Looking back at Pier Head from Albert Dock

In addition to having to live up to the expectations of cities past, Liverpool also has a reputation to maintain as a city of music, football, and culture. It’s exactly this triple-threat that attracts over 4.6 million tourists to the city each year – each one jonesing for a stroll down Matthew Street and a visit to the infamous Cavern Club, known for hosting a pre-Beatlemania John, Paul, George, and Ringo, as well as other distinguished acts including The Hollies, The Rolling Stones, The Kinks, Elton John, Queen, and the Who.

The iconic Cavern Club

Although the role Liverpool played in creating The Beatles should be reserved for debate by fans more hardcore than we, it’s difficult to claim that any present day city has bound itself to the Fab Four more so than present day Liverpool. Their likenesses are plastered all over the town – statues, posters, memorabilia of every kind. It’s impossible to go anywhere in downtown Liverpool without seeing those famous mop-heads.

A sculpture of John Lennon leans against the red brick walls of the rebuilt Cavern Club

Lennon’s Bar – one of many pubs named in honour of The Beatles

An apartment resembling a Yellow Submarine sits in the Pier Head neighbourhood awaiting its next Beatle-crazed guest

But Liverpool is much more than just the Beatles. Named a European Capital of Culture 2008, with the famous Pier Head Waterfront being a UNESCO World Heritage site since 2004, it is a city of contrasting architectural styles, wonderful culture and museums, and a spectacular waterfront.

Our walk along Liverpool’s iconic Pier Head begins at the Royal Liver Building, easily recognizable by its pair of clock towers topped with matching mythical Liver Bird sculptures. It is said that the bird at the front of the building is female and she looks out over the sea watching for the fishermen to return while the bird at the back of the building is male and he looks out over the city centre waiting for the pubs to open. While the story may be amusing, the birds are hard to miss and a must see during any stay in Liverpool.

The Liver Building with matching clock towers and Liver Bird sculptures

Together with the Cunard Building and the Port of Liverpool Building, both well known for their ornate decoration both inside and out, they are collectively referred to as the three graces, a grouping of iconic buildings from the late 19th and early 20th century that have transformed the Liverpool waterfront.

Looking at it today, it’s hard to imagine that this section of waterfront was the George’s Dock throughout most of the 1800’s when it served as a roundup area for the city’s busy trans-Atlantic shipping industry. Moorings, docks, and ships have been replaced by open spaces,  modern art, and a couple amazing museums. This drastic change over the past century has largely contributed to the UNESCO World heritage Status of this part of town.

The Pier Head waterfront is a mix of architectural styles, building materials, and layers of Liverpool’s history

The Port of Liverpool Building is known for its ornate details both inside and out

A short walk from Pier’s head takes you past the amazing Museum of Liverpool, where any question you could ever think up is answered) to Albert Dock, probably our favourite place in the city. Another region where drastic restoration and repurposing has taken effect, this is the cultural heart of the city. The brick and iron buildings and warehouses have been transformed into some of the most interesting and innovative museums in all the UK – most notably the Maritime Museum and TATE Liverpool.

Perfectly restored ships line the interior of the dock as part of the Maritime Museum’s displays, fish and chip shops hawk the fresh catch of the day, and people mull around searching for the perfect Beatles trinket – this is the perfect place since the newly constructed Beatles museum is just around the corner.

We spent almost an entire day wandering around the waterfront of Liverpool – it’s just that fantastic. Walking among the old ships, exploring crazy art in TATE, and playing Beatles themed I Spy all contributed to the surprise Liverpool handed us.

A tall ship in the Albert Docks

Albert Dock and the Tate Museum

Liverpool is peppered with these Superlambanana sculptures

Once you’ve had enough walking around and can’t possibly bear another minute in a museum, the perfect place to head is Liverpool One – one of the UK’s premier shopping centres. With hundreds of shops and countless restaurants, this is the perfect place to pick up a bite to eat and a football scarf or jersey before heading to see some live music or a football match.

And that’s exactly what we did. As our tradition dictates, we ended our final night of this trip with a meal at Nando’s – not exactly our typical scene but it’s tradition! With our bellies full, we headed off to a final football match. And that’s where everything went all screwy…but you’ll have to read about that in our next post!!

Looking out onto Pier Head from our hotel room as the rain falls and the sun sets

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Clearing skies at the picturesque Cliffs of Moher

Rising over 120 meters above the Atlantic Ocean, the cliffs are a world-famous attraction drawing in nearly one million visitors a year and are part of The Burren Geopark UNESCO natural protected area. Which is really just travel-speak for “these cliffs are mind-blowingly beautiful and deservedly one of Ireland’s best attractions”.

Seeing as our visit was part of a day tour, we enjoyed a relaxing drive through the acclaimed regions of Ballyvaughan and the Burren, which are comprised of martian landscapes, rugged shoreline, and over 6000 years of history.

