Italy

TRAVELLING IN EUROPE IS CHEAP – SAID NO ONE And we wonder why! Let us guess – you have worked for a few years now, saved up on some cash (may be just a lac) and browsed through Lonely Planet and Tripadvisor to prepare yourself forthat epic Eurotrip! You totally deserve that sabbatical and the holidays – but not the way the world sells it to you! Let us give you some protips and a sample of what your trip could look like and also the least it could cost. Protip No. 1 – read up on parts of Europe that you do not hear about! Yes, Europe is more than the Eiffel Tower in Paris, Red Light district in Amsterdam, Oktoberfest in Munich, Vatican City, Snowy peak experiences in Switzerland! There are parts of Europe which have much more to offer – the underrated, underground and way more beautiful places at half the prices. So what are we talking about? We are talking about – Ruin Bars in Budapest (Hungary), the lake island experience in Bled and Vintgar Gorge (Slovenia), the castles in Bratislava (Slovakia), the Volksfest (Wassen) in Stuttgart (Germany), the river Duoroin Porto (Portugal) and much more! Not convinced? Have a look at the pictures below This was clicked at Kuplung(Budapest, Hungary) during one of our many Eurotrips! There is whole underground vibe to this place and unimaginable colors of drinks at the bar counter! Strike a conversation with the people sitting on the next table – you will be surprised to find how much people travel and how many of them love India! We discovered this place with the help of our very pretty Barparade guide Dory! Barparades are awesome – for about 8 Euros a person you get free shots (Tequila / Jagermeister / the …

Two villages perched on the cliffs facing the Liguarian sea, Manarola and Riomaggiore, were connected by an erratic intractable trail that often got disrupted by landslides. Recently it was made into a permanent walkway. Lovers from the villages are said to have met midway in the past. They hid behind the coves, wrote graffitis of ever lasting love on the cliff walls and locked their love by putting locks along the railings. This tiny trail where lovers met up is the most romantic kilometer long stretch you will ever walk on. We visited in early February when tourists were absent, most businesses, restaurants and hotels were closed but the weather and quietude added to the romance.   In the absolute peace we walked along the cliffs and the silent sea on the lonely stretch of lovers by ourself realizing later that what is now a walking path for the village elders was once the spot where they hung out with their lovely maidens. When we returned from Riomaggiore, the sun was setting and the sky turned a lovely pink making it one of the most memorable walks of our life. This is one place where words fall short and the pictures will fill in the gap for you.     Location: Cinque Terre, Italy Time of visit: Early February Hiking Difficulty level: Easy Hope you enjoyed these photographs. Please share your comments and feedback with us at the bottom.

Although small in size, the little town of Ravello is by no means little in its stature as a leading tourist destination in Italy. The total population of the town is 2,500 with its central piazza overlooking the Duomo di Ravello brimming with tourist enjoying coffee and drinks or strolling up and down trying to locate a secret corner. Except that there are no secret corners in Ravello – at least not between May and September. After a quick walk around the town, avoiding extremely crowded Villa Ruffolo, Duomo, Piazza and Ravello’s many touristic ceramics and art shops, we decided to tread a little further away from the popular hangouts of the tourist in the area.   Welcome to Ravello: Beautiful little town established in 6th Century AD on Italy’s Amalfi Coast As we walked away from the crowds into a little street on the other side of the cathedral, we saw two musicians, one with a guitar and the other with a mandolin, seated by a door leading into a little terrace garden overlooking the sea. And as we entered the garden we had a moment of calm as we sat on a bench. Escaping the tourist buzz, we were now in the Amalfi paradise we had hoped for. Smell of lemon groves, soothing views of the revered “Italian Riviera” and musicians practicing their strings in the background. Just as I thanked the Lord for the good fortune that brought me here, I realized that we may be intruding a wedding party. A group of 20 people had entered the little garden space. The guests were hugging and congratulating the new couple. We had a few minutes of discomforting curiosity trying hard not to look at the married couple as they posed infront of the camera. The musicians were now playing their practiced tunes. The rhythm of guitar and mandolin lifted …

