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If you’re planning on visiting Borough Market then first: good choice, and second: here’s everything you need to know! Where is Borough Market Address: 8 Southwark Street, London, SE1 1TLBorough Market is situated in Southwark (pronounced SUTH-erk), a district in Central London on the south bank of the River Thames. The market itself is divided […]

When budgeting for your trip to Florence, make sure to factor in the city tax (tassa di soggiorno). Commonly known as the ‘tourist tax’, this may not be included in the listed price of your accommodation, in which case you’ll be asked to pay it directly to the establishment at the end of your stay. […]

When you book accommodation in Rome, make sure to check whether the total amount includes the city tax (tassa di soggiorno). Most of the time, you must pay this extra fee directly to your accommodation at the end of your stay, so make sure to factor it in when budgeting for your trip. How much […]

People often ask us why so much of ancient Rome is underground, peeking up from beneath the street level. We tell them that it helps to think of Rome like a lasagne – a debris-encrusted layer cake of overlapping archaeological levels. The ancient city belies the medieval, the medieval belies the modern, and today’s modern […]

Running along the west bank of Rome’s River Tiber, the medieval district of Trastevere is among the best neighbourhoods in the city for traditional Roman restaurants. Trastevere’s restaurants were the first to ‘fill up’ after the Covid-19 lockdown of 2020, (at least as much as possible). If you consider that Rome wasn’t welcoming tourists, and […]

In Italy, wine is more than just a drink. It’s a vital part of culture and a collective item of indulgence. Every glass you drink in an enoteca (Italian wine bar) comes with a history lesson and story—even when you don’t ask for it—in which your waiter’s distant ancestor plays the protagonist of their family […]

Borough Market is one of London’s must-visits for food lovers looking for an authentic taste of modern British food. Situated right in the heart of central London on the south bank of the River Thames, this covered market features more than 100 stalls across 4.5 acres with traders showcasing a delicious range of traditional and […]

London might not be the first city that comes to mind when it comes to treating your taste buds. But the UK capital is as rich in cuisine and flavors as it is in culture.  TasteAtlas ranks London above Bologna as one of the world’s top food destinations, and while it might not boast the […]

For curious travellers looking for an authentic experience of central Europe, Budapest is simply brilliant. The Hungarian capital has it all: museums, galleries and even a castle; traditional baths; world-famous bar scene; and great beer.  What’s not to love!  We’ve written this guide for first-time travellers to Budapest in which we share our favourite things […]

Lisbon has it all as far as European cities go: stunning architecture, delicious food, and plenty of things to do for all kinds of travelers. But while the Portuguese capital is still relatively affordable, at least compared to the US and other European cities, prices are on the rise—not least because of its thriving expat […]

Taking a cooking class together is one of the most romantic things to do in Rome for couples

Baccalà with lemon from Rome's Jewish Ghetto

Buon Ferragosto a tutti! — Happy Ferragosto, everyone! August 15 is Ferragosto, a public holiday here in Italy and the most eagerly anticipated day in the country’s summer calendar. Italians celebrate Ferragosto by downing tools, taking the day off, and heading for the coast or the cool air mountain air (if indeed they’re not already there). But […]

Rome is a city of secrets, not all of which are above ground. The Eternal City is a lasagne of layers – ancient, medieval and modern, each built on top of another, concealing but preserving the past. And while most travellers limit their itinerary to Rome’s ground-level attractions, like the Colosseum, Vatican, and the must-see […]

The Vatican Library is a modern-day treasure trove and a symbol of the Catholic Church’s intellectual and cultural abundance. From ancient manuscripts to rare books, old coins, and artistic masterpieces, this library offers a glimpse into the immense knowledge accumulated over centuries in Rome’s historic city. This article explores its history, revealing the secrets of […]

Gladiatorial contests were among the most popular forms of entertainment in republican and imperial Rome, and gladiators were rivalled only by charioteers in the riches with which they were rewarded. While our literary sources are lacking in describing gladiatorial combat, gladiators appear elsewhere if you know where to look: mentioned in celebratory graffiti, inscriptions, and […]

Whether you’re a culture vulture, art enthusiast or food aficionado, Rome offers something for everyone. Walking around the city centre can feel like browsing an open-air museum, but the city’s state and private collections are something else entirely. That Rome excels in museums and galleries should hardly be surprising given Rome’s vast heritage. But the […]

Rome is a wonderful city to visit any time of the year, but no season is as special as summer. During the day the city is in full swing with all sites, galleries and restaurants vying for business ahead of the mid-August when Italy’s cities empty. The evenings are cool enough to relax in a […]

Italians have a different idea of night-time to us. Shortly after midday, they switch from saying buongiorno to buonasera — “good evening,” a cultural phenomenon that confuses expats and tourists alike. Then there’s the distinctly Mediterranean evening event of aperitivo, a social gathering which sees friends gather together in bars and squares to sip on […]

Few civilizations in history have left a legacy like ancient Rome. They have given us the basis of our art and architecture, our engineering and education, and in countries like the US, even the political framework that structures our society. Monty Python summed this up best in their iconic sketch from the Life of Brian: […]