I didn't feel I could begin a review of the different components of my trip to Rome and how they rates without first giving an overview of my general experience of Rome itself. In my experience it's a highly underrated city (for all it's…Read More

I didn't feel I could begin a review of the different components of my trip to Rome and how they rates without first giving an overview of my general experience of Rome itself. In my experience it's a highly underrated city (for all it's history and grandeur) and I wanted to share a little of my own feelings about the place that has become one of the golden, shining moments in my treasure trove of travelling memories.

I ended up on my honeymoon in Rome completely by accident. My wedding was originally set to be in Malta and the honeymoon was going to compile of a ferry ride to Sicily and a week spent there in the hills of Taormina.

However - with some of the mishaps common to wedding planning and guest arrangements - I soon found myself having a Scottish highland wedding instead - with a ticket to Malta that seemed somehow irrelevant. On a whim, my husband and I decided to save the journey to Malta for another time and change the flight destination to somewhere else we'd never been. Though Venice and Florence had always been highest on my Italian wish list - for whatever reason - we found ourselves rebooking flights to Rome.

Perhaps this was down to the cheapness of the flights (from London they were, indeed very very cheap). I then went on to plan the rest of my wedding and time in Sicily - thinking of the 4 days in Rome as a mere detour before the trip to see some of the most important sights and meet up with a handful of European friends we hadn't seen in some time.

Looking back - I can now remember quite clearly that I was all but dreading the Roman bit. I was desperate to see the coliseum, and some of mainland Italy which I had never yet walked, as well as the Sistine Chapel. But Rome itself I had heard was dirty, busy extremely Italian (suggesting this was not necessarily a good thing), hostile and vastly overcrowded with tourists. A part of me was looking forward to getting past it to the rural quiet of Sicily.

I may never have been so wrong in my appraisal of a trip. I will be writing the Sicily review later - so there's no reason to go into it in depth here - but I will just say that whilst the people and atmosphere of Sicily left me completely cold - I was warmed to a radiant hue in the delights of Rome. From the moment we landed I felt all but at home, and my experience there was such that at the end of the four days I didn't want to leave. I spent much of my time wandering the beautiful golden streets wondering how difficult it would be to move there - and gave my camera a workout the likes of which it had never seen.

It is true - it's crowded with tourist - but only at the most touristy places. The Spanish Steps and Trevi Fountain are a nightmare if you want the real experience of Rome...we visited them extremely briefly and then disappeared once again along a side street and breathed the deep sight of enjoyment and contentment that we found in the Eternal City. By all means - see the sights (I will review them individually) but the very best thing to see in Rome is Rome itself. What an amazing, grand city it remains - and perhaps what I was most surprised by what the welcome we received from it's citizens. Everyone was pleasant and civil - (with the exception of the underground which I will also review) and with very very few exceptions both tickled and impressed when we attempted to speak their language. Our attempts (despite months of preparation) were often a mess - but they almost always brightened and appreciated it nonetheless. Those who spoke English (which were most of them) immediately helped us along or let us know that English was OK. And those who didn't jumped in with happy gesticulations so that we could try to understand one another.

I feel like I must be overstating it - and I'm sure others must have had a very different experience - but looking back I remember time after time of stopping in little cafes, restaurants, shops on side streets and again and again this was the case. The little area north of Vatican city which was mostly residential was where we spent much of our time - and it welcomed us with open arms. Each night we walked back along darkened streets with our fellow Romans to the apartment we all shared, we felt like we were walking home. It was a glorious feeling to feel at home in a city such as Rome.

The expensiveness of Rome is a tricky one as well. Whilst the flights there can be extremely cheap - hotels are outrageously expensive. We almost had to cut the trip short due to the cost of hotels. However once you are there its not an expensive place at all. the big sights and museums are pricey - but restaurants and cafes off the main tourist trail are very reasonable indeed. And you can take your pick of places to have a beautiful cappuccino and pastry breakfast for about 2 euros.

