Want to see Rome in a day? A tour of the iconic and major sites of Rome, The Eternal City. Including information on using the Rome Metro and trains.
Only 8 Hours To See Rome
Sampling Tapas in Palma de Mallorca
While Barcelona may be the gastronomic heart of the Spanish Mediterranean don’t overlook the Balearic Islands, and Palma de Majorca. Nowhere in Spain is tapas practiced with more imagination and flare. In 18th-century Spain tapas were served at guest quarters, taverns and bodegas, that provided meals for travelers. Since few people could read or write, inns offered guests a sample of the dishes offered on a “tapa” (Spanish for pot cover) as a sample. The tradition survives in the popular tapas bars of modern Spain.
If your cruise offers you the opportunity to spend some time in Palma, tapas should be put near the top of your list. Four of the cities more famous offerings are:
Forn de Sant Joan is the place to go in Palma for inventive tapas, this family-run venue is also one of the city’s best and most popular restaurants. Located in an old bakery building in an older neighborhood, the restaurant features bread ovens and classic tiles. It has four floors and an open kitchen that prepares tapas with a hint of Asian fusion. An extensive wine list and neighborhood feel adds to the appeal. Located at Calle Sant Joan 4, Palma de Mallorca.
Wineing Bar is a great modern wine & tapas bar located in the beautiful setting at the Marina Port De Mallorca. Featuring over 48 different wines from the Balearic Islands and Spain to order by the glass and an excellent selection of tapas. Located at Calle Apuntadors 24, Palma Marina, Palma de Majorca.
Bar Día has the reputation as the best tapas bars in Palma. Not noted for a fancy atmosphere but rather its homey, casual atmosphere and traditional tapas like tortilla and garlic prawns. Its popularity is founded on quality, large portions and great value. In the evening expect some wait time as this popular tapas bar attracts locals and tourists alike. Located at Carrer dels Apuntadors, 18, Palma de Majorca.
Located in Palma’s historic quarter near the cathedral, Taberna de la Boveda offers authentic tapas like escargot, bread and olive oil and mini chorizos. Featuring a tavern atmosphere with big wine barrels and heavy wood tables with an attractive outdoor terrace. This popular tapas bar gets crowded so be prepared to wait some to get in. Address Paseo Sagrera 3, Palma de Mallorca.
Rome’s Trimani Enoteca, a Wine Bar
After a long day walking thru Rome and a late lunch on the Via Veneto finding a wine bar for happy hour would be just the place to unwind.
Trimani Enoteca
A good choice would be the highly rated Trimani Enoteca which genuinely deserves the praise it gets. Trimani has been a name in Rome for a very long time, with its founding family selling wine for over 175 years. It is one of the best known enotecas in Rome. It features wines from all over the world at remarkably fair prices.
The atmosphere is welcoming and comfortable and the staff knowledgeable and friendly. Plan on spending a while over some good glasses of wine, maybe a generous cheese plate and a small bite or two off the menu.
Italian wine bars are called Enoteche, an Italian word derived from a Greek word which literally means “wine repository”. The word is used to describe a particular type of local or regional wine shop that originated in Italy and recently has spread to some other European countries.
Trimani Enoteca is located at via Goito 20, Rome, Italy not far from the Termini.
A genuine enoteca is intended to give locals, visitors and tourists the opportunity to taste wines at a reasonable price before buying the bottle. Regionally an enoteca is often run in collaboration with wineries and tourism organizations in an area. They were created as a source of information on local wines rather than as regular retail outlet.
There are a number of these wine bars in Rome with many serving snacks and light dishes. If you are not looking for a full meal these are good choices. Three additional ones that are highly rated in other neighborhoods in Rome are:
Enoteca Regionale Palatium
Located across the Tiber from the Vatican and south of Villa Borghese is Entoca Regionale Palatium. Highlighting regional quality is at the heart of this enoteca, located only steps from Piazza di Spagna. Because it’s a true regional enoteca it focuses on the wines and tastes of Lazio. All the best of local producers of both food and wine are showcased at Palatium, making it a must visit for every wine loving tourist spending time in Rome.
