Barbara Rogers
I am a traveler, writer and guidebook author with a passion for Italy and its neighbors. I moved to Verona a few years after college and have been back and forth between Italy and my native New England ever since. I love all the lands washed by the Mediterranean and nearby waters, from the former Venetian outposts of Corfu and Cyprus to Spain's Canary Islands.
You can tell that I enjoy sharing what I have learned in my travels, because I have I written eight books about Portugal, Spain and Italy, as well as hundreds of magazine, newspaper and web articles.
One of my favorite things about Southern Europe is the food, so you can be sure that I'll be sharing tips about little family-run restaurants, the best gelato stands, cheese-makers to visit, bakeries and farm-fresh foods in weekly markets. Southern Europe is a banquet, and I love sharing every course with readers.
The best part of having written so much about the area is hearing from others, who generously share their own favorite restaurants, experiences and secret places. Please join in! I hope this page will be a home for all of us, where we can meet and share and celebrate our own special corners of Southern Europe.
I love getting lost in cities or while driving country roads, and discovering hidden places that only locals know about. I love stumbling onto a prehistoric site or a knock-out Art Nouveau building that isn't in any guidebook. Along with the cultural pleasures of opera and art galleries, I like to hike, kayak and ski, so readers who share these sports can look forward to hearing about places to enjoy them throughout Southern Europe.
What do you love about Southern Europe? Or what do you need to know to plan your trip of a lifetime? Please share in our discussions or let me know by e-mail, what you'd like to hear about. It's your page, too, so bookmark Southern Europe right now, and make la dolce vita part of your day.
My latest books:
Travellers Milan and the Italian Lakes
Drive Around: Italian Lakes and Mountains
Travellers Lanzarote& Fuerteventura
Eating New England: a Food-Lovers' Guide
Eating Napa and Sonoma: A Food-Lovers’ Guide
Latest Articles
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Laguardia – Medieval Hilltop Town Encircled by Rioja Vineyards
Rising above the vineyards of Rioja, south of the coastal city of Bilbao, wall-encircled Laguardia is a postcard-perfect medieval town.
Jan 6, 2012
- Barbara Rogers
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Exploring Cueva de Llano, Fuerteventura's Volcanic Cave
A million years of history unfold in the fossil record, human artifacts and strange inhabitants of a lava tube in the Canary Islands.
Dec 2, 2011
- Barbara Rogers
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Lisbon's Berardo Collection Museum of Modern and Contemporary Art
Museu Colecção Berardo opened in Lisbon, Portugal, in 2007, immediately placing alongside the Guggenheim in Venice and other modern art museums worldwide.
Sep 16, 2011
- Barbara Rogers
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Madeira Top 10 Sights – See the Best of Portugal's Garden Island
Madeira's must-see sights appeal to everyone, with natural wonders, fine wine, colonial history, art, beaches and walks in spectacular mountain scenery.
Sep 12, 2011
- Barbara Rogers
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Planning an Autumn Trip in Italy – Best Places to Go
September and October are perfect for an Italian vacation getaway, with harvest festivals, saints' days and other fall celebrations.
Jul 13, 2011
- Barbara Rogers
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Valença – Portugal's Border Town Inside Castle Walls
High fortified walls surround Portugal's northernmost town of Valença, overlooking Spain from a commanding height above the Minho River.
Jul 4, 2011
- Barbara Rogers
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Northern Italy's Best Foodie Experiences
Food and wine are as much a part of the experience of traveling in Italy as the Leaning Tower of Pisa and the Grand Canal.
May 31, 2011
- Barbara Rogers
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Portugal's Great Gardens - Castelo Branco Bishop's Garden
The beautifully restored Jardim Episcopal, the 18th-century baroque gardens of Castelo Branco's bishop, cuts an impressive green space in the city's center.
Apr 5, 2011
- Barbara Rogers
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Valencia Las Fallas – Fires, Fireworks, Parades and Piety
Far more than the final night's bonfires, Valencia's Las Fallas is a five-day extravaganza of fire and explosions enriched by artistry and solemn grandeur.
Mar 21, 2011
- Barbara Rogers
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Burning the Ninots – the Grand Finale of Valencia's Las Fallas
At midnight, the entire Spanish Mediterranean port city of Valencia seems to burst into flames as dozens of gigantic Las Fallas bonfires light the sky.
Mar 21, 2011
- Barbara Rogers
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