Nostalgia
Get up early to avoid the crowds and catch some beautiful, soft light while experiencing a quiet Florence devoid of its midday chaos.
Lungarno degli Archibusieri, 8/r, 50122 Firenze FI, Italy
There are few better places from which to enjoy river views and sunsets than the Ponte Vecchio, built in 1345. Spanning the Arno's narrowest point, this is the only bridge to have survived the German bombing of the city in 1944. There have always...
Piazza del Duomo, 50122 Firenze FI, Italy
The cathedral, usually called the Duomo, is Florence’s most recognizable building. You are able to catch glimpses of its magnificent red-tiled cupola from just about anywhere in the city center. Construction on the church...
Albert Cuypstraat 53, 1072 CM Amsterdam, Netherlands
On our way to the Concertgebouw, we couldn't resist entering this tempting bakery. Inside? The moistest lemon cake I've ever tasted, along with unique muffins, cakes, and other sweet delights. Savory breads and sandwiches are available as well,...
Herengracht 427, 1017 BR Amsterdam, Netherlands
Exploring Amsterdam aboard a canal boat is an iconic way to see the sights, with myriad tours and cruises plying the 65 miles of waterways that lattice the city. From many spots you can join simple, hour-long cruises with narrators describing...
Leidsestraat, Amsterdam, Netherlands
A rainy Christmas in Amsterdam this year. The holiday lights are reflected by the rain and the canals.
55 Rue Oberkampf, 75011 Paris, France
No phone, no reservations. Things might seem strict and serious at Top Chef finalist Pierre Sang's first restaurant in Paris but it's all creative flavor pairings and playful presentations in the kitchen. On the inside - warm, exposed stone walls,...
172 Boulevard Saint-Germain, 75006 Paris, France
Go for the scene, not the food, and enjoy the Art Deco décor and great people-watching at this buzzy Left Bank landmark. Despite a limited menu and steep prices, the place is packed day and night. Order a chocolat chaud and sit on the...
173 Rue Saint-Honoré, 75001 Paris, France
Astier de Villatte is well known for its light weight white porcelain plates and dishes, all shown in a big wooden closet at the entrance hall of the store, alongside home perfumes, candles and other colored decorative dishes. It serves as a...
80 Quai de l'Hôtel de ville, 75004 Paris, France
Did you know that only 25% of French people buy their cheese from a fromagerie? And of that 25, only 3-4% go to an affineur (cheese refiner). Both are the sad realities of a dying tradition in France of sourcing provisions from neighborhood...
5 Boulevard des Filles du Calvaire, 75003 Paris, France
A few steps away from Merci store, you can find its kids version at the colorful concept store Bon Ton, which sells kids clothes, shoes and toys. The brand has more stores in the city but this one is a three level high, filled with Kids...
25 Rue Jean-Pierre Timbaud, 75011 Paris, France
Most locals point to Breizh Café in the Marais for the city's best crêpes but my loyalties lie with Chez Imogène, a tiny, no-frills restaurant in the 11th arrondissement. Traditional buckwheat galettes and sweet dessert crêpes take pride of place...
52 Rue de Saintonge, 75003 Paris, France
A boon to taco-starved expats when it opened five years ago, this taqueria-meets-cocktail lounge has been consistently good since day one. Tuck into tacos, tostadas and deliciously chunky guacamole in the narrow taqueria, then head past the...
261 Boulevard Raspail, 75014 Paris, France
Little needs to be said about Paris's peerless art scene and the iconic museums that greet throngs of visitors each day but we hear very little about spaces like the non profit Fondation Cartier for Contemporary Art nestled in the 1'4th...
Place de l'Hôtel de Ville, 75004 Paris, France
24 Place de la Madeleine, 75008 Paris, France
Here at the très chic Boulangerie Fauchon, on the Place de la Madeleine in the heart of Paris, the loaves can look almost too good to eat. In French, the idiomatic equivalent for 'window-shopping' is "leche-vitrine," which literally means...
75009 Paris, France
Galeries Lafayette Haussmann is worth a visit if only to stand under its magnificent glass dome. The family business has survived as a one-stop-shopping hub for five generations, thanks to steady innovation and an emphasis on high fashion and...
