Spending a couple of days in Bordeaux calls for a day trip to Medoc, a wine region dotted with chateaus and sleepy villages, extending north of the city, down the left bank of Gironde estuary, to the Atlantic coast. In my last post, I wrote about two lovely days we spent in Bordeaux, and a day trip to Medoc only reinforced our enchantment with the region.
Read MoreTwo days in Bordeaux
I read that the 18th century was the golden age of Bordeaux, and indeed, most of the elegant, golden-hued neoclassical buildings lining wide avenues and spacious squares, date back to that period. But, after a few days in the city, it seemed to me that now is the golden age of Bordeaux as well- the town is very lively with locals and tourists alike, the dining scene is outstanding, the facades and the streets in the historic centre are well groomed, there are countless gourmand and fashion shops...
Read MoreUmbria road trip: Todi
The next day we drove up and down the winding local road to Todi, passing through the fields, vineyards and olive groves, catching a glimpse of the town now and then. When we came to Todi, a thick fog (or was it a cloud?) covered the medieval main square like a blanket, making it look even more timeless. Without the bar and shop awnings and the modern clothing of the passers-by, it could have as well been the 16th century.
Read MoreUmbria road trip: Assisi
We approached Assisi from the south- the view that was waiting for us made us stop the car, leave it by the road, and walk through the field as a daydreamer attracted to the town imprinted into the hill and a basilica sitting atop a majestic row of supporting arcades. Even though I've seen Assisi on the photos before, they did not prepare me for the view. It is one of those places where the best thing you can think of saying is simply "wow, look at that".
Read MoreUmbria road trip: Perugia
I mostly knew Perugia as the home of Perugina (a producer of Baci, delicious chocolate kisses filled with an entire hazelnut, a true delicacy from my childhood), as the capital city of Umbria, and as a university city, specialized in languages. For us, it turned out to be a gastronomic capital as well, as we found there one of the best (yet, unpretentious) restaurants we've ever been to, and a certain delicious substitute for our favorite hazelnut spread- the Nocciolata.
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