So you want to go to Spain - Girona

I got my hands on a rather nice and glossy magazine titled Top Girona, available also online. If you want to explore this area of Catalonia from Costa Brava to the Pyrenees, you should check it out.

While Girona is a city in itself, this magazine covers the entire area of Catalonia, marking some of the must-see sites such as the Botanical Garden Marimurta of Blanes, the terrace of Can Batlle in Calella de Palafrugell (a favorite hang-out place for local writer Javier Cercas), Hotel AC Palau de Bellavista, Restaurant La Cuina de Can Pipes, El Bulli restaurante, the social club "Golf Fontanals de Cerdanya," Rafael Maso's architecture,

Do not forget to try some of the local Saint John's Day Cake, the food in the county of Olot, the rope soled shoes of Cristina Castanera, or celebrate during the Procession of the Virgin del Carmen in L'Escala (and other towns on the Girona coast such as: Llanca, Roses, Palamos, Castello d'Empuries, Sant Feliu de Guixols, and Cadaques) .

Of course, you can make Girona part of a longer trip through Spain, either by train or by car:

Spanish Sepharad - Madrid, Cordoba, Barcelona and Girona with the Ave and Talgo trains.

Jewish Heritage - Barcelona, Girona, Cordoba, Toledo, Segovia and Madrid by rail and rent a car.

Road Trip in France

Joel Achenbach, one of my favorite writers at the Washington Post, went to France and decided to embark upon an American-style road trip (i.e. with no much planning involved). We find out why in his amusing article. Apparently his family did not appreciate his impromptu visit to the Loire Valley. He should have instead planned a train trip to either Blois, Orleans, or Tours.

Paris - Blois (Loire Valley)

Paris and Blois with the TER regional train.

Paris - Orleans (Loire Valley)

Paris and Orleans with the TER (regional) train.

Paris - Tours

Paris and Tours with the TGV train.

Had he known these train packages, he would have probably gone there by train, which we all know (and he admits) everyone at times is a much better way to travel to Europe.

Travel Books: A list from the Economist

Every now and then, The Economist publishes interesting book reviews or lists of top travel books. From the list published on April 6th, 2006, one can pick some interesting books pertaining to Europe. This means more book reviews for me...

1. Eat, Pray, Love: One Woman’s Search for Everything Across Italy, India and Indonesia by Elizabeth Gilbert.

4. 1,000 Places To See Before You Die. By Patricia Schultz

5. Unforgettable Journeys to Take Before You Die by Steve Watkins and Clare Jones (see a theme?)

6. A Year in the World: Journeys by a Passionate Traveller by Frances Mayesa> (hurray, the book I am reviewing right now!)

7. Rick Steves’ Italy 2006 by Rick Steves >(another book on Italy?)

8. Ghosts of Spain: Travels Through a Country’s Hidden Past by Giles Tremlett

10. The City of Falling Angels by John Berendt (one of my favorite writers - it's hard to surpass the Midnight in the Garden of Good and Evil, but I will give him a chance)

As one can easily see (and easily imagine, one might add), Europe is THE preferred destination for millions of travelers each year. 7 books out of 10 on the top 10 best-selling travel books list. Even if one eliminates the 1,000 Places... and Unforgettable Journeys - which touch on many continents, you still have 5 out of 10 books on Europe.

Book review: Burgundy (A Year in the World)

I am continuing my journey in the wold, a journey guided by Frances Mayes. So after Spain, Portugal, Naples, Sicily, and Morocco (not covered here), the author is attempting to re-discover one of her favorite writers, Colette. Well, I must admit I had no idea who Colette was before reading this book, so at least I feel that I gained something, although the trip to Burgundy as described in the book lacks the depth of the first Andalucian chapter.

En bref, the author is taking us to Colette's childhook grounds and to the nearby towns, cities, and villages:

Auxerre
Autun
Vezelay
Burgundy
Beaune (wine town)
Saint Saveur
Dijon
Anjou

While planning your trip to France, check out new additions to the list of train packages in France vacations. Now you can travel to the South of France, Loire Valley, and the Rhone Valley.

Celebrate (One People, Multiple Journeys)

Lonely Planet's recent release One People: many journeys rivals and it many ways outshines the now famous National Geographic pictorials. I strongly recommend it to anyone looking for some travel inspiration, plain art, or some heavy, glossy book to place on the coffee table.

One chapter I particularly enjoyed, although all of them are excellent: Celebrate. This chapter alone is probably the best to get you inspired for your next vacation.

Here are some suggestions for you, beautifully accompanied by excellent pictures:

• Venice, Italy: Carnevale di Venezia; next event: Sat, Feb 10 - Tue, Feb 20, 2007;
• Reykjavik, Iceland: The Winter Lights Festival; midwinter, annual event; 23-26 Feb (2006);
• Basel, Switzerland: Fasnacht (Mardi Gras); three-day annual event, the Monday after Mardi Gras;
• Lucerne, Switzerland: Fasnacht (Mardi Gras); three-day annual event, the Monday after Mardi Gras;
• Vilafranca del Penedes (in Catalonia, Spain); Grape Harvest Festival; Aug - Sep 2006 (annual);
• Hamar, Norway; The Gathering, one of the largest computer parties in the World;
• Dublin, Ireland; St Patrick's Day (THE St Patrick's Day Parade);
• Buñol (province of Valencia), Spain; La Tomatina - tomato fight!!!; annual event;

The chapter's only fault is that it's too short, and for a good reason; we need countless books to capture all of this World's annual festivals. The chapter does imply (on a rather poetic level) that celebration exists everywhere where people are: from football games in Europe to college graduation parties in Mexico.

