Il Palazzetto

This island of serenity and elegance lies in the heart of the Roman tourist beast, only a few short metres from the Spanish Steps. In fact, the view from the terrace of Il Palazzetto onto the 18th-century landmark is absurdly perfect. The private spaces at this boutique hotel in Rome are quiet and airy, lulling the world away. Kingsize beds are swathed in voluptuous yet unisex fabrics, and the marble bathrooms, which seem demure, are, upon inspection, quite naughty.

Room rates
€275–€396, including Continental breakfast and tax.

Masseria Cimino
A cluster of whitewashed farm buildings set around a kitchen garden and surrounded by ancient olive groves, Masseria Cimino is an archetypal Pugliese rustic hideaway with a fresh, dreamlike sheen. Ornamented with artfully rusted farm tools, dried plants and flowers, and jars of preserves, it’s a modern-day take on a classic farm stay – with food just like nonna used to make.

Room rates
Low season, €220–€390; mid-season, €300–€510; high season, €340–€590, including dinner, buffet breakfast and tax.

Alexandria abides in many places to visit and beautiful beaches to walk on their sand, but I’m sure that Bibliotheca Alexandrina is the first thing that gets in your mind when I first mention Alexandria. Bibliotheca Alexandrina was reopened in 2002 in a brand new catchy design and in a big festival that fits the great event.

Taking a look at the new Bibliotheca Alexandrina we’ll see that it contains:

The main Library that hold millions and millions of books and divided into many sections like rare books and special collections, arts and literature, history , internet archive, multimedia and audio- visual materials, daily newspapers and magazines, and many more. There are also Permanent Museums about impressions of Alexandria, Arabic Calligraphy, the history of printing, etc. Of course we can’t forget the books and gifts shop if you want to get a special souvenir mixed with some culture and art.

Outside we will find the Conference Center that also has temporary art galleries held there. The amazing Planetarium where you can see shows about outer space and feel like you’re really not on earth. For children we have the Exploratorium to refresh their knowledge of science. Moving to my favorite spot the Cluturama, a culture panorama with 9 screens that gets you inside the history of Egypt over 5000 years if not more .

All of that and more interesting stuff will be waiting for you once you get into the library. So why don’t you pack your stuff and give it a visit?! It worth going to.

Little Bay calls itself a bistro, which fits well with the cosy tavern-like setting. The décor is faux royal – gold painted banisters and ornate picture frames are ubiquitous. But there is no pretension. Red dripping candles in wine bottles adorn every table and copies of centuries’ old masterpieces have been lacquered on to the tabletops.

The layout of the restaurant is very unique. There are semi-hidden tables, some which are suspended in the air with their own staircase. You can find very intimate seating and romantic coves, but also open wooden booths. There are two other larger rooms attached next door so the restaurant can accommodate large groups.

While the atmosphere is great – the place was packed on a Thursday night – the food is even better. Or perhaps the price of the food is. If you dine before 7pm a two-course meal only sets you back a measly £7.50. Dishes range from pan-fried fillet of salmon with crashed new potatoes and avocado coriander salsa to char-grilled lamb steak with honey-glazed vegetables and green peppercorn sauce. There are plenty of vegetarian options too.

There are four Little Bay restaurants in London. Check out their website for more information.

By Phoebe Ferris-Rotman from SpottedByLocals.com/london
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La Villa

Set amid rolling hills this boutique hotel in Piedmont is surrounded by spectacular scenery and some of the finest restaurants in Italy. La Villa is the ideal country hideaway; each room in the 17th-century building has been decorated with impeccable taste blending historic features with the modern essentials of flatscreen TVs and hi-fi wizardry.

Room rates
€165–€215, including breakfast

The Cinque Terre – an area famed for the beauty of its coastline, its five picturesque villages (Monterosso, Vernazza, Corniglia, Manarola and Riomaggiore) and its famous ancient footpaths. Before the railway has been constructed, these foothpaths were the towns’ only link to the outside world.

This coastal region is one of the most amazing locations I have ever experienced with its spectacular terraced hills and sparkling blue seas.

There are different ways to experience Cinque Terre: begin by enjoying a cooling swim in the beautiful blue water, preferably in Monterosso which is the best Cinque Terre town for swimming. There is a sandy beach where it is free to swim and sunbath. If you like hiking or walking, Cinque Terre is a Hikers Paradise! You can hike from town to town, the five villages are all linked together by a series of hiking trails, a bit hard and exhausting but it is worth to do it.

Not a hiker? Don’t worry, you can still enjoy the beautiful views of the Cinque Terre: just jump on the ferry that takes you on an unforgettable sightseeing tour through Monterosso, Vernazza, Manarola and Riomaggiore. You will admire this famous coastal path of the five seaside villages that make up the ‘Cinque Terre’: the olive trees, vineyards and the colorfully painted villas offer a breathtaking panorama of the coast.

