Friday, 25 June 2010

Brighton!

Here, quickly, an agenda of how to pass a beautiful day in Brighton, England. I hope you like my choices, these are disinterested advice, I love Brighton!

BREAKFAST 9:00 a.m.
- The Farm, 99 North Road. This tipical local coffee is cooking only with local products from Sussex.

Brighton, EnglandVISIT 10:00 a.m.
- Starting point of any visit is the Palace Pier, the wood pier that enters the sea.

BEACH 11:00 a.m.
- If the sun is shining, it's time to swim, if not, a romantic walk in the rain.

LUNCH 01.00 p.m.
- Terre à Terre, 71 East street. The best vegetarian restaurant of Great Britain.

AT THE PALACE 04:00 p.m.
- A visit to the Royal Pavilion, kitschy but fun jewel of the famous architect John Nash.

SHOPPING 06:00 p.m.
- Walking through the streets of North Laine and The Lanes, from vintage shops to art galleries.

APERITIF 08:00 p.m.
- A beer at Blanch House, one of the city's best pubs, 17 Atlingworth St.

DINNER 09:00 p.m.
- Ginger Man, or Ginger Pig, you decide. Similar menu but one is more elegant, the other is a pub.

MUSIC 11:00 p.m.
- A jump to The Basement, 24 Kensington street, underground atmosphere.

HOTEL 23:59 p.m.
- Sleep in Old Ship Hotel, where Paganini played the violin and Thackeray was on vacation.

Source: Travelers24.com (http://www.travelers24.com/), a website that aim to provide "Smart Tips for Smart Travelers".

Saturday, 19 June 2010

Dublin, the best place to live

FAILTE, welcome, welcome to the city that has everything: a fascinating mix of Georgian and modern architecture, an infinite wealth of history and culture, a legendary literary tradition, wonderful shops and classy restaurants, more than 1.000 pubs scattered around the city.

To go quicky in Dublin mood, you must go to the heart of the city, its main street, O'Connell Street. From here starts the much significant street of the Irish, with infinite intersections of varying size, where to get lost admiring the vast streets from the sidewalks or watching a colorful double-decker bus is easier than it looks. In Dublin, everything takes on a special charm.

You thirsty? Write down this name: Sockeville Lounge (Sockeville PI), one of the coolest in town. A small, friendly hotel offers a fine hot black coffee and the company of many actors of the nearby theaters Abbey and Peacoch who regularly frequent the restaurant.
Hungry? I suggest you try the Irish Stew, the famous Irish stew and potatoes served in traditional Irish restaurants, a very good stuff and... very very caloric.
Try the Eden, which is one of the most special restaurants offering good food and a minimalist décor, with terrace overlooking Meeting House Square.
If you prefer quantity to quality, you should search among the many proposals "all you can eat", offering at low prices all the restaurant menu, only if is consumed within 55 minutes... the legendary "55 time".
There are Italian restaurants everywhere, much appreciated.

Temple Bar, DublinGo along the River Liffey, on Grafton Street, cross and admire one of the most beautiful bridges in Europe, the O'Connell Bridge. Just after Dame Street you find yourself in the most chic and trendy Dublin, local nightlife and different kinds of bars, clubs... ;-) Temple Bar is the district of the artists, the most vibrant and creative area of the city. Here's your duty to enter one of the thousand pubs and order a pint of Guinness, freshly pulled.
Dublin nightlife boasts undoubtedly one of the richest in Europe. Living is definitely high here. It is night or day, any time of year, you'll always find something intriguing and interesting to do in Dublin.
An example? In Temple Bar, but on Saturday morning, you should not miss the Temple Bar Food Market (Meeting House Square), surely the best outdoor food market. A compulsory stop at the kiosk fresh oysters, the most famous of Ireland's capital.

The pedestrian Grafton St. and Henry St. are the ideal destination for shoppers, perhaps accompanied by the thousand arts street performers who entertain the audience between music and shows. Huge shopping malls, small boutiques, antique shops, nothing can be lost. Because in Dublin is so easy to move from innovative luxury buildings to the timeless appeal of a cart of fresh flowers. Dublin is music, music everywhere.
Also worth seeing is St. Patrick's Cathedral, the Protestant Irish National Cathedral, and Trinity College, one the oldest and most prestigious universities.

DublinThe Docklands area is the area where we clearly see the change taking place in Dublin, the old port area is redeveloped and relaunched with contemporary architecture. After completion, residential complexes, theaters, offices, conference centers and public spaces (U2 Tower, the National Conference Centre) mingle. Much has already been done, go on a tour is definitely recommended.
A quiet place for a fun walk in Dublin? The super Campshires scenic walk where you go wandering around on foot or by bike along the river between futuristic pedestrian bridges (such as the Sean O'Casey Bridge) and new symbolic monuments that celebrate the past. If not enough there is also the Boardwalk, quiet and spectacular walk 650 meters along the Liffey.
Also on the Liffey in the center, there's Dublin's Italian Quarter (Lower Ormond Quay), a district made in Italy that reflects the new passion of young Dubliners for everything that comes from that country.

