Alicante - Spain

Alicante – Spain

Post published:21 September 2014
Post category:Europe Southern Europe Spain

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Roman Lucentum, Arab Medina Laqant

The city that saw me growing every summer for almost 20 years as my parents used to have a flat there; is always nice to return. Would not matter if I would return even every year as it is actually the current trend or even more than once; I do still enjoy it a lot, obviously for the beaches and for the memories that I have for so many years. To my personal opinion, the beaches here are by all means the best ones in Spain and even rank higher than many other beaches with a much more fancier name or location as Ipanema or Copacabana in Rio de Janeiro, which are almost one to one to those you see in Alicante, or Boracay in the Philippines and Belize. Only missing are more palms, as for buildings and architecture, it is the same.

Truth is that the city itself is not very pretty as most Spanish cities tend to be. Instead the architecture is severely influence by the holiday boom which started from the 1960’s and in fact, many monstrosities were built occupying the place of beautiful 19th and 20th century buildings that once stood. Fortunately not all was lost and yet small, the old town still retains the old flair and beautiful blend of Moorish with Spanish architecture. After all, Alicante was one of the major Moorish cities back in the invasion times.

But something that won’t change is the weather. Humid and hot during the long summer, mild during the short winter months. If heading more to the north direction to Catalonia, the sea water turns colder; heading southwards direction of Andalusia, and the weather gets warmer. Alicante lies just in the middle, and benefits from this. (more…)

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Vatican City - Vatican

Vatican City – Vatican

Post published:22 June 2014
Post category:Europe Italy Southern Europe Vatican

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The smallest country in the World

Since The Vatican is a separate country and to follow with the way I do create the travel guides in my blog, here is a standalone guide for it. Although pretty much the same is self-explained in the guide for Rome. Basically, this guide is based upon an older visit and not the most recent, since all the next times we’ve done a trip to Rome we did not return to The Vatican again. Fair enough one will always walk past it and around it, but to be honest having already been twice in the Basilica and gigantic museums, spending countless hours and making the way through the hordes of tourists, I think I have enough for quite some time until I feel the need for repeating in the future.

It takes at least half a day to visit, therefore plan ahead and know the times in advance, trying to avoid the rush hours where the queues build up exponentially. For instance, I would never recommend you to get there by the time they open and the following 2 hours, but coming towards the midday is already a good choice. You can admire the incredible architecture from the outside in the morning, and consider accessing inside after an early lunch. Remember once you enter all you have are some cafes and pricey restaurants, a limited choice.

Two of it’s highlights are why every visitor to Rome come, as otherwise, it’s like you have not visited Rome to be honest: Saint Paul’s Basilica and the Vatican Museums, all of which listed by the UNESCO as World Heritage Sites. Both lie within the Vatican City, also known ad the Holy Sea, the smallest internationally recognized independent state in the world by both area and population. The only such exception to be found in the world where a micro state is within the boundaries of a city of another state. An ecclesiastical monarchical state, ruled by the Bishop of Rome, the Pope. It’s also one of the last seven remaining absolute monarchies in the world, being the others as matter of curiosity and information Qatar, Oman, UAE, Saudi Arabia, Brunei and Swaziland. (more…)

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Rome - Italy

Rome – Italy

Post published:22 June 2014
Post category:Europe Italy Southern Europe

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The Eternal City; Caput Mundi: Capital of the World

Although it is already several times I visit this city, it’s also good time to finally create a proper travel guide for it. I know that a weekend as I have just been is extremely short time not permitting me to see even a quarter of what the city has to offer, but in combination with the previous trips to this awesome capital, it makes a good background of thoroughly sightseeing everything when combining them all. I’m happy to be able to provide you with this very complete guide, easy and ready for anyone to use. And to myself, looking forward to the next time I return which for sure it won’t be that long.

Although we all have a first thing in mind, the Romans and one of the greatest civilization the earth have known in antiquity, the city goes back much more in time to around 14000 years BC as many archaeological finds have proven. In any case, the worldwide importance of the city resides in having been the capital of the Roman Empire, the birthplace of the western civilization.

With such countless richness in architecture and arts it is no wonder that it is the 3rd most visited city in Europe and the 11th in the world (at the time of writing this guide). Of course the 1st by excellence in Italy, therefore expect the hordes of tourists everywhere at any time of the year, being most acute during high season months. Prices for everything, specially accommodation, are of course based on such demand and therefore much higher than anywhere else in Italy.

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Madrid - Spain

Madrid – Spain

Post published:15 June 2014
Post category:Europe Southern Europe Spain

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Moorish Mayrit, Mozarabic Matrit

It’s finally time I set myself to create the travel guide for my home town. I know it won’t be easy but rather a challenge in order to try to compile the best through my own experience and eyes, and if creating the guide for Barcelona was already a difficult task where of course, there is much more to see and do than what I shared, here I am still even deciding on how I am actually going to structure and divide the sections and areas within the city for the sightseeing list.

But first, let’s start with some interesting facts. Remember that I do not describe in detail the history of the cities in my travel blog; for that you already have Wikipedia, Wikitravel and many other sites on the web, but I do always provide a good input and some notes quite appropriate to give you an idea. Madrid is the largest city in Spain; 3rd largest city after London and Berlin, 3rd largest metropolitan area after London and Paris and 3rd largest GDP in the European Union. Capital of Spain since 1561 when King Philip II moved it from Toledo. It’s the largest transportation and communications hub in the Iberian Peninsula; media, business, banking, commercial, education, fashion, political, arts, entertainment and cultural centre making it one of the world’s major global cities. It is the major financial centre of Southern Europe. Ranking among the most liveliest cities in the world, you will find one of the friendliest and more welcoming people in Europe.

