Monthly Archives: September 2012

Ancona – Train trip from school

28 Friday Sep 2012

Posted by in Ancona, Italian Language, Italy on Budget, Language Schools

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We took the train from Castelraimondo to Porto Civitanova where we changed trains to then travel up the coast to Ancona.  The views along this coastline were glorious, passing by several popular resorts and large sandy beaches.

The city of Ancona is a seaport in the Marche region in central Italy. It is the capital of the province of Ancona and also the region.  It is 280 Km from Rome on the Adriatic Sea and is Italy’s largest ferry port. Ancona is one of the main ports especially for passenger traffic to Croatia, Greece and Turkey. It is a typical port city however it does have some fascinating history.

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Tips for travel in Italy – Italian language

23 Sunday Sep 2012

Posted by in Italian Language, Italy on Budget, Travel tips

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I do recommend that one of the first things you do before taking off to Italy is to buy yourself a travel guide book and also a phrase book. In the big cities many of the locals speak English particularly in the hospitality industry however it is always beneficial to at least know some of the everyday words. In the regional areas in most cases only the local language is spoken. I have experienced whenever I speak my “broken” Italian to the locals they are so delighted they are more likely to try harder to communicate. I have friends who have visited Italy and felt the trip would have been even better if they had at least some basic Italian.

An example.  I enjoy my coffee hot, however in most cases in Italy it is served warm. So I know I must order “un cappuccino – molto caldo per favore”,  = a cappuccino very hot please.  Naturally when you do speak a few words of Italian they will invariably respond in Italian but it is fun and you will learn more of the language.

A basic phrase book can be so helpful in just reading a menu or understanding signs.

Perugia – School Excursion

17 Monday Sep 2012

Posted by in Language Schools, Perugia, School Excursions

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On another school excursion, once again we headed off in very comfortable modern coaches from the school – destination Perugia.

It is such an amazing and beautiful city.

Perugia is the provincial capital of Umbria, one of Italy’s most beautiful regions. The ancient heart of the city, packed full of Etruscan and Roman monuments, perches on a hilltop with the modern city spread below.  This city is about 164 kilometers north of Rome

Perugia is a well known artistic centre of Italy and is also know for its annual jazz festivals.

Perugia, has 2 major universities with a constant stream of students from all over the world. The 2 univerisites are : The ancient Università degli Studi (University of Perugia) and the Foreigners University (Università per Stranieri) which is an Italian language and cultural school.

The city offers great shopping, many great bars and restaurants and is known for its dolce (sweets) and chocolate.

Perugia merges ancient and modern very well.  It is a charming city with an historic centre which is small enough to walk around in half a day.  However to really see much more you could easily fill a few days here.

Certain hours of the day, cars are forbidden in the city centre which of course makes walking so much easier. For accommodation there are a few hotels in the city with several monasteries close by.

Tips for travel in Italy – Walk

11 Tuesday Sep 2012

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Walking in Rome

It is very easy to walk around most of Italy’s cities and towns.

If you have the time to walk, which I recommend you do, you will see and experience so much more than being on transport.

Always remember to have a local map on you and carry with you the address of where you are staying.  It is reassurance and gives you peace of mind.  It is not hard to get lost if you are tired and in a new place.

It is easy to be tempted by Italy’s beautiful foods so walking will take away the guilt of enjoying a gelato or pizza or whatever takes your fancy.

I enjoy people watching when I stop for a coffee or something to eat.

There are a few tips about eating inside or outside –  particularly in the big cities. I will cover these another time.

Lecce – The Road Trip

07 Friday Sep 2012

Posted by in Agriturismo, Lecce, The Road Trip

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As we continued our road trip down the Adriatic coast we visited the town of Lecce.

Church of Santa Croce

Lecce is in the heal of the boot and not far from the Adriatic Coast.  You could easily spend a day or 2 here wandering around this gorgeous town.

Piazza del Duomo

Lecce is a historic city of 95,200 inhabitants, the capital of the province of Lecce,  and one of the most important cities of Puglia.

We parked the car and explored Lecce by foot. It is a beautiful and interesting city with many Baroque buildings. Lecce is commonly nicknamed “The Florence of the South” because of the rich baroque architectural monuments found in this city.

In terms of industry the “Lecce stone” is the city’s main export, because it is very soft and malleable, thus suitable for sculptures. Lecce stone is a kind of limestone. Lecce is also an important  agricultural centre, chiefly for its olive oil and wine production, as well as an industrial centre specialising in ceramic  production.

Church of San Giovanni Battista

The Roman Amphitheatre

We were so enthralled by this beautiful city that we lost track of time and when we returned to our car we had an expired parking meter ticket. After asking around and then going to the police station we found out the way to pay for this ticket, which was to pay at the local post office (unificio postale). So we lined up with the locals to pay our parking ticket which cost 25 euro.

After leaving Lecce, we drove to San Foca where we stayed the night in a wonderful agriturismo.

Venice – Monastery

04 Tuesday Sep 2012

Posted by in Monasteries, Venice

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The monastery that we stayed at in Venice  is in the area called  Giardini  which is in the old centre of Venice. For info on this monastery click here.

Bridge to our monastery

Giardini  is only 2 vaporetto stops from San Marco Piazza. However it is also a very pleasant and easy 15 minute walk from this monastery to the Piazza.  Giardini is far enough away from the busy heart of Venice but close enough to enjoy everything.

Vaporetto

My room in this monastery was large and had 2 ceiling to floor windows which over looked the international ships in port.

The breakfast that was included in the rate was one of the best breakfasts that we had at any of the monasteries. Also, there was easy access to internet and wifi.

Main street of Giardini

In Giardini, the main street is lined on either side by many cafes, bars and restaurants. Eating out was very affordable with excellent choices. The atmosphere was charming particularly in the evenings. We dined most nights in the Giardini centre and paid approx. 10 euro for a great meal including wine.

Giardini has beautiful gardens which have been there since the Napoleonic era and now days have been the traditional venue for the International Art Exhibition since 1985.

Of course in Venice the local transport is the Vaporetto, which is the water bus.  This is such a fun way to travel.  I recommend that you buy a several – day or multi day pass as it makes it so easy to hop on and hop off the vaporetti as they run so often to each of the main islands.

The most cost effective way to get to the airport from Venice is on the water taxi  If you are arriving or departing from Venice by train then it is very easy to take the vaporetto to or from  the train station.

This was not my first trip to Venice however this trip was by far the best. We only had 4 days here but they were 4 wonderful days. I would certainly return and stay just as long or even longer. I do believe that being away from the heavily congested tourist area made such a difference.

Please note also there are lovely B&Bs in Giardini which are also very affordable.