Lisbon - Portugal

Lisbon – Portugal

Post published:3 February 2013
Post category:Europe Portugal Southern Europe

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The City of Seven Hills

The capital city of Portugal is perhaps one of my favorite across all Europe. Lisbon has something special wherever you go, and no matter how many times you return, it is almost certainly guaranteed you will enjoy as the very first time. So much to see and to do, that every time is different. But its charm will enchant anyone who visit it, that being for its colours, its grand and elegant boulevards, the historic ancient trams or even the mosaic pavements not to mention cuisine and nightlife. And overall, its location between the many hills and the Tagus River waterfront.

Lisbon is a large city, where a weekend break is simply not enough. Feasible in merely 2 days but not so much enjoyable as at least 3 full days, or ideally 4. The good news is the little occasions you will need to take any public transport to move from one place to another, unless of course a ride in the trams or for reaching Belem which would be a long walk otherwise across some districts of no interest. The downside? The many hills, quite steep to be honest, but easily solved if you take any of the many old funicular lifts.

The city is clearly divided into very well marked districts, each of them having its own personality, history and sights. The most noticeable are Barrio Alto, Alfama, Mouraria, Baixa or Chiado to name a few. And for sure you will want to visit them all. The old tram line 28 will help you to move between all of them, but the same that it does to you, it does for the hordes of tourists wanting to do the same. Never mind how busy the trams can be, it is well worth it for its unique trip through incredibly beautiful narrow and bending streets packed with sights.

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Nicosia Old Town

Nicosia – Cyprus

Post published:2 December 2012
Post category:Cyprus Europe Southern Europe

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The last divided capital city in the world

Continuing our tour on this second day of the weekend in Cyprus and after visiting Larnaca and Limassol the day before which take you not even two hours at each place to visit anyway, we continued towards the capital city, Nicosia: the last divided capital city in the world. Now if you ask me, especially after the disappointing feeling with the other cities, I must confess that my expectations were somehow high, only to find they lowered pretty down and too quickly. Almost all the old Ottoman houses are gone and in its place, tasteless ugly buildings, like the ones you find in mainland Greece everywhere. I do not judge the country after these feelings though, after all, I’ve only been to the major cities and nowhere else, and yes; there are other nicer places to go and sights to visit on the island, for instance, Paphos which will have to wait for another trip to Cyprus.

So, if your plans are coming to Nicosia, or Larnaca and Limassol, then save the hassle, the money and over all, the long flights to reach these destinations. It is unfortunately not worth it if a cultural trip is what you are looking. In the other hand, beaches, yes of course there are. But again, why would you even get on this long flight when you have nicer beaches nearer, also in the Mediterranean Sea? As of now, this trip has merely been for us a tick off the list of places to be and countries to visit.

Take a look at the city’s map, the old walled town core. Dating from the Venetian times when they captured the city in 1489, demolishing churches and palaces to use the masonry for the construction of these fortifications, it is a perfect circle formed of 11 bastions, all of which preserved in a rather good state. Another unique fact is the division of the city in two halves. The north side is Turkish, the south side is Greek. The UN Buffer Zone is what lies in between, basically a no one’s land of derelict buildings and ruins acting as the border between both countries. The buffer zone continues in both sides, splitting the island.

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Larnaca & Limassol, (Cyprus)

Post published:2 December 2012
Post category:Cyprus Europe Southern Europe

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“The former kingdom-city of Kition”

It’s time to visit another country in Europe, generally quite expensive to get flight tickets and hotels however for a cultural trip as ours, the usual trick did work well. Travelling during the low season, in fact, middle of December. There is no doubt you get some great benefits from doing this; one is the cost, that being flights, hotels and restaurants; second, being able to enjoy the places without the hordes of tourists. The cities and places pretty much for yourself. But anyway, not in every country you can take advantage of this since winter months means sky season all over Europe, the charm of the Christmas markets, the snow, etc. Nevertheless, any place by the sea that mostly lives from the summer tourists then it is almost guaranteed the great winter deals.

