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Beautiful Sirmione, Lake Garda’s Jewel

7 April 2023 by Raul Leave a Comment

The town of Sirmione, Lake Garda is on the northern tip of a tiny peninsula that juts out of the lake’s southern shores. Lake Garda is the largest of Italy’s northern lakes and is very close to Verona.

I had never heard of it until 2021 when I went to the area to hike in the Dolomites. At that time, I was doing an overnight in Verona and decided to hop on the train for the short ride to Peschiera del Garda. Peschiera sits at the southeastern tip of the lake and just a little closer to Verona.

Second time visiting Lake Garda

In 2022, I got to return to Verona and decided that perhaps I would not overnight there but, instead, somewhere on Lake Garda’s shore. I started researching alternatives to Peschiera and discovered Sirmione. I opted for making a stop in Verona along the way for lunch at a restaurant I discovered the prior year, and then spending the balance of the day enjoying Sirmione.

Sirmione has a little bit of everything!

To enter the heart of the town, you must cross a bridge and go through the main gate. Once you enter the gate into the old town, it is pedestrian – for the most part. There are oodles of places to eat, have some gelato or perhaps a beverage.

Sirmione, Lake Garda, peninsula, Verona, Italy's lake district, medieval castle, roman villa, roman ruins, lake boat ride

Sirmione is known for thermal baths, for being a beautiful “town”, for its resort-like R&R offerings, and its amazing old medieval castle.

There are also the ruins of a Roman villa on the tip of the peninsula itself! This town has it all.

A different way to appreciate Sirmione

We opted for a boat ride around the peninsula to appreciate the town from a different vantage point. The tour boats are usually located right outside of the gate to the town; easy to find. The boat ride was super fun as our captain/guide was quite a character. I recommend going right before the sun begins to lower for the best light for photos!

Our lodging right outside the town gate

We stayed outside of the town but almost as close to the gate as possible on the west side of the peninsula. It is a skinny peninsula with only one road. Our hotel was small and super nice. My room’s balcony faced the park in the direction of the town’s gate but if I just looked left, I had a view of the lake.

While Sirmione may be off the main path of most tourists visiting Italy, if you want to branch out and see a different Italy in a beautiful natural setting, Sirmione is it!

Filed Under: Europe, Europe, Italy, Italy, Travel Journal Tagged With: Italy's lake district, Lake Garda, medieval castle, Peninsula, roman ruins, roman villa, Sirmione, verona

It Is High Time to Explore Split!

31 December 2022 by Raul Leave a Comment

In between Venice, Italy and Dubrovnik, Croatia lie a number of islands and coastal towns that form Croatia’s Dalmatian coast. I have been fortunate to have visited Dubrovnik twice – as charming a town as I have ever seen. But, in a recent trip along the coast, I got to spend a brief day in Split, not quite halfway between Dubrovnik and Venice and a UNESCO World Heritage Site.

While Dubrovnik beats Split in the picturesque category, Split is very pleasing to the eye and feels much more approachable and livable. I would rather spend a couple of weeks in Split than in Dubrovnik for sure.

Split, Croatia, Roman ruins, Dalmatia, Adriatic, coast, travel, history, architecture, Diocletian palace, Jadrolinija ferry

A bit on how Split became important… Diocletian

Split is an old town in a continent of old towns. Its main claim to fame is the palace built by Roman emperor Diocletian as his retirement home. Diocletian retired from being emperor in a job that people did not get to retire from. Much as the late Pope Benedict XVI did in another job typically worked until natural (or otherwise) death came about.

Diocletian ruled in the late third century A.D. after doing a lot of things, including persecuting Christians in his empire. The bloodiest and largest persecutions conducted by Rome across the early A.D. centuries were his – nice guy… Diocletian was born in the Roman area called Dalmatia (a good bit of current Croatia). As many did before him, he rose through the Roman military’s ranks to become emperor.

The rare retired Roman emperor needs a palace

Diocletian decided to voluntarily leave the emperor role as illness had impacted him. He built himself a palace a short distance from the capital of the province of Dalmatia by the waters of the Adriatic.

His palace was built more like a fortress, surrounded by massive walls on all four sides (as the image below shows) and dotted by a number of towers. It also had four main gates, one on each side, with one of them facing the water.

Split, Croatia, Roman ruins, Dalmatia, Adriatic, coast, travel, history, architecture, Diocletian palace — The left side faced the Adriatic

Today, land has been reclaimed so that gate is no longer opening up to boats but to cafes and other establishments that then face the water.