Cabs are pricey - but you walk over most of Rome with no problems at all. We took a bus in from the airport (reasonably priced) and one time took the underground with our bags to the other side of town - but apart from that our feet carried us everywhere we wanted to go comfortably.

Pickpockets are renowned for being bad in Rome (though can you think of a big city where they don't say that??) Though with the exception of the underground we had no problems. (The man standing next to us was almost robbed as he got on the train - he managed to push the pickpocket off the train before it set off...he was a big guy...) However I would highly recommend being very vigilant at all of the main tourist places. There were a few groups at the Vatican museum who seemed like they were much more interested in what the tourists were doing than in seeing the museum. And another friend of ours who was in the city the week after we were were robbed whilst at the Coliseum. So you should be aware - but also don't let it ruin your enjoyment of an otherwise beautiful and welcoming city.
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One of the most daunting things for many Palermo visitors is fairly fundamental to get right. Without the skill of crossing the road, your wandering around the city will become a daunting trial. Just remember by the end of the week you are likely to…Read More

One of the most daunting things for many Palermo visitors is fairly fundamental to get right. Without the skill of crossing the road, your wandering around the city will become a daunting trial. Just remember by the end of the week you are likely to give your home drivers a heart attack if you try to adopt the same method of crossing!

My tips might just help you cross the road like an Italian but do remember that Italian pedestrian accident rates are very high; in terms of liability it's between you and the driver!

Tip 1: Watch out for motorbikes and scooters. Similar to cyclists in the UK, they appear to believe that road signs simply do not apply to them. Also motorbikes have a fast acceleration and Italians tend to use it to full effect.

Tip 2: Walk like an Italian. It strikes me that Italian drivers actually try to anticipate where you will be when they reach you, rather than where you are now. Suddenly stop in terror in the middle of the road and you will be exactly where that car bearing down on you doesn't anticipate you to be.

Tip 3: Take a little time to look for a lull in the traffic. You might be lucky and get a complete gap, but on the busier roads a lull will have to do. Try and cross at the zebra crossings, but remember they don't work as they do in the UK; they appear to simply alert drivers to the fact that someone might be trying to cross. If there is a red or green man signal on the zebra crossing, then it seems common consensus (unless you are a young buck Italian) to wait for the man to go green before crossing. Most traffic (but note Tip 1) will stop when the man is green, unless no one is waiting to cross.

Tip 4: Weave. Don't anticipate a full clear road before crossing – you will be waiting quite a while if you do. Instead look at each lane of traffic in segments. It is common to cross a lane, pause in the road a while if you must. Ideally however you simply carry on going, but with slowing or speeding up to cross the road in the safest way possible, as the traffic weaves its way around you.

Tip 5: Follow an Italian. If all else fails, wait until a local crosses the road and watch them like a hawk and stick with them like glue. Whatever you do, don't lose your nerve halfway across – you will be sunk.

Best of luck – by the end of the week you will be fearlessly crossing the road like a local and glaring at those cheeky motorcyclists who dare cross directly in front of you.
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Palermo is a most typically Italian of cities, largely sticking to the afternoon concept of a siesta. For the visitor it can be very frustrating; you might have three museums you wish to visit, lunch to fit in, and suddenly halfway through the day everything…Read More

Palermo is a most typically Italian of cities, largely sticking to the afternoon concept of a siesta. For the visitor it can be very frustrating; you might have three museums you wish to visit, lunch to fit in, and suddenly halfway through the day everything grinds to a halt for a couple of hours.

Here's a few tips that might just help you make the most of any Palermo time:

Tip 1: check museum opening times. OK a no brainer, but some museums open morning only, some reopen in the afternoon and others open all day with no break. Most Palermo museums appear to be geared for the short attention span of impatient Italians and so don't take much more than an hour to get round, and build in some time to wander and stare at the old gothic streets.

