SIEM REAP,CAMBODIA

March 9, 2016, 1:51 am

Executive summary by Darmansjah

Why Go Now? Revel in the animation of colossal figurines snaking down the streets of the gateway to the Angkor region during the Giant Puppet Parade on 22 February. The animal puppets – kaleidoscopic, brightly lit, and of cultural and ecological themes – will be maneuvered by adults and children to the beats of drums and trumpets from the Old Market area to Royal independence Gardens. Organized by the Giant Puppet Project ,th largest local community arts scheme for under privileged children in Cambodia, the programme utilizes this artistic channel to groom the senses of self-esteem of over 600 children and to tutor them on important issues pertaining to health, education and the environment.

The chief gateway to the Angkor Archaeological Park, the ancient Khmer City encompasses a multitude of phenomenal temples worthy of repeated visits. Do away with fancy dinners at posh diners and instead honour your romance with a picnic at Angkor Wat this Valentine’s Day for a quiet but novel celebration. If, however, you would like a more mainstream experience, many hotels offer Valentine’s Day packages featuring fine dining options and couple spas.

How Do I Make It happen?Singapore Airlines operates direct flights from Singapore and from Kuala lUmppur to Siem Reap international airport. Shinta Mani Resort, situated between The Royal Gardens and Old Market area, is a newly renovated stylish boutique hotel with high ceilings andfloor-to-ceiling windows. Its spa allows for outdoor massage treatments that are of traditional Khmer restorative rituals (from US$166, shintamani.com/resort).

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Medieval Tallinn

March 10, 2016, 1:55 am

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Executive summary by Darmansjah

Despite a recent building boom, Tallin remains loyal to the fairytale of its Old Town, one of Europe’s most beguiling walled cities, complete with cobbled streets, looming spires and brooding battlements.

Museums

Kiek In De Kok

One of Tallin’s most formidable cannon towers, its name is Low German for ‘Peep into the kitchen’ – from the upper floors medieval voyeurs could peer into the houses below. Built around 1475, the tower barely survived the 16^th-century Livonian war, and today houses a museum tracing the city’s military history (linnamuuseumm.ee; Komandandi 2; closed Mon; US$6).

City Museum

Tallinn’s city Museum is split over 10 sites and its main branch is set in a 14^th-century merchant’s house that retains some typically medieval features, including a lancet-arched portal. The engrossing displays chart the city’s development from its earliest years and are well laid out, with plenty of information in English. The top floor presents an insightful portrait of life under Soviet rule (linnamuuseum.ee; Vene 17; closed tue, US$4.60).

St. Nicholas’ Church Museum

This 13^th-century Gothic church houses the Estonian Art Museum’s collection of medieval religious art. Its most famous work is Berndt Notke’s 15^th-century masterpiece Dance Macabre. Other artefacts include altar pieces, tombstones and a chamber overflowing with silverware. The acoustics are first rate and organ recitals are held most weekends (nigulistemuuseum.ee; Nigulsite 3; closed Mon & Tue; US$4.80).

Historic Buildings

Town Walls

More than a mile of the original city wall remains, showcasing medieval fortifications and 26 defensive towers. The Patkul lookout offers fairytale views, while at Suur-Kloostriyou’ll the best-preserved section of th Lowe Town walls. Take the Tallinn Old Town Walking Tour, an audio guide you can download or pick up from the tourist office (audioguide.ee; US$4.80).

Town Hall

Rising over the Old Town’s main square, this is the only surviving Gothic town hall in northern Europe. Built between 1371 and 1404, it was the seat of power in the medieval Lower Town, Old Thomas, Tallinns’s symbolic guardsman, has been keeping watch from his perch atop Town Hall since 1530. You can find similar views by climbing the tower (Tallinn.ee/raekoda; Raekoja plats; Jul & Aug closed Sun, entrance by appointment only between Sep-Jun; US$ 5.50).

Tompea Castle

Toompea Castle is Estonia’s traditional seat of power and the state flag flies from Pikk Hermann, the finest of the castle’s surviving towers, which dates from 1371. In the 18^th century, the building underwent an example makeover at the hands of Russian empress Catherine the Great, converting it into the pink, Baroque-style palace that is now Estonia’s parliament building. You can’t go inside, but a wander around the grounds provides decent photo opportunities (rigikogu.ee).

Churches

Holy Spirit Church

The luminous blue-and-gold clock on the façade of this striking 14^th-century Gotic church is the oldest in Tallinn, dating from 1684. Inside there are exquisite woodcarvings and painted panels, including an altarpiece dating to 1483 and a 17^th-century Baroque pulpit. The church hosts regular classical musical concerts (eelk.ee; Puha Vaimu Kirik; closed Sun for worship; US$1.50).

St Catherine’s Church & Cloister

The ruined St Cathrine’s was part of a Dominican monastery founded by Scaninavian monks in 1246, later torched by a mob of Lutherans in 1524. Partially restored in 1954, the complex is today strewn with carved tombstones and includes the gloomy shell of the barren church and a peaceful cloister (Kloostri.ee; Vene 16; open mid-May-Aug; us$2.80).

Dome Church

Estonia’s oldest church was founded in 1233 or earlier by Danish conquerors. It stands on Toompea hill, with its fine views over the town and harbor. The exterior dates mainly from the 15^th-century, with the tower added in 1779. The building was a burial ground for the rich and the walls aredecorated with the coats of arms of Estonia’s noble families (toomkirik.ee; Toom-Kooli 6; closed Mon; free).

Tallin Essentials

Transport

British Airways, Lufthansa and AirFrance offer flights from Singapore to Tallinn, while KLM, Lufthansa and Turkish Airlines flights are available from K.L.airport (from US$9,648, britishairways.com). Tallinn airport is just 2½ miles southeast of the Old town; you can get a taxi (ask the driver in advance for the fare because they set their own rates – it should cost no more than 10 euros), take a shuttle bus (book in advance or go to the airport’s customer service desk and expect to pay about US$6.50) pr get bus number 2 fro mbus stop number 1 (tickets US$2.20 from the driver, cheaper prepaid at a kiosk).

Where To Stay

Old Huse apartments is a special 14^th-century merchant’s house that’s been split into eight beautifully furnished apartments, including a spacious two-bed with traces of a medieval painted ceiling (oldhouse.ee; Rataskaevu 16; from US$111).

Historic Feasts

Eat in (medieval peasant) style: The Estonian diet relies on red meat, pork, chicken, sausage, cabbage and potatoes – and sour cream is served with almost everything. Fish such as herring or salmon appears smoked or salted as a starter. Like Blood - Most traditional Estonian restaurants serve verivorst(blood sausage), verileib (blood bread) and verikakk (balls of blood roled in flour and eggs with bit of pig fat thrown in). For a medieval-themed meal, head to Olde Hansa, where peasant-garbed servers labour beneath large plates of wild boar, elk, and bear, and delicacies such as juniper cheese and forest mushroom soup. The chefs have done their research in producing historically authentic food – locals rate this place (oldehansa.ee).

Top Tip

June’s Old town Days is a week-long festival that has dancing and costumed performers (vanalinna paevad.ee), while the Meideval Festival in July has a parade, carnival, long-bow tournament and craft stalls (folkart.ee).

