I would have loved Berlin in my younger days, but the older, wiser me is happy that I got to experience and enjoy it without a single hangover. (Full disclosure: since I was 6 months pregnant during my visit, a hangover was not in the cards anyway. But I like to think that regardless, I would have behaved with more moderation than some of the 20-somethings I saw on the U-Bahn still drinking at 8 AM from the previous night.)

If you want to know what the best clubs are or where to go until 4 AM, I am definitely not the best source of information, but I am happy to share some of my favorite places to eat, drink, and see in Berlin! I’ve included street addresses and U-Bahn/S-Bahn stops.

Dinner & Drinks

Berlin is a great city for eating—whether you’re in the mood for traditional German food or more eclectic modern takes on the menu. Of course, since you’re making the effort to go out for dinner, why not stop for a drink nearby to round out the evening?

My top choices for the Kreuzberg area are not in the teeming, tipsy center of it all, but a little bit off the beaten path. For a seasonally changing menu of updated German fare, don’t miss dinner at Nansen, at the corner of Nansenstrasse and Maybachufer. Afterwards, cross the Spree to have a beer by candlelight with the locals at the out-of-the-way Celo Privat Bar at 19a Glogauerstrasse. U: Gorlitzer Bahnhof.

Your Schönberg evening should start at the Green Door, a sweet and friendly little cocktail bar with an extensive drink list. You have to ring the doorbell to get in. The drinks are very good, but not cheap. For dinner, stroll 5 blocks or so to the neighborhoody Renger-Patzsch for your choice of seasonal or traditional Flammekuche (Alsatian thin-crust pizza) or one of the expertly prepared meat specials. Green Door- U: Nollendorfplatze. Renger Patzsch- U: Eisenacherstrasse.

In Charlottenburg/Ku Damm, don’t miss Dicke Wirten (“the fat waitress”) by Savignyplatz for rib-sticking traditional German food. In the wintertime you can get Christmas specials like roasted goose. The portions are large and excellently prepared, the clientele is mostly regulars and locals, and the dining room is plastered floor to ceiling with kitschy Teutonic décor and doilies. After dinner, walk off some of that spaetzle and go to the speakeasy-esque Galerie Bremer on Fasenstrasse, about 4 blocks away, for a digestif. Dicke Wirten- S: Savignyplatz. Galerie Bremer- U: Spichenstrasse.

A warning: lots of bars in Berlin are really smoky, so be prepared for that.

Lunchtime

A Berlin street food staple is the Doner kebab, which is a Turkish-German hybrid dish said to be invented in Berlin in the 1970s, and is sort of like a shawerma. Thin slices of cinnamon-scented lamb, shaved from a spit, are wrapped in bread or Turkish flatbread with yogurt sauce, lettuce, and tomatoes. One of the freshest and best examples is the durum doner at Imren, on Boppstrasse in Kreuzberg. The flatbread is made to order, and arrives warm and stuffed with meat. U: Schonlein Tor.

Post-doner, if it’s a Tuesday or a Friday, you can continue your Turkish adventure at the Turkenmarket along Maybachufer, about 3 or 4 blocks from Imren. You can browse fabric, spices, olives, cheese, and much more. Find a stall with fresh Turkish delight for a perfect dessert. U: Schonlein Tor or Kotbusser Tor. 

Another Berlin-born street food is currywurst, which consists of slices of sausage doused in curried ketchup. I will admit that this is not my favorite dish, but aficionados (and the line outside) will tell you that Konnopke’s Imbiss just below the U-Bahn station in Prenzlauer Berg is the best. If you are not keen on currywurst, you may want to have a relaxing lunch at Fellas nearby. The high-ceilinged dining room is open and convivial, and the food is solid. The salads are especially good. The service is friendly, if a little haphazard. U: Schonhauser Allee. 

Probably the best lunch option overall, costing barely more than a stand-up street meal, is the set menu lunch at Nord-Sud near Hackescher Hofe. The food is outstanding, and incredibly, will set you back a mere €7.50 for 3 courses. The charming French owner will explain the daily menus for you to choose from. Prepare to be impressed—and stuffed. Nord-Sud serves dinner as well. U or S: Hackescher Markt.

Cafes

In a pinch, you’ll always be close to an Einstein Kaffe—Berlin’s local answer to the encroaching Starbucks empire. The coffee is good and the cakes are in a wholly different league than the usual chain sweets. But there are two Berlin cafes that really stole my heart.

