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A day trip to Lucca, Tuscany
As I mentioned in my previous post, I recently travelled to Tuscany. Although I had been to Florence several times before, I had never previously ventured out of the Tuscan capital. As well as Firenze (as it’s called in Italian), I also visited Siena, San Gimignano and Lucca. Also known as “Città d’arte” (City of Art), the latter is famous for its intact Renaissance-era city walls which encircle the old town. Nowadays, Lucca has a population of about 89,000 and is the 7th most populous city in Tuscany. How to get to Lucca Lucca is easy to reach from Florence by train. The journey takes about an hour and a…
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A day trip to San Gimignano, Tuscany
I recently travelled to Tuscany. Although I had been to Florence several times before, I had never previously ventured out of the Tuscan capital. This time, I also visited Siena, Lucca, and San Gimignano, as well as Firenze (as it’s called in Italian). The latter is a small walled medieval hill town in the province of Siena. In fact, it was during my stay in Siena that I visited San Gimignano. Famous for its medieval architecture and home to 8,000 residents, San Gimignano is a popular destination for many tourists, as well as a UNESCO World Heritage Site. I stayed there for about 4 hours before I returned to Siena.…
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5 festivals in London in the autumn
A few years ago, I shared my ‘10 tips to beat those post-holiday blues’. These tips included watching a film and listening to music among others. They did not, however, include going to a festival, which I now realise was a big omission. I’m currently on holiday in Greece, but I will soon return to London, where I live. Although I’d much rather continue my holidays, there are some things I’m really looking forward to – they will certainly help bear those post-holiday blues. One of these things is going to festivals. Although the British capital is home to a plethora of various kinds of festivals, these 5 festivals in…
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Where to eat and drink in the 6th arrondissement of Paris
Paris is the main host city of the 2024 Summer Olympics, from 24 July to 11 August 2024 in France. With an estimated two million residents, the City of Paris is divided into twenty administrative districts, referred to as arrondissements. Located on the southern bank of the river Seine (the Rive Gauche), the 6th arrondissement has a population of 40,000 and is often referred to as le sixième. Home to the atmospheric Saint-Germain-des-Prés Quartier and the Quartier Latin (partially), the 6th arrondissement is considered by Parisians and visitors alike to be the quintessential Paris neighbourhood. Also called Luxembourg, the 6th arrondissement is home to the exquisite Luxembourg Palace with its extensive royal gardens, as well as renowned educational institutions (such as the École…
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A 7-day itinerary in South Korea
A couple of months ago, I went on a week-long trip to South Korea. Since then, I have written several posts about Seoul, with a focus on places for book lovers, cafes, bars and restaurants. Today, however, I’m finally sharing my recommendations for a 7-day itinerary in South Korea. This itinerary is largely based on the one I followed, but has been optimised to help you make the most of your time in Seoul, Busan and Gyeongju. Day 1 – Seoul Having taken an afternoon flight from Paris to Seoul, I landed in South Korea the following morning. The flight was about 12 hours long and the time difference between…
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Where and what to eat and drink in Seoul
I Want to Die but I Want to Eat Tteokbokki is an easy-to-read memoir by Korean author Baek Se-hee. It is also the first Korean book I’ve read. Since I read it, tteokbokki, a popular and delicious Korean dish – chewy rice cakes cooked in a red, spicy broth, has become one of my favourite Korean dishes. When I recently visited Seoul, I stuffed myself not only with tteokbokki but also with many other Korean delicacies. Today, I’m sharing my recommendations for where and what to eat and drink in Seoul. Kyoja Myeongdong – noodle soup (kalguksu) Kyoja is a famous restaurant in Seoul’s Myeongdong neighbourhood. I went there on…
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10 patisserie cafes in Seoul
Before I visited South Korea, my Instagram had been inundated with posts and reels about must-visit cafes in Seoul and Busan. So, I made a list and worked my way through it. Even though I stayed in Seoul for less than a week, I managed to visit most of the cafes on my list. Today, I’m sharing my recommendations on my favourite (and less favourite) patisserie cafes in Seoul. Cheongsudang Bakery This is the first café I visited, soon after I arrived in Seoul. It is located in the Ikseon-dong Hanok Village, very close to where I stayed. As well as a café, it is also a patisserie specialising in…
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6 places in Seoul for book lovers
Having previously read quite a few books by Korean authors, I recently visited South Korea. Although I spent most of my time in Seoul, I also visited Busan and Yeongju. As expected, over the next couple of months, I’m going to publish quite a few posts about my trip, with tips and recommendations. Today, I’m kicking off this stream of posts recommending places in Seoul for book lovers. Starfield Library The first place in Seoul for book lovers should be the very Instagrammable Starfield Library. It is located in Southern Seoul, inside the COEX Mall, one of the city’s premier malls and the world’s largest underground mall. The two-story library has 13-meter-tall bookshelves and is home to…
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6 books by 5 Korean female authors
I recently returned from a week-long trip to Seoul. Although I had previously been on ‘a cinematic journey to South Korea’, this was actually the first time I set foot in the country. It’s been 4 years since ‘Parasite’, directed by Bong Joon-ho, won the Academy Awards for Best Picture, Best Director, and Best Original Screenplay. This was a historical moment: ‘Parasite’ was the first South Korean film to have been nominated in these categories, as well as the first non-English language film to win the Academy Award for Best Picture. Since then, I have watched many more films from South Korea, listened to Korean music (not only K-pop) and…
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8 places to eat and drink in Hanoi and Vientiane
When I visited the countries formerly known as French Indochina last year, I almost neglected their capitals. Even though I started my trip in Hanoi, the Vietnamese capital, I mostly used it as a departing point for a 2-day trip to Halong Bay and a day trip to Ninh Bình, rather than a destination in its own right. As such, even though I stayed in Hanoi for a total of 3 nights, I did not explore it as much as I would’ve liked. Similarly, when I visited Laos, I stayed in the country for a total of 6 nights. Of those, 3 were in Luang Prabang, 2 in Vang Vieng,…