Lonely Planet’sEstonia, Latvia & Lithuania (US$26) has plenty of information on Tallinn, including a walk around the Old town. You can download the Estonia chapter at lonelyplanet.com (US$4.90).

Pille Petersoo’s blog nami-nami.blogspot.co.uk gives a good insight into Estonian food. The acclaimed novel Purge by sofi Oksanen weaves together Stalin’s purges and modern-day people-traficking (US$13; Atlantic Books).

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Kinsale

March 11, 2016, 6:11 am

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Executive summary by Darmansjah

Kinsale is a fishing village in County Cork, Ireland. Located some 25 km south of Cork City on the coast near the Old Head of Kinsale, it sits at the mouth of the River Bandon and has a population of 2,257 which increases substantially during the summer months when the tourist season is at its peak and when the boating fraternity arrive in large numbers. The April 2006 census recorded that British nationals made up 9% of the town's population.

Kinsale is a popular holiday resort for Irish and foreign tourists. Leisure activities include yachting, sea angling, and golf. The town also has several art galleries and a school of English. The town is compact with a quaint air of antiquity in the narrow streets. There is a large yachting marina close to the town centre.

The town is known for its restaurants, and holds an annual "Gourmet Festival". Chef Keith Floyd was previously a resident of Kinsale.

Prominent buildings in the town include St. Multose's church (Church of Ireland), St. John the Baptist (Catholic), the Market House and the so-called French Prison (or Desmond Castle).

On 8 October 2005, Kinsale became Ireland's second Fair Trade Town, with Clonakilty being the first.

History

In 1333, under a charter granted by King Edward III of England, the Corporation of Kinsale was established to undertake local government in the town. The corporation existed for over 500 years until the passing of the Municipal Corporations (Ireland) Act 1840, when local government in Kinsale was transferred to the Town Commissioners who had been elected in the town since 1828. These Town Commissioners became the Kinsale Council under the Local Government (Ireland) Act 1898. In 2011, Phil Hogan, the Fine Gael Minister for the Environment and Local Government announced that the Kinsale Town Council would be abolished in 2014, along with all other town councils in Ireland. This will be the first time in nearly 700 years that Kinsale will be left without its own elected local council.

In 1601, Kinsale was the site of a battle in which English forces defeated an Irish/Spanish force, led by the princes Hugh Roe O'Donnell and Hugh O'Neill.Following this battle the Flight of the Earls occurred in which a number of the native Irish aristocrats, including the Earls of Tyrone and Tir Conaill, abandoned their lands and fled to mainland Europe.

In 1690, James II of England and Ireland, following his defeat at the Battle of the Boyne, departed to France.

Charles Fort, located at Summer Cove and dating from 1677, is a bastion-fort that guards the entrance to Kinsale harbour. It was built to protect the area and specifically the harbour from use by the French and Spanish in the event of a landing in Ireland. James's Fort is located on the other side of the cove, on the Castlepark peninsula. An underwater chain used to be strung between the two forts across the harbour mouth during times of war to scuttle enemy shipping by ripping the bottoms out of incoming vessels.

When the RMS Lusitania was sunk by a German U-boat on 7 May 1915, some of the bodies and survivors were brought to Kinsale and the subsequent inquest on the bodies recovered was held in the town's courthouse. A statue in the harbour commemorates the effort.

Transport

Bus Éireann provides Kinsale's primary means of public transport. Buses regularly operate from Kinsale to Cork City, with most of these stopping at Cork Airport on the way. Kinsale and Bandon are linked by public transport with a bus service provided by East Cork Rural Transport.

Entertainment

Kinsale hosts an annual jazz festival, which takes place during the last weekend of October. Many pubs and hotels in the town host concerts by jazz and blues groups throughout the weekend, including Monday (which is a bank holiday in Ireland).

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Mini guide

March 12, 2016, 6:48 am

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Architecture in Miami

Executive summary byDarmansjah

Imagination and innovation are big in Miami. Known as the Magic City. This is evident in its architecture – from the art deco landmarks of South Beach to the opulent mansions of Coral Gables and the high rises of Downtown.

Downtown

Freedom Tower

Freedom Tower was one of the first skyscrapers in Downtown Miami. Designed by New York firm Schultze & Weaver in 1925, the tower was modeled on Seville’s Giralda bell tower. Home to the Miami Daily News for 32 years, it became the ‘Ellis Island of the South’ in the ‘60s when it served as an immigration processing centre for half a million Cuban refugees (600 Biscayne Blvd).

Adrienne Arsht Center

This performing arts centre is a major component of Downtown’s urban facelift. Designed by Cesar Pelli (of Kuala Lumpur’s Petronas Towers fame), the centre has two auditoriums on opposite sides of Biscayne Bldv: the Knight Concert Hall and Ziff Ballet Opera House. The venues are connected by an elegant bridge, while inside the theatres there’s a sense of the sea and land sculptured by wind (arshcenter.org; 1300 Biscayne Blvd).

Gusman Centere

The Olympia Theater at the Gusman Center for the Performing Arts is vintage-classic beautiful. First opened in 1926 as a silent movie palace, the theatre later hosted acts such as Elvis and BB King. It has a simulated night sky – 246 twinkling stars and clouds cast over an indigo blue ceiling – classical Greek sculptures and Vienna Opera House-style embellishments (gusmancenter.org; 174 E Flagler St; theatre tours 2pm Tue & Thu by appointment).

Street food

Lincoln Road Mall

Yes, you can shop here butthis outdoor pedestrian street is really about seeing and being seen. Morris Lapidus, a founder of the Neo-Baroque Miami Beach style, designed much of the mall, such as the canopies and waterfall features, traffic barriers that look like giant marbles, plus the Art Deco Lincoln Theatre and Colony Theatre (Lincoln Rd between alton Rd & Washington Ave).

Art Deco Historic District

South Beach’s heart is its Art Deco Historic District, from 18^th St and South along Ocean Drive and Collins Avenue. Its beautiful hotels, with their tropical Americana facades, scream ‘Miami’. Head straight to the Art Deco buildings out there, and take a 90-minute tour (mdpl.org; 1001 Ocean Dr; tours at 10.30am daily and 6.30pm on Thu; US$21).

New World Center

Designed by Frank Gehry, the New World Center rises majestically out of a manicured lawn, looking somewhat like a tissue box with a glass facade. The venue is home to the New World Symphony and the grounds form a large public park; performances inside the centre are projected to those outside via a 650-sq-m projection wall. Inside, the folded layers of white walls feel halfway between organic and origami (newworldcenter.com; 500 17^thSt; tours Tue & Thu 4pm, Fri & Sat noon; US$5.70).

Upscale Restaurant

Historic Homes

Founded in the ‘20s by developer George Merrick, Coral Gables is called The City Beautiful with good reason – it’s filled with opulent mansions that run the gamut from Mediterranean wedding cakes to neo-Arabic palaces. Walk through the various villages, such as The Chinese Village and the Dutch South African Village. You can also tour Merrick’s home, which looks as it did in 1925 (coralgables.com).