A downside for this destination in question, considering such short time merely the weekend? The distance from where we came, London. Almost 5 hours to go and over 5 to come back, and no matter if that’s London, or Paris, Brussels, Amsterdam, Madrid, Lisbon… Basically Western Europe. Cyprus is far beyond Egypt and next to Syria, Lebanon and Jordan, but, was it worth it? Well of course, although not as I would have imagined. After visiting Larnaca, Limassol and Nicosia in this trip, my feelings were meh. Fine to visit once, but not in the mood to return.

Because both Larnaca and Limassol have so very little to see and do cultural-wise talking, I prefer to combine them in the same guide because they resemble similarities in every sense. Do not expect to find great sights, nor many. It is the opposite, not only the cities are very small but their historic centres very limited and other than few Byzantine style churches and the occasional Ottoman houses still standing, there is not much more to visit. The beaches in the other hand, is perhaps the most desired among the visitors that come to enjoy during the season that here usually starts as early as March. No doubt Cyprus has some stunning coastline and great resorts, good enough to enjoy the peace and tranquillity while doing the occasional cultural trips within other parts of the island. (more…)

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Pompeii - Italy

Pompeii – Italy

Post published:19 February 2012
Post category:Europe Italy Southern Europe

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Frozen in time and forever since 79 AD

Visiting Naples for the first time? Then chances you will be coming to Pompeii are high. This was our actual case, not only was the first time travelling to Naples (which nowadays we can count at least 5 more), but the entire trip had to be planned to include this stunning archaeological site. And to know that there are so many other Roman cities, islands such as Capri, the amazing Amalfi and Sorrentine Coasts or the impressive sites of ancient Magna Graecia at Paestum and countless more, then it is certain hard to even get tired of visiting what is to my taste, one of the most beautiful cities in the whole of Italy, Naples.

It is hard to even say something about Pompeii, where time simply stood still for 2000 years. After having visited some other ancient civilizations masterpieces such as Petra in Jordan, Athens Acropolis in Greece or Rome, the capital of the vast empire than once was; coming here was as exciting as for any of the others with the difference that this time we knew we would get to see how a Roman city really was, with all the infrastructure almost in perfect condition; palaces, temples, houses, baths, bars, shops, brothels; including original graffiti on the walls from that era; all there frozen in time after Mount Vesuvius eruption of 79 AD.

Although Pompeii was not the only city to be buried. It was certainly the most affected in the sense that the amount of super heated pyroclastics felt too abruptly destroying the roofs and upper levels of almost every house in the fraction of few second; but this did not happen at nearby Ercolano and Stabiae, hence why you get to see almost complete houses and palaces with great paintings still decorating every wall at the others but very little of that here in Pompeii even though it was the largest city in the area. Everything completely disappeared after the eruption until its rediscovery and excavation, which it is still ongoing and will last for decades to come.

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Santiago de Compostela - Spain

Santiago de Compostela – Spain

Post published:3 January 2011
Post category:Europe Southern Europe Spain

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The City of Stone and Way of Saint James

Happy to travel to Santiago de Compostela for a well deserved return to one of the most historical and beautiful cities in Spain, worldwide known especially among the Christian Catholic population. It becomes now quite an oddity to think it took me 13 years to come back and admire this city one more time; but yeah, with an almost infinite choice of destinations for a lifetime, sometimes the ones we have near us are the ones we tend to mistakenly postpone and even forget.

Although this was just a day trip taking as much advantage from a very early flight in the morning and a late at night return, it is more than enough time to visit Santiago de Compostela, the small capital city of the Autonomous Region of Galicia in north west Spain. We can be thankful the weather was not too bad considering it was just January! Yes, this is something you need to be aware of, the weather in this region. It does not matter whether you are coming in the summer months or winter, the chances of rain are one of the highest in Europe, only second after Bergen in Norway. Also a jacket in summer will almost certainly be needed.

