Wondering where to go for luxury travel in Europe? Here you find recommendations where to stay & dine in style with value for money. In addition, there are tips what to do (often involving walking). For Switzerland, go to the separate category!

Château Saint-Martin in the French Riviera hills
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Staying & dining in style at Château Saint-Martin in Vence in the French Riviera hills

Luxury hotel with Michelin star restaurant in the hilltops of the Côte d'Azur: Staying and dining in style on the French Riviera usually comes with a hefty price tag. This is especially true for beachfront hotels. As my husband and I were…
Laigueglia west Liguria/Italy - what to do around Alassio
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3 top things to do around Alassio on the Italian Riviera

A guide to visiting a part of Liguria west of Genoa, especially if you like walking: Liguria is one of the smallest regions in Italy, with its capital in Genoa. It is a narrow strip of land on one of the northernmost points of the Mediterranean…
Villa della Pergola Alassio, Italy
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Staying & dining in style at Villa della Pergola in Alassio/Italian Riviera

Luxury boutique hotel with Michelin star restaurant in a Ligurian seaside resort west of Genoa: Update: new chef Giorgio Pignagnoli at Restaurant Nove as from spring 2022 Nowadays, foreign travelers head to the Ligurian hotspots as the Cinque…
What to do in Piedmont's Langhe region - view of Piedmont's rolling vineyard hills from Neive
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3 top things to do in Piedmont’s Langhe region, Italy (that include walking)

A guide to visiting the Langhe wine region around Alba, especially if you like walking: Piedmont is one of Italy's 20 regions, with its capital in Turin. It sits in the foothills of the Alps in the country's north and is mainly known for its…
luxury hotel & 1-star Michelin restaurant Relais San Maurizio Piedmont, Italy
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Staying & dining in style at Relais San Maurizio in Piedmont/Italy

Luxury hotel near Alba with Michelin star restaurant & great facilities amidst vineyards: I have hardly ever experienced a hotel with such a beautiful location! Hotel Relais San Maurizio Piedmont is set on a hill near Alba in one of Italy's…
What to do in Orta San Giulio, Italy
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3 top things to do in Orta San Giulio on Lake Orta, Italy

A guide to visiting one of the country's most beautiful villages: Only recently did I learn about the stunning village of Orta San Giulio on Lake Orta. And this albeit is not far from Switzerland, my home country. This medieval small town features…
luxury hotel & 2-star Michelin restaurant Villa Crespi Lake Orta, Italy
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Staying & dining in style at Villa Crespi on Lake Orta/Italy

Historic rooms at boutique luxury hotel & two-star Michelin restaurant in Italy's Lake District: UPDATE: Villa Crespi Restaurant received its third Michelin star in November 2022! Hotel Villa Crespi truly is an eye-catcher! Its Moorish…
northern Italy & southern France in style, here Alassio & Vence
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Northern Italy & southern France in style, a 11-day road trip itinerary

Luxury hotels, Michelin dining & things to do along the route: Finally, my husband and managed to do a longer trip abroad - after a forced break due to Corona of more than one and a half year. We did not venture far, to neighboring Italy…
gourmet Hotel Mammertsberg/Switzerland
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A weekend at the gourmet Hotel Mammertsberg in the Lake Constance area, Switzerland

A luxury boutique hotel with Michelin starred cuisine & lake view near Saint Gallen: UPDATE: new management as from fall 2022 (boutique collection by Andreas Caminada, 2-star Michelin chef Silvio Germann) Only recently I came across…