Hwange National Park and Victoria Falls, Zimbabwe

Hwange is the largest game reserve in Zimbabwe and covers over 5,000 square miles. Located near the Kalahari Desert, Hwange is home to more than 100 species of mammals, including the Big Five (cape buffalo, elephant, leopard, lion, rhinoceros). In addition, Hwange is one of the few places to view African wild dogs and hyena.

The sunrises and sunsets in Zimbabwe are some of the most spectacular on earth, and photos of the magnificent countryside and flora and fauna would be a prized addition to any photographer’s portfolio.

Victoria Falls, the largest waterfall in the world, is located on the Zambezi River along the border of Zimbabwe and Zambia. The falls are over a mile wide and over 300 feet high. This wall of flowing water creates amazing photographs, especially against the beautiful blue sky.

Hornstrandir Nature Reserve, Iceland

This amazing area is the site of the old Viking settlement of Hornstrandir. It’s accessible only by boat or on foot, so you have plenty of unspoiled beauty to photograph and enjoy. The perception is that Iceland is a dark, cold, depressing place, but that couldn’t be further from the truth. It’s often said that as blue is the color of the skies and the shorelines of Iceland, the sea and the sky meld into one another.

This is one of the most spectacular places on earth to photograph, and you’ll have plenty to choose from, with craggy sea cliffs and close to 300 varieties of plants, as well as seals, arctic foxes, and other predators and birds. The colors are vivid, the air is crisp, and the vegetation is lush. You’ll never run out of subjects to photograph in this beautiful reserve. While you’re in Iceland, be sure to take some tours of volcanoes and glaciers for even more scenic beauty.

Sirmilik National Park, Banff National Park, and Pacific Rim National Park, Canada

Sirmilik National Park is truly located in “The Great White North”—it’s on Nunavut, in the north central part of the country. Sirmilik means “the place of glaciers”, and from the majestic Kaparoqtalik Glacier to the snow-covered Byam Martin Mountains, you’ll love this crisp, white wonderland.

As if the scenery weren’t enough to quench your appetite for photography, the polar bears, caribou, snow geese, and Beluga whales will keep you very busy. If you prefer shooting the flora of the area, you’ll find an amazing combination of vegetation, including White Cottongrass, Polar Grass, and Arctic Heather.

If you prefer staying a little warmer, try Banff National Park in the south of Alberta, near Calgary. Canada’s oldest national park sits in the Rockies and offers a variety of landscapes ranging from glaciers and ice fields to lush green forests. The crystal clear waters of Two Jack Lake and Lake Louise reflect the amazing blue sky, and the park is home to a stunning array of wildlife. You might see smaller animals such as marmots, chipmunks, and pika romping in the sun, or you may spy a lynx stalking a mule deer. Grizzly and black bear are frequent visitors, and if you’re fortunate, you may catch a glimpse of a moose.

For an awe-inspiring, majestic meeting of water and land, travel to British Columbia’s Pacific Rim National Park. Open March to October, this park is located on Vancouver Island and is a self-contained rain forest surrounded by water. Here you will see Sitka spruce, red cedar, wide ferns, and lush moss in truly magnificent combinations of color, space, and texture. In the spring and fall, the migratory birds gather at Grice Bay, and no matter which time of year you visit, you’ll see black-tailed deer, mink, bear, and bald eagles.

If you’d like to visit one of these dream photography vacation spots, contact us today.

Matetic Guest House & Vineyards

The Matetic Guest House, also known as La Casona, is a majestic colonial home with seven luxurious rooms featuring king size beds, private baths, and private terraces. This estate house is full of rich wood and sumptuous furnishings, with elegant colors and classic textures. Chef Matías Bustos of the Equilibrio Restaurant prepares delicious local cuisine from fresh ingredients.

Located in the picturesque Rosario Valley, the winery uses organic growing practices, slow ripening grapes, and the most advanced winemaking techniques to create crisp Sauvignon Blanc, Chardonnay, Pinot Noir, and Syrah. The Matetic Vineyards pay homage to their history by making wine at Corralillo, the century-old winery nearby that previously used the legendary Mission grape. Corralillo wines include Gewurztraminer, Syrah, and Chardonnay.

