Italy
Travel
Valley of the temples, Agrigento, Sicily: a visitor’s guide
Updated on June 5, 2013 Getting there We set off from Riposto on the autostrada (highway) and the journey took 2.5 hours. The highway across the island was in good condition with a dual carriageway for more than half the distance. The landscape is quite barren...
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Treasures of the ancient Greek and Roman city of Syracuse, Sicily
Updated on June 5, 2013 Getting there Parking in the congested ‘old city’ is almost impossible. However there is parking available along the beachfront, within walking distance of the city. The archaeological park contains a Greek and a Roman and an extraordinary...
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Sicily’s most popular destination – Taormina
Updated on March 15, 2013 Sicily's most popular ancient village Taormina is built on a spectacular rocky plateau 250 metres above the surrounding countryside on the east coast of the island of Sicily. Looking up towards the city from the east coast, the city appears...
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The ‘Ear of Dionysius’
Updated on July 18, 2013 The archeological park in the ancient city of Siracuse, Sicily The day we were in Syracusa was very hot. We needed long sleeved shirts to avoid being sunburnt and plenty of water to drink. Parking is not easy to find in the city. We parked on...
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Why is St Peter’s Basilica in Rome, Italy?
Updated on June 26, 2013 A grand building Stepping inside the main doors of St Peter’s Basilica, noisy hoards of tourists are stunned into silence, looking up and dropping their bottom jaw as they contemplate the sheer size and grandeur of this building. The eyes are...
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Why did they build the Colosseum?
Updated on September 11, 2013 il Colosseo Before the amphitheatre was built, the centre of Rome was densely populated until a severe fire in AD64 which burned for nine days destroying much of the city. After the fire, Emperor Nero, took over the land and built an...
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Herculaneum – the Italian town buried in volcanic ash in AD79
Updated on July 29, 2013 Why is Herculaneum important today? Herculaneum is important because it was buried so suddenly and in such a way that it has remained almost intact for 2000 years. The eruption of Mount Vesuvius in AD79 buried the town and the people in...
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Mount Etna – visiting an active volcano
Updated on July 28, 2013 Mount Etna Mount Etna is the world's tallest volcano, at 3,329 m (10,922 ft) high and 140kms around its base. It is a subduction volcano caused by the collision of two of the Earth's tectonic plates colliding, the African plate and the...
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What things should I see and do in Europe?
Updated on July 23, 2013 Australians wandering Europe The high Aussie dollar makes travelling in Europe far cheaper now than it has been for many years. Six months long service leave gave us the opportunity to travel to London and catch the vibe of the Olympics before...
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Top 12 tips to save money while traveling in Europe
Updated on August 28, 2013 A dozen money-saving strategies Once you've worked hard and saved for your overseas trip, bought your plane tickets and begun weighing up where you can go and what you can see within your budget, you soon realise there are choices to make....
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Marvelling at the Sistine Chapel
Updated on June 17, 2013 Michelangelo’s masterpiece Vatican City, Rome, Italy The Sistine Chapel is a relatively small chapel (compared with the vastness of St Peter’s) set within the official residence of the Pope in Rome. It is famous for its highly decorated...
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Traveling Italy on a tight budget but still having a great time
Updated on October 16, 2013 Going native in Italy . . . This hub is the result of several weeks of research for accommodation for a three week trip to Rome, Sorrento, Florence, Milan and Venice. The accommodation for 2 adults and 2 children was AUD$4,000. When in Rome...
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