Naples is said to be ‘the city of damned’ with mounds of waste and violence of organized mafia. It is quite often referred to be the ‘shit hole‘ of Europe. Offensive as that may be, tourists have reasons for such extreme reactions to the city. (Read: Four reasons why people hate Naples)But not all go unhappy and shocked. There are many pressing reasons why this place which was one of the great capitals of Europe in 18th century is so loved by a section of travelers. Chances are you may love it too. Sfogliatelle napoletane – The many layered, shell shaped pastry “invented” in 18th century 1. Pizza – It is not a couple of great outlets that people line infront of, it is the whole city sitting by wood fired while specially milled flour, tomatoes and cheese of a particular specification are brought together in Neapolitan style for what is the most authentic and unarguably the best pizza in the world. This place is the birth city of Pizza and Neapolitans take their reputation with pizza very seriously. Neapolitan Pizza Association is an association of pizzerias representing those making the true Neapolitan pizza. Since 1984, the association has established International regulations for what is a true Neapolitan pizza made from ingredients sourced from a list of approved suppliers. I can name a few pizzerias – Friggitoria, De Matteo, Da Michele but I realized that the list is practically end less. No matter where you go and order pizza you will get off the table with a great meal that will be extremely kind to your pocket. 22. Archaeological Museum: Visit to Naples is incomplete without a visit to the National Archaeological Museum of Naples. If you are fascinated by the Roman towns – Pompeii and Herculaneum that were devastated by volcanic eruption and preserved under its pyroclastic flows,  then before you head to …

Greg McElhatton says “Naples made me hate life.” Leif Petterson says he went around looking for gems in Naples and found none. He ends his travelogue with a passionate suggestion “Don’t go to Naples!” Hal Licino issues a similar advisory “Avoid Naples” but in much stronger terms. It brings out extreme reaction from visitors. Such abhorrence for a city is unbelievable. Never before I read tonnes of reviews about a place telling you not to visit it (except in cases where the place is in a war or experiencing political instability). But, in a country like Italy, there is a city that is so hated that people say they would not visit it even if paid to do so.  Here are four key reasons why people hate Naples so much! 1. Garbage – The foremost reason travellers dislike Naples is garbage. The locals are known to dump the garage onto the street. As you walk from street to street a glass bottle or a bag of something may just fall from the skies and land on your head. Tourists complain of hoards of trash mounted in front of buildings and houses and the constant smell that follows you around in the city. This place does not stand up to the Western standard of hygiene and sanitation. Here is an interesting article in Independent discussing just when the waste situation in Naples got bad. 2. Crime Scene – As you step out of the central train station in Naples and step onto the lanes leading up to Piazza Gabrialdi you see local and immigrant population walking around selling expensive gadgets for cheap. It makes you want to hold onto your back pack tight and run to your hotel room and hide there till its time to leave. Travel bloggers have reported being pick pocketed and robbed in the city. The danger is palpable. …

Pisa on your Italy itinerary Pisa can be a quick stop when travelling from Rome to Venice. The leaning tower of Pisa is wonder of the world due to the unintentional tilt in the tower. The Leaning tower of Pisa The 56.70 m tall tower began leaning since its construction began in 1178. Its construction was halted twice and resumed with its construction spanning  344 years. The tower itself was constructed as a bell tower to the cathedral of Pisa. The complex includes a cathedral, bell tower and baptistry. Cathedral (Duomo di Pisa) houses artworks by several prominent artists. The bell chamber was added in 1372 in the building. The city of Pisa Pisa is the capital city of province of Pisa in the Tuscany region. Pisa was a powerful Maritime Republic in the 11th century. But its fate declined 1284 onwards after it suffered a major defeat at the hands of Genoese fleet. Pisa is a university town. It is said that of the 100,000 residents of Pisa, 60,000 are students. If you are stopping for a short day trip in Pisa, you are recommended to walk your way from the station to the tower. Drop your luggage at the station lockers and look for the very hel information center. We were provided by a map of the city and suggested routes to the tower from the information center. By walking through the city, we were able to discover Pisa, it beautiful river side, cafes, market stops, and buildings. Frescoes on the ceiling of the archway The visit to tower timed. The view for the top of tower is spectacular. View of Pisa from the Leaning Tower  If you have more time of hands you could explore Pisa’s other monuments, squares and museums. Sources: About Pisa: http://wikitravel.org/en/Pisa About getting to tower for Pisa Centrale: http://www.livornonow.com/how_to_get_from_pisa_centrale_train_station_to_the_leaning_tower_of_pisa Other …