Busy museums that are open all day can be quieter early afternoon – take advantage of the local siesta and get a better view of the top attractions.

Tip 2: if tip 1 makes your day sound too regimented, the alternative is not to worry too much if you miss something. Select your "must visit" places and check out their opening times. If you don't get to see the rest, well it will wait for your next visit.

Instead, take a hotel pit stop mid afternoon. At 2:00pm the streets are pretty deserted and shops and restaurants are all closed. Why not do as the locals do and retire for an hour or two – it will give you extra energy later on and mean you won't flag. By the end of your trip you may have even got into the Italian way of staying up until the small hours.

Tip 3: lunch fairly early. When we go abroad, we usually tend to have lunch fairly late in mid afternoon. That way, we usually get by with just a snack at dinner and manage to ensure we don't pile on the vacation pounds. Unfortunately, it's not so easy in Palermo as most restaurants are thinking of shutting their doors by about 2:00pm.

Tip 4: see if you can travel early afternoon. Another way to make the most of your time is to see if you can travel to your destination during "close down". Many bus routes still have busses running early afternoon, and if you are staying in a couple of Sicily spots, then it could be a good call.
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As we live miles from the sea, one of our "must do" things is to take a stroll along the seafront whenever we can. While it seems that Palermo has made a bit of effort with its sea front in recent years with a new…Read More

As we live miles from the sea, one of our "must do" things is to take a stroll along the seafront whenever we can. While it seems that Palermo has made a bit of effort with its sea front in recent years with a new concrete promenade and a little landscaped garden it remains a little unkempt and appears to be a local kid's hangout on an evening judging by the amount of low grade graffiti in the area. I'm quite the fan of graffiti as art expression, but bar a few isolated examples, Palermo is a surprisingly poor spot to discover any interesting examples.

Although I wouldn't describe Palermo sea front a "must do" activity, it is a fairly reasonable place to stretch your legs and watch the various ferries and boats go by. The port just up the coast looks busy and offers ferry trips to a number of exotic places including Tunisia, Sardinia and Malta (OK scrub the exotic with Malta – I've been there).

While the Palermo rocky shoreline is perhaps never going to be up there in the list of "World Coastline Gems", the view across the port and to the rocky outcrop beyond has a certain charm, and even the huge concrete blocks deployed as a water break are interesting (if not pretty). I presume the waves created by the huge vessels using the port means this bit of lowland needs a bit of protection.

Behind the coastline and on the edge of the city buildings is a very busy road, which is quite difficult to negotiate on foot as cars shoot round at speed, and behind that again are some of the original fortifications built to protect Palermo along with some of the cities older and grander buildings, although many of them are somewhat dilapidated these days. It does have a little bit of the Havana Malecon (Havana’s main coast road and sea wall) feel to it, although I didn't spot anyone swigging rum from bottles in Palermo!

As the stroll and linger will take most visitors an hour at best. if you are looking for somewhere to visit near the sea front is the huge Palermo Botanic Gardens, a good spot to while away an hour or two away from the bustle of the city; combine the two and you have a good half days exploring ahead of you.
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I visited Ravenna as a day trip during my Adriatic cruise on Royal Caribbean's Voyager of the Seas. The port was 12 km away from the city, so I took a bus transfer to Ravenna for 10 euro round trip. The Ravenna Port area was…Read More

I visited Ravenna as a day trip during my Adriatic cruise on Royal Caribbean's Voyager of the Seas. The port was 12 km away from the city, so I took a bus transfer to Ravenna for 10 euro round trip. The Ravenna Port area was very interesting, as there are many Chinese fishing stands along the coast line, with large fishing nets hoisted on poles and the local men were drawing in the catch of the day.

Arriving into Ravenna, I noticed that like every other Italian city I've been to on this trip, there was a surplus of ancient architecture which stood out against the skyline like skyscrapers of the ages. The bus dropped us off on the main street, and my friend Jennifer and I walked along the road, dodging bicycles and mopeds as we searched for the information booth.

