Can the New Venice Tourist Tax Combat Overtourism?
At the end of 2018 the Venice city council announced that it would be introducing a new entry fee, a tax on every tourist entering the city. This is partly a response to overtourism, and partly a way of bringing in much needed revenue. But what precisely is the...
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In Search of the Old Telephone Kiosks of Copenhagen
Walking around Copenhagen I was intrigued to notice several Art Nouveau style structures. Some were selling coffee; others were abandoned. Surely, I thought, there must be some story behind them? I later discovered that these were the former telephone kiosks of...
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Freetown Christiania: Copenhagen’s “Independent Republic”
Last time I was in Christianshavn, the lively canals and islands area of Copenhagen, I saw a man with an iguana draped over his shoulder. I was on my way to Freetown Christiania, a self-styled independent republic. It is the sort of place where you can expect the...
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Books to Read Before You Visit Italy
Italy is a major destination for British and American tourists, and there is no shortage of books for the curious traveller. So my problem in compiling this post was not what to put in, but what to leave out. The choice that follows is just a small selection of books...
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Book Review: Experience Italy from Lonely Planet
It is no secret that I love Italy. In fact, I used to have a separate blog for my Italian travels, which I called Bewitched by Italy. So I was very happy to get a new title from Lonely Planet: Experience Italy. It could have been written just for me… Experience Italy,...
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Testing Out Wine Tourism in Cyprus
I’ve been planning to write about wine tourism for a while. To talk about the sheer pleasure of visiting vineyards, trying the wines, and learning a bit about different varieties and customs associated with wine. So where better to start than with my recent forays...
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Choirokitia: A Neolithic Site in Eastern Cyprus
One of the things that surprised me about Cyprus was how ancient and multi-layered its history was. The island was occupied not just by the Romans, but by the Greeks and the Egyptians as well, to say nothing of the waves of invaders who followed them. And I was...
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Crossing the Line: North and South Nicosia
As you approach Nicosia from the south, you catch sight of a gigantic Turkish flag in the hillside ahead. It is a reminder that Cyprus is an island of two halves, the so-called Green Line dividing it into the “Greek” south and the “Turkish” north. Nicosia, the capital...
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Eat, Walk and Discover Rome, With A BiteMojo Self Guided Food Tour
Food tours are a great way to get a flavour of a place, both literally and metaphorically. But what if you also want the freedom to explore on your own, and at your own pace? The answer is to take a BiteMojo self guided food tour. Armed with nothing more than your...
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Beating the Crowds at the Vatican Museums with a LivItaly Small Group Tour
I don’t like crowds. Or queues. A few years ago, I looked at the line of people outside the Vatican Museums and decided to forget about the artworks and walk around the walls instead. But I was determined that I was going to get to the Vatican Galleries and...
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