Search results for 'Villa d'Este'

Get ready for a journey through the beautiful coastal regions and farmlands of the Midwest! The beauty of Mackinac Island and the Great Lakes region is accented by old-fashioned traditions and incredible scenery.

Ah, summer time, and the living is easy! Well, if you’re on Cape Cod and staying at The Mansion at Ocean Edge that certainly appears to be true. The Cape is full of laid back activities that will remind Baby Boomers of vacations we took in our youth. Not many high rise hotels, water parks and fast food restaurants, just nature, family and fun.

This was my opportunity NOT to see another tourist for the next four hours! The sun was low in the eastern sky and all I could hear was the clip-clop of my horse’s feet, as I rode along the dusty tracks on the outskirts of Siem Reap, Cambodia. Not many tourists equate riding horses in Asia to their typical holiday pleasure, but for me, after 2 days of conquering the temples of Angkor it was the perfect way to connect with the rural people of Cambodia - people who are just like me:  farmers. Horse riding is also a very quiet experience, a time when it is easy to gather thoughts and take in the sights, sounds and smells.

The beauty of the southern Andes unfolds as you travel from Argentina to Chile, all the while enjoying the local wine and cuisine.

Susie was delighted to find a unique travel and vacation experience in northwest England. The Farmhouse at “A Corner of Eden” is located near Kirkby Stephen in Cumbria and is another pet friendly property that can be easily accessed in particular by our European patrol members.  Kirby Stephen is 94 miles north of Manchester and 75 miles southwest of Newcastle.

Did you ever get your kicks on Route 66? If you’re a Baby Boomer, you are bound to have traveled this iconic road at some point in your life. Taking summer vacations with your family in the car somewhere between Chicago and Los Angeles – this road, which first opened in 1926, started what we soon began to know as the summer road trip. Route 66 was one of the original highways in our U.S. system.

Just like the American Great Lakes, there are several of note in Italy, and we'll visit them.But, let's take a first look at Lake Como, in English and American, but the more romantic - Lago di Como in Italian. Whilst it has been a popular tourist destination for many years, with the advent of George Clooney and his villa full of Hollywood friends, Lago di Como is a paparazzi mecca. 

Since ancient times, Korea has been famous for its ceramics. In fact, while many travelers visit Japan for its pottery, they often overlook the reality that Japanese ceramics, which spread north through Japan via its southern island of Kyushu, was actually “introduced” from Korea. Honestly, “introduced” is too mild a term. When the Japanese invaded Korea during the 16^th Century, they abducted the great Korean potters and forced them to work in Japan. One Korean potter taken to Japan at this time was referred as “the god of pottery.” Korea's great Ri Sam-pyeong, known in Japan as Kanegae Sampei, actually established the world famous pottery village in Arita, Japan, near Fukuoka City. Yi was originally from the Geum River Basin in Korea. As recently as 1990, a memorial was set up at the entrance to Donghaksa Buddhist Temple in Gongju, South Korea, with the inscription paid for by the people of Arita, Japan. 

Lose yourself in this Kiwi Adventure and experience all of New Zealand’s many facets.

The Downton Abbey craze is the latest out-shoot of the world's romance with England's great Stately Homes. Jeremy Irons became famous because of his role as Charles Ryder, and Anthony Andrews, Julia Quick, Clare Bloom and the venerable Lord Laurence Olivier graced the screen bringing these larger than life characters into our homes and hearts.

Blondee tells us about great places to eat at scenic Lake Como in Italy.

Edinburgh boasts a rich history which welcomes all who venture in to discover this unique world of ancient castles and magnificent architecture, combined with modern buildings and facades. Atmospheric cobbled streets, wonderful architecture, old facedes and wide avenues allow you to imagine yourself transported back in time. The Lothian’s is also steeped in fascinating history, filled with castles, stately homes and battle sites.

What exactly is a heurigen? It’s Austria’s answer to a beer garden - only with wine. A heurigen is one of the best places to sample regional wines and delicious simple home-made cuisine and true “Gemütlichkeit ” - warmth and coziness. Heuriger means “this year” and heurigens began when Emperor Joseph II allowed vintners to sell their new wine directly to customers without any taxes. Families set up tables in their vineyards, gardens and cellars, and hung a wreath made of straw or evergreens as a signal that they were open and ready to serve their family wines.

