Europe is usually a top luxury travel destination for many and some new sites have recently emerged as must-see places to visit. One of these is Marseilles, France, an ancient city and the second largest in France that is somewhat removed psychologically and ethnically from the rest of France with an influx of immigrants from Algeria and other colonies that once belonged to France. It now stands as a world-class city and flourishes as a pan- Mediterranean hub.
Marseilles has also become a capital of culture with new energy in music and theatre and boasts major renovations to many of the museums that number over twenty in the city. Yet many can still enjoy the many old pleasures of the city such as a stroll along the Panier Quarter and its narrow lanes, a boat rode in the calanques, somewhat akin to the fjords and a hearty meal of a good bouillabaisse. Stay at the Sofitel Marseille Vieux Port, a luxurious hotel, with the best times to go between April and May and September through October when the tourist traffic is lighter and the temperatures are more comfortable.
Ravenna, Italy is a small and sleepy city lacking the ruins and domed skylines of Rome but it served as the capital of the Western Roman Empire back in the fifth century and monuments were built by the Roman rulers that then and now are famous for their sweeping mosaics. These mosaics are spectacular decorations of seven of the eight buildings still standing in Ravenna from the fifth and sixth centuries. They can also be seen at the Museo d’Arte Ravenna by more contemporary mosaicists including Mathieu, Chagall and Vedova and in small workshops when modern artists used the same methods as their ancient forebears. The best time of the year to visit the city is during April and May but anytime between June and October the weather can be pleasant. Stay at the Albergo Cappello hotel, a restored, seven-room palazzo for the most luxurious experience.
The second largest city in Greece and 320 miles north of Athens lies Thessaloniki, an urban seafront with a sparkling harbor and quiet bay with a meandering waterfront. The city is many centuries old and the markets in its streets are filled with barrels of fresh feta and ripe fruits and vegetables. In addition to these symbols of the city are bohemian night clubs, art galleries and hot spots of culinary delight that have become the vision of a grassroots youth culture in the city, garnering it official status as the European Youth Capital of 2014. Enjoy all that makes up Thessaloniki by foot, walking from the Ano Poli to the waterfront where Aristotelous Square is located. Stay at the sleek Daios Luxury Living Hotel with executive sea view rooms that overlook the gulf.
A unique travel experience is a trip to Bod, the capital of the Nordland Province in Norway. The approach to city provides a seascape of thousands of islands with a chain of 62 miles of spikey mountains, glaciers and peaks to the northwest. The city is Norway’s gateway to the Artic, located less than one degree north of the Arctic Circle and is warmed by the effects of the Gulf Stream, offering cycling, skiing, hiking, climbing, and fishing and the unique Arctic light.