Along the way, we saw a random wall with a lovely mosiac of a woman's face. Next to the wall was a bike rack with lots of bicycles, of all sizes and colours. Nearby to the mosiac was the information booth, where we received maps and a local city guide. After studying the map, we realized that we were a short distance away from the Basilica San Vitale, so we decided to make it our first stop.

There was a large crowd outside of the Basilica regardless of the fact that it was only 10am. Ravenna is known world wide for their gorgeous mosaics, and everyone was waiting for a chance to see them for themselves. Basilica San Vitale is a massive architectural wonder, and the art inside is awe inspiring and proved to be worth the trip.

After leaving Basilica San Vitale, Jennifer and I ambled down the cobbled lanes which branched from the main street Via Cavour. The side alleys featured many beautiful Italain homes and buildings, with many rectangular windows and remarkable wooden shutters. Within most window sills were potted flowers of many colours, adding an splash of colour to the otherwise monochromatic colour scheme of the brick and mortar homes.

We then came across a small park with pretty flowers, herbs, fruit trees and a water fountain. The sign outside the wrought iron gate informed us that it was called the Rasponi Garden, belonging to an old family of Ravenna. Looming over the park was a very large tower, which turned out to be part of the Rasponi Crypt. The Rasponi Crypt was very impressive, and was surrounded by trimmed trees and lined by lovingly groomed shrubs.

There were many squares and bell towers littered throughout Ravenna. It was nice to just 'pop' out of a long and winding alley into a beautful square filled with grand statues, some with ornate golden trimmings. Many people would sit around the statues on the benches provided, eating their lunch while little children would run through the pigeons walking around on the ground.

We also saw a number of shopping plazas, featuring some of the most widely known European chain stores such as Zara. We weren't really looking to buy anything much, but it was relaxing to walk through the shopping areas, peering through the windows, while balking at the price tags. Ravenna is definitely one of those cities which caters for rich tourists. The stores were filled with the most gorgeous articles, however prices of hand bags were topping 300 euros!

After eating lunch at Caffe Silvano and demolishing a tasty gelato from Gelataria Cavour, we decided to make our way back to the bus stop. We kept stopping along the way, as there were many beautiful churches and mausoleums, filled with beautiful art and mosaics. Eventually, our camera batteries died, and we boarded the bus for our transfer back to the cruise ship. Our tour in Ravenna was very relaxing, giving us a glimpse into ancient Italy without the crazy crowds such as those in Venice and Rome. I hope to return to Southern Italy one day soon.   Close

I don't usually wax lyrical about washrooms, rest rooms or toilets when I visit a country, but have concluded there might be some helpful information to be offered about Sicilian restaurant and bar toilets following our recent visit to Palermo and Marsala.Tip 1: Is the…Read More

I don't usually wax lyrical about washrooms, rest rooms or toilets when I visit a country, but have concluded there might be some helpful information to be offered about Sicilian restaurant and bar toilets following our recent visit to Palermo and Marsala.

Tip 1: Is the toilet occupied? I was stumped a couple of times because I thought the toilet door was locked; in fact many toilets in restaurants and bars occupy quite tiny spaces, and you may find they have utilised a sliding door to save space. So, as well as push or pull, don't forget to try to slide the door too!

Tip 2: what to do with paper? In common with many South European countries, the plumbing may not quite be up to modern requirements, and using a lot of paper will simply block the toilet. Look for a sign (often in Italian) but which makes it clear that paper is to be deposited in a waste paper bin located in the bathroom. It goes without saying that you should be considerate to the next visitor.

