Hotel Marchese D'Altavilla Tropea

... my car and started my journey to the famous coastal town of Tropea, only a1 hour drive in southern direction.


Tropea stands on an imposing sandstone cliff, in a charming position. It is an exclusive seaside resort with a modern tourist and fishing harbor and is one of the prettiest and best preserved historical town centers in Calabria.
This lively small coast town also called "Saint Tropez" of the south, has a magnificent medieval ...

... Carere, Vadala, and even Ferraro to name just a few. It was a wonderful feeling to be so far away from home, but feel like you were just around the corner. We sat and drank from the fountain in the main square that I had heard stories about from relatives playing there as kids, and we got to see the balcony behind that fountain where my grandfather grew up. After hearing tales about San Giorgio Morgeto for 30 years, it felt absolutely ...

... not enough time. Next day we catch the ferry to Capri - I've been there on day-trips a couple of times before many, many years ago, but this time we stay for a couple of nights. Even though it's getting towards the end of the season it's still very crowded. During the day boatloads of people visit, but even in the evening the little piazzetta (sorry, it's a tautology, a piazzetta is a little piazza) is completely full of people dressed up to the nines sitting at the outdoor ...

... times. Of course we were curious to see this place as it was all very matter of fact. So up we went, and found a beautiful site overlooking the country and sea with an open air church and two fenced in squares stating the exact dates when Jesus appeared there. Very unusual and for me very strange and rather funny - I can't imagine ever seeing a sign like that in Australia that's for sure!

... contrast with the turquoise crystal-clear water of the sea. The Italian language school itself is located in a beautiful 18th century palazzo. The staff at the Piccola Università Italiana will arrange pleasant accommodations during your stay and will arrange transfers to and from Lamezia Terme airport or the train station, the cost of which is included in the enrolment fee ...

... him into "the father" of the Italian language. Latin continued to be used alongside the vernacular for many centuries to come. Then in 1800, with Alessandro Manzoni, came the linguistic unification of Italy and the Italian language was born - a new language that was not literary but commonplace and comprehensible to all. Italian is ...

... so we're suckers for scenery and that was the road of choice for us, not to mention it wasn't the height of the tourist season so traffic would be at a minimum. A few beach stops at Praia a Mare and Amantea as well as a short stop by a rushing river near Scalea provided enough diversion to break up the drive south. We passed through Pizzo near mid-afternoon and made good time reaching Tropea with daylight to spare ...

Estas fotos son muy especiales porque son de mi primer visita a la hermana de mi bisabuela en Santo Onofrio un pueblo muy chiquitito y humilde de donde salieron los Virdo (familiares paternos). Mucha emocion en la visita y la sorpresa de saber que la hermana de mi bisabuela murio con record de longevidad a los 106! Hasta desde el Vaticano le enviaban saludos.

... view of the town (you can see the ocean from the front), Brought some REALLY cheap clothes and went back to the train station. Stopped at a fruit shop to buy a nectarine and the guy was so surprised I only wanted one so he gave it to me for free! We got to the train station and waited.... and waited..... and no train. We were getting slightly panicky being stuck 30min by train from our hotel and having no transport when arrived the only person in Calabria who can speak english and ...

... a natural Jacuzzi. This is a fair assessment I suppose if you take all the worst aspects of a jacuzzi being "natural". A better characterization is that it was a tepid Jacuzzi with waves, salt water, and sharp rocks and scalding fumaroles lurking under your feet. There was an over-bearing sulphur smell too. At this point, Joe and I agreed that the baths and surrounding beach were all-around bad for the senses ...