EspressoBar in the Charlottenberg/Ku Damm area, tucked away on Mommsenstrasse between Bleibtreustrasse and Knesebeckstrasse, is exactly the kind of café at which I would want to be a regular. (I’d go so far as to say that if I moved to Berlin I would have to live nearby so I could make that a reality.) The place is pretty quiet, but you might hear the sounds of eggs cracking or the mixer going, as the owner bakes fresh cakes and other treats in the impossibly small kitchen. Excellent espresso, a selection of Kusmi teas, and warm flaky croissants—yeah, I could get used to that. U: Uhlandstrasse or S: Savignyplatz.

If you’re a loyalist of Stumptown, Blue Bottle, or the like, then I would have a completely different recommendation: Bonanza in Prenzlauer Berg, on Oderbergerstrasse. This is not a grab-and-go: for reasons unknown, a cup of coffee or a latte will take these mustachioed hipsters literally 10 or 15 minutes to prepare for you. Not only is the coffee worth the wait, you can easily lose track of time as you watch tripping over bags and buckets in this tiny shop as they freshly roast the next batch of beans right in front of you. U: Eberswalderstrasse.

I would be remiss not to mention the café in the MyParis gallery, at 67 Augustenstrasse near Hackescher Hofe. The gallery entry is 6 euros, but you can get a coffee and a snack in the gorgeous, soaring space without ponying up for the show. They have a small but cute and artsy gift shop, as well. U or S: Hackescher Markt.

Next door in the KW Gallery courtyard, at 69 Augustenstrasse, there is yet another arty café with an interesting design, Café Bravo, which seems a little more kid-friendly than MyParis.  U or S: Hackescher Markt.

East & West

I am really fascinated by the history of the Berlin Wall and the divide between East and West Germany, and Berlin is obviously the best place to learn and experience more about it. Aside from the tackified tourist trap of Checkpoint Charlie, there are a couple of other places you can see standing sections of the Berlin Wall. The best-known is the East Side Gallery, in Friedrichshain, which has a section of the wall that was decorated by artists from around the world in 1999 and revamped in 2009. U: Ostbanhof or Warschauerstrasse.

From the East Side Gallery, a short hop on the train will take you to the Stasi Museum, which opened in the previous Stasi headquarters less than a year after the Wall fell. You can see some of the hilariously low-tech surveillance devices, hidden in tree stumps, neckties, and so forth. The film shown at the museum (with English subtitles) gives a great overview of the Stasi and historians share many interesting anecdotes about the Stasi’s history and activities. U: Magdalennenstrasse.

You can find another standing section of the Berlin Wall at Mauerpark, in Prenzlauer Berg. It’s not the prettiest park, but this part of the Wall is the official practicing ground for casual graffiti artists, and is inches thick with spray paint. While I enjoyed the East Side Gallery, somehow the Mauerpark section hit home with me more, perhaps because it was easier to get a sense of the ways in which the Berlin Wall divided neighborhoods so jarringly. U: Eberswalderstrasse.

If you visit Mauerpark, you can pop into VEP Orange, on Oderbergerstrasse, to browse kitschy GDR retro housewares and fixtures. I scored an awesome orange ceramic 1970s lamp for 20 euros. Across the street from VEP Orange you’ll find Bonanza Coffee (exalted in the “Cafes” section above.)

To prepare yourself for all of this Berlin Wall action, I recommend the book Stasiland by Anna Funder, which weaves together stories from both former Stasi officers and from people whose lives were strongly impacted by the Berlin Wall and the Stasi.

Ancient History

Say what you will about Germans, but man, they really knew how to plunder. The result is the excellent Pergamon Museum, which includes a full Babylonian gate, plus some rather astounding displays of Assyrian, Egyptian, Uruk, Persian, Ottoman, Greek, and Turkish treasures. With all this great stuff, the museum gets very crowded, so I would recommend booking a ticket online in advance so you can skip the line (they can scan the bar code or QR code on your mobile phone so you don’t even need to print a ticket out.)

If you want to see the famed bust of Nefertiti (which the Egyptians are still trying to get back) you’ll have to go next door to the Neues Museum. Pergamon and Neues Museum- U or S: Hackescher Markt.

Don’t miss the walk back to Unter der Linden, so you can catch the bizarre juxtaposition of the ostentatious Berliner Dom and the space-agey Alexanderplatz TV Tower.

