Posts Tagged ‘Italy’
A needed breath of fresh (mountain) air in Abruzzo
In the familiar tradition of all things related with 2020, autumn sucked… Usually, I make efforts to get out to our mountain escape in Abruzzo, enjoying the autumn foliage, hiking and mountain biking with my family. But 2020 has ruined all our beloved traditions, so it’s no surprise it also hampered my mountain getaways. Nevertheless,…
Read MoreEnjoying a book in the mountains before Lockdown II
It’s starting again. Back in the spring, Italy had its big Corona virus lockdown. Now that cases are ticking up again, there’s been talk of a repeat. We have a little place in the mountains of Abruzzo we often visit in the autumn for hiking and biking escapes. The threat of another lockdown, and the…
Read MoreOf gods and athletes : Rome’s Stadio dei marmi
I spend an inordinate amount of time hanging out at tracks. My younger son is a track and field junkie athlete, and I would suspect there are few tracks in central Italy in which I have not spent a fair amount of time. So, as a track mum with years of experience, you can trust…
Read MoreHiking the Serra di Celano, Abruzzo
Not surprisingly, after our long Corona lockdown this spring, I was chomping at the bit at the idea of being able to hike once again. Nothing like being confined to one’s city apartment to accelerate daydreams of vast mountain vistas and wide hiking trails. Luckily, my family and I escaped the moment we could to…
Read MoreThe showstopping square in Italy’s Cittaducale
On a recent visit to Rieti with my younger son, we decided to explore the nearby town of Cittaducale. Just 8 km east of Rieti, Cittaducale is an impressive example of a late medieval fortress town. Perched on a strategic hilltop location and surrounded by mountains, this town is a pleasant place to wander. Although…
Read MoreA breath of fresh (sea) air in Sperlonga
I’ve already written about our post-lockdown travel. After months of lockdown during what was an absolutely perfect, gorgeous Rome spring, it’s not that surprising to note that the first trip out of Rome my family and I decided to take was to the seaside. We travelled to the beautiful beach town of Sperlonga on the…
Read MoreFeeling like royalty in a nobleman’s hunting palace
I’m often up in the Italian town of Rieti, in northern Lazio. My youngest son is a runner, and joined the competitive track and field team here, although his daily training is (thankfully) in Rome. His involvement with the team means I’ve had plenty of chances to explore this pretty medieval town about 90 minutes…
Read MorePost-lockdown travel
As I come to grips with our post-pandemic life and beginning my travel blog once again, I’ve written in recent weeks about pre-lockdown travel and exploring Rome under the lockdown. This leads to the moment in June that (finally!) travel restrictions ended, and we could travel once again – first in our region, and then…
Read MoreLockdown “travel”
Last week, I wrote about pre-lockdown travel, and the almost mystical imagery it took on (at least in our minds) during our time of Corona lockdown. For those who know Rome, it is a beautiful, lively city always full of people on its streets and picturesque squares. It was tough to experience it during lockdown,…
Read MorePre-lockdown travel
It’s been a tough few months around the world, and I haven’t really felt up to keeping a travel blog going when the farthest one could travel in Rome was 200 meters from home. We’re cautiously optimistic here in Rome, and while we are not back to pre-pandemic rhythms, it’s good to be returning to…
Read More