Europe
17 Rue Montorgueil, 75001 Paris, France
So, you think you know Paris? There are hundreds of memorable streets and boulevards in the City of Lights. But, for my money, Rue Montorgueil is the best. It is compact, only three blocks long, with a metro stop at each end. In between, you have...
Riomaggiore SP, Italy
I first laid eyes on Portofino watching an episode of the Bold and the Beautiful they had shot on location. From that moment, I knew I had to see this breathtaking scene firsthand.
Vicolo del Bottino, 8, 00187 Roma RM, Italy
I love to go to this restaurant and wine bar for a glass of prosecco and to enjoy the unique view out over the Spanish Steps and the rest of Rome as the sun sets. 39/06-699-341000. By Pepi Marchetti Franchi, as told to Elizabeth Minchilli. This...
19018 Vernazza, SP, Italy
If you find yourself on the Mediterranean Sea or in Italy then be sure you make your way to Cinque Terre. Cinque Terre, or "The Five Lands" (in Italian), is composed of five villages: Monterosso al Mare, Vernazza, Corniglia, Manarola, and...
Piazza San Marco, 1, 30122 Venezia VE, Italy
As it's one of the most popular sights in Venice, you may have to wait for the perfect spot to view the Bridge of Sighs, but it's so beautiful that it's worth the effort. Part of the Doge's palace, the bridge leads to the prison, and it was said...
Herengracht 427, 1017 BR Amsterdam, Netherlands
I love the lighting and dignity of this cat, just standing near the Rijksmuseum.
Piazza della Trinità dei Monti, 2, 00187 Roma RM, Italy
I recently savored a week in Rome. During a lunch break on a partly cloudy day in March, I decided to walk down Via Sistina to the Spanish Steps, and then continue along Piazza Trinita dei Monti to see what lay beyond this local hub of tourist...
96 Quai de Jemmapes, 75010 Paris, France
Since you're already planning on hanging out by the Canal St. Martin during your trip to Paris (yes, you are!), take the extra step and sleep in the neighborhood too. Le Citizen boutique hotel blends minimalist design, modular furniture, and cozy...
Lots of people don’t know that there’s a canal,Regent’s Canal, that winds through the middle of London. Hire a bike at Broadway Market, and you can carry on down the canal to Olympic Park. I want to get everyone rambling around London on back...
Wolvenstraat 9, 1016 EM Amsterdam, Netherlands
Tourists may throng through Amsterdam's busy city center on Kalverstraat, but travelers in the know saunter down "De Negen Straatjes" or "The Nine Streets." Trendy boutiques, designer fashions, and snug cafes line the cobblestone street grid to...
Nebovidská 459/1, 118 00 Praha 1-Malá Strana, Czechia
Vaulted ceilings and arched hallways retain the medieval character of the 14th-century monastery that originally stood here in the Mala Strana district. The hotel also houses Essensia restaurant. Doubles from $350, Nebovidska 459/1, Mala Strana,...
Auguststraße 24, 10117 Berlin, Germany
I was drawn to this restaurant because of it's beautiful outdoor seating area, but got much more than I bargained for. Clärchen's is also a dance hall and it has been around since 1913. It's full of fun historical facts: their original placart was...
Trafalgar Square, London WC2N 5DN, UK
I love standing on the steps of the National Gallery and looking out over Trafalgar Square-- pubs, fountains, double-decker buses and a view of Big Ben. The National Gallery is wonderful, but when looking at the building, walk around to the right...
Wiesern 48, 5754 Hinterglemm, Austria
Josef Kroll has reimagined his family’s 14th-century estate in the Hinterglemm valley and turned it into a modern, 24-suite hotel. Its outstanding restaurant serves updated versions of classic dishes using meat, vegetables, and fruit from...
Weinmeisterstraße 1, 10178 Berlin, Germany
The Spanish shoe company’s second hotel (the first is in Barcelona) features 51 minimalist rooms and three suites with hardwood floors, fluffy rugs, and furniture plucked from the 1970s and ’80s. Albert Raurich, formerly of...
Stephansplatz 3, 1010 Wien, Austria
View from the top of Saint Stephen's Cathedral (Stephandom, Cathedral of Vienna) in Vienna, Austria. If I am not mistaken, the top of the tower from where this picture was taken is the highest point in Vienna.
Hobrechtstraße 61, 12047 Berlin, Germany
This bar has a living-room atmosphere: couches, sofas, easy chairs, wallpaper. It's got beer from the Czech Republic, a bit like a Bavarian beer. See all of Philippe Werhahn’s favorite places in the Neukölln neighborhood of...