Tip 3: One rather nice tradition is that some bars and restaurants don't require you to touch anything (apart from that sliding door!) after you have completed... umm... your business. Look for a squeezy type ball on the floor near the toilet basin – press it to flush the loo. Likewise, there may not be any taps attached to the sink you use – again look out for one or two pedals under the sink, often blue and red for hot and cold water. Use those to get water. Don't forget on exit, the door might be a sliding one (I had a heart stopping moment when I thought I had been jammed in before I remembered how to open the door!)

Tip 4: Gents, ladies or both? In common with many countries, the toilets may be gender specific or not depending on the space available and size of restaurant. Likewise, you may find separate cubicles for men and women and a communal hand washing part.

Just look for the signs (and in Sicily there are usually easy pictures to denote separate gender toilets).
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Over the course of the summer, my girlfriend and I visited scores of places in the south of France. Therefore, when we decided to take a winter break, we thought it best to go somewhere further afield. Our eyes turned to the north of Italia…Read More

Over the course of the summer, my girlfriend and I visited scores of places in the south of France. Therefore, when we decided to take a winter break, we thought it best to go somewhere further afield. Our eyes turned to the north of Italia as it was close enough to visit by train for a long week-end. We quickly narrowed the choices down to either Milan, Turin or Genoa. As my girlfriend had already been to Milan and Torino did not look particularly enticing, we opted for Genoa.

Once we had decided on the city, we wenrt online to make hotel reservations. We managed to find a very nice 4-star hotel at a very reasonable price. The only isuue was that the reservation was non-refundable. But, we thought this wouldn't be a problem and we started to make plans for our visit to the home of Christopher Columbus.

The planning went very well. I was excited to find that there were dozens of palaces and cathedrals to visit and that Genoa was home to the second-largest aquarium in Europe. This was aside from the fascinating Maritime Museum. However, just over a week before we were set to leave, news began to appear online of severe flooding that had killed six people and left the city awash with mud. I checked BBC news and found videos of cascading torrents rushing down old streets and pictures of cars over-turned by the sheer force of water.

Naturally, both my girlfriend and I were very concerned. We checked news updates daily to see whether the situation was improving. We also called the hotel to inquire if there had been any damage and to see if we could postpone the trip. The hotel manager assured us that the city was fine and that it was impossible to switch our reservation. We had the choice of taking the trip and hoping everything was ok, or cancelling the trip and losing our money. After much discussion, we decided to risk it.

So, we set off with images of torrents and over-turned cars still in our mind. This was not helped when an Italian friend of mine sent me a message on Facebook - that I received whilst sat on the train - that informed us that the city would be in a mess. As the train inched into Genoa, we were both nervously peeking out of the window for signs of devastation. Thankfully, there were none. The streets we passed were bereft of upturned cars and there was no mud to be seen anywhere. The same was true when we stepped out into the city. There was literally no sign of any damage. The city had gone back to normal in less than a week.

Our trip to Genoa proved to be wonderful and left us laughing at the amount of worrying we had done during the preceeding week.
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The city of Como has two distinct faces: one historic, facing the lake, and one industrial, which extends into the Brianza. Como is best approached from the north, either across the lake or along one of the lakeside roads, when the town is at its…Read More

The city of Como has two distinct faces: one historic, facing the lake, and one industrial, which extends into the Brianza. Como is best approached from the north, either across the lake or along one of the lakeside roads, when the town is at its most magical: green, grey and a soft ochre. Bathed in golden sunlight, the walls of the old town retain a sobriety that is distinctly Lombard.

The first craftsmen to make the town famous were the master architects and stonemasons from the region, known as Maestri Comacini; the town's industrial future was assured by the introduction of silk manufacturing in 1510 by Pietro Boldoni. Pura seta di Como (pure Como silk) is a phrase often heard, since Como is Italy's top producer of silk, though the raw fibre comes from East Asia.

Today the old town of Como - the citta murata - is largely closed to traffic, and its layout is almost identical to that of the original Roman castrum on the site. For some time now there has been a complete ban on new construction; restoration is the order of the day. Como's ancient walls and arcades are ideal for a stroll back into the centuries, and the gourmet specialities and exclusive fashions make shopping here a very memorable experience.

