Create Itinerary for Romantic Getaway to Venice, Italy

Whether you’re traveling to Venice, Italy looking for romance or are a seasoned traveler, the Carnet travel guide to Venice has insider travel reviews for culture rich entertainment, art museums, galleries, fine dining, luxury hotels and fashion designer shopping addresses.  Venice is full of romance and whimsy in every season, so it’s always a great time to plan your getaway!

The city of Venice is incredibly beautiful; a stroll through its neighborhoods is a lovely and charming experience.  In the summer months, visitors and locals alike enjoy long evening walks along the Giudecca.  In autumn, you can walk across piazza San Marco, but don’t forget to bring your rubber boots because of the high tide!  In winter, ten centuries of history are covered by a silent blanket of snow.  In the spring, make sure to experience the flowers and scents of the secret gardens in the city of the Doge.

While in Venice, Carnet suggests taking a motorboat across the Venetian lagoon to the island of Torcello. Visit the ruins of the old Byzantine Cathedral and have a late lunch under the shady pergolas of the gardens of Locanda Cipriani. You might be seated at the table where Ernest Hemingway wrote “Across the River and into the Trees.”

Another romantic idea is to hire a Water Taxi to take you to the Giudecca Canal just before sunset and enjoy the colors and reflection of the waters. Watch the rays of the sunset play on the gold of the domes of San Marco from the Bell Tower of San Giorgio Maggiore, far from the maddening crowd.

I found these romantic Venetian travel suggestions from my favorite travel guide, Travel with Carnet!  

In May Venice Gets Ready for Painting and Art Biennale While June is All About Rome and Vatican Celebrations

Traveling to Italy this summer?  You’ll definitely want to visit Venice and Rome!  Italy is the perfect place to be immersed in culture, art & paintings, and to enjoy luxury travel.  Previews of the 55th International Art Exhibition will be held in Venice May 29^th through 31^st; most art venues will be open daily from 10am to 6pm.  The exhibition will run from June 1^st to November 24^th, 2013.  If you want to attend the preview, or get special access during the event, consider purchasing a Biennale Card.  Historical Archives of Contemporary Arts benefit 100% from revenue related to sales of the Card.

On July 30^th, a fundraising event will be held in Venice for the Historical Archives of Contemporary Arts.   In the basin of San Marco and the Giudecca Canal, hundreds of boats will be illuminated with paper lanterns. A boat bridge will float from the Dorsoduro to the Giudecca. Once a hotel, The Ca' Giustinian is a former 15th century gothic palace near Ca Rezonico, just a canal view across from Palazzo Grazzi. The evening’s sit down meal will include local dishes and conclude with a 30 minute fireworks display just before midnight.  This event will definitely be worth attending, not only to support art, but to enjoy the beauty and magic of the city of Venice.

During June, there are many religious observances in Rome. Make sure you witness at least one of the masses, processions and feasts.  On May 30^th, Corpus Christi starts with a Mass at San Giovanni en Laterano, followed by a procession to Santa Maria Maggiore.  On June 24^th, in observance of San Giovanni (John the Baptist), an additional mass, attended by hundreds of thousands of people, is held at San Giovanni Rome Cathedral. The feasts are typically comprised of street vendors who serve snails and suckling pig, flavored with pestled celery and caraway seeds, and roasted in traditional Roman style with salt and olive oil.  This year expect the celebrations to elevate to highlight the entry of newly enthroned Pope Francis.

I found out about these great events from my favorite travel guide, Travel with Carnet! 

How To Experience Paris For Busy Executives - Things To Do, Attractions, Eiffel Tower, Restaurant, Art Museum And Spas

There’s this great trip planning site called Carnet you just select your travel listings and it organizes, plots, and you can print it (or you just send it to your phone).  It also includes addresses and phone numbers so you have everything in one place. It certainly helps to be able to get around some of the worlds most cultural cities and squeeze everything in that you want to do on your trip.

All About Paris – Eiffel Tower and Trocadero
Visiting Paris is something every luxury traveler should do at a least 3 times. The center of the city is divided into walkable neighborhoods and there is always something new to discover. To get acquainted with how the city of lights is divided by the Seine, visit the Trocadero to get the best view of the Eiffel Tower, then walk across the Seine and scale up to either the restaurant or the third level observation deck of the Eiffel tower to view all there is to treasure about Paris, France. In the evening the lights along the structure make an amazing spectacle.

Restaurants in Paris – Haute Cuisine and Michelin Stars
The top Paris restaurants require advance reservations, so spend a little time browsing our restaurant reviews and be sure to dine at at least one Paris michelin restaurant. The experience of the service, preparations, technique and beautiful dining rooms is a souvenir in itself.  Some of the famous Paris restaurants include Guy Savoy, Joel Robuchon, Thiery Marx, Alain Ducasse, Arpege, and Senderens. For a departure from haute cuisine you can try French brasserie Lipp, cafe at Ralph Lauren or trendy Paris Italian restaurants like Stresa.

Art on Display – Grand Palais at Champs Elysee
Take a stroll through the gardens of the Champs Elysee to visit the art paintings by Edward Hopper on display at the Grand Palais. Until January 28, 2013, the exhibit space showcases his talent of taking simple subjects and transforming them to sophisticated compositions. The exhibit also includes works he created during his stay in Paris.

The travel Carnet works great for sneaking in museum tours and the chicest places where models, designers and fashions who’s who eat and drink in Paris. 