47 Chandos Pl, London WC2N 4HS, UK
London is famous all over the world for its thousands of pubs. In fact, there are so many of them, it can be hard to pick out the lousy ones from the ones that are absolutely fantastic. The Harp is the latter. It's small, it's intimate, it's...
Velkopřevorské náměstí, 100 00 Praha 1, Czechia
I'm ordinarily a harsh critic of the plague of graffiti, which is found in most urban areas. But I draw a distinction when considering the John Lennon Wall in the Mala Strana District of Prague. After Lennon was killed a wall of the Anglo-American...
35 Boulevard de Courcelles, 75008 Paris, France
After three months in Paris, this was my favorite spot, not just for running in the early morning as the city slowly awoke, but for simply being.
Impasse de la Fidélité 4, 1000 Bruxelles, Belgium
The Delirium Café was my first stop after a long day of walking through Brussels, Belgium. Don't miss this incredible selection of beers (over 500 just on tap!) with barrel tables, high wooden seats, warm lighting, great atmosphere. The ceiling is...
8 Boulevard Beaumarchais, 75011 Paris, France
Fashion designer Stella Cadente has a wild imagination, one which she explored full tilt when she was asked to design the rooms in the right bank's recently renovated Hotel Original. Upon entering the 19th century building, situated between...
It’s like a typical southern European market, with shouting and chaos—not very German.
1112 k, Pilestræde 29, 1112 København, Denmark
This is my favorite design shop in Copenhagen. Dedicated to contemporary Danish design, Hay occupies a historic building overlooking the car-free Strøget district. You’ll find furniture and accessories inspired by midcentury design and pieces by...
73 Columbia Rd, London E2 7RG, UK
There’s a lovely little courtyard behind the Royal Oak. On a Sunday morning, you can get coffee from the pub, tucked away from the flower market. —Sophie Howarth 73 Columbia Rd. 44/(0) 20-7729-2220. This story appeared in the Premier 2009 issue. ...
37 Rue de la Bûcherie, 75005 Paris, France
What traveller or aspiring travel writer has ever been to Paris and NOT stopped by George Whitman's Shakesepeare & Company, located just a stone's throw (if you have a good arm!) from the Notre Dame Cathedral? I cannot count the amount of...
Rosenthaler Str. 40 -41, 10178 Berlin, Germany
This is one of the most hectic and lively courtyards in Berlin. Located in Mitte, it is named after the Hackeschen Market, which is across the street. As in many of Berlin's courtyards, the building complex around it consists of offices,...
Via dei Banchi Vecchi, 14, 00186 Roma RM, Italy
Quietly inhabiting the lovely Via dei Banchi Vecchi, Il Goccetto (not to be confused with the Italian pro-marijuana organization by the same name) is a secret hidden in plain sight: a cozy, wood-paneled wine bar with 18th-century ceiling...
5B Shepherd St, Mayfair, London W1J 7HP, UK
Tucked along the edge of Shepherd Market in Mayfair you'll find tiny L'Autre, a Polish-Mexican Bistro. It takes you by surprise, this combination, and you hover outside the door wondering what could possibly come of it. Everything. Everything...
2 Avenue de la Cascade, 75019 Paris, France
A unique place in Paris, far away from the city buildings and fancy clubs, here you can smell the fresh air of nature, before hitting the dance floor. Located inside Parc des Buttes Chaumont, Rosa Bonheur is a charming colourful guinguette (open...
Carlos Pl, Mayfair, London W1K 2AL, UK
At this lacquer box of a bar in Mayfair’s luxurious Connaught Hotel, white-gloved bartenders whisk over a martini trolley to create the drink tableside. Guests customize the martini with their choice of gin and homemade single-fragrance...
Frederiksborggade 21, 1362 København, Denmark
Erected on a cobblestone square amongst the tall residences built in the Haussmanian style so associated with Europe is the Torvehallerne market. There you can stroll through well-lit, glass-enclosed aisles and try fresh breads (Lauras Bakery); a...
Located in Copenhagen, where Hans Christian Andersen called home for many years, sits a tribute to one of his greatest literary works: The Little Mermaid. Commissioned in 1909, the Little Mermaid resides as a solitary figure on a single rock in...
Hammerichsgade 1, 1611 København, Denmark
If you're a mid-century design fan like I am, then you will enjoy walking around the lobby of this hotel furnished with original pieces by Arne Jacobsen. Take a seat in one of the chairs, close your eyes, and be transported back to an era when...
6 Parvis Notre-Dame - Pl. Jean-Paul II, 75004 Paris, France
On top of the famous cathedral our one rainy day gave just right amount of gravitas to the day. I love the feel of the photo as so many people recognize this place but no one has yet told me they got a better shot of it.
Gl. Hovedvagt, Kastellet 1, 2100 København, Denmark
While the little mermaid is good for what she is, just about everyone who sees her finds her...well...small. It shouldn't be a surprise for something that is quite literally called the LITTLE mermaid, but somehow she often still disappoints. What...
Philharmoniker Str. 4, 1010 Wien, Austria
Café Sacher is an obvious highlight on anyone’s travel itinerary in Vienna. But don’t be fooled, despite its international fame and success, your experience at Sacher will be one-of-a-kind. The Café and Hotel were founded over a century ago and...
1060 Vienna, Austria
The Naschmarkt is absolutely one of the things you have to experience during your stay in Vienna! Locals call Vienna’s largest inner-city market the “city’s stomach." The market is a unique place for strolling, admiring, discovering, and sampling....
Opernring 2, 1010 Wien, Austria
The Vienna State Opera is one of the more impressive sights you will get to see in Austria. If you cannot make it to one of the performances (or even if you can), you should definitely get a ticket to the behind the scenes tour. The operas and...
Schwarzenbergstraße, 1010 Wien, Austria
Before or after the theater, the pub 1516 is ideal for home-brewed seasonal beer, slightly loud music, and a lively mixed crowd, where you can get excellent pub food: hamburgers, chicken wings, pork ribs, farm bread with tasty fresh toppings, and...
Museumsplatz 1, 1070 Wien, Austria
The quartier21 is a vibrant hub of the Austrian and international modern art scene. It acts as an exhibition space, a meeting place, and even as a performance venue. If you are a lover of contemporary art in all its shapes and forms, the...
Staroměstské nám. 1, 110 00 Praha 1-Staré Město, Czechia
Another shining symbol of Prague. You cannot go there without seeing it, or witnessing the show at the top of every hour. First installed in 1410, this magical landmark works still to this day.
V Kotcích 516/15, 110 00 Praha-Staré Město, Czechia
The entire Prague skyline is rich with history and beautiful architecture.
Jiráskovo nám. 1981/6, 120 00 Praha 2-Nové Město, Czechia
The Dancing House was designed by the architects Vlado Milunić and Frank Gehry. The building starkly contrasts from the surrounding Gothic, Baroque, and Art Nouveau structures. Although modern in appearance, the Dancing House is defined by...
Prenzlauer Berg, Berlin, Germany
Prenzlauerberg (P'berg), to the east of the Mitte, is one of the loveliest areas in Berlin. The neighborhood is comprised of breathtaking turn-of-the-century architecture, great choices of restaurants, charming little cafes, and one-of-a-kind...
Kreuzberg, Berlin, Germany
The Berlin brunch scene is typically a buffet-style brunch with meats & cheeses, maybe a quiche or a soft-boiled egg. While that's an enjoyable meal, sometimes breaking out of the mold is called for. That's what makes the California Breakfast...
Linienstraße 160, 10115 Berlin, Germany
Freshly cut flowers, rustic wood tables, and an artsy crowd pepper this Mitte standout where ingredients are natural and sourced, as you might have guessed, locally. The menu changes almost weekly and features variations of simple dishes like...
Noordhollandschkanaaldijk 21, 1034 ZL Amsterdam, Netherlands
What could easily be considered an icon of Holland is becoming harder to find: The traditional windmill. While windmills can be hard to come by in Amsterdam, rent a bicycle and ride through Noord-Holland, where you'll find this traditional...
Recyclart is an collective space that partially inhabits subway station at Gare Bruxeles-Chapelle. It's a fun place to check out underground art and the group also runs a fun bar and organizes concerts.
Impasse de la Fidélité 4, 1000 Bruxelles, Belgium
If you're in Brussels and like beer, I mean all kinds of beer, then the Delirium Cafe is the place for you! The cafe is somewhat tucked away in the restaurant section of the city, just off of the grand place. The short walk is worth it and while...
Rue au Beurre 31, 1000 Bruxelles, Belgium
Maison Dandoy has been baking delicious treats in Brussels since 1829 and you'll find their famous shops scattered around Brussels. Step inside, and you'll be greeted by the sights and smells of crunchy biscuits (cookies) looking much as they have...
1020 Brussels, Belgium
Located at the foot of the Atomium, Mini Europe is the only park where you can have a tour around Europe in a few short hours. A truly unique voyage ! Stroll amid the typical ambiance of the most beautiful towns of the Old Continent.
You'd think that having a Meilleur Ouvrier de France (a prestigious crafstman title) at the helm of a restaurant would imply steep prices, but at Semilla, you're in for both a great meal and a great deal. The international influence is strong...