We also managed to squeeze in a couple stops before reaching the cliffs. We began with a stop in the small seaside village of Kinvara to see the amazing Dunguaire Castle. Perched spectacularly on the water’s edge, the castle dates back to the 16th century and is thought to be the most photographed castle in Ireland.

Admiring the Irish countryside

Traditional thatched roof houses in The Burren region

Dunguaire Castle on a clear winter morning

Our next stop was the 13th century Corcomroe Abbey, a crumbling Cistercian monastery that is nearly as photogenic as the hairy cows and sheep that wander its grounds. After getting our fill of photos, we made a quick stop for an Irish coffee (to warm up) before setting off in search of some neolithic history.

With human habitation dating back more than 6000 years, the Burren is rich with interesting archaeological sites. As we were making good time, we decided to make two stops before lunch, the first of which was Cahermore Ring Fort. In all, the Burren contains more than 400 of these circular remains, with Cahermore being one of the oldest and best preserved. Dating back to approximately 500 AD, the fort provided protection from the elements and wildlife (there were even bears back then!). It was an absolutely amazing site to walk through.

Corcomroe Abbey is hauntingly beautiful

Cahermore Ring Fort, a 3000 year old residence

The Poulnabrone dolmen, a neolithic burial tomb

Our final stop before lunch was perhaps the most intriguing. The Poulnabrone dolmen is a neolithic portal tomb that dates back to somewhere between 4200 and 2900 BCE. I always struggle to fully grasp how old a site is. Unlike other forms of measurement, time is so very difficult to put into context and looking at anything older than a couple hundred years in comparison to the meager amount of time’s I’ve circumvented the sun doesn’t really register. Therefore, when standing alongside a neolithic burial tomb that was built well over 5,000 years ago (or roughly 192 of my own lifetimes) it was difficult to wrap my head around life during this time.

Luckily, with just a few clicks and choice words online I was able to add at least a bit of context to our day. During the period in which the Neolithic temple and circle were built:

• the first bluestones at Stonehenge begin to be raised (3000 BC);
• the Mayan calendar starts on August 11, 3114 BC (the same calendar that had everyone worried the world would end in 2012);
• construction of the Ggantija megalithic temple complex begins on the island of Gozo, Malta (3600 BC);
• the first neolithic settlers arrive in the island of Thira (Santorini), Greece (4000 BC).

And while the wheel had already been invented, and the Mesopotamian civilization was flourishing along the Nile, the Neolithic remains in Ireland are part of a handful of still-intact sites scattered across Europe, the Middle East, and Asia that can still be explored today.

Dark clouds moving in? We must be in Ireland!

Cutting and moving these stones would have been back breaking work

However as impressively old as these Neolithic sites are, in the end they couldn’t stand up to the Cliffs of Moher – which also happen to contain evidence of 300 million year-old river channels cutting through their rocky foundations, making the cliffs 60,000 times older than the Neolithic tombs and eleven and a half million times older than myself (also known as too old for this method to provide any form of context).

While Ireland is brimming with charming towns painted in rich hues and lush rolling hills crisscrossed by endless miles of short stone walls, a visit to Ireland feels incomplete until you’ve taken in the stunning Cliffs of Moher.

The Cliffs in all their glory – from sea to sky!

Quintessentially Irish, the rugged rock cliffs rise in a dramatic fashion from the deep blue water below, while and the crashing waves send wisps of mist up and over the cliff face and into the faces of the unsuspecting visitors above. Complete with a charming castle, officially called O’Brien’s Tower and built in 1835 to impress female visitors, and stunning vistas, the Cliffs of Moher are picturesque and incredibly romantic, especially at sunset.

In the harsh sunlight the Cliffs appear to stretch on forever

O’Brien’s Tower, impressing the fairer sex since 1835

The Cliffs of Moher at sunset are the epitome of romantic – minus the rain and bone chilling wind

We spent nearly two and a half hours wandering along the cliffs – marveling at the power of the waves crashing and the wind gusting. Even at the top, nearly 200 meters above the crashing waters below we could feel the sea mist against our face and smell the salty sea below.

If you haven’t had the privileged of visiting the cliffs in person, you may have marveled at their beauty without even knowing it as they have made appearances in several blockbuster films – most notably The Princess Bride and Harry Potter and the Half-Blood Prince. However, even if you’ve snuggled in with a bowl of popcorn to enjoy one of these movies, we’d still highly recommend a visit to the cliffs to take in their majesty in person.

Logistics: Although far from the regular tour-bus type, after finding some success with something similar in Gozo, Malta, and realizing there was little way for us to reach Ireland’s more secluded sites without renting a car (and driving on the wrong left side of the road), we decided to hop aboard and explore both the Giant’s Causeway (from Belfast) and the Cliffs of Moher a few days later (from Galway).

The post A History Lesson at the Cliffs of Moher appeared first on Have Blog Will Travel.

