Whether you are spending 2 days or 2 weeks in the Southwest of England, there are a few things you should consider before tying up your walking boots for a South West Coast hiking trip: 1. The South West Coast Path appears to be made for long-distance hiking, but … … while a strategy of…
The Sacra di San Michele near Turin is Northern Italy’s grandest and most sacred abbey. Italy’s industrial heartland lies within a triangle formed by Genoa, Milan and Torino, but, this being Italy, these three great industrial towns are hardly the equivalent of Dortmund, Manchester or Cleveland and pack a powerful “triple punch” of beautiful architecture,…
If you want to accompany us on the last stage of our Ligurian hill walk, you’d better be ready for some serious climbing In our most recent post, (perhaps a little misguiding) headlined The Five Walks of Finale Ligure, we ultimately gave you only three: a beach promenade, a stroll through the historical centre, and…
This small Riviera seaside town has something for every hiker: two legs, three legs or four This past winter, we have been exploring hiking trails on our local coast, on either side – French as well as Italian – of the Riviera, and what better place to end this series of walks, as the winter…
Apricale may well be the most beautiful but is certainly the most visually stunning of all the towns on the Ligurian hills. It is not only picturesque but also a great base for hiking trips into the Riviera’s mountainous hinterland. Growing out of the cliffside like something perhaps not altogether benign … … the town…
Break within a break Borders within the European Union may have become largely symbolic, scars of ancient conflicts, but there are also places where the underlying wounds are relatively fresh. When you are crossing European borders for a “break within a break”, you should not expect to see a sudden and dramatic change of scenery….
The provincial capital of Bolzano has a long history, rich cultural attractions – and even some lessons for all of us. One thing is for sure when you go hiking in the Gardena Valley: sooner or later you will come to Bolzano, in nearly all respects the hub of the province, if only between trips…
… is how Edward Lear described the Maltese island of Gozo. But that’s not the whole story. In our last post, we gave you a few tips for your autumn city break. Today’s post is all about our own, which will take us to Malta – and not to Malta at the same time. Admittedly,…
It’s back to the Middle Ages on the road from Lefkes to Prodromos – or is it only back to the 1950s? Hiking on the Greek islands is overall a very pleasant experience. The blue skies and the blue sea can be counted on to provide an attractive backdrop, and there are always plenty of…
San Gimignano, the New York of the Middle Ages Truly great hiking trails are a mix of four elements, and the Via Francigena – stretching for nearly 2000 km from Canterbury to Rome – has them all. Firstly and secondly, the Francigena Way features beautiful landscapes and variety: the combination that defines any “good” hiking…