Why are you still there??? GO! Europe is waiting.

Book review: Taormina chapter (A Year in the World)

I have to say that this chapter is lacking the depth and level of detail I saw even in Naples. Probably Frances Mayes is saving the majority of her notes for a different book. However, she does an excellent job at describing the appetizing cuisine of Southern Italy. In two consecutive letters written to her friend Steven, she goes into mouth-watering depictions of local cuisine, pasta, pastry, seafood, and wine. (Advice: do not read this chapter on an empty stomach).

We do find out that the sun is almighty in Sicily and it's probably influenced the locals throughout the history. There are signs of modernity, but everyone seems to be someone happy with being stuck in a distant past. She recommends Giuseppe di Lampedusa's The Leopard, a book that has also been made into an award-winning movie.

Bottom line: do not expect to plan your trip based on this chapter alone. It might be better for you to go to this Sicily page and plan your trip:

Naples - Taormina - Naples and Taormina in Sicily by train
Palermo - Taormina - Palermo and beautiful Taormina by train
Completely Sicilian - Palermo, Agrigento, Siracusa and Taormina by Rail
Rome - Naples - Taormina - Palermo - Rome, Naples, Taormina and Palermo by rail

Enjoy!

Affordable Lisbon

It takes me longer than I thought to review all the articles in the Affordable Europe series of the NY Times. Today, it's Lisbon time! Quite in a timely manner, after finishing the chapter on Portugal from A Year in the World by Frances Mayes. Just like in the book, we find out about azulejos (the famed Portuguese tile) and fado (with the appropriate warning of not falling for the tourist traps). The book is more detailed than the article on food (quite appropriately). The article seems to think that the Pensãos (inns) are the best way to go about lodging.

I'd say: you haven't seen our list of affordable hotels in Lisbon:

Alif
Almirante
Altis Park
Avenida Park
Barcelona
Borges
Botanico
Le Meridien Park Atlantic
Metropole
Radisson Sas
Residencial Horizonte
Residencial Princesa
Residential Estoril
Suico Atlantico
VIP Berna

As always, you should probably be looking into combining Portugal with another country (Spain is the country of choice).

Buget Europe: Copenhagen

Continuing my review (and praise) or the Affordable Europe series in the NY Times, I just realized that I have unfairly remarked upon the absence of Stockholm from this review. As it seems, the editors did not treat Scandinavia unjustly and did feature Copenhagen, the Danish capital. While their choice is arguable (why go for Copenhagen and not for Stockholm? after all, IKEA sells better than Carlsberg), there are too many cities in Europe to be covered in this 16-city review.

If you read the article, you will find out that most top Copenhagen museums are now free of charge, and the new Copenhagen Opera House is much revered.

Also, you might want to consider the following hotels for your stay:

Avenue
Clarion
Comfort Esplanaden
First Skt Petri
Opera

If you are equally divided between Sweden and Denmark, consider this package Copenhagen - Stockholm combining both capitals.

Book review: Naples chapter from A Year in the World

As expected, I got a bit bogged down in Italy, following Frances Mayes' trip to Italy. She completely disagrees with previous writers of all genres and types (as well as some Italian stereotypes) who apparently have labeled Naples forever as a city of "bad people". Frances falls in love with the architecture, the Roman ruins, the scenery (Vesuvius is looming somewhere in the background), and even with the people. There is nothing wrong with Naples, she argues, if you are willing to ignore the maddening traffic that dissipates on Sundays.
Regardless, it's a short (a lot shorter than the previous depictions of Spain and Portugal), yet informative count of Naples.
She also recommends some books on this city:

The Gallery by John Horne Burns
Earthly Paradise by Colette
Bay of Noon by Shirley Hazzard

This should be enough to get you started with your preparations for your trip to Naples (or so we hope). Add to that a slice of pizza napolitana at your local Italian restaurant and you are good to go.

Also, don't forget to check out some trip ideas that would include Naples (or Napoli):

The Amalfi Coast (Naples, Pompeii, Amalfi, Capri and Sorrento with a rent a car)

Naples - Taormina

The Heel of Italy by Rail (Naples, Foggia, Lecce and Taranto by train)

Archeological Treasures of Southern Italy (Rome, Naples, Amalfi and Sorrento with a rent a car)

Rome - Naples - Taormina - Palermo

Venice - Florence - Rome - Naples

Prohibited items on a plane (updated)

In case you were wondering, this just in from the Department of Homeland Security: Full list of prohibited items

And a warning to go with that:

Bringing a prohibited item to a security checkpoint - even accidentally - is illegal.


That apparently does not prevent people from ignoring all warnings, signs, and news coverage.

Honeymoons in Paris and beyond

Honeymoons in Europe must include Paris, not only because it's my favorite city, but also because it's deemed to be one of the most romantic and romanticized cities in the world. One cannot go wrong with proposing in Paris, suggesting a Paris honeymoon, or even planning a romantic vacation to Paris.

While one could easily daydream about spending endless days in Paris, strolling along the Champs Elysees and eating croissants in a luxuriour parisian hotel, the truth is 10-14 days in Paris alone can prove a little too much (maybe). Then why not try an ultimate romantic trip to Europe, by combining Paris, a luxurious train ride, and another charming European capital or city.

