The Siena time machine!

Siena has to be one of the most beautiful places I have ever seen! Arriving in Siena was like stepping into a time-machine then exiting it into this amazing place where the streets are cobbled, the town is still surrounded by a fortressed wall, everyone still walks everywhere, there are no cars, no pollution, only the smells of delicious food and the gorgeous rolling Tuscan hills on every side… I’d half expected a horse drawn cart to clip-clop around the corner carrying hay!

Yet, the awesome thing is, Siena still has everything you need. You can totally lose yourself in the winding medieval streets, the unspoilt views over the countryside, and the relaxed pace of life, but then pop into the internet café on the corner to chat on gmail with friends at home. I could spend an afternoon soaking up the sunshine out on the roof terrace of the historic building of the Italian school where I studied, wander out to meet a friend for a slice of Panforte made from a centuries old recipe and then grab a coca-cola and watch a game of football on television at one of the local bars. Ha ha, just like John Mortimer wrote in the novel Summer’s Lease; Siena has “all the delights of the Middle Ages without the stink and the fear of plague.”!

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Italian and culture in Florence!

Florence is totally, utterly, completely… incredible! Wow. It is THE city of renaissance. Which, (unless you are a super history buff) might not mean much until you arrive… but then you arrive, and… Wow!!

As you can tell, when I arrived in Florence, I was lost for words. You might start your time, like I did, by going for a stroll across the famous Ponte Vecchio. And as you wander along this centuries-old bridge, which is lined with centuries-old shops, and feels like a street, apart from when the shops part for a view of the River Arno either side of you, you start to think; my god, this is amazing, I have never seen anything like this in my life! You can then stop to take in the view down the Arno from the bridge, and you’ll be thinking; wow, this view of the city is awesome, and look, I can even see the dome of that massive duomo church thing from here! (Ha ha, which I later discovered is more accurately known as Bruneschelli’s dome). So then, you get to the other side of the bridge, all the time soaking up the lively, bustling atmosphere. Sightseers mixing with Florentines, mixed in with the buzzing of little mopeds zipping along the cobbled roads.

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Want to experience the ‘real’ Italy? It’s a Pisa cake!

Do you want to experience a real slice of contemporary Italian life? Do you want to party like a Pisano, take time out like a Tuscan, and lounge along the river Arno like a local? If so, Pisa is THE place to visit!

I had an utterly awesome time in Pisa. I really recommend it to anyone wanting to spend time in a beautiful Italian city, but yearning to get beyond feeling like just one of a zillion swarming tourists! There is no question that the city is gorgeous, historic, and has one of the most famous and instantly recognizable landmarks in the entire world (the mighty Leaning Tower of Pisa of course!), but Pisa is also nicely compacted.

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A single woman in Sorrento!

As a single woman traveling alone, I can honestly tell you that it is normally quite difficult to go to restaurants and sit alone, walk along the beach without having men come up to you thinking you are available, and have to endure the endless questions like “Where is your partner?” and so on…

So, I decided to do something different this time and book myself on a ‘cultural’ holiday as opposed to just a bog-standard holiday. I decided Italy was definitely the destination as a bit of romance wouldn’t go amiss either, but I was also determined to learn and experience something new this time round.

Then I came across this great school on the internet in Sorrento, in the heart of the town near the Amalfi Coast. I had seen a romantic film ‘Only You’ about one woman’s destiny to meet her future husband in Italy and in this film there was the beautiful Amalfi Coast, Positano etc. so I decided that this was the right place to be.

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Sorrento and The Amalfi Coast – A Jewel in the Mediterranean

This place was always on my list of “must dos in life” as I had heard and read so much about this place, such as “it’s one of the most naturally beautiful places on Earth”, “the Amalfi Coast is one of the most spectacular coastlines that exist” etc. but I was determined to see it and judge it for myself despite what Byron, Caruso, Goethe, Wagner and many other famous visitors had written!

So, imagine my delight when I came across this school , only metres from the sea and beach and right in the heart of the city! I was given the unique experience of not only learning the Italian language, but also learning about the amazing Southern Italian culture so far removed from our own, and the staff were so welcoming and friendly as is traditional with Southern Italian hospitality.

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Celebrate New Year in Naples!

Christmas time in Italy, especially in the south, is very family and religion orientated and less commercial than in many countries.

Visiting Naples during this particular period is something not to be missed!

The most well known area in Naples for artisan shops and craftsmen, is San Gregorio Armeno area, made up of long narrow cobbled streets in the historical centre of Naples. This area is acknowledged by UNESCO as a World Treasure. All year round you can visit the little shops and bancarelle (stalls) packed full of Presepe (Christmas cribs), and may even see craftmen making new pieces.

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Excursion to Pompeii and Naples

I’m studying at a language school in Rome  and in September we went on an excursion in the cities of Pompeii and Naples. I wasn’t sure about going there, but my teachers told me it was something that I should have seen. They were right!

We met at the school at 7.45 a.m. to take the bus that took us to Pompeii.  The first spectacular thing when you arrive, is of course the view of the Vesuvium in  the background of the antique city. When you take a walk in the streets of the Roman antique city, you can discover thermal baths, laid, temples, basilicas, forums, sanctuaries, a big number of houses, villas, enceinte, necropolis, bakery, theatres, amphitheatre, portiques, public’s fountains and thermopiles.

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Una Notte sotto le Stelle (‘An evening under the stars’)

On a warm August evening, in the heart of Tuscany, what could be better than a drink of wine and something to eat with some friends? Well, you could try having several glasses of wine and something to eat with all the residents of a small village! That’s just one of the activities organized by the Italian school I’m attending in Tuscany. They call it ‘An Evening under the Stars’; a chance to meet local people and taste local produce!

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Taormina, Sicily: an unmissable experience

For two weeks, Taormina, located on a terrace with its spectacular views of the beach below and Mount Etna in the rolling hills in the distance was where I called home.

I studied at the Italian language school and lived in a rented apartment located behind the sophisticated and chic main street of Corso Umberto. My accommodation was organised by the school and rented from one of the old typical sicilian nonna’s and the three generations of her family that lived in the apartment above.

School life is interesting to say the least – for a 24 year old woman who has finished her university studies a few years ago, going back to school is an experience in itself!

School life consisted of 4 hours of learning, including grammar, conversation and fun activities within an intimate friendly environment catered for individual needs.

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Alghero – a Sardinian Paradise!

Ok guys (and girls!)… Close your eyes for a second and follow me…

Think of a wide, white sandy beach lapped by a crystal-clear blue sea. Imagine the crunchy feeling of delicious tasty seafood in your mouth, the intense scent of rosemary and the bright red colour of coral. Your senses are going to explode!

Perhaps you are thinking that I am describing an exotic Caribbean destination, located a thousand miles away from Europe. But you’re wrong! I am dreaming of Alghero, a little paradise situated on the northern coast of Sardinia where I spent an unforgettable time this summer!

Every day there was something exciting to do: a boat tour along the coast to discover the beautiful “Grotte di Nettuno”, a visit to the natural caves with amazing stalagmites and stalactites, an excursion to visit one of the “nuraghi” (prehistorical buildings) or, of course, simply relaxing on the beaches.

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