Travelling Simply

Travel recommendations, ideas and observations from two simple travellers

Tag: travel (Page 6 of 7)

Toast the New Year in with Champagne!

28/12/2018 / / 0 Comments

The year is drawing to a close and we feel a sense of satisfaction for accomplishing our planned travel goals with a few unplanned journeys thrown in.

As we prepare to toast in a New Year, memories of a few special days in the Champagne region of France come to mind.

After a few days of seeing the city through Parisienne eyes and wandering the rues and boulevards of Paris, we collected our car to begin our road trip.

First stop is the city of Reims. The unofficial capital of the Champagne region in the northeast of France is the perfect place to base ourselves for a day or two to explore the region.

Reims is not only the centre of the Champagne. It is home to some architectural wonders, including the imposing Notre Dame Cathedral (where French kings came to be coronated), the beautiful City Hall, the Basilica St Remi and many admirable squares.

  • Reims Town Hall
    Reims Town Hall
  • The Basilica

Many of the regions Champagne houses including Taittinger and Mumm are headquartered in Reims and offer tastings at their cellar doors. Their houses are accessed through grand entrances and beautifully manicured gardens. An indication of the high esteem the French hold for champagne.

  • champagne-house

After admiring the city, we spend a couple of days exploring further afield.

Day 1 is a short 25km drive to Epernay, the home of the world’s highly acclaimed champagne houses.

  • Avenue de Champagne

On arrival, we find the streets deserted and not teeming with tourists as we had expected at the height of the European summer. It is lunchtime and everything apart from eating establishments are closed for lunch.

The Avenue de Champagne is undoubtedly one of the most beautiful streets we stroll along. Even more stunning when you have the street to yourself. We wander in and out of the grand champagne houses amidst beautiful grounds and gardens. These are the best champagne producers in the world!

  • Moet and Chandon
  • Moet and Chandon gardens
    The beautiful grounds of Moet and Chandon

We are disappointed at our first stop, the famous house of Moet and Chandon. The cellars are closed for refurbishment until after summer. We are directed a little further up the road to the House of Mercier. A partner of Moet and Chandon and owned by the LVMH group of companies, Mercier champagne is the most popular champagne in France. Eugene Mercier established his champagne house with the intention of making champagne readily available and affordable to all so that it was not only consumed for a special event but so it would become part of everyday occasions. The tour of the underground caves (18km long), on a laser-guided autonomous tram, provided an insight into champagne production, the different stages of the ageing process along with an added surprise – the remarkable basal reliefs that decorated the walls of the underground caves.

  • ageing wine
    The ageing process – inside the caves
  • mercier-tasting
  • champagne-barrel
    The huge champagne barrel which was carted through the streets of Paris to be displayed at the Paris Exhibition in 1889

Of course, the tour would not be complete with a tasting. We enjoyed tasting the “wine for the people” complete with a lesson on how to distinguish between the different varieties. Though not connoisseurs, and now having tasted both Moet and Mercier champagnes, we agreed, both were not dissimilar!

The day ended with a leisurely drive back to Reims through the vineyards around Verzenay.

Day 2 is a beautiful summer day to take a slow 30-minute drive along the backroads among grapevines and vineyards to Hautvillers, home of another vintage champagne, Dom Perignon. The roads are quiet and we wonder why we have the roads to ourselves, there is not another vehicle in sight. It appears that everyone else is in a hurry and prefers to take the motorway.

Dom Pérignon (1638–1715) was a monk and cellar master at the Benedictine abbey in Hautvillers, a quaint French village. His tomb is in the little Abbey and remains devoid of tourist traffic.

We wander through the village and along the narrow lanes to find picnic grounds at the top of the hill. The views over vineyards and down to the little village of Cumieres and the aqua waters of the River Marne are breathtaking. This is heaven.

  • France-valley
    Looking down the hill to Cumieres from Hautvillers

It is decided, we drive back to Reims via Cumieres on roads set amongst the vineyards and the gently sloping countryside through small champagne villages. The perfect end to a perfect day.

Our road trip had just started and we continued our journey through Burgundy, Provence, Bordeaux and the other wine producing regions of France. However, we will cherish our few days in Champagne.

