi was asked why he put so much detail into the tops of the towers, he responded, “because god will see it.” We took our guide’s advice and returned to tour the inside of Sagrada Familia near sunset as the stained glass windows cast their colors on the fanciful sculpted forest of stone pillars.

City Museum with Roman ruins. Photo by Geri Bain

Roman Ruins. Before the Catalans populated the city, Barcelona was part of the Holy Roman Empire. Archeologists found remains of the metropolis beneath the current city. While bits of ancient walls and aquaducts emerge around the city, the best place to learn about Barcelona’s ancient past is at the Museu d’Historia de la Ciutat. An elevator equipped with a clock ticks back the years as it descends to the Barcelona of 12 b.c. An excellent audio guide and several short videos bring the ruins to life with fascinating details as you explore the remains of an ancient winery and other shop. For example, Barcelona’s prior residents had baths/spas for men and women which the rich and poor alike were permitted to use. We also learned that Roman laundries used urine as detergent and got a look at their complex system for fermenting wine. A  winding trail of exhibits leads back up through time to the surface—and the present.

Hotel Arts Barcelona

The beaches: The beach constantly beckoned at the foot of the city, just a short walk from Las Ramblas. But to fully unwind, we decided to spend our last night at the Hotel Arts Barcelona. We were tempted to lounge by the pool and garden hot tub and be served drinks and snacks while just looking at the beach, but the gentle waves beckoned. To the right was lively Barceloneta beach, to the left, a series of pretty strands filled with sunbathers (most topless). The sand was soft and the water was clean. Finding an open area, we laid out our towels and enjoyed the guitar musings of fellow sunbathers. The beach boardwalk is lined with terrace eateries and bars, but we opted for tapas at the hotels Michelin starred Arola, where we enjoyed scrumptiously creative tapas such as purple endive with chicken, walnuts and blue cheese.

Gaudi’s Casa Battló in the Eixample District in Barcelona. Photo by Jenny Keroack

Shopping. Barcelona was probably my favorite place to shop during our trip. Styles from all over Europe come out of Spain, making it a great place to buy clothes from unique designers. The prices there also seemed lower than in other places, with tons of sales, whether that’s because the designers are based in Spain or because of the country’s economic troubles I don’t know. The upscale shopping area, Eixample, was our favorite place to shop. It has a kind of Fifth Avenue vibe and a mix of expensive and moderately priced clothes. The Bari Gotic also has some interesting shopping, along with a rich array of Gothic architecture. Guide books say to shop along La Rambla; I found the touristy area oppressive due to the thick crowds and enjoyed its side streets in the Barri Gotic and El Raval more. That said, our favorite pick-me-up snack spot was Escriba, a historic cafe on La Rambla, with the thickest, best hot chocolate ever.

Next: New York. We were eager to rejoin our family and come home toNew Jerseybut sad for the trip to come to an end. It had been a magical time of constant surprises and stimulation. Back home, we saw the beauty around us—and the tourists strolling through New York City–with fresh eyes.

   Geri Bain (right), a widely published travel writer and editor, has written about more than 60 countries and contributed to publications including inc.com, N.Y. Daily News and Robb Report. While travel editor at Modern Bride magazine, she wrote an acclaimed guide to Honeymoons and Weddings Away. She is a past president of the New York Travel Writers Association and former editorial director of Endless Vacation magazine.

18-year-old Jenny Keroack wrote for the Observer Tribune from 2009 to 2012 and her work has appeared in the Riverdale Press, Elegant Lifestyles and other publications. She was a researcher/blogger for the N.Y. League of Conservation Voters last summer and is now studying political science at theUniversityofChicago.

The post She Said, She Said: Barcelona appeared first on Everett Potter's Travel Report.

Venetian Gondola. Photo by Jenny Keroack

By Geri Bain and Jenny Keroack

Inspired by the grand tours of aristocrats past and the more recent adventures of TV’s Gilmore Girls, 18 year old Jenny Keroack proposed that she and her mom, travel writer Geri Bain take their own grand voyage. This summer the two set out to share as much of the Old Worldas thirty days would allow, recording their favorite places and activities along the way.  Jenny’s are in italics while Geri’s are in regular type. Read about their adventures, explorations and all the schleps in between. The following is their installment, logged from Venice.

