Luxury on Lake Como – Villa d’Este
Trip Over to Lake Como
During our 3 weeks staying in Como the weather was generally perfect – cool, crisp, sunny spring days, but even on the couple of rainy days it was still perfect and didn’t stop us from getting out and about. The rain was never the umbrella type while we were outside – just the hat and coat variety.
It had been suggested to us that it is not possible to walk around the gardens at Villa d’Este unless we were staying there, that set the day’s challenge for us……. There were low, but non-threatening clouds over Como as the ferry pulled away from the wharf heading for Cernobbio (Pronounced:- Churn-ob-yo) just 2 stops away. The ferry passes another monument to Alessandro Volta, the local lad who invented the battery a few hundred years ago, unveiled in August 2015, this steel sculpture called Life Electric:-
“Inspired by the electric tension between two poles of a battery, the great gift from Volta to the humanity” – Daniel Libeskind from the Life Electric Project.
The sculpture takes on a life of its own in the variety of lighting conditions over the lake, sometimes almost blending into the lake, other times in stark contrast. Some local residents had signed a petition to stop this sculpture being placed in the lake, but now it is there with no sign of any animosity towards it, and it provides a good vantage point to walk out to with seating under the art work, giving a different view of Como and the surrounding area.
Villa Erba can be seen from the ferry as it approaches Cernobbio wharf, one of the many Villas in Cernobbia, groups can book tours here. Most of the villas are either private, or can be booked for events. But our mission was to visit Villa D’Este with its opulent gardens and hotel.
Within a few minutes our ferry had arrived at Cernobbio Wharf and as the ferry pulled up the last of the morning market was being packed away, suddenly we were the only people left on the streets. The drizzly, misty rain and cold must have kept everyone inside for an early lunch made from the produce they had just bought from the market. Undaunted, we continued on towards our challenge………..
The gardens in the villas were all very impressive, and even without land for gardening, hanging gardens add a creative touch to a house just up the road from the Cernobbio ferry wharf.
Up at Via Regina, the main road through Cernobbio around the west side of Lake Como, a side street, Via Monte Grappa, heads through the arch way before winding its way up into the hills. I love the way the Italians don’t knock down their history to make roads, they work with it. Parking is never a problem for these tiny Italian cars, there is always room to park your Fiat or Smart car no matter how small the space. If the car fits, park it!
After turning right at Via Regina and wandering up the road looking at various restaurants, reading menus (all sounding delicious) and trying to decide which one to have lunch in, and doing a bit of window shopping as the shops were all closed for the very civilised Italian long lunch break, we reached the next bend in the road and there were the gates to Villa d’Este. The plan to have lunch somewhere before going to explore the gardens went out the window as we hadn’t realised how close it was.
As we went striding purposefully in through the entrance gates to Villa d’Este the man in the gate office came out see what we wanted, quick as a flash Christine said, “We’re having lunch at the Veranda.” (I decided the terribly elegant couple in the photo of the main gates must be staying there as they weren’t stopped). He welcomed us to Villa D’Este and wished us “Buon appetito”. That was the lunch decision made………..we were in, mission accomplished!!
Prior to 1873 Villa d’Este was a private residence with a very interesting history involving nuns, a ballerina, a Russian Czarina and British royalty, although not all at the same time. Click here to read the history of the Villa.
Following the path lined with beautifully manicured flower beds, not a petal out of place, passing Villa Cima, a lakeside private, almost Tudor looking, villa on the estate built in 1814 by the Princess of Wales to accommodate Count and Countess Pino, the former owners of the estate, after she had convinced them to sell the estate to her (it was the least she could do). It is now one of the villas hotel guests can book to stay in.
Hundreds of immaculate hydrangeas line the interior of the restaurant, and yes, they are real, I checked!!
In summer the glass windows surrounding the Veranda can be lowered down into the ground so you really are sitting out on the veranda, and more tables spill out on to the terrace closer to the lakes edge.
