In the city of Reims, in the Marne department of the Grand Est region, northeastern France

 "Four be the things I am wiser to know: Idleness, sorrow, a friend, and a foe. Four be the things I'd been better without: Love, curiosity, freckles, and doubt. Three be the things I shall never attain: Envy, content, and sufficient champagne...."

-- Dorothy Parker
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(in northeastern France) The city of Reims, in the Marne department of the Grand Est region, lies east-northeast of Paris. On the Vesle River, a tributary of the Aisne, and the Marne–Aisne canal, the city is in vine-growing country where champagne is produced. (It is overlooked by the Montagne de Reims.)

+ The Gallic tribe of the Remi (from which Reims derives its name) was conquered by the Romans, and the town flourished under their occupation. In the 5th century, Clovis, the Frankish king, was baptized at Reims by Bishop Remigius (Rémi), and in memory of this occasion most French kings were subsequently consecrated here. (Charles VII, for example, was crowned here in 1429 in the presence of Joan of Arc.) The traditional wool industry was stimulated in the 17th century by King Louis XIV’s finance minister, Jean-Baptiste Colbert (a native of Reims). During WWI, the city was occupied briefly by the Germans in their offensive of September 1914; after evacuating it they held the surrounding heights, from which they bombarded the city during the next four years. In WWII Reims was again nearly destroyed, though the cathedral escaped damage. (The act of Germany’s capitulation in WWII was signed at Reims in May 1945.)

+ The 13th-century cathedral of Notre-Dame, which was greatly damaged during World War I but admirably restored, ranks as one of the most beautiful Gothic churches in France. Although its building took more than a century, it has a remarkable unity of style -- with a harmonious facade's graceful and expressive statues, fine 13th-century stained-glass windows, and a collection of reliquaries. The basilica and abbey of Saint-Rémi, begun in the 11th century, was also damaged in World War I, but its interior, with a narrow nave, an early Gothic choir, and 12th-century windows, is still striking. An imposing 3rd-century triumphal arch is one of the city’s few remains dating from Roman times. (The cathedral of Notre-Dame and the abbey were collectively designated a UNESCO World Heritage site in 1991.)

+ Reims is an administrative and commercial center. Together with Épernay, it forms the industrial center of the champagne wine district. Engineering, chemical, and packaging industries are also important. The city is home to the University of Reims, Champagne-Ardenne, and a large conference center.

+ Rising golden and imperious above the city, the cathedral is where, over the course of a millennium (from 816-to-1825), some 34 sovereigns (among them two dozen kings) began their reigns. Reims is endowed with attractive pedestrian boulevards, with Roman remains, art-deco cafes, and a flourishing fine-dining scene that counts among it, four Michelin-starred restaurants.

In the city of Baden-Baden, in Baden-Württemberg Land, southwestern Germany

 “Within you, there is a stillness and a sanctuary to which you can retreat at any time and be yourself.” -- Hermann Hesse

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(in a valley of the Northern Black Forest in southwestern Germany) The city of Baden-Baden, in Baden-Württemberg Land (state), lies along the middle Oos River in the Black Forest (Schwarzwald). Baden-Baden is one of the world’s great spas. Its Roman baths (parts of which survive) were built in the reign of Caracalla (211–217 CE) for the garrison of Strasbourg. The town fell into ruins but reappeared in 1112 as the seat (until 1705) of the margravate of Baden. The city was occupied by French troops in 1688, and it was almost entirely destroyed by a fire the following year. It was revived in the late 18th century as an asylum for refugees of the French Revolution. The popularity of Baden-Baden as a spa dates from the early 19th century, when the Prussian queen visited the site to improve her health, but it reached its zenith under Napoleon III during the 1850s and ’60s, when it became a resort for European nobility and society. Notable buildings include the casino, the modern baths, the Stiftskirche (with tombs of the margraves) and the 15th-century Neues Schloss, the former castle-residence of the margraves and later of the grand dukes of Baden. Nearby are the ruins of the Altes Schloss, the Lichtental Convent (founded in 1254), and the Greek Chapel. The resort is popular for its thermal saline and radioactive waters.