Need a pick-me-up after all that museuming? Pop into the louche Hotel de Rome for a well-crafted (expensive) cocktail at the bar.

Winter Wonderlands

I imagine Berlin in the spring and summer is just wonderful, with people spilling out of sidewalk cafes, lounging by the banks of the Spree, and sipping frosty beers to cool down. Of course since I was there in late December I wouldn’t know anything about that. The saving grace of the wintertime visit is that Germans are dead serious about Christmas decorations, so the city is absolutely ablaze with lights, and the fabulous Christmas Markets are in full swing. There are over 50 Christmas markets in Berlin alone, where you can drink gluhwein (hot mulled wine), eat sausages and shop for ornaments. If you’re a connoisseur of gaudy holiday ornamentation like I am, you should probably put a Christmastime visit to Germany on your bucket list—the level of glitz and glitter was just outstanding.

No matter what the season or the occasion – don’t miss a trip to Berlin, one of the most affordable, quirky, friendly, historical, art-centric, and culinarily sophisticated cities in the world.

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Tea and toast at Paul Rothe & Son is a treat – and one of the cheaper things on this list. This generations-old shop in Marylebone is the perfect way to start a very English morning. Their white toast slathered with hunks of creamery butter and homemade jam go perfectly with a big cuppa.

The well-known Spanish restaurant Moro has been a favorite on London’s culinary map for some time now, but their tiny wine and tapas bar next door, Morito, is much more fun and a lot cheaper, too. Light-strewn Exmouth Market is a pretty romantic location anyway, even more so when you sit knee to knee and share innovative and well-crafted North African snacks like crispy chickpeas or lamb meatballs with pine nuts while you sip Spanish wine from short utilitarian glasses.

A top stop for me is always Neal’s Yard Dairy. For one thing, it gets you to the terrific Seven Dials shopping area in Covent Garden, which you might not ever happen upon unless you had a destination in mind. But mostly, it’s the cheese. All their cheeses are from English and Irish dairies, and all of them (at least, all of the ones that I’ve tasted thus far) are outstanding. They’ll give you so many samples you’ll be bursting at the seams. I like to buy a couple of cheeses and a loaf of bread and store them in my hotel mini-fridge for afternoon snacks.

It’s hard to pick from the many curry shops in London – Brick Lane tourist traps? High-end, white tablecloth type? For a cheap and satisfying Indian meal, there is always a branch of Masala Zone nearby. This might not be the most authentic Indian food you’ll come across (whatever that means) but it’s clean, the restaurants have a hip ambiance and good service, and it’s always very tasty.

Hawksmoor (there are 2 branches) boldly proclaims that it’s “the best steak restaurant in London,” and they might be right. Order a steak in this clubby, dark, steakhouse and you’ll get a giant white plate with a big hunk of meat on it, aged and cooked perfectly. Their cocktail list is imaginative and fun, with a whole page of juleps (who knew there were non-mint juleps?) that come in an iced-in silver cup.

I really wanted to try Dock Kitchen, and so will you, after you read this review. I didn’t make it there but it’s high on my list for next time.

I’m not ashamed to admit that there are a couple of grocery store foods in London that I just can’t get enough of. I always pop into a Tesco or a Sainsbury’s for a packet of scones and a jar each of clotted cream and jam (although this time I bought fancy jam from Neal’s Yard Dairy instead.) Hotel room breakfast has never tasted better. The mass-market grocery scones taste better than almost anything I’ve ever found called a “scone” in the US.

I also love the funky flavors of potato chips they offer in the UK. Why exactly haven’t they worked in the US? Although they’re both dear to my heart, I slightly favor the Roast Chicken Walker’s Crisps over the Smoky Bacon offering. But meat-flavored chips: what’s not to like?

You can also pick up bags of Thornton’s Toffee in the corner shop. These make great gifts, that is, if you can prevent yourself from eating all of it before you get back home. (Which I usually can’t.) For more selection you can hit up one of the full-on Thornton’s boutique shops scattered throughout town. It’s hard to get in the US; I’ve even tried to make it at home but the original is always the best.

Finally, I’m happy to say that world-class ice cream has arrived in London. Thanks to my traveling companion’s  penchant for ice cream, I got to sample quite a few ice cream and gelato shops. Scoop in Soho has them all beat by a mile. Their cioccolato fondante flavor is so good it almost had me in tears.