Lunch was exquisite, we shared many dishes so we could taste as much as possible and were waited on hand and foot as there were almost as many staff in the Veranda as there were guests. I suspect though, even if every table was full, we would still be waited on impeccably. There was someone to take our coats, a sommelier to choose our wine, then the waiter recommended we share a Salmon and Strawberry entree, we then shared Duck Cannelloni and Ameriticiana Tortoli, all served up by the waiter at the table so we didn’t have chop and transfer half making a huge mess ourselves. Then the maitre d’ flambed our Crepe Suzette at the table – this was followed by the smoothest espresso coffee I have ever had – with a hint of chocolate.
Having eaten more than enough food to give us the energy to explore the gardens, and fortunately the rain had stopped, but it was still overcast, we set off into the gardens. There are a number of restaurants and bars at Villa D’Este, we walked passed the Terrace Bar that I’m sure in summer is full of sun kissed guests enjoying an Aperol Spritz overlooking the swimming pool that floats in the lake. Next to the Veranda Restaurant you can look up through the marble gardens, up the long path that leads to the statue of Hercules hurling poor Lica into the waters below. From here you can walk over to the back of the Villa d’Este gardens to the remains of Donna Vittoria’s towers and fortifications from the early 1800s, a bygone era in the life of the estate.
The Queen’s Pavilion was added to the estate in the late 1800s with steps going down to the lake and the underpass to bring boats in if the water gets too choppy for passengers to safely disembark………After bringing the boat into the protected water under the Queen’s Pavilion passengers could walk up the steps to the estate and the boat could be kept in one of the boat parking bays underneath.
In summer Cernobbio becomes a vibrant lakeside village, with many bars and restaurants open, but not on the grey day in early spring when we visited. We were not disappointed though, far from it, and we completed the challenge – we explored the gardens at Villa d’Este without staying in the hotel. I’m not sure if it was cheating that we were forced to have lunch there to get in through the gates, but if that’s cheating, I’m all for it…………
Book a tour on your Trip Over to Lake Como
Itinerary for Trip Over to Italy – Milan, Como and Venice
Qantas flight (Emirates code share) to Milan (Malpensa) from Sydney via Dubai
Stayed in Milan, Airbnb, for a week before going to Como
Picked up in Milan by Como Limousines and driven to Como
Stayed in Como, Airbnb, for 3 weeks
Picked up in Como by Como Limousines and driven to Venice
In Venice, water taxi to Al Ponte Antico Hotel for 3 nights and water taxi back
Picked up in Venice by Como Limousines and driven back to Como
Picked up in Como by Como Limousines and driven back to Milan (Malpensa) Airport
Qantas flight (Emirates code share) to Sydney via Dubai
It was hot, then it got very humid, lots of cloud.....maybe rain later, but there was a nice breeze on the harbour. I`m ready for summer to end....
#sydneyharbour #sydneylife #sydneyharbourwalks #lookingforthebreeze #cremornepoint #sydneylocal #sydneyoperhouse #sailingonsydneyharbour #nativeaustralianflowers
Malta is definitely yachty heaven!! As the ferry from Valletta crosses the Grand Harbour to Birgu, the middle of the Three Cities, the Marina is jam packed full of yachts.
Pics 1 to 4 are Vittoriosa Marina as the ferry heads past the Birgu Waterfront to the ferry stop near the Maritime Museum.