As most of our travel occurs in the (far) off season, when locals in the countries we visit are leaving for warmer weather and customs agents greet us with confused looks as we try to enter their country, we have faced plenty of less-than-perfect days. Days with poor visibility, unbearable humidity, and torrential downpours are just part and parcel of making your way around the world. If we made it a habit to wait for perfect weather we’d still be sitting in Iceland waiting for a clear and rain-free day. None of the bad weather we’d encountered on our previous travels could have prepared us for what we experienced during our visit to the British Isles this February.

A few years ago, with the invention of Pinterest, and the resulting end of my social-life, I first stumbled onto a picture of the Giant’s Causeway. One of Northern Ireland’s most beloved treasures, the Causeway is a natural formation of hexagonal basalt columns that form what appears like stepping stones from the steep shoreline cliffs into the sea. While the formation of these unique rock columns is attributed to volcanic activity in the area 50 to 60 million years ago, at the time all I knew was that it looked beautiful and I needed to see it for myself.

After years of dreaming about visiting Ireland and the Giant’s Causeway, Travis and I found ourselves aboard a discounted flight to Belfast, and my dreams of visiting the causeway began to come together. Unfortunately, there was one aspect of our visit that we couldn’t account for – the weather.

Spoiler Alert! It rained during our visit – a lot

As we were visiting during winter it only makes sense that the weather at the causeway would be less than desirable; however as we set out from Belfast the sun was peaking out from behind a few scattered clouds and we crossed our fingers that the rain would hold. A couple hours later we found ourselves staggering across the Carrick-a-Rede Rope Bridge, a stones throw from the causeway, with only a few scattered clouds. We spent about 30 minutes hiking along the cliffs near the bridge and even had time to make the nerve-wracking 20 meter walk across the bridge itself. Set nearly 100 feet above the crashing waves below, salmon fisherman used the bridge, which only had one rope railing at the time, to transport their daily catches back to the mainland for over 350 years.

By the time we reached the Giant’s Causeway, just a brief 30 minutes after leaving Carrick-a-Rede, the wind had picked up and fat raindrops were beginning to fall. What happened next nearly blew us away – literally. Harsh winds made it increasingly difficult to stand atop the hexagonal rock columns of the causeway, enormous waves over ten feet high smashed against the shore, and heavy rainfall soaked the poor visitors fully exposed on the rocky shoreline – including us!

The rain was so severe that my camera struggled to focus at times, and after clearing the water from my lens I raised it up to only have more drops collect before I could even snap a shot. Needless to say we didn’t return home with many photos, and the ones we did manage to take are covered with blurred water marks.

Although our visit to the causeway was a bit disappointing, after waiting so long to visit it was saddening we couldn’t really explore the stones and venture out further towards the sea, in the end we were still able to see this beautiful site and fulfill another of our travel dreams.

Here’s a little snippet of our stormy day at the causeway.

Logistics: Reaching the causeway without a car is nearly impossible and as we didn’t want to drive on the left side of the road, we opted to join a bus tour with Paddywagon Tours. The tour includes a stop at Carrick-a-Rede Rope Bridge.

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The ferry between Malta and Gozo

Unfortunately the day we chose for our daytrip to Gozo was gloomy and cold, a striking contrast to the brilliant balmy temperatures of the three days previous. With the poor weather overhead and fatigue setting in we decided to try something new and jump aboard a hop-on, hop-off bus to tour the island – an abrupt departure from our usual travel style.

Xewkija Rotunda Church dominates the skyline of Gozo

Prior to Gozo, I didn’t really get bus tours – hop on/off tours in particular. It seems that every city we’ve visited, large or small, has been overtaken by the obnoxious red double-decker buses, filled with people awkwardly straining to snap photographs or looking completely bored. Worse still, these stupid buses always seem to find a way into my photographs, usually smack dab in front of the site or monument I’m trying to capture. With these thoughts in mind, I had my trepidations about hopping aboard something I had developed such a distaste for.

So why did we even entertain the idea?

As it turns out, we are always up for a new experience, and after looking up the Gozo bus schedule (it was a Sunday, which meant reduced winter frequencies) we decided the hop on/off bus would be a great way to save time, and would ultimately be an easier transportation system for our overworked brains to sort out. However what sealed the deal was the reduced off-season price we were offered which worked out to half of the regular rate. We knew we wouldn’t find a better chance to try the hop on/off system.

The National Shrine of the Blessed Virgin of Ta’Pinu – a Maltese pilgrimage site

For such a small island, only 67 square kilometers, Gozo still has a long list of sites to take in, including one of the oldest temples in the entire world – even older than the Pyramids or Stonehenge. In the summertime, Gozo is a popular daytrip destination for people visiting or living in Malta, in the off-season it’s much quieter, and on a Sunday in January it’s basically a ghost-town. This suited us just fine!

Our first stop of the day was the capital city of Victoria – also called Rabat – which can be somewhat confusing as Rabat is also the name of the former capital city of mainland Malta. For a capital, the city is quite small with little to see aside from the enormous Citadella and Cathedral of Assumption. The Citadella is more like a fortified town, and offers amazing views over the city and much of the island. After exploring the walls and alleyways of the Citadella (mass was currently underway inside) it was time to hop back aboard the bus – and just in time too as the rain picked up.

