I have never been to Puglia before. Since I enjoyed the idea of spending cold Polish winter elsewhere, which became a sort of a new tradition, there was a decision to make. I picked up Puglia, the most southern part of Italy. There were many reasons to come here. The weather was one of them, and the food too. I did not know that much about Puglia before I came and stayed for a while. Therefore, there was no real anticipation nor high expectations. I also read a post about Puglia in summer by my dear friend Cathy  and it was intriguing enough to think about winter in Puglia. I’ve been living here for a month now and I am sure this was a great decision. Here is a short list of my reasons why you should visit Puglia in winter. No crowds In recent years, Puglia has become a popular holiday destination. Thousands of Italians and foreigners visit this region, mostly in the summer time, that is in June, July and August. These months turn Puglia into a frenetic zone, full of crowds and noise. Such a circumstance should not discourage you to visit this part of the world, though. Instead of coming here in the hot and crowded season, I suggest you come in winter time. There is literally nobody here! Being the only tourist in a city of Oria with 12,000 of locals is fun! No lines, no waiting for hours in a restaurant, no noise. The winter life of locals is peaceful and full of surprises. Mild climate The cold and the warmth is a relative thing. In Puglia, the temperatures are above  zero degrees, and in the middle of the sunny day the temperature is as high as +19C. In average it is between 10C and 16C.  For me, this looks like a beautiful spring time. Moreover, the sun shines most of the days and it did not rain even once! I know these temperatures are far from +40C in the summer time, and I love it! It is perfect for a walk, the blue sky makes a perfect photo background and my running routine is effortless! Due to this wonderful weather, I was able to pursue my training plan. I’m running regularly three times a week and the conditions are just perfect! It looks like I’ll be well prepared to run a half marathon in April 2016. Excellent food No doubts Puglia is famous for its excellent food. This is true for both summer and winter time. There are still fresh fruits and vegetables here and, above all, super tasty frutti di mare. Fresh clams, squids, shrimps and fishes are delivered daily to small fish stores all over the place. I was not a huge fan of frutti di mare before, but I am now! I mean, how could you not? And there is the highest quality dairy. Burrata and stracciatella di burrata are two of my favourite fresh cheeses. A simple and very cheap lunch consists of a fresh bread, a piece of cheese, cherry tomatoes, olive oil, prosciutto crudo and sweet pears. Fabulous and very healthy food! Friendly locals If you are the only tourist in town just try to imagine how sweet the locals are. They are not tired with crowds and they have enough time and curiosity to spend a while with you. I got friendly with my neighbours quite quickly, not to mention a local tradesman who comes in his Ape car with fresh fruits every morning. He rings my bell and he sometimes leaves the fruits I ordered the previous day in front of my door, if I’m out. What a service! Silence Most of all, what makes my winter in Puglia a perfect experience, is the silence. I need it to work on my book. The good news is, I have recently completed a chapter about the Cook Islands. This is a huge milestone and I have to admit that the atmosphere of Puglia helped me a lot! I hope to bring you more stories from Puglia. A visit at the hairdresser was very interesting. Living like a local is my superpower so stay tuned and come back for more.  

The post Why you should visit Puglia in winter appeared first on Null & Full.

