The Best of Provence: Colorful Roussillon

Roussillon is 6 miles (10 km) east of Gordes/28 miles (45 km) east of Avignon.

Legend has it that a local lord had his wife’s lover killed and the wife threw herself off a cliff, staining the rocks with her blood. In reality, two centuries of ochre mining have left this perched village surrounded by red quarries and cliffs. From deep red to light yellow, the colors of this town alone are worth a visit. Although it can be quite crowded in high tourist season, you can still find peaceful, beautiful squares and take in the surrounding countryside.

While here, a good choice for both indoor and outdoor dining is the friendly Bistro de Roussillon, serving hearty Provençal fare. Moderate. Info: place de la Marine. Tel. 04/90.05.74.45. Closed Jan and mid-Nov to mid-Dec.

For more on Roussillon and Provence, check out Open Road's Best of Provence.

www.eatndrink.com

The Changing Face of Valencia, Spain

Valencia, Spain’s third-largest city, doesn’t fit easily into any tour of Spain (it’s over 200 miles from Barcelona and Madrid and 400 miles from the Costa del Sol). But if you’re able to visit, Valencia can be a truly Spanish experience. The real question is, “Can a complex change a city?” That’s what seems to be happening here. Like the Guggenheim Museum in Bilbao, the futuristic Ciutat de les Arts i les Ciències has created a domino effect of improvements. The 2007 America’s Cup has also spurred development along the city’s waterfront.

The Ciutat de les Arts i les Ciències (City of Arts and Sciences) is a major tourist attraction. Valencian architect Santiago Calatrava (who designed, among other things, Milwaukee’s fabulous lakefront art museum) designed this innovative, sprawling complex, which includes:

•L'Hemisferic (Hemispheric Planetarium) shaped like a floating eyeball that even blinks.

•L’Oceanogràphic (Oceanographic Park).

•Museu de les Ciències Príncipe Felipe (Prince Philip Science Museum).

•Palau de les Arts (Palace of the Arts).

There’s also an IMAX Theater, marine habitat, amphitheater, indoor theater and music hall. Info: 7 Ave. Autovía del Saler. Tel. 022100031. www.cac.es. Museum open daily 10am-7pm (Jul to mid-Sep until 9pm). Oceanographic Park open daily 10am-6pm (Jul and Aug until midnight). Hemispheric Planetarium daily shows every hour from 11am-7pm (additional show at 9pm on Fri and Sat). Admission: €31 (includes admission to Museum of Science, Hemispheric Planetarium and Oceanographic Park).

The Institut Valencia d’Art Modern (IVAM) is an art institute with a collection of 20^th-century contemporary art and photography. Info: 118 Guillem de Castro. Tel. 963863000. www.ivam.es. Open Tue-Sun 10am-8pm. Admission: €2, free on Sun. The IVAM is also home to La Sucursal, one of the city’s best restaurants serving contemporary cuisine. Info: Tel. 963746655. Closed Sun. Reservations required. Expensive. 

The Museo de Bellas Arts features Spanish artists, including works by Goya and Velàzquez. Info: Calle San Pío. Tel. 963870300. www.cult.gva.es/mbav. Open Tue-Sun 10am-8pm. Admission: Free. 

Valencia’s Catedral is best known for its Capilla del Santo Cáliz (Chapel of the Holy Grail) that is home to what some believe is Christ’s cup at the Last Supper. The Cathedral is also home to one of St. Vincent’s arms (!) and a museum featuring Goya’s painting of St. Francis de Broja. Info: Plaza de la Reina. Tel. 963918127. Open daily 7:30am-1pm and 4pm-8:30pm. Admission: Free to cathedral. Museum: €2.

Travelers to Spain often return home with ceramics. At the Palacio de Marques de Dos Aguas you can see the grand ceramic collection housed in the Museo National de Ceramica. Info: 2 Poeta Querol. Tel. 963516392. Open Tue-Sat 10am-2pm and 4pm-8pm, Sun 10am-2pm. Closed Mon. Admission: €3. 

Dining in Valencia is a pleasant surprise. The city is famous for its rice dishes, especially paella. Contemporary chefs have taken this old favorite and created imaginative cuisine. At Civera (near the Bellas Artes Museum) you’ll dine on Spanish and Mediterranean food, with an emphasis on seafood. Excellent lobster dishes. Info: 11 Calle Lerida. Tel. 963475917. Closed Mon and Aug. Moderate-Expensive.

At El Timonel, the nautical décor is appropriate for this restaurant specializing in seafood (they also have good meat dishes). It’s located just a few blocks from Valencia’s Plaza de Toros, the largest bullring in Spain. Info: 13 Félix Pizcueta. Tel. 963526300. Closed Mon. Moderate-Expensive.

For cheaper dining, try Los Patos, serving specialty duck dishes to pizza in a 20^th-century townhouse in the central city. Good value. Info: 28 Calle del Mar. Tel. 963529323. Closed Mon. Moderate.  