The view over Rabat (Victoria) from the Citadella

After Victoria, we made our way to the Azure Window, a spectacular naturally occurring rock formation that has been used in filming the HBO series Game of Thrones. This amazing natural arch set in Dwerja Bay measures nearly 75 feet tall and is absolutely breathtaking. However, each year it disintegrates more and more, and it will one day collapse – so get there to see it soon! Despite its popularity, the “window” is not the only attraction in the area – the nearby inland sea and blue hole are popular diving sites – it is pretty impressive and would likely only be more so on a sunny day. Travis also had fun examining and taking photos of a rare medicinal plant that only grows on the nearby “fungus rock”. It was said that the Knights Hospitaller guarded this plant so fiercely that anyone caught stealing it was subject to execution!

The world famous Azure Window

Dwerja Bay and the Fungus Rock

Before wrapping up our tour of Gozo we made one final stop and stepped back in time at the UNESCO Heritage site of Ggantija. Officially referred to as a Neolithic Megalithic temple complex, Ggantija’s temples date back to 3600-2500BC and are the earliest of a series of megalithic temples in Malta; At more than 5,500 years old, they are not only older than the pyramids of Egypt but also currently the world’s second oldest man-made religious structures (after  Gobekli Tepe in Turkey).

Ggantija’s 20 foot high outer walls – built more than 5500 years ago!

Although some of the temple complex has collapsed, a large part of it still remains intact, and it is mind boggling to think of these huge stones being pushed, pulled, and forced into place. The side-by-side temples forma clover shape, and at their highest the temples measure in at nearly 20 feet. Even more impressive might be the large perfectly circular holes that were cut through four of the large stone slabs to hold wooden beams. By hand. Over 5,000 years ago.

The structure is strengthened by scaffolding as they determine the best way to stabilize the temples

My personal favorite part of exploring Ggantija was trying to make out the graffiti names and initials carved into the stones. Apparently, during the 1800’s it was “hip” and “cool” for tourists (yes, there were tourists here in the 1800s) to leave their mark at the sites they visited, in this case by carving into the ancient stones. Although no one would ever consider doing something so damaging today, it’s actually pretty interesting today to be able to see this historical record of early visitors to the site.

“Graffiti” from the first tourists

After packing a lot of sightseeing into one day, we were ready to board the ferry back to Malta. Tired and worn out, we were also really impressed with the quality of attractions on offer in Gozo. For my money, a trip to Malta isn’t complete without a visit to Gozo. At the very least it will offer a change of pace from the big island.

The Gozitan countryside is stunning

Churches, shrines, and religious statues dominate every corner of the island

Logistics:  You can reach the Malta ferry terminal (Cirkewwa) via bus 41/42 from Valletta or bus 222 from Sliema. The ferry costs 4.65 Euro return (which you pay before getting on your return trip in Gozo). A day pass on the public bus in Gozo costs 2.60 Euro. The sightseeing bus we took cost us 15 Euro total (this is half the price that it normally goes for – due in part to our humming and hawing and in part to it being a gloomy day with about 15 independent tourists on our entire ferry!).

One of the best features of the hop on/off buses is their open-air, double-decker design which allows visitors a unique perspective of the surrounding city. Ironically, due to the poor weather during our visit to Gozo, this was one feature we weren’t able to take full advantage of. However, being stubborn to the core, we braved the elements atop the bus whenever possible and faked enjoyment while raindrops pelted our faces. While I’m still not completely sold on hop on/off tours, for difficult to navigate cities or those with poor public transit it may serve a purpose. However there are definitely better, more in-depth, and cheaper ways to explore a destination. 

Have you ever gone on one of these tours? Did you like it? Hate it? Let us know about times you did something out of character on your travels in the comments!

The post Gozo – A Busy Day on a Small Island appeared first on Have Blog Will Travel.

The resulting city was amazing, as you would expect from some of the most important noble families in Catholic Europe, but undoubtedly the crowning jewel was St. John’s Co-Cathedral. Set in the best location in the city, and named after the inspiration for the order – St. John the Baptist – the cathedral has become the ultimate example of High Baroque architecture in the world.

The austere exterior of St. John’s Co-Cathedral

During our 10 months in Europe we’ve made our way into a lot of churches. A lot. Maybe this has left us a little jaded when it comes to tackling churches in a new city, but it really takes something new and exciting to draw us in and wow us.

So as we stood coughing up 6 Euro each to enter St. John’s Co-Cathedral there was a lot of pressure on the place. Not only did it have to compare to the likes of the Seville Cathedral, the Mezquita, or St. Peter’s Basilica, but it also had to justify the $16 we were spending to get in.

Minutes after parting with our hard earned cash, we stood in the Cathedral’s main chamber, our mouths agape. There is gold everywhere. Gold on the walls, gold on the alter, gold on the ceiling – walking into the Co-Cathedral one would swear they’d finally found the end of the rainbow. Perhaps instead, the Co-Cathedral more closely resembles a pirate’s treasure horde, complete with skull and crossbones, skeletal figures, optical illusions, and more gold.

