Located at the Villahermosa Palace, this museum is less famous than the Prado and the Reina Sofia museums, but in no way less fabulous. It is actually a very pleasant visit, since the smaller setting allows a more personal appreciation of the high quality masterpieces by Picasso, Van Gogh, Rubens and Caravaggio, amongst others, that are on display. Curators prepare special thematic exhbitions and you… Read more »
Category: Things to Do
Located in the beautiful old railway station of Delicias, the Railway Museum holds one of the largest collection of locomotives and coaches in Europe. The exhibitions in the central hall take place on old train platforms and the ambience is quite alluring, with iron and glass structures representative of an industrial era, and the vivid green colors of the wagons. Our visit was made even… Read more »
Located just thirty minutes northeast of Madrid by train, Alcalá de Henares is famous for its illustrious son, Miguel de Cervantes, as well as its World Heritage medieval city center and its significance to Spanish history. The city’s wealth derived from its central position as the Catholic Kings’ stopover when heading south and it is said that some of Columbus’ meetings over the expeditions to… Read more »
We are often bemused when we hear travelers return from Madrid and miss a visit to Palacio de Cibeles. Located in front of the well-known Cibeles Fountain, this magnificent historical edifice once housed the Spanish Postal Service and was later renamed Palace of Communication. Its interiors are equally stunning, with a beautiful mix of old and modern architecture. The Palacio de Cibeles is nowadays the… Read more »
Enjoy a day or afternoon of traditionally British experiences at this historical Royal palace, a sophisticated and yet graceful old venue for Queen Anne`s court entertainment. Make your visit to Kensington Palace even more special by treating yourself to a typical afternoon tea at elegant The Orangery, with its impeccable British service, antique china, tasty tea sandwiches, scones and infusions, surrounded by stunning flower gardens.… Read more »
You could go up and down Covent Garden and miss Neal`s Yard entirely. This tiny alley opens into an unexpectedly colorful and charming courtyard and is well worth a visit. Following its initial purpose of offering healthy products and fresh fruits and vegetables at old warehouses, nowadays you will find marvelous organic cosmetics at Neal Yard’s Remedies (many branches in town nowadays, but this is… Read more »
There are many things to do in this magnificent park: go boating on The Serpentine, go for a bike ride and admire the rose gardens, beautiful memorials and fountains, have a picnic with typical cucumber sandwiches and prawn cocktail chips, play Frisbee, and so on. Yet, what we find truly amazing is a horse ride on the bridleways, which would leave you feeling like a… Read more »
A neighborhood worth visiting is Camden Town. No longer a secret, since becoming quite popular in recent years, we still find a lot of London visitors miss this typical and emblematic part of town, which was for a long time the epicenter of anything in the vanguard and the rebellious aspect of British culture. As you stroll around Amy Winehouse´s old hang out in North… Read more »
If you are visiting downtown, referred to as The City, with nearby attractions such as Tower Bridge, St Paul’s Cathedral and Tower of London, allow some additional time to your plans and head to Spitafields Market. This old fruit and vegetable market, which competed with Covent Garden, is becoming ever more popular. The stalls range from up-and-coming designers, hand-made goods such as handbags, old-style jewelry… Read more »
Forget about the subway, underground or tube as locals call it, and try the riverboats to get around London. Do avoid the overpriced tourist-trap boats and climb aboard the Thames clippers, but skip the sightseeing ones and use the commuters’ for a true local experience. These vessels, used by local commuters for transportation along the riverbank, are a fast and efficient way to move around… Read more »
Jermyn Street is a sophisticated man’s paradise, synonymous with style and elegance. A stroll around this traditional street offers a feast of distinctive luxurious articles: cigars, gentlemen’s outfits, exclusive shoes and boot-makers, bespoke shirts, elegant silk robes, top quality leather wallets and many other luxury goods. If cigars tickle your fancy, walk to nearby St James Street and look for James J Fox Cigars, the… Read more »
It is wintertime and a perfect way to explore cold weather activities in London is ice-skating in the courtyard at Somerset House, a fabulous stately building near Waterloo Bridge. Open during the day and evening, the atmosphere is exciting and the setting very glamorous. Check “Skate at Somerset”, and some nights you will find “Skate Lates”, a program featuring live musicians or DJs that will… Read more »
These are two must-do Miami neighborhoods. The Miami Design District is a perfect example of urban decay gone luxe. The area was once a pineapple grove and later became a rundown dangerous neighborhood, but in the late 90’s architects and designers collaborated and began a gentrification process, renovating and investing in the area. Today, the Miami Design District has risen to become a mecca for… Read more »
The obvious associations when thinking of Miami are beaches, music, nightlife and South Beach’s Art Deco district. In recent years, however, there has been a surge in cultural life and Miami has become an art destination. Built by acclaimed architects Herzog & Meuron, the PAMM’s building and interior décor are captivating in themselves, with its hanging gardens and terraces with sweeping views of Biscayne Bay.… Read more »
Brickell has become the hot spot in town and, if you are staying in Miami Beach, we highly recommend you leave it for a day, cross over the bridge and head towards downtown. Brickell is as classy as it is cool, with a lot to offer: strolls around Brickell Key, shopping at the recently inaugurated Brickell City Center and your pick of fantastic restaurants and… Read more »
Casa Casuarina was the mansion owned by Gianni Versace, and, sadly, where his tragic murder took place. Watch the series an “American Crime Story”, season “The Assassination of Gianni Versace”, and enjoy the Casa’s great scenes. Inspired by the Alcazar de Colón, home to the family of Christopher Columbus in Santo Domingo, it has now become a very luxurious, highly extravagant and opulent hotel. We… Read more »
In a not so distant past this pedestrian street used to hold some of Lisbon’s brothels and cabarets. A renewal project transformed the street into one of the hottest nightlife spots in the city. It will likely be packed on weekends and it is still lively even on days early in the week, so take your pick! The name comes from the actual color of… Read more »
Sintra is one of the most beloved places by Lisboetas, this charming historic village is 30 kilometers away from Lisbon’s city center. There are many ways to get there but we highly recommend a car, so you can make your itinerary flexible with free stops and planned tours. Sintra´s most renowned attraction is the colorful Pena Place, set amidst a park and lushly planted gardens,… Read more »
Évora is only 80 minutes away from Lisbon and a delightful UNESCO World Heritage site. This enchanting town, with cobblestone streets, quaint squares with fountains and cathedrals, churches, monasteries and chapels, is located in the Alentejo region. One of the most interesting churches in Portugal, the São Francisco church, is found here. Its eccentric annex, the Chapel of Bones, was built by a Franciscan Monk… Read more »
Miami is renowned for its abundance of excellent shopping options. There are many shopping malls to pick from and we suggest the Bal Harbour Shops in the neighborhood of the same name, or the Village of Merrick Park in Coral Gables, pleasant options in which to spend your money and some relaxing time. Both have open-air sections, which makes shopping a lot more agreeable, as… Read more »
