ROME - THE ETERNAL CITY

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Rome is the eternal city. It is a place where history is alive and where life is what the Romans call “La Dolce Vita”.

Rome is divided into many quarters. For me, the most convenient area for lodging has always been close to the Termini Train Station.

I have visited Rome so many times and my last visit took place in September 2008. This time I stayed at the Hotel Quirinale, in Via Nazionale on the side of Piazza della Repubblica. http://www.hotelquirinale.it/

This is a very good hotel in an excellent location, situated in an old Rome Palace which to my surprise has a private entrance to the Rome Opera House which is found at the back of the Hotel building.

It is often said that “all roads lead to Rome” and this was infact true. The Ancient Romans were great engineers and had created over 50,000 miles of paved roads which all led to Rome. They were also famous for the invention of the so called Roman Arch.

Arriving in Rome

Rome has two airports, the most popular and internationally known Leonardo da Vinci Airport at Fiumicino and the other less popular, the airport of Ciampino.

Usually international flights arrive at Fiumicino. There is a train station inside the airport terminal which can take you to the centre of Rome at Stazione Termini in just 32 minutes without intermittent stops. This service departs every 30 minutes and a one way ticket costs €11. From Termini Station one can take a taxi to any part of the Capital. Be aware however that the area of Termini Station is not a very safe area and pickpockets are abundant like in many train stations.

Transport
The best way to visit Rome in my opinion is by walking through the city. This way one can feel the splendor of this eternal city which was once the capital of the glorious Roman Empire which ruled most of the world. However one may also use the metro but the metro service in Rome is very limited and is only covered by two lines. Line A which is distinguished by its orange colour, connects the north-west (Battistini) with the south-east (Anagnina). Line B, with the blue colour, connects the north-east (Rebibbia) with the south-west (Laurentina). The price of a single ticket towards one destination used within the space of 75 minutes is €1. A day ticket for unlimited travel costs €4 while a 3-day unlimited travel ticket costs €11. http://www.rome.info/transportation/tickets/

You can also use the buses, but be aware that it is very easy to finish off without your wallet, especially when the bus is very crowded. I witnessed an attempt by a 9 year old gypsy girl to steal the wallet of a friend of mine while we were standing up in a crowded bus.


Sightseeing

I am here providing some walking tours which if performed successively manage to cover nearly all the points of interest in the centre of Rome in not more than 2 days. This does not include any entry into museums or other historic places. A map of the centre would be very useful for these walking tours. Rome Hotels provide a convenient Welcome Rome map which is sponsored by advertisements and which may be obtained from the Hotel Reception free of charge.


Walking Tour 1 (Piazza Repubblica to Piazza Navona)
Piazza Repubblica is one of the famous and most beautiful squares in Rome. If it were in London it may have been called Republic Circus because the square has actually the form of a semi-circle.

Walking along Via Nazionale, turning towards Via Antonio Depretris one arrives into Piazza del Viminale, which is the Palace housing the Italian Ministry of the Interior. Back to Via Nazionale continue to walk in the opposite direction of Piazza Repubblica. On the right, midway through the road, there is Rome’s Exhibition Centre a very imposing building. As you approach the end of Via Nazionale, turn to the right through Via della Consulta towards the Piazza del Quirinale.

The Quirinale is the Official Residence of the President of the Republic. The beautiful square is one of the landmarks of Rome. If you continue to walk across the façade of the Quirinale Palace, you will reach a wide staircase which takes you Via della Dataria. Then turn right through the second street, Via San Vincenzo, which leads to the Piazza di Trevi, the location for the famous Trevi Fountain. This is a well known spot in Rome which is always crowded by visitors who usually throw coins in the waters of the fountain, with the intention of returning to this place again in the future.

From Piazza Trevi walk through Via delle Muratte until you reach Via del Corso. Then turn to the right towards Piazza Colonna, the square named after the Marble Column built by Marcus Aurelius in 180AD and which is still standing. To the right there is Palazzo Chigi, which is the official residence of the Italian Prime Minister.

A street to the left of the Column, via Colonna Antonina, leads the way to Piazza di Montecitorio and the Montecitorio Palace, the seat of the Italian Parliament. Walk through Via Aquiro, Piazza Capranica and Via degli Orfani to reach Piazza della Rotonda, where you can see the famous Roman Pantheon. Proceed through Via Palombella through Piazza S Eustachio and Lungo Costituente to reach Palazzo Madama, the seat of the Senate of the Italian Republic. From there through Corso Agonale you arrive in the most famous square in Rome, the Piazza Navona.

Piazza Navona has the shape of a Roman Circus and is believed to date back from the 1st Century when Romans used to attend there to watch the games, known as “agones”, which then changed to “in agone” and later to Navona. The Piazza is an example of rich baroque architecture with works by Borromini, Rainaldi and the famous Fountain of the Four Rivers by Gian Lorenzo Bernini, the same architect who built the Vatican Square.


Walking Tour 2 (Piazza Navona to Vatican City)
Walking out of Piazza Navona through the northern part through Piazza S Apollinare and via S Apollinare to Via dei Soldati you will reach Piazza Ponte Umberto where you can find the Umberto I bridge that crosses the Tiber River towards Piazza dei Tribunali and the Palazzo di Giustizia, the Courts of Justice.

I would suggest that you do not cross the bridge but walk along Lungo Tevere Tor di Nona (the river bank) towards the Piazza Ponte Sant’Angelo, and while walking enjoy the beautiful view of the St Angelo Castle and the beautiful bridge leading to it.

Cross the Bridge towards the Castle and turn to the right to Piazza Giovanni XXIII. You are now facing the Basilica of St Peter, the heart of the Vatican City. But you still need to walk along the Via della Conciliazione.