Read previous episode. Yesterday was a very special day. Although it was terribly hot due to a circulation switch and I felt really weak, I went to a meeting with Maria Paola. A young girl who is a member of the local folk group. She is the owner of an old traditional costume that belonged to her grandmother and she invited me to join the dressing. Her folk group had an evening performance in Buggerru – a nearby town along to other 15 folk groups from the region. They performed not only a parade but also traditional group dance. Her house is only a few minutes from my apartment, but even such a short walk end up with wet t-shirt caused by unnatural heat and humidity. I could hardly imagine a person who dresses these layers of traditional costume one after another in this weather. Tradition The apartment of Maria Paola’s family is like a local museum – they keep all family treasures, like porcelain, furniture, portraits and even the costume original buttons. When I entered the room I was greeted by the whole family who got excited that a foreigner is interested in their traditions. I deeply appreciated the moment when I can meet people who are proud of their traditions and have this need of sharing it with the world. So there I was and my role was to listen, watch and try to understand. Maria Paola is one of the most beautiful girls I have ever seen. Her typical Sardinian look fits not only the apartment and this context but most of all the costume. She had a makeup ready but felt the warmth too, so a big fan was brought to the drawing room and the process of dressing begun. She started from dressing a large white tunic that was more like a dress as it was large enough to cover her knees. This was an original piece of her grandmother clothes and it was made out of fine cotton and very particular lace on the neckline and the edges of the sleeves. After having this chemise on she got her shoes on too. This order seemed to be very clever since the rest of the dress is really heavy and it would be almost impossible to get her shoes after the skirt and apron. A very elegant pair of black shoes, similar to the flamenco dancers. Then, she dressed an old fashion underwear trousers and the first skirt. All of what she dressed was made of white cotton and she looked like figures in the old pictures already. While dressing next pieces of the traditional costume, she was explaining the purpose of each piece. The white skirt was giving an extra volume, a sort of corset was modelling her figure, slimming her waist and thanks to a sort of small pillow on the back it was holding the external skirt on place. Everything had a purpose Another smart feature was an additional piece in the circuit of her skirt and underskirt so when a girl was gaining weight or got pregnant she could still use the same robes just making it bigger. In the past, the costume was so expensive that the family bought it once in a lifetime, therefore it had to be flexible, to some extent and of the highest quality. The final four pieces of clothing were like a cherry on a cake. A colourful frilly skirt, jacket and a sort of shawl covered the white veil. Maria Paola methodically put one piece after another with a great care and attachment to the details. It was fascinating to watch how focused on the details her movements were. When she stood there in front of me fully dressed in this costume that was more than fifty years old I got amazed by the beauty of it. The final result was dashing. And what strikes me  even if this cloth was of traditional provenience it was very successful in extracting the natural beauty and the most beautiful female features. I went and visite Maria Paola again, August 15th, to watch another costume. And the pictures below show the new costume made for her by the local tailor. The figure of Maria Paola, her face and movements were perfectly matched making her even more beautiful. Later in the evening we watched her folk group dancing at the nearby feast in Buggerru. Tiny steps, joyful music and wonderful choreography made the show incredibly attractive. The proud of these people out of their heritage was visible to everyone. And for a while I felt jealous and sad because the generation of my grandparents who survived the war had no such opportunity to pass my anything related to their clothing or dancing traditions. Their generation was robbed out of their heritage. The extreme poverty and death took the chance of passing anything to the next generation. And even if it’s been more than fifty years passed I am the third generation that suffers. All I knew about the past of my grandparents was a few stories of how tough their lives were. And that night when I watched Maria Paola dressing her grandmother costume I felt the sadness of the people from whom such privilege was taken away.  More about Sardinia is coming soon.  

The post Traditional Costume of Sardinia appeared first on Null & Full.

Writing about home city is challenging. It’s very difficult to find the right perspective. On the one hand, there are too many stories to tell, too many memories to share and just too many places to write about. On the other hand, local stories and excessive detailed description will not interest travelers nor tourists. So here is the thing: I will show you my city just as I do with my foreign friends who visit me here. Places I normally go, things I usually do, events I always participate. This is a very personal itinerary of Poznan. And as local as it gets. Food Starting with basics: I’ll show you my favorite places for having a coffee, a delicious dessert or sites where I simply like to chill out with my friends. So next post will take you on tour around the Poznan cafes. Some of them are charming and very busy with locals while others are quiet and peaceful. This is true for Poznan: everyone finds something for himself or herself. A huge variety of cafes awaits you. Not only cafes are busy places here: people all over the world spend time shopping fresh vegetables, fruits and flowers. You must be familiar with pictures of exotic food markets and I’m going to show you how people do their daily shopping on city markets. It’ll be very colorful and crowded, just like elsewhere! Art&History Poznan is an excellent example of a place where history and art are fascinating! No worries: no boring museum with old paintings. Far from it! I’ll take you for a long walk around one of Poznan districts that is called Jeżyce. I’m going to show you a fabulous art deco style of the houses that survived last war. Spectacular details, glass windows, door, balconies and stucco. Few sites here reminds me my trip to Barcelona and I hope you’ll share my delight with these beauties. Further, I’m taking you to one of the most modern places in the city where ancient history becomes alive. Sounds weird: modern technologies and the ancient history? Fair enough. You’ll se for yourself. Events Poznan is a city of festivals. No doubts about it! Throughout the year there is no weekend without a music or cultural event. Seriously! You can chose from street theaters’ festival, ethnic music festival, jazz festival, films and music festivals and so many others! I will focus on two events I participate: Dancing Poznan and 15th Poznan Marathon. I think these two events are very particular and you will find out why if you read these posts. If you wish know Poznan better, see whether this city is an interesting holiday destination or just check what to do here follow posts published under “Home City”. Trust locals – they know best!    

