Search results for

Overview

Overview

They’ve been popularized and commercialized in movies and may even seem to be a cultural stereotype of sorts, but visit Mexico City‘s Plaza Garibaldi on any given evening and you’ll soon see that the tradition of mariachis is alive and well and very much a part of modern culture. Mariachis gather at Plaza Garibaldi nightly, waiting to be hired for an off-site event or an impromptu in-the-plaza serenade. You can even negotiate for a few songs yourself, or, if you prefer, sit in the plaza and watch the action as mariachis in a variety of outfits wait for work. Although Plaza Garibaldi has spiffed up a bit in recent years (particularly with the opening of the Museum of Tequila and Mezcal a few years ago), it does have a seedy underbelly. It’s best not to bring your valuables, and if you enter one of the bars on the plaza’s periphery, stay sober enough to keep your wits about you. A popular Garibaldi scam is to invite unsuspecting tourists to several rounds of drinks and then stick them with an astronomical bill.

Pop by the Strada Nuova in the early morning for a cappuccino in the sunshine between the beautiful palaces. With a few coffee bars to choose from, you can always find a small table outside to enjoy the passersby as they head to open their shops and catch their buses. (Personally, I love the M cafe and bar inside the Palazzo Rosso, but there are plenty to choose from!)

The beautiful “suburb” of Genoa, Nervi boasts a lovely series of green parks (something Genoa lacks overall) and a well-tended passeggiata path that runs directly along the rocky shore. Especially popular with families on the weekend, the path is easily accessible from the Nervi train station (a 10-minute ride from Brignole Station in central Genoa). Spend the day escaping the bustle of central Genoa by walking along the shore, enjoying the museums tucked into centuries-old palaces in the parks, and having dinner at a small fish restaurant along the coast.

One of the best strolls through Venice begins in the neighborhood of Arsenale and finishes on the Island of Sant’Elena. Walk along the main drag of Via Giuseppe Garibaldi, a street full of shops and colourful local life until it dead ends. Make a right on to Viale Giuseppe Garibaldi where a monument to the streets namesake stands. From here the streets become very quiet. Follow Viale Giuseppe Garibaldi to the end and turn left onto the Fondamenta San Giuseppe. This is a mostly residential area where you see laundry hanging from pastel painted houses and hear small fishing boats tapping against the sides of the canal. Make the first right off the Fondamenta and get lost in the twist of back streets here until you come upon the Via XXIV Maggio. From here, look for signs pointing to the Church of Sant’Elena, a beautiful 12th-century monastery on the island.

A museum about tequila and mezcal, complete with its own bar? Yes, por favor! And it’s in the perfect location, too, on Plaza Garibaldi, where mariachi groups sing and hustle for work on a city square that’s ringed with cantinas. The other thing to love about this museum is its schedule; it tends to stay open later than most of the city’s museums, making it the perfect last stop after a long day of museum-hopping.

Considered by some as a Milan institution, Cantine Isole is a small wine bar/enoteca with a lot of history and great atmosphere. It’s located in the Chinatown neighborhood, near Garibaldi station and the Isola neighborhood. Expect a lot of character.

This statue by Oreste Carlzolati was erected in 1902 and depicts a Garibaldi freedom fighter during the Third Italian War of Independence. The freedom fighter stretches his body to the point of near contortion in order to take the ideal shot. In his left arm is a fallen comrade who struggles to prop the flagstaff with his final breaths. This is one my most favourite statues in Florence, made 400 years after the Italian Renaissance which is the draw for most art enthusiasts. Florence is one of those cities to wander and, in doing so, travel through its history both proud and tragic.

At Ben Youssef Medersa, a 16th-century Koranic boarding school turned museum, visitors can see colorful mosaic zellij tiles and intricate stucco carvings inscribed with Muslim invocations. —Jennye Garibaldi

The La Jolla Underwater Park is a great way to experience the world in the Pacific Ocean. There are artificial reefs, two canyons and a kelp forest. There are many places around the park to rent scuba and snorkeling gear, kayaks and wetsuits. The park lies underwater between Torrey Pines State Park and La Jolla Shores. I’ve swam here and kayaked. Even from the kayak the water is clear enough to see the ocean life, such as the garibaldi- the bright orange state fish of California. I’ve experienced run ins with seals, dolphins and stingrays. The most breathtaking experience was when I almost swam right on top of a leopard shark, these large, docile fish are incredible to see- especially when you’re in the water with them! Tip: The area is marked well by buoys and is probably the best place along the southern CA coastline to go snorkeling because the water is more calm here than other parts of the coastline. If you go, be watchful of other swimmers, kayakers, snorkelers and divers as this can be a popular place.

This group of islands off Sardinia’s chic Costa Smeralda was named a national park in 1996. Only a handful of the archipelago’s 60 islands are inhabited. The largest island, Maddalena, is a protected area where wild juniper, myrtle and heather thrive, along with such seabirds as the rare Audouin’s gull, whose numbers are rebounding nicely. A bridge links Maddalena to Caprera, the other main island. The Italian freedom fighter Giuseppe Garibaldi lived on Caprera for decades after his retirement; his white house is now a museum.

At the poolside restaurant Dar Moha, hungry travelers can dine on couscous with foie gras, lamb shank tagine with ras el hanout jus, and chakhchoukha, a caramelized apple tart spiced with saffron. Enjoy your meal at one of the candlelit tables while a musician plays the oud, a stringed instrument similar to a lute.

It may be a longer hike and a bit of a drive, but the Chief is 100 percent worth it: The trail offers unparalleled views of Howe Sound and the contiguous mountains of Garibaldi Provincial Park. The hike is well-marked and a suitable challenge for beginner hikers. The trailhead is located by the parking lot for Shannon Falls, just off Highway 99 in Squamish. The drive down from Whistler (63km) takes about 45 minutes. Keep in mind that the trail can be busy at times, especially on weekends in the warmer months, so try to arrive early. The Chief has three peaks with different viewpoints, all of which you can conquer in about a five-hour round-trip. Most hikers opt for a shorter route and complete only the first or second peak in about three hours. I’m partial to the third and farthest peak because I think it offers the best views, but all three are stunning. The southernmost peak is the best choice for less-experienced hikers. For even more views (with less effort), take a ride on the recently opened Sea to Sky Gondola, which departs from Squamish and arrives at a summit overlooking Stawamus Chief Provincial Park. Panoramas of Howe Sound, Shannon Falls, and the coastal forest unfold during the 10-minute ride. At the top—2,900 feet above sea level—you can take off on one of the walking or hiking trails, venture across the Sky Pilot Suspension Bridge, or have a bite at the Summit Lodge. seatoskygondola.com

Bicycle shop Rossignoli has been keeping Milan on two wheels for more than a century. Rossignoli is known for its fashionable cycles, which can be refurbished and reused. Likewise, they keep creativity in motion with new products and avant-garde installations during Salone del Mobile.