Books to Read if You’re Going to Italy
Glorious Italy, what a country! The food, the art, architecture, scenery, and again, the food! It’s little wonder people are constantly falling for its charms. Poor Italy is probably the European country hit hardest by the Covid-19 crisis though. All the more reason to keep visits to those of a literary or imaginary nature, for now. From its simple pleasures like delicious fresh gelato, to it’s exquisite details like the architecture in the centre of Florence, an Italian life seems very rich indeed, and often quite loud! I have visited Italy several times and always enjoyed myself there. In fact, I would be preparing for a trip to Rome next week,…
How climbing the leaning Tower of Pisa could affect your studies
Everybody poses for a photo ‘holding up’ the leaning Tower of Pisa, but would you climb it? The ‘lean’ factor looks quite concerning when you stand in front of the tower. ‘It probably won’t feel like much of an angle inside,’ I thought. I was wrong! Construction of the Tower of Pisa started in the 1100s and was soon made difficult on reaching the second level, when the foundations began to sink. However, construction continued and the tower became a seven-storey tower leaning at an angle of 5.5 degrees. Reinforcement work in the early 1990s reduced the angle to 4 to 5 degrees, but the top level is still almost…
Three of Europe’s best coastal hikes
Europe has some incredible scenery, and a hiking adventure is one of the best ways to truly appreciate it.The European continent has it all, beautiful lakes, majestic mountains and spectacular rivers, with unique and charming towns and villages, often historic, scattered throughout, not to mention the food! There is an enormous variety of walking paths, offering everything from simple strolls to hardcore hiking. These three walks are my favourite coastal hikes in Europe, and worth the effort for the views alone. The Lycian Way, Turkey Covering more than 500 kilometres, the Lycian Way (Lykia Yolu) is made up of several historic pathways that stretch along Turkey’s beautiful south west coast…
Europe’s Best Islands
When we think of islands it is usually the tropical kind but travellers looking for island destinations should not overlook Europe. Some of Europe’s islands offer enormously diverse scenery, fascinating history and incredible beaches with crystal clear water. Here are my favourites. Santorini, Greece If you have ever been seduced by an image of the Greek Islands, it was most likely by a photograph of Santorini. Nestled amongst the Cyclades islands, Santorini was created by volcanic activity that left the island in the semi circle shape it is today. Settlements are on the clifftops making for spectacular sunset photos but also making beach access a bit of a mission. Santorini…
Hiking Cinque Terre
One of the many reasons people visit Cinque Terre is to enjoy exploring the tiny villages that cling to the seaside cliffs in the area. Walking the coastal trail that links the five villages rewards with spectacular views of the Mediterranean. To walk the entire coastal trail you have to start either at Monterosso al Mare or Riomaggiore, the farthest south of the five villages that make up the Cinque Terre region. From Riomaggiore train station we wandered through town, enjoying the views into Riomaggiore and over the sea. It doesn’t take long to get into the centre and suddenly there are shops, cafes and restaurants on each side of…
European cities – what not to miss
With so many people, cultures and influences all packed into a relatively small area, it comes as no surprise that Europe boasts some of the world’s most interesting cities. Here are some European cities not to miss. Europe offers a plethora of different towns and cities to explore and enjoy, so how did I choose just the few you see here? The simple answer is that I chose my favourites. We all have different priorities and preferences. These are the things I love about these cities, which are not necessarily capital cities incidentally. Maybe you will agree with my choices, maybe not. Let me know! Nice, France The perfect marriage…
Lights, Camera, Location!
It is all too easy to find yourself stuck in a routine and to slowly come to recognise that maybe there is more to life. If there are reasons that you can’t escape the routine just yet, then sit back and enjoy some armchair travel. Be inspired and plan your own adventure. These are some of the movies that have inspired me to travel. The Beach – Thailand This story follows a young backpacker who leaves Bangkok for Thailand’s beaches and discovers an island community where he realises he has a lot to learn. This is probably one of the first travel movies that ‘spoke’ to me. As an impressionable…
Strolling on the Via Dell Amore in Cinque Terre
Walks along stunning and rugged coastline are a popular activity in Cinque Terre. Walking, along with atmospheric olive groves and beautiful countryside attract endless visitors to the Italian Riviera. No walk is more famous than the Via Dell Amore and unlike some other local walks, and unless this is your first foray off the sofa for a while, it is easy peasey, so nobody should miss out. So, where is it? There are walks connecting each of the five villages in the area and some of them are more challenging than others, so it is important to make sure you get the right one. The Via Dell Amore is the…
