There are dozens of sights and attractions to keep yourself occupied if you’re visiting Rome. It’s one of the best cities for backpackers in particular as everything is so easily accessible on foot, but they also have a first-class transport system. As an added bonus, you can also cross the border into the Vatican City…
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Venice might not sound like a backpackers paradise at the start, but believe me it is and it can be done on the cheap as I once proved, a few thousand moons ago with Hungarian dancer Noemi Linzenbold. As we backpacked through the streets of this wild child, it was actually by getting some good…
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“If you want to know if he loves you so, it’s in his kiss” – Cher. Back into Italy again in 2016 and I was based in the city of Milan. This is a city steeped in artistic history and culture. Its reputation is well known in the world of art. It was the perfect…
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I heard that Milan only had three hostels, which seemed odd for such a huge city. I had an early morning border train to France to catch on route with the Green and White Army to Euro 2016 and so for my last night in Milan, I decided to stay at Madama Hostel. Madama Hostel…
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Arrival back into Italy in June 2016 meant I would be based in and around Milan for my first few days. I flew into Bergamo airport, which is 45 kilometres from Milan city centre. Rather than be based in Bergamo or the city centre of Milan to start with I decided to stay in Novate Milanese,…
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“Michael O’Neill’s Green and White army” – Northern Ireland football fans. Now that June 2016 has arrived, it feels crazy that this month, I am finally living out a childhood dream. Since my early days growing up in Bangor, Northern Ireland I only had one dream in life. To watch the Northern Ireland international football…
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I’ve backpacked through Italy a few times down the years and even border delved into the two real landlocked countries it houses – San Marino and the Vatican City State. As I prepare to return to Milan this year on route to the Euro 2016 tournament in France, it seems a good time to reflect…
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I don’t write about Italy as much, despite having visited the country seven times on my travels. I’m planning to visit Italy again this year, in June on route to France for the Euro 2016 football tournament to watch Northern Ireland in. Italy is one of the best countries for food. I love pizza, any…
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This post was posted by The Hipmunk on Hipmunk’s Tailwind blog on 30th September 2015. Skulls in the Catacombs In ancient Rome, burial within the city walls was forbidden. The pagan culture of the second and third centuries preferred cremation, despite the objections of the Christian minority. As land for graveyards was scarce, the Christians of the day cultivated…
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This post was posted by TheHipmunk on Hipmunk’s Tailwind blog on 14th August 2015. The Jewish Ghetto is a small island in the Cannaregio section of Venice, located among the maze of canals and waterways that crisscross Venice and just a short walk from the main train station and the famous Grand Canal. There are lots of…
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