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(Madrid) — Perched high on a hill in Parque del Oeste is a true Egyptian temple given to Spain as the Aswan High Damn was about to swallow it up. Now it sits in a perfect park overlooking the hills of Madrid and the Royal Palace. Go at night when it and the Palace are both lit up. Also, there’s a chairlift contraption that takes you further into the parque, which is 2-3 times the size of Madrid itself and is Right There.
(Madrid) — I’d read about this redevelopment project a while ago and always wanted to check it out. Long abandoned and gone to seed, several years ago the massive redevelopment transformed the whole river. Over the last several years, it has really come together. What used to be sludgy is now sparkling, with walkways and bridges intertwined along the river, with kids playing, people jogging and chatting. A great place to get away from the crowds, even in the winter. Go at sunset so you can watch the lights of the city come on and the moon rise. Start on the south side, by the new Matedero arts center and move your way up north to the Royal Palace. Delightful way to spend an early evening.Here’s
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(Madrid) — Take time out of eating, drinking and shopping to take a long stroll or do some eating or drinking in Madrid’s Parque del Retiro. Beautifully laid out, with different sections that beckon you to keep going on to the next site, there’s lots to see, summer or winter. (These shots are from winter, just imagine what summer looks like.)
[ROME, ITALY] — When you get sick of all the tour buses and streets clogged with tourist groups, head up to the top of the Via Venato to the Villa Borghese Gardens, one of the most tranquil parts of Rome. Vast, sprawling acres of grass, trees and cool little features, like a picture perfect rowing lake….with its own temple of course. And because it’s high up, great views of the city and Piazza del Popolo. Here’s a great little secret way to get there: save walking a thousand steps as you climb the hill by taking a series of free escalators from the Piazza de Spagna Metro stop. Go into the entrance, but instead of buying a ticket, look for the escalators opposite the entrance
(Barcelona) — Not much more to report here, just a nice surprise I ran into while walking along the waterfront over Christmas time. I don’t think Spielberg’s set designers could have come up with a more perfect looking Old School circus.
(Paris) — It’s a river, so nothing ever gets old. The scenery floats by. And the light changes by the hour. Instead of taking a nap, start around dusk, when the grey Paris skies turn pink and the lights come up. Get down on the water, it’s almost your very own Paris.
(Paris) — One of Paris’ booming neighborhoods is the Canal Saint-Martin. You can’t miss it on the map, it’s the big gash right over there on the right. Go for a mid-day stroll, up and down the foot bridges. I was there in November, but I hear it’s jammed with sunbathers and walkers during the summer. Stop for lunch at the Hotel du Nord, extra cool little boutique hotel and restaurant. Some great small shops and cafes. Or pack a lunch, sit and watch the scruffy world go. Here’s a great article in Conde Nast Traveler. Last visited: November 2011
[London) — A perfect cloudy afternoon thing to do in London is to go walk among the stalls of Borough Market. Tucked under a viaduct and carved out of various nooks and crannies, the Borough is just a great place to while away a morning, then head out to see other sites around central London. Go early and beat most of the crowds. And make sure you check out Monmouth Coffee, some of the best coffee I’ve had. The lines are long (for a reason) but their system moves you fast. Grab a cup, have a walk ’round.
(Copenhagen) –
(Copenhagen) — You’ll read all about Tivoli Gardens, the amusement park built in the mid 1800s, it’s a top destination in Copenhagen. But I suggest you hold off on visiting it until nighttime with all the lights come up and it takes on a whole new feel. There’s as many adults as kids, all just out for a stroll. And while you’re at it, stop by the moorish Nimb hotel and it’s world-reknown restaurant Nimb, considered one of the vanguards of the new-Scandavian cuisine. You’ll need reservations at Nimb, but there’s a more casual sibling right next door, with large community tables and amazing food. Have a bite and a nip, then go back out and enjoy the lights. Last visited: November 2009
(Stockholm) — One of the neatest museums in the world is Stockholm’s Vasa Museum. The entire museum is built around a single wooden sailing warship called the Vasa. Built during Sweden’s years as a world naval power in the 1600s, the Vasa, having just had its christening, slid out in the Stockholm harbor and, because it had so many canons on it, quickly tilted over, filled with water and sank instantly to the bottom. It remained on the bottom for hundreds and hundreds of years, perfectly preserved by the rich mud until it was rediscovered in the 1960s, raised and pumped full of preservatives. The whole museum is built around the ship, allowing you to get up close to its sides, peek in its
(Stockholm) — In the heart of Stockholm is the city’s Old Town or Gamla Stan. Sweden’s “Venice of the North” is all built on a series of islands and Gamla Stan is right smack in the middle of them. No cars are allowed, so you can calmly walk it’s twisted, windy streets. Small shops, bars and restaurants are tucked into all its nooks an crannies. One, Fem Sma Hus, has been in continuous operation since 1651. I remember meeting my friends Bror-Erik and Irene once and when I asked how old the restaurant was, he said “This is a pretty new one. I think it opened in the late 1800s.” Last visited: November 2006
(Stockholm) — The Berns was a grand lady hotel, but several years ago it undertook a modern day reboot, boldly revamped into a hipster hangout. I’ve never stayed here, but highly recommend at least stopping in for a drink in the soaring two-story lobby, complete with boom-she-boom soundtrack and great people watching. Make sure you check out the concerts in the immense, totally gorgeous music hall, presenting some of the hottest bands going. We saw the then just-breaking punk-gypsy band Gogol Bordello, a raucous good time of spinning, laughing and dancing. Last visited: November 2009