Things to do

In between all the food, you might want some activities to burn off the food and work up an appetite for more. No trip to London is complete without a visit to the Tate Modern – one of the premier contemporary art spaces in the world. Traveling with kids? No problem–they have spectacular programs to engage kids in their exhibits. We were lucky to see the Ai Weiwei exhibit “Sunflower Seeds”–with over 100 million handcrafted, handpainted porcelain replicas of sunflower seeds in an enormous pile. (There is a fabulous video that accompanies the exhibit–thanks to the internets, you can watch it here.)

We also saw a terrific Gabriel Orozco exhibit. The gift shop at the Tate Modern is also tops… unless, of course, you hit up the slightly better gift shop at the Design Museum. You know what else is great about the Design Museum? It practically forces you to walk across the Tower Bridge. After you’ve enjoyed this small and well-curated museum, you’ll be in the perfect spot to grab a glass of wine al fresco on the Thames, with a stunning view of the London skyline, framed by the Tower Bridge.

There is, of course, fabulous shopping in London as well. Again, it’s too numerous to go deep on the topic, so I would focus on the multitudes of markets to explore (here is a helpful list with locations and operating days.) But nobody ever had a bad day wandering the lanes of Soho or Seven Dials. And you know, in London, street art abounds, so you can get your fill just by walking around. I’m a fan of the Ben Eine letters you catch early mornings on Petticoat Lane, and the walk back through Shoreditch will take you past a few Banksys and other great street art. Plus, it will get you ready for your next meal.

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The question: “This summer, I’m going to Italy- biking from Rome to Venice, through Tuscany, with lots of stops in between. What are your favorite things to see, eat, and do there?”

How can I tell you all the things to do in Italy? This will barely scratch the surface! Let me get this out of the way first: I haven’t been to Rome in quite some time, so I will point you to some fine recommendations from Heidi of 101 Cookbooks for that. I’m also incredibly partial to the New York Times “36 Hours” column… and luckily for you, they have a recent one on Rome.

Of course, I like to plan ahead, so if I were heading to Rome I’d be considering a stay at the modern budget Orange Hotel, the colorful Capo d’Africa, or the tucked-away and charming Inn at the Spanish Steps. For a more luxurious splurge, I might go for the newly revamped Hotel de Russie. Tablet Hotels has a long list of unique Rome hotels to book (including the four I just mentioned), so if you need a place to stay, I’d start browsing photos, reading editorials, and checking availability.

Moving on to Tuscany, which is one of those places that looks exactly how you’ve imagined, only much better. You may have heard this already, but in Tuscany it’s fun to stay in an agriturismo–a guesthouse on a farm. I would recommend you look on Trip Advisor for reviews and email them to see if they’re available. There is a wide range of really down-home to fancy shmancy, which is where Trip Advisor comes in to help a lot.

My husband’s favorite town in Tuscany has got to be Siena. I don’t really need to tell you what to do there because once you’re in the old town you’ll just figure it out. Each summer, they have a horse race called the Palio in their shell-shaped piazza–something I would definitely like to witness in my lifetime!  We missed it by a week on our last trip. If you’d like to plan on that, it’s held every July 2nd and August 16th.

The tiny hilltop hamlet of Panzano is where you’ll find the famous “butcher of Tuscany” Dario Cecchini–if you are a meat lover, or any kind of food lover, I can’t stress highly enough my wish for you to eat at Solociccia, a restaurant with communal seating and 6 courses of meat with wine for 30 euros. (“Solociccia” means “only meat.”)It’s one of the most engaging and enjoyable restaurants I’ve ever experienced. We made a reservation on the same day over the phone; it’s not open every day so check ahead. There are two other Dario Cecchini restaurants, and yes, I know (and envy) people who have tried all three in one weekend. Dario+ (fka Mac Dario) is more casual, while Officina della Bistecca is the most upscale and focuses on steak.

A visit to Dario’s butcher shop, Antica Macelleria, is a must as well. When you arrive, you’ll most likely be greeted  by the ever-theatrical Dario wasn’t holding court in the street with his striped pants, bottle of homemade chianti in one hand, and teetering tower of drinking glasses in the other. Don’t worry–he’ll offer you a glass.

San Gimignano is one of the most postcard-perfect Tuscan towns–a town of many towers. It’s lovely and charming. And don’t forget to drink some Vernaccia de San Gimignano, it will be hot and you will need the refreshment from this excellent local white wine.