It's easy to plan your trip itinerary with endless things to do in Paris on your next trip to Europe. First time or seasoned travelers can use the Carnet travel guide for insider access to Paris luxury travel reviews for culture rich entertainment, art museums, galleries, fine dining, luxury hotels and fashion designer shopping addresses. Carnet’s guides are designed for culture seekers and foodies who like to walk the best neighborhoods in a city when they travel. Our pedestrian map of Paris is made for savvy travelers who plan on attending the opera and Paris sightseeing. 

James Beard Foundation 2012 Winners Include Matt Molina, Wolfgang Puck and Boulevard in San Francisco

Founded after celebrated American Chef and TV personality, James Beard, the annual James Beard Foundation Awards 

 honor the finest culinary professionals in North America in the following categories: Outstanding Restaurateur, Outstanding Chef, Rising Star Chef of the Year, Best New Restaurant, Outstanding Pastry Chef, Outstanding Service, Outstanding Wines and Spirits Professional, Outstanding Wine Program, Outstanding Bar Program, Best Chefs (for each of 10 regions) and Outstanding Restaurant.

The list of eligible entries is reduced to approximately 20 semifinalists. The judges are a voting group of over 300 previous James Beard Restaurant and Chef Award winners, 250 panelists divided evenly among 10 regions, and 17 members of the Restaurant and Chef Awards committee. The contest is then reduced to 5 semi-finalists who become the final nominees.

In 2011 the Outstanding Restaurant winner was Eleven Madison Park in New York City. Run by head chef Daniel Humm.  The restaurant boasts a unique dining experience as guests are given a grid of 16 ingredients, and the staff designs a meal based on selected preferences.

So...Who won this year?
The award for Best Chef Pacific was given to Matt Molina, and the Outstanding Restaurant award was given to Boulevard in San Francisco. Among the honorees, Wolfgang Puck was given the Lifetime Achievement Award.

One of The Best Sushi Restaurants in New York – Soto Restaurant in West Village

Soto Restaurant at 57 6th Ave in the West Village is a treasure of 
culinary surprises. It isn't just sushi. The dishes at Soto make sushi
maki seem as passé as a cheeseburger. It is the art of combining
intricate flavors with delicate slices of raw seafood. 

The menu includes the best seafood, all decorated with intricate
details like soy foam and custard-like sea bream. Classic dishes
like Anago and salmon nigiri are cleanly prepared and made to
satisfy the traditional taste palettes. Whereas exotic treats like
Shima Aji, a striped jack fish sushi nigiri, the Uni cocktail, a sea
urchin, cater to the more adventurous patron.  Fluke Ponzu,
served with ginger roots, and Sea trout Carpaccio are also
popular selections. Every dish maintains the clean aesthetic and
exotic taste of original Japanese cuisine.

Much more on their cuisine with link to reservations at: 
http://bit.ly/JkltIN

Gourmet Spring Delicacy Available In Venice, Italy; Venetian Castraura (early Artichoke)

If you are in Venice this March or April, there is one delicacy you should not miss; the castraura, a vegetable available for only 6 weeks at the end of March and into April. As a tourist, it’s a perfect thing to buy at the Rialto market while you blend in with the locals, since you can buy it and eat it on the spot, no cooking required.

Castraura is the first bud of the artichoke. The Consorzio del Carciofo Violetto di Sant’Erasmo is a consortium of 20 producers on the island of Sant’Erasmo who grow these delicacies. They’re quite expensive, around 3 euros for 10, at the Rialto Market. After plucking the outer leaves, you can enjoy them raw, with simply a dash of oil and a pinch of rock salt. I guess that’s why the word literally means “castrated”!

They are also delicious braised in the oven with a little olive oil and white wine. The secret is not to overcook them. They are sometimes served fried, but it is a bit of shame eating them that way, as they tend to lose their most delicate aromas.

TravelWithCarnet.com (where I read about this) also has some wonderful tips on other foods you must try in Venice including: specialty Seafood, Veal, Soups, Pastas, Cocktails & Desserts. They also review restaurants, hotels, things to do, shopping, etc. in Venice, Italy.

Popular Restaurants in Milan, Italy – Travel With Carnet .com Defines Hard To Find Trendy and Cool Restaurant Locations to Choose From

Ok, let’s say I’m a female traveling alone in Milan and want to have dinner in a place where I won’t stick out like a sore thumb as an American dining alone – and more importantly, a place that is perhaps a mecca for meeting local people.

I was looking on the dining recommendations on a site called TravelWithCarnet.com and they recommended exactly what I was looking for – very close to my hotel. I tried googling “hip restaurants in Milan” and that got me nowhere! So am really pleased I found this “insider’s travel site”.

The restaurant the site recommended and I selected was called TRATTORIA TORRE DI PISA. It’s on Via Fiori Chiari, right off the main boulevard, Via Pontaccio. While it has been known for its celebrity clientele, it also boasts the hip clientele of Milan; writers, poets, artists are regular fixtures at the small restaurant. Its historical celebrity visitors include: Sharon Stone, Veruschka, Marisa Berenson and Laura Antonelli. Back in the 60’s when the restaurant opened, Andy Warhol was a fan as was Catherine Deneuve, the Fendi sisters, John Kennedy Jr. and Silvio Berlusconi; all of whom regularly dined here. TravelWithCarnet gives you the inside scoop, very helpful for a woman traveling alone throughout Milan and other destinations in Europe.