Welcome to the blog of Food & Wine Trails, a California based tour company that has designed travel programs for food and wine lovers like you, as well as for such culinary icons as Julia Child, the Culinary Institute of America, and most of America’s top food magazines and wineries. We are the owners – Larry & Laura Martin – and we’re proud that Condé Nast Traveler Magazine has named us as The World’s Top Wine Travel Specialist for the past three consecutive years 2008, 2009 and 2010.
While we enjoy being in the food, wine and travel business, it’s hard to stay fit and still enjoy all the great meals that come with the job. So when we travel, we try to eat healthy and walk. That’s the inspiration behind this blog. We love to search out the best walking or hiking trails when we travel, and always make sure there’s a great meal at the end of the trail. If you enjoy doing the same, please share your stories and pictures with us.
Have you ever been to Portofino? It’s a frequent stop for cruises to the region, with some of the most breathtaking scenery on the Mediterranean coastline. This once-sleepy fishing village became a favorite haunt of the Hollywood jet-setter in the 1950’s and 60’s.
 The trail begins on a hill just above town. But once you have explored the waterfront restaurants and cafes, and after you have exhausted yourself in the designer shops, what next? Where do you go on your second visit to Portofino, if you are lucky enough to return? Well, Portofino is the starting point for many excellent and beautiful hikes. Since Portofino sits on a peninsula, there are trails that can take you to the castle above the village, and trails that can take you across the peninsula.
On our most recent visit to Portofino in the Spring, we chose a different direction – we decided to walk to the neighboring town of Santa Margherita. And, since it happened to be Good Friday, it seemed like a perfect day to seek out a traditional Ligurian lunch.
The walk from Portofino is really more of a stroll, and takes about an hour and a half of leisurely walking. The trail starts on the hillside just above the shopping district, and the first half of it follows the coastline from a wooded hillside, with spectacular views of the coves through the trees. The trail is cool and shaded – an ideal walk on a summer afternoon.
 Walking along a shaded hillsideA viw through the trees of the cove  A view through the trees of the cove Nearly half way on our walk, after we passed the popular beach-cove at Paraggi, the trail dropped back down to street level. After crossing over the main read to Portofino, we were able to pick up the seaside trail, a protected path between the road and the sea. Now we were walking along the water, and were joined by many of the local townspeople out for an afternoon stroll. This path took us all the way to the center of Santa Margherita, just in time for lunch, and with a great appetite.
 The path follows the coastline to Santa Margherita  A great spot for lunch Since this was the beginning of a holiday weekend there were many people out, but we were concerned that the restaurants might be closed for the day. We needn’t have worried. Our advance research had let us to Da U Batti, a restaurant that features seafood and other Ligurian specialties. We feasted on a selection of antipasti and plates of pasta with seafood, and a bottle of local white wine. After that meal, we took a taxi back to Portofino and hopped on a tender to the ship. It was time for a nap.
 Looking across to Monte Carlo The French Riviera is an intoxicating mixture of natural and man-made beauty, overlaid with gobs of wealth and in many cases, mass over-development. No place is this more prevalent than in the tiny principality of Monaco, where daily traffic jams are comprised of Ferraris and Bentleys and one’s Porsche is considered a poor-man’s car. When we visited previously by cruise ship, we abandoned Monaco for the more traditional look and feel of Nice. But on this trip, we had heard of a beautiful trail that meandered along an unblemished stretch of coastline between Menton and Monaco, and that was our destination for that day’s “Walk to Lunch”
 Medieval Roquebrune was just beyond our reach This walk is approximately 2 to 3 hours in length, and the best part is the section between Carnolès and Roquebrune-Cap Martin. Once we were docked in Monte Carlo, we walked from the ship to the center of town and, for one Euro apiece, took the #100 bus toward Menton and the Italian border. (Note that Nice is on the same bus line in the other direction). We got off in Carnoles, and made our way down to the sea, where we turned and started walking back toward Monaco. We walked along sidewalks thru the town of Carnoles and when we got to the town’s western end, the official coastal trail began. This was a well-maintained walking path that took us around the peninsula and away from the urban clutter. Along the way were fine views of a rugged yet verdant coastline juxtaposed by secluded villas and the distant skyscrapers of Monte Carlo. Hang gliders used to use the towering peaks that were behind us to launch and land on the beautiful beaches below the trail, but after a few accidents this year, the authorities imposed a moratorium. But you can still see a few of the vistas observed by those pilots by going to the site of the local hang-gliding club. At the end of the footpath, we got a decent view of the medieval village of Roquebrune. We heard that this was a stiff walk uphill but worth it as it has an ancient castle with an amazing bird’s eye view over Monaco and the surrounding mountains. Unfortunately, we were too tired to make the attempt, but our hiking friends returned a few weeks later and did that walk before they hiked the other direction toward Carnoles. They said it was worthwhile, so if you want to visit the village, do it at the beginning of your walk when you still have the energy.
We jumped on the #100 bus heading back to Monaco, and got off the bus in front of the Casino. On the south side of the turnaround is a large café that served decent sandwiches and very expensive beer, but we lucked-out and found a table right along the street, so we could enjoy a constant parade of Ferraris, Bentleys and Lamborghinis waiting to find a parking place.