The train fromVienna toVenice only runs straight through at night, but we’d read that the seven-hour daytime train/bus trip was worth taking in daylight. Seeing the tiny villages nestled into deep river valleys and cliff-top castles, we agreed.

Londra Palace Hotel. Photo by Geri Bain

Settling in: Arriving in Venice, we found our way to Venice’s mass transit, the canal-cruising waterbuses, or vaporettos, and 20 minutes later, were thrilled to see the Hotel Londra Palace. Our Biedermeier-decor room felt quite elegant with its fabric-covered walls, lovely brocade work, high ceiling and marble bathroom. Our first floor balcony provided wonderful views of the lagoon and the lively waterside boulevard, the Riva Degli Schiavoni. The hotel has hosted many luminaries. In fact, Tchaikovsky composed the first three movements of Symphony No. 4 when he stayed here in 1877. We loved that St. Mark’s Square and the Bridge of Sighs were steps away and that water taxis stopped right at our front door, and we especially appreciated our concierge, who mapped out the perfect walking tours for us each day.

Piazza San Marco. Photo by Jenny Keroack

San Marco Square. Piazza San Marco, famous for its beautiful architecture and outdoor cafes, is far from your average European town square. During the day, you’ll find people taking pictures of their children and loved ones feeding and, in many cases, covered in pigeons. Venice is a city that truly celebrates its rats with wings. Off to the side, bands play and dancing in the streets is encouraged. The music continues well into the night; it may be a tourist trap, but having a drink on the square is an only-in-Venice experience and well-worth doing. The two most historic, Il Caffé Florian and Grancaffé Quadri, date back to the 18^th century. Just be prepared for the persistent hawkers and even more persistent Italian gentlemen– especially if you’re a girl on your own.

Do Leoni Restaurant. Photo by Geri Bain

Food: It was hard to go anywhere without being tempted by wonderful things to eat. But then what would you expect? After all, this is Italy, and a seaside city at that. Fresh seafood was plentiful and Venice has some interesting ways of preparing it. I loved sarde in saor (sweet and sour sardines). And Jenny loved the seafood ravioli. Our favorite meal was on the terrace at Do Leoni at our hotel, where planters created a buffer between us and the passing parade of tourists and entertainers and we enjoyed the modern twist on classic Venetian dishes. And of course, there was always gelato and pizza by the slice for quick pick-me-ups  as we explored.

Shopping along Calle Larga XXII Marzo. Photo by Jenny Keroack

Shopping. In the tradition of its over 1000 years as a trading center, Venice still offers a diverse shopping scene, from the shops on the ancient Rialto Bridge to the high-priced boutiques of Calle Larga XXII Marzo. My favorite item to look for in Venice was jewelry. While famous for their masks, lace, and blown glass, Venetians also sell fine silver jewelry, much of it crafted right in the city. My mom got textured silver earrings from the craftsman himself at La Foglia D’Oro and I found a locket on a velvet necklace from Israel at Michal Negrin. For clothes, check out Coin, a Venetian company with top brands from all over Europe. Since Venice is basically a city of tourists, stores are found everywhere and stay open late. A piece of advice: if you see something you like off the main streets, get it or forget it. Venice is a maze and you may not find your way back.  

El Museo della Musica. Photo by Geri Bain

A Vivaldi Museum: Walking across San Maurizio square (Campo San Maurizio), strains of lovely music came from what looked like a neoclassical church. It was the former San Maurizio church which now houses El Museo della Musica (Music Museum). Admission is free, and inside, we enjoyed recorded music by Venice-born composer Antonio Vivaldi while perusing a small but fascinating collection of centuries-old stringed instruments and Vivaldi memorabilia. Interpretive panels provided detailed information in English and Italian about the composer and his times. A low-key gift shop offers CDs, books, and tickets for performances by a professional ensemble, Interpreti Veneziani, at the nearby, art-richChurch ofSan Vidal. We didn’t have time, but serious Vivaldi aficionadas may also want to visit the church he attended, La Pieta, with a small exhibition open by appointment only.

