In the past I’ve always stayed in or near the old town (Grad). The walled old city is so spectacularly beautiful that to wake up in the morning and look out the window at all that history is magical. I’ve stayed at the Hilton, which has a great location and lovely old building; at the Excelsior which has waterfront and great views of the sun setting over the old town; and in a private apartment inside the walls with a terrace where we could hear the conversation of people walking the walls.

Dubrovnik - follow your bliss

These private apartments are easy to find as many savvy residents leave town for the summer and earn some money from rentals while escaping the crowds.

Far from the maddening (ice cream) crowd

But there are downsides to being this close to the old town: crowds, heat and expense. Especially in summer. In July and August, fighting your way down the main street, Stradun, through meandering ice-cream licking tourists – many of them there for a day off cruise ships and not even sure what country they are in – while the sun bounces fiercely off the white marble that is everywhere (buildings, pavings) and waiters try to entice you to sit and drink the most expensive coffee in Croatia, can be a little tiring.

Radisson Blu

So this time I got out of town, to a village called Orasac and the new Radisson Blu hotel. Many Dubrovnik hotels are a bit away from the old town, a lot on the Lapad Peninsula. But I figure if you’re going to be out of town, head not for the suburbs of Dubrovnik but for one of the villages. You’re still close enough to make regular easy trips into the city, but far enough to be insulated from the madness.

The bonus is a beach on your doorstep, and in the heat and humidity of Croatian summer, regular dips in the Adriatic become your favourite thing.

Orasac

Orasac sits on a little bay and the hotel, Dubrovnik Sun Gardens, is beside the beach with the village perched on the hill behind. I walked up the many, many steps to the village one day to have coffee with people I met on the beach and trust me, this terrain is steep! Do not make the climb at midday as I did – madness.

Unfortunately, I didn’t have time to visit one of Orasac’s main attractions: an old-fashioned olive oil press still horse-driven! Apparently, they also make great homemade cheeses and prsut – the local ham. But, I’m a vegetarian anyway – luckily I eat fish though because ham and seafood are specialties of the region.

Eating at Gverovic Orsan

Staggering back down the hill, I fell into the sea. I’ve never actually stayed at this type of resort before - an upmarket mixture of hotel and residence apartments with a street of shops, restaurants, a spa, pools with bars, the beach – for a whole week I could happily have not left, not seen a car, not had to think. Just gazed at the view of the beautiful Elafati Islands from my balcony.

Perhaps hopped on a boat out to the island of Lopud and the beach of Sunj (pronounced Shoon) which I’m told is one of the most beautiful in Croatia, with shallow water out for a long way making it a total kids’ paradise and a couple of simple beach cafes making it a parental godsend.

But I did leave. One night a Croatian friend took me to Gverovic Orsan, a great little restaurant in the next town, Mali Zaton. Right on the water, they cook fish: fresh fish, only fish. No menu, just what was caught that day. A few tables line the water in front of what used to be the owner’s grandfather’s fishing hut. For the last two generations it’s been a restaurant. And so friendly; the owner sat with us for a while chatting. A group of men paddled in from their yacht and sat at the next table. A family brought their dog to sit at their feet while they ate.

Exploring Dubrovnik’s old town

The next day I caught the shuttle boat into Dubrovnik old town. Approaching by sea gave way to flights of fantasy about being a Venetian sailor in centuries gone by. These walls have stood and looked just like this literally for centuries! With red roofs peeping over the top, the old fort to one side (now used for theatre: Hamlet this summer I believe) and the bare hills rearing up behind for a majestic backdrop.

As well as my moment of fantasy time-travel, the advantage of arriving by boat was avoiding the summer traffic which can get pretty jammed in the narrow streets, and arriving on a dock right next to a gate in the walls – a few steps and I was in the thick of the meshing of history and modern life. These days the city has pretty well turned itself over to cafes, souvenir shops and boutiques, but there is still a supermarket and a great bookshop Algoritam with a good English-language section so I haunted these two in my hunt for things to take back to my beach retreat.

Opening of the Dubrovnik festival

The other visit I made to the old town was for the opening of the Dubrovnik Summer Festival, which brings jazz, theatre, music to about 70 venues all around the city every year (in 2010 the festival runs July 10 – August 25). I was lucky enough to be with someone who had tickets to the actual opening ceremony and performance.

We squeezed into the area in front of the gorgeous St Blaise’s Church and listened to the Zagreb Philharmonic Orchestra and German soprano Nadja Michael, watched a performance by the local folklore ensemble Lindjo, and then watched the raising of the Libertas festival flag while the choir of the Croatian National Theatre sang the local hymn of Dubrovnik. Totally fabulous – to hear such music in that historic place was amazing.

Then we all walked through the town – following closely the President of Croatia and his bodyguards – and up to the local museum where we stood on a roof terrace eating local seafood while being mesmerised by fireworks. The whole town had turned out to watch and there were people everywhere. Every corner you turned in the old city brought you to another square full of chair and tables, jazz bands, pop concerts, fashionistas in from their yachts to sip cocktails.

What to do when it rains? Go to the spa

The next morning I woke to hear booms outside my window and in my half sleep I thought I was still at the festival opening – but where was my cocktail dress? Luckily only a dream and a thunderstorm, mind you a pretty spectacular one, probably because the sound and fury bounces off the steep mountains that back the Croatian coast.

Anyway, the heavy grey clouds meant I couldn’t follow my usual day plan of breakfast, beach, swim, reading on a sun lounger, swim, lunch, lounging under an umbrella, swim, coffee – well, you get the idea. But what to do under a cloudy sky? Then the beacon lit up in the gloom: the spa.

Now my biggest decision was hot rocks massage or private bath. I went for the bath and felt like a total princess soaking in an aromatic oil and water filled tub in the middle of a white room with a window to a courtyard. The whole fantasy was only enhanced by the fact that the spa building is surrounded by a moat, with chairs and couches to lounge on, post-treatment, and stare at the sea and the islands. It’s a wonder they ever got me out of the place.

Realising that too much idle bliss can be too much of a good thing (can that be true, really?), one day I took myself off for a (long) day tour of Montenegro, south along the Adriatic. Exhausting but totally worthwhile. Montenegro is a country just finding itself after a century of upheaval. In the last hundred years, it’s gone from Kingdom – King Nikolas was exiled to France at the end of WWI – to part of communist Yugoslavia, to war-torn in the 1990s, to independent once more in 2006.

Now it feels a bit like a teenager - a little rebellious and wanting attention. With all that beauty, it’s going to get attention. Mountains, fjord, history, beaches – it’s got a lot to offer and tourists are discovering this in the thousands. Especially the well-heeled Russians. Budva, the main tourist resort town, felt a little like the St Tropez of the east. I was glad I went but I was mighty happy to get to my own little peaceful paradise on the other side of the border.

Back in Orasac, I fell into the sea, floating on the extra salt that makes the Adriatic so relaxing. I thought about my flight home. I looked at the islands some more. Thought about home. Half an hour later I had changed my flight to two days later. Really! That’s how addictive this place is. And surely life is about following your bliss, right?

-Philippa Burne

Planning a trip? Browse Viator’s Dubrovnik tours and Croatia tours & sightseeing tours.

It’s an old W-class tram, painted burgundy (not the traditional green) and festooned with lights around the door, like the mirror of a faded star. It glides to a stop in front of us.

Remembrance of trams past

Let me tell you right now that I am a born and bred Melbourne girl. I grew up with trams. I caught a clanky, jerking W-class tram to and from school everyday. And along with a lot of others, I’ve watched sadly as Melbourne experiments with different shapes and sizes of more modern, smoother, big trams. The boxy shape of the W-class is the one in photos, on keyrings and T-shirts. It’s beloved of locals and tourists alike. No smooth, heated, modern ride can take its place in our hearts.

Melbourne's restaurant trams about to pick us up for dinner

And don’t even get me started on the days when trams had conductors; I might cry a gentle tear in memory of the guy we called Frenchie: balding, grinning, accented (almost certainly not French but we were kids). He could twirl his hat around two fingers and always had a joke for the hoards of school kids besieging his tram. Then there was the conductor who overheard a gang of boys telling a racist joke: she pulled the emergency cord, delivered a lecture, and threw them out onto the street. Those were the days.

