My Whistle Stop Tour of Italy

The Verona Arena

Jo Turnbull dashes down some quick-fire notes as she hot-foots it through Italy As the home of art, opera, and fashion and not forgetting ice cream and pasta, Italy is one of the most interesting countries in Europe. The shape of a boot with a football on the toe representing Sicily, it is a country of diverse scenery and landscapes. My recent trip over twelve days covered the cities of the north down to Rome and back, not enough time to do justice to the wonderful countryside and ancient … [Read more...]

Via Francigena – Rome – secret view

One of the best viewing placesWe were in Siena on the Via Francigena heading towards Rome. Hungry after the day’s activities, we enjoyed dinner in the hotel’s restaurant where we met Nick and Izaskum. . They had just returned from Rome and Nick suggested, that when we got to Rome, to walk up the Aventine Hill and look through a keyhole. This sounded suitably mysterious, so I made a note to do exactly that when we arrived in Rome. . Some days later we arrived in Rome and began our goggle-eyed … [Read more...]

Rome attractions – The Crypt of the Capuchins

Skeletons, skulls and bones in the city centre of Rome: We came to Piazza Barberini in search of Tony's razor part, but what we found was something more macabre! At the foot of Via Veneto, at no. 27, is the the church of Santa Maria della Concezione, better known as the Capuchin Church. Beneath this plain looking church, there is an extraordinary Crypt where the bones and skulls of generations of Capuchin friars are used to elaborately decorate the walls, archways and niches of the … [Read more...]

Italy Travel

Italy Travel

An Italy Tour is more than a Roman Holiday... I love Italy. Travel in Italy should mean swanning round in a red Ferrari convertible between legendary hotels in legendary places like the Hotel Cipriani in Venice, the Hassler in Rome and Corbusier's Punta Tragara in Capri. Not just a dream... Unfortunately this kind of Europe tour must remain a dream for most of us, but here's the good news: it is possible to experience the romance of the historic cities, the beauty of the fabled locations … [Read more...]