Just east of Badlands National Park, take some time to visit Prairie Homestead. You’ll see an actual Sodbuster house and farm from the turn of the century, and wonder how these folks ever made a go of it! 

Wow, I love this chef, Jose Garces! He wants all of us to celebrate culture and cuisine from Mexico, he is the Master of Latin cuisine, has been seen as The Iron Chef America on Food Network and guess who was his influence leading to all of this success?  Yes, just like me, his grandmother!

The Kogart restaurant is on the ground floor of one of Budapest’s most beautiful old villas. I so want to experience this beautiful culture and city someday. I love the people from here. I have a very soft spot for Budapest, we will just say it must be magical....people fall madly madly in love here, that I know for sure.

For a brief and beautiful time, around the turn of the last century, utopian societies were in full swing. The shining jewel of these enterprises is Shaker Village in Pleasant Hill, Kentucky. 

SBM rules and reigns supreme in Monaco.  In addition to the grande hotels of bygone years, they own the two major Beach Hotels.  The famed Monte Carlo Beach Club, with its world famous concert facility the Sporting Club.  And the new SBM shuttle buses take you between these destinations during your stay at the SBM hotels.

Few places in the world are as romantic and private as Bellagio, a resort nestled in the hills of Lake Como.  Often referred to as “Pearl of the Lake,” Bellagio has world class hotels and restaurants that offer the perfect environment to relax and enjoy the stunning panoramic views – especially the Italian Alps.

America's East Coast Riviera, that's how locals feel about the Hamptons.Then again, there are locals, and locals.  The real locals are the people of Long Island who live in the Hamptons year around.  The other "locals" are rich owners and renters who inhabit from May till September.  New Yorkers, for some strange reason, have come to regard summer as that time between Memorial Day (third Monday in May), and Labor Day, first Monday in September.  So, every piece of action is crammed into three oh so short, super-revved up months of summer.

NEWYORKANDFOOD - yes, they're inseparable.  As any New Yorker knows, and any visitor too, from the vendors on the Streets, to the five star restaurants, New York has the best food in the world.  Any discussion on New York has to talk about it's foodies! Yes, we invented the word for those distinctive people who seemingly live, breathe and eat their way through life and New York.

The sun tan from my fortnight’s visit to the Bahamas had barely started to fade when I took my wife to the cinema to see the 2006 re-make of Casino Royale featuring, for the first time, Daniel Craig as British secret service agent, James Bond.

Quite early in the storyline 007 jets into Nassau, from where I had just returned, and then, much to my surprise, Bond set off in his car toward the exclusive Ocean Club resort on Paradise Island where I’d recently stayed and played golf during my familiarisation trip to the island.

As Bond made for the bar and then the beach, the film afforded me a rare moment in my life when, with great pride, I leant over and whispered to my wife: “I stayed there!”   

So here's a spot you probably haven't thought to explore in Paris – the area known as Bercy. This is actually a great place to spend a few nights especially if you are traveling with your grandchildren. The Pullman Paris Bercy is one of the most reasonably priced hotels while visiting the City of Lights. Granted, you are not in the heart of Paris, but a mere 15 minute Metro ride into the center. The hotel has a very modern feel with amenities the kids will like – it is child and pet friendly. The beds are very comfortable and the food and service is quite good. The bathrooms are equipped with amenities and are quite large – all of which is hard to find in the center of Paris.

Located about one hour by car from Milan's Malpensa Airport, sits one of the most majestic hotel properties I've had the privilege to stay. Villa d'Este sits on Lake Como as the Grande Dame of hotels. With its 16th century history and all the grandeur that evokes, this hotel is a must for your Bucket List. It has been host to royalty, aristocrats and stars of stage and screen. The hotel roster lists notables such as Mark Twain, Elizabeth Taylor, Greta Garbo, Alfred Hitchcok and Clark Gable to Madonna and Ralph Lauren.