We had been to Sicily before and were bewitched and beguiled by the land, the people, the food, the atmosphere. We have been to a good many places around the world doing travel writing. Sicily, somehow, for us held a special charm. We vowed to return. Now in the spring of 2017 we did return. Our very complete itinerary was created by a good friend,...

The Gran Melia Villa Agrippina is like being in Rome, but also like being in the country.It is actually situated in the heart of the great city but apart from it on the quiet Janiculum Hill. Incredibly, one has serenity and luxury and everything else including being within walking distance of the Vatican, Piazza Navona, Castel Sant'Angelo and other...

Walking down the Riva Degli Schiavoni fromPiazza San Marco, we recognize it immediately: the pink stucco facade with marble sills standing flat against the promenade, looking out to the beautiful blue lagoon. We enter the building through a wooden revolving door. Before us is the lobby: marble floors and columns, a four-storied courtyard marked by ...

Coming home to the Gritti Palace. A restful and efficient flight on Swiss Airlines in Boston brings us to an early afternoon arrival at the Venice airport where a man awaits us holding aloft a sign: "WELCOME FROMMERS!" We follow him and our luggage down to the water taxi and off we go for a highly anticipated stay at the grand and gorgeous Gritti P...