+ Baden-Baden's curative waters and air of old-world luxury have attracted royals, the rich, and celebrities over the years -– including Barack Obama, Bismarck, Queen Victoria, and Victoria Beckham. This city still has grand colonnaded buildings and whimsically turreted art nouveau villas spread across hillsides framed by forested mountains. The bon vivant spirit of France, just across the border, is tangible in its open-air cafes, chic boutiques, and pristine gardens fringing the Oos River. With its temple-like thermal baths -– which put the Baden (bathe) in Baden -– and palatial casino, the allure of this grand dame of German spa towns is as timeless as it is enduring.

+ In 2021, Baden-Baden became part of the transnational UNESCO World Heritage Site under the name "Great Spa Towns of Europe," because of its famous spas and architecture that exemplifies the popularity of spa towns in Europe from the 18th through 20th centuries.

+ Pictured here is The Casino im Kurhaus, which has been an architectural landmark of Baden-Baden for nearly 200 years. The city stands above all for cure, casino, and horse racing. The French financier Bénazet received a concession for the casino here in 1838. He also took care of the expansion of the city and cultural life. Artists and writers from all over Europe enriched the cultural life of the city. The high nobility and the fine society travelled to Baden-Baden mainly for the cure. The Kurhaus, with an integrated casino, became the epitome of European spa culture.

In the city of Nantes, in the Loire-Atlantique department of the Pays de la Loire region, in western France

 "Travel enables us to enrich our lives with new experiences, to enjoy and to be educated, to learn respect for foreign cultures, to establish friendships, and above all to contribute to international cooperation and peace throughout the world."

-- Jules Verne
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(in western France) The city of Nantes, in the Loire-Atlantique department of the Pays de la Loire region, Nantes is found at the head of the estuary of the Loire River, where it is joined by the Erdre and the Sèvre rivers, 35 miles (56 km) from the sea.
+ Nantes became a commercial center under the Romans. The Normans occupied it from 834 to 936. After a struggle in the Middle Ages between the counts of Nantes and Rennes for the sovereignty of Brittany in 1560, Francis II, king of France, granted Nantes a constitution. During the Wars of Religion, Nantes joined the Catholic League and opened its gates to Henry IV, king of France in 1598, the year he signed the Edict of Nantes (a charter assuring religious and civil liberties to Protestants). During the French Revolution, Nantes suffered the repression of an envoy of the revolutionary Committee of Public Safety named Jean-Baptiste Carrier. In 1793 Carrier replaced executions by the guillotine with mass drownings. (The city was occupied by Germans during World War II.)

+ Greatly modified by an urban renewal plan adopted in 1920, Nantes was further altered after having been partly destroyed in World War II. Since the 1960s, Nantes has become a dynamic regional center with a diversified economy. Nantes is also a major business center, and is the home of many regional headquarters of both industrial and services firms. Many public and private sector offices have relocated from Paris to the city.

+ Tourism has been stimulated by redevelopment of part of the former docklands and the building of specialized conference facilities. Although the cathedral of Saint-Pierre was built between the 15th and 20th centuries, it retains a Gothic unity. The imposing facade has three finely sculptured doorways and two high towers. The cathedral, bombed during World War II, had been nearly restored in 1972 when a fire largely destroyed the roof. The Renaissance tomb of Francis II, duke of Brittany, was unharmed.

 (The medieval castle had been rebuilt in 1466 by him.) Viewed from the outside, it looks like a fort with crenellated towers, but the inner courtyard is a typical Renaissance palace. The Musée des Beaux-Arts has one of the most important and varied collections of paintings in France.

+ Spirited and innovative, this city has a history of reinventing itself. By the 18th century Nantes was France's main port, and in the 19th century it became an industrial center. The world's first public transport service, the omnibus, began here in 1826. Shipbuilding anchored the city's economy until the late 20th century and when the shipyards relocated westwards to St-Nazaire, Nantes transformed itself into a thriving student and cultural hub.

In the Island of Isola Bella, on the south side of the Alps, Lake Maggiore, in Italy

 “A lake carries you into recesses of feeling otherwise impenetrable.”

