i-plan travel
... taking the guesswork out of travel planning
FEATURED SITES
Accommodations
Normandy, France
Staying at a château with a real Count and Countess to greet you ... it's every traveller's dream. But it's also the reality at this lovely château! Located in the peaceful Normandy countryside near Mont St. Michel, Le Château de Boucéel offers several beautiful rooms - including a rustic French cottage for four people on the estate. Breakfasts are hearty, served by a very talkative and informative Count. An experience you'll never forget!
Florence, Italy
This magnificent palazzo offers affordable luxury in the heart of Florence. Many rooms have frescoed ceilings or marble fireplaces. Some have astonishing city views. But all have comfort and style. Three spectacular rooms in the residenza offer true elegance and spaciousness beyond anything else you will find in this price range in Florence. Enjoy breakfast in their fine breakfast room, or take it on the loggia. Outstanding value and impeccable service in this intensely Renaissance city.
York, England
This cozy pub offers fine dining and award-winning rooms, in addition to the bar that serves local real ales. Guy Fawkes, one of the failed conspirators who planned the 1605 Gunpowder Plot to blow up Parliament and the King, was born on this spot in 1570 and the building that stands now maintains a rich history and gaslit ambience. Modern rooms and tasty cuisine make this accommodation much sought after in the heart of old York.
Restaurants
Paris, France
This inventive cuisine opens your tastebuds to new experiences. Such delights as crayfish ravioli with a Jerusalem artichoke sauce, mussels with sweet potato and sesame, cauliflower with confit of ginger, tender scallops, beef with a mustard glaze and risotto à l'orange will introduce you to new flavour combinations as well as satisfy familiar cravings. Save room for dessert – true masterpieces in their own right (with homemade ice cream with exotic flavours featuring in many selections). Book well ahead as this place is popular!
Florence, Italy
You can't go to Florence and NOT visit La Giostra. Everyone I introduce to the place ends up going back or sending others. Run by a Hapsburg prince and his identical twin sons, La Giostra is a foodie's heaven. A true culinary experience from the moment you arrive (with a complimentary glass of prosecco and a platter of handmade starters), you can't go wrong here. Toothsome and mouthwatering pastas are king (although the Flintstone-sized bistecca is a carnivore's feast). One of the best carbonaras I've ever had!
England (various locations)
Wagamama is one of my go-to places whenever I'm in the UK. Try a hearty bowl of ramen, slurp back a plate of noodles, or munch your way through some tasty gyoza. There is something here for every palate. Some of my faves include the duck gyoza served with a spicy cherry hoisin dipping sauce, or the yaki udon in curry oil with chicken, prawns, egg, beansprouts, leeks, mushrooms and peppers. Whatever you order, you can be assured that it will be fast and made with the freshest ingredients.
Experiences
London, England
London’s Borough Market is an institution … and a must-see sight for foodies of any stripe. There has been a market here for over 1,000 years – selling produce, fish, meat, cheese and prepared foods then as now. The neighbourhood, near the London Bridge, has also become a haven for trendy eateries – where the market’s freshest ingredients are used in daily menus. Whether you’re looking for an exceptional cup of coffee, a hunk of delicious English cheese or a slab of dark chocolate brownie to satisfy a sweet tooth, there is something for everyone at the Borough Market!
Provence, France
It’s easy to get lost in the beach culture of the South of France. But don’t forget that the south also has some remarkable natural settings that will awe you. One of the most unique is in the small town of Roussillon – where even the buildings take on the reddish hue of the surrounding ochre landscape. Park the car and put on your hiking shoes and spend an hour roaming through the well-marked paths through an other-worldly landscape of ochre rock formations. You’ll forget you’re in France!
Rome, Italy
Of course, if you’re into art or antiquities, you have to go to the Vatican Museum when you’re in Rome. But don’t miss out on this amazing treasure. The Capitoline Museums' core collection can be traced back to 1471, when Pope Sixtus IV donated a group of bronze statues to the people of Rome. Since then, this remarkable museum has grown to include such treasures as the Dying Gaul and the iconic bronze statue of Romulus and Remus with the she-wolf, as well as Renaissance paintings by Van Dyck, Tintoretto and Caravaggio. One of my new favourite stops in Rome!