For a while, there was even a Painted Trams programme when prominent local artists decorated trams top to bottom. Moving art on the streets. Fabulous. Only in Melbourne would people say: ‘I caught the Jon Cattapan to work this morning.’ Or: ‘I crashed my car into the Mirka Mora – wrote it off but Mirka’s painting hardly had a scratch.’

Food on a tram? Quel moderne

But trams were never a place to eat. A chocolate bar perhaps. Cola and a meat pie on the way home from the football maybe. But sirloin steak? Wine? Unheard of. Until 1983 when the first Tramcar Restaurant hit the rails.

Now there are three trams with kitchens trundling around Melbourne, three times a day: lunch; early dinner (pre-theatre), and a later, longer dinner. Visitors to Melbourne flock to it – see the sights while having a meal and a glass of champagne? Genius. It’s taking the locals a little longer to catch on.

In Melbourne to visit my family, I had to work hard to persuade my sisters to consider the idea. My friends flatly refused: it’s just not the done thing as a city resident; trams are for getting from A to B, not ridden for pleasure but only out of necessity. Big mistake.

Finally, with sisters in tow…

My sisters and I huddled in our coats on windy Tramstop #125 as two restaurant trams came into view. The maitre d’ helped us board: the step up is quite steep (it’s even harder stepping down full of food and wine, trust me), showed us to our table and poured the champagne.

The interior is rich and gold. Little lamps, tasselled curtains, white table clothes and shiny silverware; a far cry from the trip to school.

Inside the tram restaurant, looking out over the Yarra River

But the thing that made us happiest was the couple seated across the aisle from our table of four. We’d noticed them at the stop: he was perfect in his suit, she had on a flippy little cocktail dress in white. Immediately we decided tonight was the night: he was going to propose. And now we were seated in prime position to hear her answer. We sipped our champagne and prepared for the romance to unfold.

We were doing the early sitting of dinner so the menu was three courses: bread and dips appetisers, steak or chicken main, white chocolate and passionfruit mousse or sticky date pudding dessert. Not hugely adventurous but they’re cooking on a tram so that’s forgiven. (The later dinner is five courses, lunch is four.)

Smooth as silk, tram-jam free

Having learnt early in life how to stand without falling over as a W-class tram bucked and braked, we were all stunned by how smooth the ride was. I know they have equipped the trams with extra suspension but they’ve also apparently recruited the most talented drivers. In fact a friend of mine confessed that when she was driving trams, she applied several times to drive the restaurant and was deemed ‘not smooth enough’.

Inside the tram restaurant

The other strong memory of standard tram travel is tram jams – getting stuck in a line of trams caught by peak hour traffic or a car turning right. The restaurant tram is carefully routed so it avoids the worst snarls, travelling mainly down roads with a designated tram lane, and seems to have been timetabled to not have to stop constantly behind the normal commuter vehicles. I have almost no memory of us stopping – except for traffic lights, or to turn around. And we departed and arrived on the minute scheduled – now, why can’t they run the whole public transport system this well?

Our route began by heading past the Casino across the Yarra River to the edge of the city. As day faded into evening, we saw the city lights twinkle, bridges and boats. Then we turned around and headed through one of Melbourne’s oldest suburbs, South Melbourne, with its grand old Victorian terrace houses and a pub on every corner.

Turning around is one of the tricks of the tram restaurant. Melbourne trams can be driven from either end. While trams around Europe swing around a huge looping track to go back the other way, their driver staying put in his chair, Melbourne trams stop in the middle of the road, the driver leaps out carrying his driving handle, runs the length of the tram, hops in the cabin at the other end, and starts driving back the way they came. What this means for diners on the restaurant tram is that it doesn’t matter which side of the table you sit – half the time you’re facing forward, and half the time you’re looking at where you’ve just been.

The food? Mostly delicious

The pate and dip for appetisers were delicious, and the champagne slipped down very well as we sat warmly behind one-way glass watching the less cosseted struggle home in the wind. Our orders were taken and the main course arrived quickly. Clearly most of the food is pre-prepared and just heated for serving on the tram. I had a vegetarian meal which was alright but nothing special, my sister-in-law had chicken which she said was a little tough, but both my sisters had steak and said it was absolutely delicious. The menu is limited and I think the trick is to choose what needs to be cooked on the spot, like steak. They were also really impressed by the local wines included in the price.

By now we were heading through St Kilda, Melbourne’s historic and quirky seaside suburb. It was dark and lights twinkled on the water of Port Phillip Bay while closer at hand people hurried to restaurants and cake shops in famous Acland Street. We stopped, the driver ran past the window, and we headed back, past theatres, and the laughing mouth of Luna Park, towards the city.

Dessert came quickly – the first dinner sitting runs to a fairly tight schedule – and the sticky date pudding was delicious. Perfect for a stormy night. My sister said the chocolate mousse could have been better. Then coffee and tea – urn not espresso machine - and yummy chocolates and liqueurs, also included in the price. They even had my favourite: Frangelico. Very happy.

Back home and pleasantly surprised

When the meal was finished, the waiter came and gave us each a flower to take home – a nice touch. Except it was a carnation: Australia has great native flowers and one of those might have been more interesting. Although, Australian flora can be a little too interesting: big, spiky, spooky. I can sort of see why they chose the carnations.

Off the tram and back on Tramstop #125, we looked at each other in surprise. It was like we’d been transported to a different world. On the tram, we’d been warm, eaten well, drunk richly, watched the world go by; now we were back in it. I could have stayed on the tram another few hours. Perhaps even remained for breakfast.

And as to the couple opposite… Well, just before dessert came, he pulled out a small wrapped box and gave it to her. She blushed and he waited. She opened it. Kissed him. We got ready to congratulate. Until we saw that it was earrings. And that she was already wearing a wedding ring. And so, thankfully, was he.

Only a birthday then. Oh well. But hey, I still got to drink champagne on a tram: never did that going to school!

-Philippa Burne

Planning a trip? Browse Viator’s Melbourne tours & things to do in Melbourne, including the Colonial Tram Restaurant. You can also read reviews of the Melbourne tram restaurant and browse photos of the Melbourne tram restaurant over on the Viator site.

Oktoberfest may be the world’s largest party. Organizers estimate more than 6 million liters of beer will be consumed (drink, drank and - hiccup - certainly drunk) at this year’s Oktoberfest in Munich, which runs September 19 - October 4. It’s time to roll out the barrels, we’ll have a barrel of fun…

While entry is free to the Oktoberfest beer tents, you won’t be served beer unless you’re sitting down. And  seats in the beer tents require advance reservations. As in - you shoulda reserved 6 months ago because most seats are sold out by now.

Don’t panic - we said most are sold out, not all. If you’re stuck for a ticket to the world’s biggest beer festival, Radius Tours has limited tickets left – so hurry as they are selling fast! Call them in Germany at +49 - 89 - 5502 9374 to secure your reserved seat in the legendary Hofbrauhaus beer tent! Tell ‘em Viator sent you.

Win 2 free tickets to Oktoberfest!

If you love beer, Viator and Radius Tours are your new best friends. That’s because we’re giving away 2 free tickets to Oktoberfest’s closing ceremonies on October 4 in Munich. What’s the catch? There isn’t one! All you need to do is answer the following question in 10 words or less:

Why should we give YOU two free tickets to Oktoberfest?

Post your answer as a comment, below. And remember your answer must be 10 words or less. Eleven words is one too many, keep your replies to 10 words or less. You can enter our contest as ofter as you like. We’ll pick a winner by September 25.

Win 2 free tickets to Oktoberfest!

So what do you win? The 2 tickets include a guided tour of the grounds, telling you all you need to know about the world’s greatest beer festival; a ride on the famous Oktoberfest Ferris wheel; seats at a private reserved table – guaranteed places for up to five hours in the Hofbrau Tent (Oktoberfest’s sister to the legendary Hofbrauhaus and the biggest and most popular tent at Oktoberfest); your first 2 litres of beer; and half a roast chicken!