So what’s the deal and so special about this city to be so world renown? It is the end point of the Way of Saint James’, the Christian pilgrimage network of routes coming all over Europe onto Northern Spain and on to the Cathedral of Santiago, resting place of the apostle. Quite an epic journey should you wish to do, noticeable the route between Roncevalles (France) and Santiago, covering some 800 km of beautiful northern Spain scenery and historical cities. (more…)

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Modena - Italy

Modena – Italy

Post published:19 December 2010
Post category:Europe Italy Southern Europe

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The Capital of Engines

Our second day on this weekend trip and as planned, we used for visiting the small and incredibly beautiful city of Modena. Who has never heard of this name before? Surely you must know for the balsamic vinegar, redundant to say it comes from here. At only 40km away from Bologna and around 30 minutes by train between both, it is the perfect combination you should aim for. Bologna and Modena, two in one for a weekend cultural trip is the ideal.

Being of this size makes it perfect for a day trip, in fact, not even a full day is needed as you will visit everything in much less time, meaning you could use pretty much the entire Saturday if you are coming just for the weekend to Bologna, while Sunday for Modena before heading back to the airport if you have an evening flight back on that day. If you plan to do it other way around then you will be making a mistake because Bologna deserves much more time, unless you’ve already visited it before. It’s quite large in size.

The city boasts two monuments listed as UNESCO World Heritage Sites. Both located at the very heart of the historic centre, the Piazza Grande (meaning Great Square), and the City Hall. It is with no surprise why is that as you will see for your own eyes. Elsewhere, the charming streets full of historical buildings speak for themselves, but remember is very small. Everything is compact and very straightforward with an almost impossible chance of being lost or loosing time trying to locate yourself around.

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Bologna - Italy

Bologna – Italy

Post published:19 December 2010
Post category:Europe Italy Southern Europe

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The Learned, the Fat and the Red

Again the time has arrived for a last trip of the year. Many so far, to incredible places and countless pictures and memories, so let’s add with another one to Bologna, and considering how near is Modena, both would be the plan for this weekend. Making it all possible thanks to the bargain flights, although nowadays nothing to compare to these “almost fore free” flights once Ryanair had some years ago. Still, cheaper than three pints in a normal bar in London that’s what we paid this time.

Days before our arrival it has been snowing quite heavily, therefore we prepared ourselves to cope with the weather and for the freezing temperatures. Thankfully we could land on-time right in the middle of a blizzard which, luckily for us, stopped once we were outside of the airport. We cannot say the same for our returning flight the day after… flights were severely disrupted, delayed and cancelled. I must say I was only lucky by chance at only 2 hours delay, but managed it back home.

The city, 7th largest in Italy has also one of the largest and best preserved historical old town centre in Europe. There is always some great architecture and history everywhere you walk, although this is a fact repeated across the entire Emilia Romagna region, which capital city is, as you could imagine by now, Bologna. And if something makes it very unique is the UNESCO World Heritage Site listed incredibly system of porticoes covering no less than 38 kilometres across the entire city. Once can walk under the arches for several kilometres without even getting wet if raining.

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Venice - Italy

Venice – Italy

Post published:5 December 2010
Post category:Europe Italy Southern Europe

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La Serenissima, Queen of the Adriatic, Floating City

Such a wonderful surprise was to find one of the best airfare deals ever to one of the most stunning cities in the planet, Venice. More even considering it was almost 10 years apart since the first and only time I was here. The excitement was even higher considering the time of the year, December, and the weather conditions so totally different to that glorious days of summer the first time I step on Venice.

I admit I have a great memory for the places I travel to, however, remembering absolutely everything as in this case, like the little streets I once walked, or where I had food and that great ice cream was priceless. The only most clear difference was, as mentioned earlier, the weather. Now I can gladly say I have enjoyed the city in the summer when it’s hot, sunny and nicely clear skies yet hordes of tourists in almost every possible piece of land; and the city during the Christmas period; cloudy, cold and rainy but experienced something unique, the acqua alta. That’s the phenomenon where the city gets flooded with the rising levels of water reaching some meters in height at some points. This usually happens between winter and spring months.

This city has so much to see in so limited space that it’s incredible how could it be built since the very beginning like this, in the middle of the lagoon with the houses on top of wooden pillars stick to the mud below the water level. Engineers knew about the tide (acqua alta) since the very beginning, and that was not a problem. The issue arise only in the recent decades as it is getting worst and worst with levels reaching score heights, hence the terrible damages it cause. This fate is due to hopefully change for the better once the lagoon barriers are fully operational in order to control the water rising in the city.

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