The Biltmore

Mooted as the grandest jewel in the city’s crown, The Biltmore, built in 1925, feels like an Arabian castle crossed with a Medici villa. It is one of the greatest hotels of the American jazz Age – Al Capone had a speakeasy here, and the Capone Suite is supposedly haunted by the ghost of Fats Walsh, who was murdered here (biltmorehotel.com; 1200 Anastasia Ave; talks on the history of the hotel, 7pm Thu).

Venetian Pool

In 1923, the Venetian Pool was created from a coral rock quarry. The spring-fed pool is a watery wonderland of caves, cascading waterfalls, a palm-fringed island and Venetian-style moorings, and is one of the few pools listed on the National Register of Historic Places. Take a dip just as swimming stars such as Esther Williams and Johnny ‘Tarzan’ Weissmuller once did (coralgablesvenetianpool.com); 2701 de Soto Blvd; US$12.20).

Transport

Flights on Singapore Airlines and Malaysia Airlinesare available to Heathrow, while American Airlines, BA and virgin Atlantic fly direct to Miami from Heathrow (from US$1,062; ba.com). Most will need an ESTA before travelling to the states (esta.cbp.dhs.gov/esta). The airport is six miles west of Downtown Miami. A taxi to the Downtown hotels will cost around US$22.80, while a Super Shuttle van will cost around US$16.20 (supershuttle.com). The driverless Metromover is helpful for getting around the Downtown area and is free (miamidade.gov/transit), while fares for the Metrorail are calculated on a zone basis (from Us$2.10). The urban sprawl of Miami means most visitors drive (car hire from US$32.50 per day; avis.com).

Where to Stay

The Downtown Miami River Inn, listed on the National Register of Historic Places, has 40 charming New England-style rooms, friendly service and one of the best libraries of Miami literature in the city (miamiriverinn.com; 118 SW South River Drive; from US$122).

Cardozo Hotel, owned by singer Gloria Estefan, was one of the first Art Deco Hotels saved by the Miami Design Preservation League it has hardwood floors, handmade furniture and a general sense that, you are dool if you stay here (cardozohotel.com; 1300 Ocean Drive; from US$187).

Sense Beach House is reminiscent of sand dunes and the sea. Choose between serene ‘Sand’ rooms and calming ‘Blue’ rooms. There’s a rooftop pool and terrace (sensebeachhouse.com; 400 Ocean Drive; from US$318).

Art Deco Classics

Essex House hotel

Porthole windows lend the feel of a cruise ship, while its name spire is like a rocket, recalling Art Deco’s roots as an aesthetic complement to modernism and industrialism (1001 Collins Ave). Deco lifeguard stations on south Beach These are Cubist-inspired exemplars of the Deco movement, with sharp, geometric lines and dazzling colours (found from 1st to 17^th St). The Carlyle hotel Comes with futuristic styling, triple parapets. The Jetsons sort of vibe and cinematic cachet: The Birdcage was filmed here (1250 Ocean Drive). Jerry’s Famous Deli Housed in the former Hoffman’s Cafeteria building, this spacious 1939 gem has a front that resembles the prow of a Buck Rogers ship (1450 Collins Ave).

To immerse yourself in everything Art Deco, head to the Magic City in mid-January for Art Deco Weekend, featuring guided tours, concerts, classic car shows, sidewalk cafes, and art and antique stalls (artdecoweekend.com).

Lonely Plannet’sMiami & the Keys (US$24.50) is a comprehensive guide to the city and chapters of the book can be downloaded at lonelyplannet.com(US$4.90). beached Miami covers culture and arts events in the city (beachedmiami.com). The 1983 film Scarface, starring Al Pacino, captures the highs and lows of Miami’s hyperextravagant ‘80s – citizens have taken the film’s iconic catchphrase ‘The world is yours’ to heart.

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Burgundy

March 13, 2016, 7:06 am

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Executive summary by Darmansjah

Chardonnay vineyards in the south of the Côte de Beaune surrounding the town of Meursault.

Burgundy is an administrative and historical region of east-central France. Burgundy comprises the following four departments: Côte-d'Or, Saône-et-Loire, Yonne and Nièvre. Historically Burgundy has referred to numerous political entities, including kingdoms and dukedoms spanning territory from the Mediterranean to Benelux.

Wine

Arboretum de Pézanin

Burgundy is one of France's main wine producing areas. It is well known for both its red and white wines, mostly made from Pinot noir and Chardonnay grapes, respectively, although other grape varieties can be found, including Gamay, Aligote, Pinot blanc, and Sauvignon blanc. The region is divided into the Côte-d'Or, where the most expensive and prized Burgundies are found, and Beaujolais, Chablis, the Côte Chalonnaise and Mâcon.

The reputation and quality of the top wines, together with the fact that they are often produced in small quantities, has led to high demand and high prices, with some Burgundies ranking among the most expensive wines in the world.

Cuisine

Seat of the regional council of Burgundy in Dijon

Famous Burgundian dishes include coq au vin, beef bourguignon, and Époisses de Bourgogne cheese.

sites

Some cultural sites include La roche de Solutré, l'Arboretum de Pézanin (in Dompierre-les-Ormes), and Vézelay Abbey.

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Mini Guided

March 14, 2016, 9:17 pm

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Culture in St Petersburg

The 19th-century church on spilled blood, near the Russian Museum

Executive summary by Darmansjah

St Petersburg is a treasure trove of culture: fill your days strolling from one art-filled room to another in the Winter Palace, listening to a symphony at the Mariinsky and paying homepage to literary geniuses.

Art

The Hermitage

The State Hermitage Museum’s vast collection (365 rooms) ranges from Egyptian mummies to a collection of early 20^th-century art (featuring Matisse, Picasso and Kandinsky) that’s almost unrivalled. Your ticket (reserve online to save queuing) allows you to wander the Baroque Winter Palace, part of the museum complex (hermitagemuseum.org: Dvortsovaya pl; closed Mon; US$13).

Russian victories marked at the hermitage's 1812 War Gallery

Russian Museum

While the Hermitage looks to art beyond Russia, this lesser-known gallery concentrates on domestic art, and spreads out over four sumptuous palaces in the centre of the city. The main building, Mikhailovsky Palace, presents a fascinating collection, from medieval icons to masterpieces by painters such as ilya Repin, as well as 20^th-century avant garde works (rusmuseum.ru; inzheneraya ul 4; closed Tue, Thu morning; main building US$11.40).

Errata Museum

Out in the wilds of Vsilyevsky Island, this fantastic museum of contemporary Russian art is the very first of its kind in the city. The permanent collection of some 2,000 works produced from the ‘50s to the present day is particularly strong on late Soviet underground art. One nice curatorial touch is the frequent inclusion of objects (such as a bowl of apples) beside paintings that depict them (errata.com; 29-yaliniya 2; closed Tue; US$9.80).

Literature

Dostoevsky Museum

Fyodor Dostoevsky’s final home was this flat in Vladimirskaya, where he lived from 1878 until he died in 1881. The apartment remains as it was then, and includes the study where he wrote the brothers Karamazov, and the office of his wife Anna, who edited all his books (md.spb.ru; Kuznechny per 5/2; closed Mon, Wed morning; US$5.20).

