Day trips or more to Italian location (and sometimes our neighboring EU states). Exploring the cities and their art and cultures, plus food obviously.
Italy has a great number of small provincial towns, often overlooked in favor of other major destination. Quite understandable though; the big five (Rome, Naples, Florence, Venice and Milan), are a must see in anybody’s travel list. But for the habituee, or the discerning art lover, there are small “sleepy” provincial towns that are worth […]
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The COVID pandemic has been a 24+ months of anguish; Italy without tourists seems incomplete. There is so much art and beauty to share, it is a pity to keep it only for us. The past years were also spent in thinking what can be done better once things get back to normal again. Italy […]
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St. Theodor He was the original patron of Venice. He is in fact that guy on one of the two columns in Piazza San Marco, next to Palazzo Ducale. One is the Saint Mark’s Lion and the other San Todaro (in Venitian), having killed a dragon. The dragon is nothing like Viserion—the scaring dragon of […]
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Scala Contarini del Bovolo, it is a spiral staircase (or like a “snail” which in Venetian translates a “bovolo”), is part of Palazzo Contarini, a secluded corner of Venice a little off the tourists’ trails. It is actually not too far from the famous Rialto Bridge. Palazzo Contarini has known several owners. There were many […]
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Venice Walks Venice is raising the curtain now. It is not yet as busy as it used to be, but turists are back already. Many people wish that things be back to normal, yet whiteout the un-manageable crowds of Pre-COVID era (not sure what that means). For my part, I can say that there are […]
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When arriving in Piazza San Marco, nowadays, the first time visitor is so busy to take it all in, that most details of the Piazza may get overlooked. Besides, I truly think that Venice must be visited many times over. Each time it will be different. There will be always something new to see and […]
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As we have regained our freedom to roam, we seize every occasion to move around, walk, visit, and just enjoy the freedom and the tardy and unwilling Spring we are having. I’m determined to see many (not all, it may be impossible I’m afraid), of the villages that are part of the prestigious club “The […]
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Free at Last Italy in now in Code Yellow and so we can travel a bit. Although, the situation in India is worrisome and so very sad. I shall put the worries away for a little bit, while we all hope for a solution, perhaps with a serious collective effort to put an end to […]
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Can We Travel Yet? Now some light started to appear at the end of the COVID tunnel, maybe it is the time to think about travelling again. That is what we all hope. Piano, Piano There is still time ahead of us, but it is nice to think about vacations and logistics, maybe an alternative […]
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Something not to overlook when visiting any Italian city are the Monte di Pietà buildings. Often they are the most prominent buildings of the city. The “Monte di Pietà” was nothing more than the common “Pawnbroker.” What makes it very different in Italy is the beautiful, richly decorated building that once was the “Pawnbrokers” of […]
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Not Quite! With the COVID-19 pandemic still raging, it may not be a very good idea to schedule for the upcoming Spring/Summer season 2021. A “third wave” of coronavirus infections has been spreading across Europe; although Venice is not the most COVID-infected area, but there have been plenty enough of COVID-19 cases, and deaths have […]
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Opatija I know that this is no time to start packing suitcase, but the right time will come, eventually. The sooner the better. I visited Croatia often enough. It is close to where I live. A–not always so–pleasant car ride, but the main reason to travel to Croatia in COVID times is the Dentistry Industry […]
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Life in Italy 