The post Quick Look At Poznan appeared first on Null & Full.

Urbino is a wonder! True: Italy is full of wonders, all sorts of them. Architecture, local celebrations, history, art … Italy has it all. It is hard to stand out of the crowd but somehow Urbino is really fascinating and its character is very particular. For me three best things are: its size, Palazzo Ducale and vibrant social life after sunset. It is hilly which makes the city very attractive and it also makes panorama seen from city walls breathtaking. It is large enough to walk around the whole day but small enough not to use any sort of local transportation. And I know why Giorgia from Marche Holiday wanted me to see this city so badly! Here are few pictures from this city.   There is also a very particular spot in this city, useful for photographers. If you walk up to a place called Fortezza you will see a truly amazing view at the city. This hill is close to Palazzo Ducale, in fact it is located inside city walls which makes this view spectacular. Pictures from there show the city in its splendor. No wonder UNESCO enlisted in a World Heritage Site.   I went to Urbino only twice and it was not enough to know this city well. There is a house of Raffaello Sanzio (better known as Raphael) who was born in Urbino and spent his early years here, got very close to local aristocracy and returned to the city many times in his adult life. I should visit his nativity house next time I’m in Urbino. Further, there are few interesting churches to be visited and obviously a revisit in Palazzo Ducale is a must. I’ll share with you a story of my visit in Palazzo Ducale later this week.      

The post Urbino Gallery appeared first on Null & Full.

Here are photos taken in Ravenna. I found this town truly fascinating. Despite the crowd of tourists it is still worthy to visit. I fully agree with the arguments by UNESCO: A unique collection of early Christian mosaics and monuments show great artistic skill, including a wonderful blend of Graeco-Roman tradition, Christian iconography and oriental and Western styles. There is no other place like this. You just need to see it one day for yourself! Ravenna is a beautiful city and it is located in Romagna. Emilia-Romagna is a region that is famous for its excellent food. Now it is your turn to verify it! You can visit Italy and try for yourself. Book today your stay in Emilia Romagna.  

The post Ravenna Gallery appeared first on Null & Full.

You never get tired with this view! Here is great news: it is possible to visit Italy today! Join me this autumn! I’ll be there to show you what Italy is all about. Check this website and book today! A project iloveFerrara designed by me is waiting for you so you could experience Italy at its best. One of the previous posts on Rome got some really nice comments saying that Rome IS a walking city, despite everything what people think about it. Exchanging tweets on how beautiful Rome is with Italian Talks, Rome in Depth, Walks of Italy and Browsing Rome encouraged me to prepare this gallery. I picked up only seven places in Rome: the Vatican City, San Paolo Fuori le Mura Basilica, Piazza di Spagna, Foro Romano, Quirinale and Castel Sant’Angelo (respectively). Some of the places- Vatican, San Paolo and  Piazza di Spagna– are shot twice to make an impression of getting closer to it: so, the first picture is from the distance and the second is much closer. I would love to hear whether you like it and whether it really gives you such impression. I had been working in Rome for a year and the most precious thing about it was an opportunity to walk it every season. My favorite are September and October. If I could, I would go there every autumn, just to hanging around without any purpose at all. Rome is awesome but also difficult to visit. I know few people who, despite its awesomeness, returned disappointed. So try these travel tips and watch the pictures. And prepare your own plan how to meet this city in real.    