Love Travel message: attention to the schedule! In Dublin dinner is between 6 and 8 in the evening and nightlife starts very early. Traditional pubs are open only until 11 and even discos close around two in the morning, except for local Leeson Street, pulling up at five.
To orient yourself on the spot, local tourist office seeks the guide Rock'n'Stroll with information on pubs, restaurants, and all the places associated with the music and entertainment.

They say in Dublin, "If you don't like the weather now, wait 5 minutes...".

Organise your trip to Dublin
Hotel in Dublin

Events in Dublin
The Dublin Fringe Festival in September is a good time to visit Dublin. Dedicated to everything that is innovative, young, experimental and contemporary theater (including on the road show), dance from music to visual and live art etc. At the Dublin Fringe Festival are participating individual artists, performers and companies, both Irish and international. Almost all the performances in areas of the city worth a visit.

Sunday, 9 May 2010

A weekend in Turin

Eat in Turin, Vineria Tre GalliEat in Turin, Vineria Tre Galli
Tre Galli, in the buzzing Quadrilatero Romano district, proves you can eat well in Turin without breaking the bank. Rib-eye steaks and steaming mussels are washed down with wines from Venice and Valle d’Aosta.
25 Via Sant’Agostino, +39 011 521 6027

Eat in Turin, Baratti & Milano
This Torinese institution is worth visiting as much for its sumptuous décor as its assortment of cakes, chocolates and Piedmontese specialities. It’s the perfect place for sweet tooths and gourmands to linger for an hour or two.
27 Piazza Castello, +39 011 440 7138

Stay in Turin, Le Meridien Turin Art+TechStay in Turin, Le Meridien Turin Art+Tech
The light filled rooms at this ultra modern five-star have been furnished by top designers, while the building itself, a former Fiat factory, also houses a concert hall, art gallery, conference centre and shopping mall.
230 Via Nizza

Stay in Turin, Golden Palace Hotel
Opened in 2006 for the Winter Olympics, this five-star hotel combines luxury with high-tech design. Bedrooms feature LCD TVs and electronic curtains, while marble bathrooms are stocked with products by Turinese perfumer Laura Tonatto.
18 Via dell’Arcivescovado

Stay in Turin, Town House 70
Located in the heart of Turin near the lively Via Roma, this boutique hotel offer a touch of urban sophistication. The 20 rooms, 26 junior suites and one suite come equipped with LCD TVs, spacious bathrooms, and stylish, modern furniture.
70 Via XX Settembre

See in Turin, Valentino ParkSee in Turin, Valentino Park
Home to Turin’s botanical gardens, this green oasis also has beautiful fountains, a French-style, 18th-century castle and a bizarre recreation of a medieval village.
Corso Massimo d’Azeglio

See in Turin, Porta Palatina
Dating back to the first century AD, these two magnificent red towers and archways near the cathedral were the gates to the city in Roman times. Nearby, you’ll find remains of a Roman theatre, part of which lies buried under the Royal Palace.
Piazza Cesare Augusto

See in Turin, Teatro Regio Torino
Rebuilt on the site of the original 18th-century theatre – destroyed by fire in the 1930s – the Teatro Regio combines striking modern architecture with surviving layers of the past. Superb acoustics make this an ideal venue for operas and ballets like La Traviata and The Nutcracker.

See near Turin, Asti
Explore nearby Asti, a town famous for its eponymous sparkling wine. Drop in at one of the many vineyards for a tasting or stop off at the 13th-century cathedral. Bareback horse race, the Palio d’Asti, thunders into town on 20 September.

See in Turin, Torino+Piemonte Card
The Torino+ Piemonte Card is a way to discover the city and the entire region, practically and economically. Available for 2, 3, 5 or 7 days (priced from 20 to 35 euro), it entitles you to free entry to over 170 cultural sites, including museums, exhibitions, monuments, castles, fortresses and Royal Residences in Turin and Piedmont; free use of all public ground transport and tourist transport in Turin (panoramic escalator to the Antonellian Mole and Sassi-Superga rack-railway) plus the GTT shuttle to Venaria Castle, Rivoli Castle and Pralormo, and the Turin-Ceres railway including the Caselle Airport stop, as well as a 10% discount on the City Sightseeing Torino ticket, valid for 48 hrs instead of 24.

See in Turin, City Sightseeing Torino
Turin can be discovered aboard the City Sightseeing Torino, a double-decker tourist bus with a view “from above”. The complete tour lasts approximately 1 hour and features a multi-language digital audio system. Price: 15 euro per person.

Shopping in Turin, Pastificio DefilippisShopping in Turin, Pastificio Defilippis
Feast your eyes on the past being folded and flipped at Defilippis, a foodie emporium established in 1872. Offering all sorts of shapes and squiggles, and varieties such as egg and Tricolore, it’s the perfect place to pick up some gifts for home or a simple dinner for later.
39 Via Lagrange, +39 011 542 137