Tortoreto is a little-known corner of the little-know region of Abruzzo where tourists are sparse but culture rich. Tortoreto stretches from the beaches of the Adriatic to hill towns staring out at the Gran Sasso mountain range. It’s hard to reach but worth every step.
Every day when I walk through Rome, I remind myself that I’m living in the most beautiful city in the world. But the other night I saw how even more beautiful this city once was. More than 2,000 years ago, Rome was a city of towering marble temples, expansive forums, countless statues, beautiful cobblestone streets and architecture hundreds of years ahead of its time. At […]
Starting Aug. 6, you’re going to need proof of vaccination to do pretty much anything inside Italy. Good. Cases in Italy are climbing and so is Delta. The only thing preventing the end of this nightmare is vaccinations.
Sunny Beach is Bulgaria’s No. 1 tourist destination and has been battered for over tourism. It has gone from 322 accommodations to 640 in seven years. Tales of drunken debauchery and drugs give it an image similar to Cancun and Ibiza. But I found a corner of the five-mile beach that was peaceful and beautiful and perfect. The Royal Palace Helena Sands was the ideal place for pampering after 16 months never leaving Italy.
Champion
Euro champion Italy hadn’t won the European Championship since 1968 and England had never won it. Something had to give at London’s Wembley Stadium and England certainly did with a pitiful performance in the shootout. Italians in Rome hadn’t celebrated like this since winning the World Cup in 2006.
Drinking in Bulgaria is a huge part of the Bulgarian culture and I got a first-hand look at it during a week crossing the country. It included a Friday night pub crawl in the capital of Sofia. Bring a thirst, folks.
Jose Mourinho has won national titles in four countries and Champions League trophies with two clubs. Thursday he was introduced as the manager to lead A.S. Roma, which hasn’t won a title in 20 years and is coming off its worst season since 2004-05. I was there.
Plovdiv’s appeal is lasting long after its 2019 reign as one of Europe’s two Culture Capitals ended. It is one of the top art cities in Eastern Europe with numerous pedestrian streets, history that covers 8,000 years and a relaxed vibe that makes it a must for any visit to Bulgaria.
(Director’s note: I’m a food writer but not a vegan. Still, I respect those who are. I respect anyone who eats healthy. In that spirit, I’m offering this space for freelance guest blogger Allen Brown.) The vegan diet is becoming more and more popular. Not only is it the only sustainable way of living in this very environmentally demanding society, but it also solves the […]
(This is the second of a series of blogs on Bulgaria.) SOFIA, Bulgaria — “Want to go out for some Bulgarian?” Never received that request? Neither have I. However, I’d like to do it someday. The trouble is, the world’s gastronomic road map doesn’t have many Bulgarian cuisine rest stops. In fact, I’ve never seen a Bulgarian restaurant. I know New York has a few. […]
Bulgaria often gets lost in Europe’s tourist trail but it’s a Balkan gem. It’s blessed with modern conveniences, great beaches (usually(, excellent food, a thriving wine scene and friendly people, all with the background of a haunting past.
Rome tour guides have suffered some of the biggest pitfalls during this pandemic. The number of tourists visiting Italy went from 65 million in 2019 to 25.5 last year. Through two lockdowns and constantly changing restrictions, tour guides have to adjust on the fly, all with financial ramifications.
