Imperia, Italy

While in the south of France last month I took a side trip to Imperia, Italy which lies along the Ligurian Coast on the Italian Riviera. Imperia was created by Mussolini in the 1920s when he combined Porto Maurizio, Oneglia and surrounding villages.

Oneglia has a colorful harbor with a variety of eateries lining it. Yachts and fishing boats share space in the harbor.

Porto Maurizio is a hilltop medieval village overlooking the Mediterranean.

You can easily spend hours wondering its steep alleys and back streets. 

Both tend to be less visited than some of the more tony neighbors, such as San Remo. This is part of their appeal in my opinion.  They are worth a visit if you happen to find yourself in the vicinity.

These are a few the images I took while there.

Ventimiglia Italy

The first stop on the coastal railway in Italy east of the Cote d’Azur, Ventimiglia is an often overlooked border town. Travelers typically stop long enough to catch trains to other parts of the country. 

But perched high on a hill overlooking the new town center and Mediterranean is the medieval old town. It has all the accoutrements that typically draw travelers to old towns – a cathedral, cobblestone lanes, centuries old homes leaning toward one another and squares tucked away where you least expect them.

Part of its charm is that it has not been turned into a vacation home, tourist trap. Many of its peaceful narrow streets look like they have been preserved from a time taking place at least five decades ago. Strolling through it one afternoon I pictured it in black and white as well as color.

Are there any border towns that you would recommend exploring instead of just passing through?  

Staircases From Around The World

Sometimes a staircase is just a way to get you where you need to go. But staircases can also be pieces of art, archaeology and places to meet.

How about climbing a stairway to nowhere in a surrealist sculpture garden built in the Mexican jungle by an eccentric Englishman? 

Cascading down the sides of one of India’s oldest and deepest step-wells, Chanda Baodi, are steep stairs you’ll have to navigate with care.

Most who travel to Rome will at some point walk by and perhaps even sit and watch the world go by on the Spanish Steps.

This post was inspired by a piece in Travel & Leisure on the World’s Coolest Staircases in which the image of Las Pozas above was featured.

Bridges From Around The World

Some of the most iconic travel images worldwide are of bridges.

The Golden Gate Bridge is amongst the most photographed bridges in the world and on many travelers’ itineraries when visiting San Francisco.

Sant Angelo Bridge spanning the Tiber River in Rome is pedestrian only. It was built in 134 AD long before the automobile was invented.

Some Bridges are pilgrimages for travelers not because of their architectural appeal but for their historical significance. Freedom Bridge in Paju, South Korea was used to repatriate POWs returning from the North.

More than 5,000 people walk across the Brooklyn Bridge every day, many of them tourists. It rivals the Golden Gate in terms of being the most photographed in the world.

What bridges have you gone out of your way to see when traveling?

Outdoor Cafes From Around The World

Outdoor cafes offer the traveler a place to sit, have a beverage and people watch. After exploring a new place on foot for hours they are a welcome oasis.

Venice Beach California has outstanding weather most of the year and is prime people watching territory. You can observe street performers, malcontents and the very fit and not so modest put on a constant show from the comfort of one of its many outdoor venues.

Rome has an abundance of outdoor eateries like this one in Piazza Navona. It’s refreshing not to be rushed to pay your bill long after you have emptied a cup of coffee.

Along Beijing’s Houhai Lake trendy outdoor wateringholes offer a good way to rest your feet and recharge.

The best outdoor cafes are not always in big cities. This one in San Pedro, Guatemala offers million dollar views of Lake Atitlan.

What are some of your favorite outdoor cafes at home or abroad?

Published Photographs: Back Street Rome Edition

Rome has no shortage of iconic sites to photograph. Wandering its cobblestone back alleys also presents museum worthy treasures. Headless and talking statues are among them.

The more mundane such as hanging laundry and pharmacy signs are additional photographic opportunities, scenes that might be overlooked in your own city. These have appeared in a variety of newspapers, books and magazines.

