[FOLEGANDROS, GREECE] — A video and music overview of the best beaches, hotels and restaurants of the under-the-radar island of Folegandros. For more details, visit the Folegandros page on my website.
[SARTÈNE, CORSICA] — Here’s my overview of Domaine de Murtoli a luxurious secret hideaway on the French island of Corsica. The best luxury hotel in Corsica. The best luxury villas in Corscia. ______________________________ I was having dinner by myself the first night in Corsica at Domaine de Murtoli — one of the most exclusive resorts in France — and sitting back and grinning at all the natural wonder before me in this candle-lit treehouse of a restaurant hidden under the maquis trees. Barefoot waitresses in linen frocks darted under the leaves, bringing drinks, appetizers and cute smiles. Around the corner came a vision, the most perfectly tanned specimen on this planet. Valérie, the proprietress of this magical haven (and a former model and mother to four
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[CORSICA, FRANCE] — Here’s my driving tour of the best hilltop villages of Northern Corsica. What to do in Northern Corsica, where to eat in Northern Corsica, best boutique hotel in north Corsica and driving all around the famed Cap Corse. ____________________________________ You know when you’re in a rental car in a foreign land and you’re on a steep impossible skinny one lane road with dropoffs of hundreds of feet and wondering “what the hell am going to do if another car comes the other way???” I was in exactly in that situation, on a steep rocky road, barely wider than my car, pointing downdowndown on my way to the a sleepy fishing village I was told was a gem. The crazy road was a bunch of
[CORSICA, FRANCE] — Here’s my overview of the best things to do in central Corsica mountains. The best things to do central Corsica. The best things to do in the gorges of Corsica. Canyoning in Corsica, Gorge de Restonica. Where to stay in central Corsica. __________________________________ “Emmm, Monsieur Dan, please be careful. The water is deep enough, but there ees a big rock down there. So you must jump out from the cliff to not hit it, but not too far. Or you will hit the beeg rock.“ That was my super-cute young French guide, shouting above the roar. I was canyoning in Corsica for the first time. We were standing on top of a huge stack of elephant rocks, a swift stream was zooming under our
[CORSICA, FRANCE] — Here’s my overview of the best beaches of Southern Corsica. What to do in southern Corsica. The best things to do Southern Corsica. Smack in the middle of the deep blue Mediterranean Sea are two big islands, Sardinia and Corsica. Almost like twins, ripped apart, both jut out of the sea like breaching whales, with huge mountains in the middle and some of the best beaches in all of Europe ringing their rocking shores. Corsica, known as Corse in French, is a magical adventure land, with an infinite amount of sporty things to do. Hiking. Climbing. Canyoning. Snorkeling. Sailing. Boating. Or just sit on the beach. The middle is spiked with enormous shark-toothed mountains, some as high as the Alps, often dotted
[GÈDRE, FRANCE] — This is an overview of three great hikes in the French Pyrénées with details on three of the best cirques in the Hautes-Pyrénées: Cirque de Troumouse, Cirque d’Estaube and Cirque de Gavarnie. Here’s everything good I found. _______________________________ I always wanted to go on some great hikes in the French Pyrénées, but I could never figure out where. As I finally figured out after all these years, the Pyrénées aren’t just a single group of mountains, but a bunch of groups of Pyrénées spread all along the French/Spanish border. So when you think, as I stupidly did, “Oh I’ll just go hike in the Pyrénées” you’re instantly in over your head when you finally try to Google it and figure out where to go.