Here are a few suggestions/ideas for romantic vacations in Europe:

Paris - Amsterdam
Paris - Venice
Paris - Rome
Paris - Barcelona
London - Paris
Paris - Geneva
Paris - Milan

As you can see, you could probably find a city combination for every couple out there, be it fashion lovers, ultimate romantics, museum goers, shoppers, spenders, on a budget, beach lovers, and so on. And remember that you will always have Paris (and the best part: you will be able to actually say it without having to lie or be too cheesy about it).

Lake Como vacation

Arguably, the Lakes in Northern Italy have been made famous by Hemingway's war novel "A Farewell to Arms," although they were quite popular in Italy prior to that date. As a piece of trivia, part of the movie " Star Wars: Attack of the Clones" was filmed in Lake Como, as a June NY Times article points out. French writer Stendhal also wrote, "What can one say of Lake Maggiore and the Borromean Islands...except to pity people who do not go mad over them."

So what are the towns/villages one should visit in the Lake District of Italy? Lake Como, Lake Garda, Lake Maggiore-Baveno, Lake Maggiore-Belgitare, Lake Maggiore-Stresa, and Riva de Garda.

We agree with the NY Times writer: the best way to see the famed Lake District in Italy is by renting a car, although there are railroad alternatives. Of course, traveling by train has its undeniable unique charm, but for today's multi-tasking traveler, renting a car presents multiple advantages.

whether you decide for car or train, it is up to you. The closest international airport is the city of Milan, where you can choose to spend a few nights as well.

Lake Como

Lake Garda

Lake Maggiore-Baveno

Lake Maggiore-Belgitare

Lake Maggiore-Stresa

Riva de Garda

Here are a few train packages to explore the area:

Lake Como - Milan

Lake Maggiore - Milan

Milan - Como - Venice

Bella Italia (Rome, Florence, Venice, Lake Como and Milan by Rail)

Completely Italian (Rome, Siena, Pisa, Florence, Verona, Venice, Lake Como and Milan)

And a few self-drive itineraries:

Northern Italy (Venice, Padova, Verona, Lake Como and Milan with a rent a car)

Journey Through Northern Italy and Venice (Venice, Ravenna, Bologna, Cremona, Como, Verona and Padova)

I guess it's time to pack for your trip to Northern Italy.

Should you be a paranoid tourist?

I know I am running the risk of receiving death threats from a certain ethnic group, but the NY Times said it first. Their article describes how unsuspecting tourists will at times pay a higher price or receive lower quality services/meals in Rome.

I would say one must be vigilant, but not to the point of being paranoid. I don't like it a bit, but I understand the (rather primitive and selfish) thinking of the locals - who would claim tourists deserve it. After all, we are invading their territory. Just be aware that this is going on, and you will be fine.

How scared should you be?

Not a good day, given the news from London.

Our two cents: it's all good news. After all, the security system in place has worked and a terrorist plot was averted.

Just remember: no liquids in your carry-ons. And for those of you in London - patience is advised.

The Department of Homeland Security has a press release posted on their site. You might want to read and heed.

From the text of the release:

Due to the nature of the threat revealed by this investigation, we are prohibiting any liquids, including beverages, hair gels, and lotions from being carried on the airplane. This determination will be constantly evaluated and updated when circumstances warrant. These changes will take effect at 4:00 AM local time across the country. Travelers should also anticipate additional security measures within the airport and at screening checkpoints.

This is rather unfortunate, as they have just started to relax the carry-on rules.

Driving In Spain - what you really need to know

If you wish to see as much as possible in Spain having your own car is certainly the best method of transportation. If you are to drive a foreign registered car in Spain (unlikely, if you are coming from the United States) you must have with you, your passport, current driver’s license, valid insurance and vehicle registration documents. Vehicles should display a national identity plate. Otherwise, bring your license, rent a car, and drive on.

Spain has nearly 100,000 mi/160,000 km of roads. The roads in Spain vary from very poor to very good. The main connecting roads are generally excellent. You should give way to traffic from the right, especially at roundabouts.

Speed Limits
Speed limit on Motorway: 120 kph/74 mph
Speed limit in Towns: 50 kph/31 mph
Speed limit on Major roads: 100 kph/62 mph
Speed limit Residential area: 20 kph/12 mph

Be careful to stick to the speed limits as speed sensors are common throughout Spain, if you are over the speed limit, you may notice a traffic light at the edge of the town which automatically turns to red so that you must come to a stop before entering the town. If you encounter two red lights this means: no entry!

Rules of the Road
Traffic travels on the right and if a car approaches you and signals an intention to pass, you must turn on your right directional to signal that the road ahead is clear.

Gas
Gas stations are open from 8am to 8pm with some stations in major cities and on the highway open 24 hours.

Tolls
Spain's expressways, the "autopistas," are toll roads and are identified by the letter A.

Parking
"Blue zone" parking exists in Spanish cities. Marked by the sign, "Zona Azul," you may park for 2 hours and you must pay for the amount of time you plan on being parked.

Drinking and driving:
Don't do it. Over 0.05 per cent and you could face anything from a severe fine, withdrawal of your license, up to imprisonment.

Lights:
Dipped headlights should be used in poor daytime visibility. Motorcycles must use dipped headlights during the day at all times.

