Escon Didopoa

The Colosseum - A Very Roman Attraction

Any trip to Rome, no matter how brief, would be incomplete without a visit to the spectacular Colosseum. This Roman wonder, still majestically symbolising Rome’s wonderful and varied culture of art, architecture and entertainment, would have once been able to seat over 50,000 spectators of bullfights and gladiators. Nowadays thousands upon thousands of tourists flock to see this historical marvel and bathe in the atmosphere it still manages to create.

Situated very centrally in Rome, the Colosseum is in walking distance of most of the city’s other main attractions. There are also plenty of public transport options available in the form of buses and metros, none of which are at all expensive. Don’t be put off by the queues as you arrive. Surprisingly, the ticket counters are very efficient and the queue will go down quickly. There are many private companies now offering guided tours of the Colosseum and allowing you to skip the queues. These tours are usually not worth the excesses they charge, and the queue jumping benefits are only really worthwhile if the queue is bordering the circumference of the structure itself. Beware of persuasive students paid on commission to get as many people as possible signed up to their tour.

Prices for the Colosseum vary depending on age and nationality. It is free for under 18s and over 65s who are E.U. citizens, and European students also receive a discount. The ticket includes not only entrance to the Colosseum itself, but also access to the latest exhibitions and displays as well as to the forum and the beautiful gardens surrounding it.
If the weather is good it is possible to spend a most pleasurable afternoon exploring the Roman ruins, the remains of the large forums and the pillars of the temples. The whole place is soaked in wonderful, historical glory – so wear comfortable shoes, take a picnic and make the most of one of Europe’s most incredible Roman sites.

There are tourist passes available in Rome, where it is possible to buy a ticket for several of the main sights at once at a reduced rate. Information about these tickets along with directions and timetables for public transport to the Colosseum will be available at any respectable hostel or hotel, so ask at reception for details and find out how to best experience the Colosseum in Rome.

If you’re interested in taking a trip to Rome, then I booked a city break through ASDA’s travel website last time. It’s a pretty similar site to Lastminute.com because it offers a wide range of travel options, including flights and accommodation. Just make sure you do a bit of shopping around before you book.

Leaning Towards Pisa - A Few Things to Consider

If you are thinking of travelling to Italy for a holiday then it is worth considering a visit to the historical city of Pisa. Of course the vast majority of people come to visit the famous Leaning Tower but remember that there is a lot more to the city.  If you are thinking of travel to this beautiful area then here are some things that you must remember to look into before you set off, and a few things to do whilst you're there:

Flights

Pisa airport, Galileo Galilei, is one of Tuscany's most popular and busiest airports, second only to Rome. This means that flights to the city area are fairly inexpensive and available on a regular basis. Meanwhile, websites such as Travelzoo offer package holidays to Pisa from a selection of holiday providers. Some of the best deals currently available (15/04/08) are available from ASDA’s travel website.  

Accommodation

If you are looking for a top range hotel then the Relais Dell'Orologio is a good bet. This is a 5-star hotel located in the heart of the city and in a painstakingly restored 14th Century tower house.  A double room costs around 350 EUR per night (around £280.00) and all of the rooms are decorated in lavish style.  There is also a romantic garden that is used for receptions and al fresco breakfasts.

A low cost alternative is The Green Lodge in the Calci district, one of Pisa suburbs. The hotel is situated in a valley called Val Graziosa and surrounded by olive trees. This is possibly making it sound more romantic than it actually - at around £40 a night it really is a no frills hotel. For further hotels and hostels that you can pre-book, take a look at HostelBookers.com.

If you're looking for some thing a little off the beaten track then you may consider the Villa di Corlian, an historic 15th Century mansion between Pisa and Lucca.  The building itself is beautiful and it is surrounded by beautiful landscaped parkland. It is also supposed to be haunted by a beautiful noble woman by the name of Teresa della Seta Bocca Gaetini, who is, it is claimed, often seen moving the tapestries. If you’re looking

Travel Insurance

One last thing to remember is travel insurance. Travel insurance can be bought as single trip or annual cover and which you buy will depend on whether you are intending to travel more than once in a year.  Single trip cover costs in the region of £15 where as annual cover is a little more expensive at around £40.  There are a number of decent travel insurance providers, such as Go Travel, so it is worth shopping around.

Things to Do

Of course the most famous sight in the city is the Leaning Tower, which is located in romantically named Piazza dei Miracoli, or “Field of Miracles”.  Also within the Piazza dei Miracoli is the Duomo di Pisa - Pisa's Romanesque Cathedral.  This Cathedral contains some amazing artworks and has a pulpit designed by Giovanni Pisano in a late Gothic/early Renaissance style.  Nearby is the Santa Maria della Spina a church that supposedly houses one of the thorns said to originate in the crown that Christ wore on the cross.  A more modern sight is the Keith Haring Mural. Keith Haring is a street artist from New York who was commissioned to do this brightly coloured mural around the themes of peace and harmony; the 30 figures depicted tell a story of different aspects of world peace.

Where to Eat

Firstly you could grab a coffee at the Caffe dell'Ussero. Built in 1775, this was a meeting place for famous historical figures such as Giacomo Casanova, the famed seducer, and art and social critic, John Ruskin. If you fancy something more quirky, but with excellent dishes, you could try the Aphrodite I Piaceri della Carne, which translates as “Aphrodite the Pleasure of Meat”.  They have a very creative menu and serve dishes such as rabbit with gnocchi in a cocoa and prune sauce – and it truly is a carnivore’s delight. Finally for that really special night out you could try the ultra-trendy Cagliostro Restaurant. Once again the menu is quite inventive and also it has an excellent wine list, expect a meal including drinks to cost around £75 per head.

Making Your Own Holiday Package

The package holiday is dying. The internet has given seen a sprout in companies that offer each section of a holiday at bargain prices, making it easier, and usually cheaper, to book each part of your holiday yourself. Taking a look at a website such as Travelzoo will put you in good stead for some bargains and cheap flights, but you’ll need to look further afield for other holiday products to give yourself the complete package. Make sure you have a look at hotels as well for booking your holiday, otherwise you might arrive somewhere without anywhere to stay (no one’s stupid enough to do that, are they?) Once you’ve done that you’re all set and ready to go! Well... not quite.

Two things that people often forget about when booking their holidays are travel insurance and airport parking. The first of these is absolutely essential, and skipping it out is really asking for trouble. While an EHIC card will cover you for some medical expenses within the EU, you’ll need proper health cover from an insurance policy, and you may want to pay for the added security of having your possessions and cash covered in the event of misplacement and robbery.

By contrast airport parking isn’t quite as important as making sure you have travel insurance, but if you’re travelling to drive to the airport, then it is an extra cost which you can cut. The key to booking airport parking is the earlier you book, the better. Check out Holiday Extras to see when airport parking is at its cheapest.  Booking early will help you save cash, and you’ll also have a space reserved for you at the airport. If you're after a good travel insurance, check out AA Travel for a whole host of insurance packages to suit all sort of holidays.