113 Rue de Rivoli, 75001 Paris, France
Before the French Revolution, this park used to be the site of the Royal Palace. Today, the garden, which separates the Louvre from the Place de la Concorde, is a place where Parisians and tourists stroll amid Rodin and Maillol statues or relax...
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...
Place Georges-Pompidou, 75004 Paris, France
The Centre Pompidou, France's national museum of modern art, led the way for steel and glass buildings in the 1970s. Now the museum leads the way in modern art with its extraordinary collection, currently the world's second largest....
35 Boulevard de Courcelles, 75008 Paris, France
I've been to Parc Monceau only once and loved it right away. Maybe because it has a homey, neighborhood feeling, (a public park situated in the 8th arrondissement of Paris) maybe because of the classical colonnade in the middle of it, or maybe...
1 Passage du Grand Cerf, 75002 Paris, France
It had been years since I last stumbled upon the Passage du Grand Cerf in the 2nd, a long and narrow gallery of creative shops. Though I wasn't the only shopper, part of me felt like I had happened upon an untouched jewel. If I share this spot...
Place de la Madeleine, 75008 Paris, France
Wheeled out just over a year ago, Le Camion Qui Fume* is responsible for pioneering the food truck movement in Paris. In a city where burgers of all forms and quality have largely become ubiquitous, it was going to take something special to make...
72 Rue Bonaparte, 75006 Paris, France
The great macaron debate may forever wage on but from the first time I tucked into a small box of Pierre Hermé's dimunitive cookies, perfectly crisp on the outside and melt-in-your-mouth soft on the inside, I knew I'd remain loyal to his...
11 Rue des Gravilliers, 75003 Paris, France
Among the increasingly trendy streets of the Upper Marais, this intimate hotel offers a refreshingly low-key place to unpack. Named for the classic Francois Truffaut film, and set in a former precious metal factory, Jules & Jim has a low-fi...
With the opening of this salon-de-thé meets pâtisserie in August, the left bank got a lot more interesting. Graduates of Ferrandi cooking school, Charlotte Siles and Guillaume Gil sought to create a contemporary environment where gourmands of...
Sorbonne, Paris, France
Crossed the Pont de L' Archeveche bridge near Norte Dame in Paris and saw all these love locks. Most of them were fairly run of the mill master locks but saw some very antique locks and shaped like a giant fish.
46 Rue du Bac, 75007 Paris, France
Since 1831 Deyrolle has been the taxidermist for Parisians. In the two-story shop on the lovely Rue du Bac, you'll find everything from domestic animals and large exotic mammals (lions! zebras!) to insects, shells, birds, and educational...
Place Georges-Pompidou, 75004 Paris, France
When in Paris, of course you must visit the Louvre, Musee d'Orsay, and L'Orangerie to see the classics and impressionist masters of Europe. But a trip to France’s capital should not be complete without a stop at the inside out Pompidou modern art...
107 Rue de Rivoli, 75001 Paris, France
Paris is without question one of the best picnic cities. The only challenge is finding a park or garden that allows you to sit on the grass. To keep the land looking lush and pristine, guards mill about to police picnickers sprawled on off-limits...
75006 Paris, France
Located in the 6th arrondissement, the Jardin du Luxembourg is the second largest park in Paris. It is teeming with blooming flower gardens, flowing fountains, historical buildings, a few smoking teenagers and yes, enormous sculptures of horses.
2 Galerie de Montpensier, 75001 Paris, France
This beautiful courtyard, modern art installations, hundreds of Corinthian columned walkways and perfectly placed fountains and gardens, make the Palais Royal a photographer's playground. Personally, I can never get enough of the reflection...
8 Rue du Cherche-Midi, 75006 Paris, France
Shops and bakeries are introducing spruced-up versions of classic Parisian foods. Here are the best addresses to try traditional and eclectic takes on three iconic French treats.
1. CROISSANT The Classic: The flaky pastries from Poilane are made...
226 Rue de Rivoli, 75001 Paris, France
Yes, Angelina on the Rue de Rivoli (around the Tuileries Garden and the Louvre) is a tourist spot, but it is still one of the best places in Paris for hot chocolate. Their menu of pastries and other small dishes is good, but don't miss out on the...
