On the way to Austria, we also decided to stop at Gorizia (or Görz), which lies directly at the border to Slovenia. Originally a watchtower or a prehistoric castle controlling the fords of the Isonzo River, Gorizia emerged as a small village not far from the former Via Gemina, the Roman road linking Aquileia and Emona (modern Ljubljana). The name Gorizia was recorded for the first time …
As Trieste lies off the route from Austria to other parts of Italy, we never made the detour to visit this town, which is an important part of the Austrian history. At last, we took the time to visit Trieste and the castle of Miramare, and discovered a lovely town with an interesting mixture of …
We had spotted an area at the coast, between Venice and Triest, which is not developed and looked quite natural. Between Caorle and Bibione lies the Valle Vecchia with an unspoiled coast, mostly wooded dunes and a wetland full of birds and other animals. There is a big parking for the beach, which also serves …
Ravenna is known for its well-preserved late Roman and Byzantine architecture, with incredible mosaics. But we soon discovered, that the Green Pass is required to visit the most important sights. For us with a “Red Pass”, no entrance was granted, but we made the most out of it and explored the city as best as …
The weather was so grey and wet, that we didn’t even think about visiting the famous beaches of Rimini, but instead took a stroll through the drizzle into town, where some remains of the history of Rimini can be found. The first sight we encountered was the Arch of Augustus, a gate in the former city …
Crossing the Chianti region to the east, we went for a hike at Castello di Brolio and spent a night at Città di Castello, a castle region it seems, with hills covered with wine yards and olive trees. Castello di Brolio is a rural castle with a palace and gardens located about 20 km NE of Siena, in …
We were hoping to be able to visit the Vatican in Rome, before our Green Pass expires, so we just stopped at Gaeta for a short visit and drove on. When we wanted to check in at a camping in the big city, our Green Pass turned red for the first time – very annoying! …
Reggia, meaning royal palace or king’s court, and Reggia di Caserta north of Naples is just that, a true palace. It was constructed by the House of Bourbon-Two Sicilies as their main residence as kings of Naples. It is the largest palace erected in Europe during the 18th century and still the largest royal residence in the world, something you …
No better place to get a glimpse into an ancient Roman city than in Pompeii! We had been here before, but couldn’t resist to walk through the streets again, looking into villas, houses and stores, imagining the life of the people who lived here until 79 AD. One of the things we love most are …
Paestum in Campania is an ancient Greek and later Roman settlement, with the best preserved Greek Doric temples worldwide. They date back to the colonization of Magna Graecia, constructed between 550 and 450 BC. Paestum was a common destination on the Grand Tour of the 17th to 19th centuries, as an example of the Ancient Greek heritage. This basin had a fascinating …