5. The view from Valletta across the Grand Harbour to Birgu.
#malta #3cities #3citiesmalta #vittoriosamarina #birguwaterfront #yachtsyachtsandmoreyachts #yachtyheaven #solotrip #solofemaletravel #soloadventure #solotravelinmalta #traveltheworldwithme #seeeverythingdoeverything #seetheworldthroughmyeyes #neverstopexploring #travelvibes
One of the most beautiful stores in London, Liberty has an amazing history, built in the mock Tudor style from the timber from 2 old ships! Located on Great Marlborough St, off Regent St, near Oxford Circus it`s a great place to start any shopping expedition in London, even if it is just window shopping 😍
#libertyoflondon #shoppinginlondon #beautifulshopsinlondon #londoninspring #londonlife #londonstyle #solotrip #solotravelinlondon #solofemaletravel #soloadventure #adventure2025 #traveltheworldwithme #seetheworldthroughmyeyes #flowers #libertylion #glassceiling
Upper Barrakka Gardens, a lovely park looking over the Grand Harbour, there`s not much space in Valletta for parks!! The photo of Victoria Gate in the previous post was taken from here, so having walked up all the steps, this is a good place to catch your breath before exploring more of Valletta. The Upper Barrakka Gardens are on the same level as the main street through the city, so you get a good break from all the steps!!
#upperbarrakkagardens #upperbarrakkagardensvalletta #Malta #valletta #vallettamalta #solotrip #solofemalemidlifetraveller #solofemaletravel #soloadventure #solotravelinmalta #seetheworldthroughmylens #seeeverythingdoeverything #traveltheworldworldwithme #adventure2025
Walking to North Sydney to catch the Metro into the city in the morning.
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#northsydney #walktowork #pinkflowers #sydneyharbourbridge #sydneylocal #sydneystreets #seetheworldthroughmyeyes #morningcommute
Right in the centre of Taormina is this over grown 2000 year old Roman Baths, inhabited by stray cats. There is a sign pointing to it, but it`s a bit of a mess.....then on the other side of the square is an old Roman theatre, also dating back to the 1st century.
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#romanbaths #romantheatre #taormina #taorminasicily #solotravel #solotravelinitaly #seetheworldthroughmyeyes #solotrip #traveltheworldwithme #seeeverythingdoeverything #solotravelinsicily
Continuing my recent solo adventure posts....I flew from London to Malta at the end of March, caught a taxi from the airport to my hotel in Valletta, then had a walk around the area to familiarise myself with my home for the next 10 days, everywhere in Valletta is so interesting, then went to La Pira on Merchants St and tried the delicious traditional Maltese meal of Rabbit Stew.
1. Flying over the French/Italian/Swiss Alps on KM Malta Airlines.
2. Santa Katarina Church
3. A typical Valletta Street
4. Maltese Rabbit Stew at La Pira
#flighttomalta #alps #snowcoveredmountains #streetsofvalletta #malta #valletta #rabbitstew #solotravel #solotrip #solotravelinmalta #seetheworldthroughmylens #seeeverythingdoeverything #traveltheworldworldwithme
After the rush of posting Reels and Stories while I was travelling, I now have time to go through the whole adventure again in a more orderly fashion!! My recent solo adventure was flying from Sydney to London, then to Malta and Sicily. All the Reels and stories are available in my feed and in Story Highlights.
1. At Sydney Airport
2. Travel outfit, ready for the long flight, add a jacket and I`m ready to get from Heathrow to central London.
3. My seat on QF1 for the next 24 hours......😳
4. Flying over Sydney after take off.
5. Sunrise over Austria as we get closer to London
#qf1 #adventure2025 #qantas #sydney #sunrise #planeseat #traveloutfitoutfitoftheday #solotrip #solofemaletravel #soloadventure #solotravel #neverstoptravelling #seetheworldthroughmyeyes #traveltheworldworldwithme
Caught the fast ferry from Valletta to Gozo, had a wander around Victoria, then went all over the Island on top deck of a bus!! That was quite an experience - a double decker bus negotiating streets designed for a horse and cart!! There were times that there was only inches to spare either side!
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#gozo #gozoisland #hoponhopoffbus #seetheworldthroughmyeyes #solotravel #solotrip #traveltheworldwithme #seeeverythingdoeverything #traveladdict #neverstopexploring
I`m in planning mode getting ready for my next Trip Over The World. Read the new post about my planning process by clicking the link in the bio.