-- William Wordsworth
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(in Italy) On the south side of the Alps, Lake Maggiore, the second largest lake in Italy (covering 82 square miles [212 sq km]), is bisected by the border between Lombardy (to the east) and Piedmont (west). Its northern end is in the Swiss Ticino canton. At an elevation of 193 meters above sea level, the lake is 34 miles (~54 km) long, with a maximum width of seven miles (~11 km) and a maximum depth of 372 meters. The lake is traversed from north to south by the Ticino River, and its other affluents are the Maggia from the north, the Toce from the west, and the short Tresa ( from Lake Lugano) on the east. Off the western shore are the famous Borromean Islands, geologic continuations of the Pallanza Promontory. Lake Maggiore is bordered by the Swiss Alps to the north and by the Lombardian Plain and has a warm, mild climate.

+ Since the 15th century, the greatest landowners around the lake have been the Borromeo family, who still own the islands and fishery rights. The lake’s name, meaning “greater,” refers to its being larger than the neighboring Orta and Varese lakes. There is fishing for trout, pike, perch, and shad. Well-known lakeside resorts on the western shore are Stresa, Verbania, Arona, and Cannobio. Other towns are Luino and Laveno, on the eastern shore, and Locarno, Switzerland., at the northern end. (Small steamers ply among them.) Southwest of Verbania, Mount Mottarone (at 1,491 meters) rises between Lake Maggiore and Lake Orta.

+ The westernmost of the major Italian lakes, Maggiore's Borromeo Islands, most easily accessed via ferry from the town of Stresa on the Piedmont coast, are a big draw here for their palaces, terraced gardens, and grottoes, which combine for some great photo opportunities.

+ Among all the northern Italian lakes, Maggiore has some of the best water quality and swimming beaches, with options ranging from grassy lawns to pebbly tracts or sandy shores, especially on the eastern shore. Besides Stresa, the towns of Verbania, Cannobio, and Baveno are among those worth exploring.

+ Since the climate is mild year-round, the area is filled with Mediterranean vegetation and exotic plants. Italy’s international lake, though without Lake Como’s glamour or Garda’s theme parks, is often considered the most peaceful of northern Italy’s lakes, its shores less crowded and its hinterland wilder. The star attractions are the Borromean Islands, which, like a fleet of fine vessels, lie at anchor at the Borromean Gulf’s entrance, an incursion of water between the lake’s two main towns, Stresa and Verbania. More than the lakes to the east, Lake Maggiore harbors a distinct belle-époque air. The lake became a popular tourist destination in the late 19th century with the opening of the Simplon Pass and it is this era (with its stately hotels and regal promenades) that still defines its essence.

+ A view of Isola Bella, in Lake Maggiore:

In the region of Provence, a geographical region and historical province, southeastern France

 "There are always flowers for those who want to see them." -- Henri Matisse

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(in southeastern France) Provence is a geographical region and historical province that extends from the left bank of the lower Rhône to the west to the Italian border to the east; it is bordered by the Mediterranean Sea to the south.

+ Provence was once part of Roman Gallia Transalpina. With the breakdown of the Roman Empire in the late 5th century, Provence was invaded successively by the Visigoths, Burgundians, and Ostrogoths. It came under the rule of the Franks around 536 CE. During the 13th century it was involved in the Albigensian Crusade. It was united with the French crown in 1481. The language of Provence, Provençal, was important in medieval literature, and Provence’s Romanesque architecture was an outstanding cultural achievement of the Middle Ages. The region suffered in the 16th-century Wars of Religion. In 1790, during the French Revolution, it lost its political institutions and was divided into several departments. The historical region of Provence is roughly coextensive with the present-day region of Provence-Alpes-Côte d’Azur); its capital is Marseille.
+ With the establishment of Greek colonies (among them Massilia [modern Marseille]) in the area by the beginning of the 6th century BCE, Provence was first oriented toward the civilization of the Mediterranean. In 125 BCE the Massiliots appealed to the Romans for help against a coalition of neighboring Celts and Ligurians. The Romans defeated the coalition but remained in occupation of the region. By the end of the 2nd century BCE, Provence formed part of Gallia Transalpina, the first Roman province beyond the Alps. By the 4th century CE, Arles, a meeting place for merchants, was the seat of the prefecture of all Gaul, and Marseille was the main center of Greek studies in the west.