The best place to start a tour of the historic old quarter is the cathedral square, Piazza Duomo, in which the Duomo (Cathedral; open daily, 7am - noon and 3-7pm), the Broletto (former town hall, built in 1215) and the Torre del Comune (old city tower) form a harmonious and grandiose architectural ensemble. Both the Torre del Comune and the Broletto, with its Tuscan-style black and white patterned facade, date from the early 13th century; the cathedral was begun somewhat later, in 1396, and construction work continued - with the odd interruption - right into the eighteenth century. Nevertheless, the building as a whole is exceptionally harmonious and it is one of Italy's finest examples of Gothic-Renaissance style. The 75 metre high dome above the crossing was built in 1744 by the Turin architect Juvara.

Lorenzo degli Spagli's original design was Gothic; the facade, begun in 1457, is considered a masterpiece of early Lombard Renaissance architecture. Much of its statuary is by the Rodari brothers, such as the Adoration of the Magi relief in the lunette, and the two seated figures, Pliny the Elder and Pliny the Younger, placed proudly on either side of the main portal. Tommaso and Jacopo Rodari also did the so-called Porta della Rana or 'Frog Portal' on he northern side of the cathedral, which owes its name to a rather sketchy relief of a frog.

The interior of the cathedral is rather dark, but it contains several artistic masterpieces including the enormous 16th century Tuscan and Flemish tapestries lining the nave, a fine Deposition by Tommaso Rodari in the left transept, and several altar paintings by the great Bernardino Luini (Adoration of the Magi) and Gaudenzio Ferrari (Flight from Egypt).

Just a few short steps away from the cathedral is the church of San Fedele (open daily 8am-noon and 3.30-7pm), a 10th-12th century Romanesque basilica, built by the Maestri Comacini, on the ruins of an earlier Carolingian structure - Como's original cathedral. The apse with its dwarf gallery, and the trefoil ground plan are both reminiscent of Charlemagne's Palatine Chapel in Aachen. The northern portal has some very fine sculpture work, and inside to the left of the northern apse there are several frescoes dating from the 12th and 13th centuries, thematically related to the ones in the baptistery of Riva San Vitale (Lake Lugano).

The Palazzo Giovio houses the Museo Archeologico Artistico (open Tue-Sat, 9.30am-12.30pm, 2-5pm, Sun 10am-1pm), one of Como's two municipal museums. The oldest finds here date from around 8000BC, and there are also several Roman, Romanesque and Gothic exhibits. The picture gallery documents Lombard art of the 16th and 18th centuries, and there is also a section displaying art from the various Mediterranean cultures.

The other museum, the Museo del Risorgimento G. Garibaldi (open Tues-sat, 9.30am-12.30pm and 2-5pm, Sun 10am - 1pm), inside the Palazzo Olginati next door to the Palazzo Giovio, has some interesting exhibits documenting the town's history, its 19th century liberation struggles and the two World Wars.

One of the most majestic gates still surviving from Como's medieval fortifications is the mighty Torre di Porta Vittoria, a full 40 metre high tower, with its oversized double windows.

From the Piazza Vittoria it's not far to the church of Sant' Abbondio (open daily 7am-6pm), another example of Maestri Comacini architecture, and one of the most important Early Lombard Romanesque structures in Italy, now lying between the railway station and an industrial site. The five aisled basillica, with its two bell towers, has several stylistic features in common with structures north of the Alps (e.g. Speyer Cathedral in Germany). The strikingly large choir contains Gothic frescoes dating from around 1350. The cloister to the north of the building, with its twin-storeyed arcade, was added in the 16th century.