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#tripplanning #tripplanningtime #malta #sicily #solotravel #solotrip #seetheworldthroughmyeyes #neverstopexploring #traveltheworldwithme
I got out of Heathrow and on to the Piccadilly line in record time, QF1 arrives early, before peak hour, I always stay in St James`s @royaloverseaslondon - location, location, location - it looks over Green Park half way between @theritzlondon and @clarencehouse. I got up to my room, checked the amazing view, quick change and off to St James`s Park - then I know I`ve arrived 🥰🥂
1. The Royal Overseas League, St James`s.
2. View from my room of Westminster Abbey and Victoria Tower at the Houses of Parliament.
3. Elizabeth Tower, (Big Ben) my bedside clock!!
4. I also have a view over the roof of Clarence House, King Charles is home, the Royal Standard is flying.
5. Ready to hit the streets of London.
6. St James`s Palace with police on horses strolling past.
7. Buckingham Palace across the lake in blossom filled St James`s Park.
#royaloverseasleague #royaloverseasleaguelondon #westminsterabbeylondon #victoriatower #housesofparliament #elizabethtower #bigben #clarencehouse #royalastandard #londonready #outfitoftheday #mountedpolice #stjamesspalace #buckinghampalace #stjamesspark #londoninspring #solotrip #solotravel #solotravelinlondon #adventure2025
Easter Sunday in Palermo, not a chocolate Easter egg to be found!! I caught a bus up to Monreale as I had been told the gold mosaics in the duomo were amazing. I think a catholic church service for Easter is not the place an atheist should be! Even if the building was amazing, dating back to the 1100s. I just can`t agree with them asking the poorest people to donate money to the wealthiest organisation in the world, and giving nothing in return, the homeless will still be on the streets tonight!
I then caught a bus to Mondello, apparently the most famous beach in Sicily. Looks lovely but I have never been hounded by so many Indians wanting to sell me a sarong😧!!
#monreale #mondello #Sicily #eastersundayinsicily ##solotravel #solotrip #traveltheworldwithme ##seetheworldthroughmyeyes
The southern end of the Queen Victoria Building being watched over by Queen Victoria, and Sydney Town Hall across the road.
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#qvbsydney #queenvictoriabuilding #queenvictoriastatue #sydneytownhall #sydneytownhallclocktower #lightrail #sydneylife #sydneycbd #sydneylocal
Flowers hanging over someone`s fence in Neutral Bay, then on to St Leonard`s Park.
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#stleonardspark #stleonardsparknorthsydney #yellowfliwers #yellowflowersoftheday #walkinthepark #sydneylocal #sydneylife #sydneyaustralia #northsydney #sydneystreets
Different story today, they forecast sun and it happened 🌞🌞🌞🌞🌞 finally!!
#stleonardspark #northsydney #blueskyandsunshine☀️ #walkinthepark #seetheworldthroughmyeyes #sydneyweekend
Walking through St Leonards Park in North Sydney, things took a turn last week when the weather took a dramatic turn, and I got a hole in my "warerproof" shoe covers 🥺🌧!!!
