Matera, Italy, And The Spectacular Sassi (Complete Guide)

27/09/2021.Reading time 64 minutes.

Close-up view of the Sassi of Matera from the belvedere Murgia Timone across the ravine.

All you need to visit Sassi di Matera: things to do, the best cave hotels, restaurants and viewpoints in southern Italy’s unique cave city.

Il Ghetto – An Unromantic Legacy

13/06/2015.Reading time 5 minutes.

The Doge’s council of Venice, by its singular act of confining seven hundred Venetian Jews within an abandoned foundry on March 29, 1516, gave to the world a word that is now synonymous with segregated ethnic populations. Jewish presence in Venice dates back to the 10th century. Jews were not allowed to live on the main islands even then, but […]

Guest Challenge Symbolism: The Venetian Gondola

30/04/2015.Reading time less than 1 minute.

This post comes to you from Paula’s lovely photo blog – Lost in Translation – where I am playing hostess for her Thursday Special Challenge. The theme is ‘Symbolism’, and I have chosen to feature the visual metaphors inherent in the design of a Venetian Gondola……. Click on the link above or the image below […]

Capturing Ephemeral Moments In Venice

29/03/2015.Reading time 1 minute.

Travel for me is all about the transient moments I encounter. Fleeting fragments of life that evoke mood and a sense of place. To be able to freeze those ephemeral stories, to ensure they endure long after their momentary enactment, is such a boon. Here are a few examples. All from Venice.In Torcello….Exiting a vaporetto….A selfie beneath the […]

Favourite Five To Return To

10/09/2014.Reading time 4 minutes.

It must be quite apparent from my effusive travelogues that I leave a piece of my heart in most every place I visit. And given a chance I would return to every one of them……almost. Sadly, the inverse relationship between time and my ever lengthening bucket list makes return trips impractical. Compiling a hypothetical list for the ‘Top Destinations […]

The Venetian Lions

14/08/2014.Reading time 4 minutes.

Status was paramount in the ancient world. For empires as much as for ordinary citizens. The aura of power as important as the exercise of power itself. Visual imagery and symbolism went a long way in engendering that impression. And so it was that a maritime republic of the stature of Venice felt the need […]

Burano, Italy – L’Isola Flamboyant!

16/07/2014.Reading time 15 minutes.

A handy guide to the island of Burano famous for its colourful houses and lace. Discover the best things to do in Burano and how to get there on a day trip from Venice.

Torcello Island And The Cathedral Of Santa Maria Assunta

06/07/2014.Reading time 16 minutes.

Torcello - Santa_Maria_Assunta, Featured Image

All you need to know before you visit Torcello island from Venice: the Cathedral of Santa Maria Assunta and the exquisite mosaics it is famous for.

The Space Between

20/06/2014.Reading time less than 1 minute.

— They looked picture perfect. Two beautiful people framed between two pillars of the cathedral of Santa Maria Dell’ Assunta in Torcello. I considered showing them these photos. But I held back, reluctant to intrude into that beautiful space between them, that radiated a delightful sense of ease. And togetherness. More from Torcello in a few days. Meanwhile, have […]

Rialto – ‘The Heart Of The City’

20/06/2014.Reading time 4 minutes.

The free and easy style of sightseeing I had adopted in Venice, wasn’t without its drawbacks. I was halfway to the Basilica San Marco to book a place on the 11.00 am tour that would co-incide with the floodlighting of the mosaics, when it suddenly occurred to me that it was a Saturday. I knew the Rialto markets would be closed the next […]

Venice – Beyond San Marco

16/06/2014.Reading time 4 minutes.

San Marco’s monumental magnificence aside, it was a relief to escape its relentless crowds and persistent fake bag vendors. My second hotel, the Al Ponte Mocenigo in the sestiere Santa Croce was far enough away from the touristy center to feel local, while being close enough to the Stan Stae vaporetto stop to remain connected. In my four full days there – not […]

Solo In Venice!

14/06/2014.Reading time less than 1 minute.

I spotted her from the vaporetto on my way back from Santa Maria della Salute. Her lone self on the balcony of the Palazzo Genovese (now the Centurion Palace Hotel) overlooking the Grand Canal, and juxtaposed against the glorious details of the church beyond. What a fabulous vantage point from which to survey the panorama below! I admit I felt a wee bit […]