Some hints:

• The traffic-lights (semaforos) in Spain are more often than not, situated only at your stop line for the junction and so you can see when they change when you are in the front of the queue; there is a set of smaller lights on the support post.
• The Law for pedestrian crossings until recently is not as strict as in for example, the US where a driver is always at fault if the vehicle hits a pedestrian on the crossing. You must step onto the crossing, remembering to look LEFT, and show the palm of your hand to any approaching vehicles. Previously, they still did not have to stop, but a new Law involving penalty points means that the drivers can be penalized now for not stopping. Many tourists are injured, some killed each year, for only looking right when crossing the road.
• You may NOT overtake on the right (inside lanes) on the highways unless there is a slip road or another road indicated and you are taking it.
• Do not pull into the middle of the road to turn left if there is a solid line in the road. There are often special lanes for this, signposted cambio de sentido.
• Always wear seatbelts - it is compulsory in the front and back.
• Don’t drink and drive – the limits are very low and the penalties very high.
• As a general rule you may not park in Spain where the pavement is painted yellow or where no parking sign is displayed.
• Also the use of a mobile telephone whilst driving is now banned in Spain.

Useful terms when driving in Spain:

• Aparcamiento - Parking
• Ceda el Paso - Give Way
• Centro - Town center
• Comisaria - Police station
• Cuidado - Drive with care
• Desvío - Detour
• Dirrección Única - One-way street
• Obras - Roadworks
• Peligro - Danger
• Todas Direcciones - All directions
• tanque de gasolina - gas tank
• matrícula - license plate
• acumulador - battery
• radiador - radiator
• Todas direcciones - All directions
• Autopista - Motorway
• Despacio - Slow
• Prohibido el paso - Road Closed
• Mantenga su izquierda - Keep left
• Mantenga su derecha - keep right
• Prioridad a la izquierda - Priority to left
• Prioridad a la derecha - Priority to right
• Encienda sus luces - Switch on lights
• Salida - Motorway Exit

To enjoy some self-drive packages, remember to check out the following suggestions:

Madrid and the Heart of Spain
Madrid, Toledo, El Escorial, Segovia, Avila, Salamanca, Zamora, Leon and Burgos with rent a car.

Enchanting Andalucia
Madrid, Cordoba, Seville, Granada and Toledo with a rent a car.

Rioja and the land of Castles
Madrid, Lerma, Burgos, Santo Domingo de la Calzada, Logroño, La Rioja wine country, Medinacelli, and Siguenza with a rent a car.

The Way of Saint James
Madrid, Pamplona, Logroño, Burgos, Leon, Lugo and Santiago de Compostela with a rent a car.

Dreamy Andalucia
Malaga, Granada, Cordoba, Seville and Ronda with a rent a car.

Magic Triangle
Toledo, Valencia, Barcelona, Zaragoza and Madrid with rent a car.

Northern Spain and the Green Coast
Barcelona, Zaragoza, San Sebastian, Guernica, Bilbao, Castro Urdiales, Santander, Oviedo and Santiago de Compostela with a rent a car.

Book Review: One Year in the World (Portugal chapter)

The second chapter of Frances Mayer's of 'Under the Tuscan Sun' fame 'A Year in the World' is dedicated exclusively to Portugal. Given Portugal's size (slightly smaller than Indiana), it is no wonder the author is rushing through this country a lot faster than through Andalucia (maybe a bit too rushed for my taste).

Nonetheless, I believe it to be a very good depiction of Portugal. And I think I am a rather objective observer, since the closest I ever got to Portugal was by visiting the Western Spanish province of Extremadura, without a doubt the sister region of Portugal's very own Estremadura.

In her quest for the meaning of saudade, fado (traditional Portuguese music), and açordas (bread soup), Frances Mayer starts in Lisbon, then goes on to marble city of Estremoz in the province of Alentejo, Evoramonte, Évora, Obidos, Coimbra, Guimaraes, and Lord Byron's very own adopted city of Sintra on Costa do Sol.

When it comes to lodging in Portugal, I agree with Frances Mayer: she loves pousadas (the equivalent of Spain's paradores - historical/rustic accommodation) . They are truly the best places to stay if you are willing to take the Portuguese plunge.

Also, it seems that France Mayer is a big fan of self-drive itineraries, which is probably the best way to experience a country, provided you have the time. Just remember most cars in Europe have standard transmission, are smaller (which is probably a bliss), and some European roads are particularly narrow.

So, if you are ready to see what Portugal, the country that brought to you Vasco da Gama, Brazil, Capo Verde, and port wine is all about, go ahead.

Packing tips for Europe

Actually, these are good for anywhere you want to travel. Budget Travel asked its readers to provide good packing tips for other travelers. If you want to get the best 5 tips on how to travel light, regardless of your destination or the number of companions, then you should read their winning tips. After you are done and if you still have time, don't forget to check out the runner-ups as well.

The Da Vinci Hype

The Washington Post got it right: it is a hype. Up until the release date of the movie, everywhere I turned (especially online) I could not escape the explosion of Da Vinci Code hype. That includes travel, of course.

So I was not surprised when European Destinations came up with its own 'A Da Vinci Code European Vacation', a 10-day customizable package starting in Edinburgh, continuing with London, Paris, and ending up in Rome. I even liked the original write-up:

You might be able to re-read Dan Brown’s “The Da Vinci Code” on your way to Europe, but you should set aside at least 10 days of travel if you are to follow the book’s characters in Edinburgh, London, Paris, and Rome.

