Venice is one of those Europe destinations that nearly every tourist wants to head to, and usually I try to avoid these places – but Venice is special. My most recent trip to this beautiful city was just for a long weekend and I almost left without taking the obligatory Venice gondola trip. No gondola [...]
Finding a good place to swim in the crystal-clear waters of the Gargano peninsula in Italy’s Puglia region isn’t difficult. The region, which forms the spur of the Italian boot, has kilometers and kilometers of wide, sandy beaches that are easily accessible. But my European travel tip this week is to seek out the best [...]
Otranto, the picturesque Adriatic town in Italy’s Salento region, is so beautiful and peaceful, that it seems hard to believe this was once the site of the gruesome “Sack of Otranto”. Luckily for today’s tourists, Ottoman invasions are no longer a threat to this tranquil coastline. Lovely Otranto – my European travel tip this week [...]
The small city of Tivoli to the west of Rome, once an important stop on the “Grand Tour” of Europe, is today a bedroom community of Rome, yet it still maintains its distinct character. It makes a wonderful Rome day trip, either by car or with frequent trains leaving from Rome’s Tiburtina train station. My [...]
After years of living in Italy, I can honestly say that it is filled with some of the best European destinations. My tip this week is the lovely, perched seaside town of Vieste, located in the Gargano peninsula (the spur of the Italian boot) in the region of Puglia. It’s an ideal location for an [...]
The beautiful Tremiti islands (Isole Tremiti) lay 22 kilometers off the Gargano peninsula of Puglia, in the Adriatic Sea. A visit to these lovely islands – offering history, nature, sunshine and sparkling blue waters, all within a national marine park – is my Europe travel tip this week. San Nicola Island is the historic, religious [...]
It might make one in love with death, to be buried in so sweet a place. These words, written by the English poet John Keats, refer to his final resting place, the Non-Catholic Cemetery for Foreigners in Testaccio, Rome. The cemetery, rarely referred to by its official name, is more commonly called the ‘Protestant Cemetery’ [...]
I love old churches and cathedrals. More than is normal considering I can probably count on two hands how many times I have attended an actual church service. Suffice to say, I am not religious. I think that might be exactly why the old churches appeal to me though, the idea of faith and religion [...]
Every spring I make a point to visit Rome’s lovely Rose Garden (Roseto Comunale di Roma). This Rome garden’s location is perfect – on the Aventine Hill with stunning views over the Circus Maximus and the Palatine. Yet a short stroll in this oasis of tranquility is an enjoyable respite from the hectic pace of [...]
Many people may wonder if my geography is correct when I speak of Europe and the World Cup. A couple of weeks ago I wrote about “Getting ready for the World Cup through European travel” and with the World Cup kicking off this Friday June 11 in South Africa, one of its biggest, most passionate [...]