If you are planning a visit to Paris and have a couple of spare days, take a short sojourn in the Champagne region, you will not regret it.

P.S.  A short champagne lesson:

Brut – 40% pinot noir, 45% another white wine, 15% Chardonnay, contains 9% sugar. Brut is aged for 2 years and is then ready to drink. It should not be kept for more than 3 years.

Rose – has red wine added.

Demi-Sec is much sweeter with up to 40% more sugar. It is a dessert wine.

Brut Reserve has more reserve wine added and the taste can change from year to year depending on the reserve added.

No year on the bottle – no vintage!

  • Mercier chanpagne tasting

Do you get tired of eating out when travelling?

28/11/2018 / / 0 Comments

One of the benefits of travelling independently is being able to choose where, when and what we are going to eat. No hotel buffet breakfasts, no dashing from the tour bus into the service station on the freeway for the obligatory 15-minute break to visit the bathroom and grab a quick lunch or themed dinners to attend. Instead, we take the many opportunities to sample local delicacies by visiting small cafes and restaurants that we come across during a day of wandering or eateries recommended by our apartment hosts.

Sometimes, when we are travelling for a long time, we tire of eating out. We crave for a simple meal without menus or waiters. Our solution is easy and always enjoyable and is easier when travelling in warmer climes.

Our favourite stops on our early morning walks are the vibrant daily markets found nearly everywhere we travel selling fresh fruit, vegetables, cheeses, poultry, meats and fish, freshly prepared meals.

  • Freshly prepared meals
    Freshly prepared meals in Nimes, France

In many countries, a visit to markets to purchase fresh ingredients for the days’ meals is an integral part of daily life. It’s lovely to see what the local people are buying and selling. The markets are more than that though. They play an important role in the community’s social life. Cast your eyes around any marketplace and you will see neighbours stopping to chat with each other, sitting down for a leisurely coffee together or simply sharing a joke with a stall holder.

  • markets
    The colourful morning market in Zagreb, Croatia

For us, visits to the markets are made more exciting when we decide that it is time to take a break from eating in restaurants. We can pretend for a short moment in time that we are part of this community. We are no longer bystanders or tourists taking snaps of mouth-watering food. We are on a mission like everyone else. What are we having for dinner tonight?

We’ll take a stroll around the stalls to decide (so much to choose from!) stopping at the various stalls to ask advice or taste test those local delicacies. When we’re ready, we take another turn around to make our purchases. We’ll select a good bottle of local wine, buy a selection of cheeses, olives, bread, fruits and other accompaniments.

  • Nimes markets

The next step is critical. Where are we going to enjoy our goodies?

Sometimes, our apartment will have a balcony where we can sit and enjoy an al fresco meal. However, the best meals are when we join the city dwellers who take their dinner out to the local park for a picnic.

  • Savouring French wine on a beautiful summer evening in Paris
  • palais-real
    Picnic in the park in front of the Palais Real in the centre of Madrid

Relaxing over our meal, often in front of a beautiful monument, listening to a small group of musicians or simply doing a little people watching is one most rewarding parts of our travels.

Travel’s a picnic! We recommend you try it on your next travel adventure.

See the hidden treasures just outside of Rome

25/10/2018 / / 3 Comments

It was another bright, sunny day as we drove up to Hadrian’s Villa (Villa Adriana) just outside of Tivoli. We had spent a couple of weeks walking the tracks between the villages in the Cinque Terre, wandering the streets of Florence and Sienna, and roaming the Tuscan countryside. The drive, surrounded by endless fields of sunflowers through Umbria and into Lazio was beautiful, and Tivoli was our final stop before reaching Rome.

With parking restricted at the entrance, we parked in a neighbouring suburban street, found a little café for lunch in preparation for an afternoon wandering through the ruins of the UNESCO World Heritage site.

We were delighted to find there were no queues at the entrance. And, upon entering, only a few people inside the complex.

Hadrian’s Villa is a large complex of buildings, gardens, pools and fountains, dating back to 118AD. Emperor Hadrian built this rural retreat as his summer getaway from Rome and today, much of the site remains unexcavated. The unearthed ruins though, leave it to the imagination about how spectacular buildings and grounds of this original Villa were!