 Back in Monte Carlo Websites for more hiking info:
http://hiking.topicwise.com/doc/4427
http://www.routeyou.com/location/walk/47411514/walking-near-roquebrune-cap-martin-overview-of-all-walking-and-hiking-routes.en
http://www.french-riviera-blog.com/?postid=20
Okay, walking is our normal mode of exploration when we are traveling. It requires no special equipment, can be done any time of day or evening, and offers a perfect pace for taking in the surroundings. But, on occasion, another opportunity presents itself that we simply cannot pass up. This was the case when we discovered the Charles River Kayak Company.
 Charles River Kayak Company We signed up for a 3 hour tour of the Charles River and the Inner Harbor. Although it was a warm day, the breeze off the water kept us comfortable. Our small group of 5, including guides, started out near the historic Longfellow Bridge, and paddled along the waterfront near the West End, past the Museum of Science. Aside from dodging the ubiquitous Duck Boats, the traffic on the water was very quiet. In order to move into the Inner Harbor, we had to paddle through one of the locks. Our tour of the harbor area took us by “Old Ironsides” and the navy drydock areas.
 After the Paddle After finishing up our tour, we were wet and thirsty (and a little hungry, too). We spotted a little pizza place across the street and thought it would be a good spot for a quick beer. The place was called Za, and was adjoining its sister restaurant, Evoo. Since they had over a half-dozen local draft beers on tap, it seemed like a good choice. But when we looked up and saw the chalkboard menu, we realized we had wandered into a real, farm-to-table spot with homemade charcuterie, and other locally produced items.
 The "Chalkboard Specials" at Za Of course, we were convinced that all the paddling had burned enough calories to justify a little snack!
 Just a little snack
On a recent business trip to Boston, we decided to fly in a day early to explore the city. Boston has many great districts to explore on foot, and a user-friendly subway system to reach the outlying areas, quickly and inexpensively.
 Homes on Beacon Hill Our hotel, the Taj, was across the street from the public garden, which adjoins the Boston Common. Naturally, we started our walk here, cutting through the Gardens to reach the Beacon Hill neighborhood. This historic neighborhood has many homes dating to the late 18th and early 19th centuries, and is also the site of the Massachusetts Statehouse, the state capitol building.
After we had finished exploring Beacon Hill, we walked back down Cambridge St. to the Charles River, and walked through the waterfront parkland to the Esplanade, with a view across the river to Cambridge. By now we were starting to get hungry.
 Across the Charles River We turned away from the river and walked up Berkeley Street in the Back Bay section of town. We crossed over to Tremont St., and headed for B & G Oysters, for lunch. We started with local oysters, with a glass of Sancerre, one of our favorite pairings. Since we were sitting at the counter watching all of the food preparations, we just had to share one of their lobster-salad sandwiches, which was served with crispy homemade fries, and delicious, tangy coleslaw, and their own house-made bread and butter pickles.
 Lobster-salad sandwich. Yum. After lunch we had a short walk back to our hotel to prepare for our upcoming meetings.
Posted in City Walks
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Tagged Boston, Oysters
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We started the morning eating eggs and jamon and drinking espresso while gazing at the beach and a beautiful sculpture of – a modern giant fish? Where else could we be, but in Barcelona. After a wonderful evening of tapas, good conversation with friends and a few too many bottles of local wines, we needed to start slowly but we also needed to walk off a few extra calories. Our walk started at the beach in the Port Olimpic area of Barcelona where the athletes of the 1992 summer Olympic games were housed. Feeling some of their left over energy we opt to walk the two miles north to La Sagrada Familia, the beautiful and striking gothic church started by Gaudi and continually under construction since the 19th century.
 Selection of local cheeses Energized by the towering spires and the Spaniards determination to finish this long-ago started church, we walk another mile westward and pass another Gaudi masterpiece, La Pedrera. The floors of this building remind me of ocean waves with not a single straight line to be seen. Another Gaudi building, Casa Batllo is a few blocks south. Gaudi appeared to have drawn his inspiration for this building not from nature but from a technicolor dream of dragons and monsters. Next onto Las Ramblas, arguably the most famous street in Barcelona. As we walk past street artists, tapas bars and cafes, our appetite is growing. What better place to go for lunch, than Mercat de La Boqueria, the Market. Tourists (meaning us) and locals alike seemed mesmerized by the stalls of fresh fish, hanging meats, vibrant fruits and vegetables… sensory overload for not only the eyes but the nose and stomach as well.
 Barcelona's famous cured pork products For lunch we chose to share a simple crusty bread sandwich filled with Iberian ham and local cheese to be washed down with a Rioja. Our dessert, a neon colored fresh fruit drink. I picked the mango-pineapple and my partner picked the kiwi. Our biggest argument of the trip was which drink actually tasted better. I’m sure I won when I put my money on the Rioja. After all of this walking, eating and drinking it was time to act like a real local. We hailed a cab back to our hotel and enjoyed a well-earned Spanish siesta.
We’d like to ask for your help with our new blog.