The Vatican is the official residence of the Pope, the Head of the Universal Catholic Church. St Peter Square, which is actually a circular piazza, is surrounded by huge colonnades on the perimeter. The roof of the colonnades is supported by four rows of columns 60 feet high. In the middle of the piazza there is an Egyptian Obelisk brought to Rome by Caligula in AD38. On each side of the Obelisk, mid-way between the Obelisk and the colonnades there are two spots from where one can admire the perfection of Bernini’s architecture. From these spots looking towards the colonnade, each supporting row of four columns appears as a single column right across the whole semi-circular colonnade.

The Basilica of St Peter, on the other hand, is considered as the greatest church in the world. The beautiful cupola by Michelangelo is a masterpiece of architecture as is the Sistine Chapel, a masterpiece of Renaissance art with frescoes by Michelangelo, Rafaello, Bernini and Botticelli.

Further information may be found at http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/St._Peter and http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Sistine_Chapel.


Tour 3 by Metro (Piazza del Popolo, Piazza di Spagna and Church of Trinita’ dei Monti, S Maria Maggiore and S Giovanni Laterano)
Moving out of St Peter Square through the right colonnade (with you facing St Peter’s Basilica), you can walk through Via di Porta Angelica through Piazza del Risorgimento and finally through Via Ottaviano where you can find the Ottaviano Metro Station.

Just one stop on the Line A will take you to Piazza del Popolo. As you come out of the Metro station, turn left through an ancient Roman gate and you find yourself in Piazza del Popolo.

This square lies inside the northern gate of the Aurelian walls of Rome, and was the Porta Flaminia, today known as Porta del Popolo was the start of the Via Flaminia which led to the north towards what the modern town of Rimini. In ancient times it was the first view of Rome for the traveller. The Piazza is dominated by an Obelisk in the centre, dating back to the year 10BC, and the two identical Churches of Santa Maria in Montesanto (left) and Santa Maria dei Miracoli (right) built in the 17th century. Between these churches one finds Via del Corso, one of the longest principal roads of the eternal city, which finishes at Piazza Venezia (and Altare della Patria) on the other end. One can also find beautiful fountains, a waterfall and pedestrian steps leading to the Pincio park, on the Pincio Hill.
Back to the metro station on the same line, another stop will get you to Piazza di Spagna, and the Spanish steps leading to the Church of the Trinita’ dei Monti. Across the lower part of the steps lies the famous Fontana della Barcaccia, a fountain in the shape of a boat, lying under road level because of the low water pressure at this part of the city. This monument, created by Pietro Bernini and his son Gian Lorenzo, was inspired by a boat left in the mud after the Tiber floods of 1588 had subsided.

Proceed by metro and stop at Termini station. After just a short walk (four blocks) through Via Cavour you will arrive by the Basilica of Santa Maria Maggiore. This is one of the five great ancient basilicas of Rome and its 18th century exterior conceals one of the best-preserved Byzantine interiors in the city.

Go back to the Metro station at Termini and proceed with Line A towards the Church of San Giovanni Laterano. This was the first church to be built in Rome by Constantine the Great in the 4th century is today the first among the major basilicas of Rome. It is also the cathedral of the bishop of Rome, the Pope, and is thus known as “Omnium urbis et orbis Ecclesiarum Mater et Caput” meaning “Cathedral of Rome and of the World”.

Opposite S Giovanni Laterano, in a building which incorporates part of the old Lateran Palace, there is a staircase consisting of 28 white marble steps, imported from the palace of Pontius Pilatus in Jerusalem. They are covered by wood. Legend says that Jesus has walked these steps to and from his conviction. The steps were brought to Rome by St Helen, mother of Constantine the Great, around the year 326. Catholic believers climb these steps on their knees while praying. On top of the stairs is the private chapel of the Lateran Palace used by the Pope and known as the Sancta Sanctorum.


Walking Tour 4 (Colosseo to Trastevere)
You can again take the Metro from S Giovanni Laterano and change to Line B at Termini. Then get down at the second stop, Colosseo.

The Colosseo is another famous landmark of Rome and was originally known as the Flavian Amphitheatre. Its construction was started around AD 70 by Vespasian and finished by Titus in AD 80. It had a capacity of about 80,000 spectators and was used mainly for contests between gladiators. It is today partially ruined by earthquakes and stone-robbers.

A little further down between the Colosseo and the Palatine Hill stands the Arch of Constantine, erected to commemorate the victory of Constantine I over Maxentius in AD 312.

But the most spectacular walk within the spirit of ancient Rome lies along the Via dei Fori Imperiali, the road that connects the Colosseo Square with Piazza Venezia. To the left lie the beautiful ruins of ancient Rome in a large area which reaches the heights of the Palatine Hill, the place where Roman Emperors had their residence, considered as the elite part of ancient Rome. Along the road, on a part of an ancient wall engraved maps show the Roman Emperor’s expansion reaching outside the European continent.

On the other side of Via dei Fori Imperiali, one finds Foro di Augusto and the Mercati Traianei as well as the Colonna Traiana dominating the Foro Traiano.

The road then leads to Piazza Venezia. Between Piazza Venezia and the Capitoline Hill lies another relatively modern and controversial landmark of Rome, the Altare della Patria (the altar of the Fatherland), the white marbled monument by Giuseppe Sacconi inaugurated in 1911 to commemorate the unification of Italy under Vittorio Emauele II. Infact it is also called the National Monument of Vittorio Emanuele II or “Il Vittoriano”. In 1921 part of this monument was dedicated to the Tomb of the Unknown Soldier. This construction of this document destroyed a large area of the Capitoline Hill and created a widespread controversy. It was given nicknames such as “the wedding cake” or “the type-writer”.

Across the square in Piazza Venezia lies the Palazzo Venezia, the central window of which has made history during World War II as it was the place from where the Italian dictator Benito Mussolini declared his intention to enter the second world war.

Walk across the façade of the Altare della Patria and proceed to the right side of the monument and climb the road to Piazza Campidoglio, on the Capitoline Hill.