The Dostoevsky museum is an window into the novelist's world

Site of Pushin’s Duel

This park is a place of literary pilgrimage for lovers of Russia’s poectic genius, Alexander Pushkin, who was killed in a duel with the Frencman Georges d’Anthes in 1837, after d’Anthes had publicly courted Pushkin’s wife, Natalya A marble monument now stands on the place, where Pushkin was shot, on the Vyborg Side, around 15 minutes’ walk north of Chyornaya Rechka metro station. There are always fresh flowers here (Kolomyazhsky pr).

Anna Akhmatova Museum

Housed in a wing of the 18^th-century Sheremetyev Palace, this touching and fascinating literary museum honours the life of Anna Akhmatova, St Petersburg’s most famous 20^th-century poet and survivor of the Stalinist terror. Akhmatova lived in an apartment here from 1925 to 1952, and it’s filled with mementos of the poet. Downstairs is a bookshop and video room (akhmatova.spb.ru; Liteyny pr 53; closed Mon, Wed morning; US$2.60).

Music and Dance

Mariinsky Theatre

What could be more Russian than seeing a ballet at the Mariinsky? Known as the Kirov in the Soviet era, when stars such as Nureyev danced, today the Mariinsky is one of the world’s premier ballet troupes. Tickects to see ballet and opera here and at the next-door New Mariinsky are always in high demand – book early (mariinsky.fru; Teatralnaya pl 1; opera from around US$24.40, ballet from US$40,70).

The Meraiinsky Theatere, opened in 1860, is a sight in its own left

Shostakovich Philharmonia

Under conductor Yuri Temirkanov, the St Petersburg Philharmonic Orchestra represents the finest in orchestral music. The Bolshoy Zal (Grand Hall) at Mihailovskaya ul 2 is the venue for a full programme of symphonic performances, while the nearby Maly Zal (small hall) hosts smaller ensembles. Both venues host numerous music festivals (philharmonia.spb.ru; tickets from US$9.70).

Zoccolo

In its urgently orange and green underground space near pl Vosstaniya, Zoccolo has a great atmosphere and an interesting line-up of music, from indie rock to ‘ethnoelectonica’ and other styles you may not have heard of. Entry is free before 5pm, when the venue functions as an arty café (zoccolo.ru; 3-ya Sovetskaya ul 2/3; noon-midnight weekdays, to 6am weekends; performances US$3.20).

Transport

Flights on Singapore airlines and Malaysia airlines are available to Heathrow, after which a British Airways flight takes you direct from Heathrow to St Petersburg (from US$327; ba.com). Pulkovo Airport is 10 miles south of the centre; you can get a shuttle bus (US$1.10) or city bus (US$0.80) into town – see times and details at pulkovoairport.ru. Airport taxis should cost around US$24. The St Petersburg metro is sufficient, cheap (from US$0.90) and useful for travelling long distances but it can be a bit of an adventure if you don’t read Cyrillic. Metro maps in English are available in the tourist publications that are distributed around town.

Where to Stay

Facing the Hermitage across the river, Tradition Hotel has extremely helpful staff. The 16 rooms are well appointed and the great views make up for the hotel’s distance from the nearest metro station (traditionhotel.ru; pr Dobrolyubova 2; from US$98).

A dramatically lit stone stairwell sets the scene for Casa Leto, a stylish boutique hotel. The spacious quarters are decorated in soft pastel shades and filled with antiques (casleto.com; Bolshaya Morskaya ul 34; from US$179).

When it opened in 2011, the W Hotel became the talk of the town. Rooms come with iPhone docks and Nespresso coffee makes, and the Alain Ducasse restaurant is one of the city’s top tables (wstpetersburg.com; Voznesensky pr 6; from US$391).

ST PETER’S GREAT Three centuries of talented writers in the city: Gogol-Nikolai Gogol came to the city in 1829. He wasn’t impressed by it, but he wrote a number of absurdist stories, known as The Petersburg Tales. Dostoevsky-Born in Moscow, he moved to the imperial capital in 1838, aged 16, and his Crime and Pusnishment is the ultimate St Petersburg novel. Blok-Alexander Blok was one of the symbolist movement’s most renowed poets. He depicted prostitutes, drunks and others on society’s margins. Pushkin The national bard mused on the city’s fate through the eyes of a statue in his epic poem. The Bronze horseman.

The long evenings of the White Nights make June the busiest time to visit. Events include the Festival of Festivals, a film festival (filmfest.ru), and the Stars of White Nights Festival at the Mariinsky and other venues (mariinsky.ru).

Lonely Planet’s St Petersbur is a comprehensive guide to the city and chapters from the book can be download at lonelyplanet.com. A briefer St Petersburg work from the pen of Dostoevsky is white Nights, dover Thrift editions, a short story that’s been adapted for cinema several times. You can also see the city on film in Brother (1977), Russian Ark (2002) and The Stroll (2003).

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Made in Italy

March 15, 2016, 3:37 am

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20 Places in 5 Cities where you can witness craftsmanship in its highest form-from marionettes to mandolins.

Orignial text By Isabella Brega, executive summary by darmansjah, photo adapted in google image

THE STORYof Italian artisans is one of valuables and values,” writes Isabella Brega, author of the following article adapted from our Italian edition, Touring. The hallmarks of this artisanal tradition-creativity, innovation, craftsmanship-go back at least 3,000 years, to when Etruscans fashioned extraordinary works with bronze and Romans excelled in mosaics and glass. Now travelers keen to avoid mass-produced generic can embrace a creative culture that puts a premium on the handmade, the painstakingly rendered, the movingly authentic. And with that they get a sense of the real, enduring Italy. “Made in Italy means products crafted with soul,” says Franco Cologni, former chairman of Cartier International and founder of Milan’s Creative Academy. Pause to chat with a ceramicist in her workshop or glassblower by his furnace, and you have a window into a place’s daily rhythms, its cultural history, its animating principle. Come away with an artifact custom-made for you, and that moment lives on long after you’ve resumed life back home.

Famous for its gondolas

Venice also is home to world-class glassblowers, including Pino Signoretto, who created the piece “Abstract, Eye”

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Mini guide

March 15, 2016, 11:04 pm

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Architecture in Miami

Executive summary byDarmansjah

Downtown

Freedom Tower

Adrienne Arsht Center

Gusman Center

Street food

Lincoln Road Mall

Art Deco Historic District

New World Center

Upscale Restaurant

Historic Homes

Founded in the ‘20s by developer George Merrick, Coral Gables is called The City Beautiful with good reason – it’s filled with opulent mansions that run the gamut from Mediterranean wedding cakes to neo-Arabic palaces. Walk through the various villages, such as The Chinese Village and the Dutch South African Village. You can also tour Merrick’s home, which looks as it did in 1925 (coralgables.com).

The Biltmore

Mooted as the grandest jewel in the city’s crown, The Biltmore, built in 1925, feels like an Arabian castle crossed with a Medici villa. It is one of the greatest hotels of the American jazz Age – Al Capone had a speakeasy here, and the Capone Suite is supposedly haunted by the ghost of Fats Walsh, who was murdered here (biltmorehotel.com; 1200 Anastasia Ave; talks on the history of the hotel, 7pm Thu).