Monteriggioni an old walled town between Siena and San Gimignano. It’s a relaxed, quiet place to stop for lunch and walk the upper walls for views across the Tuscan landscape. If you were traveling with kids, I’d recommend Monteriggioni for the small medieval museum that charms kids and adults alike, with coats of chain mail, swords, and armor to try on. There are two terrific restaurants in the main square of Monteriggioni: Pozzo and Remo.

Other Tuscan towns that hold some interest for me are Volterra, named for its many stone vaults, and Parma, the birthplace of two of the finest foods known to humankind: parmigiano and prosciutto. Greve in Chianti was highly unexciting, I would not recommend it. Castellina in Chianti is much cuter and sweeter, but not worth a special trip. Of course, the aforementioned Panzano is in a much better hilltop setting than Greve and just a couple kilometers away.

I haven’t been to Firenze or Bologna in awhile,  so I’m not qualified to make recommendations.The beauty is that lots of people have  been to those places so getting advice on them should be quite easy.

Moving on from Tuscany on the way to Venice, you will pass through the town of Ferrara, the bicycle town of Italy. It’s an underrated town with an excellent local culinary tradition and old-town charm. Eat at Trattoria da Noemi, which though reasonably casual is in my opinion, one of the best restaurants in Italy. Order the salamina, a pork lover’s delight and a specialty of the town, something like an unholy marriage of salami and chorizo over  mashed potatoes. (Insert Homer Simpson drooling sound.)

Ah, Venezia, one of the most magical cities in the world. You might feel like it’s full of tourists but it will help to remember that ever since they built on water, nearly 500 years ago, the place has been full of tourists! My first bit of advice: get out of the main area of Piazza San Marco. It’s covered in pigeon shit, tourists, and 8 euro cups of coffee. There are literally dozens of lesser piazzas and campos with much more to offer. Last time we stayed near Campo San Giacomo and we spent many an enchanted evening sipping an aperitivo while the neighborhood kids played in the public fountain.

The Peggy Guggenheim Museum is definitely worth a visit; it’s got one of the best modern art collections in the world (and my very favorite Picasso) in an unexpected canal-side setting. Fans of contemporary art should not miss it. Scuola Grande di San Rocco is another worthwhile museum. It’s an old church that’s been covered on the inside–walls, ceilings, staircases, and so forth–with Tintoretto paintings. (My Dad’s favorite, for what it’s worth.)

A day trip to the island of Murano is another of my top recommendations. Murano is the glass-blowing island of Venice and you can stop by working fornaces to see people making glass. It’s also a good spot for buying gifts as there are lots of small (albeit breakable) things to pick up there, and since you can watch the whole process you’re guaranteed your tourist tchotchkes weren’t made in China. You can take a vaporetto (water bus) there or a water taxi. There is a great authentic restaurant along the main strip called Dalla Mora. Order a whole salt-crusted fish and watch the local men argue over soccer.

As for restaurants in Venice, people say it’s hard to eat well there, but if you know where to go, you can find terrific food to rival any in Italy. Some of the very best in my mind are L’Incontro off Santa Margherita, La Zucca by San Giacomo, and for a more pricey but excellent meal try Fiaschettteria Toscana in Canareggio.

I often use Tablet Hotels to find and book interesting hotels throughout the world. I know in Venice they  have some cool ones that are not too expensive, as I’ve had my eye on them: Charming House IQs and Charming House DD 724. If you’d like to rent an apartment, which is terrific when you are travelling with a larger group, VRBO has some excellent ones. The penthouse apartment we stayed in in Venice was via VRBO, and had a fabulous balcony overlooking the canal – Dimora Tintoretto at the Casa dei Pittori. It was by a fabulous Campo and close to the train station and great restaurants and cafes.

For gelato: This is my husband’s area of expertise. Grom on San Barnaba is his favorite. My mom calls it the “BiRite Creamery of Venice”. Gelateria San Stae is my favorite, especially the very very dark cioccolato flavor.

A few general tips about Italy…

• Don’t forget to eat a gelato in each and every town until you find the very best one.
• Mark Bittman has some good recommendations on restaurants–search them in the New York Times and bring printouts with you.
• They always say “get lost in Venice” and it sounds a bit trite, but it’s actually good advice. Hopefully not TOO lost though.
• To get double espresso you have to ask for “doppio”. The only word my Italian husband actually learned to say in Italian.