Not to get all legal on you, but here’s some additional fine print: It’s your responsibility to get yourself to Munich. We’re simply providing 2 free tickets to the Oktoberfest closing ceremonies on October 4, 2009. Any hotel, train, plane, or other expenses are solely your responsibility.

Good luck in the contest. Happy travels and enjoy the beer!

-Viator Travel Team

-Allan Ginsberg

With his first public reading of Howl on Fillmore Street in 1955, Allen Ginsberg brought the Beat Generation to life. He, Jack Kerouac, Neal Cassidy, Gary Snyder, and Lawrence Ferlinghetti left a mighty mark on The City By The Bay. And while the neighborhoods and temperament of San Francisco have changed in many ways, that rebellious, creative, do-it-yourself spirit is still very much alive.

Murals on the Womens Building, SF Mission District

Jack Kerouac Alley and Ferlinghetti’s venerable City Lights Bookstore are in North Beach, but to find the “angelheaded hipsters” of today’s San Francisco, you’ll have to look elsewhere.

Meet me in ‘The Mish’

A modern hipster’s weekend is mainly spent in one of the City’s sunniest and most colorful neighborhoods - The Mission District, named after the Spanish Mission San Francisco de Asis or Mission Dolores, the oldest surviving structure in San Francisco. But it’s Dolores Park, a few blocks away, that’s the heart of the hipster scene. It’s a perfect place to relax after a day of shopping, eating, and drinking your way through the rest of this diverse and lively area.

The bike - hipster vehicle of choice

But first things first—where to stay? If, in true hipster fashion, you’re on a tight budget and planning to spend most of your cash and time on the town, try Elements Hotel (you’ll have easy access to the only roof-deck bar in the City) or Hotel Tropicana. Both straddle the line between hotel and hostel but are actually IN the Mission, while most lodging is downtown.

As music is a key element to the culture, the Phoenix, known as the Rock ‘n’ Roll Hotel, is a perfect choice. An oasis in the gritty Tenderloin, The Phoenix is centrally located, boasts a rare pool, the swanky Bambuddha Lounge, and an appropriately cool celebrity guest list including hipster bands Bloc Party, The Killers, and The Shins.

Go by foot, or bike if you’re brave

Brenda’s French Soul Food around the corner is a cute little place to fuel up. Arrive early for a beignet and sweet tea or chicory coffee, then walk through Civic Center Plaza. Turn right on Grove to see the Opera House and Symphony Hall before continuing down Van Ness where you’ll turn right onto Market.

Head towards Flax Art and Design—a craft supply Mecca for the DIY culture that’s central to the hipster scene. Notice the stunning graffiti wall on the way, and once in the Mission watch for Clarion Alley, canvas to many of the city’s most infamous street artists. When you’ve had your fill of Flax, continue down market taking a left on Valencia.

Murals in Clarion Alley, SF

A block or so down you’ll find Zeitgeist, which means it’s time for a beer break. On sunny days the huge back yard gets crowded, but don’t be shy. If you’re lucky, The Tamale Lady will show up with her cooler full of cornmeal snacks—surely that beignet has burned off by now.

Walk three more blocks to the crossroads of the hipster’s Mission—16th and Valencia. If you don’t feel like walking all the way here, it’s an easy one-stop BART ride from Civic Center to 16th and Mission, and then just a block to Valencia. There are also many bike rental shops in the City, and in this neighborhood you might feel conspicuous without one.

The Mission’s liberal libations

Around the intersection you’ll see Pancho Villa, one of many taquerias competing for “best burrito,” as well as the sidewalk tables and blue façade of Ti Couz, a favorite creperie. Monk’s Kettle stands out as a little place with a big passion for craft beers and upscale pub grub. It’s a great place to start a mini crawl to several bars in the block between Valencia and Guerrero—Dalva, Delirium, Double Dutch, and Kilowatt.

Signs on Valencia Street

Keep walking down Valencia and you’ll pass Casanova Lounge on the left, with the quintessential sultry ladies painted on black velvet. It’s a good spot for a drink before and/or after tapas at Ramblas, a couple of doors down. You can also catch live music down the street at Elbo Room any night of the week.

Locals shop local

The shopping on Valencia is unique. You won’t find any chain stores here, as independent shops are supported with a vengeance. Each with two storefronts, Therapy is a go-to for cool clothing, accessories, and home décor, while Monument has an amazing collection of mid-century modern furniture. Density is a hip spot for shoes and clothing with an urban flair, and at 18th street, Self Edge, is THE place for denim.

There are many more shops and restaurants down Valencia past 18th, including Modern Times Bookstore collective, the “Pirate Supply Store” at 826 Valencia—a tutoring center founded by local literary luminary Dave Eggers, the unforgettable South Indian cuisine at Dosa, and of course, Valencia Cyclery.

Delightful Dolores Park

Bi Rite Market, honk if you love hipsters & good food

Walk up 18th street past the mural-covered Women’s Building, and chic Italian eateries, Farina, Tartine, and Delfina. Stop in Bi-Rite Market for some gourmet cheese, a loaf of artisan bread, an heirloom tomato, and a couple of cold microbrew beers. Or if you’re in the mood for something sweet, hit up the Bi-Rite Creamery across the street. Take your provisions the rest of the block up to Dolores Park.

By now the lawn will be full of picnickers in their finest vintage threads with their dogs and bikes. Walk diagonally across the park and up the hill for an amazing view of the city over the palm trees. You’ll be safe from the fog here all afternoon, so kick off your shoes and enjoy the people watching or take a nap.

Now that you’ve surveyed your options and gotten a feel for The Mission by day, you’re ready to discover San Francisco hipsterdom “in the machinery of night.”

-Sara Wood

Planning a trip? Browse Viator’s tours & things to do in San Francisco.

Venice is a beautiful conundrum

Venice is not for sleeping

I am a fan of the sleep-in on a holiday, but Venice’s charms are sometimes easier to enjoy in the early and late part of the day. Venice is a small group of islands so many visitors are on day trips and stay outside on the mainland. So if the crowds seem overwhelming during the day, and you are lucky enough to be staying in Venice itself, make the most of both ends of the day.

Not convinced? Here are 5 reasons to get up early in Venice:

1. Head to the Rialto markets (open from 8am). These are the original fruit, vege and fish markets that the locals still treat as their local grocery store. I like to think that the amount of creativity in the displays of fish or berries or vegetables reflects how deeply ingrained good design is in the Italian genes. The tourist stands won’t be open yet and there are also no crowds on the Rialto bridge, so you can see and appreciate it. You will get to see a real side of Venice life, and you can always come back later in the day for the souvenir shopping. While you are there consider stocking up on fruit and cheese for affordable breakfast and lunch options on the run.
2. Get your camera and head outside, generally the light will be softer and will enhance even this most photogenic of cities. It is easy to get carried away and snap everything you see every minute, so to get some perspective I signed up for a photography tour one morning. No matter whether you are a holiday snapper or a keen enthusiast, it is fascinating to have a local expert show you new ways to capture the iconic views, as well as hidden corners you may never have stumbled on by yourself. Part history, part geography, part photo and camera tips, its makes for a fun and interesting couple of hours, and made me think about the photos I was taking.
3. No crowds. Now is the time to see the Bridge of Sighs without peering over someone else’s shoulder, or to wander around St Mark’s Square. Get right up close with the detail on the arches on the front of the Basilica, then stand way back and get the whole vista. Lie on the ground and peer up at the Campanile See rows of gondola tied up together in front of the square, gently bobbing in their bright blue covers. Watch the city wake up and come alive. And then when the crowds do arrive, breeze past them to all the best sights because you booked your skip the line passes in advance, no queuing needed.
4. Watch the gondoliers turn up in their black and white striped jumpers, throw down a short strong coffee in a hole in the wall café and head back outside to polish up their boats ready for the day. How to find them? Go to the edge of any canal (not the Grand Canal, go somewhere smaller) where there are gondolas tied up for the night, pop into the nearest coffee shop you can see, stand at the counter with your own caffeine fix and they will be there.
5. By the time it’s the middle of the day, crowded and hot, you are justified in taking a siesta, or just a very long lunch under a shaded umbrella with a good view of a square or canal so you can watch everyone else get hot and bothered.

