Howth is located on the peninsula of Howth Head north from Dublin. You can get there by DART from Dublin Connolly station. If the weather is nice it’s a lovely spot for a day out, picnic and even swimming.
Howth is a popular area for sailing. You can also spot various birds (razorbill, guillemot, fulmar, kittiwake, stonechat, linnet, whitethroat, yellowhammer, skylark, wheatear, peregrine, buzzard and kestrel) and seals.
We stayed in Residenza D’Epoca Palazzo Buonaccorsi. A double room overlooking inner courtyard. Palazzo Buonaccorsi is an ancient building (XIII century) in the historical centre just 50mt from the gate San Matteo. We drove in to the city to unpack our luggage and then guided by the hospitable receptionist found a free parking outside the walls of old town.
The free family spectacle is set to light up Dublin’s iconic locations – Barnardos Square, Trinity College and Wolfe Tone Square – with cutting edge 3D displays from 5pm each evening from 30th December 2014 to 1 January 2015.
Barnardos Square (Dame Street) will become a magical canvas, animated each day by a myriad of fabulous fairytale characters and vibrant landscapes. This bespoke interactive installation is a super family experience where the audience will become the story teller, allowing children to create their very own Fairytale from a pick ‘n’ mix menu of well known fairytale scenarios. With all of your favorite characters and happy endings to choose from this is one magical journey not to be missed!
Prepared to be enchanted and surprised as Trinity College will come alive and take you on a journey through ancient and contemporary Irish iconography with state of the art 3D imagery.
The sounds of the city, its voices and character draw you into an immersive original sound and light installation in Wolfe Tone Square. The Urban Voices celebrates the acoustic environment of the city through sound activated graphics based around the AXA building. The viewer will be treated to a unique soundscape designed musically around the sounds of the city that they interact with everyday through their speech, Luas trams, cars, mobile phones, the Ducks in St Stephens Green, Dublin Bike bicycle bells, Sellers on Moore St, footsteps…… creating a uniquely Dublin, Urban Soundscape.
Source: http://nyfdublin.com/luminosity/
The countryside stretching from Florence to Siena is varied, with rolling hills giving way to valleys. This is Chanti, an area known in the World for its wine, landscape and art treasures.
però che, come su la cerchia tonda
Montereggion di torri si corona,
così la proda che ‘l pozzo circonda
torreggiavan di mezza la persona
li orribili giganti, cui minaccia
Giove del cielo ancora quando tuona
Dante Alighieri “Divine Comedy”
Monteriggioni is a medieval walled town, located on a natural hill. In the Middle Ages, the city was strategically placed as a defensive fortification. The roughly circular walls, totalling a length of about 570 metres incorporate 14 towers on square bases set at equidistance and two portals or gates. The main piazza, the Piazza Roma, is dominated by a church with a simple, plain facade.
How to reach Monteriggioni: From Siena take direction Florence and after 12 Km find the sign for Monteriggioni
Distances: Siena 15 Km – Florence 50 Km – Pisa 95 Km – Arezzo 80 Km
Festivals: The Mediaeval Festival – first weekend of July
The story of Capitan Giovannino Zeti
During yet another battle between the provinces at Monteriggioni castle, the Florentines fired cannons which hit a central well and severely damaged the water supplies within the castle.
Capatin Zeti felt torn as he knew no battle could be won when their defences were jeopardised and water was in low stock. His men had vowed to fight to their death in defence of their precious castle but he wasn’t prepared to meet such a fate himself.
He slipped out in disguise that night and headed towards the resting Florentine army camp outside the castle walls to negotiate with their leader. They agreed to give him back his Florentine citizenship and the properties that had been taken from him years ago when he had switched sides if he led some of the army into the castle to attack from the inside. Zeti approved of this plan and led some of the armed troops inside and there they seized control and forced the Sienese army to surrender.
But Captain Zeti was soon to be tormented by his betrayal and was disowned by Siena in disgust; they hated him passionately and wished him dead. He lived the rest of his days haunted by his greedy and cowardly behaviour.