The Capitoline Hill is the smallest of Rome's seven hills, but it was the religious and political center of the city since its foundation more than 2500 years ago. Here stood amongst other temples the most important temple of ancient Rome dedicated to Jupiter, which made the Campidoglio the symbol of “Roma caput mundi”, the capital of the world. In the centre of the square today there is a replica of the statue of Marcus Aurelius.

The modern piazza of the Campidoglio and the re-designing of the surrounding buildings was commissioned to Michelangelo by Pope Paul III and the work started in 1546. But the project was completed in the 17th century many year after Michelangelo’s death in 1564. A passage connects Piazza Campidoglio to the top part of the Altare della Patria.

As you walk back from Campidoglio, walk towards the left through Via del Teatro di Marcello and then Via Petroselli towards Piazza della Bocca di della Verita’. To your left you will see the Arco di Giano.

In front of you, at the Atrium of the Church of S. Maria in Cosmedin, you can visit the Bocca della Verita’ or “the mouth of Truth”. This is a marble mask and according to popular belief it was said that any one putting his hand in this mouth and swearing falsely, could not withdraw it.

Let’s hope you could get your hands safely out of the mouth and continue with your walking tour behind the Church to see Circo Massimo, the ancient Roman

You can now return to Piazza Bocca della Verita’ from where you can easily proceed towards Trastevere, the last surviving Roman medieval quarter well known for its restaurants and “la dolce vita”.

Trastevere lies on the west bank of the Tiber River, across the small island in the middle of the Tiber called Isola Tiburtina. It is easy to get to Ponte Palatino (Palatino Bridge) through a small green centre strip. While crossing the bridge you will note on your right the small island of Tiburtina. You will also see the remains of Ponte Rotto the first stone bridge to span the river, whose pillars date back to 179BC while its arches date back to 142 BC. Despite being repaired several times, the bridge finally collapsed in 1598 and since then it became known as the Ponte Rotto (the collapsed bridge).

As you leave the bridge cross the lungotevere Alberteschi and walk straight all the Via della Lungaretta, crossing Piazza Sidney Sonnino, until you reach the Piazza S. Maria del Trastevere, which is closed for traffic and which is the heart of the quarter. Here you will find restaurants and pricey bars, faded palazzi, and the church of Santa Maria in Trastevere.

A visit to EUR (Esposizione Universale Roma)
If you have enough time for a visit to a strange but extraordinary suburb of Rome, then take the Line B Metro and stop at EUR station Fermi.

This suburb was intended to serve as a Universal Exhibition of Fascist Italy but then most of it was completed after the war on a different political agenda. Worth mentioning in this suburb are the Church of St Peter and St Paul, the Colosseo Quadrato and the artificial lake inside the EUR park. http://www.italyheaven.co.uk/rome/areas/eur.html and http://www.romefashion.it/itinerary.htm.

Tivoli
If you have more time at your disposal a visit to Tivoli would really be worthwhile. In Tivoli you can Villa Adriana, a famous complex of classical buildings built over an area of around 80 hectares in the 2nd century AD by Emperor Hadrian as his residence outside Rome. It is a UNESCO world heritage site. http://www.villa-adriana.net/

You can also visit the gardens of Villa d’Este, a masterpiece of Italian architecture especially in garden design and which is also a UNESCO world heritage site. http://www.villadestetivoli.info/storiae.htm

Where to eat

Honestly, I wasn’t going to mention anything about food here, because finding a place to eat in Rome is easier than finding a public toilet.

There are various restaurants, trattorias, osterias, pizzerias and cafés or bars serving food. They vary in prices. But I have one advice. Go to places that are busy with patrons. Do avoid places where you see no one on the table, or where they try to pull you inside. And be careful of set menus. They may be cheap but this may reflect what is offered on the plate.

By the way, do you know what is the difference between a Ristorante, a Trattoria and an Osteria?

An Osteria is an Inn, serving just simple cheap meals and wine and may offer lodging for the night.

A Trattoria is a casual and an informal eating place, where good food is served usually at a lesser price than in a restaurant. It offers food with a local touch and may be run by family members.

A Ristorante is usually formal, offers better service and is more expensive but this doesn’t necessarily mean that it offers better food.

LONDON

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5th-9th December 2008 -

When in London I prefer to stay near Oxford Street, the hub of London's activity. Oxford Street gets you nearly everywhere by bus or by tube. There are four tube stations along Oxford Street, starting at Marble Arch at one point, Bond Street and Oxford Circus in the middle and Tottenham Court Road at the other end. Extending a bit further to the east one may also include Holborn.

As for buses, Oxford Street is served by most red bus lines taking you to different destinations across London. For example, it is very easy to reach Piccadilly or the West End by buses no 6, 15, 23 and 159.

London is an experience. With the hustle bustle of the crowds, the decorations of the shops, the smart appearance of uniformed guards, the grandeur of historic monuments, landmarks all around and last but not least the famous West End for the Theatre. All of this makes London an enjoyable place to visit again and again.

So considering the advantages of staying near Oxford Street, this time I decided to stay at the Hotel Best Western Mostyn, at Bryanston Street. This is a three star hotel great for its location and its service. I got a good deal from bookinhotels.com. The Hotel staff was very friendly and I would mention in particular Mr Maroun, the concierge. I also have to mention Ms Anna from Reservations who very efficiently confirmed my booking after she contacted the agent directly.

Bryanston Street is parallel to Oxford Street, and the hotel is just one corner away from department stores such as Next, Primark and New Look.

The flight to Gatwick by Air Malta departed at 8.40am and arrived at 10.55am local time. London is 1 hour behind Malta time so one could practically earn an hour and have more time for the first day of visit. The hotel room is available at 2.00pm but one can leave the luggage at the hotel and then return later.

