This is the amazing view from the top of where once stood a grand marble temple to Apollo and Artemis, across the bay from Parikia in Paros. You really feel like you are at the centre of the Cyclades from this point, able to see the islands of Delos, Mykonos, Naxos, Syros and Sifnos appearing … Continue reading Centre of the Cyclades
Travel
Artsy Quarter
So I'm not usually a fan of graffiti at all, even when it can be described as 'artsy' compared to the usual spray paint scribbles. But I changed my mind here in the student quarter of Limassol where a touch of vibrant colour has been added to every available surface. A festival is held every … Continue reading Artsy Quarter
Rugged luxury
The island of Capri is an incredible rock outcrop in the Bay of Naples that has been a symbol of luxury and decadence for thousands of years. The Roman emperor Tiberius had his Villa Iovis pleasure palace built here and today the island is full of five star hotels for the wealthy. Taking a boat trip around the … Continue reading Rugged luxury
Central Point
This photo was actually taken whilst on a moving coach! The way the clock tower of the nearby village just outside Delphi stuck out of this promontory hill was an incredible view. It was almost as if the whole Parnassus mountain range was revolving around this point as we drove past it. Rather appropriate considering … Continue reading Central Point
Surrender All
Bobbing along in the sea with a local fisherman from Pylos as the sun was setting, the uninhabited island of Sphakteria stood defiant before us. It was here in 425BC that 292 Spartan soldiers surrendered to the Athenians having been isolated on the island since defeat at the Battle of Pylos. This was a great … Continue reading Surrender All
God Gaze
A river god looks out from theFontana dei Quattro Fiumi. A Bernini masterpiece from 1651, the 'Fountain of the Four Rivers' stands in the heart of Piazza Navonna and includes a large obelisk at its centre. It was commissioned for Pope Innocent X whose palace faced onto the piazza and the four river gods represent … Continue reading God Gaze
Lookout
As Albania is still based on small communities, when you get to a viewpoint you are looking at the same scenery people have looked at for hundreds of years. This is particularly the case at Phonike - an ancient Hellenistic city built on a plateau ridge looking out towards the port at Butrint. It is … Continue reading Lookout
Peter Prevails
Dan Brown lovers might remember the Vatican obelisk from Angels and Demons where the intrepid symbologist Robert Langdon makes a 'point' about how odd it is for such a pagan monument to be at the heart of the Catholic church. There isn't actually anything particularly strange about this though. Caligula brought this obelisk over from … Continue reading Peter Prevails
It’s in the detail
It's all too easy when visiting places to take the obvious picture of the grand facade or a sweeping landscape... but these don't interest me as much as it's the close up details which you can't see in magazines/books/websites that you want to remember and make visiting sites a special experience. So here is the underside … Continue reading It’s in the detail
Drama Submerged
It is said that here at Butrint, the Trojan hero, Aeneas, met Hector's enslaved widow Andromache weeping at her fate. As a major city in ancient Epirus over several centuries, Butrint has some great remains to see from different time periods including a basilica, baptistery and Venetian towers. The great finds on display in the … Continue reading Drama Submerged
Laura Aitken-Burt 