Foto: Vesuvius from Naples (bron: Ronald van der Veer)
Italy - From Pompeii, a local bus runs to Mount Vesuvius. The next bus departs around 1:00 PM. We quickly buy a sandwich and walk to the stop. The driver gestures for us to just get on. It seems we’ll pay later. The bus heads toward the volcano. At the base of the mountain, a winding road begins. At each turn, the driver honks loudly to warn oncoming traffic. Then the bus makes a wide curve upward. With each turn, the view of Naples becomes more beautiful. Halfway up, the driver stops the bus. “Photo, photo,” he says. Everyone gets out to take pictures of Naples and the harbor. The driver also points out the solidified lava flow from the last eruption in 1944. Back on the bus, he comes by to sell tickets. The bus is still parked on the side of the mountain road—an unusual location. A few bends later, the bus stops again. This time we buy entrance tickets for Vesuvius National Park. The actual park entrance is 300 meters further on. Everyone gets off for the final time. From the park entrance, a hiking trail leads up the volcano’s slope. The path is fairly steep. On the right, we have views of Naples, more than a thousand meters below. On the left, the crater of the volcano comes ever closer. Occasionally, a small rock rolls down the hillside. You have to stay alert. After about thirty minutes of climbing, we reach the crater of Vesuvius. Only a small plume of smoke reveals the volcano’s activity. It’s special to be standing on top of the famous Vesuvius. I enjoy the view and the crater. The way back—downhill—is much easier.
Florence
Italy - Florence is located in the photogenic region of Tuscany, in the heart of Italy. Known as the cradle of the Renaissance, the city is filled with architectural masterpieces and artworks from that era and earlier. The most famous example is Michelangelo’s ...
The Ancient City of Pompeii
Italy - We disembark and follow the stream of tourists to the entrance of the ancient city of Pompeii. Around the beginning of the Common Era, Pompeii was a thriving Roman city with 20,000 inhabitants. In 79 AD, it was buried under a four-meter-thick layer of ...
The Cinque Terre fishing villages
Italy - With the map in hand, we begin the hike to Vernazza. Just outside Monterosso, the narrow trail ascends. Via stone steps, we climb into the hills. Behind us, we have a beautiful view of Monterosso. The weather alternates between cloudy and sunny. At times ...
The Colosseum
Italy - The Flavian Amphitheater, better known as the Colosseum, was built in the 1st century AD in Rome and was the largest amphitheater in the Roman Empire. It was constructed by the so-called Flavian emperors. Construction began under Emperor Vespasian in ...
The Leaning Tower of Pisa
Italy - The (leaning) Tower of Pisa is the freestanding bell tower of the cathedral in Pisa. The tower is one of the main landmarks of the Piazza dei Miracoli. Its architects were Gugilmo and Buonanno. Shortly after construction began in August 1173, the tower ...
The Monastery of San Fruttuoso
Italy - Today we’re visiting Portofino—a picturesque town on the edge of a peninsula. Due to its sheltered location and tourist appeal, parking is difficult. Rates go up to six euros per hour. As an alternative, we park in Santa Margherita, a town earlier ...
The old district of Naples
Italy - Today we’re heading out to explore the old city. As soon as we leave the main Via Armando Diaz, we enter a very narrow alleyway. At every corner, it’s uncertain whether the alley continues or ends at a house. It turns out it continues—though the ...
The Rolli Palaces of Genoa
Italy - Along the Via Garibaldi, the palaces of Genoa stand in a row. In 1576, the Republic of Genoa compiled a list of the city’s most important noble palaces. The palaces on this list, the Palazzi dei Rolli, had the privilege of hosting state guests. Most ...
Venice
Italy - When we arrive in Venice by train, we are not yet in the city itself. The main train station is on the mainland. From there, shuttle trains run to the heart of Venice. Ten minutes later, we pull into the station in central Venice. As I step out of the ...