The interior of the Co-Cathedral

The altar of the Cathedral

The Cathedral didn’t start out so lavishly decorated, and standing inside today, it is hard to imagine that originally the austere exterior of the Cathedral was only surpassed by the interior. That all changed with the arrival of Mattia Preti in 1661. The “Knight of Calabria” as he was known was a member of the order and a celebrated artist. In 5 years he transformed the interior with a series of stunning paintings on the barrel ceiling of the Cathedral depicting the life of St. John the Baptist. Intricate carvings were created right in the walls (rather than attached after being completed) of nearly the entire structure. Eight chapels representing each of the eight “langues” of the order were decorated in a seemingly competitive battle for God’s approval.

The detail-work in the Cathedral is stunning

On of the lavishly decorate chapels

Perhaps the most striking feature of the Cathedral, and the one that intrigued us the most was the floor. Covered with inlaid polychrome marble in a myriad of colours, the floor is actually over 400 tombstones of some of the most important and influential members of the order. The tombs depict the virtues and achievements of the Knights interred below, and many are decorated in morbid fashion with skull and crossbones, skeletons, and other dark imagery.

The tombstone-laden floor

An example of the inlaid polychrome marble tombstone that make up the floor of the Cathedral

We spent more than an hour exploring the Cathedral and listening to the free audio guide which outlined the history of both the structure and the order itself. We also made sure to check out the the Oratory, which houses two of Caravaggio’s most famous works (he was a knight as well), and the treasury, which contains tapestries from Rubens and Poussin.

Caravaggio’s “The Beheading of Saint John the Baptist“

While we dislike the idea of having to pay to enter any house of worship, the fact that this Cathedral is more a museum than a church these days, coupled with the difficulty in maintaining this masterpiece (there were literally people with fine paintbrushes dusting the intricately carved walls an inch at a time) means that we were more than happy to pay. The Cathedral is definitely worth the entry fee and is a marvel to see – a must-see if you are in Valletta!

What is the most impressive house of worship you have visited? How do you feel about paying to enter religious buildings? Let us know your thought and feelings in the comments.

The post Gold on the Ceiling – Exploring St John’s Co-Cathedral appeared first on Have Blog Will Travel.

If Malta is the perfect example of a small country that packs a whole lot into its tiny frame, then Valletta is its perfect capital. Ranking as the third smallest capital in Europe (can you name the two that are smaller?), Valletta somehow manages to fit 7000 people, more than 25 churches, and countless monuments in an area less than a square kilometer.

The view towards Sliema from Valletta

It is exactly this small and compact nature that makes it possible to pass from bustling squares to quiet backstreets in just a minutes’ walk, and makes Valletta the perfect spot to spend a day or two during any stay in Malta. In addition to a slower pace, exploring the capital’s cobbled side streets allows visitors to appreciate daily life in the capital as well as play Eye Spy with the thousands of colourful covered balconies that dot the peninsula.

A pigeon takes a well-deserved break from doing nothing and eating all day

The city itself is not actually that old compared to many in Malta – it dates back to only 1566 – “modern” for Malta.  After the defeat of the Ottomans in the Siege of Malta, the Knights of St. John of Jerusalem (also known as the Knights Hospitaller) decided that they needed to build a new, strong, impenetrable capital. The decision was made to build Valletta on a small peninsula adjacent to the Grand Harbour of Malta.

We began our day by taking the frequent ferry service from Sliema to Valletta. Cheaper than the countless harbour cruises on offer, the ferry service offers some pretty good views from the water and is a quick and efficient way to avoid the ever-present traffic around the capital. You can also take the ferry across the Grand Harbour to the three cities.

The view towards Valletta from the Sliema ferry

Hanging out in the Upper Barakka Gardens

The ferry let us off in the quiet residential area of the city. The narrow streets in this part of the city were laid out in a grid patter to allow much-appreciated breezes the chance to cool down the blistering heat of the summer. In this part of the city small, family-run shops dominate the street-level, while up above hundreds of traditional Maltese covered balconies just out of the stone facades.

Just a few of the thousands of Maltese balconies in Valletta

Just a short walk from the quiet backstreets took us to Triq ir-Republika (Republic Street) – the bustling main shopping and eating street of the city. With fancy shops, cafes, and fast food – it seems a world apart. It was also in this area of the city that we found the majority of of our favorite sites.

Perhaps the most impressive of Valletta’s myriad of sites St. John’s Co-Cathedral – so impressive in fact, that we decided it deserves its own post. It truly is a glorious example of a cathedral just dripping with baroque splendor – and a stark contrast to its austere exterior.

