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Read more about the article Verona – Italy
Verona - Italy

Verona – Italy

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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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Read more about the article Mainau and Konstanz – Germany
Mainau and Konstanz - Germany

Mainau and Konstanz – Germany

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Roman Constantia

Heading to our last city for this trip, just a short ferry crossing from Meersburg are those 2 beautiful places right where Lake Constance splits into 2 and the river Rhine flows into the lake right through the city. The first of them, Mainau, is an island referred to as island garden because all that is there are impressive landscaped gardens and palaces, all of which listed as an UNESCO World Heritage Site. And the second, the beautiful city of Konstanz, some 5 kilometres away from Mainau.

The Medieval city of Konstanz will impress any visitor. Larger than all the other cities we visited you will definitely need more time to enjoy and properly visit, something that unfortunately we could not count with any more as we would have loved to. But in any case was “just” enough to enjoy all the beauties of the city and finalise such a wonderful trip all together.

After all, there is not really much to see and do other than walk around the nice streets admiring the architecture and nature around you, hence straightforward and easy to navigate. Then if you do a similar tour as the one we did this weekend, driving back from here to Zurich airport is very quick at not even 80 kilometres distance. For us it was just arrive, drop the rental car and board minutes after, as simple as that. We take planes that often as people who gets on the metro.

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Read more about the article Laoag, Paoay and Santa Maria – Philippines
Laoag, Paoay and Santa Maria - Philippines

Laoag, Paoay and Santa Maria – Philippines

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City of Lights

On our next move in the Philippines after Manila we head to the northern region of Ilocos Norte, flying to it’s capital city, Laoag, where the only commercial airport for the whole region is located. We knew the night we landed and the following day would be extremely packed with a very explicit visit of Laoag in the night, Paoay in the morning, then the drive south towards Vigan, highlight for this trip but not before an unexpected surprise stop over by Pangil, an ancient dead coral reef and the UNESCO World Heritage listed Santa Maria Church; passing through countless tobacco fields plantations and beautiful landscapes; then back again towards Laoag for a late evening departure flight to Manila.

So right upon landing, our friend came to pick us from the airport and gave us a small tour around the landmarks of Laoag. Few minutes after we were already on way to the neighbouring village of Paoay where we drop our bags at the hotel and then enjoyed an amazing Northern Philippine dinner where we sampled the incredibly good Ilocano dishes. That was a great feast! We will always keep these great memories!

So here they are the key reasons in getting to this region: meeting my friend in Paoay, its World Heritage listed church, and of course, getting to visit the best preserved and almost untouched Spanish-Oriental colonial city in Asia, Vigan, a fascinating city like no other, and yet another UNESCO site visited in our growing list.

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Read more about the article Ercolano – Italy
Ercolano - Italy

Ercolano – Italy

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

Stabiae and Oplontis – Italy

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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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Read more about the article Toulouse – France
Toulouse - France

Toulouse – France

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Roman Tolosa

For a long time in the agenda, it’s finally the time to land in Toulouse, although for now, it would only be for few moments. Just to collect the rental car and directly drive towards Andorra, the final destination for today and returning back later at night in Toulouse, giving us a whole day for visiting this beautiful city. The fourth largest metropolitan area in France, Quite a big city itself but perfect for a one day visit as the historical city centre is not too big. The very compact medieval core is mostly pedestrian and majority of the sights are located within short reach from each others.

The city has become the most important centre of the European aerospace industry where many of the global headquarters are based, including those of Galileo, EADS and of course, Airbus, which is the main assembly point of airplanes. All nations involved at any point in the construction of any part will finally meet at Toulouse’s Airbus factory where they are assembled and make ready for delivery.

There are many historical buildings, and opposed as to what you can see in Bordeaux for example where most of the buildings date from the 18th century after the urbanism plan and look so similar one to another; in here this is the opposite. Buildings from all eras blend together where colours are an important fact. French cities tend to be monochromatic, with pastels are the main colour. Here in Toulouse you won’t be disappointed not bored; this is not the typical copy and paste of the “same” building.

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Read more about the article Bordeaux – France
Bordeaux - France

Bordeaux – France

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The Port of the Moon

It is the turn for a weekend in France again, being the most recent before that one to Cannes; and from taking a look at the current flights booked so far in the coming months, it won’t be the last trip to France this year for sure. Stay tuned. The problem I am currently encountering more often is that I am running out of weekends to go anywhere! Just a quick fact on how things are, with 74 flights booked this years alone so far and counting, that’s serious business and time management. Every year the number of flights and trips keep going up exponentially.

Bordeaux is the second city after Paris with the largest amount of listed historical buildings. The entire old town is listed as an UNESCO World Heritage Site and it’s impossible to question about such status. Once you see for your own eyes then you will know; although it’s difficult to find any historical city in France without any sort of UNESCO sites, either specific constructions or entire towns; same happening in Spain and Italy, where the three countries top the world’s list for the amount of such status granted.

Who have never heard of Bordeaux before? Surely you have taste one of the most precious drinks this region is world famous for. Wine. France is world’s number one wine producer in the world, and Bordeaux region the largest producer of wine within France. Now, you might believe from those numbers that you would find plenty of wine shops and plenty of choice in the supermarkets, well you are wrong and so I was. Shockingly to say, any medium to large Tesco supermarket in the UK have by far a larger selection of wines with a great number on Bordeaux itself! (more…)

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