Venetian Pool

Transport

Where to Stay

The Downtown Miami River Inn, listed on the National Register of Historic Places, has 40 charming New England-style rooms, friendly service and one of the best libraries of Miami literature in the city (miamiriverinn.com; 118 SW South River Drive; from US$122).

Art Deco Classics

Essex House hotel

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VENICE

March 16, 2016, 3:53 am

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executive summary by darmansjah

On the island of Murano, artisty and vision in glass

LA SERENISSIMA, an embroidery of white and pink palazzo suspended over water, has always produced extraordinary lace, carnival masks, and most notably arts glass. Glass masters, or maestri vetrai, a title once equivalent to nobility in Venice, have included such luminaries as Angelo Barovier, Pietrao Bigaglia, and Archimed Seguso. Today’s maestro of Venetian Glass is Pietro (Pino) Signoretto.

Working on the tiny Venetian island of Murano-where the city’s wood-fired glass factories were relocated in 1291 to lessen the risk of a fire in Venice itself-Signoretto is the lates in a long line of locals who brought the art of fine Venetian glass to the world. Born near Venice in 1944, he began working at the age of ten in a chandelier factory. At 16 he was a glass masater. Collaborations have included commissions for the likes of artist Salvator Dali. In 1978 he opened his own studio on Muraon.

More than a master glassblower, Signoretto is an artist of glass, with a style very much his own. His pieces range from the whimsical-a red octopus, a colorful clown astride a milky crescent moon-to the monumental. Among his masterworks is a slender horse nine high that required more than a ton of blown glass.

“Glass,” Signoretto says, “is just like a woman. When you think you have understood something about her, you haven’t understood a thing.”

Textiles-Arras Tessuti-A “laboratory’ for fabrics, Arras is known for its hand-dyed and woven scarves, jackets, and bags for women. Campiello dei Squelini 3235

Carnival Masks-Papiermache-A Venetian souvenir gets a redo at Papiermache, where Stefano and Eliana Manuela Gottardo create art. Galle Lunga Santa Marian Formosa.

Bookbinding-Paolo Obi-There is no sign of high tech at this venerable bookbinder, where paper and leather become diaries, and more. San Marco 3653

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BOLOGNA

March 17, 2016, 12:32 am

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Quality shoes for the uncommon man and woman

executive summary by darmansjah

IN THE 1930s AND ‘40s, Bologna was the capital of finely crafted men’s shoes, led by such distinctive manufacturers as Testoni and Lemanni. Few of the 1,850 workshops from that time remain; after 1970, industrialization replaced shoe workshops with factories.

But not at Peron & Peron, a workshop that painstakingly crafts handmade shoes to order – about a thousand a year, 80 percent for male customers. Simone Peron, currently at the company’s helm, took over from his father, Bruno.

“The passion for this work is in our DNA,” Peron says. “We go visit a client’s home and try to establish a sense of him, observing his clothing, his furnishings. We have to be both good artisans and good psychologists.”

Tall wooden cases that display footwear in all shades of brown and black (with an occasional blue outlier) greet visitors to the small shop. The shoes are studies in types of leather and hand-stiching techniques. Many of Peron’s materials come from France, England, and Germany, but the technique and style are wholly Italian. Molds of each client’s feet are taken and later archived so that new paris may be ordered from anywhere in the world.

Shoes crafted by Peron & Peron are of such quality that they earned the recent admiration of other master shoe crafters: the Japanese.

“My greatest satisfaction,” Peron says, “is having brought my father’s name to such a distant land.”

Peron & Peron, Piazza S. Francesco 14/a. Open 8:30 a.m.-12:30 p.m. and 5:30-7:30 p.m. (closed Thursday afternoon). Hand made shoes for men start at $1,000; for women, $800. www.peron-e-peron.com

Fgr. Fancy footwork: Handmade shoes (right) are the specialty at Peron & Peron, one of many artisanal enterprises in Bologna. Stained-glass techniques from the Middle Ages inform the work of Bologna’s Studio Fenice (opposite).

Stained Glass-Studio Fenice-Antique stained glass is reproduced and restored using centuries-old artisanal techniques. Via Sant’Isaia 30/c www.studiofenicevetrate.com

Wrought Iron-Bottega Prata-Tables, Chandeliers, and other wrought iron furnishings take artful shape in this family workshop. Via Caldarese 1/d www.bottegaprata.com

Ceramics-Crete-Piece Unique-Fanciful ceramics and jewelry depicting corals, flowers, and more reenvision nature. Via de’ Giudei 3/b www.cretepieceunique.it

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FLORENCE

March 18, 2016, 12:53 am

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It’s not just a hat, It’s art for the head

executive summary by darmansjah

WANDER INTO the historic neighborhood of San Frediano, just steps from the Boboli Gardens and Palazzo Pitti, and you will find a narrow shop, Cappelli Antonio Gatto. Here, some of the simplest materials-felt,straw-come alive in the hands of Gianni Gatto, a sculptor of hats.

“I discovered my masters in Florence’s little markets, where I found hats by such legendary Florentine designers as Pietro Frnceschini and Gigi,” he says. The fashioning of hats has a long lineage in this city where the Renaissance blossomed; 16^th-century portraits show members of the aristocratic Medici family sporting gable headdresses and red caps.

Gatto attributes his inspiration to family members.

“As a child, I would hide under sacred vestments being embroidered by my aunts. Watching their fingers dance on the cloth. I memorized how to do basting stitches.”

Gatto’s workshop, a short walk from the goldsmiths of Ponte Vecchio, is a favorite with style arbiters. Tellingly, he always keeps in mind the person he designs for.

“A hat by itself is incomplete,” he states. “It’s the person who completes it, by wearing it in a certain way, giving it a soul and a personality.”

Cappelli Antonio Gatto, Piazza de’Pitti 5. Open Monday-Saturday 10 a.m. – 7 p.m. Prices start at $165. www.antoniogatto.com

Antique Silk – Antico Setifico Fiorentino – Silk fabrics-damasks, taffetas-woven on vintage looms continue a craft that first flourished in Florence in the 1300s. via L. Bartolini 4 www.anticosetificiofiorentino.com

Leather Goods – Sculoa del Cuoio – Founded to teach orphans of World War II a trade, the School of leather specializes in bags, belts, and wallets. Piazza Santa Croce 16 www.scuoladercuoio.com

Ornamental Trimming – Passamaneria Valmar – Decorative trimmings for drapes, cushions, and other furnishings fill this one-of a-kind shop. Via Porta Rossa 53r www.passamaneriaonline.it

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MILAN

March 19, 2016, 1:11 am

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These wooden puppets on a string tell the tale

executive summary by darmansjah

ITALY’S CAPITAL for fashion and design, Milan is always in a hurry, devouring the present as it bets on the future. This city in Italy’s industrial north weds imagination with precision, beauty with utility, and emotion with technique – a drive for excellence fueled by an ongoing dialogue between Milan’s many creative minds and skilled craftspeople.