Grandes-Carrières, 75018 Paris, France
Hotels in Paris are costly; prohibitively expensive particularly when you're trying to travel on a budget. Renting an apartment often ends up being a more cost effective option, especially if you snag a small kitchen. The Paris experience will be...
9 Carrefour de l'Odéon, 75006 Paris, France
Booking a room at Le Relais Saint-Germain, managed by the beloved chef Yves Camdeborde, is the only surefire way to score a table at his bistro next door, Le Comptoir. Each hotel room is dedicated to a prominent author who was inspired by Paris,...
Paris, France
My wife and two friends were tired of "museums" so they mistakenly decided to go shopping while I went to the Rodin Museum alone. It was breathtaking, the flowers were all in full bloom, the art on display inside was rare and beautiful, but the...
43 Rue des Petites Écuries, 75010 Paris, France
Now you can sample the cuisine of celebrated local chefs by visiting their walk-in wine bars. Braden Perkins eases his elegant culinary style at Verjus’s downstairs bar (47 Rue de Montpensier), where groups share small plates of succulent pork...
37 Rue de Verneuil, 75007 Paris, France
The historic Androuet fromagerie has been sourcing and maturing exceptional cheeses since 1909. Their shop on rue Mouffetard is staffed by friendly English-speakers who will be happy to explain and vacuum-seal your selections, including the...
Hold forth with the French about coffee and you'll quickly understand its purpose. It's not meant to be consumed leisurely but rather serves to clean the palate after a hearty meal. They think of it as a digestif which they tend to down in one...
53 Quai des Grands Augustins, 75006 Paris, France
If you've ever walked along the banks of the river Seine, you've probably seen long green boxes and their vendors plying souvenirs, postcards and a variety of other knick-knacks. But did you know that these Bouquinistes - all 240+ of them - are...
Quai de Valmy, 75010 Paris, France
The location for the most charming scenes in the movie Amélie, this once-forgotten neighborhood is now a destination for the young and fun-loving. As soon as the weather turns warm, picnickers line the paths along this...
96 Quai de Jemmapes, 75010 Paris, France
Perfect for exploring the trendy 10th arrondissement, Le Citizen Hotel overlooks the Canal Saint-Martin, footsteps from where Amélie skipped stones in the French movie of the same name. The location is convenient for walking or using public...
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...
Paris-8E-Arrondissement, 16 Place de la Madeleine, 75008 Paris, France
Even after six years in Paris, I still find myself overwhelmed by the heaps of flaky pastries and dainty, multi-layer desserts that line bakery windows. These local joints on each block reel in passersby with the potent scent of butter and...
22 Rue des Martyrs, 75009 Paris, France
After glowing stints at Fauchon and Le Bon Marché, pastry chef and author Sébastien Gaudard opened his own pâtisserie on rue des Martyrs, just south of Pigalle, 9 months ago; the speed of his ascent into the annals of traditional pastry-making...
6 Parvis Notre-Dame - Pl. Jean-Paul II, 75004 Paris, France
For a first-time visitor to Notre Dame, investing in the audio guide is essential to immerse in and understand this overwhelmingly significant Paris icon. There's a lot to see and absorb—history, architecture, artifacts,...
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...
Rue de Rivoli, 75001 Paris, France
This former royal palace is one of the largest museums in the world, and its art collection is considered one of the most comprehensive. It contains around 400,000 works, although—mercifully, perhaps—not all are on display at any one...
9 Rue des Martyrs, 75009 Paris-9E-Arrondissement, France
The friendly neighborhood of Rue des Martyrs is a favorite destination for buying edible souvenirs of Paris. To get started, head to No. 9, where the beautiful La Chambre aux Confitures stocks endless jars of jam for your...
12 Rue Perrée, 75003 Paris, France
The limited-edition Nikes and kiosk of independent magazines (Corpus, Out of Order, System) at this brilliantly edited multibrand boutique in the upper Marais recall the city’s renowned concept shop Colette. But its abundant natural light, and...
34 Rue Yves Toudic, 75010 Paris, France
Situated a block from the Canal St.-Martin in the 10th arrondissement, Du Pain et des Idées is your favorite corner bakery—only better. The owner, Christophe Vasseur, was named best boulanger in Paris in 2008, and for good reason....