The magnificent Baroque interior of St. John’s Co-Cathedral

Remnants of the Knights Hospitaller legacy can be found all over Valletta – the most obvious of which are the massive walls and defense systems that surround the city and make it seemingly impenetrable. From Fort St. Elmo, where in 1565 the Knights held off the invading Ottomans for 28 days (none of the Knights survived) until reinforcements could arrive; to the Upper Barakka Gardens, one of the most beautiful locations in the city with sweeping views and a cannon salute every day; to the stunning Magisterial Palace of the Grandmaster, where the Office of the President and House of Representatives are located today.

All of these attributes make Valletta truly feel like a UNESCO World Heritage Site. You can’t help but feel like you are in a truly unique place.

Have you ever traveled to Valletta or any other places in Malta? Let us know your thoughts and feelings in the comments below!

Logistics: To get to Valletta you can take the ferry service from Sliema or the “Three Cities” – fares are 1.50 one way or 2.80 return. You can also take the bus service from anywhere on the island. Buses drop off at the city gates near the Upper Barakka Gardens and the main shopping area. 

The post A Day in Valletta appeared first on Have Blog Will Travel.

The fact that Sicily is home to Greek ruins really shouldn’t be a surprise – after all the Island was once a critical and important component of the Greek Empire at its height. However, what may be surprising is the quantity and quality of these ruins – many of which stand today in the Sicilian countryside – uncovered, unprotected, and dwarfing even the tallest of Olive trees.

The site with the Temple of Concordia in the background

Of these ruins, the most important and impressive of these sites is unquestionably the series of temples found outside the modern day city of Agrigento. Collectively referred to as the Valley of the Temples (or Valle dei Templi in Italian) this grouping of incredibly well-preserved ruins is all that remains of the ancient city of Akragas and is a UNESCO World Heritage Site. As one of the most important cities in Magna Graecia (the region of Greece found on the coastal areas of modern-day Italy), Akragas was a rich and prosperous city – a fact evident today in the stunning temples that adorn the modern-day archaeological site.

A smooth 2 hour train ride from Palermo drops you off in the modern, bustling city of Agrigento, where city buses make the 4 km journey to the site regularly. We only caught glimpses of the temples as our bus weaved through the thick traffic that seems to plague the city at all hours, but it was enough to know that we’d made a good choice.

The “Temple of Castor and Pollux” sits almost completely in ruins

Upon entering the site, we were greeted by the majestic Temple of Concordia – one of the best preserved Greek temples in the world. With the majority of its columns still intact, visitors can also observe a series of arches that were later added to convert the temple to a Christian church.

The Temple of Concordia with a modern sculpture in the foreground

During our visit in early January, the site was nearly deserted – we were among a handful of other visitors, many of which seemed to spend their time solely in and around the Temple of Concordia. However there is so much more to see than this one, very impressive, temple. In fact, there are at least four partially remaining temples and even more laying in complete ruin. We particularly enjoyed wandering through the ruins of the Temple of Juno, humming the theme song from Indiana Jones with no one around. The lack of people also allowed for some great photo opportunities.

The partially intact Temple of Juno

For anyone visiting Sicily, the Valley of the Temples is a must see and a great daytrip from Palermo, or any of the other neighboring cities. Perhaps the most intriguing feature of the Valley of the Temples is the fact that almost all of the surrounding city of Akragas remains unexcavated. Who knows what might await an archaeologist’s lucky spade?

Another view of the site

Have you ever visited Agrigento, or any of Italy’s other amazing archaeological sites? Which one is YOUR favorite? Let us know in the comments!

Logisitcs: Agrigento is reachable from Palermo by both bus and train (2hrs), and from many other cities via bus. The Valley of the Temples is about 4km out of town – probably too far for all but an early morning walk – but easy via bus. To get to the bus station from the train station, exit the front doors and take a left, walking up about three blocks until you reach Piazzale Rosselli – you can’t miss it. A kiosk at one end sells tickets and can help you with which bus to take (#1, #2, or #3 will get you there). Entrance to the site is 10 Euro (or 13.50 if you want to go to the Archaeological Museum as well). More info on the site can be found here.

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Modica with the Duomo di San Giorgio

Our initial intention was to stay in the most well-known city in the Valley, Ragusa. However, after finding little accommodation in our price range, we decided to stay in the nearby lesser-known town of Modica. This turned out to a fabulous decision as Modica is a near-perfect base for exploring the region – plus it is an amazing city in its own right!

A view down over the lower town, with the baroque Chiesa di San Pietro

People enjoying one of the myriad of fantastic views!

Feeling much smaller than its reported population of 55,000 people (owing to the fact that many live in “new Modica” just a short distance away), Modica’s old town is situated at the junction of two valleys and split into alta and bassa (upper and lower). As such, the city has only two main streets that run through the small valley bottom, while residential homes and even the city’s large cathedral are built up into the steep hillside. The city’s compactness coupled with the seemingly unending supply of narrow back alleys and secret staircases make the town a new adventure every day.

If you ask any local, they will tell you that Modica is known for two things – chocolate and churches – and this suited us just fine.