Although silkworms are no longer raised here, Chinese silk thread is dyed and woven around Como, making it Italy's largest producer of silk. The Silk Museum (Museo Didattico della Seta), is south of the centre at Via Castelnuovo 9 (open Tues-Fri 9am-noon and 3-6pm where the Silk maker's School gives a fascinating insight into the craft.

There's an excellent view of the town and the lake from the Castello Baradello 3 kilometres south of Como, an enchanting ruined fort on the eastern slopes of the Monte della Croce (536 m). Out on the western side of the harbour is the neoclassical structure known as the Tempio Voltiano, dedicated to the famous physicist and discoverer Alessandro Volta (1745-1827), after whom the electrical unit volt is named; his personal effects and also the batteries he invented are on display here.

The western lake promenade leads from Piazza Cavour past several attractive neoclassical villas to the Villa dell'Olmo (open Mon-Sat 8am - 6pm), an estate laid out in 1782-87. Its first important visitors were Napoleon and Josephine, who arrived just after the building was completed. The Villa dell'Olmo is the most majestic of the neoclassical villas in this part of Como.

I am a great fan of the northern lakes in Italy - there is something glamorous about each and every one but I think the most glamorous has to be Lake Como. It is so Italian; voluptuous and romantic. Como being the most important city on the lake is not only filled with history and has some amazing buildings it also has a celebrity glitz to it. I think it is known as the 'Comowood' of the lakes and although I've never seen him strolling around I do believe George Clooney has a villa there. Mind you even if I did bump into him I would probably be indifferent as he's not my sort of guy but that's by the way.

I don't know what it is but there is a special aura about Como especially in the old quarter although I even like the industrial area. Since the Roman Empire this city has inspired writers, poets and musicians. Now it is awash with footballers, fashion designers and film stars. It has a similar feel to Monaco - hectic with an electrical buzz. I like it - it's up there on my list of top ten cities.
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There are many ferry connections between Italy and Greece and the traveller has options of sailing from Venice, Ancona, Bari and Brindisi and arriving in Igoumenitsa, Patra or Corfu. If you need a connection to mainland Greece, the shortest crossing is between Brindisi and Igoumenitsa,…Read More

There are many ferry connections between Italy and Greece and the traveller has options of sailing from Venice, Ancona, Bari and Brindisi and arriving in Igoumenitsa, Patra or Corfu. If you need a connection to mainland Greece, the shortest crossing is between Brindisi and Igoumenitsa, served by numerous passenger and car ferries whose precise schedules and prices depend on the time of the year.

Those who look for a cheap but reasonably comfortable crossing, especially if travelling with children, would do best to choose deck seats on a shortest daytime crossing. Most ferries from Italy to Greece (at least the ones that take around 10-12 hours, i.e. ones from Bari and Brindisi) travel overnight. Enquiring about daytime crossings at ticket agents and websites will often draw a blank, but what they don't tell you is that there is a regular six-days a week daytime service between Brindisi and Igoumenitsa which leaves at 11am and arrives (theoretically) at 8pm.

This service is provided by a RML lines, a Turkish-registered company that operates m/v Ruzgar, a 1987 German-built, Valetta-registered ferry crewed by a mixture of Greek and Eastern European staff. We came across this company accidentally when we attempted to buy a ticket for the day when other ferry companies were on strike and were told by a ticket agent that "it's a cargo ship". On checking with the RML agent at the terminal we found that it was a normal ferry and it carried cars, lorries and passengers at very reasonable prices – we paid less than 140 Euro for a car, two adults and two children (a cheapest price we could get from any of the ferry companies at the time).

The passenger area was fairly small in comparison to other ferries we travelled on, but it was comfortable enough, with a central bar area with tables-and-chairs sets, and along the sides, seats in two-facing-two arrangement. We bagged one of those and it was just right for our purposes, with comfortable seats as well as enough space on the floor to stretch out and still be out of the gangway.

The bar sold a selection of drinks, the self-service restaurant (which only opened for limited periods twice during the crossing) had reasonable meals at not-too-high (for a ferry) prices.

