No longer on the edge of the world...

Advantages: Only two hours away, compact size
Disadvantages: Didn't have long enough there!

...On 5th March 1946 in Fulton, Missouri, Winston Churchill, then Leader of the Opposition in Great Britain, declared 'From Stettin on the Baltic to Trieste on the Adriatic an iron curtain has descended across the continent.' Until I had cause to visit Trieste earlier this year that is what Trieste meant to me - a quote I learnt at school. It was fitting, then, that Trieste should be an overnight stop on my way to Ljubljana, capital of Slovenia and until the early 1990s behind the 'iron curtain' and firmly within the Soviet sphere of influence as defined by Churchill. Trieste is situated in the far north western corner of Italy in the region of Friulli-Venezia Giulia, which borders Slovenia and Austria. It is a former Habsburg city and this influence is apparent from the architectural styles of its more recent buildings, its cuisine...

fizzytom 22.10.2004 (08.08.2005) · Read review
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Review of Trieste (Italy)

Michael and the Golden Fleecing

Advantages: cheap, enough to occupy you for a few hours, easy to reach
Disadvantages: not that much to see really

...Jason and the Argonauts were said to have stopped in Trieste in the hunt for the Golden Fleece. With this being Italy I had been expecting this to be a case of the Golden Fleecing of a stupid tourist? Read on to see if I got fleeced? --- During my recent trip to Slovenia, I decided to take a day trip to Trieste, especially as it was only just over an hour away by bus from Piran, where I was staying. It also gave me a chance to try and complete a set of Italian Euro coins or two for friends (demanding friends I have!). The other recent was to be able to say that I had visited both ends of the where Churchill?s ?Iron Curtain? stood. Churchill?s quote was as follows: ?From Stettin in the Baltic to Trieste in the Adriatic an Iron Curtain has come down over Europe?, a quote which has of course descended into history. Well...

Morgenhund 23.09.2002 · Read review
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Review of Trieste (Italy)

An enchanting town

Advantages: Breathtaking coastline, enchanting town
Disadvantages: a bit expensive

...Built on the rugged hillside above its beautiful port and the dramatic Adriatic coastline, Trieste is famous for it's marvelous seafood and Vienna-like coffeehouses. But there is much more to enjoy in this marvelous city which was once a part of the Austro-Hungarian Hapsburg Empire. During the year, there are numerous Markets and Fairs in the city. On the third Sunday of every month, the cities love for antiques reflected in the coming together of over 60 or so antique shops, jewellers and second-hand dealers offering Art Nouveau and Secession objects and furniture. On a Monday, take a stroll through the street markets and pick up a few bargains! Trieste offers a huge number of galleries, museums, attractions and sites. If you are interested in art, geological, botanical, mineralogical and historical collections, Trieste offers all...

Mark2003 14.04.2003 · Read review
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Review of Trieste (Italy)

A Day In Capri Italy

Advantages: Lots to see and do
Disadvantages: not enough time

...paying Ciao pronounced Chow Hello Arriverderci Aree'veh'dair'chee Goodbye This got a laugh and two very large glasses of chilled white wine (dry and refreshing). The waiter also brought a large bowl of black olives, a bowl of green olives and a bowl of small salted biscuit's (a bit like pretzels) . This cost about £12.00 and even though its pricey it was worth it. We sat for half an hour and relaxed. Capri's little Piazzetta is one of the best known squares in Italy and is a great place to sit and relax and do a bit of people watching. ~ Parco Augosto-The Gardens Of the Emperor Augustus ~ The garden's of the Emperor...

debmercury 18.03.2008 (14.07.2009) · Read review
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Review of Capri (Italy)

Little Italy, Big Disappointment

Advantages: Dancing is fun
Disadvantages: Dinner overpriced and bland, expensive

...I went to Little Italy a few months ago with my girlfriend and have mixed feelings about the place. Situated on Soho's Frith Street it is the heart of a really buzzy and lively area of London. An area in which you are spoilt for choice for dining, especially with Italian restaurants, you have to be doing something right to survive. Little Italy is a restaurant, bar and club. In the latter two it succeeds, in the former, not so. As a restaurant, the first thing you'll notice is the abundance of staff waiting to wait on you but somehow unwilling to do so or be helpful. Then there is the food itself, which is grotesquely overpriced at about £30 per head excluding drinks. The bruchetta was like oiled cardboard and our main meat dish favouring better but still fairly bland. So much so I can't even remember what meat it was, probably beef...