Reason #4 to get up early in Venice

Eating well in Venice

Italian food is enjoyed around the world, but sadly you have to search to find good food in Venice. Too many cafes and restaurants are designed for the tourist dollar, and the average meal in them is mediocre to bad, with perhaps some of the worst pizza in the world. Which is a real shame as there is also some deliciously good food in Venice.

Don’t be discouraged, just follow these tips for avoiding the bad food and finding the good.

First, stock up on your own supplies in the markets and specialty stores. Then have a picnic breakfast or lunch – fresh bread and cheese, a piece of fruit or bowl of berries, sit yourself down at the foot of a fountain or the steps of a building and watch the world go by as you enjoy the best local produce.

Next, treat yourself to a meal in a very high-end restaurant; a really good one with a modern take on Italian cooking is Osteria-Enoteca San Marco, on Frezzaria just west of San Marco Square. The wine list here is great and I still remember the Gorgonzola and asparagus soufflé I had there, along with the great atmosphere and service.

Get thee to a Bacari

Finally, seek out the Bacari. I can best describe these as local, hole-in-the-wall wine bar/café’s with a selection of local snacks (tapas style). They may have tables to sit at but most customers will be standing at the bar, ordering their wine or coffee and their desired snacks. Order as few or as many snacks as you desire to create your lunch or dinner.

I sampled everything from a single boiled egg skewered with an anchovy to numerous versions of bruschetta (tomato, salmon and cheese, Gorgonzola and walnut, raw white fish with tomato, prosciutto) to little plates of fresh sardines or calamari in black ink sauce. You have just as much choice on what to wash it down with - coffee, water, Campari, red wine or a bubbly prosecco are all good local options.

Impeccably displayed fish at the Rialto market

Bacari are often but not always hidden away in little lanes, or easy to miss because they are small, but if you look for them you’ll have no trouble spotting them away from the main squares. To get a good introduction to them you can do a Bacari tour in Venice, what a wonderfully italian idea! A perfect way to relax after absorbing the art and architecture of the Doges Palace perhaps.

A few places I enjoyed within 5 minutes of San Marco square included Al Stagneri on Calle dei Stagneri (check out the roof inside here); Osteria De Carla in a laneway off Frezzaria (you’ll see it at the end of the tunnel, the bruschetta selection was phenomenal and went well with a cool prosecco); and Bar Piccolo Martini, also on Frezzaria, with beautiful little sandwiches.

Venice by foot or by boat? Why not both!

It is an understatement to say that Venice is a city designed for walking and catching boats. Those are actually the only two options you and the residents have. Which means all tours within the confines of Venice will be either walking tours or tours by boat and gondola tours, so make sure you do both.

Boat tours are a great value way to get your bearings, make the most of your time, get to the outlying islands and the ones you cant walk over a bridge to. And Venice is equally made for walking tours, you can seek out those with an emphasis that interests you, whether that is food and drink, art, architecture or all the top sights.

Once you have your bearings it is also easy to start catching the Venetian equivalent of the public buses – the water buses with set timetables and routes – buy an hourly, day or multi-day ticket and jump on. The No 1 route is everybody’s favorite, it takes you all the way through the grand canal zig-zagging the canal to every stop on both sides (there are dozens). It is perfect for sightseeing all the mansions, museums and palazzo along the canal, and you can hop on and off at will.

The No 2 route is known as the fast boat as it follows exactly the same route but with only about 6 stops, so it is a much quicker way to get around. There are other routes to outlying islands in both the north and the south, and circular routes as well.

Venice by Gondola & Water Taxi

The other boat trip I found very valuable was the water taxi transfer from the airport to the hotel. Water taxi’s are reputedly the most expensive taxi service in the world, and you need to feel very cashed up to hire one privately. But book the shared water taxi service and suddenly you get all the comfort and convenience at a reasonable price as the water taxi company takes the responsibility of filling the boat – and you do feel like a bit of a rock star arriving at St Marks Square in one.

Of course the most famous boat of all in Venice is the gondola and they are a beautiful and graceful vehicle indeed, sadly these days they are really only in use for tourists and therefore priced accordingly, but you will probably decide you have to experience one anyway, so enjoy it!

Venice day trips: Get out of Venice for the day!

Venice is located in some beautiful countryside, with many small hilltop towns, vineyards, and ‘fruit bowl’ farming areas close by. For a change of pace get out of Venice on a day trip and head to medieval hill towns, the dolomite mountains, Lake Garda, or the vineyards.

I chose to go to Verona, only 70 minutes by train. This is a town made famous by Romeo and Juliet. Unfortunately this gave me a very bad first impression. I realised I was at “Juliet’s House” when I saw the large mass of people milling around a plain stone wall. I joined the queue and shuffled through an unattractive tunnel into a small courtyard. On one side is a fairly plain house wall with a plaster monstrosity of a balcony attached to it – it was added in 1920 and there’s plenty of doubt that this house was ever owned by a family of Capulets. Opposite the balcony is a retail store full of overpriced trashy red velour heart shaped souvenirs, and that’s it. This may be the biggest tourist rip-off I’ve ever seen.

Juliet's balcony in Verona? Maybe, maybe not.

I escaped out of there and headed to Plaza Erbe, only half a block away, described in my guidebook as a lovely atmospheric town square. Compared to what? To be fair, some of the churches and historic buildings around the square are impressive and attractive. The square itself is not.

The centre is a collection of souvenir stalls, stocked with the cheapest nastiest plastic souvenirs that apparently had already been rejected by every other Italian town since 1970. The outside of the square is a line of nondescript bars of the ‘rows of tables under umbrellas’ variety, there solely to overcharge tourists, the locals having figured out long ago that there are many better places to go.

And then just as suddenly my opinion changed. As soon as I left the plaza, I found myself in a cobble-stoned historic town centre, nested in the U-turn of a river. It felt like so many other beautiful italian towns. If you like shopping the streets here had a fantastic mix of brand names to browse, in some very classy shops. I was intrigued to see many people dressed in their evening finery, looking very glamorous, dining in little courtyards or wandering along the street carrying cushions.

Following the general tide, I soon found out why, they were headed for the old Roman arena, like a mini coliseum. Verona hosts a famous season of opera and concerts every summer, open air in the arena, and it is reputedly spectacular. (The cushions were for sitting on the stone steps.) This seemed to me to be a much nicer reason to visit Verona, and I was disappointed that I had found out too late to get a ticket.

In front of the arena is the remains of the old town wall, built to secure the opening across the top of the U in the river. And following it to the right for a couple of blocks I find the lovely Castelvecchio, looking just like a medieval castle should. There are also some very impressive old stone bridges across the river, again looking like a band of knights on horseback may just come through anytime soon.

And finally I found some cafes and bars in the streets running between the Arena and the Castelvecchio that had atmosphere, character and excellent food and drink. Which just goes to show I should never pay too much heed to my first impression – its probably wrong.

-Vicki Potts

Planning a trip? Browse Viator’s Venice tours & things to do in Venice, including Venice canal tours & gondola rides and Venice walking tours.

Kuala Lumpur: Get Cultured

Indiatown in Kuala Lumpur

The first stop to learn about Malaysian culture is the National Museum. After a thorough overview of Malaysian heritage, you may want to visit the Islamic Art Museum and the National Mosque (right across the street from the Islamic Art Museum). Next up: a stop at Merdeka Square, which can be easily combined with a visit to Masjid Jamek, the oldest mosque in KL. Take a break at the Petronas Towers (consider dinner at the Petronas Towers) and you’re well on your way to exploring the heart of Kuala Lumpur.

Museums are a fantastic way to experience KL. But even better to experience the diversity here is wandering the street markets and food stalls that dot the city. Taking a walk from Masjid Jamek up to Chinatown takes you through some of the most diverse areas of the city, where you can chat with the locals as they go about their daily business. Don’t be afraid to stroll down the side streets and take a look inside some of the many interesting and unique shops in this downtown area.

