A Piazza full of history: Piazza San Marco is usually the starting point of any sightseeing tour of Venice. There’s a lot to see here and within this Piazza are some of the greatest historic landmarks of Venice. At the eastern end are two of Venice’s most important landmarks – the Basilica San Marco which […]
Rialto Bridge or Ponte di Rialto – an Iconic Venice Bridge
Rialto Bridge or Ponte di Rialto is an Iconic Venice Bridge: Ponte di Rialto or Rialto Bridge as we know it, is one of the four bridges spanning the Grand Canal in Venice and the oldest amongst the four. Built between 1588 and 1591, this was the only link between the two sides of the […]
Designer Shopping on your Rome holiday
Rome Shopping – Where to Shop and What to Buy: We’re on the train from Rome’s Leonardo da Vinci Airport, or Fiumicino as it used to be called, to Roma Termini (Rome’s Central Station). The middle-aged lady sitting facing us looked very elegant. The suitcase next to her seat confirms that she’s just been off […]
Sassi District’s Cave Dwellers – Matera, Italy
Italy is not all high fashion and fast cars! It’s hard to believe that up till as late as the 1970s there were cave dwellers in Italy, a country with a reputation for high fashion and sleek fast cars. In the southern spur of Italy is the town of Matera whose citizens used to live […]
10 Top Things to See and Do in Florence – Italy
THERE IS PLENTY TO SEE IN FLORENCE AND THE CITY IS BEST EXPLORED ON FOOT: Florence’s centro historico or historical center is packed to the brim with museums, art galleries, cathedrals, elegant buildings and beautiful squares that it’s possible to see and do a lot here even if you’ve only got a couple of days. […]
Trevi Fountain – The Most Romantic Fountain in Rome
Make a Wish at the Trevi Fountain, the Most Famous Fountain in Rome: As the original legend goes, if you stand with your back to the Trevi Fountain and throw a coin into the fountain (with your right hand throwing the coin over your left shoulder), you will be sure to return to Rome. Since […]
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 […]
Murano and Burano – Venice’s famous islands
Venice lagoon’s popular islands: If you only have a short time in Venice and want to explore the islands of its lagoon, the most popular ones are Murano, Burano and Torcello. These three can be covered in the one outing and can be reached by the public vaporetti. The vaporetto ride on Venice’s waterways is […]
Festivals – Venice May Festivals
Some Interesting May Festivals around Venice: Festa della Sparesea (May 1) – A festival and regatta to celebrate the new season’s asparagus is held on Cavallino, in the lagoon, where this crop is grown. The local variety of asparagus is the green and slightly bitter Montine grown in Cavallino. Festa Medioevale del vino Bianco di […]
Food in Central Italy
Food in Central Italy: a brief gastronomical tour! Emilia Romagna; Tuscany; Umbria; Le Marche Pomposa; Ravenna; Ferrara; Bologna; Modena; Parma; Siena; San Gimignano; Pisa; Lucca; Firenze (Florence); Arezzo; Montepulciano; Montalcino; Lake Trasimeno; Perugia; Assisi; Spoleto; Orvieto; San Leo; San Marino; Urbino; Ancona; Ascoli Piceno Food in Central Italy may be the most familiar to tourists, […]