Start in Edinburgh and work your way South and East, as you will save some time on your transatlantic flight in the critical first days of your trip, when you will need to adjust to Europe’s time.

Just outside Edinburgh, in the village of Roslin, you will get to visit the famous Rosslyn Chapel. While Edinburgh is not a large city, we recommend spending two nights here to allow your body to recover from jetlag and fatigue.

Your next stop will be London after a high-speed train ride aboard the Inter City Express. While in London, don’t forget to visit the Temple Church located in the Bloomsbury neighborhood close to the Temple station, St James’s Park (near St James’s Park station) and the Westminster Abbey (near Westminster Stop). After two nights of London, head for Paris aboard the modern EuroStar.

While in Paris, don’t forget to visit at a minimum the Louvre, the Champs Elysees, Bois de Boulogne, and Saint-Sulpice.

After two nights in the French capital, enjoy a different train ride aboard the comfortable and luxurious Artesia, which will take you on an overnight trip to Rome. Obviously, you would not want to miss out on Vatican City, the center of Catholic Faith. But you should also try to get out and visit the Gandolfo Castle.

Ahhh, you gotta love that hype. However: seriously, if you are interested, you should go.

Stockholm travels (museums for free)

While they have ignored this Scandinavian city during their April Budget Europe release, the NY Times thoughtfully published a travel article on Stockholm this past weekend. If you like IKEA, then you will like Stockholm, the thinking goes, but Denny Lee certainly offers you more reasons to like the Swedish capital. From 'Why Go Now' to 'How to Get Around', this article certainly rivals the more established city guides (although not nearly as detailed).

For those in the mood for a bit of Scandinavian exploration, Frommer's guide Europe by Rail promotes a 10-day Scandinavian Triangle: Copenhagen, Oslo, Stockholm.

I can only offer you the first and the last points, because inter-country railway agreements make rail travel to Oslo less smooth than previously thought. The Scandinavian Triangle will be coming soon to a website near you. However, until then, enjoy the Scandinavian duo: Copenhagen - Stockholm by X2000 (the futuristic-named high-speed train).

Need a reason to travel? How about beer?

As if you needed a truly good reason to visit Prague and the Czech Republic, the NY Times came up with a nice piece on Czech beers and how to best experience them. As it turns out, there are more than 100 breweries in this country, yet the author focuses on the more famous and controversial Budvar in Ceske Budejovice and Pilsner Urquell in Plzen (find out here why).

Since (almost) everything in the Czech Republic is within driving or train riding distance, it is probably a good idea to first check into a hotel in Prague following my earlier advice on its best-selling properties, then follow the beer trail. Cheers, everyone! (or rather, Na zdraví!)

Travel Inspiration - Jewish Heritage in Spain

This was going to be a book review, but Jewish Roots in Spain by Koldo Chamorro is more of a pictorial than anything else. And the pictures in this book speak of the amazing Jewish heritage in Spain (or Sepharad, as they call Spain in Modern Hebrew).

Spain's history up to 1492 is a study in tolerance and peaceful coexistence of three different ethnic/religious groups: Muslims, Jews (Sephardim), and Christians. While various cities had either Muslim or Christian rulers, all three groups thrived under an almost paradisiacal harmony. The Jewish community in Spain was an important player in the country's politics and finances, regardless of its regional leaders. Sadly, Ferdinand and Isabella wanted a Catholic Spain and forced the Jewish community into a long exile.

They left behind a rich cultural heritage, visible today in the Jewish quarters (or Juderias) of cities like Toledo, Seville, Tarazona, Besalu, Cordoba, Segovia, Hervas, Tudela, Olite, Calatayud, Chelva, Montblanc, Albaracin, Xativa, Sagunto, Girona, Caceres, Daroca, Barcelona, Peniscola.
Do not miss Cordoba's Synagogue, Toledo's Sinagoga del Transito and Sinagoga de Santa Maria la Blanca, as well as Toledo's Sephardic Museum. An interesting piece of trivia: Toledo's famed house of El Greco was actually built and owned by Samuel Levi, treasurer to King Pedro I.

A vacation package following the Jewish Heritage theme is the 8-nighter Spanish Sepharad train package which takes you through Madrid, Cordoba, Girona, and Barcelona or the car and train package Jewish Heritage that adds Toledo to the previously mentioned route.

For a better understanding of Spain's Jewish community contribution to the World Heritage, let us not forget the great intellectual figures of yester-Sepharad: Yehuda Ha-Levi, Shlomo ibn Gabirol - poet born in Malaga, Samuel ibn Negrella, Abraham ibn Ezra, Dunash ibn Labrat, Hasdai ibn Shaprut, Isaac Abravenel, Nahmanides, Samuel Halevi, Abraham Zacut, and Maimonides.