To see another side of KL, take a side trip to Indiatown (just north of Chinatown) – a very small, but authentic, section of the city where you can enjoy delicious Indian food from one of the many street vendors, have a sari or Punjabi suit made in a few days, or sing and dance along with the booming Bollywood music streaming from every shop.

Shopping in Kuala Lumpur

It’s a cliche, but there you have it: KL is a shopper’s paradise. Anything and everything is on sale in the city’s many malls, markets and street-side stalls. From the malls of Bukit Bintang to the splendor of Suria KLCC, you can shop in air-conditioned comfort for hours!

If you’re looking for local souvenirs and crafts head to the Central Market. There are plenty of bargains to be had in bustling Chinatown, which reminds me: in KL the key to a successful shopping experience is to bargain. Prices are never fixed here (unless you’re in an internationally-known chain store), so don’t hesitate to ask for “the best price” whether you’re in an air-conditioned mall, like Low Yat, or out on the street in Chinatown. No matter where you are, keep it light and fun, with a smile on your face – angry bargaining is seen as very rude in this part of the world. And don’t forget, it’s all part of the adventure!

An excellent place to start is Bukit Bintang (Star Hill in Bahasa Malayu), the heart of downtown KL. If you’re looking for the luxury shops, you can find everything from high-end designers like Gucci and Prada at the Star Hill Mall (next door to the Westin Hotel). The lower level also houses a great variety of gourmet restaurants.

Next door to the Star Hill Mall is Lot 10, one of the most popular stops for local fashionistas – great shoes and great bargains can be found in this slightly smaller, mid-priced shopping mall. Further down the street is Low Yat Plaza – electronics is the name of the game here, everything from cell phones to digital cameras to computers to MP3 players (but no clothes, shoes, glasses or books). Don’t forget to bargain hard, though, prices start in the stratosphere, but you can usually get some great deals if you’re willing to try a little banter with the shopkeepers.

Suria KLCC is Malaysia’s premiere shopping outlet – directly underneath the Petronas Towers. The ground level houses designer boutiques, while the upper levels showcase more mid-level shops. Suria has some great restaurants along with an international food court.

Night Market in Kuala Lumpur

Another great shopping stop is the hustle and bustle of Chinatown, specifically Jalan Petaling. Knock-offs of just about everything can be found, along with more traditional Chinese items. Prices are aimed at well-heeled tourists, so don’t forget to negotiate for everything – start at around 1/3rd of the quoted price and work up from there.

If you’re still on your feet by the time the sun goes down, KL has a great selection of Pasar Malam (night markets) all around the city. The Sunday night market in Bangsar is one of the largest, and a frequent favorite of expats living in KL. Fresh fruits and vegetables, along with all sorts of clothes, accessories and souvenirs can be found at any one of these fabulous markets.

Top Places to Eat in Kuala Lumpur

Make sure you come to KL hungry because there is a lot to eat! From a budget meal on the street to a luxury, gourmet experience, there is something for everyone. One of the best places to explore KL’s culinary variety is Bangsar – just 5 minutes outside of the city center.

Those on a budget can feast on Indian, Chinese and Malay at any of the fantastic food stalls for a truly Malaysian dining experience. One of my favorite places to snack is Devi’s Corner in Bangsar (across from Bangsar Village) – start with some chicken satay from the vendor on the corner, add a delicious naan bread or roti Chennai, some Tandori chicken and some nasi goreng; wash it all down with some fresh fruit juice, and you have a meal fit for a king, but priced less than RM50 (US$14).

Devi's Corner, Kuala Lumpur

For those with slightly deeper pockets, Bangsar is a diner’s delight – restaurants range from Spanish tapas to Italian to Middle Eastern to German. Some favorite expat hangouts are La Bodega for tapas and Sangria; Telawi Street Bistro for Western European fare and great desserts, and Haus Frankfurt for authentic German sausage and schnitzel.

Kuala Lumpur’s Nightlife

Despite being a Muslim country, Malaysia has its fair share of bars and clubs (though alcohol can be quite pricey). A popular stop for tourists is around the corner of Jalan Sultan Ismail and Jalan P. Ramlee – an area of wall-to-wall bars, clubs and restaurants. Another hot spot, though slightly less noisy, is Bangsar – along with all those tasty restaurants, you can find trendy bars open until the early hours of the morning. A little farther afield is Sri Hartamas, a more local hangout, with a few small clubs and bars, catering more to the expat population.

-Kim Cofino

Planning a trip to Malaysia? Browse Viator’s list of tours and things to do in Kuala Lumpur, from a private KL City Tour to the Batu Caves to the Kuala Selangor Fireflies.

But it isn’t all big names and glamour. Check out the campsites, caravan parks and rental apartments and you’ll soon realise that many of us more, er, ordinary folk like to call this our favourite holiday spot.

If you do have access to the private helicopter pads, the Michelin-starred restaurants, the oh-my-god-look-at-the-size-of-that yachts and the private beaches, you don’t need my advice. But what of those of us who drive our own cars, shop for our own food and maybe have to share a swimming pool with more than just our nearest and dearest? Here are a few suggestions.

View from Cap Taillat, French Riviera

French Riviera: Off to market

If you’re self-catering (and even if you’re not), don’t go past the local markets. Every town or village has at least a weekly market and many are held daily (usually mornings only). You are guaranteed top quality produce, but it may not be too cheap. The fruit and vegetables are local and seasonal (asparagus, peaches, melons and tomatoes are all excellent). There’s also local honey, olive oil, sea food and meat. The cheese and pâtés are legendary.

It’s the cheese that can overwhelm – France produces around 400 varieties. Most stallholders allow you to try (gouter) before you buy. My personal choice (and this is a small selection) usually includes a Reblochon (from the Savoie), some Époisses (from Bourgogne) and a nice soft Brie de Meaux. I also like a roll of Chèvre (goat’s cheese) which I slice, place under the grill until just melted and then serve with ultra-thin toast and a crisp green salad…

French Riviera: Café culture

After the hard work of buying food, it’s traditional to retire to a local café. Here you take a seat on the terrace whilst sipping on a café au lait or glass of wine (depending on the hour). You may, if you like, read a local newspaper such as Var Matin. You will observe that local couples sit side-by-side at a table rather than facing each other. This is so that both parties may watch (and comment) on passers-by. And then, of course, it’s home to eat all that lovely food.

French Riviera: On the road

If you’re brave, join the locals and use a motorbike or moped. If you’re not so brave, then go for a car. Whatever you’re driving, keep your wits about you. Many roads are bordered by deep ditches and drivers think nothing of overtaking with mere centimetres to spare. And it can feel like they all graduated from the Monaco F1 Grand Prix School of driving.

St Tropez, open-air restaurant

Assuming that I haven’t put you off, a car is pretty much a necessity if you want to see the country. There are rewards: driving up a long path towards an old château, manoeuvring a tight bend into a valley of vineyards, taking the coastal road at sunset. Even the A8 motorway from Nice airport is scenic: on a clear day you can see both the sea and the Alps.

If you prefer the water, there are plenty of boat trips. Some are sightseeing cruises (mainly from Nice or Cannes), others are the A to B transport variety. Rather than driving to St Tropez, why not take the boat across the bay from Port Grimaud or Ste Maxime? It’s a great alternative to sitting in traffic and has the bonus of keeping children entertained.

French Riviera: Life’s a beach

Of course, there are the A-Lister beaches with private sun-loungers, designer bikinis (always accessorised with diamonds) and paparazzi lenses. But this is not all that the coastline has to offer. Whatever your kind of beach, you’ll find it here. Golden expanse of sand or rocky cove, party central or family-friendly, clothed or, um, unclothed. A small selection:

• Ste Maxime: A quick walk along the beach and then breakfast in a café.
• St Raphael: A favourite spot for a Sunday afternoon family stroll.
• Cannes: Pose with your Gucci bag and pretend that you’re staying at the Carlton.

