Travel Tips

From the Casa di Octavius quartio a painting of Narcissus (left) who fell in love with his image and then fell in the water and drowned while on the right is Pyramus whose lover thought he had been killed by a bee but it was a lion which is shown skulking in the background. She then killed herself with his sword and her blood caused the mulberries to be red.

Amalfi, with its remnants of fishing and history always visible.

Positano, one of Italy's most famous coastal villages on one of the world's great seaside drives.

Ravello
“The coast between Reggio and Gaeta is the most beautiful in Italy. One of the most enchanting spots on it is Ravello, where many rich men live; one of these was extremely rich and his name was Landolfo Rufolo”…(G. Boccaccio) As we see in the 4th novella in the 2nd day of the Decameron, the scenery and the monuments of Ravello, which was founded as a roman colony in the 6th century A.D. were already famous centuries ago. Perched on a 350 ft high cliff overlooking the blue sea of the Amalfi Coast, it has conserved its historical monuments through the ages in a natural setting which has few equals in the world. One of the most important monuments is the Cathedral, founded in 1086, where one can admire the Ambo and the Pulpit decorated with Byzantine mosaics, relics as the bust of Sigilgaita Rufolo, the splendid bronze doors by Barisano da Trani and the museum situated in the crypt. Villa Rufolo is the garden where Richard Wagner found his magical garden of Klingsor for the 2nd act of Parsifal, on May 26th 1880; it is for that reason that the Wagner Festival takes place every year, during the month of July. It is also the seat of European University Centre for the Cultural Heritage.
Villa Cimbrone the other garden of Ravello, and is famous for its breathtaking Belvedere, from which one can admire “ the most beautiful view in the world” as says Gore Vidal, honorary citizen of Ravello. Other who have stayed here are D.H. Lawrence, author of “Lady Chatterley’s lover” and Greta Garbo, who came here with her lover Leopold Stokowski, as inscribed on a plaque at the entrance of the avenue of the villa. Complete the list of monuments which can be visited as one strolls along the streets and alleyways of this enchanting town: the church of San Giovanni del Toro, with its Pulpit in mosaic by Alfano da Termoli; the churches of Santa Maria a Gradillo and Santissima Annunziata, that has recently been restored and transformed into a conference hall; Villa Episcopio, that was Villa di Sangro, where King Vittorio Emmanuelle III signed his abdication in favour of his son Umberto II and where Jacqueline Kennedy also stayed on a memorable holiday; the cloister of the 13th century convent of St. Francesco with his library, and the Piazza Fontana Moresca.

Mosaic of a dog from the Casa de Pacquius Procolus. Every time I see a Roman dog I am reminded of "Cave Canum" - Beware of the Dog which, I am reliably informed, was not to warn people to avoid being bitten originally but so they would avoid stepping on the creature as they mainly had small dogs for pets.

Mensa Ponderaria at the Forum in Pompeii. This is one of the first things you come across if you're one of the two million plus annual sea of humanity that wanders the vias of this ancient town. If you're that way inclined you might follow the phallic trail to the brothel and view the art works of sexual positions in the rooms. The really good stuff is in the museum at Napoli (see elsewhere).