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#stleonardspark #oldstonehut #walkinthepark #blueskyandsunshine #thentheraincame #morningcommute #walktowork #seetheworldthroughmyeyes #holeinmyshoe #Sydney #sydneylife #sydneyinsummer
Sydney is Christmas ready, the QVB has the tree up. All the shopping centres have hauled the decorations out of storage and put them up, same as usual....they all need to swap decorations to give some variety 🎄🎄🎄
#christmas #christmastree #qvb #qvbsydney #sydneychristmas #christmasdecorations #sydneystyle #sydneylife #sydneyaustralia #sydneylocal #sydneyarchitecture #decorationsup #shoppinginsydney #myhometown #seetheworldthroughmyeyes #seeeverythingdoeverything
The Chanel Christmas window at David Jones in Sydney CBD. It`s been sooooo hot lately, adding snow to pics in Sydney really helps!!😉🎄☀️🎄☀️🎄
#christmasinsydney #christmastree #christmasdecorations #christmasiscoming #sydneystreets #davidjones #chanel #chanelChristmas #hotinthecity #sydney #sydneystyle #sydneylife #sydneystyle #sydneychristmas #sydneyaustralia #sydneycbd #sydneylocal #lunchtimewalks
As the ferry leaves Mosman Bay as seen from the Cremorne Point walk, Sydney Harbour was sparkling all weekend🌞🌞🌞🌞🌞
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#mosmanbay #cremornepoint #northshore #sydneyweekend #sydneylife #sydneyaustralia #sydneyharbourwalks #sydneystyle #seeeverythingdoeverything #traveltheworldworldwithme #outonthewater #boatsboatsboats #sydneyferries #myhometown #sydneylocal
After a bit of window shopping and a long walk through Hyde Park to Kensington Garden, it rained, it was windy, the sun tried to come out, then it got really cold. I went to the `Dress Code` exhibition at Kensington Palace, the Palace is in the middle of a major conservation project have all the sash windows replaced so the whole building is covered in scaffolding......
#hydepark #hydeparklondon #kensingtonpalace #kensingtongardens #fortnums #oxfordstreet #solotravel #solotrip #traveltheworldwithme #seeeverythingdoeverything
My last evening in Syracuse, it has been a really lovely place to explore. Making my way up the east coast of Sicily, I`m off to Taormina today.
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#syracuse #syracusesicily #syracusesicilystreets #solotravel #solotravelinitaly #solotravelinsicily #seetheworldthroughmyeyes #solotrip #traveltheworldwithme #neverstopexploring #seeeverythingdoeverything #madeinitaly #traveladdict
The walled city of Mdina, the old capital of Malta, sitting high up on the hill looking out over the country.
It was a bit like arriving in Disneyland at first, actors dressed up as whatever they thought medieval Maltese dressed like and whipping people in stocks, while the horse carriage drivers touted for business, but once you get through all that, it was very beautiful.
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#mdina #mdinamalta #mdinathesilentcity #mdinastreets #maltalife #malta #solotravel
#solotrip #traveltheworldwithme #seeeverythingdoeverything #neverstopexploring #exploretheworld
A beautiful spring day in London, cool, crisp, but so much warmer than I was expecting 🌞 St James`s Park was in full bloom🌼🌷⚘️🌺
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#London #stjamesspalace #stjamespark #magnolias #pinkblossoms #walkinthepark #traveltheworldwithme #solotravel #solotrip #seetheworldthroughmyeyes
A big day of wandering all over Palermo. It`s a grubby, gritty city, everything needs a good wash, but you get over that pretty quickly!! Easy to get around on buses and walking, the Ballaro Markets are quite an experience, all the vendors shouting, very crowded, seafood sitting out in the sun, cooking various gizzards to put on bread rolls (no thanks!!) Then I escaped to the calm of the botanical gardens....
#Palermo #palermosicily #ballaromarket #mercatoballarò #botanicgardens #sicilytravel #solotravel #solotrip #traveltheworldwithme
It`s all about eating.......🎄🥂🎊🎄!!
#christmasinsydney #eatingseason #festivefoodandmood
Tarxien Temples, a short bus trip from Valletta on the #81. This is the home of what is assumed to be the first people who lived in Malta. This complex dates back to 3400BC, so really, really old!!!
#tarxien #tarxientemples #malta #ancienthistory #ancientcultures #prehistoriclife #earlylifeinmalta #solotrip #soloadventure #solotravelinmalta #seeeverythingdoeverything #seetheworldthroughmylens #traveltheworldwithme
Taormina has to be one of the prettiest towns, there is a festival on that seems to involve a lot of flowers, and there are a few thousand more people here than I was hoping for, but we all seem to be getting along!!
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#taormina #taorminasicily #visitsicily #flowers #italianhistory #solotravel #seetheworldthroughmyeyes #solotrip #traveltheworldwithme #neverstopexploring #seeeverythingdoeverything #madeinitaly
Had a great time exploring the city of Palermo, it`s been quite an adventure!! Off back to London today.....