French Riviera: The coastal paths

If walking is your thing, then take a walk along the coastal path. The Ramatuelle Peninsula (just west of St Tropez) is particularly notable. We walked to Cap Taillat, where the water was clear blue (perfect for snorkelling), the lizards were emerald green and the butterflies flocked through the flowers. A good walking book with short, family-friendly walks (in French) is Les Sentiers d’Emilie dans Le Var / Sur La Côte d’Azur, available in local bookshops.

French Riviera: Shopaholic on holiday

There are plenty of designer boutiques: the Cartiers, Guccis, Vuittons et al. Cannes is good for this (Beach to Armani in less than 5 minutes, should the urge grab you). St Tropez has a smaller selection but also more wallet-friendly shops.

Many towns have a regular brocante (flea or bric-a-brac market). This is a good way to pass the time, pick up a 1950s edition of Paris Match, some mismatched crockery, a few dusty 45’s or some locally-made jewelery.

French Riviera: Festival time

We travelled down to the Riviera for a random week and found the following: The Harley-Davidson Euro-Festival, Ste Maxime’s Fête Vôtive (Saint’s Day), the Cannes Film Festival and VE-Day commemorations. You’re pretty much guaranteed to find a festival.

Roads may be closed or very busy and there will probably be some extra noise but otherwise, party away! Riviera FM on 106.5FM gives local information in English. In print media, look for the Riviera Times or Riviera Reporter for upcoming events.

French Riviera: The wine

You can’t miss the vines, vineyards or wine sellers here: 580 winegrowers produce 160 million bottles annually. There are actually 3 ‘appellations’: Côtes de Provence, Coteaux d’Aix-en-Provence and Coteaux Varois en Provence. The region’s speciality is rosé, but red and white are well represented. Check out local supermarkets, wine shops or producers for tastings and to buy.

Chateau d'Astros

French Riviera: A few oddities

The Tortoise Village near Gonfaron looks after a variety of tortoises, including Hermann’s Tortoise, the only land tortoise native to France. You may, if you’re very lucky, see one on a nature walk. Be honest, you weren’t expecting that, were you?

Da Vinci enthusiasts - fear not! You can get your fix here. Mary Magdalene died in St Maximin La Sainte Baume and her skull is preserved in the Ste Marie Madeleine Basilica.

French Riviera: And finally, dessert…

How could I omit to mention the sweeter things of life? A local speciality is Tarte Tropezienne, a sponge cake with crème patissière filling and sugared topping. (Top Tip: It doesn’t keep well, so eat the same day.)

Homemade ice-cream is everywhere. Many people will skip dessert at a restaurant, buy an ice-cream cone and eat it whilst strolling along the promenade. If you would like a dessert, the Dame Blanche is a sundae made with vanilla ice-cream, chocolate sauce and chantilly cream.

-Louise Heal

Planning a trip? Browse Viator’s Things to do on the French Riviera, including Cannes tours & things to doNice tours & things to do. and

“We started free thinking here,” he says, pointing to the ground inside Caffe Trieste in North Beach. “Cal-Berkeley was the home of the atomic bomb; we need some creativity back in San Francisco! That’s my platform.”

The crowd nods approvals. He turns and leaves.

Welcome to San Francisco

Welcome to San Francisco, that exotic city of hills where east meets west, high tech lives with crunchy granola and bohemian culture births movements and culture known around the world. The Beats, the Hippies and the Summer of Love flowered here as well as music from the Grateful Dead to The Dead Kennedys. The cities fabled attractions are seen on countless postcards and TV programs; Fisherman’s Warf, Pier 39, Alcatraz, the Golden Gate Bridge and the famed cable cars. But we’ve done the tourist trail on previous trips. This time we’re exploring neighborhoods.

SF Downtown & Nob Hill

We toast our first night at the bar of a beautiful art nouveau gem called the Petit Café in the Hotel Monaco and staying on the French theme move to the second floor lounge at Le Colonial, a French colonial Vietnamese inspired establishment right out of 1920’s Saigon. We walk up Nob Hill and along Post and Sutter are cafés & bars with people spilling out onto the sidewalk. It’s dark and the comfortable architectural density, street life & cafes are not unlike London or lower Manhattan.

On the corner of Leavenworth and Post we see a three-piece combo in front of a royal red draped stage and displayed in the window is a great wine list. We’re in!

The bass player is laying down a groove. The notes come like heavy drops of rain on a tin roof while the rhythm guitar plays quarter-note chords. The drummer beats an old school drum kit to life prompting the guitar player to take the lead. He screams up and down the frets throwing notes like sparks off a welder’s torch. The room is buzzing. We’re in Cafe Royale and it’s full of locals savoring the bohemian art & jazz scene here. I feel like Sal Paradise in On the Road having just rolled into San Francisco and enjoying the “scene.”

We get a tip for a nightcap and enter a secret world on the corner of Jones and O’Farrell at a place called Bourbon & Branch. It’s a ’20s style speakeasy and a great place to stop for cocktails. The dark wood, red flocked wallpaper and “secret” bookcase entry into the backroom add to the vibe. The select and rare bourbons, rum, tequila and whiskeys don’t hurt either!

The Quiet City

I’m out early the next morning so I can have the city to myself. As I walk Geary Street the sidewalks are being hosed and cleaned. The echoing calls of seagulls bounce off the downtown buildings breaking the quiet. The air is crisp and the sky a brilliant blue.

I walk down through Chinatown where the morning bustle and activity increases. Big brown produce boxes line the sidewalks for blocks. Opened boxes create a wash of color as fruits and vegetables breathe the morning air. Butchers work their knives in front of hanging pigs while ducks, already golden brown, hang by their cooked necks with their sad faces bowed down.

My goal is Telegraph Hill. I climb up Greenwich Street and take the steps to the top. A glint of light flashes across my face drawing my eyes to an elderly Japanese man who’s practicing Tai Chi routines with a 3 foot sword. Is that even legal? The movement is beautiful and exotic, like a lot of San Francisco.

The view at the top offers a panoramic view of the Bay from the Marin Headlands to the East Bay. An exercise group steps through their Tai Chi too. They look like slow motion magicians pulling the fog into the Bay through the distant Golden Gate. I walk down the opposite side towards the Bay on the Filbert Steps and breathe in an aromatic bouquet of roses, lilies, banana trees and white sweet midnight-jasmine. The wooden platform trail descends an alpine woodland trail lined with cottages under the redwoods, oaks, palms, and rhododendrons – and if you’re lucky you’ll spy, and hear, the wild green parrots that roost here.

SF Ferry Building

From the top of the hill I had spotted the renovated Ferry Building, cum a world-class food market. I bee-lined towards it thinking - coffee with a bay view! As I stride through the front plaza under the clock tower its carillon bells exalt my entry, and with a Pete’s coffee in hand I watch a departing ferry stern recede from view. It disappears into the famous San Francisco fog blanketing the Bay, spewing its wake towards me. Outside the wall of windows facing the Bay birds huddle against the cool morning with their heads pulled back inside their feathers and thick blooded natives take seats next to them. I pull my jacket close, cap my coffee and catch a cab back to the hotel.

SF Shopping

We hit a bunch of neighborhood “main streets” around the city. The Union Street shops in Cow Hollow are perched above the Marina District and below Pacific Heights. In Victorian and Edwardian buildings we sample cool art galleries, antique stores and specialty shops. The Marina District’s main drag is Chestnut Street which runs along the northern edge of this affluent pastel colored neighborhood and we mingle with neighbors and families. Our favorite strip however is Fillmore Street and lucky for us Fillmore’s Spring Festival welcomed our visit.

Most of the action is between Jackson & Bush where high end design shops mix with funky kitschy antique and “junk” shops. Every shop offers wine tastings and hors d’oeuvres. Bars and pubs are open to the street and a live band fills the warm air with rock and blues. Unlike a lot of the city the street is lined with shade trees and down the side streets, offset by a cerulean blue sky, are the grandest Victorian’s you’ve ever set your eyes on. This is where the young, beautiful, trendy, fashionable and affluent hang out.

