Summer in Paris: Paris-Plage

Sunbathe, drink and celebrate the Seine River at Paris-Plage. Hundreds of deck chairs, umbrellas, cabanas and even palm trees are all brought to the Right Bank of the river from Pont de Sully to Pont Neuf. You can enjoy the sun, have a drink or two and a snack. No, I don’t recommend that you swim in the Seine. In the evening, musicians play along the river.

A day in Bologna, the gastronomic capital of Italy.

Bologna is the gastronomic capital of Italy. Often overlooked, this university town is a must for food lovers. Bologna is easily reached from Milan by high-speed train (only 52 minutes). You're dropped off at the train station and make your way to the heart of the town (Piazza Maggiore, home of the Neptune Fountain). On our day in Bologna, we made four favorite "foodie" stops. The train station and Piazza Maggiore are connected by the Via Indipendenza.

Just off of Via Indipendenza at Via Marsala is Enoteca Italiana. This wine and food shop is packed with wines from throughout Italy and Italian food specialties. A great place to stock up on gifts to take home, for a picnic, or some great snacks to eat in your hotel.

Here are three great places to dine near Piazza Maggiore:

Our absolute favorite is Drogheria della Rosa at 10 Via Cartoleria (Tel. 051/222529, http://www.drogheriadellarosa.it/, closed Sun.). This friendly trattoria has an extensive wine cellar and is located in a former pharmacy. We had our best Italian lunch ever. Two highly recommended dishes are the lasagne bolognese (pictured here - too bad Karl ate most of it before I could snap a photo!) and the tortelli in a butter and sage sauce with zucchini flowers. Fantastic!

Next door at 12 Via Cartoleria (Tel. 051/226315, http://www.godotwine.it/, closed Sun) is Godot Wine Bar. This modern and stylish wine bar serves pasta dishes and and snacks. It also has a large wine list. Both Drogheria and Godot have outdoor seating in front of the restaurants.

For more elegant dining, try Da Cesari at 8 Via de' Carbonesi (south of Piazza Maggiore). This romantic restaurant serves delicious Bolognese dishes and homemade wine. Tel. 051/237710, closed Sun. and Sat. in July. http://www.da-cesari.it/.

Note that all of these establishments are closed for part of August. You won't regret a trip to this lovely town. For more on dining in Italy, check out Eating & Drinking in Italy: Italian Menu Translator and Restaurant Guide.

The best baguette in Paris.

A Senegal-born baker at Le Grenier à Pain Abbesses in the Montmartre (38 Rue des Abbesses) has won a contest for the best baguette. Djibril Bodian, the son of a baker, moved to France when he was six. Baguettes are an important and delicious part of every day life in Paris. More than 160 baguettes were judged in The Grand Prix de la Baguette. Makes me want to go to Paris and bite into a crispy baguette!

A Madrid Tapas Walk

Our tapas walk begins at the Plaza Santa Ana. This pleasant square is located in one of Madrid’s oldest neighborhoods. This is where many Madrileños congregate on weekend evenings. In addition to the Teatro Español, the square is also home to the stately Hotel Reina Victoria, which has been recently renovated.

On the south side of the square are three places you can visit.

At number 6 is Cervecería Alemana, the best of the many tapas bars on the square, which was built in 1904 and modeled after a German beer hall (Alemana means “German” in Spanish). Have a beer. It’ll be served in a white stein. Ernest Hemingway drank here, but that’s really no big deal since he drank all over Madrid. Why don’t you order aceitunas (olives), a popular snack? You’ll be eating more later.

Another beer hall here is Cervecería Santa Ana at number 10. Here you can have a plate of jamón y queso (cured ham and cheese).

Another tapas spot here is La Moderna at number 12. Try a glass of delicious Spanish wine and a cheese plate, for which this place is known.

From the south side of the square, head across the square to the north side and turn right onto Calle de Manuel Fernández y González.

At number 7 is the popular bar Viva Madrid. It has fantastic tiled walls and an incredible carved ceiling. You come here to drink and, if you do stop, it’s likely that the crowd will be young and lively.

Keep moving, eating and drinking! With Viva Madrid to your back, head left down Calle de Manuel Fernández y González. You’ll pass Calle de Echegaray. The next street is Calle Ventura de la Vega. On the corner at 10-17 Calle de Manuel Fernández y González is our final stop.

At the tile bar Taberna Toscana, you’ll sit on stools and taste a wide selection of tapas under sausages hanging from the ceiling. Try the fantastic ternera (veal) dish swimming in a delicious sauce (with french fries). A specialty here (if you’re up to it) is morcilla (blood sausage). Try it. It’s an interesting choice. When in Spain…

For a map and more about tapas in Madrid, check out Open Road's Best of Spain by Andy Herbach.

Famous gourmet food store: Milan's "Peck"

Peck (www.peck.it) is Milan's famous gourmet food store. There's a huge wine cellar and the food store offers pasta and sauces, ham and cheeses, truffles and mushrooms, pasta and sauces, and oil and vinegar. You can sample these Italian specialties at the (usually crowded) stand-up bar. For more information on dining in Milan, check out "Eating & Drinking in Italy: Italian Menu Reader and Restaurant Guide."

Around the corner at 4 Via Victor Hugo is the renowned Cracco-Peck restaurant featuring a superb tasting menu. The prices at the restaurant may shock you, so you might want to try the less expensive wine bar nearby at 3 Via Cesare Cantu).

Best of Provence: Lourmarin

Lourmarin’s winding narrow streets are lined with stone houses painted in shades of ochre and beige. It has a Renaissance chapel and both Catholic and Protestant churches. The village lies at the foot of the Luberon Mountain range which is covered with pine and oak trees. Surrounding the village are olive groves and vineyards. Although French vacationers discovered this little village years ago, it’s now popular with foreign tourists. Its renovated château is the site of frequent concerts and exhibits. Visitors have quite a few cafés and restaurants to choose from, and it’s become the gastronomic capital of the area. It’s a lovely town with much to offer, and a great base for touring some of the prettiest towns of Provence. For more on Lourmarin, check out Open Road's Best of Provence and the French Riviera by Andy Herbach

Spring is here, at least in Amsterdam.

Amsterdam Tulip Days debuts on April 24. It's an effort to turn the entire city into a tulip garden. Bulbs have been planted in the gardens of museums, outside downtown buildings and at private homes. Many of these gardens are usually not accessible to the public. The project is a joint effort on the part of the Museum Van Loon, the International Flower Bulb Centre, the Tulip Museum, the city, and the Amsterdam Tourist and Convention Board. And, we'll be there to take it all in!