Retaining Roman walls in a modern setting

The “palace” retains some of the walls and a few towers as well as some of the structures from Diocletian’s time.

As you walk inside the so-called palace, you find amazing remnants of the original structure. For example, a small sphinx brought from Egypt, the vestibule area where people waited to enter the former emperor’s quarters, and the like.

Split, Croatia, Roman ruins, Dalmatia, Adriatic, coast, travel, history, architecture, Diocletian palace, cistern — Former cisterns, later sewage dump, now often market stalls

A palace that is a town, still lived in

However, over the centuries buildings/structures have come and gone. The inside of the palace is more like an old town that is still being lived in – an ongoing residential area almost two millennia later.

Split, Croatia, Roman ruins, Dalmatia, Adriatic, coast, travel, history, architecture

Split, Croatia, Roman ruins, Dalmatia, Adriatic, coast, travel, history, architecture, Diocletian palace, church, arch

We heard that, unfortunately, private businesses are buying buildings to set up fancy boutique hotels, offer rental apartments for tourists, etc. This means that locals are being pushed out. It is a shame that it is taking place here (and many other charming towns across Europe) though one can see the appeal.

Markets always offer good photo opps!

Split, Croatia, Roman ruins, Dalmatia, Adriatic, coast, travel, history, architecture, market scene

Different architectural styles

If you pay attention as you walk around, you will notice the mark from different architectural styles from Roman to Venetian Republic to Hapsburg and more. I imagine it will mean a lot more to architects than to me but even I, a layperson, enjoyed seeing the contrasting styles in town.

Split, Croatia, Roman ruins, Dalmatia, Adriatic, coast, travel, history, architecture, Venetian architecture in Croatia

An amazing town to check out

Split is much more than Diocletian’s palace. It is an important port and the many ferries coming and going to Italy and other towns and islands in the Adriatic are evidence of that. I am hoping to find a place to rent (outside of the palace!) and spend time chilling in this fantastic Adriatic and historical town!

Filed Under: Croatia, Croatia, Europe, Europe, Travel Journal Tagged With: Adriatic Sea, Croatia, Dubrovnik, roman history, roman palace, roman ruins, travel

Roman Ruins in Jordan | Ancient Jerash

27 June 2013 by Raul 14 Comments

Yes, Jordan is more than Petra. And, if you have read some of my other posts on what I saw in Jordan, you are aware of that. But when it comes to historical sites of significance, it is worth noting there are important and well-preserved Roman ruins in Jordan, the Hashemite Kingdom. Jerash, in northwestern Jordan, is historically quite important on its own right even if overshadowed by the more famous Petra further south. However, Jerash struck me not only for its historical significance but also because it was alive!

Jerash – the ancient Greco-Roman city

Before I tell you how it is alive, let’s explore the historical and architectural gem Jerash is. Jerash (known as Gerasa in older times) was a city built originally in Greco-Roman times. This is estimated to have been established in the 4th century BC. After a large earthquake in the 8th century and further destruction brought about by other earthquakes and wars, Jerash became a footnote of history. That is, until it was begun to be excavated in the early 19th century and the rise of uncovering Roman ruins in Jordan. Even Emperor Hadrian himself visited Jerash in his days and there is a triumphal arch commemorating that visit. Jerash was not just a backwater outpost.

Arch of Hadrian built to honor his visit

: Detail of the Arch of Hadrian

What to see in Jerash: spectacular Roman ruins

Among the many sites in Jerash to explore are the Forum, temples to Zeus and Artemis, the Cardo Maximus, the North and South theaters and many other ruins.

: View of the Forum at Jerash

: Detail of the colonnade of the Forum

Mosaic Roman ruins Byzantine church Jerash Jordan art design Canon EOS Rebel

Mosaic floor of one of the 3 contiguous Byzantine churches on the site

Along the Cardo Maximus

The Cardo Maximus is one of the most phenomenal ancient “streets” I have ever walked. It is a column-lined road where the remnants, both standing and fallen, of the many structures that used to line it are still quite present if not alive.