Forts From Around The World

Strategically perched on hillsides or along oceans and rivers the ancient forts of the world provide excellent vistas.

Jaigarh or Victory Fort in Jaipur, India presents many excellent views especially from the walkway of its Mughal Gardens.

Fort Skala de la Ville in Essaouira, Morocco sits besides the Atlantic Ocean of this coastal city.

The watchtowers of El Morro Fort in San Juan, Puerto Rico offered protection from would be enemies and the strong sun.

Now a museum, Castel Sant Angelo in Rome was once a fort and castle. To reach it you must cross the bridge of the same name, which is lined with statues of angels, and vendors selling knock off designer bags.

Museums From Around the World

Museums house the world’s treasures. Often the architecture is artwork in itself.

The modern aesthetic of the Shanghai Museum is home to many collections. But its roots are traditional. The building was designed in the shape of an ancient cooking vessel.

The architecture of the Museum of Fine Arts in Santa Fe, New Mexico maintains the region’s true style.

The National Museum of Beirut sits on both sides of the Green Line. During the civil war priceless ancient artifacts were hidden and kept safe. It took years to restore after the war ended and is one of Lebanon’s national treasures.

It would take a lifetime to explore all that the Vatican Museum has to offer. You could rest in one of its beautiful gardens in the process.

My favorite museum is in my hometown and walking distance from where I live. I could spend days at the Metropolitan Museum of Art traveling through the ages in one of its many wings.

What’s your favorite museum?

Iconic Squares From Around The World

Most travelers typically make their way to the major square of a big city when exploring. Here are a few of the world’s most iconic squares.

It is impossible to just walk through Marrakesh’s Djemma el-Fna. You’ll be sidetracked by performers of all sorts, colorful water sellers and at night endless rows of outdoor food stalls.

Museums, government buildings and the entrance to the Forbidden City flank Beijing’s massive Tiananmen Square.

Mexico City’s Zocalo sits on the site of the ancient Aztec capital of Tenochtitlan, which was conquered by Spain centuries ago. You can still see Aztec dancers and shaman perform their ancient rituals.

St. Peter’s Square in Vatican City is where many come to see the Pope give his blessing and to take in the beauty of the Basilica of the same name.

What iconic squares of the world have you explored or would like to?

Previous Posts in this Series:
Alleys
Markets
Hats

Street Scenes: Pedestrian Rome

The back streets of Rome that connect its many piazzas are pedestrian friendly. There are few if any cars on the cobblestone lanes and alleys. Vespas circumvent those on foot.

Camp De Fiori pictured here is a neighborhood where getting lost is a pleasure. Many of its streets are named after the generations of artisans who toiled in them for centuries. It is possible to take in day to day Rome without being over run by hordes of tourists.

Related Posts:
Campo De Fiori Market

Markets From Around The World

Wandering the world’s markets can give you insight into local culture past and present. Some of the markets below have been in existence for centuries.

Maya traders travel from all around the Guatemalan highlands to sell their goods at the market in Chichicastenango twice a week.

You have to bargain hard in the labyrinth of Marrakesh’s souks.

There are probably more fakes than originals at the Dongtai Road market in Shanghai, China but you can still find an abundance of communist kitsch.

Shopping like a Roman is not expensive at Rome’s Camp De Fiori market.

I’ll just cut to the chase and zero in on the bling in Dubai’s Gold Market.

Rome’s Offbeat Archaeology Part III

Rome’s former Jewish Ghetto features some of the city’s most mysterious offbeat archaeology. Remains of ancient roman sculpture decorate the facades of buildings. Museum worthy relics share space with drain pipes and dangling telephone wires.

This weathered quartet keep watch just over the doorway of a small shop.

Blocks of ancient inscriptions have found new life by providing architectural detail.

You can find the above and other ancient gems along the neighborhood’s main strip, Via del Portico d’Ottavia. It’s next door to Teatro Marcello and a block away from the Tiber River. Here is a map.