#Palermo #palermosicily #solotravel #solotrip #seetheworldthroughmyeyes #traveltheworldwithme #seeeverythingdoeverything
Caught the bus down to the seaside today, the pebbles were bigger than I`ve seen on any beach anywhere, it was like a rock quarry!! How people were sitting on it was a mystery! Then to top it off it was high tide and I was ill equipped to walk thigh deep through the water to get to Isola Bella. Now I know what to prepare for, I`ll have another go later......
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#taorminasicily #taormina #isolabella #isolabellataormina #sicilianbeach #solotravel #solotravelinitaly #solotrip #traveltheworldwithme #seeeverythingdoeverything #solotravelinsicily #downbytheseaside
The things you see just ambling around Valletta, sometimes I take the long route around to avoid more really steep and uneven steps, but this always leads to finding more things to see.
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#valletta #vallettamalta #vallettastreets #malta #maltalife #streetsofvalletta #solotravel #solotrip #seetheworldthroughmyeyes #traveltheworldwithme #neverstopexploring #seeeverythingdoeverything
Signs of England all over Malta, not to mention they all speak English and drive on the left!!
1. King Edward Vll post box.
2. Red telephone box.
3. A cover for something on the foot path.
4. A Royal thing from 1893, in Mtarfa near where there were navy/military buildings
5. Red telephone box in Mdina, now used as a first aid station.
6. Me, heading out for a hard day exploring Malta!!
#malta #Valletta #mtarfa #Medina #redphonebox #englandinmalta #outfitoftheday #solotrip #solotravelinmalta #solofemalemidlifetraveller #exploremalta #neverstoptravelling #seeeverythingdoeverything #seetheworldthroughmylens
Lower Barrakka Gardens looking over the entrance to the Grand Harbour in Valletta, Malta.
1. Temple memorial to Sir Alexander Ball, Royal Naval Officer who served as the Commissioner in Malta from 1798 to 1809.
2. View from Lower Barrakka to Upper Barrakka (the arches in the centre of the photo).
3. Memorial to the Unknown Soldier.
4. Trojan warrior Enea.
5. Another angle of the temple.
#lowerbarrakkagardens #lowerbarrakkagardensvalletta #malta #Valletta #unknownsoldiermemorial #siralexanderballmonument #enea #grandharbourmalta #solotrip
#solomidlifefemaletraveler #solotravel #solotravelinmalta #adventure2025
The Greek Theatre in Taormina built in 300BC, still standing and still showing plays and operas. The views from the top of the auditorium out over the sea and the town are amazing....I think I took about 200 photos!! Slightly excessive, but I couldn`t stop 🥂🤩
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#taorminasicily #taormina #greektheatretaormina #teatrogrecotaormina #sicilytravel #solotravel #seetheworldthroughmyeyes #solotravelinitaly #neverstopexploring #seeeverythingdoeverything
When I was in Mdina a few days ago, I could see the giant domestic of the Mosta Rotunda off in the distance (have a look at that reel). So I caught the bus to Mosta!
The Rotunda was built in the early 1800s, so quite modern by Maltese standards! I walked up 75 steps of the narrow stone spiral staircase into the dome, then back down to check out the WWll air raid shelter underneath, and the bomb that landed here but fortunately didn`t explode.