Visitors walking down the Cardo Maximus, the north-south colonnaded street

Fallen column Roman ruin history Jerash Jordan Canon EOS Rebel

Jerash’s ruins did not survive powerful earthquakes and other ravages as this reminds us

Columns temple artemis jerash jordan history roman ruins

Beautiful columns in the Temple of Artemis

The place is alive

Oh, you think I am talking figuratively, aren’t you?? There is a column in the Temple of Artemis that is actually moving. You can place your hand at its base and you will feel it moving. Yes, indeed! But that is not quite what I mean when I say Jerash is alive…

Moving column temple artemis Jerash Jordan Roan ruins

I hesitated for a second putting my hand in there. I let someone else go first…

There were also vegetation around (this being the greener part of Jordan) like the following which also contributes to making Jerash a site that is “alive”. But that’s still not what I mean…

Fig tree in Jerash, Jordan Roman ruins Canon EOS Rebel

Fig tree along the path

But what I really meant about Jerash being alive was neither of the prior two photos. The day we visited there were several groups of schoolchildren visiting and they enjoyed chanting in the large Roman theater – almost like competing to see who had the best chants – and running up the stands.

Jerash Jordan children Roman theater Canon EOS Rebel

Children enjoying and LIVING the ruins!

Children climbing the stands of the theater

The smile so typical of every kid we ran into! A happy memory for us all

Though these ancient ruins were some of the most impressive I have seem, it was great to see a historic place so alive that day – it helped me connect more to the essence of Jordan via its children!

Pin this image to your travel planning board – amazing Roman ruins in Jordan !

Check out these other posts about Jordan:

During this trip, I was a guest of the Jordan Tourism Board. That notwithstanding, the stories I share were my real experiences and nothing else. As they always are!

Filed Under: Asia, Jordan Tagged With: archeology, architecture, Artemis temple, children, colonnade, history, Jerash, Jordan, Roman columns, roman ruins

A Wedding in Bulgaria

23 April 2010 by Raul 3 Comments

Early this year, one of my cousins told me she had to go to Sofia, Bulgaria for a friend’s wedding and that she was hoping her Dad or another cousin would go with her. My ears perked up and I offered that, if neither could go, I may be able to go with her. Bulgaria, that’s a place I remember from my childhood, pre-Berlin Wall fall, as a very Stalinist-type of state (some say even more than the USSR itself), tight with the USSR right along with East Germany; a big mystery to me as a curious child. Wow, how would the place feel close to 20 yrs post Wall fall…

Bulgaria, Sofia, national theatre, alexander nevsky cathedral, orthodox church, view from above, travel, photo, Canon EOS Rebel

The Bulgarian National Theatre and a smallish Alexander Nevsky Cathedral in the background

As Usual, Planning Is Half the Fun

About a month and a half ago, my cousin confirmed that indeed she didn’t have any takers yet on the trip so I signed up for it. Cool. Bulgaria. Knowing not much really about Bulgaria, my mind filled up with the possibilities. And there were intereting places nearby that I wouldn’t mind exploring… Macedonia, Serbia, Romania. Could I fit something else in the trip… (Oh, and how would it be not only with a place whose language I didn’t speak but also with an alphabet I didn’t understand.)

However, travel logistics ended up settling the matter for me. I planned to use a free ticket with my frequent flyer miles but the options were limited. First, the miles couldn’t get me all the way to Sofia and back given limited seat availability for free tickets. Second, it sure was going to be nicer if at least my cousin and I coincided on the flight into and out of Bulgaria to ease the planning and to not travel alone. Third, the return flight to Atlanta offered the option of going elsewhere as a complement to the visit to Bulgaria. While I had time to research things, I also didn’t have all the time I would have needed to explore 100 different ways to do the trip. So, of the possible ports of departure from Europe, Copenhagen offered both a convenient itinerary plus getting to see a place I had not been to, perfectly meeting requirements!

I had much less time to research what I should do while in Bulgaria outside of the wedding-related events but I managed to get a travel guide and do some brief reading… Fortunately, the wedding folks had connected all travelers with an apartment renting company in Sofia that they knew so that solved our accommodations logistics – always cheaper to stay in an apartment plus it offers the benefits of full kitchen, washer/dryer, TV with cable, and wi-fi. Not bad for 26 euro/night per person!

The Wedding Events

The main purpose of the trip to Bulgaria was the wedding so I will describe a little bit what that was like. The bride, who lives in the US, is Bulgarian-born while the groom is American. The wedding, therefore, was planned quite similar to what I am used to. My cousin was the maid of honor so that immediately placed us in the pre-wedding events (parties, rehearsal). The bride picked us up at the airport and took us to our apartment which was located in ulitsa Gurko. A smaller but busy side street in Sofia quite close to key government buildings and the key tourist attractions of Alexander Nevsky Church, the Russian Orthodox Church, the National Theatre and other key sites.