Casa Silva

In 1892, Emile Bouchon moved to Chile from France to make wine in the renowned, expansive Colchagua Valley. Five generations later, Mario Silva and his brothers Francisco and Gonzalo still bottle premium Silva wines that are rich in tradition and taste. With vineyards in Colchagua, Angostura, Los Lingues, and Lolol, Casa Silva grows a variety of grapes to use in its Chardonnay, Cabernet Sauvignon, Merlot, Carmenére, Shiraz, Viognier, and Sauvignon Blanc.

Above image taken from casasilva.cl

The boutique hotel was converted from the ancestral family home near the wine cellar and has seven magnificent bedrooms decorated in vivid colors and warm woodwork. The restaurant sits in an old wine cellar and presents international cuisine by chef Sebastian Maturana.

Viña La Playa Winery and Hotel

A second winery in the Colchagua Valley, the Viña La Playa is a wine resort located on the banks of the Tinguiririca River. You can fly in to the area from Santiago and enjoy canoeing, horseback riding, and tennis. The hotel is in the same building as the wine cellars, making for a convenient wine tasting experience.

Image above taken from laplayawine.com

The Colchagua Valley is the most prestigious wine country in Chile, and Viña La Playa’s premium grapes combine with state-of-the-art winemaking technology to create Primero, Syrah, Chardonnay, Cabernet Sauvignon and Cabernet Sauvignon Rosé, Carmenére, Merlot, Shiraz, and Sauvignon Blanc.

If you’d like to reserve a spot at one of our favorite wine estates, contact us today.

Grand Hôtel Stockholm

A member of the Leading Hotels of the World, the Grand Hôtel offers over 300 luxuriously appointed and furnished rooms, 2 world-class restaurants, a cocktail bar, and a high-end health club. In the heart of Stockholm, this century-old hotel is close to boutique shopping, the archipelago, and cultural attractions.

Stockholm Vacation Cottages

If you prefer to be on your own, a vacation cottage in the Stockholm archipelago is for you. You’ll be near the city and all its dining, shopping, and sightseeing, but you’ll also have your own cozy accommodations in the village. You’ll love the crisp air, the colorful cottages, and the blue water just outside your door.

Go for a Fika!

A Swedish tradition, going for a fika is to meet with friends or family and have coffee and pastry. Stockholm has scores of shops and cafés with charming atmosphere and magnificent views. Upscale, chic café Xoko features sourdough bread, homemade ice cream, and plenty of chocolate. Vetekatten serves traditional Swedish pastries, and Bakverket serves breakfast all day.

Stockholm Nightlife

When the sun goes down, the fun begins. Stockholm’s bars and nightclubs range from classy, hip spots to fun jazz spots. The Story Hotel’s bar offers jazz during the week and hot new music on the weekends. Morfar Ginko is a laid-back, spacious bar with a DJ and game tables. Hornstull Strand is one of the best places to see and be seen, with famous faces appearing regularly.

Skyview (The Globe)

The Ericsson Globe is the largest spherical building in the world, and at the top (425 feet above sea level), you can see all of Stockholm. Gondolas take you to the top, and you’ll find a nearby souvenir shop, restaurant, and bar.

The Royal Palace

Visit one of the largest, most ornate palaces in Europe. The Royal Palace is home to the King of Sweden, and offers tours of the palace and its grounds, the changing of the guard, and five museums. You’ll be mesmerized by the magnificent architecture, decoration, and artifacts from hundreds of years ago.

Ready to go to Sweden? Contact us today to arrange your trip.

Spain is a place where people are not afraid to be artsy and funky while retaining a touch of elegance. Some of its hotels celebrate this unique fusion, and we’re going to look at three of them.

