Tag Archives: Europe
The Benefits of Seeing Europe By Car
Renting a car and taking off across a foreign land can be daunting even to the most seasoned of travelers.But, there are a number of big advantages to renting a car to visit Europe as opposed to other modes of travel. Driving is often the best way to see some of Europe’s most famous sites. How else could we have traced the route of the Monaco Gran Prix, or motored over magnificent mountain passes in The Swiss… CONTINUE READING >>
A Drive Through the Swiss Alps
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Massive San Bernardino tunnel, huge scenic Alps, dairy cows & waterfalls! For more on our drive through the Swiss Alps, including a stop in the tiny, wealthy country of Liechtenstein: CLICK HERE >>
A Bloodcurdling Buffet – 12 Frightful Foods of the World
How about a terrifying tour of the globe just in time for Halloween?
We’ve consumed these dozen frightening foods from around the world… so you don’t have to… CONTINUE READING >>
Gaudí or Gaudy? You Decide.
Picasso had very harsh words about his style. George Orwell wrote that Gaudí’s work was “hideous” and that he wished that revolutionaries would have bombed one of his buildings.But Barcelona, quite frankly, would not be the city that it is today had it not been for Antoni Gaudí and his… CONTINUE READING >>
The Fantastical Park Güell
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You’ve never seen a park quite like this (we promise)! We came around a bend and felt like Dorothy and friends when they first spotted Oz… CONTINUE READING >>
Going Goth in Barcelona
Join your GypsyNesters as we explore the Gothic Quarter of Barcelona!From the Human Statues of La Rambla to the deep dark interior of the Quarter to the sea, we find everything the Barri Gòtic has to offer. Music, ruins, street performers and protesters…this place has it all! CONTINUE READING >>
Exploring the Gothic Quarter of Barcelona
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Take a little walk through the beautiful Barri Gòtic! The music, art, architecture, romance and… CONTINUE READING >>
Amazing Human Statues of La Rambla in Barcelona
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We LOVE street performers, and these guys (and gals) go over the top! Check out a balancing act you won’t believe (we never did figure out how he did it!), a beautiful blue woman with… CONTINUE READING >>
Our Ode to Spanish Food – Tapas & More!
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The GypsyNesters eat as many tapas they can get their mitts… CONTINUE READING >>
A Church Like No Other, Sagrada Familia
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Our first impression was definitely dominated by the enormous scale of the building, but on closer inspection, it’s the details that make this structure even more… CONTINUE READING >>
Barcelona’s Breathtaking (and Seuss-like) Basilica
Barcelona has many treasures, but one stood out to us above all the others, literally and figuratively, Sagrada Família.
The massive church is without a doubt the pinnacle of architect and designer Antoni Gaudí’s incredible career. And we do mean pinnacle. Huge spires rise into the sky over fifty stories high – and it’s not even finished yet… CONTINUE READING >>
A Church with a Forest Inside
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The style of Sagrada Familia in Barcelona is so fanciful that we felt like we had stepped into a Dr. Seuss… CONTINUE READING >>
The Quirky Cathedral San Lorenzo
We have an affinity for quirky architecture. The Cathedral San Lorenzo is as quirky as it gets.The facade, with the black and white layered stripes of marble and slate is typical of Genoa (or Genova to the Italians), was finished in 1312.
AND a bomb is housed… CONTINUE READING >>
Italy’s Largest Little-Known City
When we hear the name Genoa it harkens thoughts of dry salami. That’s soooo not what this city is all about.Our latest Italian adventure would open our eyes to an often overlooked region of Il Bel Paese (The Beautiful Country) — the Italian Riviera along the Ligurian Sea… CONTINUE READING >>
Rockin’ Out in Castelletto d’Orba, Italy
We’re pretty sure that rock & roll concerts on the steps of a cathedral housing the relics of a martyred saint is a uniquely Italian experience. With the exception of a few old ladies exiting Mass, and us, everyone seemed to think it was… CONTINUE READING >>Festival Day in Small Town Italy!
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We came to Castelletto d’Orba for Rassegna Dei Vini e Dei Sapori Dell’Alto Monferrato, which is the “Review of wines and… CONTINUE READING >>
Driving in Italy, A GypsyNester Guide
We must admit, we were certainly apprehensive the first time we took off across Italy in a rented vehicle. So we decided to offer a few GypsyNester tips that might quell some of the anxiety.Many of the trans-European rules… CONTINUE READING >>
Italian “Truck Stops”
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Most anything needed along the Autostrada, including a really good meal, can be found at many of the service areas, or area servizio. All of these stops have… CONTINUE READING >>
Rollin’ Rollin’ Rollin’ on the Riviera
The Riviera is synonymous with playground for the rich and famous.
First royalty, then artsy types like Picasso, Matisse, Aldous Huxley arrived, and nowadays Elton John, Bono, Johnny Depp, Brad Pitt and Angelina Jolie have all bought homes and frequent the seaside resorts. Of course two road weary GypsyNesters in a tiny rented economy car felt… CONTINUE READING >>
Genoa’s Ancient City in Pictures
It’s a beautiful thing to be entranced. When I was a child I would watch my father, an award-winning photographer, practically leave the planet when he found a subject that captured his interest. It wasn’t until I found myself wandering alone within the ancient walls of the old city in Genoa, Italy did I fully understand.It was as if… CONTINUE READING >>
A Boat Ride in Monaco
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Riding through Port Hercule in Monaco, the richest country in the world! Check out the megayachts! Just below the casino … CONTINUE READING >>
Bouillabaisse Hit
Our “low to the ground” style of traveling enables us to uncover unique regional fare. Right near the top of our list would have to be the bouillabaisse on the French Riviera.While the city of Marseille traditionally lays claim to being the birthplace of bouillabaisse, the fact is that fishermen all along this rocky coast invented the soup as a way… CONTINUE READING >>
Bouillabaise in France! It’s an event!
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Unbelievable deliciousness! Veronica accidentally (?) eats an eyeball (?)! While the city of Marseille traditionally lays claim to being the birthplace of … CONTINUE READING >>
Monaco Pit Stop
Monaco. The richest country in the world – and the second smallest. Home of the Grand Prix and megayachts. So what could we possibly afford to do there?
Well, first off, we drove the route… CONTINUE READING >>
Monaco Grand Prix, Tracing the Route!
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The GypsyNesters drive the route of the Grand Prix! Hold on to your scooters! Truth is… CONTINUE READING >>
Mounting the Alps
To make our way south to Italy, we would have to pull a Hannabal and cross The Alps. Fresh out of war elephants, we would be using our little rented Citroën we called Benny. Our route would take us through the smallest German-speaking country in the world, Liechtenstein, and then… CONTINUE READING >>
