Rome in winter is absolutely magical. So magical in fact, that despite the fact that I'm no fan of the cold, my favourite time to visit is in the quieter, chillier months of the year. The atmosphere is captivating, the temperature is rather on the icy side, and the city feels like a living working… Continue reading Rome in Winter : 10 Things You Need to Know
Hopping on a vaporetto from Venice to Burano island makes for an idyllic way to spend the day. The Venetian island is home to fishermen and lace-makers, and is famous for its brightly painted houses arranged along narrow canals. Although it's equally as picturesque- and basically a photographers' dream- Burano seems a world away from… Continue reading From Venice to Burano. Exploring the colourful island in the Venetian lagoon.
Did you ever hear of the pasta grandmas of Bari Vecchia? Eating in Italy is always a magical and scrumptious experience, but the Bari food experience is without a doubt the best one I've had yet. Here's why the little port city of Bari is well worth a visit. *This site uses affiliate links, where… Continue reading The Bari Food Scene: It’s full of grandmas and that’s why I love it.
It was early December and myself and three fellow singers from the ship had been asked to make the trip to the Vatican to make a film to be shown to the passengers in the build-up to Christmas. Glory, glory, Hallelujah! A trip to the Vatican!! At Christmas!! I'd been before, a couple of times,… Continue reading A Christmas Story: That Time I Got Kicked Out of the Vatican City
The port of Civitavecchia is often sold as 'The Gateway to Rome', which is a little misleading considering Rome is over an hour away by road. However while many people skip Civitavecchia completely in favour of the Colosseum and other Roman treats, this little port city is worth a look in too. This place has… Continue reading Things to do in Civitavecchia, Italy
I totes get it. People visit Pisa for the Leaning Tower; it seems to be defying gravity, Elphaba style. And it's one of the most popular landmarks in the whole of Italy, so it goes without saying that you should definitely check it out if you're in the vicinity. But there is so much more… Continue reading Things to do in Pisa other than the Tower
Most visitors arrive in the city of Livorno by cruise ship, ready to head out into the surrounding Tuscan countryside or to the nearby cities of Florence, Pisa, or Lucca. Don't get me wrong, it makes sense that you'd want to head further afield to the more interesting, classically beautiful places. But what to do… Continue reading What to do in Livorno, Tuscany’s Port City
Tuscany is one of the most-visited regions of Italy, famous for its rolling hills, scenic views and quaint villages. And don't even get me started on the regions most famous cities- Florence and Pisa. But if you're looking for somewhere off the beaten path in Tuscany, check out this incredible hidden gem. Here's how I… Continue reading One Day in Lucca – the hidden gem of Tuscany
Florence at any time, is exquisitely beautiful. But Florence in winter has a special kind of magic about it. I was rather on the sad side when I realised that that day when we docked in Tuscany would be an extra chilly one. I'd wanted to go to Florence for months since we'd begun a… Continue reading Florence in Winter – a day trip from Livorno
When I declared to anyone on the ship who would listen that I was 'soooo excited' that we were docking for one day in Naples, I mostly heard back replies along the lines of 'I hate Naples, it's a dangerous place,' 'I won't bother getting off the ship that day,' and 'Naples is dirty.' In… Continue reading A Winter Day in Naples
