Who is the winner in the great Art Nouveau face-off? 

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Klimt versus Mucha…

European neighbour countries Austria and Czech Republic have a lot in common, when it comes to culture. Including art. Especially art. Think two 19th-century artists, one from Vienna, the other from Prague. Contemporary, modern, both equally scandalous for their times. Challenging traditions as their ladder to fame. Branded as their home country’s most celebrated artists for posterity. Curiosity piqued yet? Here’s the Art Nouveau’ masters in a face-off…my way. Feel free to take sides.

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4 big reasons why I won’t like to travel full-time?

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And still be a full-time travel writer…

Blog after blog celebrates the bravado of smashing the shackles of the safety net to ‘live the dream’. Admire it or envy it…most people just keep wondering what it’s like to travel full-time. Calls for more than just an adrenaline-junkie spirit go all the way, few can actually take the leap of faith. 

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On the blue blood trail in the blue city of Jodhpur

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Discover the bewitching capital of the Marwars… 

Geographically placed in the middle of the J-trilogy, Jodhpur has struggled for elusive attention that its more favoured siblings, Jaipur and Jaisalmer, have lapped up far easily. But the second largest city in Rajasthan is coming into its own as the exotic blue city with a historically invincible fort defining the skyline and ambitious facelift on the agenda. Go back in time, dig into its royal roots. Even if you have only a weekend. Domestic carriers like Indigo will get you there from Delhi in about an hour, so scavenge for the cheapest air tickets this winter and make it happen.

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4 stops you need to make on a road trip through Algarve

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A meditative and inspiring drive in Portugal…

Secluded mediterranean beaches, whitewashed fishing villages, rugged cliffs overlooking secret coves…Portugal’s south-west is the epitome of unspoilt charm. A road trip then? Starting from the highest point in the Algarve region and working down to the southernmost tip of the continent. Sheer magic.

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Why is Split the most enticing Mediterranean destination?

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You can live in a Roman Emperor’s palace…

Work-life balance is not a new concept. Even rulers yearned for ‘me-time’. For proof, look no further than Croatia. 1700 years ago Roman emperor Diocletian pre-planned his retirement and invested 10 years in creating a humungous 7-acre villa in Split (the Latin word spalatum means palace). Prime real estate by all standards…warm glow of the Mediterranean sun, Adriatic waves lapping at the backdoor, open terraces and ornate balconies to take in the fresh sea air. It is said that there used to be a three-week quarantine for anyone who entered Split…there was no place for disease or infection in this idyllic abode. Respect!

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One fine day in the city of three cultures

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Go to Spain’s original capital, Toledo…

Best day trip from Madrid? Definitely Toledo. You’re still counting the toro (bull) signs along the lush landscapes framed by grand mountains, when you realise that the 70 km have whizzed past. So freeze frame as you approach the Tagus river, because the first view of Spain’s former capital will be etched in your memory forever. 2,500 years of history are crammed into this magical town made up of sand-colored stone buildings and walls, perched on a rocky outpost protected on three sides by a natural moat. ‘Holy Toledo!’ these words WILL tumble out. Guaranteed.

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Intoxicated by the most beautiful villages in Provence

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Find life in the French countryside…

Beyond the artistic allure of Paris and the ritzy glamour of the Riviera, lies an offbeat France. Where old-world romance lives in the maze of cobbled medieval streets of centuries-old hilltop stone villages. Where the pace of life is slow and simple pleasures still count. Where the aroma of fresh baguettes wafts from age-old bakeries, locals linger at tiny home-run cafes on warm afternoons, fountains tinkle away in sleepy corners, and crumbling manors silent spell aristocracy of their owners.

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Intrigued by the most beautiful buildings in Prague?

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Interpret the language of Art Nouveau…

Some of us love cities with a past. For their narrow, wobbly cobbled roads and oil-lamp pedestals. For their charming places of worship, old wooden bridges, royal retreats and dark dungeons. For their imperfect half-timbered houses, impeccable tasteful mansions, vibrant tiled courtyards and rough red-brick tiled roofs. Because there’s more to brick, mortar and stone than mere eye candy. If you let them, buildings will whisper sweet-nothings in your ear. The wavelength needs a little more adjusting in a buzzing city like Prague, but you can still tune in to the fascinating narratives. As you trace the evolution of the ‘Mother of Cities’ from 9th-century Romanesque to 14th-century Gothic to 19th-century Art Nouveau and Cubist eras, you may find one of these styles particularly intriguing, as I did.

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The most famous castles of Germany hide dark secrets

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Inside Ludwig’s mind and his residences… 

Shy, imaginative, moody teen madly obsessed with classical music composer. Grows to be an eccentric recluse, elusive bachelor and a deeply indulgent patron of the same classical music composer. Harmless. Until you know the full story. That he’s a unwilling regent, hailing from the Wittelbach dynasty, Europe’s longest ruling dynasty. So indifferent to politics, that he ultimately eats into his empire’s financial foundations to fund his larger-than-life castle building projects. Dedicated to his opera god. Richard Wagner. No surprise then, that Ludwig II, (Mad King Ludwig, as he’s nicknamed), takes the crown for being Bavaria’s most controversial historical figure. Ironical, considering his head was perennially uneasy wearing a crown!

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How to have the best gastronomical experience in Prague

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Let your inner foodie loose…

Pick Praha for all incredible prettiness. Pick Praha for its immaculately preserved past. And pick Praha for your palate. Surprise yourself with the diversity of food culture in the Czech capital. Sip a cappuccino in the Old Town Square under the shadow of the Astronomical Clock or experiment with an artisanal kava somewhere in the warren of its cobbled medieval streets. Squeeze into a tiny bistro or perch on the window-sill of a specialty taverna. 

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