+ The Romans left behind a legacy of monuments and structures (and some of France's first vineyards). The area is littered with Roman remains, including an amphitheater in Arles, a theater in Orange, bridges including a fine one near Bonniuex, and even whole towns near St-Rémy de Provence and Vaison-la-Romaine.

+ Provence is divided into six departments and stretches from Orange to Nice. Many consider the Luberon in Vaucluse to be the "real Provence." Vineyards and lavender fields are the backdrops that enthralled Cezanne, Van Gogh and Chagall. Particular highlights include Palace of the Popes at Avignon, the Roman amphitheater at Arles and the craft center of Les Baux.

+ It wasn't just the scenery that drew artists like Rénoir, Chagall, Cézanne and Picasso here: it was the light, described by Matisse as "soft and tender, despite its brilliance." The region is home to a wealth of iconic art collections -- and studios where Van Gogh, Cézanne, and Renoir worked.

+ Abbaye Notre-Dame de Sénanque in Gordes, a Cistercian abbey, provides a great shot of the Luberon; The best displays are usually in July and August:

In the Island of Procida, in the Campania region of southern Italy

 "There is no man more complete than the one who travelled a lot, who changed the shape of his thoughts and his life twenty times."

-- Alphonse de Lamartine
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(in the Campania region of southern Italy) The Island of Procida, near the northwest entrance to the Bay of Naples, lies between Ischia Island and Cape Miseno on the mainland, and its highest point reaches 76 meters above sea level. Of volcanic origin, it is made up, along with the adjacent Vivara Island, of four extinct craters. Parts of the margins of all four have been destroyed by the sea to form crescent-shaped bays on the east side of the island. The only town, Procida, is on the northeast. The soil of the island is quite fertile and supports grapes and citrus fruit; fishing is also still important.
+ Procida is the quintessential Mediterranean paradise, a vision of colorful harborside homes and attractive piazzas. Lose yourself in colorful Terra Murata, a walled medieval village perched on a hill, where you will find the 15th-century Palazzo D’Avalos and Abbazia di San Michele, an 11th-century Benedictine abbey. After your tour, head down the steps to charming Corricella, then unwind with a poolside cocktail at the magical Maresia Solarium. 

+ The Bay of Naples’ smallest island is also its best-kept secret. Off the mass-tourist radar, Procida is like the Portofino prototype and is refreshingly real. August aside (when beach-bound mainlanders flock to its shores), its narrow, sun-bleached streets are the domain of the locals: kids clutch fishing rods, parents push prams, and old seafolk swap yarns. If you have lots of time, Procida is a great place to explore on foot. The more interesting areas include Marina Grande, Marina Corricella, and Marina di Chiaiolella.

+ Several writers have set their novels in Procida. These include Graziella (written by Alphonse de Lamartine, who came to Procida from Bourgogne at the beginning of the 19th century while in the French army); and Arthur's Island (by Elsa Morante). Procida has been chosen as a film set for more than 30 movies (including The Postman and The Talented Mr. Ripley). Procida was also the site of filming for scenes in Cleopatra, starring Elizabeth Taylor and Richard Burton. In 2013, Fabrizio Borgogna launched the Procida Film Festival, an international contest for young movie directors and writers.

+ Every summer, there is an election of the Graziella ("Little Graceful"), a young woman that wears the customary clothes of the island, referring to the history told in Alphonse de Lamartine's novel, Graziella. Also during the summer, a literary award dedicated to Elsa Morante and her novel, Arthur's Island, is presented.

+ Procida was chosen from among several Italian candidate cities to be the Italian Capital of Culture in 2022. As a result of this, the artisanal dimension of the island has been emphasized, for example, by local workshops that characterize many traditions of Mediterranean islands.

Inthe city of Albi, capital of the Tarn department in the Occitanie region, southern France.