Enoteca Regionale Palatium via Frattina 94, Rome, Italy
Enoteca del Frate
Located in one of Rome’s Prati neighborhoods north of the Vatican, Enoteca del Frate is an historical wine bar and enoteca which is a meeting point for local and foreign wine lovers. With continuous efforts to bring only the very best to Roman customers at discounted prices, and with offers ranging from wine to liquors, this enoteca, along with the nearby wine bar, will have something for every palate and every occasion. On the menu there are a series of appetizers to accompany the wine as well as other more elaborate dishes for those who are seeking a great meal.
Enoteca del Frate via degli Scipioni 118-122, Rome, Italy
Advice On Tipping • Contrary to Roman custom it is expected to leave a tip at wine bars in Rome. Not sure how this began but normally people in Rome are not in the habit of tipping and it usually is not customary. In recent years, in Rome, more and more service people are expecting foreigners to leave a tip. The custom has always been that you don’t need to tip in Italy as you’re probably already paying a supplement through the servizio (service charge) on your restaurant bill and/or a coperto (cover charge), and sometimes both. At this point I am not sure what Fodor is saying but I would appreciate an thoughts on this?
Traveling Around Yellowstone
Beating The Crowds When Visiting Yellowstone National Park
If you intend to visit Yellowstone, the first thing you need to understand is that the park is larger than the state of Delaware with just nine hotels and a few campgrounds inside the park. For that reason reservations are difficult to come by. Most Park visitors stay at motels in Jackson Hole or West Yellowstone so a lot of time is expended getting in and around the park. As summer advances so do the lines of cars, so getting up early becomes a necessity. Also, if you get into the park late, the parking lots for a number of featured areas can be gridlocked. Not just a lack of parking spaces but serious traffic jams.
Even though the park is vast there are a number of locations that are high on every visitors itinerary. Following is a route map with major attractions marked and descriptions.
#1 Grand Prismatic Spring – Located in Midway Geyser Basin. This area may be small, but it leaves a lasting impression. In addition to Grand Prismatic Spring, there’s Excelsior Geyser, an enormous geyser crater, and the Turquoise and Opal Pools. You reach the field by a bridge across the Firehole River where boiling water flows into the river and steam rises from around the field. This location is very popular and the secret is to get up early and making this your first stop. On most days gridlock begins to set in around noon.
#2 Old Faithful – Located in the Upper Geyser Basin. The area is the largest concentration of geothermal features on Earth. Though the basins other geysers are less predictable than Old Faithful there is one literally going off all the time. There are also miles of walkways and trails thru the basin that need exploring. The Old Faithful geyser is only a short walk from The Old Faithful Lodge with easy access for the handicapped. With the lodges plentiful parking this a great stop anytime of the day and with a number of good restaurants its a great place for lunch or dinner.
#3 Mammoth Hot Springs – The springs is a large complex of hot springs on a hill of mineral deposits that look like an inside out cavern. It was created over thousands of years as hot water from the springs cooled on the surface and deposited calcium carbonate on the hillsides as it flowed. Mammoth Hot Springs Historic District in Yellowstone National Park is a large complex with a good hotel, restaurants and shops and is a good choice as a base for visiting the park.
#4 Lookout Point (Yellowstone Grand Canyon) – The iconic landscape image of Yellowstone is taken from Lookout Point. Only a short walk from the parking area the trail provides spectacular views up the Yellowstone Grand Canyon to the Lower Yellowstone Falls. This is a must see place but can turn into a traffic jam early in the day. Like Grand Prismatic Spring it is highly advisabe to put this on the list of visits early in the morning.
#5 Lower Geyser Basin – This is the largest geyser basin in Yellowstone National Park. It covers an area of over ten square miles compared to the Upper Geyser Basin one square mile. With its large size, the thermal features in the Lower Geyser Basin tend to be in widely spaced groups. Because of the large area and the number of parking facilities and trails it is much easier to visit and find parking at any time of day. In the Lower Basin probably the easiest to get to and most interesting to hike is the Fountain Paint Pot area which features pools, geysers and bubbling mud pots of different colors.
