Travellers x2: Ciao Italy 2014
When two people are travelling together, there are bound to be some things that the one didn’t enjoy quite as much as the other one. I think it’s a good idea to reflect on the […]
Celebrating My Birthday in the Vatican City
Milestone birthdays should be celebrated, the more spectacular the better. If, like me, you exist in a Peter Pan-like state, it’s best to forget about your age and rather focus on a wonderful experience. For […]
Our Five Favourite Fountains in Rome
There are perhaps as many as a thousand fountains spread out all across Rome, according to the Inguide to Rome. They were once ancient shrines to water nymphs, but nowadays locals and tourists alike come […]
Scammed in the Borghese Gardens
The Inguide to Rome calls the Borghese gardens a “splendid park” and “one of the most beautiful parks in Rome”. True as that may be, our memories of it have been forever tainted by the […]
A Musical Interlude at the Pantheon in Rome
Isn’t it wonderful when travel serendipity conspires to bring you an unexpectedly memorable day? Gareth and I had such a day when we visited the Pantheon while in Rome during a three-week trip to Italy. Not […]
Of Castles and Holy Angels – Rome’s Castel Sant’Angelo
One of the stops on our self-guided Demons & Angels tour of Rome, Castel Sant’Angelo has been on my must-see list since the first time I set foot in the Eternal City. The round fortress […]
Our Self-Guided Angels & Demons Tour of Rome
Gareth and I both enjoyed Dan Brown’s bestselling novel Angels and Demons and we’re huge fans of the Tom Hanks film as well. So when we visited Rome, we went out of our way to […]
A Brush with History in the Roman Forum
Rome is a crazy, busy, noisy city. But step onto the ancient Via Sacra, past the Arch of Constantine and into the Roman Forum, and you will leave all of that behind. If your imagination […]
Conquering the Colosseum
Our first experience of the Colosseum left much to be desired. It was the very first thing we went to see when we arrived […]
Inside the Doge’s Palace
The Doge’s Palace, or Palazzo Ducale, is one of the iconic landmarks of the Piazza San Marco in Venice. For years I’ve been appreciating its Gothic architecture from the outside, but this year Gareth and […]