It is easier to reach central London from Heathrow Airport because in 40 minutes one could easily get there by tube through the Piccadilly Line. Getting to central London from Gatwick Airport is a bit more intriguing depending on which part of central London you would like to reach.

If you are staying around Victoria, then the Victoria Express gets you there directly from Gatwick train station in just 30 minutes for the price of 16 GBP one way. Trains depart every 15 minutes. However one can travel to central London for half the price in the same journey time by using the First Capital Connect (FCC) trains which depart every 15 or 20 minutes to London Bridge Station. From there one can proceed by tube through the Jubilee line. There is also the possibility to combine the one way train trip with a one day off-peak travelcard for the price of 10.30 GBP. This is very convenient as you can use the ticket for the whole day on all london transport (i.e. tube, buses and Docklands Light Railway[DLR]) for unlimited travel.

Having to arrive at Marble Arch station (around 150m far from the hotel) I had to change for the Central line at Bond Street.

For those preferring to pay more for a taxi from Gatwick Airport to central London, a one way trip costs approximately 70 GBP but this can be cheaper if you book ahead. Alternatively one could travel by train to London Bridge train station and take taxi from there. I did this on my way back on a Tuesday at 7.45am and the journey from the hotel to London Bridge station took around 20 minutes at a cost of just over 12 GBP. Obviously journey times depend on the time of the day.

London West End is famous for its theatres. I love musicals. This time I booked online to watch Blood Brothers (on Saturday 6th December at 7.45pm) and Mamma Mia! (on Monday 8th December at 7.30pm).

Sightseeing

A good way to explore London is by using the tube and/or the red buses. One may purchase an off-peak day travel card for unlimited travel (after 9.30am on Monday to Friday and any time on Saturday and Sunday) on the tube, buses and the Docklands Light Railway (DLR). This travelcard costs 5.30GBP.

Having visited London many times, I decided to do something else instead of sightseeing. I took the first bus that came along. This happened to be the number 23 to Liverpool Station, which for some unknown reason stopped short of its destination at Mansion House. But I soon got on board the number 15 bus to Tower Hill and in ten minutes arrived in front of the Tower of London, right outside the Tower Hill tube station. Well, I could have easily got on the number 15 directly from Oxford Street but I had no idea where I was going to end up, and thus I enjoyed the thrills of this new adventure.

If this is your first time in London and you would like to see the most you can in less time, then I have some suggestions.

First, if you are staying near Marble Arch or Oxford Street, board any of the buses to Piccadilly Circus (6, 15, 23, and 159). From Piccadilly walk along Regent Street or Haymarket towards Trafalgar Square. This is a landmark for London. Here you are surrounded by the National Gallery to the North and the church of St Martin in the Fields to its right, Nelson’s column in the centre of the square, Admiralty Arch to the South West and Whitehall to the South. From Admiralty Arch one could go towards the Mall, the long road leading towards Buckingham Palace, the Queen’s official residence. The Mall was built also to be used as a make-shift runway in case of emergency or catastrophic events that may endanger the monarch or senior members of the government.

Opposite Nelson’s column, to the South, lies Whitehall, the half a mile road leading to Parliament Square. Along this road there are many important government buildings such as The Treasury, the Foreign, Commonwealth and Home Offices, the Horseguards (where two mounted soldiers stand in their traditional dress) and leading off to Downing Street, the official residence of the British Prime Minister.

Reaching Parliament Square one can see, to the right, Westminster Cathedral and visit the famous Chapels. To the left the Houses of Parliament with the famous Big Ben Tower.

Continue to walk to the left towards Westminster Bridge and cross the Thames river to the other bank where the now popular attraction London Eye stands. The London Eye is a giant wheel with capsules which takes you to a height of 135 metres from where, especially on a clear day, you can enjoy a splendid view of London . The price of the ticket is 15.40 GBP and it can take you as long as 30 minutes in the queue to buy the ticket and another 30 minutes on the attraction itself.

You may perform another tour starting from St Paul’s Cathedral, proceed to Tower Hill to visit the Tower of London and the Tower Bridge. From Tower Bridge take the DLR to London Docklands. These trains depart from Bank.

At the Docklands stop at Canary Wharf to visit the popular shopping centre. One can also visit Greenwich where at the Royal Observatory you may take a picture on the meridian line that divides the eastern and western hemispheres.

Back to central London, I suggest a combined visit to Covent Garden and Leicester Square to complete the tour of the west end.

Finally, London is full of Museums. Visiting these museums takes time. For example, the Natural History Museum and the Science Museum need days to be visited properly. The same applies for the British Museum and the National Gallery at Trafalgar Square. There are other popular attractions worth a visit such as Madame Tussaud’s Wax Museum.

For further information one can visit the website http://www.londontown.com/

Places to Eat

London has a variety of restaurants offering good food. For those who like me prefer Italian cuisine, I would recommend:

- Spaghetti House Ristorante Pizzeria http://www.spaghettihouse.co.uk/
- Strada http://www.strada.co.uk/

SOME TIPS FOR THE TRAVELLER

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Holiday travel is an enjoyable experience. Unfortunately with a little misfortune or lack of attention, it can turn into the most unpleasant experience in a lifetime. Sometimes you can’t avoid what has to happen, but most of the time, simple precaution can prevent accidents. So here are some tips to avoid the unpleasant.

Preparation

When travelling on your own, you need to prepare beforehand about your visit. Decide what type of holiday you want and then what towns or cities you would like to visit. Today, thanks to internet, one can also search on places of interest and discover beforehand the landmarks and important historical places one can visit. It is also important to make an estimate of your spending.

Try to find the Tourist office of the town or city you would like to visit and send them an email. Most of these offices are willing to send you material like brochures and maps free of charge to attract the visitors. A map is a very important tool that helps you plan your tour of the city.

