Once upon a time there was a convent. This convent was very old and tired, its walls were falling down and the roof had many holes. The convent was sad because no one lived there anymore. And it was used to having many occupants; the nuns of the Confraternity of Saint Mary of the Disciplined [...]
And the waters ran red with blood…
By Alexandra Redisch at Lake Trasimeno Last April I found myself in a palazzo in Umbria, listening to enthusiastic Hannibal scholar, professor Giovanni Brizzi. He walks me through the epic battle that played out on the banks of Lake Trasimeno more than two thousand years ago. This is where the Roman army met the fearsome Hannibal of Carthage, [...]
Torre Argentina: Cats among Roman ruins
By Alexandra Redisch and the stray cats in Rome If you, like me, have a tendency to wander about new cities with no special purpose or goal, you sometimes end up at the most amazing places. Not having a defined destination is liberating to me. The goal itself is to wander and experience the feeling [...]
The Renaissance man from Vinci
Who’s in your ideal circle of friends? My list is long, and most are long gone. Near the top is a man who was born in this house in Vinci.
San Gimignano: tall towers and heavenly wine
We arrived in Tuscany late one night, much too late to see anything. But early next morning, at the patio breakfast table of our cosy farmhouse inn, Cat, my youngest, pointed to some towers on a hill in the distance. This, we were told, was San Gimignano. The towers looked elusive and mysterious and [...]
The Lion, the Witch and the Wardrobe – the real Narnia
Civitas Narniae, the Romans called it. C. S. Lewis named his imaginary world after the town in central Italy. Narni then, is the real Narnia.
A taste of Italy: Umbria Agriturismo il Mandoleto
Hello there, Alex here – again. During my recent visit in gorgeous Umbria, we stopped off for lunch at Agriturismo Il Mandoleto – a farm with apartments and a restaurant near Perugia. It was hands down one of the best meals I’ve ever had. We were greeted in a winter garden where we had appetizers: [...]
Alex and the Chocolate Factory: how to make chocolate
How to make chocolate: Slice, melt, pour. Then mix filling: cream, butter, lemon peel, white chocolate and Limoncello. Mmm… Limoncello…
Welcome! I'm Sophie - writer, dreamer, negotiator, wanderer, mum - in search of the world's curious places. Mostly with my daughters, sometimes solo. The girls share their take on it, too.
As seen in
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Pets, pools and pennies at the Hemingway House, Key West -
The Lion, the Witch and the Wardrobe – the real Narnia -
Atlantic Canada: Lively Lunenburg -
Canada Road Trip: Vancouver to Calgary, the Scenic Route -
Cape Byron Lighthouse
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Viva Bahia, a fabulous Majorca family hotel -
Greece: A guide for history buffs -
Norfolk Coast Path: horizons -
The lonely convent -
A taste of New Orleans
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The Guy: Thanks for the review. It sounds like a great priv...
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InsideJourneys: I\'d love to be on one of those Balinese beds righ...
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Mette - Italian Notes: Is it like washing gold in Legoland? Did you find ...
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Jackie Smith: Must keep this place in mind. Certainly looks lik...
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Johanna at ZigaZag: Please can I also go to the pool jacuzzi with Bali...