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You know, Ben Eine. I’ll spell it out for you:

I didn’t have my camera so I returned the next afternoon. The letters were gone! Of course, they only appear when the shops are closed and the shutters are down. A third pass the next morning and I was back to feeling zen.

I was so excited to find my a kandy-kolored k! Even if it looks krooked next to those klothes.

Surprises like these are one of the reasons I love to travel… they make me feel incredibly

I made you a map in case you want to find them yourself.

{If you still can’t get enough, or you don’t wake up early enough to see the shutters down, his works adorn Graphic Bar in Soho as well.}

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The Question: “Me, my wife, and my 2-year-old son are going to Europe for the month of May.  We fly into Berlin at the start of the month and we fly out of Rome at the end.  We will definitely make our way to Paris in between, but that’s all we have.  I’ve only been to London, Amsterdam and few cities in Spain, so I am completely overwhelmed with the many choices of where else we could go. So, I’m wondering if you know of any easy-to-get-to great locales in between Berlin, Paris and Rome. Also, any train advice you have would be helpful.  I know that flying between the cities would be cheapest, but I’m trying to avoid flying and airports as much as possible.

Let’s start at the beginning–I have no Germany knowledge as I have never been there (although it looks like a trip there might happen this year!) so I can’t tell you what to do in Berlin. If you’re going from Berlin to Paris by train, you’re probably thinking about stopping in Brussels. May I suggest a couple of days in Bruges instead? Brussels is a reasonably pleasant international city, but its charms (in my opinion) don’t merit the deep exploration of truly great world cities like Paris or Rome, so you might instead enjoy a few days of small-town charm in between those two large metropolises. Bruges is a jewel of a Belgian town that will give you an easy, slower-paced taste of Belgium with little hassle. You will probably have to take an overnight train from Berlin to Brussels and change to a short train to Bruges (about 1 hour from Brussels.)

Heading into Paris from Belgium, you can camp out there until your next move. Paris is, of course, fabulous, and it would be hard for me to synthesize my very favorite things to do there–but I’ll try a few.

• Falafel in Rue Rosiers (pick a line, any long line, all of them are good.)
• Cafe Josselin in Montparnasse for crowded tables, friendly service, the best buckwheat crepes and strong Bretagne cider.
• The tasting menu at the excellent Spanish restaurant Fogón. (Babysitter required.)
• The nearly tourist-free bar scene on Rue Oberkampf.
• Sauntering through the painters at work in the plaza at the top of Sacre Coeur and scouting out the moulins (windmills) tucked in the neighborhood nearby.
• The Arabic hammam (communal baths) at L’Institut du Monde Arabe. (Check hours on their website: some days are men only, some days are women only.)
• The dazzling and delightful market food hall at Le Bon Marché (metro: Sevres-Babylone.)
• The Sunday flea market at Saint Ouen (metro: Clignancourt.)
• The view from the top of the Pompidou Centre on a clear day.
• Shopping in the Marais, in the alleys and on Rue Tiquetonne.
• Sunny afternoons sitting by Canal St. Martin sipping on a glass of rosé.
• A stop at the venerable tea shop Le Mariage Freres for tasting, sipping, smelling, and presents.
• The way Hotel de Ville looks on a dark and stormy night.
• Meringues from anywhere.

And when in doubt, use the restaurant recommendations from David Lebovitz.

I could go on for days about Paris, but you need to get to Rome! There are a lot of options in between. I’m going to recommend against Venice, although it’s doable, and it’s wonderful, because it’s a bit out of the way and it definitely deserves more than a couple of days. I fear that a stop in one of the northern Italian cities like Milan, Turin, or Genoa will just feel like a slog from one big city to the next, and not really provide you with a respite. Plus, to be honest, none of those places really knocks my socks off. In that case, I think the best thing to do would be to choose a spot in the south of France, along the southern coast. Now the trick is which spot to choose?

I could make a strong argument for Nice. Staying in Nice would be, well, nice. It’s home to one of my favorite restaurants of all time, La Merenda, and it’s a handy jumping-off point for day trips to the hanging-on-a-hilltop hamlet of Eze and other points of interest along the Côte d’Azur. But don’t fool yourself–Nice is a big and bustling city, not a small seaside town. If you opt to stop there, you should either stay in Vieux Nice (Old Nice), a windy warren-like area with old stone streets and alleys, or even better, the tinier town just to the East, Villefranche-sur-Mer. The bayside in Villefranche couldn’t be cuter–in fact, it’s been used in dozens of movies to represent that Cote d’Azur ideal.

