A Hill With a View – The Basilica di Superga in Turin
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A Hill With a View – The Basilica di Superga in Turin

Magnificent panoramas are woven into Turin’s cityscape like car factories and the river Po. Sometimes, you do not even have to leave the town center to enjoy these spectacular vistas … … but what you can see on any given day depends as much on the season (we took the picture above several years ago…

A Pilgrimage of Artistic Discovery – Cézanne and Aix
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A Pilgrimage of Artistic Discovery – Cézanne and Aix

Last week, we discovered that the “Cézanne Walk” in the artist’s home town of Aix-en-Provence is not the perfect route to finding out more about his paintings. We shall be making up for that today, venturing a little out of town for a “pilgrimage of artistic discovery” to a place which is, more than anything…

Esterel – The Red Rocks of the Riviera
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Esterel – The Red Rocks of the Riviera

People like to travel because we are all looking for something that lifts life fleetingly above the level of repetitive routines and rhythms: something that takes us beyond the drumbeat of everyday life. We search for the hardest possible break from daily routines that our budgets and time schedules allow: for new sceneries and experiences,…

Easy Hikes in Elba – the Mediterranean’s Emerald Isle
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Easy Hikes in Elba – the Mediterranean’s Emerald Isle

Elba’s most famous visitor stayed on the island for roughly one year. He left, eventually (although he always emphasized how much he had enjoyed the experience), in search for a better job on the mainland. This did, in the end, not turn out very well for him (he lost his new job after a probation…

Three Calanques Hike in One Gorgeous Day
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Three Calanques Hike in One Gorgeous Day

A few months ago, I was mulling over a Guide-Michelin-type of system for hikes and the criteria that such a system might apply to distinguish between one-star, two-star and three-star trails. At the time, I was exploring the idea of finding beauty and joy in (relatively) routine experiences. But the truth of the matter is…

Our Choice Easy Scenic Hikes in the French Riviera
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Our Choice Easy Scenic Hikes in the French Riviera

For the past five years, we have been visiting easy hiking destinations on the Riviera. Since then, we have published roughly 100 posts on trails and day trips in the area, and that is counting the French side of the coast alone – while we are still adding new ideas and suggestions on a regular…