Accommodation

When you come to choose your accommodation, look for a hotel or a guesthouse which is close as much as possible to the centre and preferably within a walking distance from a train or bus station. However be careful of certain areas close to the Train station which are usually somehow unpleasant. Sometimes the money saved on hotels outside the centre is spent on transport to and from the centre together with loss of time. So evaluate the situation before you decide which hotel. Three star hotels offer good tourist accommodation but in certain countries, like in Italy, two star hotels can be as comfortable and convenient. Try to enter websites like Tripadvisor, Venere, Excite, Yahoo etc to obtain comments on the hotel you will visit. Most of the comments there are from persons who visited the hotel. Try to obtain an overview of all comments and decide on how objective they are. These websites and others like booking.com also have special offers for persons who book through internet. However, make sure that you are booking with a reliable company. Do not trust websites of companies you never heard of. If you need to check about a company you can always search the name of the company in Google, or msn or any other search engine. If there is something wrong on the company's reputation, or the company is a scam, I’m sure you will find such information online.

After you decide that a company may be trusted, then make sure that you only give your credit card details if you are provided with a secure server. A secure server has a picture of a padlock shown against the url address and starts with the words https:\\ and not http:\\.

Also ensure that you read the conditions of payment and of cancellation. Some online companies charge your credit card immediately upon your booking and do not refund any money in case of cancellation. Others keep your credit card number as a guarantee and will charge you only after you check out of the hotel. The latter usually allow you to cancel anytime before 24 hours from the day of arrival. Personally I always prefer to book with the latter online companies. Always keep a copy of the printed email of confirmation and take it with you in case you need to present it for the check in.

Insurance

Purchase a travel insurance policy in case something happens to you or to your companions. Insurance gives you indemnity in case of illness, theft and other mishaps that might happen before and during your holiday. Please note that today the costs of medical services are quite high.

If you are travelling within the European Union, you are advised to obtain the European Health Insurance Card from the Department of Health. This will entitle you to state-provided medical treatment only. Private treatment is not usually covered.

If you are travelling to countries outside the EU check if you require a VISA.

Utility List

Prepare a utility list of items you need to carry with you during your holiday. Apart from clothing and other toiletries don’t forget to take with you some medicine which you can take in case of an emergency such as Paracetamol, medicine for gastric flu etc, and any other medicine which you are required to take under the doctor’s prescription. Keep in view that it will not be easy to find a pharmacy immediately when you need it when you are abroad. Take also some Elastoplasts and one or two bandages.

If you suffer from a particular health condition ask your doctor to advise you if you can actually travel. Your doctor will advise you also of what to take with you and what to do in case of emergency.

If you have to walk in the sun, make sure that you take with you a bottle of sun block for protection. Even for walks in the mountains sun block is a necessity to protect you from the ultra-violet rays of the sun which are also present at high altitudes.

Also don’t forget to take with you a raincoat and an umbrella. The weather in some countries is unreliable and a cloudless day in the morning may easily turn out into rain and thunderstorms in the afternoon, especially in mountain resorts.

If you are travelling in winter, keep in mind that northern countries may have sub-zero temperatures which require suitable clothing. If on the other hand you are travelling in summer, you may need to take with you summer clothing together with some other light winter clothing and a jacket. Temperatures in mountain regions in Europe sometimes do not exceed the maximum of around 14 degrees and accompanied by cold wind. This is also possible in certain cities where unstable weather is the order of the day.

Finally you will also need good walking shoes. Do not attempt to take with you new shoes that have just been purchased and never used because this may create problems to you and may ruin your holiday.

Be on time

Always check your time of departure especially with flights. Be at the airport at least 1 hour 30 minutes before the departure time of your flight. This is important especially if there are queues in busy periods. With flights you have to check in up to a certain time and then the flight is closed. And be in time at the gate. Try to avoid being called for the last and final call. Remember that airlines have a tight schedule and they will not wait for you.

Here in Malta we do not have trains. So when you use the train, always check with the electronic board which you usually find on the platform that that is the appropriate train for your destination. Sometimes the platform changes a few minutes before departure and if you do not understand the language you may not even notice it. If you have difficulties ask before boarding. It would be better than having to stop at the nearest train station which may be going in the opposite direction.

Security

Keep an eye on your belongings especially in train stations, in airports and on transport means such as busses. If you are carrying cash keep only little cash in your pockets and try to leave the rest inside of jacket pocket. The safest way is to have a small pocket underneath your shirt securely kept in place by means of elastic tape.

Pick-pockets are very creative. They usually appear so gentle trying to help you that you don’t even have the least suspicion that they are stealing your wallet. They can also act in pairs. Sometimes they play tricks on their victims like for example, they accidentally drop something on you and while you are distracted with them trying to help you out, an accomplice is putting his finger in your pocket to pull your wallet.

Be also careful when you are using modern carrying bags with wheels which have zips at the front. Some pickpockets follow you and while you are walking they unzip your bag’s pocket to take whatever comes in handy. If you bag is small they can just snatch it and run away with it. Always keep an eye on your luggage.

Avoid catching attention by opening your wallet in front of people or displaying electronic goods such as mobile phones, cameras, camcorders etc. to involuntarily attract attention. Be careful when you use the metro or underground. Observe the behaviour of those around you. Be suspicious of those who get out of the metro and who clearly show they have no destination.

Above all, avoid using the metro in the late hours of night and do not react to provocation in case someone addresses comments at you. Just ignore him and keep on going as if you heard nothing.
At night try to avoid risky areas such as near train stations, red light districts, and places that are usually empty. These places may be zones frequented by drug addicts where drug related crime is possible.

Notwithstanding all this I don’t mean you should go out wearing a bullet proof vest with a gun in your pocket. These things rarely happen if you take the necessary precautions.

When you are at the hotel it is advisable to leave you valuables and your cash in a safety deposit box, either in your room or at the reception. Some hotels do not guarantee safety in room deposit boxes so the best way is to use the safe at the reception. This is usually free of charge and you are given a key which you shouldn’t loose. Otherwise some hotels may charge hefty sums in order to open such safes which may be in the region of €300.