I had to take a quick look at Billy Graham’s famous Fillmore Auditorium too – legendary for playing host to counterculture giants like The Grateful Dead, Jimmie Hendrix, Jefferson Airplane and Janis Joplin and continuing right through to Black Flag, The Dead Kennedys and Johnny Rotten’s PIL, it’s on the corner of Fillmore and Geary Streets.

Go West Young Man

de Young Museum, in Golden Gate Park

Today we head to the western reaches of the city. We’re jumping on the subway system called BART. We take the N-Judah line to Golden Gate Park and the de Young Museum where we chance upon a retrospective of Vivienne Westwood. Vivienne was married to Malcolm McLaren and was the fashion force behind the Sex Pistols and the punk rock scene. Ah, glory days. We reveled in the exhibition. If you see the clothes you used to wear in a museum does that mean you’re a dinosaur?

We also went up the viewing tower at the deYoung. Definitely do this. It offers a sweeping view of the west side of San Francisco. You can look out across the verdant greens of Golden Gate Park, the hills climbing up Twin Peaks and across the rooftops of the Richmond and Sunset Districts as their elevations drop to the winking Pacific.

For dinner we head to Cole Valley and a restaurant called EOS. The restaurant is at the corner of Cole and Carl. What a great little corner of San Francisco. I feel like we’ve found a secret little neighborhood. It’s a handsome residential neighborhood of three story Victorian homes and beautiful tree lined streets. What a comfortable place. Every bite of food at EOS was a surprise and a total sensation. The food was Asian Fusion. The chef was Asian magician.

Afterwards we walk down Cole three blocks to Haight Street; ground zero for the hippie movement in the late ’60s. We end up at Amoeba Records. This is one of the greatest hippy dippy, punk rock, alt music, all-music stores on the planet. I love all the Fillmore West concert posters for sale. That’s a bonafide San Francisco art style you don’t see anywhere else. As the Ramones squawked Gabba Gabba Hey at us over the store speakers we lingered and browsed. We looked at old Cramps records, Beatles and Bob Marley. Holding hands, we left.

SoMa & South Beach

Our last day here we walk under the elevated Freeway heading to the Bay Bridge into a diverse neighborhood of warehouses, auto repair shops, nightclubs, residential hotels, art spaces, loft apartments, furniture showrooms, condominiums, and technology companies. It’s not picture postcard San Francisco. There are no hills here, the fog doesn’t settle here and it’s usually sunny and warm! I like the freshness of the post modern and contemporary architecture peppering the area and the trendy bars & restaurants.

AT&T Baseball Park in San Francisco

We stop in bacar on Brannan St. Young professionals pack the bar area and a three piece jazz combo plays in rhythm with the oyster shucker. It’s a big and handsomely designed space in an old warehouse with an extensive and very good wine list. We walk through South Park, modeled after a square in London. It’s an oval shaped park lined with warehouses turned offices, Post Modern and Contemporary townhouses, lively Victorians and a few dilapidated buildings not long for this world given the pace of development in the area.

The park is a green oasis and smells of eucalyptus. The clink of glasses, laughter and conversation float out from the South Park Cafe and Cafe Centro. We continue to 2nd street for a beer at the 21st Amendment. mingling with high tech professionals and blue jeaned internet millionaires. Further down 2nd Street we stroll the beautiful South Beach Marina where we take a lap around AT&T Park back to King Street and Berry Street where we see a completely new neighborhood along the China Basin channel. This is not the San Francisco of postcards. It’s all brand new. If I was an architect I’d move here because I get a buzz off the post-modern architecture. We sit a spell at District and retreat for Jalisco Mexican cuisine and tequilas at Tres Agaves.

Walking back to the hotel the kaleidoscope that is San Francisco spins for us. A woman is singing opera on the sidewalk outside the Hotel Utah as a rock band carries its gear inside. An assortment of geeks, Goths and hippies eat a late night meal at Whole Foods and a skateboarder barrels down 4th St. in his business suit. A homeless man asks us for money staring with a tired and stoned out face, tourists wait for the cable car, a drummer bangs on overturned pickle buckets, reggae wafts out from Starbucks, the café crowd sits under the palm trees in Union Square and we watch them watch us make our angled way up the street.

Instead of finding our plane tickets we want to find another place to hang out, to indulge in more California wine and artisanal food, to pull our jackets close as a visible fog rolls up the street, to crest the top of a hill and look down over descending rooftops to billowing sails on the blue Bay, to while away more time in the ever spring golden sunshine daze of the white city.

-Bob Welch

Planning a trip? Browse Viator’s San Francisco tours & things to do, from SF walking tours to Alcatraz tours.

South Australia’s capital, Adelaide, must be Australia’s most underrated city. It’s also one of the country’s most attractive cities with lush botanic gardens, shady parks, charming beachside suburbs, elegant historic buildings and splendid old churches. In short, it’s the kind of city that makes you want to explore it on an old-fashioned bicycle with a cane basket on the front.

It’s also a cultural and artistic hub, with celebrated arts festivals and a calendar crammed with cultural events. Throw in excellent art museums (the Aboriginal art collections are noteworthy), approachable restaurants, and a fine-tuned café culture, and you understand why we extended our stay in the ‘city of churches’. Here’s our list of the top things to see and do in Adelaide.

Markets in Adelaide

Adelaide’s fresh food and fine wine

Adelaide’s Central Market is the hub of all things fresh, fruity and fragrant. There’s everything from cheese and chacouterie to fine South Australian wines and all the exotic ingredients required for an Asian feast (Chinatown is more ‘Asiatown’ here as there’s everything from fresh sushi to fiery Szechuan cooking on offer). To sample some illustrious Aussie wines head to Apothecary 1878 situated in an old pharmacy so you can pretend that the alcohol is for medicinal purposes only.

Adelaide is fiercely multicultural and if you want to eat on Rundle Street, the Greek bistro Eros Ouzeri has authentic meze-style delights. A few blocks away on Adelaide’s eat street of Gouger Street, buzzy Mesa Lunga is leading the city’s tapas infatuation, with formal and casual Spanish dining and a happening bar. Fine dining has a home in The Grange, showcasing the influential fusion cuisine of legendary chef, Cheong Liew.

Adelaide’s city centre isn’t just for business

In many capital cities 5pm sees a mass exodus of lanyard-wearing office workers from the city centre, leaving the Central Business District (CBD) a ghost town by sunset. In Adelaide, however, you have plenty of bars and restaurants within walking distance of the centre at the East End and West End of the city’s CBD, with a lively alfresco scene. Rundle Street, the partially pedestrianised main thoroughfare, has over 50 cafés and restaurants alone, as well as loads of wine bars and great pubs.

Adelaide has a vibrant café culture

Adelaide's East End cafe culture

Australia loves its café culture, mainly due to the influx of post-WWII immigrants from Italy and Greece, keen to drink good coffee just as they might have at home, and there are alfresco cafés dotted all over the city. Adelaide also has its own homemade success (à la Starbucks) in the form of the modish, Ferrari-red Cibo outlets found around the centre, but its successful branding has spawned a frightening number of mini-me coffee outlets – thankfully, they’ll all good.

In a nutshell, caffeine addicts need not fear Adelaide – just the crazy coffee names such as ‘a long macchiato’ or a ‘chai frappuccino’. The East End of Rundle Street towards Rundle Park is packed with cafés with outdoor tables, as is O’Connell Street and fashionable Melbourne Street in North Adelaide.

Adelaide is attractive

Adelaide is Sydney without the chaos and Melbourne with good weather. And, thankfully, Adelaide was planned. It’s hard to overemphasise just how easy it is to get around, either on foot, bike, public transport, or car. One thing you notice straight way compared to other Australian cities is how much of the Victorian and Edwardian architecture is still standing (Sydney’s great shame) and how the gracious heritage buildings from the late 19th and early 20th centuries make this one very elegant city.

