Monthly Archives: August 2016

Hill Village of Maratea

Maratea is a hill village high above the sea on Italy’s southern Tyrrhenian coast, in the region of Basilicata. It’s a good destination for a peaceful longer stay, or for a two or three-night break on a tour of the south. The setting is impressive: below steep wooded slopes, with sparkling glimpses of the sea […]

Coastal Town of Marsala

Marsala is a coastal town in western Sicily, close to Trapani Airport. The town has ancient origins and some fine exhibits in its archaeological museum. It makes a practical base for a holiday, as it has a couple of good hotels, public transport connections to the other principal sights in this part of Sicily, and […]

Hand in Hand – Herculaneum and Pompeii

Herculaneum is a Roman town buried by the same eruption of Vesuvius which destroyed the larger Pompeii. Partly lying under the modern Naples suburb of Ercolano, the site of Herculaneum hasn’t been fully uncovered and is much smaller and more manageable to visit than Pompeii. Destroyed in a different way, by a pyroclastic surge which […]

Gladiatorial Arena -Colosseum

Rome’s great gladiatorial arena, the Colosseum is the most thrilling of the city’s ancient sights. Colosseum, originally known as the Flavian Amphitheatre, was clad in travertine and covered by a huge canvas awning held aloft by 240 masts. Inside, tiered seating encircled the arena, itself built over an underground complex (the hypogeum) where animals were […]

Splendid Hilltop Town -Perugia

Located deep in the Umbria region, Perugia is one the most splendidly preserved hilltop towns of Italy. Besides its medieval look and feel, the town is famous for three things: food, jazz and chocolate. Umbrian specialties here include delicious wild boar and truffle; the town comes alive with jazz music for ten days each summer; […]

Places of Attraction in Tivoli

Tivoli is situated on the Aniene river to the east of Rome, in the Monti Tiburtini hills where the climate is fresher than that of Rome. Due to the fresh climate, the area was popular from ancient times onwards with Rome’s elite classes that built summer retreats in the area. The town was on a […]