Stretching my legs with a passeggiata in Sora, Italy

I’ve long been curious to visit the town of Sora, in Italy’s Lazio region and located in the province of Frosinone – just along the border with Abruzzo. Since it’s a little off the beaten trail from the surrounding areas I visit more often (including the wonderful Parco Nazionale d’Abruzzo), I’ve never managed to get…

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Oslo’s National Museum of Art

On a visit to Oslo, there were three museums I wanted to visit, but I only had time for one. Therefore, the centrally-located National Museum of Art made the cut, and I have two more museums I need to see on my next trip! Oslo’s National Museum of Art is definitely worth the trip on…

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Bigger than Versailles – the Royal palace at Caserta

I’ve already written about exploring the amazing gardens of the Reggia di Caserta. It had been years I’d been ‘ meaning to visit’, so I was thrilled to finally make it to this royal palace in Italy’s southern Campagna region. After the impressive gardens – DO do do dedicate enough time for a proper wander…

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Outdoor cinema at Piazza Vittorio – Rome

After two years of its absence and semi-absence, I’m so pleased that Notti di cinema a Piazza Vittorio has returned once again. The two screens, often showing four films outdoor on summer evenings is one of those great Roman traditions for Roman summer. The outdoor films run from 4 July – 10 September. I’ve been…

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‘The most beautiful track in Italy’ – in Formia

I’ve already written about the Italian seaside town of Formia. Formia is south of Rome at the edge of Italy’s Lazio region. Since 1955, it has been famous as the site of Italy’s Olympic Committee (CONI) training center, with a  beautiful campus, running track, indoor track, gym and sports facilities that hosts professional athletes from…

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Sand, sun, sports (and Roman poets) in Formia

I had never been to Formia – in southern Lazio, very close to the border with Campagna – before dropping my son off there for a track and field camp. The seaside town of about 38 000 people is in a dramatic spot, developed along the sea with Mount Altino rising dramatically just behind it.…

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All roads lead to Rome – for literature!

If you find yourself in Rome in the next couple of weeks, you may want to take part in the Eternal City’s literature festival – the Festival delle letterature. This year is the Festival’s 16th edition, running from 20 June through 21 July. It’s an interesting mix of Italian and foreign authors, and most events…

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Imperial charm in Salzburg, Austria

I adore the postcard-perfect city of Salzburg, in Austria, where I have been numerous times. But as we were driving back from a summer vacation in Austria and the Czech Republic two summers ago, my husband and I decided to play tour guide to our sons, who had never been to Salzburg before. We only…

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