MICHELIN Guide (November 8, 2023) – The Beyoğlu Culture Route is a wonderful tribute to İstanbul’s identity through architecture, art, and culture.
An unmissable experience awaits starting from the newly developed Galataport, taking you through the depths of the narrow streets of Karaköy and beyond, through the charm and simplicity and sophistication of İstiklal Caddesi and gradually winding up to the innovative and newly transformed Taksim Square.
Take a walk in this diverse and authentic neighbourhood and feel the vibe of Beyoğlu through discovering 3 restaurants from the MICHELIN Guide selection İstanbul 2022. Let the Mikla’s view, Mürver’s fire and Nicole’s finesse be your guides on the Route and shape your unique perception of this City.
France.fr Explore France (November 8, 2023) – With a projected 80 million visitors in 2023, France continues to be a popular destination for American and other travelers. In keeping with President Macron’s goal to make France the leading sustainable destination by 2030, travelers in 2024 will find eco-friendly innovation during their trip. Below are a few key reasons to head to the Hexagon next year.
France will be the ultimate Sporting Arena in 2024 with the Paris Olympics from Friday, July 26 – Sunday, August 11, 2024 and a few weeks later, the Paralympics Games which will be held, Wednesday, August 28 – Sunday, September 8, 2024. For the first time, the opening ceremony won’t take place in a stadium but rather in the heart of Paris along the Seine River. The objective is to cut by half the carbon footprint of the Olympics. 95% of the games will take place in existing sports venues or in heritage sites throughout the Greater Paris Region and other parts of France. Think skateboarding in Place de la Concorde or beach volleyball at the Champs de Mars at the foot of the Eiffel Tower and equestrian events at the Château de Versailles. Plus, the upcoming Olympics will introduce a totally new discipline: breaking. It will complement the previous game’s inclusion of sport climbing, skateboarding, and surfing, which for France will take place on one of the beautiful Tahitian islands of French Polynesia. Be sure to follow the festive Olympic torch relay. The torch will arrive May 8 in Marseille from Greece aboard the tall ship Le Belem, for a 68-day whirlwind tour in mainland France and its overseas regions. Coincidentally, Toulon in Le Var will be the second city after Marseille to host the torch on May 10.
The New York – Vendée Sables d’Olonne is another major sporting event that will take place on May 29, 2024. It is the last qualifier race before the Vendée Globe—and is the only transatlantic race to leave from the Big Apple. Before embarking on a 3,200-mile journey across the Atlantic Ocean, the sailors will entertain the public with a spectacular show at the Statue of Liberty’s base, along with other pre-race celebrations on May 24. Then, on November 10, 2024, the 10th edition of the Vendée Globe, a.k.a the Everest of Seas–a solo, non-stop, and, unassisted race around the world, will set sail from the Vendee’s Sables d’Olonne. About 40 skippers will depart this seaside town which boasts magnificent beaches and one of the most beautiful bays in the world.
Cultural Happenings
In celebration of the 150th anniversary of the first Impressionist exhibition, the 2024 Normandy Impressionist Festival, scheduled from March 22 to September 22, 2024, promises to be truly exceptional with an unexpected American influence. This 5th edition will showcase a major Whistler exhibit in Rouen, and the 12th edition of Rouen Cathedral’s summer sound & light show will be curated by American theatre and multidisciplinary artist Robert Wilson. Normandy has also partnered with the Paris Region for this anniversary celebration, featuring a grand exhibit titled ‘Paris 1874: The Impressionist Moment’ at the Musée d’Orsay from late March to mid-July. Following that, the show will travel to the National Gallery in D.C. for a late summer to winter exhibition, showcasing around 130 paintings, works on paper, prints, sculptures, and photographs.
Since 1965 Les Floralies de Nantes, a prestigious international horticultural event, will move to the nearby Vendée from May 17 to May 26, 2024. It will take place at the Domaine de La Chabotterie—an 18th-century estate spread over 118 acres of lush forest and meadows. Anticipating over 200,000 visitors, the event will showcase the imaginative creations of 200 participants hailing from France, the United States, and other countries. Aptly named ‘Flower Games’ for the 2024 edition, a nod to the Summer Olympics will feature five thematic areas: water, childhood, intellectual, physical, and garden games.
Anniversaries
These festivities and achievements would not be possible if it wasn’t for the bravery of Allied soldiers and veterans who took part in the historic D-Day Landings in Normandy. They will be honored during the 80th anniversary of this critical chapter of WWII in 2024. In addition to the June 6th landings in Normandy, it’s also the 80th anniversary of Operation Dragoon, a crucial Franco-American landing that occurred on August 15, 1944. The primary landing sites were located in Le Var County of the Provence-Alpes-Côte d’Azur region. After these landings, Allied forces advanced up the Rhone Valley, executing a coordinated pincer movement to cut off and engage retreating German troops. This strategic maneuver culminated in a historic meeting with D-Day veterans in Dijon on September 12, 1944.
Starting on October 30, Air France will operate three weekly flights from Charles-de-Gaulle Airport (CDG) to Raleigh Durham. Additionally, in the summer of 2024, American Airlines will offer seasonal and non-stop flights from Philly to Nice.