Over the centuries, many people have reported sightings of the ghost of Captain Zeti, crying out his pleas for compassion and understanding of his decision to give Florence control of Monteriggioni castle. His actions seemed to have doomed him forever as he wanders the lands rejected and alone.
At first we saw it from a far. Completely unexpected in the middle of slightly hilly landscape, there it was, silver-blue cascade of water. One thing I can tell you it stinks! Horribly! And it doesn’t go away!
Saturnia takes its name from the Roman god Saturn. Legend has it that he grew tired of the constant wars of humans, and sent a thunderbolt to earth that created a magic spring of warm sulphurous water which would pacify mankind.
The sulphurous spring water, at a temperature of 37.5 °C, are well known for their therapeutic properties. The yield of the source is about 800 liters per second. The chemical make-up is sulfur, carbon, sulfate, bicarbonate-alkaline, with the presence of hydrogen sulfide gas and carbon dioxide.
The entrance is for free, shower costs EUR1 per person and it’s plenty of water. I could smell the therms on me even on the next day after 30 mins of soaking myself in soap ;)
What I was really looking forward to in Italy was food. I love pastas, coffee, wine, tiramisu, frutti di mare, Bruschettas, pizzas, oil of olive, olives, cheese, garlic, prosciutto, smoked and cured meats… I could go on and on.
We all know Italian food is not the same outside Italy. We also know Italian food in Italy where tourists are is mostly crap and we only got tricked once.
We landed in Rome at a wrong time. Lunch time. Just as we found our Rent-A-Car called Hertz, packed up and left the bypass of Rome it was too late to get anything to eat. We were not easily defeated, mind we didn’t have anything to eat since 8 or 9am in Greece. On our journey we even found this amazingly located restaurant on a shore of a lake which would be so nice to eat in. This is the view:
The lake is called Lago Di Bracciano, the restaurant Alfredo and the town Lungolago if I found the right place on google maps.
We lingered on but they wouldn’t even tell us when the restaurant will be opened. By, by lake, time to head on.
We found our apartment without much trouble. Just asked at the gas station for directions. Then waited for the owner to come with the keys. The moment we put our bags inside we were on the way to get some food. Still to early…
We had to see the whole city before restaurants started to open, but when they did we made sure we chose the right one!
Locanda del Pozzo Antico. Trattoria. A trattoria is an Italian-style eating establishment, less formal than a ristorante, but more formal than an osteria. There are generally no printed menus, the service is casual, wine is sold by the decanter rather than the bottle, prices are low, and the emphasis is on a steady clientele rather than on haute cuisine. The food is modest but plentiful (mostly following regional and local recipes) and in some instances is even served family-style (i.e. at common tables).
So now you know: plenty of good food and low prices – TRATTORIA.
Yum Yum
I had calzone with porcini mushrooms which were in season then. Yum, yum.
The other thing I love about Italy is the cul-de-sacs. Narrow alleys with washing hanging outside the windows. Planted flowers and plants. Quiet, yet in the centres of towns, cities. Occupied by nonne e nonni, talking, playing cards or knitting. Now is the part with too many pictures, but there will be text at the end of it so pay attention!
I love street life of Italy after the dark in summer. The heat eases and people come to life. The energy of chatter is vibrant and energizing. Pitigliano was very quite in the evenings comparing to what I would experience in other places on my previous visits. Still we at least got a glimpse of it.
I love the cute tiny cars which can park anywhere. Lovely design.
And my favorite picture:
Oh and the funny bit:
We were looking to have breakfast somewhere in centro historico. Difficult again. You know how they have sweet things in the morning with espresso? We wanted a proper sandwich before our journey to therms (next post). In the end we found a place where we were the only customers. And ordered latte, cappuccino, cornetto con cioccolato and a sandwich. Hahhahhaa and A got foamed milk!
latte – milk
cafe latte – coffee with milk
Donna was surprised but cliente è re so he got his milk hahahhaha. All three of us had a good laugh to start the day. Now enter the four grumpy old Italian men. We spent the breakfast listening to Italian conversation and songs from the 80’s. Loved it.