 "When a figure painter executes a landscape he treats it as if it were a face; Degas' landscapes are unparalleled because they are visionary landscapes."

-- Henri de Toulouse-Lautrec
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(in southern France) The city of Albi, capital of the Tarn department in the Occitanie region, lies along the Tarn River where it leaves the Massif Central for the Garonne Plain, to the northeast of Toulouse. Albi was the capital of the Gallo-Roman Albigenses and later of the viscounty of Albigeois, which was a fief of the counts of Toulouse. An active center of Catharism, the town gave its name to the Albigensian heresy, which led to the Albigensian Crusade in 1209, and later to the development of the Inquisition. The city was captured in 1215, and the bishops subsequently lost their estates to the crown. By a convention (in 1264), temporal power was granted to the bishops (until the French Revolution).

+ The city’s most important architectural site is the Gothic Sainte-Cécile Cathedral (1277–1512), which was constructed in brick, without flying buttresses. Located between the cathedral and the river, is the red-brick Berbie Palace, a 13th-century archbishop’s palace that is now a museum where the works of Henri de Toulouse-Lautrec, a native of Albi, are displayed. Below the palace is the 9th-century Old Bridge. The center of the city is medieval. The church of Saint-Salvi has a splendid cloister. The seat of the Archbishop of Albi, this episcopal city was added to the UNESCO list of World Heritage Sites in 2010 for its unique architecture. (The site includes the Musée Toulouse-Lautrec, dedicated to the artist who was born in Albi.)
+ Albi is also known for its elite Lycée Lapérouse, a high school with 500 students situated inside an old monastery. It has several advanced literature classes. Furthermore, it is one of the few holding a full-scale music section, with special high-tech rooms for this purpose. The Pacific explorer Jean-François de Galaup, comte de Lapérouse,is commemorated in the museum.

+Albi was built around the original cathedral and episcopal group of buildings covering 63 hectares (~156 acres). (Along with Toulouse and Montauban, Albi is one of the main cities built in Languedoc-style red brick.)

+ Depicted here is the Sainte Cécile Cathedral, a masterpiece of the Southern Gothic style, which is characterized by a strong contrast between its austere, defensive exterior and its sumptuous interior decoration. Built as a statement of the Christian faith after the upheavals of the Cathar heresy, this gigantic brick structure was embellished over the centuries, with the Dominique de Florence Doorway, the 78 meter-high bell tower, and the Baldaquin over the entrance. The rood screen is a filigree work in stone in the Flamboyant Gothic style. It is decorated with a magnificent group of polychrome statuary carved by artists from the Burgundian workshops of Cluny and comprising more than 200 statues.

In the city of Segovia, province in Castile-León, lies to the northwest of Madrid, Spain

 "I wish one time in my life I could do what other writers do. Get me a villa in Spain and go there to write a book." -– Lewis Grizzard

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(in Spain) ​The city of Segovia, capital of Segovia province in Castile-León, lies to the northwest of Madrid. The site of the medieval Alcázar palace and the famous Segovia aqueduct, the city was added to UNESCO’s World Heritage List in 1985.

+ An Iberian settlement from about 700 BCE, it was captured around 80 BCE by the Romans. At the beginning of the 8th century, it was occupied by the Moors, from whom forces of the Christian king Alfonso VI recaptured it in 1079. Thereafter the city enjoyed prosperity and a position of importance in medieval Castile, serving as a royal residence during the reign of Alfonso X (the Wise) and as the site of the Spanish mint from 1586 until 1730. During the Middle Ages it had a flourishing textile industry. An outbreak of plague at the end of the 16th century ushered in a long period of decline, but the city’s fortunes revived with the railway-building era of the 19th century.

+ There are two well-differentiated areas in Segovia: an upper town encircled by ancient walls, on the narrow limestone ridge between two rivers (the Eresma and the Clamores), and a lower part outside the walls. The center of the Old Town is the Plaza Mayor, site of the 16th-century Gothic cathedral, from which streets lead into the outer suburbs. Crossing the Plaza del Azoguejo, is the Roman-built Segovia aqueduct, popularly known as El Puente, one of the best-preserved examples of its kind. It carries water 10 miles (16 km) from the Frío River to Segovia.