28 Rue de l'Abbé Grégoire, 75006 Paris, France
Delicate macarons are the badge of French confectionery prowess. Master the intricacies of creating billowy baked meringue, creamy fillings, and the perfect crunchy texture at Ferrandi culinary school. Some of France’s top pastry chefs teach a...
6 Rue du Forez, 75003 Paris, France
After ‘sans gluten’ found a place in the Parisian lexicon last year thanks to Helmut Newcake and more recently Noglu, vegan is the next buzzword to be embraced by locals in Paris. I still remember when dining out in the city was a daunting...
52 Rue de Richelieu, 75001 Paris, France
With their Paris supper club Hidden Kitchen, Americans Laura Adrian and Braden Perkins regaled guests with a sensational 10-course meal with wine pairings around a communal table in their apartment. The food was nothing short of transcendental;...
69 Rue de Lyon, 75012 Paris, France
Paris boasts an unusual elevated park, La Promenade Plantée, built atop an abandoned elevated railway viaduct in the 12th arrondissement. It starts a block east of the Place de la Bastille and stretches for 2.9 elevated miles. Landscape architect...
1 Rue Jules Vallès, 75011 Paris, France
World famous French chef Alain Ducasse, who has been honored with many Michelin stars for his restaurants around the globe, has just opened the first bean to bar chocolate shop in Paris. Nestled in a courtyard in the Bastille area, the former...
93 Rue du Bac, 75007 Paris, France
I had my misgivings about La Patisserie des Rêves (literally, the pastry shop of dreams). Widely hyped since its opening in 2009, Philippe Conticini's whimsical space breaks with traditional codes both in decor and dessert. I had seen photos of...
3 Boulevard Edgar Quinet, 75014 Paris, France
Step off the beaten path that leads to Jim Morrison’s grave at Père Lachaise and head instead to the lesser-known, yet extraordinary Montparnasse Cemetery. Locals bring metro tickets to leave on Serge Gainsbourg’s grave in...
32 Rue Cler, 75007 Paris, France
Cafe L'Eclair is everything you expect when you think of the perfect French cafe: delicious cafe au lait, croissants and tartine and a bonus, this cafe turns into a cocktail bar after dark. Another benefit of this lovely cafe is its location on...
1 Avenue du Colonel Henri Rol-Tanguy, 75014 Paris, France
Pont des Arts, 75006 Paris, France
Strolling over the Pont des Arts, in spite of the tourists, and the cliché, bereted accordian player busquing for a Euro... even with the lovers buying locks to place on the fencing, and the nasal wail of the Bateaux Mouches loudspeakers floating...
6 Place de la Madeleine, 75008 Paris, France
Nestled in a corner of shops off the well-heeled boulevard de la Madeleine, the shop approaches many of their 50 some mustard varieties like beer, offering them fresh and on tap. Flavors range from the ultra classic (course ground à l'ancienne,...
34 Quai d'Austerlitz, 75013 Paris, France
If ever there were a reason to make a beeline for Paris's 13th arrondissement, it would be to revel in Wanderlust, the space that opened last summer at Les Docks –Cité de la Mode et du Design along the formerly derelict industrial embankment of...
45 Rue Oberkampf, 75011 Paris, France
When I first moved to the 11th arrondissement, rue Oberkampf hadn't yet shaken off the vestiges of its grungy, working-class past and was lined mostly with dive bars, ethnic take-away joints and merchants (fishmongers, cheese-mongers, florists,...
34 Rue Duperré, 75009 Paris, France
Among its many, recent claims to fame, the South Pigalle (SoPi in anglophone parlance) neighborhood has become synonymous with cool cocktail bars and creative after-hours hangouts. The quirky spot that seemed to pioneer it all was Le Carmen, a...
Champ de Mars, 5 Avenue Anatole France, 75007 Paris, France
Nothing is a more powerful symbol of the City of Light than the Eiffel Tower. Designed by Gustave Eiffel for the 1889 Paris Exposition, it's one of the world's most-visited monuments, with nearly 7 million people ascending the 1,062-foot...