Entranced by the beauty of the Villa, we hadn’t noticed the dark clouds gather. Suddenly there’s a feeling of eeriness around us. Thunder starts to rumble and flashes of lightning rapidly crack across the sky. With more to see, we don’t let this deter us and carry on admiring willing the skies to clear – we still have much more to see.

The Gods take pity and it is not until we reach the Museum that it starts to pour with rain. The model recreation indoors gives us an insight into Emperor Hadrian’s appreciation of architectural styles and how beautiful the Villa originally was.

It was time to leave and with no sign of the heavy rain subsiding, the decision was made. He gallantly sprinted to find our car while I took cover.

And, so it was that we continued our short drive into Tivoli to find our little B&B in the small piazza just outside the amazing Villa D’Este. We will have a couple of hours to explore the famous gardens before dark.

With light rain still falling by the time we unpack and settle, we decide that a tour of the Villa apartments would be best before exploring the gardens. We are not disappointed, the apartments reveal stunning frescoes and stairways with glimpses over the gardens and beyond through the windows. This villa was the home of the very wealthy Cardinal Ippolito d’Este.

The grand finale is the amazing gardens, fountains and waterfalls – indescribable. The opulence of times past is difficult to understand these days, however, we are grateful that the Villa has been well preserved for us to enjoy and imagine times past.

Hadrian’s Villa is located outside of Tivoli and while we travelled by car, we understand there is a bus service from Tivoli which delivers you very close to the entrance (pop into the Tourist Office om Piazza Garibaldi for details).

Just over 20km from Rome, Tivoli can be explored on a day trip. However, we recommend that you stay at least one night in this small town to be able to explore the main attractions at a leisurely pace. Or, stay longer to use the town as a base as you explore the region of Lazio. Either way, do not miss the opportunity to go off the tourist track and pay a visit.

P.S. If you decide to stay in Tivoli, we can recommend staying at the lovely B&B Villa D’Este situated right next to the Villa D’Este. Our host, Fabio was very polite and accommodating providing us with a delicious homemade breakfast on the rooftop terrace. Make sure you request a room overlooking the piazza. They also provide complimentary parking in a car park close by. There are plenty of unique restaurants and cafes close by.

Why you will love travelling in Europe in the summer if you enjoy music and culture!

25/09/2018 / / 1 Comment

Truly getting to know a new country includes meeting new people, sampling new food, visiting the sights and treasures unique and dear to that country and immersing ourselves in their art and culture.

  • Big Band in Plaza Mayor, Madrid
    An evening at a Big Band performance in Madrid’s main square

In a tour group, the itinerary is sure to include pre-organised events to showcase the country’s uniqueness – a traditional performance over a meal of local dishes, a private concert in a castle for your group, or a guided visit to the theatre or art gallery. We’ve attended and enjoyed many during our travels.

We prefer to travel independently these days,  by-pass the ticket vendors selling tickets to the opera or a music show, and instead join the locals in their town’s piazzas, plazas and placas or sit in on a classical concert in a historic building where we can just wander in to take a seat.

 A European Town square is a centre for gathering – a place to meet, eat, drink and enjoy entertainment. In winter, some will transform into mesmerising night markets but it is in summer where these town squares are the most vibrant.

  • Medieval parade in Arezzo
    Medieval parade in Arezzo, Italy
  • Human towers
    Sunday afternoon entertainment in Barcelona

Preferring to travel to Europe during their summer, we have had the opportunity to enjoy this vibrancy. In almost every major town or city, stages will appear and buskers will hold their position around town squares.

Performances are varied, but all are professional and first class in quality. Anyone can attend, entrance is free, there are no queues, and you don’t have to dress up! Often, a number of these performances are on at the same time and you can wander between them.