+ Segovia is an attractive old city with twisting alleyways, and the highest concentration of Romanesque churches in all of Europe. Notable ones include those of San Esteban, San Martín, La Trinidad, San Lorenzo, and San Millán. (They are all Romanesque, and all date from the 12th century.) The 13th-century Church of Vera Cruz formerly pertained to the Knights Templars. The Romanesque Church of San Justo is known for its 12th-century paintings.

+ The Alcázar commands the city from the ledge above the river. It was the fortified palace of the kings of Castile; Isabella was crowned queen there in 1474. A royal palace built sometime around the 11th century, it is where the queen agreed to fund Christopher Columbus’ exploration of the New World. Segovia has a military academy in the former Convent of San Francisco, and it also has several museums. The city is now a service center for commerce, health, and education for the surrounding agricultural hinterland. Tourism also is important thanks to the city’s proximity to Madrid.

+ No place typifies the glory of Old Castile and León, birthplace of Queen Isabella, more than Segovia. Immerse yourself in Segovia for a week as you visit its important sites. Throughout your stay, you will learn about Spain’s history and culture, and enjoy the paseo, or leisurely evening stroll, with local residents.

At the resort town of the Côte d’Azur, city of Nice, Principality of Monaco, in the French Rivera

 "There is nothing beyond the semi-tropical vegetation, the projecting promontories into the Mediterranean, the all-embracing sweep of the [sea], the olive groves, and the enchanting climate.

-- M. E. W. Sherwood
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(on the French Riviera) The Principality of Monaco is located along the Mediterranean Sea in the midst of the resort area known as the Côte d’Azur. The city of Nice, in France, lies nine miles (~15 km) to the west, and the Italian border is just five miles (8 km) to the east. Monaco’s small territory occupies a set of densely clustered hills and a headland that looks southward over the Mediterranean. Many unusual features, however, have made Monaco among the most luxurious tourist resorts in the world, and have given it a fame that far exceeds its size.

+ Overlooking the pristine waters of the Mediterranean Sea, Monaco is a place famed for its glamor and wealth. The Palais Princier, former home of Princess Grace and current home of her son, Prince Albert II, is at the top of the cliff-bound medieval Monaco-Ville. Perhaps better known, however, is Monte Carlo, a neighborhood soaked in sun, money, and expensive champagne -- and home to the Formula One Monaco Grand Prix, the European Poker Tour, and the Monte Carlo Rally.

+ Once a winter attraction, Monaco now draws summer visitors as well, to its beaches and expanded mooring facilities. Business conferences are especially important. The social life of Monte-Carlo revolves around the Place du Casino. The casino was built in 1861, and in 1967 its operations were taken over by the principality. Many visitors to Monaco alternate their hours between its beaches and boating facilities, its international sports-car races, and its, the gambling center in the Monte-Carlo section that made Monte-Carlo an international byword for the extravagant display and dispersal of wealth.

+ With an area of 2.1 square kilometers, Monaco is the second-smallest sovereign state in the world, after Vatican City. Its 19,009 inhabitants per sq. km. (49,230/sq.mi.) make it the most densely-populated sovereign state in the world. Monaco has a land border of 5.47 km (~3.40 mi.) and the world's shortest coastline of approximately 3.83 km (~2.38 mi.); and, a width that varies between 1,700 and 349 meters). The highest point in the state is a narrow pathway, Chemin des Révoires, on the slopes of Mont Agel in the Les Révoires ward, which is 161 meters above sea level. Through land reclamation, Monaco's land mass has expanded by 20 percent in recent decades. The principality has a mild Mediterranean climate with annual temperatures averaging 61 °F (16 °C) and only about 60 days of rainfall. Monthly average temperatures range from 50 °F (10 °C) in January to 75 °F (24 °C) in the month of August.

+ Shown here is the rocky outcrop known as Le Rocher, jutting out on the south side of the port, which is crowned by the charming Old Town (Monaco-Ville), home to the principality's royal palace: