Venere Travel Blog - It's our business where you sleep!

Getting around the hub of southern Italy is a lot easier than its sounds. Naples, the capital of the Campania region, is served by Capodichino International Airport. Here you can get direct flights to many European destinations which are served by regional airlines. You can also catch flights to and from the United States, off-season with a stop in Dublin, Brussels, Rome or France, or during the summer months when low cost carrier EuroFly flies direct between Capodichino and New York’s JFK Airport.

The culture and history drenched land of the Italians is marked by their unique cuisine. Italian cuisine is popular all over the world and the hearty dishes awake all the senses and make for a gastronomical delight for food lovers. True Italian cuisine is all about simple dishes that bring out the flavors of their ingredients. Accompany this with some good wine, old cheese and top it off with their famous sweetened fruit and gelato and you would have eaten a meal fit for a king. There are some Italian dishes that should not be missed.

No doubt, the sweet smell of freshly baked breads is very appetizing. The smell wafting from Alto Adige Delicatessen, California Bakery, and Princi draws scores of locals and tourists alike daily..

Whether your internal temperature gauge is set to Fahrenheit or Celsius, as the mercury level climbs there is only so much a gelato can do. So do as the Italians do and head to the water. With over 40 pools in Florence it makes for a quick fix from the heat. They are all fairly easy to get to and relatively inexpensive. A quick run down of a few.

The biggest and most impressive of the bunch is the Costoli Pool, located near Campo Di Marte stadium. read full article

For those of you who consider Indian cuisine as a determining factor as to where you are planning an international vacation outside of India, you should consider the numerous establishments that Milan, Italy has to offer. You might be surprised to know this, but there are not many major international cities that you can travel to on any of the 7 continents of the world where you won’t find an Indian restaurant that offers traditional Indian cuisine at very affordable pricing.

The city of Florence has a rich architectural and art heritage, which is preserved in its elegant piazzas (squares), Renaissance palazzi (palaces), and a host of art galleries / museums. Here, we have reviewed five major museums of Florence, where you can browse through drawings, paintings and sculptures created by famous artists.

The Accademia Gallery houses the statue of David - a marble statue of young shepherd mentioned in Bible, the St. Mathew, the Prisoners and other masterpieces by Michelangelo. read full article

Prada, Ferragamo, Fendi, Pucci… these brands are as synonymous with Italy as gelato and gnocchi. Fashion is a high priority for Italians, second only to food. Luckily a trip to Florence can satisfy both your need for fashion and food. Once you get your food fixed covered head to the outlet malls.

Thirty minutes south of Florence on the A-1 in the beautiful hills of Tuscany you can find The Mall. The drive alone is worth the trip, the golden fields are peppered with century old stone castles: it’s truly postcard perfect. read full article

Milan has been synonymous for breaking some of the most inspirational fashion of the last twenty years. It is also (did you know?!) the second largest city in Italy. But theres much more to Milan than Gucci, Versace and Dolce and Gabbana. After the damage cased by WWII the city has undergone somewhat of a renaissance and is a mecca for travellers who not only enjoy the Italian culture but is a mecca for opera, nightlife and of course football.

Louis Vuitton, Gucci, Versace, Prada and Valentino, just some of the upscale brands that can make any fashionista’s knees melt. And where can you find all these in just one place? Milan of course!

Known as the world capital for fashion and design, one could easily find fashion establishments and shops from the not-so-cheap to the most expensive, from the antique to the newly tailored-just-for-you type housed in most of Milan’s shopping malls. read full article

Whether you are looking to add to the collection of vinyl you have back home or pick up a few “dischi” or records by your favourite artist, Florence has a healthy assortment of shops selling new and used albums. One euro deals have almost had their day, but like most cities it still offers up an occasional good find if you know what you are looking for and where to go. Didn’t find that rare Kraftwork or reissued James Brown LP? Don’t despair! With many of Florence’s record shops nestled in some of the city’s most inspiring neighbourhoods I can at least guarantee you will have an amazing time looking.

Data Records93 – Located between Piazza Santa Croce and Piazza delle Signoria the shop couldn’t be more convenient for students or the weekend visitor. read full article

As a traveler, I make it to a point to look and shop around if ever I find myself in a foreign place. I’m the sort of tourist who loves going around places while immersing myself to the new experience. I would walk around town as if I’m a local, if possible meet new people, and buy something significant which would best describe the new place I’m at.

One of my dream destinations is Milan in Italy. And what’s in Milan if you might ask? Not only is it the second largest city in the whole of Europe, nor is it the fashion capital of the world; Milan has a warm and accommodating atmosphere which can be experienced on the city’s rows upon rows of street markets which caters almost everything! From antique souvenirs, designer clothes, and fresh produce, the street markets in Milan will surely never fail to surprise even the most experienced shoppers. Want to know more what’s in store for you at Milan’s street markets? Read on! read full article

As we jumped on our flight from Pisa to Palermo, I had high expectations of our whistle stop tour around Sicily. Following the advice from my Italian students, we were hiring a car and travelling around from Palermo to Taormina to Syracuse and finally stopping off at Cefalù before heading back to Palermo. We had already heard so much about the delights the island has to offer, and Sicily more than delivered. In fact we fell in love with the place!

Today tourists have so many options when it comes to places to go and things to see, so once I have visited somewhere, even if I really like it, I don’t tend to hurry back, as there is always somewhere different I want to see first. For Sicily, I will more than happily break this rule. In fact, I can’t wait to go back. And here’s why: read full article

There are a number of excellent nightlife options in Venice, including bars, pubs, cinemas and theaters. Despite the wide selection, it is best that you plan for an evening early, especially where the bars and pubs are concerned. Many of these don’t stay open late and finding a venue in the middle of the week for a late night can be quite a challenge.

Although Piazza San Marco offers a number of venues for an entertaining evening, there are two others locations that might better suit your tastes, particularly if you want to enjoy a little “pub crawling” or bar hopping for the evening. read full article

So you’re planning a trip to Rome and you’ve done a bit of research beforehand. You’ve worked out how to get from from the airport to your hotel. Naturally, you’ve made your hotel room reservations on Venere.com (wink, wink) and you’ve made a list of recommended restaurants you want to check out during your trip. You’ve even mapped out your itinerary of the ‘Must’ sights to see. But how well do you really think you know Rome? We’ve put together some fun facts about Rome that maybe you didn’t know yet.

Once you’ve had your fill of frescos and piazzas, it’s time to explore Florence’s nightlife. With a constant influx of university students and tourists, Florence has much to offer in the way of dance clubs and discos. While there are many to choose from, I found the below to be the most inciting.

Space Club is one of Florence’s largest discotheques, located in the center of town right near the S.M.N. train station. With two large floors and a capacity of 800 people, there seems to something for everyone. read full article