Friday night the bachelor and bachelorette parties took place. Sorry, I can’t tell you what happened. You know the rule… what happens in Sofia, stays in Sofia… Actually, since there was only a small group of visitors attending the wedding (and a couple of those never made it due to the ash-related airspace closures), the bachelor party was a dinner with the father, father-in-law, uncle-in-law and brother-in-law. Since my cousin was going to be busy the entire day, the bride offered me participating in the bachelor party though I had not yet met the groom (and had just met the bride at the airport). Knowing I had nothing better to do and wondering how it would be, I decided to go. We drove to the outskirts of town to the Eleganza Hotel (a nice hotel in case you are looking outside of the city) to eat at its restaurant since the in-laws knew the owner. The food and restaurant were very nice and we enjoyed good conversation (at least, those of us who shared a common language since some of the inlaws didn’t speak English; I assume they had a good conversation among themselves!). I avoided drinking rakia as I knew it could get out of hand given how one of the inlaws was downing it… It was good to meet the groom and his dad since I was going to be seeing them the next couple of days and I was very glad I went. From what I hear, the bachelorette party consisted of spending a whole day in a salon, having some drinks and other entertainment.

Saturday was time for the rehearsal. The wedding church was Saint Sofia, a beautiful church close to the larger Alexander Nevsky Church. After the church, we went for coffee at the Cafe Vienna next door to finish discussion of logistics, etc. That evening, we all met up at a nice pizza restaurant outside the city center. I had grown to love the shopska salad so I had that and a pizza that I shared with my cousin. The shopska salad is cucumbers, tomatoes, dill and a large serving of sirene cheese, a white cheese made from cow and sheep milk (or so we were told). I think it was my favorite culinary discovery for the trip!

The Wedding

I got to the church 5-10 mins before it was supposed to start but, not seeing anyone and after confirming in my mind that I was indeed at the right place, I moseyed over to see the magnificent Alexander Nevski Church. I was not going to have time to explore it in detail but at least I wanted a mental picture. It is such an amazing church on its exterior yet quite austere inside for such an imposing structure. The juxtaposition may not have been accidental, I suppose.

Anyhow, back to the wedding since that is what this blog entry is about… Not being orthodox and not speaking Bulgarian kept me from understanding all that was going on but the ceremony seemed rich in tradition and a high reliance on everything 3. The rings were crossed by a wedding party member in front of the groom and bride 3 times before they were placed on their final spot on the respective hands of the couple. The couple walked around the altar 3 times. The crowns they were to wear were crossed 3 times too. The priests’ garments were bright orange and gold, pretty spectacular. The bride looked gorgeous. The wedding party stood behind the couple in line the entire ceremony. And the guests stood the entire ceremony.

Petals were thrown at them as they walked outside of the church and a wedding party member passed around sweets on a tray in front of the church. All part of the traditions and I liked them. The greeting line for the couple and key wedding party members was held right outside the church before the couple did the pictures. People brought flowers that they handed the bride. An old lady was walking around the crowd asking for money until she figured out that her best strategy was to stand at the end of the greeting line right after the bride and groom. It was hilarious and a good fast assessment of her market’s conditions!

The Reception

Before the reception, we headed to the Arena di Serdica Hotel not far from the church. It is a magnificent hotel built on top of old Roman ruins (the town was called Serdica back then; I didn’t know but Sofia is one of the oldest capitals in Europe). The lower levels of the hotel below the lobby open up to the lobby so everyone can see the Roman ruins below the hotel. The cocktail was held at the lowest level among the ruins and with a band of musicians playing classical music. It was a perfect setting for the post-wedding cocktail.

Sofia, Bulgaria, Serdica, hotel, Roman ruins, history, architecture, photo, Canon EOS Rebel

The basement of the hotel kept the Roman ruins uncovered – great ambiance!

From there, once the bridal party arrived and partook, we left for another hotel to the reception. The hotel was in the city but a little beyond Alexander Nevsky. The meal was phenomenal (I had a rabbit-based appetizer and fish for the main course). Traditional music alternated with music I knew from the States and Latin America making the party quite fun. The traditional flower bouquet toss took place as well as the local “bread contest” between the couple. In this contest a massive piece of bread is placed above the couple’s heads and they must wrestle it from each other. Whoever takes the largest piece will “rule” the household. The groom won and I heard the bride say “I am not happy”. 🙂

I greatly enjoyed getting to go to a wedding in Bulgaria even if the wedding was a blend of cultures. In this global world, this will become more and more the norm but I was pleased to see local traditions will not die off any time soon! Cheers to the happy couple!