Here's my 2nd post in my Where to go series!! One of the trips we're considering for this year is Tokyo, Japan! Here are my high-level ideas on what I would like to do and see when planning this trip. Hopefully you will find some inspiration for your own trip to Tokyo. Places to stay For a traditional stay outside of Tokyo I would love to spend a night or two at RYOKAN SAWANOYA. It definitely wouldn't be what we're used to but I am intrigued by the the traditional bedding (futon mattress) and bathing areas. Within Tokyo my top choices for hotels would be: Hilton Tokyo - I always have to choose one Hilton as we are Diamond Members Hotel New Otani - As cheesy as this sounds the hotel looked lovely on a particular tv show My last two hotel choices are modern and well rated: Palace Hotel Prince Gallery Hotel I was also researching Ryokan's in the Hakon region and would love to stay at Yama No Chaya. Things to see and do After getting a small taste of her amazing art installations in NYC I would love to visit the Yayoi Kusama Museum. It's probably a little on the cheesy side but I feel it's a must to cross the street at the Shibuya Pedestrian Scramble. At Shibuya Crossing there will be hundreds if not thousands of pedestrians running across the intersection throughout the day. Greg hates crowds but I'm sure he'd suffer through it for me. It's not my typical choice for clothing but I love the colors, textures and unique styles in Harajuku. After exploring the many shops in the area I might stop in for something at either Anywhere Door or Kawaii Monster Cafe. A few more top sites I would visit are: Tokyo Tower Shinjuku Gyoen National Garden Meiji Jingu Shrine Asakusa Senso Ji Temple Samurai Museum Shopping in Ginza Day trips from Tokyo I could think of a million other areas I'd love to see in Japan but with limited time it's probably best for us to take shorter day trips. So far my research has brought me to booking a day tour with either Viator, Japan Panoramic Tours, or Japan Wonder Travel. My top 4 places are: Mt Fuji - I would love to hike the mountain but I'd settle on taking in the views. Ashikaga Flower Park - It would be preferable to visit in May but I suppose anytime is stunning Hakone - visiting Lake Ashi and the Hakone Shrine (plus that possible stay at a Ryokan) Kyoto - a must see is the Fushimi Inari-taisha Shrine along with the many temples nearby Where to eat I don't know if I would get to try all of these but I would love to compare tea houses in Tokyo. I would love a nice cup of Matcha tea and to be able to try a piece of Wagashi (Mochi - sweet rice flour treats). Here are the ones I found most interesting: Yakumo Saryo Kosoan Aoyama Tea House Shinjuku Gyoen National Garden Tea House Other restaurants I would like to try are: Ichimatsu Kagurazaka Ishikawa Kikunoi Akasaka Tapas Molecular Bar Han no Daidokoro Kadochika Glutenfree Cafe Littlebird - which also provides dairy free options Ichiran, Shibuya - for a nice bowl of Ramen We will be attending both the New York Times and the Boston Globe travel shows over the next month. We decided not to make any decisions on adventures until after the shows (hopefully we'll be more informed). Stay tuned to see if we decide on our Tokyo trip for 2018!
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This is my first post from my new Where To Go series! Over the years I have visited Rome 4 times. Every time I visit Rome I have an amazing adventure while also feeling at ease. I have been researching new things to do and see in Rome as if we were planning a trip for ourselves. About our past visits - When we visit Rome we walk everywhere (if we're exhausted we'll get a cab when heading back to our hotel). Walking everywhere gives you the opportunity to see and experience so much more including ruins, shops, and people. You will have so many photographs from random streets that are just as amazing as some of the main sights. In Rome you will be surrounded by stunning art in museums, awed by ruins and historical sights. When you need to rest grab a glass of wine and some appetizers then people watch in one of the many Piazza's. When it comes to dining in Rome we usually go for a mix of pizza stands, casual restaurants, upscale dining, gelateria's, and in winter some of the many roasted chestnut vendors. If you would like to read about our past visits here are some links: When we get back to Rome I would love to spend a full day getting lost in Trastevere. We wandered a little bit here during our last visit but definitely needed more time. I found this article from the Travel Channel very interesting for a new visit. http://www.travelchannel.com/destinations/italy/rome/articles/tour-of-trastevere I love all kinds of art. Greg and I both paint a bit and when we travel we try to visit at least one museum (it kills me we didn't have time in Paris). On our last visit to Rome we visited the Galleria Borghese, the Vatican Museums, Castel Sant'Angelo, and the Vittoriano Monument. Here's my list for new sights to see: Museums and Palaces (sculptures, paintings, courtyards)
For Churches I would definitely love to see:
To enjoy the outdoors and explore ruins I am dying to visit:
Whether we were at a small sandwich shop or a fine dining establishment I have yet to have a bad meal in Rome! I love grabbing a rectangle piece of pizza in between stops, sitting down to a full meal with wine, or ending the night with some gelato and roasted chestnuts.
If we were to return to Rome now these are the dining establishments I'd be interested in:
When it comes to Gelato I definitely have my favorite shops but these shops have piqued my interest:
I have been thinking of ways to share more with everyone while we aren't traveling. Where to go is a new series of posts that will feature destinations that are new to us. It will also be about destinations where we've been before but restaurants and sights we'd go to today. Of course I'll still be sharing my reviews for places we visit locally too. I will be spending a lot of time researching destinations and the details that go with traveling. I'll find hotels, restaurants, sights, shopping, customs and more. Then I'll share my thoughts, tips, favorites and what we would use as an itinerary. Hope everyone enjoys the upcoming posts!! |
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