This dynamic has played out for more than a century at the Compagnia Marionettistica Carlo Colla & Figli, one of the oldest marionette companies in the world. It dates to the 1800s, when the Colla family, wealthy traders in wood and coal, crated a family theatre-and began fashioning marionettes and scenery. Their shows entertained Milan society. Two hundreds years later, marionettes still take shape by hand here, the bodies sculpted from pinewood, then outfitted with clothing, wigs, and accessories, all by artisans such as Mariapia Lanino, who scours local markets ad collections for antique fabrics. She restores what she finds in a little room ruled by two cats. Other artisans create the scenery and lighting under the supervision of artistic director Eugenio Monti Colla.

Marionette performances produced by the Colla family-sleeping Beauty, The Pied Pier-provide an alternative realm for children growing up with Playstations and other video distractions.

“After so many computer buttons and keys,” one child says, “here I feel free.”

Compagnia Marionettistic Carlo Colla & Figli, Via Montegani 35/1. Group visits by appointment. Puppets, which generally are special ordered, cost $800 each and require one to four months to complete. www.marionettecolla.org

Racing Bicyles – Le Bici del Drali – Mechanic of champions, 86-year-old Beppino Drali has been taking orders for his custom bicycles for decades. Via Agilulfo 16 http://lebicideldrali.wordpress.com

Embroidery – Pino Grasso, Ricami Alta Moda – The art of embroidery is both honored and updated at this studio that works with many fashion houses. Via S. D’Orsenigo 25 www.pinograsso-ricami.it

Woodwork – Pierluigi Ghianda – Everyday wares-forks, bookshelves, trays-morph into object d’art in the workshop of Milan’s “poet of wood.” Via Desio 53 www.pierluigighianda.com

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NAPLES

March 20, 2016, 1:12 am

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Teams of craftsman built Naples’s Umberto I Gallery, a 19^th-century landmark. Craftsman has long been prized in this city known for its Nativity figure.

A family creates nativity scenes in ceramic, with a twist

IN NAPLES perhaps more than anywhere else in Italy, craftsmanship is the fruit of ancient knowledge, handed down through the centuries. Today, Neapolitan artisans are bringing their work into the present, fusing tradition with innovation, and nowhere more so than at the ceramics workshop La Scarabattolla, a “laboratory of art” opened in the 1990s by three brothers of the Scuotto family. Their mission: reimagining the presepio, the Christmas Nativity scene, long an art form in Italy.

The Scuottos, now joined by two sisters and other family members, combine the sacred with the profane, creating dream like settings populated with hand-sculpted, hand-painted (and sometimes sinister) ceramic priests, devils, angels, even mermaid. A recurrent figure is modeled on 70-year-o[d Giacomino Dodicesimo, who has visited the Scarabattola shop daily for the past 15 years. “His childlike view of the world, the freedom of a mind that doesn’t work like others, inspires us,” says Salvatore Scuotto.

And the name Scarabatolla? It refers to the display cabinets that traditionally have held Nativity scenes, a nod to the past from a forward-looking team.

La Scarabattola, Via dei Tribunali 50. Open Monday-Saturday 10:30am-2pm, and 3:30-7:30pm. Works start at $20; the Schuottos also restore old Nativity scenes, www.lascarabattola.it

Lutes and Mandolins-Liuteria Calace-Neapolitan mandolins become works of art in the hands of artisans at this workshop founded in 1825. Vico San Domenico Maggiore 9 www.calace.it

Porcelain-Pocellane di Capodimonte-Flower bouquets, fairies, even Vespa scooters are rendered by Naples’s top porcelain artisans. Carso Italia 34/1, Marano di Napoli www.capodimonte-porcealin.com/it

Tambourines-Officina della Tammorra-Tambourines of all sizes, some painted with scenes of Naples, fill this workshop that also makes castanets. Vico S. Severino 39 www.officnadellatammorra.it

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WEATHER MEMORIES IN THE WARMTH OF VENICE

March 21, 2016, 12:05 am

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Original text by Putu Fajar Arcana; executive summary by darmansjah

Inamilestone, the northArsenae, a girlwas sitting. Aphonein his hand. He could not stopstaring atdinghysailing towardthe shipyard. Perhapsthere isa partof his soulthat alsoswept awayin thetorrentialflow ofthe canal. I do not know...

I tried looking for the most romantic angle to capture the event. She remained engrossed bask in the warmth of the summer sun. Not far away, a pair of teenagers sitting side by side on the banks of the canal while looking at distant sky Venice, Italy, late last May 2013. There was no conversation. Just the girl smiled when she realized someone was perpetuating itself. There are moored, such as rolls of rope vaporetto (water bus) is thrown into the harbor edge. Palpitation like that every time the wind flow to slit the small canals that separate the old buildings in this town.

VENICEislikeateenagegirlwhois always, spoiled, andwithout astruttingdandywasalwayscharming. Sincealong theCanalGrandefromPizzale Rome, a smallportin thewesterncitycenterof Venice, has beenmore clearlyetchedinmy heart thatthe city offersa uniqueandcaptivatingexperience.

Buildingwallsalong the canallookedleft"conversation"asa closewithsmall waveseverclimbed. Sometimes itwater taxi, whichsent shock wavesspeedingthensmashthe walls ofthe city. No one iscomplaining. Peelingleftwalluntil you seea redbrickasmeat. This combinedwith aview of the cityin thesummerskybrightness, which is thenperpetuatedbystreetartists. We cantake itasa souvenirwithpocketmoney reached50-75euro. Quiteexpensiveforthe size ofthe rupiah. However, memories ofmuch deeperthan justa matter ofcurrenciesinstead?

Everydayfromthe cityMaestre, in the western partof Venice, Ihad totake30 minutestoarriveatPizzaleRome, the nearest port, separatelyand thenheadedArsenale, whereaworldeventis underway. At thecounter, wecanchooseto buyticketlasts12 to72hoursat a price of18-35euros. Ichosea duration of24hoursto buy ticketsfor 20euros.

Duration calculation is important to note because if it passes the time tickets can no longer be used to hitchhike vaporreto. This is the most friendly transport water and used a lot of tourists who visit Venice. Compare the price of water taxi, with the same Pizzale Rome until the Arsenale, the meter could reach 100-150 euro. It's dangerous if you run out of pocket money in a far country.

Arsenalecomplexform of45 hectares ofthe formershipyard, in theeastern part ofVenice, Italy. Since the end ofMay to24 November 2013, this locationbecamethe world's attention. Awarehouse complexbuiltin 1104whichis expected tobe an important event55thVeniceBiennale. VeniceBiennalenone othereventsbiennialart exhibitionsin theworld's oldest, which involveshundreds ofartistsfrom aroundthe world. ThisyearIndonesiasent envoysofficiallyfiveartiststoshowsearchperkembangnaaestheticsinour country. At least that'sthe first timethe governmentdare torent aspaceof 500 square metersworthover2billion dollarsfor theperiod ofthreemonths ofusage.

Highwalls

Arsenaleona typical daywasmoreof the formershipyardobsolete. Herwallsareexceeding5metersalreadychippedinhere and there.However, the governmentallowed this tobektoaVenicecity attraction. That exfoliate as scraping the wall-scraping along the wall time. He is like a stamp of history that exposed centuries ago.

Every two years, in which thethenVeniceBiennalerepeatedlyheld, dozens ofvaluablespace in themis very high. Dozens ofcountries, if you want toexhibitwithanymotivation, must beequal to therent fortheIndonesiangovernmentpaid. Thatwaythe Venetiansput a price onwhatthey've got.