Bridge of Spires, a.k.a Ponte delle Guglie, leading to the old Jewish Ghetto. Photo by Jenny Keroack

Jewish Ghetto. My main purpose in going to the Ghetto Vecchio (Jewish quarter) was to find the architecture and landmarks described in Shakespeare’s Merchant of Venice. Locals tried to help, pointing us towards their two oldest bridges and the old town square. We also saw tall, skinny buildings, much like the one where Shylock and Jessica would have lived. However, for those who are less enthusiastic about Shakespearean plays, there are some actual historical destinations. Those interested can join a tour of the quarter’s synagogues and visit  the Museo Ebraico (Jewish Museum) to learn why so many Jews lived here, in Europe’s first ghetto, starting in the 1500s. In fact, the word “ghetto” comes from the Venetian word geto (foundry), for the iron works located on this island before Jews were required to live here. Getting there is pretty walk from center of town; we stopped at a lively street fair along the way, and the ghetto area has some traditional restaurants, like Gam Gam, which was recommended by several locals.

 For more information on Italy and Venice, visit http://www.italia.it or  http://en.turismovenezia.it/.

Next stop: Barcelona

Geri Bain (right), a widely published travel writer and editor, has written about more than 60 countries and contributed to publications including inc.com, N.Y. Daily News and Robb Report. While travel editor at Modern Bride magazine, she wrote an acclaimed guide to Honeymoons and Weddings Away. She is a past president of the New York Travel Writers Association and former editorial director of Endless Vacation magazine.

18-year-old Jenny Keroack wrote for the Observer Tribune from 2009 to 2012 and her work has appeared in the Riverdale Press, Elegant Lifestyles and other publications. She was a researcher/blogger for the N.Y. League of Conservation Voters last summer and is now studying political science at theUniversityofChicago.

The post She Said, She Said: Venice appeared first on Everett Potter's Travel Report.

Kunsthistorisches Museum. Photo by Jenny Keroack

By Geri Bain and Jenny Keroack

Inspired by the grand tours of aristocrats past and the more recent adventures of TV’s Gilmore Girls, 18 year old Jenny Keroack proposed that she and her mom, travel writer Geri Bain take their own grand voyage. This summer the two set out to share as much of the Old World as thirty days would allow, recording their favorite places and activities along the way.  Jenny’s are in italics while Geri’s are in regular type. Read about their adventures, explorations and all the schleps in between. The following is their installment, logged from Vienna.

The train from Prague to Vienna glided by small towns gathered around steepled stone churches, and a rolling country quilt of sunflowers and other crops. Arriving in Vienna, we grabbed a taxi to our hotel, and then set out on foot to explore some of the city’s amazing museums.

Museum Quarter. Photo by Geri Bain

Immersed in Art. Entering the MuseumsQuartier (Museum Quarter), we found a playground of fanciful structures on which children climb and adults lounge. Walk through (or on) these, past the restaurants and cafes, to the Leopold Museum. The Leopold focuses on Austrian art, from the evolution of Egon Schiele’s Expressionism to Vienna’s Art Nouveau movement, the Jugendstil. It also has a changing array of temporary exhibits–check the website for details. Whatever you see, take time to notice its beautiful white marble building. Also worth checking out is the KUNSTHALLE wien for photography, film, installation art, and new media, and the mumok for modern and contemporary art. Then, perhaps, settle back on one of the colorful sculptural “couches” and watch. This is a really fun and alive architectural space.

Hofburg Palace. Photo by Jenny Keroack

Hofburg Palace: Sisi, as Emperor Franz Josef’s wife was affectionately known, and the Emperor come alive on a tour of the Hofburg Palace and its Sisi Museum. Through photos, we understood how the cinch-waist tomboy country girl Elizabeth captured the heart of Franz Josef and much of the Austro-Hungarian empire. Their rooms and photos paint the picture of a very formal, proper Franz Joseph, who ascended the throne at the age of 18, and an irrepressible wife. The couple seemed to be enough in love to let each other live their lives to the fullest. However the people of Vienna never quite embraced the untraditional Sisi. This exhibit presents the history behind the myth, and includes a new area focused on her role as a parent which opened in honor of the 175th anniversary of her birth (December 24,1837).

