Editor’s note: Like Sam, I was also in Hong Kong for a single day, although mine came after ending a cruise more than ten years ago. It was a time before the current ongoing political saga with mainland China cracking down on some of the city’s freedoms. In that light, while I would love to…
Sometimes, I get nervous about returning to a place. More often than not, it is because on an original visit, I did not enjoy the experience. So the thought of going back is a sort of dread, wondering how poorly my time will go on this next go around. (To be fair, my return trip…
Editor’s note: I loved Cartagena after spending two full weeks there in 2024. Colonial history, beauty, and stunning coffee made it a destination absolutely worthwhile. You can read my guide here. I am so glad Sam also enjoyed his time! For more of Sam Spector’s awesome writing, click here to visit his index page. I…
It is less than forty minutes by bus from my apartment in Old Nice, but feels like a world away. Life is slower here in Saint-Jean-Cap-Ferrat, and I sip a glass of white wine while waiting for my lunch. Sea birds and pigeons vie for aerial supremacy with wispy clouds, the soft sea breeze floats…
In 1860, the County of Nice - including the city of Nice, obviously - was ceded to France by the Italian Kingdom of Piedmont-Sardinia in exchange for France’s support during the (failed, mostly) Second War of Italian Independence. The Treaty of Turin between Victor Emmanuel II and Napoleon III made the southern city and its…
I get it. I really do. The opulence of the tiny Principality of Monaco is alluring. Visitors come - typically just for a day or so as a novelty to add another country to their counts - and they are enthralled by the glimpses into lives they (we) will never have. $100,000+ cars are common…
Today, Nice is essential France. There is a bakery on every block, a wine bar next door, and crepe stands abound. There is art, there is culture. There is no doubt that this is truly France. But in fact, Nice is a relative newcomer to France, its inclusion in the country only permanently coming in…
Editor’s note: I spent three days in Bogota back before I started The Royal Tour, so I haven’t written about it. But I enjoyed my time, and while like Sam I agree that Colombia’s capital isn’t as touristic as other places in the country, I disagree with his assessment that it is less worth visiting.…
It seems that for many who visit Pisa, the basic plan is the same. One takes a morning train, probably from a base in Florence, walks the 20 or so minutes to Piazza del Duomo, sees the Leaning Tower of Pisa, poses for a silly photo, and then largely leaves. Some might pay the €11…
It seems that every dynasty has that one monarch somewhere down the line who gets to define the house. Sometimes it is due to greatness - and indeed the number of monarchs with that epithet probably all qualify - and sometimes it is for another quality. Sometimes it is for a specific deed, guiding the…