The train is the easiest way to get to the Cinque Terre (just be aware that the trains in Italy have got also their delays, especially in summertime). From Milan, the train takes you directly to Monterosso within four hours. Monterosso is the first stop of the Cinque Terre.

If you are in Genova, just take the express directly to La Spezia to your Cinque Terra destination. This train takes an hour and a half. From La Spezia, take the local trains (’Regionale’) toward Sestre Levante, stopping at your destination. Riomaggiore is the first stop after La Spezia.

Having said that, this is one of the most delightful areas I have ever been to and I can fully appreciate why this region has been listed as a World Heritage Site.

Photo “Vernazza, Cinque Terre” from Photolupi on Flickr

As a frequent visitor to New York City, I’ve become a fan of the cupcake-only shops that have sprung up and risen to fame through movies such as Sex and the City. Perhaps because it’s a throwback to my childhood, there’s a certain nostalgic comfort in these super sweet and colorful treats.

A disclaimer – nothing beats the bakeries and pastry shops in Paris for unique and delicious sweet treats on the go, but if you’ve got a cupcake craving that won’t quit, you’ll be pleased to know that cupcake shops have begun to pop up in Paris!

Berko, a shop on the outskirts of the Marais, is one such example of the new Parisian cupcake craze. A modern, sleek shop, Berko offers a huge variety of cupcakes for sale individually to eat on your walk or by the dozen for parties.

As you can see, the glass display case shows the mouth-watering choices and at less than three euros per cupcake, you can try more than one to find your favorite! The moist, chocolatey oreo cupcake is my go-to cupcake but I can’t wait to try a few more.

If you’re looking for an alternate to the typical pastry shop, stop by Berko for a sweet treat on your walk in the Marais.

By kathryn Frengs from SpottedByLocals.com/paris
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Bulgari Hotel

The interior of this Milanese fashion hotel is a chocolate box of browns, blacks and whites, with an expensive, soft-minimal feel. You’ll never see a loose end or a scuff mark. The hotel has a slightly masculine appeal: it would make the ideal seduction scene for the sort of young man who gets GQ for the girls and the gear, andThe Economist for the gossip.

Room rates

€650–€4,400, plus ten per cent VAT.

There’s one thing besides your identification you should never leave home. It’s your electronic ticket number.

Electronic or e-tickets as they are called, are getting to be standard. Most U.S and European carriers won’t issue paper tickets anymore, and if they do, they generally charge extra. And IATA – the International Air Transport Association – is close to their goal of 100 percent e-tickets. Even skeptical travelers have become used to the concept and are relaxing about not having paper in hand.

But don’t get too relaxed. Especially if your itinerary includes more than one airline.

I just got another call from a client at the airport. And it happens at least once a month, sometimes once a week.. She flew out on Northwest to Boston via Minneapolis, and was flying home on United. The gate agent told her “You don’t have a ticket,” and wanted her to buy a new one.

Fortunately, this client called me, and I gave her the ticket number. I could hear in the background “Oh, there it is.” And she got her boarding pass.

Had I or another agent not been available, we would have had to hash it out with United and/or Northwest’s refund department.

Most e-tickets work smoothly. But if you are in the minority when they don’t, it’s no fun. I missed a plane myself earlier this year because a Delta agent couldn’t pull up a United electronic ticket on a close connection in time for the flight.

Besides having more than one airline on the ticket, other factors that increase the chances of a problem include having changed your ticket, having made a reservation that was canceled at any time before you bought your ticket and having had any schedule changes on the ticket.

If the fare allows, ticketing each airline separately helps with check-in, though this may expose you to secondary screening because the airline will show it as one way tickets. But having that ticket number in hand, whether as a receipt or a printout, will definitely increase your chances of solving any problem.

And the trip you save may be your own.

photo by matt.hintsa on flickr

People say these are bad times for the music (in Spanish: “Corren malos tiempos para la música”). So it could be quite hard to find a good pianist… Well, in Toni 2… they have three!!!!!
Toni 2 is not a karaoke; the people that go here to singare actually incredible artists!!

Located in the heart of the city, close to the National Library, between calle Barquillo and Paseo de Recoletos, Toni 2 was originally a different business, but the owner introduced a piano and now it is the reference of the place.

I could say that Toni 2 and just a few other, like Café Gijón and El Espejo, are the only emblematic venues for a different night out in Madrid.

It is a very special place, a symbol of spontaneity because everybody is sitting around the large piano and there are turns for everybody to take the microphone and sing. It is surprising how you can see people from different ages with the same passion.

It’s open from midnight till six in the morning, every day of the year. So here you will listen to traditional Spanish or international songs that you can ask the pianist to play.
A totally different concept for a piano bar. A real discovery!

By Teresa Juan López from SpottedByLocals.com/madrid
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