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…
Being here at the Matisse Museum, built mainly into the Villa des Arenes in Nice’s Cimiez suburb, I can certainly see the appeal of the area. The climate is mild, the Mediterranean shore a few brief minutes away, but seeming almost as if in another world from this hilltop retreat. The Roman ruins of Cemenelum…
This is the Genoa most come to see. In the 16th and 17th centuries, the city was home to some of the wealthiest bankers and merchants in the world. Through financing European royalty - specifically Spain - and continuing the region’s traditions of mercantilism and shipbuilding, Genoa became one of the richest cities anywhere. Its…
The wind is cold atop the Priamar Fortress complex. While the sun is out, making for a beautiful day, January sends a chilly breeze flowing over the stone battlements and down to the city below. I walk around slowly, alternating my view between the Mediterranean and the city of Savona, marveling at the vastness of…
While for some people, cemeteries evoke the macabre, for me they are a truly wonderful cultural experience. It isn’t to say I’d gladly stroll these paths at night - and indeed I am grateful most cemeteries aren’t even open after dark - but even on a gloomy January morning, a walk through an old cemetery…
When they were married in 1929, Frida Kahlo and Diego Rivera seemed like opposites. He was 43, tall, and overweight. She was 22, slim, and already dealing with many of the health issues that would plague her entire life. He was a huge artistic success, famous both in and out of Mexico, wealthy and looking…
A walk along the Malecon, the oceanside promenade that traverses Puerto Vallarta’s Zona Romantica and Centro districts, can only be described as pleasant. Even in October, with temperatures and humidity both high, the sound of seabirds and the afternoon breeze offset the often uncomfortable heat. And when they don’t, any number of bars offer a…
There are lots of ways to explore and celebrate American diversity on a visit to Washington, DC. One can dedicate a day - or several - to Americans of every background who have influenced the history of this country via the museums and monuments all over the city. You can certainly eat your way through…
I’ve stared at this screen for three days now, debating what to write about Fes, Morocco. How does one distill even a single day in this city down into an article? What’s the angle? The city is overwhelming, with more than a thousand years of history as an imperial capital, as a place of learning,…
Editor’s note: I spent ten days in Milan back in 2023, and I was very pleasantly surprised by how much I enjoyed my time and all the city had to offer. It is wonderful to read that our writer Sam Spector also enjoyed his time in Milan, even though he had only a single day.…