Hotel Arts Barcelona

A feast for the eyes and the heart, Hotel Arts Barcelona must be seen to be believed. Each guest suite has a panoramic view of the city and the sea, and you’ll find unsurpassed luxury and comfort in the feather mattress pad and lush linens. Exclusive room service 24 hours a day and housekeeping service twice a day ensure you lack nothing during your stay.

Six Senses Spa offers amazing massages and beauty treatments, such as hot stone therapy, deep cleansing facials, and deluxe eye, hand, and foot treatments. Restaurants include Arola, run by famed chef Sergi Arola; the Michelin-starred Enoteca, with delectable Mediterranean fare; Bites, an informal eatery; and Café Veranda, which serves a buffet breakfast and Sunday brunch.

Alva Park Costa Brava

This combination of decadence, earthiness, and art will astound you at every turn. Every room has wool carpet and sycamore wood décor paired with cherry wood furniture. Luxurious Egyptian cotton sheets and microsilk duvets cover the beds, and the sitting area is an art gallery in itself, with reproductions of Han Dynasty statues. The bath features a Jacuzzi tub and separate shower, as well as plush robes and slippers.

Amenities and activities include a warm salt-water Indian princess bath, spa treatments including Tibetan massage, and an indoor golf club with golf simulators. Dining options include the gourmet A Flor D’Aigua, the scenic Grand Butterfly Garden, and the Japanese Minamo.

Image to the left taken from the Hotel Casa Fuster website.

Hotel Casa Fuster

For a rich taste of Barcelona, stay at this hotel in the heart of the city. The hotel itself is a restored home previously belonging to architect Luís Domenech i Montaner, and it carries a five-star luxury rating. The rooms are bright and airy, with high ceilings, and they are decorated in earth tones for a peaceful ambiance. Rich wood tones add a note of class, and suites offer dressing and sitting rooms with views of the city.

The luxurious Café Vienés serves as a meeting area for guests and offers cocktails and tea, and every Thursday night it hosts famous jazz artists. The hotel’s terrace houses El Mirador (the lookout), an open balcony that overlooks the city. The views at night are spectacular, and if you choose, you may enjoy the terrace’s Jacuzzi, gym, pool, and bar. For gourmet dining, try the Galaxó Restaurant and its Mediterranean menu.

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Over 400 varieties of cheese are produced in Switzerland, and cheese is made continuously with only fresh milk and cream. Cattle are typically grass fed, and depending on the area, they have easy access to wildflowers and herbs that give their milk distinctive flavors. In fact, Swiss law mandates that cattle be outside foraging for food most days of each month.

Overall, Swiss cheesemakers run small, local operations and do not export much of their cheese. In any village, you can find cheesemakers who will be happy to show you their operations and allow you to sample their wares. One factory, located in the Engelberg Monastery, carries a large selection of regional cheese and is Switzerland’s only show cheese factory.

Many of the smaller chocolate makers use organically grown cocoa beans, and everything is made by hand, unlike the large chocolate companies such as Nestle. As with cheese, chocolate is continuously made with only fresh ingredients. We’d like to spotlight a couple of Switzerland’s finest chocolate makers.

Villars Chocolate Factory

Founded in 1901 by William Kaiser, Villars is known for its unique variety of chocolates, including Neapolitans, chocolate-coated cherries marinated in Morello liqueur, bonbons filled with Edelweiss liqueur, and small milk chocolate hearts. Villars also offers banana puree coated with chocolate and old-fashioned drinking chocolate.

The website features a history of chocolate in Switzerland and chocolate recipes.

Chocolat Frey AG

Chocolat Frey was established in 1887 by Robert and Max Frey, and it originally manufactured not only chocolate, but also tonics and soups. Frey is considered a “bean to bar” chocolate manufacturer—every step of the chocolate creation process, from buying the beans to molding chocolate bars, takes place at their facility.

Renowned around the world for its originality, Frey chocolate creations include a Christmas Tale assortment, chocolate jewels, and a chocolate bar with pistachio splinters. Their gourmet supreme chocolates have a hint of black pepper to highlight the chocolate’s flavor.

What are your favorite types of chocolate and cheese?