Travel

When looking at a gondola, have you ever noticed that sinuous object supporting the gondolier’s oar? Well, neither had I, until I learned about it at the Venetian workshop of Piero Dri, one of only four remaining artisans in the …

Towering 2,460 feet above Trapani on the Mediterranean Sea in northwest Sicily, the ancient citadel of Erice has found a new outlook by catering to the wedding trade. Today its 12th-century Norman castle serves as the backdrop for hundreds of …

I was utterly charmed by Palermo when I was there less than a week ago. I admit to have been somewhat wary of it last time I visited. It was a combination of the bumper-to-bumper traffic; the accommodation (which although …

On my first Easter in Rome in the Jubilee year of 2000, I joined the throngs jammed into the massive piazza of St. Peter’s basilica. Pope John Paul II, bent with age, extended Easter greetings in dozens of languages, including …

Sambuca di Sicilia has been elected “il Borgo dei Borghi 2016”, the most beautiful Borgo in Italy.   The village in the Belice Valley, with about 6,000 inhabitants, won the title during the TV show called “Alle falde del Kilimangiaro”, …

Can you name the seven hills of Rome? Even most locals struggle to remember, but along with the Palatine and the Capitoline, the Aventine is one that everyone should know. The Aventine is often overlooked by visitors, who assume that …

From the famous archaeological site of Paestum, after attending to the annual Mediterranean Exchange of Archaeological Tourism, we reach by train the fascinating archaeological site of Velia, whose original Greek name was Hyele. The Ancient Velia has a truly incredible …

Tuscany.  If you’ve never been, I can guarantee you’ll be in awe of the beauty of its rolling vineyard filled hills, Cypress lined driveways and the golden glow that covers that land as the sun sets.  They say it is …

Our journey through the Oltrepò Pavese continues: if someone is looking for somewhere peaceful, surrounded by nature, they can come to this mid-mountain and upper country side. We’re just under 700 metres above sea level. Discover the hermitage and the …

A new project, dubbed Gondolas4All, has unveiled the first access point for wheelchair users and people with disabilities to board one of Venice’s gondolas. The service, from the car-accessible square Piazzale Roma, will begin in about six weeks, after gondoliers …