You could also opt for a stint in nearby Cannes, which is a bit more removed, and due to the famous film festival offers a bevy of fine hotels and restaurants to choose from. I’ve had my eye on 3-14 Hotel (perhaps partly precipitated by a preoccupation with Pi?) and the elegant Hotel Martinez.

But what about Cassis? From a practical standpoint, it offers the benefit of being a short hop (30 minutes by car) from Marseille, which has a major train station for ease of travel between both Paris and Rome. It’s also lesser known to the international tourist hordes who frequent Nice and surrounds, although still popular with French tourists. Its charm is a bit less tarnished by modernity and a bit more authentic (although I’m loath to use that loaded word.) It offers your best chance to decompress and recharge from Paris before jumping back in to the urban hum in Rome. Perhaps you could make your home in the venerable Hotel Liautaud for a few days?

Cassis is in an area known as Les Calanques (meaning “the inlets”) for its unusual coastal geography on the azure blue Mediterranean. In addition to swimming, Les Calanques offer excellent hiking and climbing. Cassis also has the benefit of being a stone’s throw from the Bandol wine region, a lesser-known appelation in Provence and an excuse for a lazy drive through the picturesque countryside. The homey tasting rooms in Bandol (which can really be just a family’s living room) belie the sophistication of the excellent rosé and red wines they produce.

I’ll recommend that these few days in the south of France is the one place you should splurge for a car rental. You won’t be able to take advantage of the best there is to offer without mobility.

I haven’t been to Rome in quite some time, so I will point you to some fine recommendations from Heidi of 101 Cookbooks for that. I’m also incredibly partial to the New York Times “36 Hours” column… and luckily for you, they have a recent one on Rome!

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I was a bit surprised when I started to codify this information, because it shows that I’ve been around the world and I-yi-yi, I can’t find no steak-y. Almost 100% of my favorite steaks are right here in the U.S. of A! I’m glad we still kick a$$ at something. USA! USA!

Oh and after you read this list, PLEASE tell me your favorite steaks so I can try them before I die.

A List of Steaks I Have Loved

Best Steak Overall (East Coast) :: Ribeye for 2, 3, or 4 at Peter Luger in Brooklyn NY

Best Steak Overall (West Coast) :: Anything in the wagyu section of the menu at CraftSteak in Las Vegas, NV

Best Steak Tartare :: Blue Ribbon Bakery in New York, NY (tip: ask for toast points instead of chips)

Best Dish with Steak in it :: Steak Stroganoff at Spork in San Francisco, CA

Best Multi-Course Steak Menu :: Set menu at Solociccia in Panzano, Italy

Best Place to Have Fun Cooking and Eating a Steak :: Turf Supper Club in San Diego, CA

Best Crazy Presentation of Steak :: Sometime during the tasting menu at Alinea in Chicago, IL

Best Steak for Melting in your Mouth :: Medallions de Boeuf at French Laundry in Yountville, CA

Best Steak Sandwich :: Korean Steak Sandwich at Rhea’s Deli in San Francisco, CA

Best Steak, Mexican Format :: Carne Asada at Super Cuca’s, Santa Barbara, CA

Best Steak, Italian Format :: Hanger Steak Tagliata at Al Di La in Brooklyn, NY

Best Steak, Japanese Format :: “Hot Rock” Wagyu Steak at Uchi in Austin, TX

Best Steak, Korean Format :: Bulgogi at Do Hwa in New York, NY

Best Steak from a Chain Restaurant :: Outback Special from Outback Steakhouse, everywhere

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Sicily’s location placed the island at the geographical crossroads of pretty much every major empire (save the Mongols) throughout history. At various times, Palermo was ruled by the Phoenicians, Greeks, Romans, Byzantines, Arabs, Normans, Germans, Aragonese, and Bourbons, before Sicily finally became a part of unified Italy about 150 years ago. Because of this complex history of upheaval and constant change, there are remnants of past glories and injustices alike evident in the peeling layers of Palermo’s facade.

The Quattro Canti and many of the churches and theaters in town show a heavy baroque influence.

Like much of southern Italy, Palermo is a little rough around the edges and feels slightly more exotic, and slightly less modern, than the rest of Italy.

I love these ornate Tabacchi stands found on so many corners.