Great food and wine (and walks) require sharing, so please send us your 400-word story about your favorite walk with a lunch for posting. As an enticement, the top three submissions will receive a copy of one of our favorite cookbooks, “The Vintner’s Table”. This book has helped us plan many a great meal, as the recipes are organized around the wines that best match them. It’s how we cook here in Sonoma, and we hope you do too, because life’s too short to not cook with a nice glass of wine. Which is why its called “cooking wine”. Submit your article and include pictures if you like to info@foodandwinetrails.com.
Posted in Welcome
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Tagged contest
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 View from one of the villages “Europe’s most beautiful walk” is how the National Geographic described the Cinque Terre coastal walk in Liguria, Italy. It’s normally done in five-hours, but not our first effort.
Like many on this trek, our day started in the small village of Riomaggiore, walking down the paved pathway of the Via Dell’Amore (The Love Walk) towards Manarola. This is the walk’s easiest section and because of that, the trail was crowded. But that dissipated soon afterwards because there was a gate closing the walk due to a rockslide. This is not unusual during certain times of the year, for this section turns into a narrow foot trail bordered by steep mountains and cliffs. More rational people would have turned back to grab the ferry or the train which connects these small villages, but not us. We choose instead to head up, through brush and past the small rock-terrace vineyards that can only be harvested with a winch.
 The trail is at the edge of the Mediterranean
After half an hour of uphill walking, we reached the top trail and were rewarded by a wonderful view of the sea. After descending back to the main trail, on the other side of the rockslide, we still had three more villages to reach. This involved more climbing and descending, since the villages are all at water level, but most of the trail is along the bluffs. By the time we reached Vernazza (the fourth and most picturesque village) we were sweaty, hungry and tired of climbing up and down. It was time to find lunch!
A friend had told us to look for the red umbrellas that marked the “best place for lunch,” but to our dismay, we found them perched far over our head, near the top of the medieval tower that defines this village. After much grumbling, we summoned our last bit of strength, and again trudged uphill. The restaurant of course was fabulous and because we were famished, our lunch turned into a feast. It was well into the second bottle of the wonderful white wine that can only be found in this region that we realized that now, the last village was just too far away. So although we had to settle for walking the Quattro Terre, we grabbed a train home agreeing that it was one of the best days of our lives.
 Our lunch came from the sea, of course.
 - Our ship docks at the Valencia pier
Few US tourists and fewer cruise ships had visited Valencia until the 2007 America Cup showed the world the beauty of this eastern Spanish seaport. Unlike its neighbor Barcelona – the city of Valencia doesn’t offer many independent food and wine options, but our cruise ship docked close to the town’s beautiful beaches to the south, and the restaurants that line this beach became the day’s destination.
Valencia is known for two iconic foods; the famous Valencia Orange and Paella. The Valencia Orange is better known but the true star of Valencia is the Spanish rice dish, as this is where it originated. Enjoying that dish became our target “du jour”.
 This palm-lined path leads to the Mediterranean.
Cruise ships that call on Valencia dock near the center of town, or sometimes in the new dock area further to the east. That’s where ours tied up, but like most ships, a shuttle had been arranged to take guests into town. We jumped on and then off a few minutes later when the shuttle started to turn away from the sea toward town. That put us in the area of Valencia that the city fathers built to house the ’07 World Cup sailing teams. It was then a pleasant 45-minute walk to the beaches and restaurants south of town.
 The restaurants are lined up along this beach promenade. We found ourselves walking down a wide and sunny street packed with in-line skaters, rollerblades and bicyclists, but they faded away when we left the docks and turned onto a promenade lining a wide and empty beach. This is where the young and old of Valencia parade and is where we found La Rosa restaurant.
La Rosa is one of perhaps 50 small family-run restaurants that line this beach, and it’s a clear favorite with the locals. We arrived on a Sunday (Palm Sunday, actually), and knew we had to quickly find a table before Church mass ended at 2pm – as that’s the time all of Spain goes to lunch.
 The tables filled with after-church families.
We managed to time our walk to arrive at La Rosa at 1:15pm, when all the beach restaurants were still empty, but as 2pm got closer, families poured-in and everything filled-up. That was a bonus for us, as the people-watching greatly improved and kept us thoroughly entertained. But we had come to experience Valencia’s cuisine, so we choose three traditional plates: “Esgarraet de Pimiento y Monjama” (roasted red peppers in local olive oil served with smoked tuna), “Clochinas de Playa” (local mussels steamed in a broth) and “Arroz con Pollo Y Conejo” (traditional Paella with Rabbit and Chicken).
 - The locals browse the restaurant menus.
To accompany our meal we ordered the house white-wine, which as always in Europe, was of excellent quality and reasonably priced. It was a “Alto Turia” 2010 from Bodega Hoya del Castillo – made from two local grape varietals; Mersquera and Macabo. Atypical for us who live in Sonoma County, the wine cost was the smallest part of our bill; only 10 Euros from a total of 80 Euros for the meal, wine, tip and tax. We capped off our lunch with a short coffee to fortify ourselves for our return to the ship, and ended our “walk to lunch” until the next day.
 Our first course
 Paella coming from the kitchen.
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