Train travel in Spain

Since the previous post was a bit long, I reposted the list of train packages one can book in Spain. The list of trains is taken from RENFE website (Spanish only) - and the train routes are described on the respective pages (if you follow the link)

LIST OF TRAIN PACKAGES IN SPAIN

Packages with Alaris:
Madrid - Valencia - Barcelona

Packages with Altaria:
Madrid - Barcelona
Barcelona - Madrid - Lisbon
Lisbon - Madrid - Barcelona
Barcelona - San Sebastian - Zaragoza - Madrid

Packages with Alvia coming soon

Packages with Arco coming soon

Packages with AVE:
Timeless Andalucian Journey
Madrid - Cordoba
Madrid - Seville
Madrid - Cordoba - Seville
Madrid - Seville - Granada
Madrid - Cordoba - Seville - Granada
Spanish Sepharad
Madrid - Cordoba - Seville - Granada - Barcelona

Packages with Diurno coming soon

Packages with Estrella:
Barcelona - Bilbao - Zaragoza and Pamplona
Barcelona - San Sebastian - Zaragoza - Madrid

Packages with Euromed coming soon
Packages with Intercity coming soon

Packages with Talgo:
Madrid - Granada
Madrid - Bilbao
Paris - Madrid
Paris - Barcelona
Barcelona - Milan
Madrid - Granada - Barcelona
Spanish Sepharad
Barcelona - San Sebastian - Zaragoza - Madrid
Paris - Barcelona - Milan

Packages with Talgo 200 coming soon

Packages with Trenhotel:
Madrid - Granada - Barcelona

Culture Shock and Spain trains

While Culture Shock! A Survival Guide to Customs and Etiquette - Spain (published October 2005, although the original edition dates 1993) is clearly a book for those willing to spend more than a week in Spain, but it does not hurt to browse through, especially if this is your first time outside the United States or the first time in Europe.

Since Spain is a Western-type country, the customs are not that different. But there are "the little differences" such as kissing your friend's cheeks when meeting (opposite sex only), dressing to the latest fashion, keeping your hands above the table while dining. The book if full of advice on everything from how to exchange greetings to what you need to know to start your own business. While customs take longer to change, I must question many of the specific references to the laws and bureaucracy of Spain. Since this book has been likely only updated from its previous issue, chances are that some of the laws have dramatically changed, as Spain became a more prosperous member of the European Union.

Case in point: I opened the book to the chapter on trains. The first statement is: In general, RENFE, the government-run railroad, is below par by European standards. The first high-speed train between Madrid and Seville made its debut just in time for the 1992 expo. I can see clearly that this section has not been properly amended. While traveling between Barcelona and Madrid will probably still require a night train ride (in a comfortable setting), the network of high-speed trains has bloomed in the rest of the country, brining Spain's network up to par.

For a better look at Spain's modern railroads, check out RENFE on the web (Spanish only).
Here is an impressive list of Alta Velocidad (high-speed train) and Larga Distancia (long-distance trains - or train hotels) from their website (I took the liberty to include some train packages that you can book for your traveling pleasure):

Alaris
Packages with Alaris:

• Madrid - Valencia - Barcelona

Altaria
Packages with Altaria:

• Madrid - Barcelona
• Barcelona - Madrid - Lisbon
• Lisbon - Madrid - Barcelona
• Barcelona - San Sebastian - Zaragoza - Madrid

Alvia
Packages with Alvia coming soon

Arco
Packages with Arco coming soon

AVE
Packages with AVE:

• Timeless Andalucian Journey
• Madrid - Cordoba
• Madrid - Seville
• Madrid - Cordoba - Seville
• Madrid - Seville - Granada
• Madrid - Cordoba - Seville - Granada
• Spanish Sepharad
• Madrid - Cordoba - Seville - Granada - Barcelona

Diurno
Packages with Diurno coming soon

Estrella
Packages with Estrella:

• Barcelona - Bilbao - Zaragoza and Pamplona
• Barcelona - San Sebastian - Zaragoza - Madrid

Euromed
Packages with Euromed coming soon

Intercity
Packages with Intercity coming soon

Talgo
Packages with Talgo:

• Madrid - Granada
• Madrid - Bilbao
• Paris - Madrid
• Paris - Barcelona
• Barcelona - Milan
• Madrid - Granada - Barcelona
• Spanish Sepharad
• Barcelona - San Sebastian - Zaragoza - Madrid
• Paris - Barcelona - Milan

Talgo 200
Packages with Talgo coming soon

Trenhotel
Packages with Trenhotel:

• Madrid - Granada - Barcelona

Enjoy!

Sizzling Hot Brussels (but is it affordable?)

Conde Nast Traveler (August 2006 issue) published a story on Brussels, "Europe's Hot New Capital". (sidenote: I could not link to the article on their website, because this magazine apparently did not embrace the newer business model of giving away free content against massive advertisement on their site). Alas, it's a pretty good story (with lots of good pictures), written and displayed in their characteristic style resembling more a fashion magazine than a travel publication. I did not see any references to prices that made the articles in NY Times Affordable Europe series so much more valuable. It may be that the story's focus was on the city itself and less on the money issue. Could it be that Brussels is not an affordable city? I really doubt it, but this does not explain why the NY Times writers did not include "Europe's Hot New Capital" in their series.

Regardless, here are a few good packages that would make Brussels a lot more affordable than both Conde Nast and the NY Times would make you believe.

London - Brussels
Brussels - Bruges - Paris
London - Paris - Brussels
Amsterdam - Brussels - Paris from $886 (with air from NYC)
Amsterdam - Brussels - Bruges - Paris

Book Review - One Year in the World (Andalucía chapter)

So I decided to take the travel book plunge. Fair enough.

The most preparation I have done for any trip was to read travel guides, not travel books. I still have to figure out if a travel book such as One Year in the World by Frances Mayes is targeting people who are about to travel abroad, people who have visited some of the places depicted in the book, or just people who enjoy this type of literature?

I definitely fall in the second category, as I was drawn to this book by the first chapter, on Andalucía. Since during my recent trip to Spain I spent quite a few days in this region, it only seemed fair to start reading it.