Often referred to as the “city of 100 churches” – despite our best efforts we could not confirm nor deny this, but it’s probably true – Modica has some stunning churches, many of which are built into the city, surrounded on all sides by traditional Sicilian stone houses and small shops and seeming to almost disappear into the background. In a city with so many churches, only a small handful really stand out – in particular the large Cathedral of St. George (San Giorgio).

A great view of the town with the Duomo di San Giorgio the dominating feature

The Duomo di San Giorgio

With a majestic curving 250-step staircase leading up to it, the Duomo di San Giorgio is the epitome of Sicilian Baroque splendour, and quite possibly the most beautiful Cathedral we saw in Sicily. Rebuilt following the earthquake in 1693, it stands as a true marvel of engineering, built into the side of the ravine with roads and alleys weaving their way around its enormity. Inside, soft tones made it feel light and airy – a nice change from the hectic interiors found elsewhere in Italy.

After fully exploring the city, from lookout points high in the hills to the compact centre below, and it’s beautiful churches (at least the ones we could find) we were ready to shift gears – the perfect excuse to sample some of Modica’s famous chocolate.

Just some of the amazing flavours you can try!

Many chocolatiers also make amazing desserts – including cannoli

From the first bite we knew there was something different about this chocolate – it was definitely not Purdy’s*. Still made in the traditional Aztec method that was brought to Sicily during it rule under the Spanish, the chocolate is gritty and a definite surprise the first time you bite into it. This is due to the fact that no fats are added and the chocolate is never heated over 40 degrees Celcius. Because of this, the added sugar never dissolves and remains as granules. In fact, the only ingredients you will find in Modican Chocolate are the cocoa beans, sugar, and the flavouring being added.

Many of the best Modican Chocolatiers add ingredients found on the island or traditionally traded products, and thankfully they all seem to provide as many samples as you can handle! Some of our favourites included salt from the Trapani region, orange and lemon peel, chili and white pepper, cinnamon and nutmeg, and Marsala wine.

Perhaps the most unique aspect of the chocolate, and the one that the locals probably love the most, is the fact that it DOES NOT MELT. This is probably nice when it’s 40+ degrees in those summer months and you need a quick pick-me-up.

The brilliantly coloured shutters stand out in the maze of traditional Sicilian stone houses

Laundry hanging up to dry

It was definitely in Modica that our feelings and opinions on Sicily began to shift. While some minor annoyances still bothered us on occasion, we were definitely finding our stride in the Sicilian lifestyle.

Logisitics: Modica is served by buses only (for the most part) from many of the major centres around Sicily. The “old city” is really just one main street surrounded by countless alleys and sidestreets. It would be prudent to have some solid directions, or (like us) have your host meet you! Nearly everything you need can be found on the main street (Corso Umberto 1). The bus “station” can be found on the far “Ragusa” end of Corso Umberto.

Nothing beats a COMPLETE rainbow over town!

*Purdy’s is a Canadian Chocolatier based out of Victoria – if you are EVER in British Columbia you should pick some up!

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One of two entrances to Prague’s famous Charles Bridge

Christmas Market and beautiful surroundings

The beloved Astronomical Clock

We’ve been fortunate to visit some visually breathtaking European cities during our travels – Budapest, Paris, and Vienna immediately come to mind – and Prague is no exception. Easily up there with the best in Europe, the stunning architecture, riverside locale, and romantic ambiance make Prague a world-class stunner. Not to mention the wonderful Christmas spirit enveloping the city during late December.

A beautiful church in Prague’s Old Town Square

Entrance to the Charles Bridge with Prague Castle in the background

A guard on duty at Prague Castle

We have read many accounts of travel bloggers and photographers who, taken aback by Prague’s beauty, leave only to find their camera’s memory card filled with shot after shot of buildings. Having now been there ourselves, we can relate. Walking through Prague’s medieval core is like a lesson in history and architecture. From Renaissance and Gothic to Romanesque, Neoclassical, and Art Nouveau, Prague offers a wonderful glimpse into nearly one thousand years of the city’s architectural evolution.

A local Absinthe shop

Charles Bridge at sunset

Beautiful spires and a winding street

For me, the rainbow of sherbet-hued facades will be something I won’t soon forget, while the countless spires that litter the skyline make every panorama worthy of a stop. I didn’t really understand just how far-reaching the historical core of the city is until we took in an aerial view  from Prague Castle.

A small square decorated for Christmas

Prague Castle at Night from the Charles Bridge

Aerial view from Prague Castle

Full of history and century-old facades, Prague is also surprisingly modern with a wonderful transportation system, plenty of great restaurants and shopping, and easy access to some of the best beer in Europe (although that last point may be well contested depending who you talk to). We also picked up on a slightly Eastern-European vibe*, most evident in the styles and dress of the locals, that makes Prague feel slightly exotic and less discovered than other parts of Central or Western Europe.

Charles Bridge at sunrise on Christmas Day

Charles Bridge at night

Beautiful winding street in the historic centre

All together, Prague is a wonderful city, one of our favorite big cities to date, and extremely worthy of a visit!

