Read more about the article Ercolano – Italy
Ercolano - Italy

Ercolano – Italy

Share it with the world

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.

(more…)

Share it with the world

Continue ReadingErcolano – Italy
Read more about the article Stabiae and Oplontis – Italy
Stabiae and Oplontis - Italy

Stabiae and Oplontis – Italy

Share it with the world

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.
(more…)

Share it with the world

Continue ReadingStabiae and Oplontis – Italy
Read more about the article Ancona, Fano and Rimini – Italy
Ancona, Fano and Rimini - Italy

Ancona, Fano and Rimini – Italy

  • Post category:EuropeItaly

Share it with the world

Terminus of the Roman Via Flaminia

Flying to this region was a long time planned not just only for reaching all these cities never been before, but for reaching San Marino, which you can easily do if flying to Rimini, some 15 km away from the border, Ancona or Bologna airports, both around 100 km away. Since flying to Rimini was well overpriced, and Bologna a place we’ve been in other occasions, Ancona was the perfect candidate and get to see as much as possible from the region and the coastline.

Being all such small cities, it is perfect for a weekend trip. You will have plenty of time and no rush for anything, furthermore, since you will end up with more free time than expected, you can stop along the way in other small villages. Almost all of them contain nice Roman remains, bastions, citadels and beautiful buildings.

Ancona itself is nothing out of the blue, that’s for sure. Just a busy port city; and maybe because we went out of season and on a weekend, it was hard to find anything even opened, not even the restaurants. The Roman arch is really worth to see, although unfortunately it’s been left stranded in the port hence the surroundings are not the nicest at all with a road passing right at the front. The best view of it is from the Parco del Cardeto Hill. Now, if I am honest with you, do not plan any longer than 4 hours of sightseeing if your plans include to head later towards Rimini or elsewhere. There is not much more you could do in here. (more…)

Share it with the world

Continue ReadingAncona, Fano and Rimini – Italy
Read more about the article Pompeii – Italy
Pompeii - Italy

Pompeii – Italy

Share it with the world

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.

(more…)

Share it with the world

Continue ReadingPompeii – Italy
Read more about the article Modena – Italy
Modena - Italy

Modena – Italy

Share it with the world

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.

(more…)

Share it with the world

Continue ReadingModena – Italy
Read more about the article Bologna – Italy
Bologna - Italy

Bologna – Italy

Share it with the world

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.

(more…)

Share it with the world

Continue ReadingBologna – Italy
Read more about the article Venice – Italy
Venice - Italy

Venice – Italy

Share it with the world

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.

(more…)

Share it with the world

Continue ReadingVenice – Italy
Read more about the article Genoa – Italy
Genoa - Italy

Genoa – Italy

Share it with the world

La Superba; The Proud One

After many years since the first and only time I’ve been to this city, it was well overdue a return. And what a great difference this was! Back in the year 2001 when I came with my school on a trip through France and Italy, Genoa was a very brief and quick stop-over along the way heading towards Pisa and Florence. It was enough time to vaguely admire one of the most fascinating cities in Italy. Genoa is up to this date, one of my favourite in the country. So much to see and do, so charming and such incredible rich history it is no wonder most of its historical centre is listed an UNESCO World Heritage Site, noticeable for the system of palaces for which the city is famous for. So many of them! It is the most unique city having such an incredible architectonic patrimony in palaces.

The only downside, quite major in a way, is the elevated motorway still cutting through the waterfront along the entire length of the city. This is the main motorway linking France with Italy along the coast, with Genoa one of the major transport hubs. Nowadays many efforts have been done to improve this damaging image, specially by expanding Corso Italia towards the sea with new open spaces and the restoration of many decaying buildings. It’s been a long process and many years have passed but the city can proudly say it has lost its reputation as a dangerous and industrial ugly place, giving way to an incredible thriving and beautiful city as it always used to be.

Some few more facts about Genoa, it is one of Europe’s largest on the Mediterranean Sea and the largest seaport in Italy. Also famous, but arguably questioned and dubious, as being the birthplace of Christopher Columbus. The Bank of Saint George, founded in 1407, is among the oldest in the world. The prosperity of the city was exponential from the 15th century onwards, hence the great collection of elegant buildings and constructions everywhere in the city. (more…)

Share it with the world

Continue ReadingGenoa – Italy
Translate »