We’ve stumbled unexpectedly across many a performance:

  1. On an evening stroll in Madrid, we came across a Big Band concert in Plaza Mayor and were entertained for almost two hours.
  2. On an afternoon walk down La Ramblas in Barcelona, we veered into a square and into the middle of a human tower competition.
  3. Instead of joining the others in the tourist hub of Monastiraki in Athens, we joined locals at an outdoor music concert featuring traditional Greek music and performances.
  4. As tourists queued to enter the opera in Vienna, we walked across the road to join the large crowd at the annual film festival in front of the Town Hall.
  5. Enjoyed a professional fashion show in the enchanting hilltop town of Paola on our drive back to Rome from Sicily.
  6. On the Old City walls of Treviso, we enjoyed two nights of incredible entertainment, Nina Zilli who represented Italy in the 2012 Eurovision performed one night and the Beuna Vista Social Club performed on the next evening. The atmosphere was electric!
  7. Wandering along 3rd Street Promenade in Santa Monica, we stopped to listen to three brothers showcasing their music right at the end of the street. They are outstanding musicians who tour the US performing at schools and small venues and enjoy busking so much that their mother drives them the one hour to come down to Santa Monica every Saturday and then waits to take them home again.
  8. Staying a few days in the Tuscan town of Arezzo, we enjoyed the annual jousting competition held every night complete with a medieval parade through the streets of the town.
  9. In Seville, we wandered into an outdoor courtyard in a small Palais to join a small audience and listened to a spectacular classical piano concert.
  10. Recently, in Prague all the seats were taken by the time we arrived in Old Town Square, so we joined locals and other travellers like ourselves to sit on the kerbside to enjoy an evening of jazz.

A recommendation, next time you are travelling in Europe during the summer, take a peek in the town square or if like us, you decide on using apartment accommodation, ask your host.

  • Summer Festival in Treviso
    Beuna Vista Social Club playing at the Summer Festival in Treviso, Italy

    On the way to the cemetery…

    26/08/2018 / / 1 Comment

    One of the things we love about travelling simply is meeting the people of the countries we visit. Travelling independently provides numerous opportunities to converse with locals, hear about their lives, their story, learn something new about their country and practice speaking their language.

    An added benefit is arranging your own travel itinerary. We like to detour from mainstream tourist attractions to find our own small attractions and make the visit more memorable.

    • tiber river

    We had taken a morning walk along the Tiber River in Rome, through the Rose Garden to take a peep through the keyhole on the Aventine Hill and decided to continue on to the Protestant Cemetery which is only a few kilometres from the Colosseum. We had found our way there on a previous visit and were keen to go back to the graveyard.

    Wandering down the Hill, dazzled by the magnificent view through the keyhole (it was a clear, sunny morning and the view was magnificent), we became disorientated and wondered if we were going the right way. We are old hands in Rome and had come out without our map!

    It is early and the streets are deserted. We stand at the fork of the road pondering on whether we need to turn left or right when we spot a man leisurely strolling down the hill puffing on his pipe, a beautiful golden retriever in tow.

    We approach. He looks at us amusingly as we try our hand at asking him in Italian if we are going the right way. He stuns us with his reply. Not only is it in perfect English, but it is his accent which raises our curiosity!

    None of us are in a hurry. We stand on the street corner as he takes pleasure in telling the story of his life. It is not extraordinary, an Italian, now retired who studied, lived and work in our home town, has children who live in our country which he visits every year but loves the life in Italy. It turns out that we have more in common than we thought.

    Half an hour later he walks down the hill with us, tells us we are heading in the right direction as we part ways. The cemetery is less than five minutes away.

    We spend an hour meandering through the cemetery stopping at the gravestones to read and reflect on the lives of the non-Catholic who lived and died here. The cemetery was established in the early 1700’s so there is a lot of history here on the life of the expatriate community in Italy. We only walk through a small section to ensure we come back again on a future visit.

    Our visit is not complete without visiting a special part of the cemetery set a little aside in a tranquil garden, the final resting places of the British poets Keats and Shelley.

    A lovely morning spent away from the chaos of Rome making new memories with a stranger.

    • keats tombstone
      Tombstone of John Keats

    Footnote: You’ll find the Protestant Cemetery next to the Pyramid of Caius Cestius. The entrance is tucked away on Via Caio Cestio. Entrance is free, however, donations for the upkeep of the cemetery are accepted through a donation box at the entrance.

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