Category Archives: Amalfi Coast

Slow road to Cyprus – what went well?

September 7, 2012 By in Amalfi Coast, Assisi, Austria, Bath, Belgium, Brugge, Budapest, Cargo, Cargo cruise, Croatia, Cruise, Czech Rep, Florence, Food, France, Freight cruise, Germany, Greece, Hungary, Italy, Naples, Palinuro, People, Photography, Prague, Siena, Sorrento, Spoleto, Tourism, Travel, Turkey, Tuscany, UK, Umbria, Venice, Vienna, Zagreb Tags: , , , , , , , , , 4 Comments
English: Map of Cyprus showing districts

English: Map of Cyprus showing districts (Photo credit: Wikipedia)

The Roman Baths (Thermae) of Bath Spa, England...

The Roman Baths (Thermae) of Bath Spa, England. This is a 6 segment panorama taken by myself with a Canon 5D and 24-105mm f/4L IS lens. (Photo credit: Wikipedia)

Reflecting back on our seven weeks road and sea trip from Bath, UK to Cyprus, most things went pretty well.

Here are a few pointers for other potential travellers:

  1. …………….We found Tripadvisor.com very helpful in planning and costing our over-night accommodation.  We tended to make most of our reservations with Bookings.com on a cancelable basis.
  2. We planned our route around places that we really wanted to see, and restricted the mileage that we covered on any one day.
  3. We made extensive use of tourist buses to get our bearings and an excellent overview of cities that were new to us.
  4. We checked out carefully, in advance, the neighbourhoods in which we were staying, so that we got away from tourists and met local people.
  5. We walked extensively until we got our bearings in new cities.
  6. We bought cheap passes for the Metro and used them extensively, especially in Vienna.
  7. We built plenty of free time into our plans.
  8. We planned plenty of variety into trip, so that we could experience the contrasts of seeing art and architecture one day but go hiking in the hills the next, sampling local food and drink along the way.
  9. We kept a detailed log of events that was helpful in writing our blog.
  10. We tried to keep clear of touristy restaurants, where we knew that prices would be higher and quality more variable and less authentic but most of all to be with local people to let all our senses loose on the experience.
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Slow road to Cyprus – Marilyn and Alf’s ten most precious memories…

August 8, 2012 By in Amalfi Coast, Austria, Belgium, Brugge, Cyprus, Czech Rep, Florence, Food, Italy, Palinuro, People, Photography, Prague, Tourism, Travel, Tuscany, Umbria, Venice, Vienna Tags: , , , , , , , Leave a comment
Goldener Saal Hall of the "Musikverein&qu...

Goldener Saal Hall of the “Musikverein” in Vienna. Note that its precise name is Großer Konzerthaussaal Hall, “golden” just being a later added common attribute (guess why ;) . (Photo credit: Wikipedia)

Over the seven week trip, probably the following stand out as our ten most precious memories:

  1. Stopping firstly in Brugge, Belgium, with its highly attractive Medieval architecture, pretty cobbled streets, canals and bridges, its numerous art galleries and museums
  2. Being fortunate enough to hear the Vienna Philharmonic Orchestra playing at home at the splendid Musikverein in the Golden Hall  - that same day we had lunch at the legendary Cafe Mozart, where Graham Green wrote “The Third Man“
  3. Visiting Vienna’s famous sites, including: the Hofburg Imperial Palace, the Schonbrunn Palace and gardens, the amazing Austrian Parliament Building and not to forget the outstanding beauty of the Art Nouveau architecture to be seen in the centre of Vienna
  4. Walking across the famous Charles Bridge Prague, which in the Middle Ages was one of the Wonders of the Modern World, reaching the Old Town and watching the historic Prague Astronomical clock performing its spectacle on the hour
  5. Crossing the Freedom Bridge, Budapest, over the River Danube, going from Pest to Buda and slowly climbing the very steep Gellert Hill, with many twisting paths and breathtaking views of the Danube and the city, finally reaching the Citadel, at the top of the hill
  6. People watching in St. Marks Square, Venice, sitting in Cafe Florian (which dates back to 1720), having a wonderful fresh fruit salad with ice-cream and a glass of Prosecco, and admiring the beautiful architecture surrounding the square – the only downside, of course, being the bill!
  7. Seeing Michelangelo’s stunning, five hundred year old  statue of “David“, in the Accademia di Belle Arti, during our four days in Florence
  8. Sampling the delights of Tuscany and Umbria, Italy, including art, architecture, fashion, cuisine, wine and not to forget the charming, picturesque hillside villages
  9. Viewing the breathtaking sight of the absolutely unforgettable Amalfi Coast, Italy
  10. Discovering Palinuro, Italy, on a stunning bay overlooking the Mediterranean Sea, one of the most beautiful, relaxing, unspoilt and sparsely populated  parts of Italy, within the Cliento and Vallo di Diano National Park (a UNESCO Heritage Site since 1997) – we explored the national park and the World famous grottos,  swam in the almost transparent deep blue sea and sampled the local fresh fish caught that day, washing it down with excellent local wine, of course.
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