Before reaching theArsenale, ifwesailfromRomePizzale, maygo downinSanMarco. This is thecitycenterwherethere isa sort of"square", called thePiazzaSanMarco, which isthensurrounded byshops. On one sidethere areBasilica diSanMarco, abeautifulcathedraland asolid standingsince832. Ifyou want to enjoythe architectureandclassicalpaintingson displayin it, mustbe patientin line. Frommorningto evening, at theend ofMay 2013, travelerslinelikenever subsided. No need topay, willingnessJustaskednotto bringbagsintothe building.

I do not know. My mind remains on a milestone in the northern part of the old Arsenale shipyard complex. May not find it as quickly as any girl I walked over there. Day has gradually dusk although the sky was still lightI do not know. Mymindremains onamilestoneinthe northern part ofthe oldArsenaleshipyardcomplex. Maynotfinditas quickly asanygirlIwalkedover there. Dayhas graduallyduskalthoughthe sky was stilllight.However, the rest of thecloudsinsomecornerscaninstantlyfall as rain. Ihave togo back toMaestre. Let himlivein the memoriesandthe warmth ofthe weatherVenice.

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Cathedrale Notre-Dame de Strasbourg

March 21, 2016, 1:18 am

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Executive summary by Darmansjah

Strasbourg Cathedral's west façade, viewed from Rue Mercière

Strasbourg Cathedral or the Cathedral of Our Lady of Strasbourg (French: Cathédrale Notre-Dame de Strasbourg, German: Liebfrauenmünster zu Straßburg), also known as Strasbourg Minster, is a Roman Catholic cathedral in Strasbourg, Alsace, France. Although considerable parts of it are still in Romanesque architecture, it is widely considered to be among the finest examples of high, or late, Gothic architecture. Erwin von Steinbach is credited for major contributions from 1277 to his death in 1318.

At 142 metres (466 feet), it was the world's tallest building from 1647 to 1874 (227 years), when it was surpassed by St. Nikolai's Church, Hamburg. Today it is the sixth-tallest church in the world and the highest still-standing structure built entirely in the Middle Ages.

Described by Victor Hugo as a "gigantic and delicate marvel", and by Goethe as a "sublimely towering, wide-spreading tree of God", the cathedral is visible far across the plains of Alsace and can be seen from as far off as the Vosges Mountains or the Black Forest on the other side of the Rhine. Sandstone from the Vosges used in construction gives the cathedral its characteristic pink hue.

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Chamoniz and Tour du Mont-Blanc

March 22, 2016, 1:24 am

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Executive summary by Darmansjah

Chamonix-Mont-Blanc or, more commonly, Chamonix is a commune in the Haute-Savoie département in the Rhône-Alpes region in south-eastern France. It was the site of the first Winter Olympics in 1924. The commune's population of around 9,800 ranks 865th within the country of France.

Situated near the massive peaks of the Aiguilles Rouges and most notably the Aiguille du Midi, Chamonix is one of the oldest ski resorts in France and is known as the "gateway to the European Cascades." The north side of the summit of Mont Blanc, and therefore the summit itself are part of the village of Chamonix. To the south side, the situation is different depending on the country. Italy considers that the border passes through the top. France considers that the boundary runs along the rocky Tournette under the summit cap, placing it entirely in French territory. The south side was in France, assigned to the commune of Saint-Gervais-les-Bains sharing the summit with its neighbor Chamonix. It is this situation "for France," which is found on the French IGN maps. The Chamonix commune is well known and loved by skiers and mountain enthusiasts of all types, and via the cable car lift to the Aiguille du Midi it is possible to access the world famous off-piste skirun of the Vallée Blanche. With an area of 245 km2 (95 sq mi), Chamonix is the fourth largest commune in mainland France.

Tour du Mont Blanc

The Tour du Mont Blanc or TMB is one of the most popular long distance walks in Europe. It circles the Mont Blanc Massif covering a distance of roughly 170 km with 10 km of ascent/descent and passes through parts of Switzerland, Italy and France.

It is considered one of the classic long distance walking trails. The circular route is normally walked in an anti-clockwise direction in 7 – 10 days. It is also the route of an annual mountain marathon in which the winner normally covers the entire distance in less than 24 hours. Usual start points are Les Houches in the Chamonix valley or Les Contamines in the Montjoie valley (in France), Courmayeur from the Italian side, and either Champex or a point near Martigny in Switzerland. The route passes through seven valleys around the Mont-Blanc massif, an anti-clockwise start in Chamonix would lead through the Chamonix (or Arve) valley, then Montjoie, Vallee des Glaciers, Italian Val Veni, & Val Ferret, Swiss Val Ferret, and either the Arpette or Trient valley in Switzerland, dependent on route taken.

The ‘official’ route has changed over the course of the years and many alternatives, or ‘Variantes’, exist to the standard route. Some of these take the intrepid walker onto paths requiring greater fitness, awareness and skill. Others provide conveniently less demanding options, which are often quicker than the accepted route but provide lesser viewpoints onto the mountain ranges. For a part of the way, between the summit of Brevent and the Col de la Croix du Bonhomme, the route coincides with the European long distance footpath GR5 as it makes its way from the North Sea to the Mediterranean Sea. A link can also be made with the walkers' Haute Route from Chamonix to Zermatt in the Swiss Alps.

Plentiful accommodations exist along the entire route, allowing the route to be broken into segments to suit virtually any fit person. The accommodation takes a variety of forms, from separate bedrooms to large mixed sex dormitories. One can normally obtain cooked meals at many of these places. With a start at Les Houches one might expect overnight stops at Les Contamines, Col de la Croix du Bonhomme refuge or Les Chapieux (depending on variant route taken), Elisabetta Soldini refuge, Courmayeur, Elena refuge, Champex, Trient village, Argentiere, La Flegere refuge and finally back to Les Houches. The sheer abundance of accommodation makes for very flexible route-planning and many options exist besides these. Despite this wealth of choice the tremendous popularity of the trail can lead to problems finding accommodations, especially towards the end of the day. It is, however, possible to book accommodation in advance.

The highest points on any variant of the trail are the Col des Fours in France and the Fenetre d'Arpette in Switzerland, both at an altitude of 2,665 m (8,743 ft). Although, for most, this is not high enough to cause altitude sickness, the trail nevertheless represents a tough physical proposition. Experience of walking in mountain country should be considered vital. In addition the weather can change very rapidly indeed and one should always be suitably equipped for the challenge.

It passes through (or near) the towns of Martigny, Courmayeur and Chamonix.

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Champagne and Les Crayeres

March 23, 2016, 1:29 am

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Executive summary by Darmansjah

Champagne

Champagne (French pronunciation: sapan) is a historic province in the northeast of France, now best known for the sparkling white wine that bears its name.

Formerly ruled by the counts of Champagne, its western edge is about 100 miles (160 km) east of Paris. The cities of Troyes, Reims, and Épernay are the commercial centers of the area. Most of Champagne is now part of the French administrative region of Champagne-Ardenne, which comprises four departments: Ardennes, Aube, Haute-Marne, and Marne.