The Arab and Byzantine influences are noticeable in the souq-like alleyways that haphazardly and confoundingly shoot off from the main roads. Many are too small for cars, so are by default given over to strictly pedestrian or 2-wheeled locomotion. And nearly everywhere you look, there’s a church of a distinct architectural style peeking out!

The Vucciria Market is an open-air market with fluid boundaries and an old-world feel. It’s a teeming cacophony of buyers and sellers on Saturdays, closed like a hangover on Sunday, and a bit sleepy again on Monday in build up to the weekend’s events. Transactions still have a very old-fashioned feel to them, and you can buy anything from a whole side of beef to a 4 foot long cucumber to a plastic bag full of live snails (a Sicilian delicacy.)

(The snail guy was cranky and wouldn’t let me take a picture of the snails unless I was buying, so needless to say, no snail picture…)

Palermo was also hard hit during World War II. In 1943, Allied forces descended upon Sicily and gained their first piece of European ground back from the Axis powers. In Palermo’s Kalsa neighborhood, adjacent to Vucciria Market, you can still find significant remnants of the immense damage wrought during the war, underpinning the quotidian activities of this vibrant, if somewhat eerie, working class neighborhood.

A 15 minute ride on a public bus takes you to a completely different world: Mondello Beach. Here, the rented yellow umbrellas are plentiful, the boats are old-fashioned, and the water is such a crystal clear turquoise blue that you can see to the bottom. People of all ages bake themselves to a crisp bronze, eat snacks from street carts, and play in the water.

Smitten teenagers lock their love on the rusting pier.

Even the inanimate fish are theatrical.

There are plenty of Sicilian snacks to be had, like panelli (chickpea fritters) or arancini (deep fried risotto balls.) Of course, the beach is hot, so you will probably want gelato! In Palermo they don’t put ice cream in a cone, but rather in something they call a brioche, which is really more like a hamburger bun. Fun to try, but I’ll stick with a cup or cone from now on.

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So consider this a guest post… Garrick, take it away!

GRANADA – Palacio del Patos
This is the place Amy said was way too cool for her.  It is probably the most stylish room I’ve ever stayed in.  In true TabletHotel fashion, style trumped substance, but what a fun place to stay!

GRANADA – Carmen de la Alcubilla del Caracol
This is the best place we stayed in Spain.  Simple, yet tasteful B&B style house with wonderful garden that overlooked the city and the mountains.  The soul of this place is the owner.  Unbeatable.

BARCELONA - Hotel Pulitzer
One of the best hotels we stayed at in Spain.  Everything was flawless: design, cleanliness, service and food.  Amazing rooftop bar.  Located centrally on the Placa Catalunya.  Would stay a month here.

BARCELONA – Cocoon Apartment
We got a studio with private deck from this rental company.  It was located in the uber-hip (think SF Mission District, but more sulking) El Raval neighborhood.

CORDOBA – Palacio del Bailio
Same owners as the Palacio del Patos.  Contemporary modern design.  Built over Roman ruins.  Fabulous garden/pool area.  Check out the pics.  Their amazing.  Again, style over substance, but again, we had a blast.  The food is insanely good.

SEVILLA - Petit Palace
This is probalby the most mediocre hotel of the trip, but was totally fine.  Like a stylish Holiday Inn.  Can’t beat the location, down the street from very fun tapas bars and the famous cathedral.

SEVILLA – Loft 3
This place was too good to be true.  A *beautiful* new condo in a great neighborhood for $150 euros a night!  Way too cheap for this place.  The building incorporates an ancient wall in it’s design.

ALGECIRAS – AC Algeciras
Totally serviceable hotel from ubiquitous chain.  Like the Petit Palace, stylsih but ultimately staid.

MALAGA - Molina Lario
GREAT hotel.  This place was akin to the Hotel Pulitzer in Barcelona.  Totally contemporary design with great food and service.  Highly recommended.

Dar Roumana

FES, MOROCCO - Dar Roumana
Probably the most amazing hotel of our trip.  You have to see it to believe it.  The detail of this refurbished old Dar is astounding.  The staff, food, rooms and common areas were amazing.  Great outdoor, rooftop lounge area with view of the entire medina.  I would go to Morocco again just to stay here.

LONDON – The Hoxton Hotel
This place ruled.  Totally stylish, super cheap (under 99 pounds) and location couldn’t be better.  In the hip Hoxton/Shoreditch area, which is walking distance to all the tourist spots as well.

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