Here's the author's itinerary in beautiful Andalucía:
Seville
Italica (first Roman town to be settled in Spain)
Carmona
Ronda
Marbella and Puerto Banus
Antequera – Archidona
Granada (town of Frederico García Lorca and famed Alhambra)
Ubeda
Baeza
Córdoba

After reading this chapter, I wish I had planned my trip more thoroughly. However, Spain is so rich in history, that a 10-day trip is not enough to cover everything. One must focus, pick a theme. I find myself drawn more to the Roman and Moorish heritage of Spain - which means Andalucía and Extremadura would probably be worth exploring in detail. More on how to plan a trip to Spain>>>


I found the chapter extremely informative, and I certainly admire the author's attempt to catch the essence of Andalucía, no matter how hard it is to capture the soul of this region in writing. It made me instantaneously desire to revisit Spain. The second time around I will probably make time to visit the towns of Ronda, Italica, and Granada. The book convinced me.

Central Europe budget trips

The best way to experience Central Europe is by train, which happens to be my favorite way of travel in Europe. If you have never experienced other than Amtrak when it comes to train travel, getting around Europe by train might seem like a challenge (it is not). But I will write about train travel in Europe some other time.

So you want to travel to Central Europe (Austria, Germany, Czech Republic, Hungary). I recommend trains. Modern, fast, luxurious (if you choose to pay a bit extra), comfortable at night (if you have to travel at night), trains will make even an unlikely trip such as Paris - Berlin - Prague - Budapest possible. While you might want to set aside 10 nights for this particular trip (2 in each city, 2 on the train), this particular vacation would allow you to cut across Europe, while visiting 4 unique cities, 2 of them (Budapest and Prague) having only recently unleashed their potential.

Of course, a perennial favorite is the Prague - Vienna - Budapest package. Three particularly musical cities, with enough music and history to keep you busy for months.

For those short on time, two-city combinations might be the way to go:
Berlin - Prague; Prague - Vienna; Prague - Budapest.

The pride of New Europe - Prague

While the infamous "Old vs New Europe" remark is relatively new, expats of all colors have been tacitly gathering in Prague for the past decade, transforming this Czech Republic city into a vibrant European capital in its own right.

And for a good reason: at a fraction of the price, visitors can (still) enjoy Old Europe charm at New Europe prices. Although, when you think of it, everything in Europe is probably old, by American standards.

On a slightly different topic, I wish the NY Times published more articles on major European cities. After their April series that included Prague, I was left waiting for more. Regardless, Evan Rail, the author, correctly identifies Iris Praha as one of the best deals in town.

To that, I would add the following Prague best-selling hotels (once again, I must stress the importance of booking air + hotel together to enjoy real savings):

- Apollo
- Casa Marcello- Central Prague
- City Moran
- Golf
- Mucha
- Union Prague
- Waldstein

But what happens if you have 7-10 days to spend in Europe, want to visit Prague, but you don't want to stay for more than 2-3 days? For this, you might want to see my suggestions for Central European trips.

So you've never been to Spain...

...where do you start?

Spain is overwhelmingly rich in historic sites, having preserved quite well buildings/ruins/sites going as far back as the Romans and even before them.

Having said that, you will find everywhere a good mix of well maintained Roman, Jewish, Moorish, and Christian sites. It is purely amazing and you will need probably years to visit everything Spain has got to offer.

A good way to go about this is to divide and conquer - focus on the big cities, for example - Madrid, Barcelona, Seville, Bilbao, etc. Or take the Roman's Route for example. Or go for the Way of Saint James - which is a good way to revisit famed Christian sites and pilgrimage attractions. Visit the birth place of conquistadores in Trujillo. Or the castles spread all around the country.

It also depends on how much time you have. If you have less than a week and you have never been to Spain, focus on the big cities, and travel by fast train. If you have 10-14 days, it is worth picking a theme and renting a car to see everything at your own pace (see below my suggestions).

A good way to start is by reading the guides offered by http://www.frommers.com, http://www.lonelyplanet.com, etc. They are usually rather good at giving you a snapshot of everything Spain has to offer, although the amount of information can be a bit overwhelming.

Also try http://www.spain.info - the official Spain tourism website.

For prepackaged suggestions, go to the Spain page and look for the following themed-packages (they all get you to drive, which I think it's a better option if you have the luxury of time):

Northern Spain and the Green Coast;
Magic Triangle
The Way of Saint James;
Dreamy Andalucia;

Or for quick train packages - try any of the following combinations: Madrid - Seville - Cordoba - Granada - Barcelona, etc.


My personal experience: a 10 day trip including Madrid, Cordoba, Seville, Merida, Trujillo, Caceres, Salamanca, Medina del Campo, Coca, Segovia, La Granja de San Ildefonso, Avila, and Toledo - which included a good mix of Roman, Moorish, Jewish, and Christian heritage. We also visited many castles and many past and present cultural centers (such as Salamanca). Trujillo was certainly impressive and we took the obligatory shot with Pizzaro.

Looking for tapas and other budget deals in Madrid

In April, the NY Times published a piece on Affordable Europe: Madrid. While not going to the length and depth of a regular Travel Guide, this article provides the reader (i.e., you) with some good tips on where to go, where to stay, etc. in the beautiful Spanish capital.