Take a camera with you
Travelling is an experience which is sometimes buried in the mind of the traveller. So take a camera with you and capture those nice moments, those beautiful landscapes, the buildings, the plazas, and the people. Then share your beautiful experience with us. We will be glad to share with you your experience.

Well, the next thing now is to pack your bags and enjoy your holiday.

CORVARA IN ALTA BADIA, BERGAMO, MONTE ISOLA SUL LAGO D'ISEO

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As we have been doing for the past years, this year we have again decided for a mixed holiday which took place between the 13-24 August 2008. We spent seven nights in a mountain resort in the North of Italy, for complete relaxation and walks on the mountains, and the remaining four nights in a city, for culture and sightseeing. This time we choose Corvara (13th-20th) in Alta Badia, in the heart of the Italian Dolomites, and Bergamo (20th-24th), a beautiful city in the Lombardia region.

We left Malta to Milano Malpensa on Wednesday 13th August 2008 on flight KM 628 which departed in time at 08.25 hours. We arrived at Malpensa at 10.25 hours and we immediately boarded the bus to Milano Centrale Train station outside the Arrivals of Terminal 1.

There are two companies providing transfers to Milano Centrale, the Malpensa Shuttle (€7 one way) and the Malpensa Bus (€7.50 one way - offer pay 2 for 3). The journey to Milano Stazione Centrale takes around 50 minutes and the departure is every 20 minutes depending on the number of passengers. The trip may take around 1hour 15 minutes if there is heavy traffic. The bus leaves terminal 1 and goes to terminal 2 before proceeding to its destination.

From Milano Centrale we took the train to Bolzano departing at 12.05 hours changing at Verona Porta Nuova Station. We arrived at Bolzano at 15.30 hours. Cost of train ticket Milano-Bolzano is €29.30 (http://www.ferroviedellostato.it/)

I had made previous arrangements with a certain Mr H Riegler to transfer us from Bolzano to Corvara (cost is €100). We arrived at Corvara in Alta Badia at around 17.45 hours through the Passo Gardena.


Corvara in Alta Badia
Corvara is a small town in the Alta Badia region and is a good base from where one can start walking adventures over the beautiful mountains of the Alta Badia. It is a place where one can find good hotels which offer a half board basis including the use of their wellness centre.

Corvara may be reached through the Passo Gardena (in summer only), or the Passo Campolungo or the Badia Valley from Brunico. It is dominated by the Sassonger Mountain which shadows the town along with the other mountains of Col Alt and Piz Boe’. There are cable cars that take you up to the latter two mountains.

Corvara touches Colfosco on the side of the Passo Gardena and La Villa on the opposite way. From La Villa one can also reach the nearby towns of Pedraces (Badia), San Cassiano and La Val. These small mountain villages together form the Alta Badia region.

During our visit the weather was most of the time fine, sunny with clouds, but very cool which sometimes got colder on the mountains. The temperature was around 8 degrees Celcius at around 08.00 hours increasing to about 12 degrees or 14 degrees around 14.00 hours. Light warm clothing is important depending on how sensitive one is to the cold weather.

We stayed at Corvara for seven nights from the 13th to the 20th August 2008. The only day when we had bad rainy and cloudy weather was Friday 15th August. During that day we had to abandon our mountain trekking and we managed to travel to the town of Brunico which is around 55 minutes by Bus from Corvara.

S.A.D. Trasport provides bus transport throughout the Dolomite region. However this transport is very irregular and it may sometimes be worthwhile to walk rather than wait for the bus cause you may arrive earlier. Further information could be obtained from www.sad.it/index.php?page=start&lang=it

The most important bus route for us was that for Brunico which runs nearly every hour. It leaves Colfosco, passes through Corvara, then through La Villa and Pedraces (Badia) and proceeds to Brunico and back. It is very useful to travel to the other small towns and then go up the mountains with the various cable cars and chair lifts to enjoy the splendid panoramas of the region. Once on the mountains you are in the heart of the dolomites and you can walk through the very well organized paths and forest ways for hours in very easy and safe walks. In my opinion the Alta Badia is one of the best marked places for walks on the mountains.

We used to return to the hotel around 16.00 hours and spend the rest of the day in the wellness centre, enjoying the relaxing saunas, swimming in the beautiful large swimming pool or relaxing in the whirpool of our hotel. We would then dine at around 19.30 or 20.00 hours.

In the evenings and at night there is not much to do at Corvara and the surrounding villages. The Tourist Offices usually organise events which start around 9.15pm. However to travel to the adjacent villages one needs to call a taxi. At Corvara, the main road Strada Col Alt is turned into a pedestrian zone every evening. This is the main street where one can find a few shops, and most hotels and restaurants. The Tourist Office, the Parish Church and the town hall are all accessed from this street. At the top end of the street lies the Cable Car Station for Col Alto.


Corvara Hotel

In Corvara we stayed at Hotel Col Alto, Strada Col Alt (www.colalto.it/). This is a very good hotel of 3 star superior rating. The staff is friendly. The Hotel is just about 15 metres from the Dolomites Bus Stop and this proves to be very advantageous for people who use public transport to move around the Alta Badia region.

The facilities of the Hotel are excellent. The room was very spacious, tidy, with a bathroom neatly equipped with more than enough towels to use. On the negative side is the fact that there are no tea/coffee making facilities in the rooms and the TV set is so small that it is very difficult to be followed from bed. We also had a balcony with a view of the Col Alt mountain forest.

Our stay was on a half-board basis. The food was enough and very good in quality. Breakfast was lavish with a variety of cold meat and cheeses as well as different cereals and sweets. For dinner, there was a very good vegetable buffet which makes up for the very modest portions served in the four course dinner (an anti-pasto, a first and second plate and a dessert). Otherwise the quality of the food served was excellent and the service by the always elegant restaurant staff was fast and very efficient.

