Arles, a city of elegant architecture and winningly relaxed cuisine, is the genteel gateway to the Camargue, a rugged region known for its rice fields, salt marshes and similarly standout food.
Like generations of seafarers and exiles, John Irving is waylaid on Ponza, enchanted by its Neapolitan heritage, film-set beauty and reputation as a hideaway for the rich and famous.
On a magical hike from Slovenia to northern Italy, Kendall Hill finds fine food and wine among an outrageously picturesque region untroubled by tourists.