[EUGENIE-LES-BAINS, FRANCE] — A review of Les Prés d’Eugénie, the late Chef Michel Guérard’s amazing healthy living hotel, spa and three Michelin-starred restaurant in the countryside of Gascony. It’s one of the France’s best luxury hotels. And one of the 50 Best Restaurants in the World. _______________________________ I had the best intensions… Looking to break up my random drive across France in the summer of 2015, I decided to sneak in to the famed Les Prés d’Eugénie hotel for a taste of what made Michel Guérard world famous — one of the pioneers of Nouvelle Cuisine who changed French cooking forever. Chef and his wife Christine built this magical spa hotel in the country as a destination for his 3 Michelin star restaurant. We’re talking
[MOLTIG-LES-BAINS, FRANCE] — Here’s a review of the beautiful Chateau de Riell a beautiful boutique hotel and spa in the mountains of French Catalonia and the best boutique Relais & Chateaux hotels in the region. _________________________________ So, here I was last April sitting in Skoura, an oasis town in Morocco, and I had to make a choice. Fed up with my stupid job, I’d quit and left for a little sabbatical for a month in Portugal and Morocco. My plane to the States left the next day, but I wasn’t ready to go back. So I cancelled it. I flew back to Barcelona, walked up to the Hertz desk and asked “Can I rent a car for a long time? Like two months?” “Si!” So they hooked
[PRAGUE] — This is going to be a pretty easy post for you, more of a postcard travelogue. I think I am the last guy to visit Prague, but I slapped it on to an over-Christmas trip to Brussels just to see what it’s like and have some beer. Pretty city. Too many tourists for me. Granted, it was a holiday, but I feel sorry that it was so overrun. But it definitely is a beautiful city. These are the best things I’ve found to do over a winter weekend in Prague. Especially during a Christmas holiday weekend in Prague. Click to open the slideshow and follow along. There are other, better, already-done guides to Prague, a million of them. Just think of this post
[BRUSSELS, BELGIUM] — This was the third Rocco Forte Hotel I’ve stayed in (and 7th time overall). I think it is just an exceptional little boutique hotel brand. They each have their own personality, don’t feel like a chain at all and totally cool design. I absolutely loved the Hotel Amigo in Brussels, the best boutique hotel in Brussels. I was in Brussels just for a two nights over Christmas before heading off to Prague. Here’s another post I made about Brussels. Just like the Hotel Savoy in Florence and the Hotel de Russie in Roma (my fave), the Hotel Amigo in Brussels is right where you want to be, but just enough away from The Crazy that you’re in your own little cocoon. Just a
Here’s a quiet little video summary I made of a fabulous two week trip in Morocco in April 2015. I tried to capture the sights, sounds and incomparable experiences of all of Morocco. Marrakesh, the High Atlas Mountains, the desert oasis of Skoura and camping in the Sahara. If you want more detailed information of all the sights in this video, check out the Morocco page on my website. Lots of great pictures, information, maps and links to other resources to help you plan your trip. Of course, if you have any questions, feel free to comment below.
[TABERNASH, COLORADO] — If you’re looking for a Colorado ranch getaway, away from the slopes, but close enough, Devil’s Thumb Ranch is what you’re looking for. Outside the ski resort of Winter Park and just past the little town of Tabernash, Devil’s Thumb is setup to be its own self-contained year-round mountain resort. Focused in winter on the 100km of groomed cross-country ski trails, spa and other cold activities. There’s 100km of groomed cross-country ski trails like this at Devil’s Thumb Ranch, weaving in and around 6,000 glorious acres on a big ranch not far from the Continental Divide* in Colorado. At 8,500ft (2,600m) elevation you not only see your breath, but breathlessly feel it too, under the big bluebird sky. You can scoot and
[TRENTINO–ITALY] — I’ve taken the hike to Rifugio Rifugio Tuckett e Sella twice now and I still think it’s one of the best hikes in the Brenta Dolomites. Hike the in the Brenta Dolomites to to Rifugio Tuckett. The best hike in the Brenta Dolomites. A great hike from Madonna di Campiglio. These are photos from those two different hikes to Rifugio Tuckett. _____________________________ “Theeesa eesa the one.” she said, in that lovely Italian way of needing to add a vowel onto every word. “Theesa onea is da besta hi-ka in the valley. And ifa you goa heer, ita eesa da besta viewa inaalla da Dolomites.” That’s Barbara, the owner of my splendid hotel in the Brenta region of the Italian Dolomites. There isn’t just one
