Good Food and Views are Worth the Journey
Kyoto’s western district Arashiyama is worthy of its own destination visit. Nestled in the lush hills along the Oi river, it is best known for its towering bamboo forest and the Tenryu-ji temple, while the imperial residence Katsura Villa and “Moss Temple” Kokedera (Saiho-ji) are nearby. You could easily spend two days here without stepping foot into Kyoto city. But if you’re short on time, here is a one day condensed itinerary.
Morning: Katsura Imperial Villa or Moss...
This suggested itinerary accompanies my earlier blog, More Than a Oenophile's Dream. Read the blog for more detail and photos.
Access: Piedmont is within easy reach of Milan, Genoa as well as Nice and Monte Carlo but you will need a car to reach the towns and get around. The main city of Turin is well connected by train so you could opt to rent a car in Turin. However, if you are in Milan, I recommend picking up the car in Milan and...
Given Tuscany’s medieval and renaissance jewels, visitors often overlook Italy’s other wine region Piedmont. But with its delicious Barolo and Barbaresco wines, super restaurants and sculpted vine covered hillsides, Piedmont is a worthy culinary and scenic destination especially since it’s within easy reach of Milan. Best of all, you can get a great meal and a fantastic room at prices well below that of comparable establishments in Milan and much of Tuscany.
I discovered...
This itinerary accompanies the narrative in the blog Kanazawa - Little Kyoto, Big Garden, Great Seafood. Read the blog for more detail.
Access: Kanazawa sits on the west coast of Central Honshu. The nearest airport is Komatsu - around 40 minutes drive from the town centre or one hour by airport bus. If you’ve flown into Tokyo, however, do try the bullet train to Kanazawa, which takes around two and a half hours. As with other cities in Japan, Kanazawa is well connected...