The Hotel also provides its clients (included in the price) the use of a beautiful wellness centre where one could spend some hours of relaxation after a day’s walk in the mountains. There are various saunas providing also inhalation treatments, a beautifully decorated and quite big pool that includes a whirpool, a gym and a games room with a table-tennis and table-soccer.

I would definitely recommend this hotel.

Excursions

In order to use cable cars, chair lifts and public transport in the region, it is advisable to buy a mountain pass (www.mountainpass.it/) which not only makes you avoid queues but would in the end make you save money instead of paying for the use of each facility. There are three types of mountain passes and the most convenient for us was the pass that enables the unlimited use on all facilities on 5 days in a space of 7 days together with unlimited travel on the Dolomites bus up to Bolzano for 7 consecutive days. This pass costs €38.

Below is an account of the excursions which we performed in the Alta Badia region.

Day 1

Excursion Gruppo Sella

We walked about 10 minutes from the hotel to the Cable Car Boe’ and took the cable car up to the Piz Boe’ (2152m). Once up the mountain there are many possibilities of beautiful walks. One of them is to walk to Lake Boe’. However we decided to take another chair lift from up there to Vallon (2530m).

We then walked to Rifugio Franz Kostner (2550m). The walk to and from this Rifugio takes around 30 minutes.

Back to the Chairlift Vallon and down to the Piz Boe’ we walked through sentiero 638 to Passo Campolongo (1875m). This walk takes around 1hour 50 minutes. When down at Passo Campolungo we discovered that the bus would pass in more than two hours and so we decided to walk down to Corvara. The walk from Passo Campolungo to Corvara takes approximately 1 hour.

Alternatively, one could get back down to Corvara through the Cable Car Boe’.

Day 2
Excursion To Rifugio Pralongia’

There are many ways to reach Rifugio Pralongia’. There is the direct one by going up the way from Corvara to Planac and take the chairlift. There are then other possibilities to go for walks on the mountains and reach Pralongia’ from Col Alt or from Piz La Villa.

We decided to go from La Villa. We took the Bus to Brunico and stopped at La Villa (about 10 minutes drive). A little away from the Bus stop one finds the Cable Car station that takes you up to Piz La Villa (2077m). As soon as you go out of the cable car up the mountain, you immediately realize that you are in the most beautiful part of the dolomites. Splendid views range from the Gardenaccia, the Marmolada and Sella Mountains to the Passo Gardena.

From La Villa we started our walk of approximately 1 hour 30 min through sentiero 4 and sentiero 23 to Rifugio Bioch (2079m) and then to Rifugio Pralongia’ (2157m) where we stopped for lunch. On the way to Pralongia’ it was very cold and windy but the views of the panorama enclosing the Passo Gardena and the snow peaks of the Marmolada Mountains were very rewarding.

We then walked back to Rifugio Bioch, to Rifugio Piz Arlara (2040m), and down to Rifugio Col Alto (1980m) from where we took the cable car down to Corvara and walked to the Hotel.

Day 3
Excursion To Cascate del Pisciadu’ and to Plans Frara

From near the Boe’ Cable Car, just passing the Lago Biotopo at Corvara, we took the way up through the Borrest path (which is well marked) up to the Cascata del Pisciadu’. Then from there we finished to the Cable car station of Plans Frara (at Colfosco). The total time of this walk is around 1 hour and 30 minutes.

From there we took the Plans Frara cable car (with an intermediate change) to Rifugio Jimmy (2222m) just below the Sas Ciampac at the beginning of the Parco Naturale di Puez-Odle. From up there we enjoyed a beautiful view of the Sella Group and just over Passo Gardena.

There are many walks from there especially to the Parco Nazionale Puez-Odle.

Day 4
Excursion To Gardenaccia

We took the bus from Corvara direction Brunico and stopped at La Villa. From there we took the chair lift of Gardenaccia (1745m). We decided to walk through path no 11 to Rifugio Gherdenacia. However after walking for about 30 minutes we realized that the path was getting somehow dangerous. Here one has to walk for a long time on big pebbles on which it is very easy to slip. The path is just around two feet wide with just a precipice on the side. Considering that a slip can bring about serious consequences, we decided to go back to base and down to La Villa.

We then took the cable car up to Piz La Villa to enjoy once again the spectacular views from up there. We returned to La Villa by cable car, and back to Corvara by bus.

Day 5

Excursion To La Crusc

We took the bus from Corvara direction Brunico and stopped at Pedraces (Badia). From there we walked to the centre to the chair lift of Santa Croce to Rifugio Lee (1840m). From there we walked for about 5 minutes to Lago Lee.

On our return to Rifugio Lee we took another chairlift to La Crusc (2045m) where shaded by the peak of the Sas de la Crusc there is a church and a monastery which provide a beautiful setting in the mountains.

We returned back to Corvara from Pedraces by bus.


Leaving Corvara to Bergamo

We decided to use the bus and the train to go to Bergamo. This proved to be quite a task because we first had to take the bus to Brunico, departing from Corvara at 08.46 hours and arrived quite late at Brunico Train Station at 10.10 hours (instead of 09.49 hours).

From the Brunico train station we had to take a train to Fortezza then change to Verona from where we had to proceed to Bergamo after changing again in Rovato. We made it in time. We left Fortezza at 10.14 and arrived at Bergamo at 14.46 hours.


Bergamo

Bergamo is practically divided into two parts. The old city called Citta Alta is located on top of a hill and fortified by nealy 6 km of walls completed in 1588 when Bergamo formed part of the Republic of Venice. Then there is the lower city which started to expand at the end of the thirteenth century and which has become an urban centre and the seat of the local council and the government of the city. The train station and bus terminus are also found at the lower part of the city.