There was no wi-fi and no entertainment apart from TV screens which was tuned to either Greek news or (inexplicably, as I established that no staff were Polish) Polish soap channel, but the whole set-up was practical, low-key and worked out very well for us: it was a practical means of getting across and it did just that with minimum of fuss.

I can't compare punctuality of other Italy-Greece ferries, if the Greek Island ferries are anything to go by, RML is pretty average. By Northern European standards the score was pretty appalling here, as the ship left more than an hour after its scheduled departure time and arrived over an hour late. This didn't bother us too much, as the benefits of the daytime crossing still outweighed the pain of the delays.

NB the Igoumenitsa-Brindisi service is a nigh-time crossing – in fact, I didn't manage to find a single daytime service from Greece to Italy!
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I am still not entirely clear why we ended up going from Koper (which is near Trieste) to Brindisi (near the bottom of the Italian boot) via the Dolomites. We did though, and although it was a bit of a gruelling drive, it was also…Read More

I am still not entirely clear why we ended up going from Koper (which is near Trieste) to Brindisi (near the bottom of the Italian boot) via the Dolomites. We did though, and although it was a bit of a gruelling drive, it was also one of the most scenic ones in the whole six months of our European tour.

At first, it was just rainy motorways, all the way from Koper to the turn off the A4 motorway. From the on the landscape gets more interesting, and the weather improves although there is still quite a bit of cloud. But it's not until Vittorio Veneto, where the majestic Mt Pizzoc raises above the river, that we get a taste of what is to come.

From there, the road narrows down and starts to bend, following the course of the river Piave to the Santa Croce Lake and then Ponte delle Alpi, a village named after a bridge where the Dolomites proper begin.

One of the most impressive mountain ranges in Europe, Dolomites extend between the Adige river and the Piave Valley and are themselves a part of a more extensive range of Southern Limestone Alps. Just as the name suggests, the range is geologically different from the Central Alps. Unlike the latter, composed mainly of granite, slate and gneiss, the Limestone ranges (both the southern and northern ones) are of sedimentary origin and are thus rich in water-eroded formations, including karst formations, spectacular jagged ridges and many caves.

For a casual visitor, all of that means simply spectacular landscapes all around, with craggy peaks, rock faces and ridges visible from every angle.

Despite the rugged wilderness that surrounds us, the Dolomites are not really wild. The whole are has been inhabited for hundreds of years, with numerous ancient villages nestling in the valleys between the mountain ranges; since the 1880's the area has been also a major tourist destination and is now veritably hoaching with for climbers, hikers, base jumpers, mountain bikers and of course, in the winter, skiers.

And no wonder: the peaks of the Dolomites present an image of an archetypal jagged beauty, the play of clouds over and above the rocky massifs and the deep valleys with ancient towns could be taken straight from a Romantic painting.

We stop in misty San Vito d Cadore, at the Villa Trieste hotel. Cheap it isn't, but it's comfortable and quiet, with the huge pyramid of Antelao tantalisingly appearing and disappearing behind the wisps of clouds above.

By the next morning, the clouds are gone and we can admire the mountains in their whole glory as we drive round in a loop via Cortina and near the Austrian border to turn back south. We drive on Autostrada del Brennero past Bolzano and Trento, and beyond in the valley of the Adige, in what must be one of the most dramatic stretches of the motorway in Italy. The road is chock-a-block with what appear to be mostly Danish, German and Austrian cars, all heading south – presumably towards Lake Garda and other Italian beauties.

We added three hundred kilometres and almost five hours driving to our route by this Dolomite detour: I would like to say it was worth it, and as far as seeing the place goes it was. But we were not really tempted to stay longer, despite the dazzling drama surrounding us because Dolomites appeared to to be the victims of their own beauty, being simply just a little bit too full of tourists, from coach parties to black-leather-clad bikers.    Close