Lisbon: Artful Subways
The big red “M” signs scattered throughout Lisbon’s riverside business district and its hilly residential suburbs signify the location of a city Metro station, but they may as well stand for “Museum.” »
Munich: Modern Traditions
Munich's beer-soaked party reputation may be well-earned, but the German city also is a place to appreciate the finer things, from luxury rides at the BMW factory to the masterpieces at its world-class museums. »
Trondheim: Norway’s Ancient Capital
Legend says that when the Cathedral is finished, the city will sink into the fjord . . . so builders are still working on it. »
Santiago de Compostela: The Pilgrim’s Way
On any other trip, a dusty duo of twentysomething men hiking along the edge of a remote highway in Spain would hardly have caught my eye. But this is the third day of my trip from Barcelona to the sacred destination of Santiago de Compostela, and I’m on the lookout for authentic pilgrims. I... »
Mikulov: Burcak by the Bottle
It's grape harvest time in central Europe and that means wine festivals and sticky-sweet new wines like burcak. Never heard of it? Head to the Czech village of Mikulov and you'll find plenty of this pumpkin-colored elixir, along with costumed locals and tipsy tourists reveling in the streets during the 40-year-old Pálava Vine Harvest... »
Paris: Allez-vous Aux Puces?
In France, September brings "la rentree," a time to put away childish summer things. For flea market aficionados, who will always have Paris, cooler weather means mastering the "puces": indulging in a feast for the eyes, while maintaining a sharp nose for bargains, and a jaundiced ear for tall tales. »
Zurich: Macarons, Swiss-style
There they were, mounded into a perfect pyramid of delicate symmetry. They looked like French macarons, and they were being distributed at Art Basel. A rosy pink inside and out, they were more lovely, more moving, more -- impactful!-- than just about anything else I'd seen »