Archive for category: venice

The Bacari of Venice

One of the true delights of a trip to Venice is the cuisine… unless you have no idea what to look for and end up at one of the plethora of terrible tourist traps serving up uninspired portions of bland food no self-respecting Venetian would eat.  An excellent choice that will satiate your hunger and suit pretty much any budget is a Bacaro (plural – Bacari).

Bacaro Risorto in Venice

Bacaro Risorto – one of my favourite’s in all of Venice!

Bacaro is the Venetian word for “bar”.  The typical Venetian bacaro offers “ombra” (a small glass of wine), aperitivo (think Spritz Campari or its milder cousin Spritz Aperol), and a nice selection of fresh cicchetti (small snacks or side dishes – like tapas in Spain).  Some of my favourites also have a small selection of tasty craft beers as well, like Bacaro Risorto, pictured above.

A small glass of wine and a plate of cicchetti as pictured above will only set you back a few euros.

Locals and visitors-in-the-know will make a nice evening visiting a few bacari, sharing drinks and snacks with friends – old and new alike!  It’s easy to meet new people at a bacaro – people generally crowd around the bar or stands on the square or sidewalk chatting with each other while enjoying their finger foods and drinks.  However, if your feet are tired from a day of sightseeing, you can probably find a table to relax at.

Locals chatting with the bartender about football and local politics.

One of my commitments when I started Eat and Drink Like a European was to ensure that in addition to high-end fine dining, my guests would always get a chance to connect with the locals and eat the way they do every day.  I hope you can join me on a Bacari “crawl” on our next Very Best of Northern Italy Tour!

 

 

High season in Europe? What high season?

“When is the best time to travel in Europe?”  Great question!  I think the answer is “whenever you can!”

I am often asked about the merits of travelling in Europe during the so-called “shoulder” season as opposed to “high” season.  Shoulder season is often defined loosely as spring and autumn, and high season as summer.  The obvious benefit of summer travel is the likelihood of  good weather.  The apparent benefit of shoulder season is the likelihood of smaller crowds.  However, over the last decade, so many people have heeded the recommendation for shoulder season travel that the crowds have pretty much evened out, meaning that there isn’t really a “high” season anymore.  I don’t mean to say that you’re going to see the same amount of people in St. Mark’s Square in January as you will see in July – but really, from March to October you are never going to find yourself alone riding the elevator up the Eiffel Tower, viewing the crown jewels in the Tower of London, or wandering through the Sistine Chapel.  I still read this recommendation in travel articles and wonder if the author has ever been to Venice in March or Vienna in October!

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Early morning in St. Mark’s Square – crowd free!

So unless you want to brave the probability of poor weather in the winter for the sake of more elbow room at the Louvre, you are going to be travelling in Europe with lots of other people.  But if you plan well, you can avoid the pitfalls of the tourist season.  For example, it is good to know that many of the big box tour operators bring their huge busloads of tourists to the Palace of Versailles about an hour after it opens.  Arrive early and get in first (with a reservation of course) and you’ll have the first hour or so to enjoy the uncrowded rooms of Louis’ XIV’s pleasure palace with just a few other smart travelers.  Most of these big tour groups are gone by mid to late afternoon, so arrive later and you get the same experience.  Another crowd-beating tip is to understand that Venice is inundated with day-trippers from about 10 AM to 4 PM, most of whom are either coming in from mainland hotels that the big box tour companies use or from cruise ships in port for the day.  The key is to stay in Venice proper, and take advantage of the early morning / late afternoon and evening for visiting the most popular places that the day trippers will have on their checklists (St. Mark’s Basilica and Square, the Doge’s Palace, the Rialto), and take in some of the lesser visited gems midday (the sublime artistic masterpiece that is the Scuola Grande di San Rocco, the palace frozen in a long past golden age Ca’ Rezzonico, and many others).

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The Palace of Versailles, virtually empty in the late afternoon.

Travel in Europe when you want to, even mid-summer (which, after 10 years of guiding tours, is still my favourite time to be in Europe!)  With some research and planning, you won’t need to worry about lineups and crowds.

Have you got a travel tip of your own?  Feel free to share it in the comments section below.

OneLife Tours is dedicated to the absolute best in European travel experiences.  In addition to providing outstanding escorted tours for small groups, we also offer travel planning assistance for independent travelers wishing to have one-on-one expert advice.  Contact our chief tour director Craig Bresett for more information.