Previous Posts In This Series:
Rome’s Offbeat Archaeology Part II
Rome’s Offbeat Archaeology

Rome’s Offbeat Archaeology Part II

A headless statue stands sentry next to traffic signs on a one-way street in Rome, Italy. Its manner is casual and I almost expect it to be smoking a cigarette, if it had a head of course.

Surrounding it are smaller remnants of sculpture. A nearby plaque commemorates renowned neo classical sculptor Antonio Canova. Born in the mid-1700s he trained in Venice and later moved to Rome where he set up a studio to produce his masterpieces.

You can find the statue and wall of sculpture pieces on the corner of Via Antonio Canova and Via delle Colonnette in the city center off of Via del Corso. Here is a map.

This is the second in a series on Rome’s Offbeat Archaeology. You can read part one here.

Laundry From Around The World

Why is something as mundane as hanging laundry so photogenic when traveling? At home it wouldn’t get a second glance let alone warrant a photograph. Perhaps the inspiration comes from the environment that frames it, like the narrow cobblestone alleys of Trastevere in Rome, Italy.


Or maybe it’s how these sheets have been artfully hung by the Dhobi Wallahs of Mumbai (Bombay) India.


The necessity of this scene caught my eye.


In an older neighborhood in Shanghai, China someone most likely living in a cramped apartment erected a clothes line across the sidewalk to dry their bed linens.

Rome’s Offbeat Archaeology

On the way to see the well documented sites of Rome, Italy you will casually encounter countless random antiquities. Some are easy to miss if you aren’t paying attention or don’t know where to look.

Tucked in one of the city’s many narrow cobblestone alleyways is an enormous marble sandled foot. It is believed that the foot is all that remains of a temple statue of an Egyptian god. You can find it on Via del Pie di Marmo (Street of the Marble Foot) next to Santa Maria sopra Minerva in the city center. I wonder how many people trying to park their car have bumped it by accident.

Trivia: Do you have Roman feet? If so you are in the minority. If your second toe is longer than your big toe you have them. Go on take a look. Only 10-20% of the population has Roman feet or toes, which are also known as Greek or Morton’s feet. The latter was a podiatrist who classified said feet.

This is the first in a series on offbeat archaeology finds in Rome. Here is the second installment. Meanwhile you can find out about the city’s most famous talking statue here.

Graffiti From Around The World

Graffiti. Most cities have it. In some contexts it’s art and in others vandalism. Sometimes there is a fine line. Opinions differ.

Venice Beach in Los Angeles, California offers up a wall on the beach for graffiti artists.
Would this rapper be amused to see his name splashed in Fez, Morocco’s ancient medina? Or would this artist lose street cred for misspelling his name?

Rome without Graffiti? Stranger things have happened. New York City’s subways have been graffiti free for years. Here someone has left his or her mark in Camp De Fiori.

In New York City, Brooklyn’s Dumbo (Down Under the Manhattan Bridge Overpass) was once a mecca for artists. It’s industrial buildings offered plenty of space for studios. Artists have since been priced out. Today most buildings have been converted into tony condos but street art still remains.

Campo De Fiori Rome Italy

How would you like to shop like a Roman? It’s not expensive. I promise.

In the city center is a neighborhood called Campo De Fiori. During the day its main piazza has an outdoor market active since medieval times. Open Monday though Saturday it sells prime produce, cheeses, flowers and kitchen items such as espresso makers, a nice item to take home.

The market is a local affair, with just a smattering of tourists taking a look. Grandmothers carefully choose fresh vegetables and chat with stall owners. Don’t you wish you were invited to dinner? A few outdoor cafes in the piazza offer a good place to rest and take it all in.

The side streets of Campo De Fiori are worth wandering down. Vespas zoom by on narrow cobblestone lanes named after the artisans who inhabited them centuries ago. Ancient doorways line alleys that haven’t escaped Rome’s ubiquitous graffiti.