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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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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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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Staying in Trastevere, the “Other Side” of Rome
Across the river from the main city, Trastevere is Rome’s “left bank”. A slightly bohemian area of students and artisans, its old narrow streets packed with bars and restaurants. I’d never explored the district before, but on my recent trip to Rome I stayed in an...
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The Renaissance Art of the Villa Farnesina, Rome
Rome is full of art treasures. Grand buildings from every stage of history, churches full of statues and other artworks, and much, much more. So it would be easy to miss the Villa Farnesina. I discovered it by chance, passing it on an early morning walk through the...
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New Excavations to Explore at Rome’s Circus Maximus
Last time I was in Rome the Circus Maximus was just a vast grassy area. A pleasant place for a walk, or a picnic perhaps, but nothing more. But now excavations at one end of the site have uncovered some of the original brickwork – seating, shops and more. The...
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Exploring Roman History at Ostia Antica, Rome’s Ancient Sea Port
My first view of Ostia Antica was from the air, as the plane came in to land at Fiumicino Airport. I could see its position in relation to the sea and the River Tiber. And I could see the size of the place, the ruins of an entire Roman town. This was going to be a...
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100 Presepi: A Christmas Exhibition in Rome
I first discovered presepi in Naples a few years ago. These are individually designed nativity scenes, a traditional Christmas decoration in Italian homes, but also found in churches and other public places. I thought of them as a southern Italian custom, but that was...
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