Genoa 2018: Arrival & Getting My Bearings

I have to confess it was a little hard to leave London just as the recently absent sun was putting in an appearance for a few days while the forecast for Genoa promised only grey and rain. A prediction borne out on my arrival as we landed. However, little can really dampen the excitement of […]

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Five Days in Florence

Why go? If you have any serious interest in good food and art, then Florence is somewhere you just have to go. This is the seat of the Renaissance and home to some of the world’s best art; the area of Italy that Leonardo da Vinci and Michelangelo came from. You’ll also find some of […]

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Florence 2017: Hotel Cellai

Most of my holidays are short breaks, usually a 3-night weekend break, or in the case of Florence this week, 5 nights. I’ve got into the habit of booking flight and hotel through British Airways as the package is usually a good deal and living so close to Heathrow I always prefer to fly from […]

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Florence 2017: Dinner at Trattoria Cibreo & Visit to Boboli Gardens

I decided to eat at Trattoria Cibreo last night. It had been recommended to me by both my hotel and the food tour I did on Monday. It opens at 7.00 in the evening. There are reports of long queues and you can’t book so I decided to get there in time for opening. As […]

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Florence 2017: Early Morning at Mercato Centrale & Bus to Fiesole

Unusually it’s taken me three days to get to the local main market. But there’s so much to do in Florence with my time divided between art and food, not to mention just wandering round and appreciating how beautiful Florence is, that today was the first chance to go. I’m always up early and it […]

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Florence 2017: Food & Art

Like most other visitors to Florence, I’m here for the food and the art. The Renaissance was born here but so too was gelato. Both Leonardo da Vinci and Michelangelo were born in Tuscany and modern gelato was born in Florence at the time of the Medicis in the early 16th century. I’ve been doing […]

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Return to Florence & Dinner at Osteria Santo Spirito

It was while enjoying some Tuscan bread at Osteria Santo Spirito last night that I wondered why on earth I’d waited 15 years to return to Florence. It’s easy to be put off crowded, touristy Florence, especially in the heat of summer but then I’d forgotten how beautiful it is – and how glorious the […]

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Turin: Historic Cafes, Chocolate & Aperitivo

If ever reasons were needed to explain why Travel Gourmet has fallen in love with the city of Turin (apart from it being in Italy, of course!), there are three excellent ones: it’s home to some of the most wonderful historic cafés you’ll find anywhere; it’s the home of chocolate (yes, even before Switzerland); and […]

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Lunch at Caffe Torino, Turin, Italy

Caffè Torino became a favourite haunt on my first trip to Turin last September. It’s situated in Piazza San Carlo in the heart of the city. This beautiful piazza – square – was built in the early 1600s. Caffè Torino was opened in 1903. With its Belle Epoque interior it offers a glimpse of a glamorous […]

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Restaurant Review: Scannabue, Turin

Scannabue is a caffe-ristorante in the buzzy, multicultural area of San Salvario, south of the city centre. I was in that area this morning and stopped by to take a look. I liked what I saw and went in. It wasn’t open but I managed to find someone to book a table. It’s interesting considering […]

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