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 - regretfully - to go and do something else instead. But I was determined that I was going to get to the Vatican Galleries and Sistine Chapel one...
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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. It was a...
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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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Discounts for Readers on LivItaly Tours
I’m very excited to announce that I’ve teamed up with LivItaly to give my readers a discount on all of their small group tours and activities in Italy. Whatever your tastes you will find something to suit you, whether it’s a food tour, a guided museum visit or a...
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App Review: Patrum – A New App For the Vatican Museums
For many tourists a visit to the Vatican City means exploring the Vatican Museums, one of the world’s great art collections. Quite apart from the famous Sistine Chapel and the Borgia apartments, the Museums house an enormous collection of traditional and modern...
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