Hello from Liechtenstein
One of the many things I love about travel is that you never know what you'll find in the most unexpected places.
Last week, it was an excellent pisco sour at the Sunny Bar inside the Kulm Hotel in glitzy St. Moritz. The drink kicked off an epic Peruvian dinner that impressed even the Peruvian friend I've been traveling with.
Last night, it was delicious Indian food in Liechtenstein, a tiny country sandwiched between Austria and Switzerland.
Walking into Mahal Schlössle in Vaduz, Liechtenstein's capital, I was greeted by elephant sculptures, Indian art and the kinds of textiles I grew up around.
Like my Peruvian friend a few nights before, I was pleasantly surprised by this taste of home I found in a place that's like nowhere I've been.
Liechtenstein is a landlocked nation that's the sixth smallest country in the world. It has both a monarchy and democratic parliament that share power. It's an approach that works, according to the Liechtensteiners I spoke with.
The entire country's population is under 40,000, and its history dates back to just 1719. This is a country that feels like a small town, a place where it's not unusual to run into a prince or a former president. And it's filled with surprises like interesting architecture, cute cafes, a stylish cocktail bar and a very popular postal museum.
But you'll have to time your visit to Liechtenstein just right, especially if you're planning to visit on a day trip from St. Gallen or Zurich in Switzerland. Mahal Schlössle is closed on Sundays, and Vaduz's museums are closed on Mondays.
I arrived just in time for dinner Saturday night at Mahal Schlössle. I spent Sunday museum-hopping and found yet another surprise, an exhibit of Inuit art from Iqaluit, Canada, the tiny town I was in on a very different work trip to cover a finance ministers' meeting exactly 13 years ago.
✈️ 🌎
Meena
❤️ Nothing says love like a business class flight to Paris or Milan. La Compagnie, the all business class airline, is offering two-for-one fares between Newark and Paris, Milan or Nice. Two tickets to Paris will set you back $3,800 with this deal, but there may be no better Valentine's Day gift than a lie-flat seat for a European escape.
🚢 For Conde Nast Traveler, I wrote about the best cruises to Mexico and the best cruises to Jamaica for every type of traveler.
And if you are inspired to head to Paris for Valentine's Day, here's a roundup of vegetarian restaurants I pulled together for Fodor's Travel.
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