What to Do in Istanbul in 4 Days: Palaces, Spices and Bazaars
Wandering around architectural jewels and getting lost in traditional bazaars are some of the exciting things to do in Istanbul in 4 days.
Exploring Catania between chivalry and charming decay
If there was one way to describe Catania, it wouldn’t be too far from sensory overloaded. Coming from Agrigento, I considered myself already well into the Sicilian mode to soon found out that our next stop was just in for new surprises and revelations. Noisy, smelly and proudly displaying a seductive state of decay, Catania, even though … Read more
Rent a Car in Sardinia – How to Do It And Why You Should
For as beautiful as Sardinia is, as pristine its beaches are and crystal clear its waters look, when it comes to public transport, the best definition for the island is wild. And unorganized. This is why we recommend renting a car in Sardinia to better enjoy your holiday on the Italian island. Read on to … Read more
Jericoacoara, white dunes and sandy beaches in northeastern Brazil
In Brazil, natural wonders are literally around every corner. While visiting the northern state of Ceara, I enjoyed a tour around the coastline of its capital, Fortaleza. Few words can describe the awe you feel when staring at the views of Jericoacoara, a hippie-like resort at about 300 km from the city. Wherever I watched, be it a … Read more
Rio de Janeiro’s vibrant and colorful Sunday market
When I booked my ticket to Rio de Janeiro, I had only one thing in mind (well, apart from the handsome surfers hanging around the beach): Ipanema’s Feira Hippie, the artisan market that every Sunday sets its stalls in Praça General Osorio, in the exclusive Ipanema district. I’m a big fan of open markets, and … Read more
The Beauty of Nossa Senhora de Prainha Church, Fortaleza
Wandering about beautiful Fortaleza, the capital of the Brazilian state of Ceará, I stumbled on this church that captured my attention for its elegant simplicity. Its bright white and light blue tones, inevitably reminding Portuguese Catholic style, are a clean, pleasant sight to be enjoyed against the azure sea on the horizon. This is Igreja … Read more
In Parco della Giara, where horses forgot to keep up with the evolution
After what you study in school, you would think the world has caught up with the evolution. Well, I’m here to tell you that this is not always true. Seriously, after reading about bleeding stones, unexplained facts, globalization-challenging villages, wild horse races and the Atlantis connection, where do you think the place I’m going to … Read more
Resilient to globalization? Visit Sedilo, Sardinia
I can’t remember how many times I’ve been to Sedilo, one of Sardinia’s prettiest villages. Impossible to count them, really. It’s the village where my mom was born, where my grandparents grew up, met, got married, and lived until their sixth child when they migrated to France. After more than twenty years of living beyond … Read more
Photo essay: Lebanon’s ancient ruins, evoking memories from past lives
There are places that make you feel tiny and huge at the same time. Lebanon is one of those. Walking around, driving up and down the country, from Sur (Tyre) up to Baalbek, comfortably perched on a hill in the heart of the Bekaa Valley, tourists will never cease to be in awe gazing at … Read more
The Legend of wolf that made Rome possible
Many people gape at Rome’s monuments, their authenticity makes it incredibly easy to picture toga-clad muscular men busy organizing naval battles at the Colosseum, but how many have wondered how all this started? To make sure Rome’s foundation sounded as grand as its present and future, historians, writers, and poets back in the BCs produced … Read more
Follow The Sardinian Wine Trail and Discover Unparalleled Beauty
There are two ways to get under the skin of a place: interact with its natives and unearth its traditions. How to achieve both is pretty straightforward: by trying the local food. And wine, that is. Thankfully, sampling Sardinian wine is quite a pleasant way to do that. Traveling the world made me somehow discover … Read more
Saint Catherine of Alexandria’s Festival in Sardinia (Bulls, Horses, and Roses)
The smartest thing the Catholic religion could possibly think of has been to incorporate pagan rituals into its own ceremonies. Banning ancestral cults altogether might have provoked too many protests and caused general unrest, so why not take the lead? This is how many ancient festivals in Sardinia, especially the ones locals have always organized … Read more
Exploring the scents and sounds of Sidon, Lebanon
It’s easy to be seduced by the Middle East. A cluster of cultures and civilizations that followed one another, this region of the world never fails to evoke ancestral traditions, romantic tales and out-of-reach places. Overloaded with its cargo of historical and biblical reminiscences, the legendary city of Sidon today is the largest city of … Read more
Secret Sardinia, Shelter of the Knights Templar
It’s easy to be seduced by Sardinia’s irregular beauty. The island’s rugged mountains framed by sandy beaches and crystal clear waters make for a pristine landscape one can hardly forget. Most villages proudly boast a great resilience against the waves of globalization, and although some traditions do struggle to survive, locals are very jealous of … Read more
The silk weavers of Orgosolo: a tradition at risk of disappearing
I have already written about Orgosolo stunning street art and about its antimilitarist spirit. Orgosolo, however, is not only politics. This obstreperous town of inland Sardinia’s region known as Barbagia is home to an exclusive form of ancient silk art. Different from how they make silk in China, this is another way of producing and … Read more