Pitigliano, a small Italian town, located south of Florence and North of Rome is perched atop a tufa ridge. Etruscan tombs dot the cliff face and valley. The zone is known as the land of the Bianco di Pitigliano, one of the best white wines of Italy. The quaint old town is known as the little Jerusalem.
The name Pitigliano, would seem to have been derived from Petilia, an important Roman family who gave their own name to various places. According to an ancient legend, the town was founded by two Romans: Petilio and Celiano: the name of Pitigliano would have been derived by the combination of their names.
There’s no train station in town but buses serve Pitigliano from other cities and towns in Tuscany, including Siena, Florence, and Grosseto. The town itself is small enough to walk around easily. A car is useful for touring the countryside.
We stayed at La Dolce Vita. A studio apartment outside centro historico. It was a studio apartment converted from the garage. Had too much of a basement feeling, but the radio in the shower was great and the bed super comfy! There are other types of apartments available so go for it. It’s a short walk away from the town centre but we didn’t mind.
The main sights:
The first part of the gallery you will find below but I will devote another post to Pitigliano with the things I loved about the town. Enjoy!
When I was young and still attended primary school ancient Greece was one of my favourite topics of all. I used to imagine living in a Greek house, going to baths. I read myths and imagined the wonderful temples. When I grew a little bit older I imagined philosophers walking among olive trees and talking about life and universe, having raving disputes on corners of streets and agoras.
So finally I got to Greece. Journey to Afytos took us about 16 hours. We landed in Thessaloniki International Airport and took bus 78 which took us to KTEL. It was the wrong KTEL as it turns out. We got to Macedonia Suburban bus terminal and it took us over an hour in the traffic, just to find out that we have to take city bus to get to another bus station. The building is really impressive and I could see it from the airplane while landing. So then we took a bus from platform 13 that got us to KTEL Halkidiki coach station. It took another hour.
At least we were able to see a bit of the city and get a feel for it. However if you would like to avoid it take bus 45 (via IKEA passengers terminal). The first ticket cost us €0.90 the second €1.00.
The ticket from KTEL Halidiki to Afytos cots €8.70 and the journey takes around 1h 15mis (watch out the seats are designated). Telephone number to bus station to check what time the bus arrives in Afytos 00302374022214
Athitos or Afitos is Halkidiki’s stone-built “balcony”, offering breathtaking views to Toroneos Bay. It has a cute town centre with cobblestone streets or rather alleys and mud brick houses. The village square hosts the church of St. Demetrius which was built around 1858. I will let you enjoy the pictures but first a couple of things. We were very happy with our stay in Eden Hotel. Staff was friendly and the bed comfortable, we had nice little balcony where we sat with our friends enjoying drinks and food. The nicest restaurant we dined in was recommended in our hotel. I lost the map and the name of the place but I found it on streetview here it is:
But we had the most filling and meaty meal in Amvrosia. Mixed grill and gyros recommended although our friends were happy with different dishes. It was more expensive than Italy. They always charge you for the bread. The amounts on bills don’t add up and sometimes you are charged for something you didn’t order. They think that if they write it in Greek you won’t notice. Olives and oli of olive were quite expensive but the taste of tomatoes priceless! You must be careful not to step on sea urchins.Metaxa is cheap and yummy.
Oh and Greeks have a very weird sense of humor. Pay attention to the signs on umbrellas and let me know if you find them funny!
It is common for rural Greeks to have religious statues and images in their homes, together with holy oil, holy water, and a special kind of lamp.
Here is the overview of my last trip. We flew from Dublin to London Stansted and after a night spent there flew to Thessaloniki in Greece. We were to attend a wedding in Afitos. After a couple of days we flew from Thessaloniki to Rome and rented a car. This time we decided not to spend each night in a different place but to stay put and do day trips if any. Our first night in Italy we spent in Pitigliano and the remaining three in San Gimignano.
More details coming up in the next post!
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