Nikedun Blog

Venice is a city with a reputation for being beautiful but expensive, so I'm going to give you a few tips to make it a bit more affordable. Some of the city's most stunning sights don't cost anything. Entry to the Basilica di San Marco is free of charge, and there are also free guided tours between April and October.  Wandering around the city costs nothing of course, and you can easily spend a lot of time wandering around the winding lanes lined with antique dealers and glass merchants - just make sure you take a map, it's easy to get lost!  Venice's bustling Rialto Market is where people have been shopping since 1097, and there's no better show in town! The produce is unloaded from barges which start arriving at dawn, and by 8am the vendors are bargaining with customers! It's best to arrive early, and you can buy wonderful ingredients here for a cheap and healthy picnic - another way to save money. A visit to Venice wouldn't be c...

When I think of Rome, it conjures up images of sightseeing on warm sunny days, and sitting at cafes watching the world go by. I have decided to visit the city in the winter time, to see it without the huge crowds and long queues at the main sights. The reason for my trip? Well pop back to my blog next week and you'll find out! Arrivederci!

I'm just back from an absolutely wonderful trip to the Eternal City of Rome. Why is it called that? Well the ancient Romans believed that no matter what happened to the world, Rome would go on forever. I like to think that's true because it's one of my favourite places in the world! I have so much to share with you from my trip - places to visit; top tips, and wonderful restaurants to try out. Watch this space over the coming weeks and months as I share them with you!

On my recent trip to Rome, I wanted to be right in the middle of the action. A friend who is a regular visitor to the city suggested it was more economical to stay near the sights than on the outskirts simply because I'd spend the money I'd saved on cheaper accommodation on public transport. I have found a gem that I'm going to share with you - and before I tell you where it is - how about this for a room with a view? As you may have guessed, Hotel Abruzzi is right opposite the fabulous Pantheon in the beautiful Piazza de la Rotunda. Despite the square being filled with tourists day and night, there is no duduk perkara with noise here. I'm a light sleeper, but never had a duduk perkara - the double glazing is superb! The hotel has just 26 rooms which have all been recently renovated, and are decorated with images of ancient Rome. They're well appointed and come equipped with a hairdryer; tea and coffee making facilities, and free wifi.  Breakf...

One of the highlights of a trip to Rome is the view from the top of St Peter's Basilica. Now if any of you are going to skip reading further because you suffer from vertigo, then don't.....I do too! You do have to be reasonably fit to do this - there are 551 steps to get to the top, although my top tip is to take the elevator to roof level, which saves you 320 steps! When you come out of the elevator you're inside the dome, designed by Michelangelo, looking down on the basilica - and this was the one bit where my vertigo did kick in a bit! The climb to the top is done by narrow sloping stairs, and if you are claustrophobic then this could be the difficult bit for you. The stairs are so narrow that you end up leaning to the right over the dome as you near the very top! Stick in there though, because this is your reward at the end...... It's a real iconic view, but nothing beats seeing it for yourself. One thing to note - there is a strict dress code - no...

This week you get three photos instead of the usual one, because when I got back from my trip to Rome a few months ago, and started looking through some of my photos, here seemed to be a bit of a theme going on....bikes! On every street here seemed to be one chained up, ready to be ridden home from work, or even used as part of a pretty display outside a clothing shop with flowers in the basket.  It didn't seem right to choose one and leave the others out, so I decided to extend my post this week to feature them all!  I remember a few years ago after coming back from Sicily, I had taken a huge amount of photos of the cute little Fiat 500's, and framed them all together in my house...I might have to do the same this time with the Roman bikes!

I believe you can't go to Rome without visiting the Colosseum; and having visited earlier this year, I have some insider tips to help you plan your visit and make it the best it can be. For the first time in history you can take a tour of the underground level, and combine it with a trip to the highest third tier level, which is open for the first time since the 1970s. This way, you get to learn about ancient Roman civilization, and you see it how the gladiators saw it, as you make your way through the tunnels where lions and tigers roared while the gladiators prepared to fight.  As they're trying to protect the areas below ground; access is limited to one tour per slot, so rather than fighting the crowds you'll be with a maximum of 24 people. It is so unbelievably atmospheric down there, you can let your imagination run wild as your guide tells you about the history of the underground areas. When you're taken to the third tier, that is equally as mind bl...