It is quite surprising that most of the tourists Spain receives per year do not consider visiting Madrid and instead quickly go to the Mediterranean coast, Andalusia, the islands, and the most visited city in Spain, Barcelona. And shocking in the other hand, it is for many people in the UK to believe that the capital of Spain is Barcelona. I get into such comments quite frequently where I have to teach politely the people a little bit of geography and basic history. (more…)

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Verona - Italy

Verona – Italy

Post published:18 May 2014
Post category:Europe Italy Southern Europe

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Fictitious city of Shakespeare’s Romeo and Juliet

Too many years have passed after my first and only time in beautiful Verona, but finally returned, and not only once, but couple more times through the years. Of course much more knowledgeable and appreciative to the architecture and arts than how it was my first time, a rushy few hours stop-over along the way travelling between Venice and Milan on what was the end of high school trip. Nowadays, much more prepared and organised, and adding more notes revamping this guide after the latest trip, although with other plans in mind included: visiting the neighbouring cities of Vicenza, Padua, Mantua and Sabbioneta.

From the very first time I could perfectly still remember parts of the city like the Arena and Juliet’s House, but not much more, and what a surprise that was! The city is so pretty, with so much to see and do that definitely it won’t be long until I book another weekend city break here. There’s always so much more to discover along its large UNESCO World Heritage Site listed old town.

But even with so much history and sights, the city is actually more known for something that it is not even real. Juliet’s House. It has no connection whatsoever with Shakespeare’s fictional characters, furthermore to mention that the balcony was added in 1936 to further emphasise it as a tourist destination. Nevertheless this place will be of course a mandatory stop over along your sightseeing route and believe me, it will pretty much disappoint you. (more…)

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Ercolano - Italy

Ercolano – Italy

Post published:30 March 2014
Post category:Europe Italy Southern Europe

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Named after the Greek Hero Hercules

On our second part of this trip and in the same day after the Roman villas of Stabiae and Oplontis, we visit the major highlight, the ancient city of Ercolano. Second in size after Pompeii, but way different to this in the sense of how incredibly well preserved everything stood after the 79AD Mount Vesuvius eruption. Unfortunately only 1/4 of the total city has been excavated, while the remaining of the city might never been uncovered. The new city of Herculaneum was built on top of the ancient. Back then they even did not even know what was below ground, but the over construction covered most of the former city limits which lie well below the current street level.

I cannot say that I like one or the other more. Both compliment each other. While in Pompeii you do not have such great paintings and large villas, or so incredibly well preserved thermaes; you have in the other hand the complete area of the forum, theatre and coliseum, something that is completely buried under the new city in Herculaneum.

What is best on this place, the lack of mass tourism. In Pompeii expect hordes of tourists, but here in Ercolano you will be happy to enjoy the city mostly to yourself, but of course, mind that during the high season months there will be lots of people but nothing to compare with overcrowded Pompeii.

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Stabiae and Oplontis - Italy

Stabiae and Oplontis – Italy

Post published:29 March 2014
Post category:Europe Italy Southern Europe

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Luxury villas by the sea for the high class Romans

After a couple of years a since the first trip to Naples and Pompeii we decided to come back and visit on this occasion some more of the greatest Roman cities that were buried on the same catastrophic 79 AD Mount Vesuvius eruption; Stabiae, Oplontis and Ercolano. And for the future, there are some other places worth to spare some time to enjoy with other Roman villas uncovered, yet for now, with these bunch of ancient cities and villas to see, the entire weekend would be for that only getting back to Naples to sleep and for some nice dinner.

Needless to say that coming to Naples has more excuses. First, Naples itself; I really like it against what most people say that if either is ugly or dangerous. Nonsense comments; it has so much to see and do that even a weekend is too short. Of course I am talking about the prettiness of the old town, don’t just misjudge the city for the ugly and pretty much run down quarters around it. Then the incredible food and the low prices overall for everything. The best pizzas ever I’ve eaten have been here. Then some of the finest and best preserved Roman era cities and monuments, and the incredible countless villages along the Amalfi and Sorrentine coasts, and of course, the idyllic and posh islands of Capri and Ischia. With Naples you can never be wrong, and there’s always many reasons to return.

Both Stabiae and Oplontis are not cities as such but instead some of the most luxurious Roman villas across the entire southern region of the once glorious Roman Empire. The frescoes among the best preserved and so their entire structure.
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Andorra la Vella - Andorra

Andorra la Vella – Andorra

Post published:22 March 2014
Post category:Andorra Europe Southern Europe

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Highest Capital City in Europe

We could not resist the temptation of being able to step into another country, which as of MArch 2014 it marks the 60th I’ve been so far in my life; making it alone the 40th out of the 50 that forms the European Continent. It was of course a pre-planned trip. Either flying to Barcelona or Toulouse; but with so many times been to Barcelona, Toulouse had the best chances as being a city we’ve also never been before. Now that’s the perfect weekend, two for one.

Coming to Andorra is not easy by plane. There are no commercial airports to begin with, being the nearest one Perpignan some 130 kilometres to the east in France; and that’s a lengthy drive since there are no motorways connecting directly with Andorra, but instead smaller roads with many bends and ports to pass. Then farther away as was in our case, you have at almost 200 kilometres away the much bigger Toulouse airport.

Whichever the choice, bearing the long and at points stressful drive, it was very worth in every minute. Not because of Andorra la Vella itself, but for the incredible landscapes and nature you will be driving through. From pure spring to the deepest of the winter. Right before arriving to the border, the snowy mountains were everywhere, but out of sudden, few kilometres after the border and some hundreds of meters higher, it was heavily snowing! (more…)

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