A tour of Florence in Italy Florence in Italy is often called the best city in the world. It was ranked top of the list in the Conde Nast Traveler Reader's Choice Awards for several years. I took some photos of Florence that will give you an idea of what it is like, if you […]
Top 10 things to do in Venice It is difficult to choose just 10 things to do in Venice. From my last whirlwind visit to Venice about 18 years ago, I just remember being serenaded with “Sole Mio” on a gondola ride through the canals and posing for old-fashioned non-digital photos in St Mark’s Square. This […]
The Best things to do in Rome “Rome is the city of echoes, the city of illusions, and the city of yearning.”- Giotto di Bondone, Renaissance painter My thoughts about Rome Rome was our last stop in a whirlwind vacation consisting of a Mediterranean cruise and a tour of Italy's major cities. It left me […]
Fall in love with Venice Although our visit to Venice coincided with a much-hyped celebrity wedding there, we didn't get to see it… or the happy couple. However, Venice didn't need Hollywood stars or anyone else to lend it any stardust - it had enough magic of its own. In accordance with the title La […]
How to apply for a Schengen visa for Italy I had been avoiding Europe for a while. But when Italy and a Mediterranean cruise beckoned, I couldn’t resist any longer. This, of course, meant that I had to apply for a Schengen visa . Not for the first time, I bemoaned the fact that I […]
How to plan an Italian trip Planning an Italian trip was more difficult than any of my other trips and much worse than I expected. And although I don’t normally use travel agents, this was one occasion where I thought that it would have saved me a lot of stress to use one. I had […]
A visit to the Leaning Tower of Pisa from Florence It is the only building in the world that millions of people have “tried to straighten”…and have failed. Yes, I am talking about the leaning tower of Pisa . Photographing oneself holding up the tower is a touristy must-do in Pisa. The precise distance from the […]
Splendour of the Seas Review I stood on the top deck of my floating “hotel”, the Splendour of the Seas , and savoured the breath-taking views from my lofty vantage point as we sailed out of Venice’s Giudecca Canal. We passed pointed church steeples and ancient palaces, sidewalk restaurants and bridges traversing narrow canals. The little […]