Bologna has a reputation of being the cultural capital of Italy, but the city has a lot more to offer alongside its wonderful food. It also has three interesting nicknames - la dotta - the educated; la grassa - the fat, and la rossa - the red. Founded in 1088, it's Europe's oldest university town - hence the first nickname - and thousands of students are drawn to the city for their student exchange programme. The university is famed for its medical school and the anatomical theatre can still be visited today! The fat nickname is probably easier for you to work out! Some of the traditional recipes from this region include the famous ragu tagliatelle, and mortadella - a large pork sausage which is typical of the city. There is even a theme park (Fico Eataly World) dedicated to food, and with so many wonderful restaurants, it's no surprise that it's hard not to put on weight when visiting Bologna! One thing you must visit are the food markets - they're ...

Tomorrow sees the start of the legendary Milan-Sanremo cycling race - the longest one day race in the professional calendar. It's the 109th edition of the race , and is famously referred to as the 'Sprinters Classic'. Contenders race over 291km, before finishing the competition with a flying descent into the Ligurian city of Sanremo.  If you're inspired by those sprinters; love cycling, or just love stunning scenery, then this part of Italy is definitely worth a look. It's in the northwest of the country, and is also known as the Italian Riviera.  The long and narrow coastal region is recognised for its capital Genoa, the UNESCO World Heritage Cinque Terre villages, and for being the home of pesto! Renowned for its incredible beaches, beautifully preserved medieval villages, stunning mountains and unique cuisine - what's not to like!

Sorrento is known as the gateway to the Amalfi coast, but it's also a great place to visit even if you don't plan to travel around too much. It has a real buzz about it, and I've found a beautiful place to retreat to after a busy day exploring the sights. La Rupe Relais is a B&B with 6 rooms on the ground floor of a 16th century villa situated just five minutes walk from the old town. The building is a real landmark in Sorrento. It sits on a gorge which houses the remains of an ancient mill, and has beautiful gardens to relax in.  The rooms are furnished in an old Italian style, with antique furniture and elegant tapestries. They all have a private bathroom; mini fridge; safe; wi-fi and TV. The best thing is that even though you're in the centre of town, they're lovely and peaceful! There is also a pool in the gardens - a real relief to return here in the afternoon to cool off in the summer. As for the breakfast there are lots of choices...

Sometimes I find places on my travels that are so good, I really don't want to share them! I know it's selfish, but today's hidden gem is so good, I can't not tell you about it. Before I go any further, how would you feel waking up to this view every morning?  This was the stunning scenery that I enjoyed from my bedroom at La Fenice, a wonderful family run bed and breakfast in Positano. I stumbled upon it by chance, and by the time I left I not only felt like I was a member of the family, but I also realised I had found one of my favourite places in the world.  The property spans three hectares of the Amalfi coast. It's perched on a hill with villas and cottages that drop down a series of steps, right down to the Tyrrhenian sea. One word of warning - if you don't like steps this place might not be for you, but you may also find Positano a tricky place to visit because there are steps everywhere. For those who aren't daunted by that - you...

I love taking photos of animals when I'm travelling, and I spotted this cute character when I was on holiday in Capri. I was initially taking a photo of the stunning beautiful building but then I noticed the little face peering through the balustrades. I thought it was a nice holiday snap, but the story gets even better.  A few days later, I was chatting to a waiter in a restaurant and happened to show him the photo on my camera. He said "Oh I know that dog, she's called Chanel, her owner sprays her with Chanel perfume before they go out for a walk!" I always knew Capri was an exclusive island, but that story took the biscuit - the dog biscuit.....of course!