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#mosta #mostarotunda #mostarotundachurch #maltalife #malta #solotravel #solotrip #traveltheworldwithme #seeeverythingdoeverything #traveladdict #exploretheworld #exploremalta
Made it back across the Grand Harbour and up on to my terrace in time to watch the 4pm firing of the cannon from the Saluting Battery
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#cannonfire #valletta #salutingbatterymalta #solotravel #solotrip #malta #seetheworldthroughmyeyes #traveltheworldwithme #seeeverythingdoeverything #maltalife #grandgarbour #grandharbourhotel
I went all over the place today, 23,000 steps!! Walked down through St James`s Park to the Jewel Tower behind Westminster Abbey, then caught the tube to Canary Wharf to look at the Whale made from waste. Then Elizabeth line to Paddington for lunch. Walked from there to Regent`s Park, then down through Marylebone and Mayfair, and as it was now such a lovely sunny evening, I walked around St James`s Park again.....now having a glass of wine looking over Green Park🥂💖
#Paddington #paddingtonbear #jeweltower #canarywharf #regentspark #stjamessPark #solotravel #seeeverythingdoeverything
#solotrip #seetheworldthroughmyeyes #traveltheworldwithme
Endless hours of wandering around the streets of Valletta, something interesting around every corner.
1. All the stepped streets that lead from Merchants St are full of coffee shops, bars and restaurants, they are packed every evening.
2. The long steps up St Ursula St, these were a daily event for me as I left the Grand Harbour Hotel.
3. Next to the Grand Masters Palace in Republic Square
4. A typical street in Valletta.
5. Monument of St Paul.
#streetsofvalletta #Valletta #Malta #solotrip #solofemaletravel #solotravel #solotravelinmalta #adventure2025 #traveltheworldwithme #seetheworldthroughmylens #neverstopexploring
Flying into London, it`s been a while since I have flown in during daylight hours, without low cloud or fog to get a few pics from the air!! It would have been better with full sun 🌞 maybe next time....so lovely to walk through St James`s Park🥰🌺🥂
#London #Thames #riverthames #buckinghampalace🇬🇧 #kensingtonpalace #stjamespark #stjamesspalace #solotravel #solotrip #seetheworldthroughmyeyes #traveltheworldwithme #solotravelinlondon
Walking around Valletta from the Grand Harbour Hotel, there was a choice of walking up lots of steps in every direction, except down to the water front. All the steps are centuries old, and not evenly spaced, and they go on forever!!! It does get easier.....😜
1. Having made it to the top, I took this photo to show the height of this hill, but it actually looks quite flat! It isn`t 😳
2. Looking down to Victoria Gate.
#valletta #vallettamalta #Malta #streetsofvalletta #stepsstepsandmoresteps #victoriagate #solotrip #solofemaletravel #solofemalemidlifetraveller #solotravelinmalta #adventure2025 #seetheworldthroughmylens #exploringvalletta #neverstoptravelling #seeeverythingdoeverything
I couldn`t enough of the view from the Grand Harbour Hotel in Valletta across the Grand Harbour to the Three Cities, staying here for 10 days was a fantastic base to explore Malta from. If you look closely at the roof top terraces in the lower section of pic 1, there is a toilet next to the BBQ, I hope it`s not connected!!!
1. Looking towards Senglea, the southern most of the Three Cities across the Grand Harbour.
2. Looking towards Birgu, and Fort St Angelo.
3. Victoria Gate, built in the late 1800s, was the main entrance to Valletta from the Grand Harbour.
4. The Grand Harbour Hotel, my home in Valletta, loved it 💖
#valletta #vallettamalta #grandharbourhotelvalletta #grandharbourmalta #3cities #senglea #birgu #fortstangelobirgu #victoriagate #malta #solotravelinmalta #soloadventure #solotrip #adventure2025 #seetheworldthroughmyeyes #traveltheworldworldwithme
After wandering through St James`s Park, I went over to Chelsea to see the Flowers exhibition (no longer on, sorry!!) @saatchi_gallery in Duke of York Square, there were some amazing pieces there. They have some great exhibitions in this gallery, so even though this one is over, there will be others, and having a coffee out in the square is always a good idea.💐💕 Determined to keep busy and nor let the jet lag take hold, from here I made my way over to South Kensington to the V&A Museum....