In 2024, the French National Railroads (SNCF) will introduce—starting on the Southeastern corridor of its network—a new high-speed train called the TGV M built by Alstom. The M stands for modular (number of cars.) The new train will offer 20% more seats, a compact, aerodynamic & energy saving locomotive (20% energy savings & 32% less carbon emissions.) & new high-tech lounge car. Explore France:
The Road Less Traveled
Provence’s Le Var county is famed for Saint-Tropez but also home to France’s Grand Canyon—the spectacular Gorges du Verdon, which is worth visiting year-round. Other breathtaking spots include the red rock mountains of the Estérel Massif and the must-see Porquerolles and Port-Cros islands. An Olympic torch stop on May 17, Toulouse, known as the Pink City, is notable for architectural heritage & museums and also the world capital of aeronautics. The unsung Vendée, and Charente-Maritime house the lush & biodiverse Marais Poitevin, France’s second largest wetland. Fittingly, Nouvelle Aquitaine’s Cognac region comprised of both the Charente and Charente Maritime welcomes visitors who wish to discover that there’s more to Cognac then just the drink.
If you think Dijon is all about mustard, prepare to be surprised. Not only will Dijon host the Olympic torch on July 12, but it is also home to the captivating Cité de la Gastronomie et du Vin. It serves as the perfect starting point for exploring the three new wine centers in Beaune, Macon, and Chablis.
Finally, check out two recent additions to the UNESCO World Heritage Site: the Roman-era Maison Carrée in Nîmes and the Volcanoes and lush forests of Mount Pelée and the Pitons of Le Carbet on the island of Martinique.
POPtravel Films (November 7, 2023) – A walking tour of Wiesbaden, a city in the western German state of Hesse. Its neoclassical Kurhaus now houses a convention center and a casino. The Kurpark is an English-style landscaped garden designed in 1852.
The red, neo-Gothic Market Church on Schlossplatz is flanked by the neoclassical City Palace, seat of State Parliament. Museum Wiesbaden displays expressionist paintings by Alexej von Jawlensky and natural history exhibits.
graincheck Films (November 2023) – Photographer and director Taylor Pendleton traveled to Peru for one week to shoot photos for National Geographic. This video chronicles her experiences and impressions.
VIRTUAL TOUR Films (November 6, 2023) – Villa Monastero is located in Varenna, Province of Lecco, on the shore of Lake Como. The villa lies south of the village, halfway between Varenna and Fiumelatte, and includes a botanical garden, a museum, and a convention center.
Villa Monastero is an eclectic villa built in the Nordic style. The site was originally a Cistercian convent, founded at the end of the 12th century in Varenna, which now lies beneath the modern building. The convent grew in importance and wealth, purchasing many properties, especially around Lierna, but eventually declined to only six mothers, and was closed by papal bull in 1567.
The whole estate was purchased by Paolo Mornico in 1569, using his fortune amassed through iron mining in Valsassinia. In the 17th century the Mornico family incrementally rebuilt and decorated it in the eclectic style.
DW Travel (November 5, 2023) – Drachenburg Castle in Königswinter, near the German city of Bonn, is a real tourist magnet and Instagram hotspot. It may look like a medieval fairytale castle, but it wasn’t built until the late 19th century.
And its history is a mix of colorful, dark and bizarre – involving an eccentric bon vivant, Nazis and, of course, a dragon. DW reporter Diana Piñeros went to take a look at the castle for you.
ART VISION TV / C&B JOURNAL (NOVEMBER 4, 2023) – The swanky 16th arrondissement is home to foreign embassies and renowned museums, including the Fondation Louis Vuitton and the Palais de Tokyo with its contemporary art.
Hilly Passy, home to the city’s wealthiest residents, features trendy restaurants and the Maison de Balzac, a house museum where the novelist once lived. Families head to the Bois de Boulogne for its boating lakes and kids’ theme park.
Drone Snap Films (November 3, 2023) – Lagos is a town in southern Portugal’s Algarve region. It’s known for its walled old town, cliffs and Atlantic beaches. Steep wooden steps lead to the sandy cove of Praia do Camilo.
The nearby cliffs of Ponta de Piedade offer sweeping headland views and a lighthouse. Igreja de Santo António, an ornate 18th-century church, sits across from the Castelo dos Governadores, a castle with a baroque facade and watchtowers.
National Geographic Traveller Magazine (December 2023): The latest issue features the 30 best destinations for 2024, Northern Lights in Manitoba, sailing Denmark’s South Funen Archipelago on a tall ship and a long-distance rail trip in the US….
Also inside this issue:
Uganda: The wildlife of Queen Elizabeth National Park. Melbourne: In Victoria’s state capital, local innovators are breathing new life into forgotten spaces. Amman: Culture, cuisine and craft in Jordan’s kaleidoscopic, mountain-fringed capital. Tunisia: From laid-back coastal towns and diving spots to mountain trails in the county’s northern reaches. Warsaw: Traditional Polish flavours have found a new home in fine-dining establishments. Central London: Hotels to escape the crowds at, from budget boutiques to spruced-up luxury boltholes.
Plus, saddling up inGeorgia’s Tusheti region; the salt workers of India’s Habra city; Barcelona’s La Sagrada Família nears completion; Europe’s new UNESCO World Heritage Sites; the flavours of Sierra Leone;a pedal-powered tour of Malmö; design-led stays in Siem Reap; a Christmas break in Lapland; beach views and seafood in Aberdeen; a staycation in Arnside and Silverdale; great illustrated travel books and photography collections; and overnight essentials.
The Florentine (November 2, 2023) – For the first time since its discovery in 1975, Michelangelo’s secret room in Florence, Italy, will be regularly open to the public starting from November 15.
The tiny space accessible via the New Sacristy in the Museum of the Medici Chapels contains charcoal drawings attributed to Buonarroti and will be open on an experimental basis to small groups of visitors until March 30, 2024.
News, Views and Reviews For The Intellectually Curious
France.fr
graincheck Films (November 2023) – Photographer and director Taylor Pendleton traveled to Peru for one week to shoot photos for National Geographic. This video chronicles her experiences and impressions.
VIRTUAL TOUR
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