Barcelona's charming Placa Neri hides a tragic history. Photo:
Manelzaera
October 27, 2011
Regina W Bryan
By Regina W. Bryan in Barcelona— For many, Europe = plazas, or squares. Cobblestone plazas corralled by cafes, grand plazas with state buildings looking down on passersby, and intimate, hidden plazas with bubbling fountains sprouting from their centers. Certainly, Barcelona has its fair share of city squares. The neighborhood with the most plazas in town » Read more
October 5, 2011
hiddeneurope
Susanne Kries and Nicky Gardner take the seasonal pulse in Leipzig: “Berlin with a shade more flair” is how our Leipzig friend describes her home town. This magnificent city, overshadowed in Saxony by Dresden and too close (some say) to Berlin to really pull the crowds, is a place to visit in fall. For hundreds » Read more
August 31, 2011
hiddeneurope
From time to time, as we mooch around cities in western Europe we raise a glass to toast Thomas Jonglez – a man who took a decade to realize that a career in the steel trade was decidedly unsexy and in 2003 reinvented himself as a writer and publisher. We first stumbled on Jonglez’ work » Read more
August 25, 2011
Spencer Spellman
By Spencer Spellman in San Francisco— If you’ve never been to San Francisco, expect the unexpected, especially when it comes to the weather. In any given day you may experience a couple different seasons, as the weather can change drastically. Because of this, you’ll want to dress in layers when visiting the city, especially if » Read more
August 17, 2011
hiddeneurope
Diminutive Luxembourg City is certainly not the smallest capital city in Europe. Indeed, it is a dozen times larger than Vaduz which serves as the pristine, albeit rather sterile, capital of Liechtenstein. Luxembourg City deserves to be much better known, and it is a great spot to stop off and relax for a day or » Read more
July 29, 2011
Suzanne Russo
By Suzanne Russo— The eclectic Mission District is somehow both quintessential San Francisco and a world apart. Like the hip Marina and tony Pacific Heights, the Mission has a large population of ravishing Victorian homes but here the genteel structures keep company with tall palm trees, colorful murals and ornate Spanish-style architecture. And while its edgy, artsy flair resembles » Read more
April 27, 2011
hiddeneurope
Nice’s role as a prime vacation spot was sealed by mid-19th-century artists. Even many guidebooks today reproduce those dreamy sketches and soft watercolors depicting the broad sweep of the Promenade des Anglais, well-dressed couples walking arm-in-arm, the azure Mediterranean to the right, the hills of Mont Alban and striking Mont Boron in the distance. Times » Read more
April 26, 2011
Bryan Pirolli
By Bryan Pirolli in Paris— When it comes to discovering Paris, walking is the only surefire way to really get to know the city. Boats and buses are wonderful ways to explore, but they limit you and prevent you from going at your own pace. Bikes are great, but zipping through traffic means that you » Read more
February 23, 2011
hiddeneurope
Unsung places are often the most interesting. Enter Szczecin, the Polish port city on the Baltic which lies just a shade east of the German border. This is Poland with a twist, for the city has a complicated history. One-time capital of Pomerania, Swedish until 1720 and then German until 1945, the city now known » Read more
February 8, 2011
Joann Plockova
By Joann Plockova— This is the second installment of a three-post series dedicated to an in-depth look at three of Prague’s most noteworthy neighborhoods. In the first post we had a look at an edgy, happening area of the city called Zizkov. This second post will take us to the neighborhood of Vinohrady. I like » Read more