#saatchigallery #chelsealondon #amazingart #flowers #flowersatsaatchi #solotravel #solotrip #neverstopexploring #seeeverythingdoeverything #seetheworldthroughmyeyes #artinlondon #dealingwithjetlag #traveltheworldworldwithme #solotravelinlondon
A lunchtime walk in Hyde Park today, the Archibald Fountain has been all cleaned up, the flowers are blooming and the bin chickens are loving it!!
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#archibaldfountain #hydeparksydney #sydneylocal #sydneylife #sydneycbd #binchickens #binchickensofinstagram #flowersinthepark #lunchtimewalk
St Thomas` Bay in Marsaskala out on the east coast of Malta is really pretty, I walked all around the harbour and came across St Thomas` Tower built in the early 1600s to repel the invading Ottomans, they were sent packing once they saw what the Maltese were made of!! There were salt Pans along the way, and as usual for Malta, a lookout bunker on every headland.
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#marsaskala #stthomasbaymalta #stthomastower #maltascats #exploremalta #solotravel #solotrip #traveltheworldwithme #neverstopexploring #traveladdict #traveltomalta #visitmalta
Flowers exhibition at the Saatchi Gallery in Chelsea.
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#flowers @saatchi_gallery #kingsroadchelsea #London #londonart #londonstyle #seetheworldthroughmyeyes #solotrip #solotravel #traveltheworldwithme #seeeverythingdoeverything #traveladdict
To get a better shot of the Cannon firing, I waited in the freezing cold at Upper Barrakka Gardens to I could secure this spot, the crowds were 10 deep behind me!!
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#vallettacannonshot #vallettasalutingbattery #cannonfire #cannonfireinvalletta #Malta #maltalife #solotravel #seetheworldthroughmyeyes #solotrip #seeeverythingdoeverything
Around 45 minutes on the train from Palermo, Cefalu is a pretty seaside resort town with old historic buildings, like the duomo that opened in 1240. The beaches are sandy here so in peak summer they must be packed. I wanted to walk up to the top of the rocky backdrop, but I got to the half way point and someone told me there were another 275 uneven steps to climb up from there, so I opted out, my knees were already feeling it!!
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#cefalù #cefalubeach #cefalusicily #cefaluduomo #visitsicily #solotravel
#solotrip #seeeverythingdoeverything #neverstopexploring
A few flowers on trees and hanging over people`s fences on the local streets.
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#neutralbay #neutralbaylocal #neutralbayliving #sydneysnorthshore #orangeflowers #pinkflowers #streetsofsydney #sydneystyle #sydneystyle #sydneynativeplants #sydneyaustralia #sydneystreets #sydneywalks #seetheworldthroughmyeyes
This parade has been going up and down Cirdo Umberto in Taormina all afternoon!! Lots of drums, dancing and horses wearing more flowers than any horse is meant to!! I`m still not sure what it`s all about - but is that important??
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#taorminasicily #taormina #cittataormina #solotravel #solotravelinitaly #solotrip #solotravelinsicily #seetheworldthroughmyeyes #traveltheworldwithme
Beautiful weather to walk around Cremorne Point....finally.....for weeks it has been too hot, too humid, too stormy, too windy, too just generally unpleasant - then today...Perfect, just right 🌞🌞😍!
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#sydneyharbour #sydneyharbourbridge #sydneyoperhouse #sydneyharbourwalks #perfectday #seetheworldthroughmyeyes #boats #outonthewater
The public gardens in Taormina on land that was once owned by the same lady who owned Isola Bella in the late 1800s, Lady Florence Trevelyan, a distant relation of Queen Victoria who was exiled from England for having an affair with the future King Edward Vll (why wasn`t he exiled for the same issue??) She moved to Taormina and bought Isola Bella, later marrying the Mayor of Taormina. Together they created the public gardens, which are beautifully looked after to encourage various plants and birds to live there.
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#oarcotreveltan #publicgardentaormina #taorminasicily #taormina #walkinthepark #solotravel #seeeverythingdoeverything #solotravelinitaly #traveltheworldwithme #solotrip #madeinitaly #madeinsicily #sicilytravel
