We’re heading for Ortigia – Syracuse’s island heart. Packed full of history and architecture. It may be small but it’s crammed with over 2,500 years of history. As we head to Ortigia we pass The Fountain of Diana by Giulio Moschetti At Diana’s feet, Alpheus looks on as his love interest Arethusa turns into a fountain after she asks for helpContinue reading “Ortigia island”
Tag Archives: architecture
Palermo Cathedral and surrounds
We head onwards from the market to take a look at some of the main architectural treats that the city has to offer. Below is the Palazzo dei Normanni or the Royal Palace of Palermo. This was the seat of the Kings of Sicily during the Norman domination and served afterwards as the main seat of powerContinue reading “Palermo Cathedral and surrounds”
San Giuseppe dei Teatini
San Giuseppe dei Teatini is a Baroque marvel of a church opposite the Fountain of Shame. It’s a colourful spectacle that shouldn’t be missed. The church, also close to the Quattro Canti, is considered one of the most outstanding examples of the Sicilian Baroque in Palermo. The church was built at the beginning of theContinue reading “San Giuseppe dei Teatini”
The Fountain of Shame!
In the heart of Palermo’s Piazza Pretoria, stands Fontana Pretoria, the work of sculptor Francesco Camilliani in 1554 and 1555 It’s decorated with animal heads, nymphs, monsters, ornamental staircases and balustrades as well as the gods and goddesses who make up the inhabitants of Mount Olympus. However, this ornate decorative wonder was not exactly welcomed with open armsContinue reading “The Fountain of Shame!”
Sicily – chaos incarnate!
Finally getting around to document (in painfully minute detail) the latest Italian trip, this time to the island of Sicily. Sicily conquers up images of brooding Mount Etna, the shadowy tentacles of organised crime and chaotic excitement around every grimy corner. Well it certainly does chaos and grime fairly well I will freely admit! WeContinue reading “Sicily – chaos incarnate!”
Karterados village
The traditional village of Karterados is built beside a stream in a ravine and its existence is recorded back to the 17th century. The original dwellings are cave houses built deep into the rock face and there’s a lovely traditional windmill in the main village square. During the 19th century Karterados was one of the largest seaContinue reading “Karterados village”
Trinkets and seaviews
Oia is the photographic gift that just keeps giving I am afraid peeps! So brace yourself for a couple more posts of this little whitewashed slice of heaven. Everything is just so darned photogenic! Whether it’s colourful pumice stones to a trio of weathered doors, Neil genuinely feared that I would never let us leave.Continue reading “Trinkets and seaviews”
Oh Oia!
For many years now I have dreamt of capturing a certain image. A single blue dome, atop a blindingly white building, isolated against a breath stopping sea view. And the location of this haunting image? Oia, a tumbling town at the North West of Santorini. Oia is carved out of the cliffs, and visitors canContinue reading “Oh Oia!”
Cliff top views
One of the best ways to appreciate the stunning views over the caldera and to experience some of the exquisite (and expensive) cave house hotels is to walk the clifftop between Fira and Oia. It will apparently take you three hours to cover the 9 km distance from Fira to Oia. However, we didn’t make it allContinue reading “Cliff top views”
Fabulous Fira
Our first excursion of the holiday is to the gorgeous capital of the island – Fira. A jumble of white houses tumbling down the cliff face to the azure sea. Firá derives its name from an alternative pronunciation of “Thíra”, the ancient name of the island itself. The city of white-washed houses is built on theContinue reading “Fabulous Fira”