Essential Italy for Independent Travelers
“I would rather be first in a small village in Gaul than second in command in Rome.” -Julius Caesar Sara and I try to take at least one major trip every year, with as many little ones as possible in between. In 2003, our trip was to Italy, certainly at or near the top of both of our ‘must see’ lists. Sara did tons of research and discovered new ways to travel as...
Read MorePompeii the Inferno
We spent a day in Pompeii on our way back to Rome from Sorrento. It was the hottest day yet on the trip and we felt every bit of it walking around the ruins. We never did find out the temperature, but when we arrived back in Rome, it felt like someone had turned on the air conditioner outside and it was 39 degrees Celsius (102 Fahrenheit). Pompeii was a Roman town that was destroyed completely...
Read MoreLimoncello on the Island of Capri
The beautiful island of Capri actually has an interesting history to match its beauty. While the Greeks are the first known society to inhabit the island, just off the coast of Sorrento and within view of the ominous Mt. Vesuvius, there have been discoveries made of humans there dating back to the Neolithic period. Roman emperors used the island as a vacation spot and after the collapse of the...
Read MoreThe Holy See – Vatican City
No matter your feelings for the Catholic Church, a visit to the Vatican will provoke a sense of awe even in the most staunch of non-believers. The feeling that you get when you walk into this historic city is one of reverence with a bit of trepidation. We were not there when the Pope was present, which was probably fortunate, as the crowds most likely would have been unbearable. As it was it was...
Read MoreAlmighty Rome
Let’s face it, Rome is an historian’s dream vacation. So much happened there that influenced our society that one could spend one’s life exploring the city and not learn all that there is to learn. As it was, we spent a total of four days there and did not even see all of the ‘major’ tourist sites. We did not travel with a tour group, so we were free to see what we...
Read MoreHung Over in Tuscany
Tuscany has some beautiful countryside and we visited the region on our way from Cinque Terre to Rome. We went to the historic town of San Gimignano, which is itself also very impressive. However, if you read my last post, you will recall that the wine in Cinque Terre is particularly good. Needless to say we were very hung over. Add to this that it was over 100 degrees and we were on an un-air...
Read MoreTrail by the Sea – Cinque Terre
If you are touring Italy for the art or the history, you can skip Cinque Terre. The area is lacking really any significance in both areas. However, if you want incredible scenery, interesting architecture and food and wine that will blow your mind, then you really, really need to visit “The Five Lands”. [Show as...
Read MoreLeaning Tower of Pisa
I am going to be honest here and say that I wasn’t very excited to see the Leaning Tower of Pisa. We had just left Venice and Florence and were heading to Cinque Terre, and Pisa was a stop along the way, so we figured we should check it out. [Show as slideshow] ...
Read MoreCityscape of Florence
We moved from Venice to Florence and discovered a world of cultural history. The city itself is over 2000 years old, founded by none other than Julius Caesar. I am a history buff, and while I prefer military history, there is no denying the attraction of the former residents and goings-on that makes up the history of Florence. [Show as...
Read MoreArriving in Venice
The more you travel you will find that most major cities have something about them that makes them unique. Not just a certain attraction, building or monument, but an overall feeling, an atmosphere that encompasses the architecture, the people and the culture. In some cities the differences from other places are subtle. Not so with Venice. It is as unique a city as they...
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