[author] [author_image timthumb=’on’]https://pbs.twimg.com/profile_images/506116251454697472/4blfsXiS.jpeg[/author_image] [author_info]This blog happily shared with you by Craig Bresett (without a crowd in sight) – owner and chief tour director at OneLife Tours. Contact Craig anytime: craig@onelifetours.ca[/author_info] [/author]

5 Great Water Experiences in Europe

Humans are drawn to water.  There is a universal appeal to the beauty of a waterfall, a small stream, a crystal clear lagoon.  Just look at house prices – the closer you are to a coastline or a lake, the more expensive the property.  When I share pictures from travels in Europe, I can prove statistically that the ones that have water in them, whether they be the Ligurian coastline of Italy’s Cinque Terre, the Grand Canal of Venice, the Seine River in Paris, or the waterfalls of Plitvice in Croatia, are by far the most popular (they get the most “likes” and “shares” on facebook). But it is not just aesthetics – our attraction to water goes much deeper than the “surface”.
Water sustains life, and makes up more than 50% of our own bodies by weight.  It is a powerful force that can bring positive energy (medieval watermills / modern hydro-electric dams) but also unstoppable devastation (tsunamis, floods).  And of course there is the mystery – another world exists in the water – one that humans can visit briefly, but never join.

Despite the danger and the unknown, we love to be near the water, on the water, over the water, and in the water.  Travelers routinely seek out any available water-themed experiences.  Here are a few you should try in Europe: 

#5 – Paris, France:

A cruise down the Seine River

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I prefer to do this in the evening, when Notre Dame, the Conciergerie, the Eiffel Tower and other riverside structures are beautifully lit up.  It’s a good way to relax for an hour or so after a day of sightseeing in Paris.  If you are staying in the Latin Quarter area, take the Vedettes du Pont Neuf  near Saint Chapelle.  If you are staying closer to the Eiffel Tower/Rue Cler area, take the Bateaux Parisiens.  You can also splurge and take one of the dinner cruises – reservations and proper attire required.  Join us in Paris for three nights on our Grand Tour!


#4 – Cinque Terre, Italy:

A swim in the Mediterranean – any time of year?

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I take tour groups to Europe in the summer, when you will see lots of people, locals and tourists,  populating the beautiful beaches on the coast of Italy.  I also take groups in March, when, on what a Canadian would call a nice warm day, the locals, in their full length winter coats and scarves, will watch in disbelief as a bunch of North American tourists hit the somewhat chilly waves.  Hey – you’re there – you might as well have the experience!  Both our Italian Experience and Grand Tour feature a two night stay in the Cinque Terre region.

#3 – Škocjan Caves, Slovenia:

Daring to walk high above the Reka River

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Disappearing underground in the Karst region of Slovenia, the mighty Reka River becomes visible only to those who venture into the Škocjan Caves.  In one of the largest underground canyons in the world (think Grand Canyon, but with a stone ceiling above you) tourists of old used to hug the walls and walk high above the river with only their torches for light.  Now with modern railings and lighting, the journey is a lot less dangerous, but still a thrill!  Note that you can only enter Škocjan with a guide – click the link for more information.  Part of our Best of the East tour.

#2 – Cesky Krumlov, Czech Republic:

Rafting down the Vlatava River

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Want to enter this beautiful baroque town in style?  Rent a raft up river, and float into town!  Locals and visitors alike love to cruise down the usually calm river in an assortment of rafts, canoes and kayaks, stopping at one of the many riverside pubs for lunch and a refreshing Czech pils beer.  The natural scenery is wonderful, but once you enter the town, which sits conveniently on an “s” curve in the river, it is glorious!  There are several raft rental agencies – I recommend the friendly people at Maleček Rafting & Canoe.  Our Best of the East and Ultimate Beer Tour both feature a rafting trip into Cesky Krumlov!

#1 – Venice, Italy:

A gondola ride through the canals of Venice

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Once a major form of transportation for locals, now a remnant of a bygone era, gliding down these lovely waterways can be a great joy.  Expensive – yes.  Romantic – depends who you’re with.  Best time to go – the evening.  Best place to hire a gondolier – debatable, but I wouldn’t hire one at the Rialto Bridge or St. Mark’s Square – the “back” canals are much preferable to the Grand Canal, which you can travel on in a local vaporetto (water-bus) for a lot less money.  Campo San Moise is a nice place to hire a gondola.  Join us in Venice on the Grand Tour or the Italian Experience Tour.

OneLife Tours is dedicated to the absolute best in European travel experiences for our small groups.  If you’re looking for travel with an adventurous spirit, we’re your company!

[author] [author_image timthumb=’on’]https://pbs.twimg.com/profile_images/506116251454697472/4blfsXiS.jpeg[/author_image] [author_info]This blog happily shared with you by Craig Bresett (just back from a swim) – owner and chief tour director at OneLife Tours. Contact Craig anytime: craig@onelifetours.ca[/author_info] [/author]