To round out Yellowstone’s list of favorite sights here are another five.
#6 Hayden and Lamar Valleys – Expansive valleys of open meadows excellent for watching animals. Plenty of parking spots throughout both.
#7 Yellowstone Lake – Home to The historic Lake Yellowstone Hotel featuring fishing and tours of the park, Fishing Bridge and visitors center.
#8 Norris Geyser Basin – This Basin is the hottest, oldest, and most dynamic of Yellowstone’s thermal areas.
#9 Tower Falls– This fall on Tower Creek in the northeastern region of Yellowstone National Park plunges 132 feet before joining the Yellowstone river.
#10 West Thumb Geyser Basin – This small, colorful geyser in Yellowstone National Park also features scenic lake views.
The real secret to getting to see what you want is to get up early and know your destination. Also since Yellowstone is the size of Delaware it helps to select accommodations convenient to getting into the park or better yet stay at one of the parks lodges.
Recommended routes into and thru Yellowstone National Park from each entrance for earliest access to primary locations.
Yellow – West Entrance and Yellowstone Village to Midway Geyser Basin and on to Old Faithful.
Blue – East Entrance and Cody to Lookout Point and Grand Canyon trails
Orange – North Entrance and Gardner to Mammoth Warm Springs on to Midway Geyser Basin or alternately to Lookout Point.
Green – Alternate route from Mammoth Warm Springs to Lookout Point and Old Faithful to Yellowstone Lake and Lake Village.
The Old Faithful Lodge is a historic site sitting in the middle of the largest concentration of geothermal features in the world (see our Lodge review HERE). The Old Faithful Lodge is situated in a geyser field where half of the world’s active geothermal features are located within one mile of the Lodge itself. The architecture is rustic and grand and the location is difficult to wrap your head around. The grand lobby of the massive log structure stands five stories high, but the guest rooms are primitive by modern standards: no air-conditioning, television or wifi, with spotty cell service and a real 1950s look. Ours had one double bed with a small bathroom featuring a pedestal sink (not much room for toiletries). We didn’t come looking for a resort and the real draw is simply the location.
For information on booking at The Old Faithful Inn click HERE.
Broad River Inn Chimney Rock, NC
Not long ago we planned a trip thru the Blue Ridge and Smokey mountains of North Carolina and made reservations for a couple of days at the Broad River Inn Chimney Rock. Chimney Rock and nearby Lake Lure are somewhat isolated and have virtually no major chain hotels, so you have to pick from small local accommodations.
We made our selection based on a few reviews and what a great choice. The reviewers didn’t give the Broad River Inn enough credit. It seems the owner and family are new to this property and they are putting in a lot of effort to fix up the place and make guests feel welcome.
Our room was beautifully decorated, our bed was very comfortable and the owners placed a chilled bottle of wine in our room along with some chocolates and snacks.
They include with the room a cooked-to-order breakfast and a daily speciality coffee from their attached coffee shop. Not to overstate anything the breakfast was incredible. Eggs, bacon or sausage and cinnamon monkey bread was our choice the first morning along with a yogurt parfait. The next morning – cinnamon bun french toast. The breakfast was almost worth the cost of the room.
Chimney Rock is a small tourist town nestled down in Hickory Nut Gorge with the attraction being the namesake rock formation standing on a cliff above the town. The buildings on the main street seem to alternate between small restaurants and souvenir shops. The Broad River Inn also runs an attractive miniature golf course along the edge of Broad River and you will find a good day of hiking and exploring at Chimney Rock Park.
The town of Chimney Rock runs into the end of Lake Lure which features its own collection of accommodations, restaurants, boating and a nice sand beach. While out of the way this area has enough to do to keep a family entertained for a few days. Broad River Inn Chimney Rock is also a good anchor for touring the wider areas growing selection of good wineries.
Some convenient links for more information:
Hiking Mendenhall Glacier
One of the worlds most accessible glaciers, Mendenhall is a short bus ride out of Juneau Alaska with great hiking trails for casual walks or good hikes.
The Intentional Travelers 