*To the people of the Czech Republic, we know your country is in “Central” not “Eastern” Europe. Our host made sure to remind us of this upon our arrival.

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Pamukkale from the city…not as impressive as when you’re up there!

Unfortunately, deciding to visit in December, our timing was a bit off – or on, depending how you look at it. As it was the off-season, we didn’t have to battle large groups of visitors. In fact, at one point were were two of only four total people on the travertines. However, because of the unique process that occurs during the creation of the travertines (the sediments in the water etc…) visitors are prohibited from walking on the travertines and in the pools with shoes on. Even clean sandals aren’t allowed. As a result, we found ourselves rolling up our jeans and removing our warm shoes and socks at the base of the hillside in December. It was very, very cold, an attribute evident by the redness of our poor frozen toes.

Cold or warm? Who knows!

Although the rushing water starts off very warm, the hotsprings that supply the travertines with water range in temperature from 35 to 100 degrees celcius, it cools quite rapidly as it flows downhill – especially in December.  In some areas, where the water pools and sits for a while, it becomes very cold and even freezes – something we learned the hard way. It’s a fun game to guess where the nice warm water will be, and we had a great time watching each other test out possible routes.

Fortunately, while our feet were freezing at some points in the climb, the travertine itself is quite gentle to walk on, and not nearly as slippery as it looks. As we made our way up the hillside, the water feeding the pools became warmer and warmer, until we reached the top where the pools were warm enough to swim in (although we only saw one person partaking in a dip on this particular day). Steam rose off the water as we warmed our grateful feet and legs in the bright blue water. But our visit to the site wasn’t done yet.

Some of the myriad of colours seen in the old pools

The colour of the pools is unreal

A group of people enjoying the hot pools at the top

Perhaps the one thing that makes Pamukkale unrivaled by similar sites around the world are the acres of Roman ruins that cover the hillside surrounding it. Although the travertines would be enough to entice visitors from around the world on their own, it doesn’t hurt that the Roman city of Hierapolis once stood in all its grandeur right at the top.

Old Walls surrounding the ancient city

An ancient street

Hierapolis was one of the most important cities in the Roman Empire, receiving frequent Imperial visits which only helped to raise its stature and importance. Dating back to the 2nd Century AD, Hierapolis was initially a spa town, but it later became a major medical centre as it was believed that the underground thermal springs had incredible healing properties. Home to 100,000 people at its height, the city was also a major centre for arts and philosophy, and stayed so under the Byzantines until its destruction by the Persian army in the 7th century AD. The city survived in some part until the 12th and 13th centuries, when the damage caused by sackings and earthquakes rendered the city unlivable and it was abandoned and forgotten until its rediscovery in 1887.

The ancient theater – built for a visit by Emperor Hadrian

Today, visitors can still walk through the crumbled remains of this once great city. With a large theater still fairly intact, as well as impressive bath houses and a necropolis, it’s possible to get a feeling for just how large the city would have been. Unfortunately during our visit, the blue sky and sunshine of just 24 hours earlier was replaced with angry grey clouds and fat raindrops, making wandering around the ruins a little less comfortable. Nonetheless, we still made an effort to do the site justice, wandering through fields strewn with ruins and taking shelter under the odd tree.

The site is enormous!

Making our way back to the travertine pools, it was time to wander back down the travertine hillside in our bare feet. As we again exposed our feet to the cold, we noticed that the hillside was empty, it seemed that no one else was as crazy as us. And then it started snowing. slowly at first, but then a little harder. Large, perfect snowflakes floated down all around us, making our experience all the more magical. We took turns posing for pictures and catching snowflakes on our tongues, but eventually it was time to make the cold journey back down the hill.

Another couple braving the snow…but just for a few minutes before heading back to the top

When we finally reached the bottom, our feet were once again freezing. Even putting our socks and shoes back did little to help. We met a young Chinese man at the bottom psyching himself up to make the trek to the top, and we dutifully passed on our advice on where to walk to avoid too painful an ascent. Feeling ecstatic with how our day went we gingerly made our way back to our toasty room and under the covers to warm up.

The city and the pond at the bottom

Walking up Pamukkale was one of the most fun and enjoyable moments of our trip. With the silty sand squishing between our frozen toes, and our eyes trying to take in every spectacular view, we didn’t feel like tourists visiting a world famous attraction but instead like kids heading outside after the first snowfall of the year. It was SO much fun!

Logistics: The city of Pamukkale is about 20 minutes by Dolmus from Denizli, which can be easily reached by bus from a number of cities throughout Turkey. The majority of the buses belong to the Pamukkale Bus Company, and our ride from Antalya cost about $15 per person. The bus was very comfortable (as is the norm in Turkey) and included drinks and personal TV screens. The dolmus from Denizli costs about $2 per person and drops you off somewhere in the small town. I’m sure someone will try to scoop you up in their car and “help” you get to your hotel. They will probably try to get you to buy something or take their tour, but they seemed to be pretty harmless. Entrance to the Travertines and Hierapolis costs 20TL per person.

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