Nixu1980 19.10.2009 · Read review
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Review of Little Italy, London

  Italy For Beginners

Advantages: it´s nice
Disadvantages: none

...So you´re thinking of travelling to Italy and getting to know the country? If you like shock treatment, fly straight to the South, to Naples or Palermo, and throw yourself into the street life there, if you prefer things to move more slowly, though, it may be a good idea to start exploring the country from the town of Trento, 140 km south of the Austrian/Italian border. It is the first ´real´ Italian town, the area north of it, South Tyrol, is more Austrian due to its history, it only became part of Italy after WW 1. Many people there are bilingual, if they want to become civil servants, they must know Italian and German. The valley of the river Adige on whose banks Trento is situated has been inhabited since prehistoric times it having been one of the main branches of the amber route. The Romans built streets there (The Romans...

MALU 04.03.2005 (30.09.2005) · Read review
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Review of Trento (Italy)

The Gate to Italy

Advantages: nice scenery & architecture, fine cuisine, great shops, very relaxing place
Disadvantages: nothing REALLY spectacular in a country full of attractions

...Just a few miles south of the Swiss border, Como is the first town in Italy. Very different in style and culture to Italy's thriving cities, Mediterranean holiday resorts and antique sights, Como exudes the mild charm of Lombardy region. I was a bit surprised myself when I realised that I hadn't written anything yet on Ciao about one of my favourite countries, Italy. So when famous Ciaoer ConnaisseurHaggler said she was going to nearby Milano two weeks ago, I decided it was time I introduced the northern Italian region of Lombardy, and its pearl, Como. Como is two things in one - the city of Como, and the Lago di Como (lake). It is not really a holiday destination for itself, but a place which you shouldn't miss when you are nearby. 1) Como is ideal for a day trip or weekend getaway from Milan, if you want to escape hectic...

From_The_Continent 22.03.2001 (24.03.2001) · Read review
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Review of Como (Italy)

A week's successful holiday in St. Agnello, Sorrento (Italy)

Advantages: Excellent, inexpensive public transport
Disadvantages: Traffic is very heavy don't even consider a hire car

...Eight days in St. Agnello, Sorrento, Italy. We have just returned from a very successful week in Sorrento. Arriving at Naples Airport we took the regular bus service to Sorrento as far as St. Agnello which is once stop before Sorrento itself. The journey time should be one hour and the single fare was 10.0?. Having poured over many reviews of hotels in Sorrento area we chose the Alpha and found it to be the Alpha and Omega of Hotels. We couldn?t have asked for anything better; from the moment we walked through the front door we could see that we were going to like it. We were met by a cheerful, smiling, English speaking receptionist who greeted us with the news that they had decided to upgrade our room to a panoramic one with a balcony without extra charge. We were booked for bed and breakfast but after the first evening...

Tibblington 24.05.2009 · Read review
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Review of Sorrento (Italy)

A little bit of Spain in Italy!

Advantages: Busy town in Northern sardinia, good base
Disadvantages: Small airport

...Alghero known in Latin as Algarium, is on the West coast of Sardinia, in the province of Sassari. The name is derived from something, which might be off-putting, as it means "the place of algae"! However, I thought it was a lovely little town and enjoyed my brief stay there. Alghero, the tourism capital of northern Sardinia, is a fascinating town of immense historical interest, which also has excellent beaches. It can be lively, vibrant and cosmopolitan in the holiday season when there are open markets, bars and restaurants, which cater for most tastes. There are quality hotels and apartments, which complement the traditional tourist amenities, which are transforming Alghero into one of the most popular tourist destinations in Italy. Founded on a peninsula facing the Bay of Alghero early in the 12th Century, it was taken from...

jo145 03.10.2005 · Read review
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Review of Alghero, Sardinia (Italy)

My favourite corner of Italy!

Advantages: Very friendly and great food!
Disadvantages: I don't go often enough!

...the surrounding hills. Towards the end of August is also worth avoiding as thats when most of Italy shuts down for the summer holidays and it gets very busy. In may and September, the weather has usually been fine. Sunny enough to catch a good tan, but not so hot that you cant get around without feeling very uncomfortable. THE FOOD Good found is to be found all over Italy and Sorrento is no exception. The local cuisine is to die for with plenty of choice of venues to suit all budgets. Italy has a reputaion of being expensive, probably a reputaion which has clung to it since people began straying from the Costa's in numbers. Nowadays, Italy is no more expensive than like for like in the UK. As you would expect, pizzas are fabulous - thin crispy bases cooked in most places in real wood burning pizza ovens on stone slabs. Most things you would...

klofron 22.05.2007 (19.05.2007) · Read review
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Review of Sorrento (Italy)