The Citta’ Alta may be reached either by Bus no 1A or Bus no 3 or by means of the funicular service. There is also another funicular that connects the Citta’ Alta with the highest part of the city called San Vigilio. From here one can enjoy a beautiful view of the city with a panorama that reaches as far as the pre-alps outside the city. The price of a single ticket for use on buses and funiculars is €1 and is valid for any trip that starts within a period of 75 minutes. There is also a day ticket (biglietto giornaliero) costing €2.50 which permits holder to use unlimited transport on any one day.

Bergamo has its own Airport called Orio al Serio and is just 15 minutes away by bus from the centre. A one way trip to the airport costs €1.75 but there is also a day card that costs €3.50 that allows one return trip to the airport and unlimited travel inside the city centre including funiculars.


The most popular shopping area in the city centre is the part consisting of via 20 settembre, to the left of Viale Roma (facing Citta’ Alta). Another well known shopping place in the region is the Orio Centre which is directly opposite the Airport terminal on the Statale Milano – Trieste. The centre may be reached by Bus 1 Aeroporto which stops at the terminal Bus Stop. From there one has to walk around 50m to take a footpath along the main road. This leads to a tunnel which crosses the very busy strada statale that divides the Airport terminal from the Orio Centre.

Bergamo is also very central for surrounding areas such us the beautiful italian lakes of Como and Iseo.

I do not intend to go into the details on places to visit inside the city of Bergamo. There are many beautiful historical places to see, starting from the Gates and walls of Citta’ Alta and the famous buildings inside the walled city and finishing at Beautiful Largo Porta Nuova and the famous Teatro Donizetti. However I feel I should mention that, strangely enough, Bergamo's cemetery has one of the most beautiful entrances I have ever seen, a monument on its own (picture).

As regards where to eat, we never have problems on this when we visit Italy. And Bergamo keeps up with the Italian culinary tradition. However some restaurants may strike the balance of good food combined with good service at a reasonable price. I would recommend the following restaurants in the same order.

- Pizzeria Trattoria Capri (dei Fratelli Nesti & Co), Via Zambonate 25, Bergamo
- Ristorante Pizzeria La Bruschetta, Via G. D’Alzano, Bergamo


Bergamo Hotel

In Bergamo we stayed at the Hotel Jolly Bergamo, Via Plaeopaca 8. (www.jollyhotels.com/en/hotels/italy/bergamo/jolly-hotel-bergamo.html). This is a good four star hotel, clean, comfortable and above all air conditioned. This is a special requisite in Bergamo because unlike Corvara, temperatures in Bergamo can be very high during the night and may make your night very uncomfortable. On the other hand the room was a bit small.

The breakfast is in general fine, but could be better. Breakfast cannot compare with other four star hotels such as Sheraton and Crown Plaza. We booked the hotel through Venere.com at €170 per night for a triple room including breakfast.

The hotel receptionist, a guy who said he used to work for Costa Crociere, was extremely helpful. He explained to me many things about the city, places where we could eat well, gave us a useful City guide, and other information on how to reach the Lago d’Iseo or where to shop around. He also praised the beauty of the Grand Harbour in Malta which he used to enjoy when he visited the island on board cruise liners.

Lago d’Iseo

The Lago d’Iseo, also known as the Sebino, is one of the most beautiful spots in the North of Italy. Unlike the other lakes of Garda, Como and Maggiore, the lago d’Iseo is less visited by tourists and therefore retains better its natural characteristics. The main attraction in the lago, so to speak, is the Monte Isola, which, as the name implies is an island mountain in the middle of the lake, still preserved in its original state and closed for motor vehicles. Monte Isola is also accompanied by another two smaller islands, the Loreto Island to the North and the St Paul’s island to the South.

To visit Lago d’Iseo from Bergamo is quite easy. The best thing is to take Bus that leaves from the main Bus terminus (to the right as you come out of the train station) to the lakeside town of Tavernola. The Bus leaves Bergamo from platform 10 every 20 minutes past the hour (except at 12.35) and then nearly every hour at different times (www.sab-autoservizi.it/). The line is linea E and a one way ticket costs €3 for a trip of 1 hour 10 min.

From Tavernola one may get the ferry boat to Monte Isola. There are about four stops on Monte Isola and the two most popular stops are Peschiera and Sensole. I suggest it would be better to buy tickets when on board, so that if you need to adjust your timetable and change your direction you would not be left with an any unused prepaid tickets.

Infact we actually stopped at Sarnico which is nearer to Bergamo and boarded the ferry boat from there. We bought return tickets before boarding the ferry with the intention to go back to Sarnico on the ferry that leaves at 14.25 hours. However we then realized that the return trip we intended to board from Monte Isola to Sarnico is only available on a Saturday. It wasn’t a Saturday and that meant we had to wait for the next trip in two hours' time. So we decided to take the ferry to Tavernola and return to Bergamo by bus from there. A return ferry ticket to Sarnico costs €7.05 (tariffa 3) while a return ticket to Tavernola costs €3.05 (tariffa 1) www.navigazionelagoiseo.it/

On Monte Isola we stopped at Peschiera Sud and from there we walked along the shore for around 30 minutes. There are beautiful views of the lake and the islands. Many visitors were sunbathing or else swimming in the waters of the lake. We stopped our walk for lunch at Trattoria del Sole, via Sensole 17.

Returning to Malta
Bergamo is very close to Milan and Milano Centrale can be easily reached by train in less than an hour. From Milano Centrale, we boarded Malpensa Bus to the Airport. Our Air Malta flight was due to leave Malpensa at 16.40 hours but this was delayed first to 17.05 and later to 17.35 hours for unknown reasons.

But still worse, our flight could have possibly been preparing for an emergency landing after about 15 minutes in the air as we heard the undercarriage wheels being lowered again. The captain later announced that all was back to normal and we landed safely in Malta around 19.30 hours.

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