While in Valencia, make sure you try the delicious horchata, a milky drink made with crushed tiger nuts. It’s served everywhere. And head to the Barrio del Carmen located around the Plaza del Carmen for a few cañas (glasses of beer) at any of the funky bars here in Valencia’s oldest neighborhood.

For more on Valencia, check out Open Road's Best of Spain. Delta Airlines now has four nonstop flights per week from New York's JFK Airport to Valencia.

Where did President Obama dine while in Paris?

On his recent trip to Paris, President Obama and the First Lady dined at a restaurant recommended in both Eating & Drinking in Paris and Open Road's Best of Paris. We just hope this doesn't raise the prices at this favorite. Here's information on La Fontaine de Mars:

Red-checked tablecloths, friendly service and reasonable prices near the Eiffel Tower. Try the poulet fermier aux morilles (free-range chicken with morel mushrooms). Info: 7th/Métro École-Militaire. 129 rue St-Dominique. Tel. 01/47.05.46.44. 

Shopping for antiques in Paris

Here are a few choices for shopping for antiques in Paris:

Le Louvre des Antiquaires
You’ll find 250 antique shops at the arcades along rue de Rivoli facing the Louvre. You can go inside and visit all of these shops (not just enter from rue de Rivoli). There are Art Deco objects, antiquities, furniture and art. Info: 2nd/Métro Palais Royal. Place du Palais-Royal. Open Tue-Sat 11am-7pm. http://www.louvre-antiquaires.com/.

Village St-Paul

An attractive passageway with cobblestone courtyards and interesting shops, especially antique shops. Info: 4th/Métro St-Paul in the Marais. 23-27 rue St-Paul. Open Thu-Mon 11am-7pm.

Near the rue du Bac metro

You’ll find over 100 antique shops on rue du Bac, rue de Lille and rue de l’Université in the Carré Rive Gauche (between St-Germain-des-Prés and the Musée d’Orsay). Info: 7th/Metro rue du Bac.

Taken from Open Road's Best of Paris.

Spain's City of Wine

Wine tourism is on the rise in Spain, the world’s third-largest wine producer (after France and Italy). Just a little over one hour south of Bilbao is the La Rioja wine region. Its capital is Haro whose barrio de la estación (train-station neighborhood) is dotted with wineries (bodegas) where you can sample the region’s wines. Head to nearby sleepy Elciego (its Basque name is Eltziego). Here you’ll find the Hotel Marqués de Riscal, designed by architect Frank Gehry (his magnificent Guggenheim Museum is in Bilbao). You can’t miss its roof wrapped in pink, silver and gold titanium ribbons. Opened in 2006, the luxury hotel is home to a “City of Wine” including a renowned restaurant (Echaurren), a wine bar, wine tastings, cooking school, wine museum and shop, and “vinothérapie” spa with such features as bathing in wine. Now that’s a total wine experience! Even if you’re not staying at the hotel, you can tour the winery and taste two of the local wines for €10 (tours are in English, reservations must be made in advance). Info: 1 Calle Torrea. Tel. 945180880. http://www.marquesderiscal.com/. Elciego and the “City of Wine” are 68 miles (110 km) south of Bilbao/76 miles (122 km) southwest of Pamplona. If you’re driving from Bilbao, take Highway E-70 to Highway A8 in the direction of Victoria-Burgos. Follow Highway AP68 to the Cenicero exit (Exit 10). Continue past the toll booth and turn right onto N-232. Proceed for 1 kilometer and turn left onto LR-512. Turn right onto A-3210 and continue to Elciego.

Eating & Drinking in Venice: Cicheti Bars

Cicheti (chee-keht-tee) are the Venetian version of tapas. Cicheti (cichetti) are small portions of food served in bars in Venice, usually with an ombra (a small glass of wine.)

Here are a few places where you can hang out with locals and try a fun Venetian tradition. All are located near the Rialto vaporetto stop.

Osteria alla Botte

5482 Calle della Bissa (east end of the Rialto Bridge near Campo San Bartolomeo)

Tel. 041/5209775

Closed Thu. and Sun.

Osteria Sora al Ponte

1588 Ponte delle Beccarie (near the Rialto Bridge Market off of Campo de la Beccarie)

Tel. 041/718208

Closed Mon.

Bancogiro

122 Campo San Giacometto (west end of Rialto Bridge along the Grand Canal)

Tel. 041/5232061

Closed Sun. (dinner) and Mon.

For more on dining in Venice, check out Eating & Drinking in Italy: Italian Menu Reader and Restaurant Guide.

Wine Tasting in Paris

"Coming to Paris and not tasting good French wines is like going to the U.S. and not trying a good burger," says Olivier Magny of Ô Château. This young French sommelier will guide you through a fun, informative and relaxing wine tasting in his new Parisian location. Info: 1st/Métro Louvre-Rivoli. 52 rue de l'arbre sec . Tel. 01/44.73.97.80. Admission: from €20 per person. www.o-chateau.com.