The author goes over two basic ways of dining in Madrid (or Spain, as a matter of fact) - one is eating tapas in a tapas bar, usually crowded and maybe full of smoke, and the other one is eating a nice meal in a restaurant. Words of advice when it comes to dining in a busy restaurant though: if the location is rather central and touristy, the food might be slightly undercooked, as the restaurant is trying to cycle as many people as they can.

As far as hotels are concerned, I must stress again the importance of booking an air+hotel package instead of booking hotels individually. Typically, you will save more than what you can do with typical air or hotel deals.

Here's a list of hotels of all categories that have proved serious best-sellers in the past:

- Asturias
- Carlton (very good value)
- Florida Norte
- Francisco I
- Gran Atlanta
- Gran Versalles
- Gran Via 65 Aparthotel
- Il Castillas
- Mirasierra Suites

The word is: budget, safe, and acceptable. Do not expect luxury and of course read prior reviews on Tripadvisor.

Paris - the city of lights

I wish I could write a post about Paris and its free museums, but this is not going to happen anytime soon, as the museum would probably get mobbed. Nevertheless, there are cheap finds in this city of tourists, even among hotels, according to NY Times article Affordable Europe: Paris by Elaine Sciolino. The article goes on to recommend some hidden gems of restaurants and hotels, as well as some well hidden and small museums for free. Read the whole article >>>.

Ms. Sciolino also warns us that budget hotels in Paris are pretty much "Damp in winter, stuffy in summer, dark all year round" (this has become my favorite quote).

As far as her hotel recommendation goes, the pick in the NY Times matches the positive reviews in tripadvisor. However, I would go on and recommend more than one budget hotel (with surprisingly fair reviews from travelers):

- Amarys Simart
- Anjou
- Aquarelle
- Beaugrenelle
- Bellevue
- Best Western Derby Alma- Eiffel Seine
- Paris 18
- Villa des Ambassadeurs

Of course, for extra peace of mind, do not expect luxury when all you are going is for budget. Budget hotels in large cities in Europe tend to have less space available to visitors than budget hotels in the US.

London Museums for free

Thanks again to the excellent material published online by the NY Times on Europe's top best selling cities, we find out that most museums in London are free, which is definitely a bliss, given the exchange rate USD - British Pound.

In fact, this makes otherwise expensive London rather attractive, assuming that you are there for its history and culture and not for its fashion and pubs. Regardless, we find out from the same article that one of the best budget-saver hotels is Kensington Close, a statement with which we agree but we would also like to recommend some other handpicked, budget hotels that are not roaming with London's own version of Cancun spring breakers:

- Oxford;
- Ambassadors Bayswater;
- Central Park;
- Henry the Eighth;

More budget hotels in London here.

Of course, we remain vehemently opposed to the idea of booking a hotel separately, especially if you are planning on combining London with other European cities. For more suggestions on packages that combine London with Paris and other major European cities, go to this page.

Do you need a travel agent?

Like all answers to life's major questions, it depends.

Chances are thay you probably won't need an agent if you are to book a flight from New York City to Los Angeles and spend less than a $1,000 on a weekend trip to Ocean City.

Things change when it comes to more complex trips or very expensive ones, where you might not feel comfortable charging the family credit card $12,000 over the Internet.

Fodor's Guides has a good online article discussing the merits of (still) having and using a travel agent for your travel plans.

I would say, you could pretty much anything you want online, to include booking a multi-city vacation to Europe, but you still need the comfort of being able to talk or contact a human being who would be able to guide you in the right direction.

Barcelona on a budget

Again, from the same excellent series published in the NY Times, Affordable Europe: Barcelona by Andrew Ferren will attempt to show you the best deals in Barcelona.
As far the cheap eats, best deals on cultural events, best things to do for free, and best money saving tips are concerned, Andrew Ferren is providing quite valuable information. However, when it comes to hotels,I must say that booking a hotel room without having the savings built into a package is not the most efficient way to go about traveling. Not to mention there are plenty of not-so-expensive hotel options in Barcelona.

See article on Barcelona in the NY Times.

Packages including Barcelona:
- Madrid - Barcelona;
- Paris - Barcelona;
- Barcelona - Milan;
- Madrid - Valencia - Barcelona;
- Madrid - Granada - Barcelona;
- Artistic Treasures of Spain;
- London - Paris - Barcelona;
- Barcelona - Madrid - Lisbon;
- Barcelona - Paris - Venice - Rome;

Amsterdam for less

In a fashion true to the spirit of Budget Travel Magazine and Frommer's editors - who pride themselves in offering trips for less than $100 per day, NY Times Travel writer Gisela Williams recommends some hotels in Amsterdam where one can stay for less than 100 euros a day. I find that rather steep for a budget suggestion. For example, a package for London - Paris - Amsterdam including 2 nights in each city and train connections goes for roughly $100 a day.
Of course, one might be tempted to book their flight separately, then book one of the two suggested hotels (none of which make my list of recommended budget hotels in Amsterdam). It makes me angry to know that some still believe they can get a better deal if they book each segment of their trip individually.

The article provides some good insights on what to do for free in a country where the US dollar might be struggling.

Read more on Amsterdam on a budget from the NY Times.

The best of Europe's cities

Unexpectedly for a daily newspaper, the New York Times has posted a remarkable list of budget suggestions for 16 major cities in Europe - Affordable Europe. What they failed to tell you, though, is that these cities are the top best-selling cities in Europe.

Unexpectedly, because I would expect such a large enterprise coming from one of the established travel guides.