The name Champagne comes from the Latin campania and referred to the similarities between the rolling hills of the province and the Italian countryside of Campania located south of Rome.

In the High Middle Ages, the province was famous for the Champagne Fairs.

Les Crayeres

Castle life in Champagne country, Les Crayères is an unmatched treasure trove of comfort and elegance, a place with soul and sensuality, decorated entirely in a spirit of sophistication and delicacy. Le Château never ceases to reinvent and modernise its grand chateau style.

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Chateau de Bagnols

March 24, 2016, 1:35 am

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Executive summary by Darmansjah

Set among green rolling hills, forests and acres of vineyards, the golden stone of Château de Bagnols glistens in the sunlight. Built in the 13th century, this privately-owned property is simply stunning with lavish furnishings and antiques in its 22 spacious apartments. With a large circular outdoor pool, beautiful French gardens, a restaurant serving gourmet cuisine, this place is quintessential France at its most romantic and at the very height of its game.

Location

In the tiny village of Bagnols, 30 kms from Lyon and 65 kms from Lyon Saint Exupéry International Airport.

A haven of tranquillity and elegance, Château de Bagnols is equipped with every creature comfort. The service is second-to-none and the apartments are both comfortably spacious and each one has its own unique history. The abundance of historic objets d’art, antiques and original paintings throughout the chateau is breathtaking. Wander through the formal gardens to admire the drawbridge, moat and traditional planting or simply relax by the pool.

Hire a bike or a car from Château de Bagnols and explore the local area. Order a picnic from the hotel and discover the pretty villages of Oingt, Bagnols, Chessy, Chatillon and Marcy, or take a Beaujolais wine tour, stopping at Brouilly and Chenas. Head into Lyon with its myriad of fine restaurants and seek out the traboules, secret passages in Vieux Lyon. Return for a wonderful supper in the Salle des Gardes restaurant.

Dating from the 13th century Château de Bagnols is one of France's major historic monuments as well as a unique luxury hotel with 22 of the most superb rooms and suites in France. Nowhere else in France can provide guests with such historic luxury in such a grandiose yet comfortable environment.

Airports

Nearest international airport: LYS (More than 50 Km.)

Nearest local airport: Villefranche-Tarare (3 Km.)

Trains & Buses

Nearest train station: Lyon Perrache (21 - 30 Km.)

Driving

Nearest motorway junction: A6 - exit 31.2 (11 - 20 Km.)

Car Rental

Nearest car rental office: Hertz-Avis-Europcar (21 - 30 Km.)

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Chateau de Versailles

March 25, 2016, 1:38 am

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Executive summary by Darmansjah

The Palace of Versailles, or simply Versailles, is a royal château in Versailles in the Île-de-France region of France. In French it is the Château de Versailles.

When the château was built, Versailles was a country village; today, however, it is a wealthy suburb of Paris, some 20 kilometres southwest of the French capital. The court of Versailles was the center of political power in France from 1682, when Louis XIV moved from Paris, until the royal family was forced to return to the capital in October 1789 after the beginning of the French Revolution. Versailles is therefore famous not only as a building, but as a symbol of the system of absolute monarchy of the Ancien Régime.

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Courchevel

March 26, 2016, 1:45 am

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Executive summary by Darmansjah

Courchevel is the name of a ski resort located in the commune of Saint-Bon-Tarentaise in the French Alps, in the Tarentaise Valley, Savoie, Rhône-Alpes region, France country. It is a part of Les Trois Vallées, the largest linked ski area in the world. Courchevel also refers to the towns of Courchevel 1300 (Le Praz), Courchevel 1550, Courchevel 1650 (Moriond), and Courchevel 1850, which are named for their altitudes in metres. They are situated in the commune of Saint-Bon-Tarentaise. The resort centre of Courchevel is in fact at 1,747 metres (5,732 ft).[1] The somewhat misleading name Courchevel 1850 was chosen for marketing reasons to compete with arch rival Val d'Isère. It is the Jardin Alpin area of Courchevel 1850 (not the centre) which is actually located at 1,850 metres (6,070 ft).

The original resort was planned during World War II with a study in 1942 by the Vichy regime and in a doctorate by the town planner Laurent Chappis. Chappis was a natural choice to direct the development of the resort in the immediate post war years. Courchevel 1850 was significant, as it was the first resort in France to be constructed from scratch, rather than based around an existing village.

Courchevel is the most eastern resort of the Three Valleys, the biggest connected ski area in the world. It is renowned for its excellent lift system which is virtually queue free, even at the busiest of times.

Although Courchevel consists of four satellite villages — Courchevel Le Praz, Courchevel 1550, Courchevel 1650 and Courchevel 1850 — it is most famous for its highest resort, the exclusive village of Courchevel 1850. Named the St. Tropez of winter sports, it attracts a select clientele of VIPs and royal families, including Prince William and Kate Middleton, the Beckhams, Christina Aquilera,Geri Halliwell, Lionel Richie, the Saudi royal family, Peter Andre, Robbie Williams, Roman Abramovich, George Clooney, Giorgio Armani, the King of Morocco and many others.

In the 2011-2012 season Courchevel rebranded, changing the names of each of the four villages in a move away from the association with altitude. Courchevel 1850 is now known simply as Courchevel, Courchevel 1650 has been renamed Courchevel Moriond; Courchevel 1550 is now called Courchevel Village and Courchevel 1330, aka Le Praz, has been renamed Courchevel Le Praz.

Courchevel has 11 hotels with a 5-star ranking. In 2011 France introduced a very prestigious 6th star ranking for hotels, named "palaces". The palace 6th star ranking is only awarded to the most prestigious, exclusive and luxurious hotels in France. No more than eight hotels in France have been crowned with this rating. Two of those eight hotels are in Courchevel tree-lined Jardin Alpin area. No other ski resorts in France have hotels with the palace ranking.

Courchevel is also known for its fine dining. It's the ski resort with the most Michelin starred restaurants. A total of seven restaurants share 11 Michelin stars, including four restaurants that have been awarded two Michelin stars, including Le Chabichou. It also hosts a variety of luxury shops including Louis Vuitton, Hermes, Valentino, Prada, Cartier, Fendi, Dior and Chanel.

Although the large majority of Courchevel's visitors are of British nationality (source Courchevel Tourist Agency) the resort is also known for the wealthy Russian elite who flock to the resort during Russian Orthodox Christmas and Russian New Year. These are celebrated two weeks later than in Western Europe, on 7 and 13 January. Because of this, Courchevel's name has become synonymous with "winter playground of the rich and famous" in Russia.The first two weeks of January are high season weeks in Courchevel as a result here of.

Courchevel is known to be an expensive resort. One of the reasons for this are the high prices of residential and commercial property. Courchevel 1850 is the 6th most expensive place in the world with average square metre prices of €27.000 per square metre of property. It leaves cities like Hong Kong, Cannes and Tokyo behind.

Courchevel has one of the largest bases for ski instructors and other seasonal workers due to the size of the three valleys area. Courchevel's couloirs are renowned as some of the most difficult black runs in the world.

Courchevel's sister city is Park City, Utah in the United States, and it has a red-graded ski piste named "Park City".

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