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A 10-day trip to Puglia (Lecce, Ostuni, Brindisi)
A few months ago, I went on a 10-day trip to South Italy. After landing in Bari, the capital and the largest city of Puglia, I visited the inland towns of Alberobello and Locorotondo, as well as the seaside Monopoli and Polignano a Mare. I then visited Matera, a city located not in Puglia, but in the neighbouring region of Basilicata. After staying there for a couple of days, I took the bus to Lecce and returned to Puglia. Here’s the final part of the itinerary I would recommend, with tips (as always) for where to go, and more importantly where (and what) to eat and drink. Day 6 –…
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Following in the footsteps of James Bond in Matera
Last year, I watched ‘No Time To Die’, the 25th James Bond film. The opening scenes were filmed in Matera, a city located in the Italian region of Basilicata. A few months ago, I visited Italy for the first time since the onset of the COVID-19 pandemic. Following in the footsteps of James Bond, I visited Matera, as well as Puglia, the region forming the heel of Italy’s ‘boot’. I stayed there for a total of 10 days, but I wished I had stayed longer to visit even more towns and villages. A few weeks ago, I published the first part of my itinerary (days 1-3). Here’s the second part…
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A 10-day trip to Puglia (part 1)
Italy is one of my favourite countries in Europe. I love the beautiful architecture, the delicious food and the mild Mediterranean climate. I recently visited Puglia, as well as Matera. The former, also known as Apulia, is the region forming the heel of Italy’s ‘boot’, whereas the latter is a city located in the neighbouring region of Basilicata. I stayed there for a total of 10 days, but I wished I had stayed longer to visit even more towns and villages. Although I was tempted to rent a car, I eventually decided not to, so I could enjoy the tasty Apulian wines. Here’s the first part of the itinerary I…
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6 French and Italian crime series to watch
Bonjour! Or, should I say Buongiorno? A couple of months ago, I published two posts about Greek covers of French and Italian songs respectively. Then, earlier this month, I published two posts about some of my favourite French and Italian films. Today, I discuss some of the French and Italian crime series I’ve recently watched. 3 French crime series to watch The Mantis (La Mante) ‘The Mantis’ is a French crime series available on Netflix. There are a total of six 50-to-60-minute-long episodes, where a convicted serial killer, known as the Mantis, helps the Police track down the perpetrator of copy-cat murders. The Other Mother (Maman a tort) Based on…
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12 (+1) Italian films to watch
The 93rd Academy Awards ceremony, honouring the best films of 2020, is due to take place on 25 April. I recently watched the film ‘The Life Ahead’ (‘La vita davanti a sé’) by Edoardo Ponti and starring Sophia Loren. Set in Bari, it is based in the novel ‘The Life Before Us’, which is set in Paris instead. Although the film has not been nominated for the Academy Award for Best International Feature Film, the song ‘Io sì (Seen)’ written by Diane Warren and performed by Laura Pausini has been nominated for the Academy Award for Best Original Song. Inspired by ‘The Life Ahead’, I have been reflecting on some…
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10 Greek covers of Italian songs
It’s been 40 years since my home-country Greece became the 10th member state of the European Economic Community (EEC), the predecessor to the European Union (EU). The EEC was created by the Treaty of Rome of 1957; the six founding member-states were Belgium, France, West Germany, Italy, Luxembourg and the Netherlands and Luxembourg. The first enlargement was in 1973, with the accession of Denmark, Ireland and the United Kingdom (which sadly left the EU on 31 January 2020). Greece joined on 1 January 1981, followed by Spain and Portugal five years later. To celebrate the 40th anniversary of the Hellenic entry into the European family, I curated a playlist, which…
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Summer in Florence: top 7 tips
I’ve recently shared my top tips for Rome, and then for Verona. Today, I’m sharing my top tips for another one of my favorite Italian cities and the capital of Tuscany: Florence. I’ve often thought that Firenze, as the Italians call it, embodies the concept of la dolce vita. I’ve been to Florence several times, and every time I enjoyed the city a little bit more. I remember strolling around the beautiful city center trying to plan my meal times, so that I could dine at as many restaurants as possible, and have as much gelato as possible between or after my meals (quite a task!). Although it’s been a…
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Summer in Verona: top 7 tips
Traveling, summer, pasta, pizza, coffee, gelato… These are a few of my favorite things in life. So, Italy is, understandably, one of my favorite travel destinations. I recently visited Rome for the third time. Last summer, however, I visited Verona for the first time. Located in northeastern Italy, Verona is worldwide famous for being the setting of William’s Shakespeare’s ‘Romeo and Juliet’. Here are my top 7 tips for Verona: 1. The Opera Festival The Opera Festival was undoubtedly the highlight of my visit. It takes place in the Arena di Verona, an open-air Roman amphitheater located in the heart of the city. This summer, it runs…
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Summer in Rome: top 7 tips
It’s 34 degrees Celsius, the sun is shining, and people (including myself) are walking around with a gelato in hand. Is this a scene from London or Rome? Both! Let me explain… The 29th of June was the hottest day of the year (up till then) in the former; it was also when the Gelato Festival came to town. A week later, I visited the latter, where the temperature routinely rises to (and above) the mid-thirties during the summer. And, of course, gelato is there all year long. This week, however, I am going to focus on the Eternal City, as Rome is also known as. If…