Confectionery as Art at the Demel Museum. Photo by Geri Bain

Food. Confession: I had wiener schnitzel for dinner every night we were in Vienna. And I don’t regret it. Plenty of Viennese food is borrowed from its neighbors, however; it does possess some wonderful dishes of its own—especially when it comes to desserts. Be sure to taste of some of Vienna’s justly famous pastries such as apple strudel and Sachertorte (chocolate cake). One chocolate and pastry shop, Demel, actually has a candy museum in its basement. The museum can be a little hard to find so ask a staff member to direct you; it’s worth it, you’ll learn about its history as the former Imperial bakery (founded in 1786) and how treats were delivered underground to Empress Sisi at the palace. When you’re ready for a traditional meal, ask your hotel or a local for suggestions, such as mom’s choices: boiled beef with bread dumplings (Tafelspitz) at La Boheme, and pasta with cabbage (krautfleckerl) at Glacis Beisl, or, my favorite everywhere, wiener schnitzel.

Film festival at Rathausplatz. Photo by Jenny Keroack

Vienna by Night. Lovely by day, the broad avenues of Vienna, lined by gracious baroque architecture, are magical by night. Vienna’s historic district gives you space to feel the impact of its grandeur. Strolling past illuminated monuments such as the grand Natural History Museum and the Hofburg Palace one evening, we saw just a few dozen people.The big crowd was gathered at Rathausplatz, where a giant movie screen was mounted on the spire-capped Vienna City Hall. Here, the free annual summer film festival was showing animated arias from Mozart’s The Magic Flute, Rossini’s the Barber of Seville and Bizet’s Carmen and free bleachers and chairs provided comfortable seating. We also loved that we could walk back to our hotel, the quirky 42-room Hotel Altstadt Vienna, located in the trendy art district of Spittelberg, just behind the MuseumsQuartier. The halls and spacious high-ceiling rooms feel like an artist’s studio, with original art and avant-garde furnishings throughout—a great complement to Vienna’s lively art scene.

Freud’s Waiting Room. Photo by Geri Bain

Freud’s Vienna home. Freud fans will get a lot out of a visit to the place where his practice and daily life took place. Freud and his family lived here from 1891 until 1938, when they fled to England. The Freud Museum, located in his former home and office, contains his refurbished waiting room as well as detailed informational guides in English and other languages on his interests, life and work. We were surprised to learn that Freud had three “obsessions”: travel, smoking and antiques; liked Hannibal because he saw the ancient war strategist’s tenacity as similar to that of the Jews; and he actually psychoanalyzed his own daughter. The guides add insight to the displays which include home videos of Freud with commentary from his daughter Anna, as well as photos, memorabilia, documents, and notes from the man himself.  

Mozart’s House. Allow at least an hour to enjoy the audio tour at Mozarthaus, which intersperses information about Mozart’s life with lovely samples of his compositions. The museum is set throughout the home where Mozart lived in grand style from 1784 to 1878 and created some of his most famous works. Anecdotes about displayed objects such as the red jacket he let a countess know he “had to have,” and quotes from Hayden, his father, and others whose photographs are displayed provide a complex picture of this restless musical genius. Snippets of the movie Amadeus and a multimedia collage of scenes from “The Magic Flute” help bring his story and works to life. However, those traveling with kids be forewarned: an enticing series of shadow boxes along one of the walls illustrates the story of the Mozart and the area’s Red Light district past.

For more information on Vienna and Austria, visit the Austrian Tourist Office at  http://www.austria.info and the Vienna Tourist Board at http://www.vienna.info

Next, we take a scenic journey to Venice.

Geri Bain (right), a widely published travel writer and editor, has written about more than 60 countries and contributed to publications including inc.com, N.Y. Daily News and Robb Report. While travel editor at Modern Bride magazine, she wrote an acclaimed guide to Honeymoons and Weddings Away. She is a past president of the New York Travel Writers Association and former editorial director of Endless Vacation magazine.

18-year-old Jenny Keroack wrote for the Observer Tribune from 2009 to 2012 and has been published in the Riverdale Press and Elegant Lifestyles. She was a researcher/blogger for the N.Y. League of Conservation Voters last summer and will be studying political science at the University of Chicago this fall.

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