Picture big corner pubs with wide verandas decorated with ornate iron lacework, handsome sandstone public buildings, spacious parks, and suburbs filled with historic residences that ooze pride. Leafy North Terrace in the centre has one of the best historic streetscapes, while a 10-minute stroll away, North Adelaide also boasts well-preserved Victorian architecture. The Botanic Gardens, dating to 1857, have lots of tranquil ponds, fountains, statues and wisteria arbours, while the Torrens River snakes between meanders central Adelaide and North Adelaide, surrounded by parklands. And we haven’t even mentioned the wealth of beautiful cathedrals and churches that the city is famous for.

Cutting-edge arts scene

Adelaide’s wealth of festivals dedicated to the arts makes the other capital cities in Australia appear rather unsophisticated – and for all the Aussie ‘ocker’ stereotypes (the archetypical uncultivated Australian working man, according to the Macquarie Dictionary), Australia has a thriving arts scene, Adelaide especially. The main theatre, Festival Theatre, is home to the largest stage in the southern hemisphere and hosts concerts, opera and ballet performances, as well as being home to the Space Theatre (cabaret-style performances) and the Playhouse Theatre (drama), which is home to the Adelaide Festival of Arts, held every even-numbered year since 1960.

A more ‘alternative’ festival, the Fringe Festival, coincides with the Festival of Arts (usually starting late February) creating a carnival ambience in the city for around three weeks. Almost straight after this, Womadelaide, a world-music weekend that began in 1992 as part of the Arts Festival, now holds its own with a great eclectic line-up of international acts.

Magnificent museums and engaging galleries

Australia’s history – from the original Aboriginal Australians that have lived here for some 40,000 years, to the ones that arrived uninvited in ships just a couple of hundred years ago or so – is covered wonderfully in Adelaide’s compelling museums. The Art Gallery of South Australia, established in 1881, has a respectable collection of colonial art and 20th century Western art from greats such as Sidney Nolan. While many of those works are notable for their historical content alone, the Aboriginal art is all outstanding, especially the major works by artists of the Western Desert school.

Moving right next door – and keeping the Aboriginal art vibe going – is the South Australian Museum. The highlight here is the world’s largest collection of Aboriginal artefacts – all painstakingly displayed. Also of note is the permanent exhibition on local geologist Sir Douglas Mawson, famous for the historic Australasian Antarctic Expedition in 1911, which was the first to reach magnetic South Pole. For more Aboriginal culture and history head to Tandanya, the National Aboriginal Cultural Institute, a centre run by Aboriginals with temporary exhibitions of visual arts, while there are small contemporary galleries dotted all over the city.

Adelaide loves its sports

The city of Adelaide is inexorably linked with the cricketing career of one Sir Donald Bradman, widely acknowledged as the greatest batsman of all time. Often referred to simply as ‘The Don’ he moved to Adelaide during his playing career. In accordance with the wishes of the cricketing legend, the historic Adelaide Oval is now home to the Bradman Collection, the great cricketer’s own memorabilia collection, including scrapbooks and historic cricket bats. Adelaide Oval is a great place to experience a game of cricket in summer – although new fans to the game will enjoy one of the shorter versions of the game (lasting an afternoon or an evening) rather than a five-day test match! Another legend now associated with Adelaide is Tour de France legend Lance Armstrong, who made his comeback in 2009 at the massively successful Tour Down Under bike race, which was the biggest event ever staged in South Australia.

Lovely beaches are literally minutes away…

Beach at Glenelg

Adelaide has some charming beaches and the stretches of sand from Brighton to Henley beaches are the most popular to access from the city. The most iconic beach is historic Glenelg, 11km southwest of the city, which you can reach via direct tram, terminating at elegant Moseley Square. With the long jetty reaching out into the sea right in front of you, it’s a popular family and tourist spot and gets crazily busy on weekends.

A great walk along the foreshore takes you in the direction of Brighton, an arguably even more old-fashioned seaside suburb. For something a little livelier, Henley Beach has a more modish air, with cafés and restaurants clustered around Henley Square, opposite the old wooden pier.

Atmospheric Port Adelaide

Early settlers in South Australia arrived at the not-so-promising Port Misery, where the mangroves and mud made the settlers’ view of their new home not such a positive one. By 1837 the port had gained its official new name of Port Adelaide and throughout the development of the city of Adelaide and state of South Australia, goods and passengers passed through the busy port. As a result, historic buildings abound here, with massive stone warehouses and the obligatory characterful corner pubs with their lovely balconies. The best time to visit is on Sundays, when the Fisherman’s Wharf Markets give the place a liveliness that’s missing mid-week.

The Adelaide hills are alive

Nearby Adelaide Hills make for an excellent day trip or weekend away as its attractions start at just 30 minutes from the city. The region consists of a series of often-charming towns such as Australia’s oldest surviving German settlement, Hahndorf, as well as Stirling, Mount Barker, Lobethal and Birdwood, which are all worth a visit.

There are plenty of wildlife parks, such as Cleland Wildlife Park, featuring Australia’s unique fauna, as well as a longer day trip out to Kangaroo Island.

Hahndorf Winery Center

But we’d be fibbing if we didn’t make it clear that the main attraction is the fantastic cool-weather wines. Sauvignon Blanc, Riesling and fresh Chardonnays are the pick of the whites, while the Shiraz is special as well. Visit Udder Delights at Hahndorf first to pick up some handmade cheeses to go with your wines, then head off for some wine-tasting. We like Hahndorf Hill Winery and Petaluma Bridgewater Mill, a must-stop for foodies with great wines and a fabulous fine-dining restaurant. (You can also book a Barossa Valley and Hahndorf wine tour over on the main Viator site.)

-Terry Carter and Lara Dunston

Planning a trip? Browse Viator’s Adelaide tours & things to do in Adelaide as well as day tours from Adelaide.

Some of the pastries you sample on the tour. Photo by: David B

It all started a few days ago, when we noticed an excellent review of Viator’s Paris Chocolate & Pastry Tour by Marie Maguire on the Contra Costa Times website (for you non-Californians, Contra Costa is the country east of San Francisco and Oakland):

Parisians don’t consume chocolate — they celebrate it — and no two places that sell it are the same. “Each shop has its own style,” says Jennifer Wilbois, guide for viator.com. “You have to find what you like.” My husband, Mark, a devout chocoholic, and I were on our first trip to Paris and decided to take a walking tour of the city’s chocolate and pastry shops.

Not to spoil the surprise ending, but Marie and her husband Mark have a deliciously decadent tour of Paris’ chocolate makers and bakers. And they are not alone! I checked our Paris chocolate tour reviews over on Viator.com, it has a stellar feedback with reviews like these:

Our guide was so sweet and truly loved her city. Not only did she do a great job of showing us around the patisseries & chocolatiers, but she took us on a side tour of Jardin du Luxembourg, which was lovely. It wasn’t just a tour of chocolate and pastry, but a telling of the history & culture of Paris via their foods. Definitely a must-do.

Reviewed by: Elizabeth M, United States of America, April 2009

The chocolate and pastry food tour was amazing, money very well spent, I have to say. Our tour guide was fantastic, giving us lots of information on not just the tour but the whole of Paris and it’s surrounding area. She also suggested some wonderful things to visit such as Mont Marche and this wonderful cafe/restaurant called Angelinas. She was both helpful and friendly. With there being only four of us on the tour me, my boyfriend and another Australian couple the whole tour felt very personal. Thank you for a fun, friendly, informative and tasty experience.

Reviewed by: Michelle M, United Kingdom, December 2008

Yum. I was starting to get very hungry for chocolate. And then I clicked over to the Paris chocolate tour photos on Viator.com, and that wass it. Game over. I was in desperate need of some chocolate (and this is from a gummy bear lover - I am no chocoholic!).

The Tiffany's of chocolate & the starting point of the tour. Photo by: Jonathan P

So I am posting some of those amazing photos here, just to share my pain and to help you, too, crave some Parisian chocolate and pastries. I do this, because I care about you. I know that a true food person like yourself will appreciate the visuals. And, like me, you will add this to your Paris travel wishlist. Vive le chocolate. Enjoy the photos, and if you want to read more about Paris food tours, check out Jodi’s Paris cheese and food walking tour or Louise’s Paris cooking class blog posts.

Art, or chocolate? Either way you can eat it. Photo by: Jonathan P

-Scott McNeely