[MARRAKESH, MOROCCO] — Here’s my hotel review of Villa des Orangers the best boutique hotel in Marrakesh. Villa des Orangers is my vote for best luxury hotel Marrakesh. ___________________________ It was midnight on a full moon in Marrakesh. A late flight from Barcelona after a many-hours transfer in Casablanca. The driver pulls over on a very busy, unremarkable street, next to a gas station, an LP gas depot and about the world’s most frenetic bus stop and taxi stand, drivers wailing and waving, engines gunning. Everyone looked to be in charge, yelling at other drivers to be doing something other than what they were doing. Buses, trucks and loud scooters screamed by, drowning out the shouts of the cab stand. The luxury van stopped in
[MARRAKESH, MOROCCO] — A review of Amanjena luxury hotel Marrakesh, the best hotel in the Marrakesh Palmeraie. Amanjena is one of the best luxury hotels in Marrakesh. __________________________ The sun had set. The sky dimming a deep purple. Reflections on a giant dark pool shimmered back the endless repetitive patterns of grand columns across the water — embracing my pattern-OCD like a bear hug. A handful of people relaxed on pillows strewn about a manicured lawn, sipping cocktails amidst the growing light of the dozens of lanterns lit just so. Silently, five men in long robes and headscarves sat down in low chairs at the water’s edge. And then it started. A gentle bass drum, lithe strings join in, picking up the pace as a percussion resonated against all
[STRONG CITY, KANSAS] — Here’s a post about a fantastic visit to the National Tallgrass Prairie Preserve. Thousands of acres of rolling green grasslands in Strong City, Kansas. And a review of the excellent Clover Cliff Ranch B&B, you should stay here. ____________________________________ What Are The Flint Hills? Out in the middle of Kansas lies the astounding Flint Hills, hundreds of thousands of acres of treeless, rolling hills with few fences and even fewer people. For generations these hills have remained the same, the soil so thick with rocks and limestone, they’ve never been plowed. You can read more on The Nature Conservancy website. Some of those thousands of acres have been preserved in the National Tallgrass Prairie Preserve, owned by the Nature Conservancy and co-managed
[CARMELO, URUGUAY] — I’m not a huge fan of hotel chains for international trips — I prefer more unique independent hotels that reflect the character of each locale, not the same style everywhere I go. But in a pinch for a room at the last minute in Carmelo, I booked a couple of nights and pool time at the Carmelo Resort & Spa a luxury resort in the tall pines along the Rio La Pata river, about 40 mins from the colonial town of Colonia del Sacramento. It’s one of the best luxury hotels in Uruguay and consistently ranked in the Top 10 Resorts in Central and South America by Conde Nast Traveller and Travel & Leisure. It was a Four Seasons at the time
[CARMELO, URUGUAY] — A review of Narbona Wine Lodge in Carmelo Uruguay. A nice boutique hotel in Uruguay. The best hotel in Carmelo Uruguay. And one of the best wine hotels in Uruguay. Along the cool banks of the muddy Rio de la Plata is the wine region of Carmelo, Uruguay’s top wine region. All the best Uruguayan vintners are here, including Finca Narbona. Restored to turn of the century newness, Narbona Wine Lodge is like a museum of the past, with antiques, buildings and charm that dates back over a century. With only and handful of rooms nestled right up along the vines, you feel like you’re staying in a period movie. The rooms are huge. The service minimal. The quiet is deafening. What a
[LISBON] — Coming back through Lisbon on the flipflop back to the airport, got to spend a night at the Lapa Palace, a fancy Old School hotel in the Lapa District, the Embassy quarter high above Lisbon. Best part about the hotel is the expansive grounds and pool stepped below the rooms overlooking the city. They were very friendly, even though I had to jostle rooms so I could stay an extra night on the cool coast. But still, they upgraded me to a suite for some reason, enormous and something my parents would have raved about. Definitely elegant Old School, especially is you like mauve. Nice balcony. There’s an old wing and a new one, the rooms in the new one feel
[LOS CABOS, MEXICO] — Here’s my review of Esperanza luxury resort Los Cabos, an Auberge resort. One of the best luxury resorts in Los Cabos. Cabo is crazy with Spring Breakers, bachelorette parties and some budget accommodations, but a few coves over is the super luxurious Esperanza resort, far enough away from the maddening crowds, but close enough to benefit from the convenience of getting in/out of town. Esperanza is an Auberge resort, so you know it’s top of the line. Esperanza is part of the Auberge Resort Collection, so you know it’s gonna be top notch. You get your own personal concierge who pretty much looks after to you round the clock and arranges everything for you. The good thing about the