Italy

This small Italian town is just a few minutes drive north of Lake Garda in the Trentino-Alto Adige region of northern Italy. And while it might be small in size, it's a huge destination in the world of rock climbing, attracting climbers from around the world. But what makes Arco so special? It's ...

This summer we discovered the Cinque Torri near Cortina d'Ampezzo in the Dolomites, and I think it may be my new favourite place to climb. In the summertime there are a few ways to reach the Cinque Torri. If you're only coming for the day, one of the easiest ways is to park on the Passo Falzarego...

Much like the city of Pompeii, Herculaneum was devastated by the eruption of Mt. Vesuvius in 79 A.D. The site is located to the West of the Volcano in the modern town of Ercolano. Easily reachable by car or a short walk from the train station. Prior to the eruption of Mt Vesuvius, Herculaneum was...

Skulls and bones of thousands of soldiers line the walls of Ossario di San Martino.  The small chapel houses over 1200 skulls and thousands of other bones that belonged to fallen soldiers who fought in the battle of San Martino during the Second Italian War of Independence.  It was one of the blo...

Largo di Torre is an open air archaeological site that was excavated in the 1920's by the dictator Benito Musslini.  The site features the remains of four temples and Pompey's Curia.  The different temples date between the 3rd century BC and 4th century AD.  For more than 2,000 years, the site of...

Tours are offered in English or Italian, and a wine tasting is included. You can chose between 3 or 5 wines, and for an additional fee they offer local salami and cheese to accompany your tasting. Overall the price is very affordable considering you get to experience the whole process and have a ...

As always, when visiting these places come with respect, and Leave No Trace. If you have a car this adventure is about an hour outside of Rome. However, if you are visiting Rome and do not have a car; you can take a train from Termini to Pomezia. Starting the walk North of the train station towar...

This is one of the best preserved structures of its kind. Originally used for gladiatorial battles, jousts, and circuses, the arena is still in use today but hosts slightly different events. There are mainly operas and concerts held here now, but in 2026 there will be a Winter Olympics closing ce...

The Florence Cathedral, formally known as the Cattedrale di Santa Maria del Fiore, is an iconic basilica in the city of Florence, Italy.  The cathedral has the third largest dome of any structure in the world and is one if Italy's largest structures drawing millions of visitors each year.     Wor...

This beautiful lake and small town are tucked away in the Dolomite Mountains. It is the largest lake in Cadore, and also was the last outdoor location ever used for an Olympic speed skating event. There is ample parking alongside the lake along with a dock where you can set up your tripod. On a c...

While traveling through the Italian Dolomite's, be sure to plan a stop at Castel Belfort.  Though partially in ruin, the castle adorns a large tower, wide rectangular outer walls and spectacular views.  The ruins are open to the public to explore and photograph at your own leisure.   The Medieval...

The Dolomites in this area are absolutely stunning, and you can pair these massive mountains well in pictures with small towns like Auronzo, Reane, and Misurina. It may be a bit cold, but going in October or later will allow you to see the mountains with some snow sprinkled among the peaks. If y...

Before you get your hopes up too much, I do need to disclose that the castle grounds are barbed-wire fenced and off limits. Hence why this adventure is focused on photographing the castle, not exploring it. The castle was originally built to control the valley floor paths running in the area, wi...

Cita dei Sassi is a great sport climbing and bouldering area on the Sella Pass, not far from Val Gardena in the Dolomites, with a number of boulders and short, bolted sport routes all a short walk from the car park. To access the area, drive over the Sella Pass until you reach the parking areas f...

Park your car as far up the road in the Rhemes Notre Dame valley as the snow will allow. The road turns to trail at Thumel (1,879m) where there is a car park but be prepared to park alongside the road further down the valley at Pelaud (1,811m) or Bruil (1,723m). From here, skin up the valley to t...

Illasi is the perfect place to take pictures of the beautiful Italian sunset as you'll be able to get vast vineyards and olive groves in each shot. This small town is also tucked between two ridges, so you'll be able to climb up one ridge to get gorgeous shots of the sun setting over the other! ...