Sub Categories in Travel

Category of: Travel

The markets of Rome: Campo de Fiori, market “rules” and foodie places near the market

March 8, 2016

Traditional open air food markets are a function of a life style that is sadly disappearing. They are meant for daily shopping for ingredients for dinner that night, along with a a crusty loaf of bread and local wine. This life style is on its way out even in places like Rome, where restaurants and conveniently located neighbourhood supermarkets are redefining the eating and shopping habits of todays’ households. That’s not to say however that markets... View Article

Street food Roman style – what it is and where to get it

February 24, 2016

If Romans have to break the holly ritual of sitting down for lunch in early afternoon they do it in a very specific way. There is no grabbing a chocolate bar or a 16 oz caramel macchiato (both non-existent in Italy) as a substitute for food. They may not have time for a sit down lunch, but they still eat real food.   Pizza bianca The most common and authentic fast food in Rome is... View Article

Florence: the art of the aperitivo

February 11, 2016

Feature B&W  image above used with special permission from the Ruth Orkin Photo Archive, American Girl in Italy, 1951, Copyright 1952, 1980 Ruth Orkin. Italian food culture is very seductive. It lures you with its rituals and once you are hooked, it’s hard to turn back. And why would you want to turn back anyway? One of the rituals that we engaged in while travelling in Italy was the aperitivo and Florence in particular raised this ceremony... View Article

photo credit

Rome – the Spanish Steps for Foodies

February 3, 2016

The Spanish Steps in the heart of Rome is probably the best known and most visited part of a town so full of historical monuments. Originally the steps were constructed to connect the Spanish embassy to the church Trinita dei Monti on top. Today, the Spanish Embassy is located at the magnificent Palazzo Borghese off Via del Corso, extending all the way to the river, quite a sight. Later  the Spanish Steps and Piazza di... View Article

Rome – the Pantheon for foodies

January 28, 2016

Usually I am wary of eating around historical monuments but this is not necessarily true for Rome. We have found some incredible food near places like the Spanish Steps, the Pantheon and even Piazza Navona. Today was a take it easy day as we are wrapping up our 6 weeks stay in Rome. I can’t say that I “know” Rome like a local but I do feel that I got a good sense of the... View Article

Carnevale di Venezia – masks, costumes, boats and fritelle

January 26, 2016

Masks are an integral part of Venetian history and there is no better time to see them (and wear them) than during the annual Carnevale di Venzia, an event with historical roots that go back several centuries. This year’s carnevale takes place between January 23 and Feb 9 and we took the high speed train from Rome to Venice to participate in the opening weekend festivities of the famous event.   We arrived a day... View Article

Rome’s Hotel Hassler – reliving a moment in time

January 18, 2016

Cover image credit I was recently asked by a friend what my favourite culinary experience was during my travels. After giving it some thought I realized that my favourite experience was not as much about the taste of the food as it was about the setting and how it was experienced. And my most memorable food experience was here in Rome many years ago when I was still in my 20s. I was visiting Rome... View Article

When in Rome…….the food “Rules”

January 16, 2016

When we travel, I try to learn about local customs and adapt to them the best I can. Most places are pretty lax about “rules” and you only have to figure out a couple of local customs, but when it comes to Italy, food is a serious business and there are “rules” to follow if you don’t want to annoy the locals to no end, which occasionally we manage to do. Take coffee for example.... View Article

Rome – food tour with Context Travel

January 10, 2016

Whether you are a foodie or not, one of the best ways to get a sense of local culture is through its food and I can’t think of a better place to do this than in Rome. In Italy food is important, and Italians take the time to enjoy it in a way that is unique and truly inspiring. To do a food tour it’s always best to sign up with a local company and... View Article

Rome – pasta workshop with Elvira Zilli

January 4, 2016

Before we left for Italy my Roman friend Gabri Ella Stone of Gaby’s Italian Kitchen introduced me (online) to her friend Elvira Zilli, a foodie and a blogger living just outside of Rome. I checked out Elvira’s blog EZy Cooking and More and was taken with her photography, food and engaging prose. I emailed Elvira asking if she was offering any cooking classes or food tours. Here is what she said: “I think I know... View Article

Rome – took some getting used to

January 1, 2016

We left Florence by train, travelling to Rome in executive class. First class was fine as well but I was curious about travelling executive and wanted to experience it en route to Rome. Our luggage has grown by a suitcase by now so we accepted the offer of a porter to pile our luggage onto his cart, drop us and the luggage off in a cafe at the station, come back to get us when... View Article

Adler Thermae Spa – a luxurious Tuscan interlude

December 26, 2015

My built in GPS for luxurious experiences hit gold when it navigated to the lobby of the 5 star Adler Thermae Spa and Relax Resort in Val d’Orcia of southern Tuscany. There is more to Tuscany than meets the eye and the hot springs of the Bagno Vignoni are one of the secrets yet to be discovered. We took a few days off our month-long stay in Florence to indulge in the healing qualities of the... View Article