Italy
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Uncovering Ancient Secrets: An Italian Walking Tour & Visiting Pompeii
An affluent city with interesting smells, erotic art, gossipy bath houses and a fight so raucous the gladiator games were banned for a decade. Where is this scandalous city? It was covered in ash for thousands of years and excavated in the late 1700’s for its secrets to be revealed. Pompeii may be the world’s most preserved ancient city but I’d argue it to be the most interesting. Get all of the dirt we uncovered on our Walks of Italy tour in this Pompeii Exposé. Visiting Pompeii Still quietly watching and waiting in the background of the ancient ruins of Pompeii is Mt. Vesuvius, the only active volcano in mainland…
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Snapshot Sunday: Italian Love Affair
Italy has done it again. I’ve been here several times throughout the past few years and each time I return I fall harder than the last. Charismatic locals, stunning architecture and out of this world cuisine, not to mention the country just oozes romance. It’s that killer combination making it tougher to walk away with every visit.
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Snapshot Sunday: Cinque Terre, Italy
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Snapshot Sunday: Siena, Italy
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European Winter Travel
Winter Travel: Three Ways to Embrace Europe’s Winter As winter approaches, whispers of dread can be heard flitting from place to place throughout Northern Europe. Locals pull out their scarves, down jackets, and feather collars, while travellers, who tour in droves around the continent during the summer months, pack up their sandals and head for the tropics, chasing the carefree ease of warmer temperatures. While winter does bring snow, freezing temperatures, and reduced daylight to the majority of Europe, it also brings an entirely different experience of the continent: things slow down, become quieter. The evenings lengthen, the wind whistles through, and people move indoors, looking for ways to brace…
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Easter in Italy: Spending Holy Week at the Vatican
Holy Week in Italy Easter had me reminiscing about one of my most memorable religious experiences, Palm Sunday at the Vatican. In 2011 three childhood friends and I set off to Italy and our vacation happened to fall around holy week, Settimana Santa. Our two-week trip started in Rome then went on to Cinque Terre, Florence and ended in Venice. In Rome we stayed in a small apartment (lovingly nicknamed The Rabbit Hole) in the Piazza della Rotonda, right next to the Pantheon. We had plans to go to the Vatican twice, once to take a tour of the city and then a second time just to attend Palm Sunday…
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8 Great Photo Tips for Beginners (from a fellow neophyte)
Disclaimer: I am in no way a professional photographer but I have had my moments. A good camera makes it easy, but it doesn’t work miracles. I learned a lot from a college photojournalism class and I’ve always wanted to be that “artsy friend” that takes her Nikon out on a quick shoot and comes back capturing beautiful moments. Maybe someday, but for now, I’m more like the friend that has a good eye and by the grace of god sometimes gets lucky. In some ways getting some advice from a novice is just as important as getting pearls of wisdom from a professional. I feel your pain in wanting…