The post Rome At Its Best appeared first on Null & Full.

As much as Tuscany in one of the most frequently visited Italian regions Umbria is much less so. Although there are many similarities between these two Umbria gets less attention and less traffic. And it makes Umbria really intriguing. Finding information on main cities of the region (Perugia, Spoleto, Norcia or Assisi) is simple so let me skip this part. Why I think Umbria is so intriguing? Let me put it this way: For me the region brings a delight of gentle landscape and small charming towns. The combination of peace and silence immersed in long tradition and rich culture is appealing. This is what makes Umbria awesome! Do you also have a similar place where everything that troubles you at home gets proper proportions? All pictures are courtesy of my travel mate. He is a real photography genius!  

The post Perugia & Umbria Gallery appeared first on Null & Full.

This was my second time in Ravenna and I would go there again, if I had an opportunity. Although this is not a top 5 or even 10 tourist destination this town is still relatively full of tourists. Why? Because it is fascinating. I see at least one big reason for that: ART. The transition If you’re interested in history of European art, at least a bit, it is very likely you studied it one style after another, chronologically. As a result of this process your head is full of ‘typical examples’ of particular styles. You’re able to differentiate renaissance style palace from an ancient basilica or art nouveau house. What is most fascinating, however, is the process of transition from one style to another and studies on the precursors’ works of art. I grew up convinced that the process of transition is much more fascinating than the pure style itself and this is one of the reasons why I consider Ravenna so fascinating. Being an ancient city, which is nothing special in Italy, Ravenna hosted a capital of Western Roman Empire for about 70 years, and after the empire collapsed it still played an important role on the peninsula (surviving the invasions the Ostrogoths and the conquest by the Franks). Its complex history of domination, glory and decline is seen through the works of art. This is one of few places where well preserved ancient buildings are visited by the tourists along the early Christian buildings and medieval ones. The famous mosaics is a unique example of ancient technique and motives derived from the emperor times mixed with early Christian themes. Ravenna is a tourists’ friendly town. There is a integrated system of tickets called Opera di Religione della Diocesi di Ravenna which means that for 9,50 EUR you’re entitled to enter 5 most important sites: Museo Arcivescovile, Battistero Neoniano, Basilica di S. Vitale, Mausoleo di Galla Placidia and my favorite Basilica di S. Apolinare Nuovo. The ticket is valid for 7 days so if you plan to stay in Ravenna longer than one day you are very welcome to do so. All UNESCO World Heritage sites are located within a walking distance plus the streets in the city center are full of bars and restaurants so you won’t be starving in a meantime. The Tomb of Dante While the tomb of this famous poet is surprisingly modest it is still worth to pay a short visit. Inside of this tiny vault you will find a simple tombstone with his name on it and an olive lamp. The lamp is a fascinating example of tradition and memory: since 1780 the oil to this lamp is being provided by the city of Florence– the place of birth and live of this exceptional artist. The Itinerary It is convenient to start your visit from Basilica di S. Vitale and Mausoleo di Galla Placidia, which are located in the same garden. The main vault of basilica takes you back in time. The splendor of mosaics, its colors and excellent condition despite of 15 centuries passed is hard to describe. Equally fascinating is the external of basilica: when standing in the garden you watch the church from the back and the ancient mausoleo. Currently due to the technical reasons the visit in mausoleo is limited to 5 minutes, however, there is no strict control over time spent inside so no worries. On the other hand, however, it is so stuffy inside that I doubt if you’re able to stay longer inside. Well known mosaic of Good Shepherd is over the entrance. Following a pocket map received with the tickets walk to the Battistero Naoniano and Museo Arcivescovile. I personally would stay longer in the baptistery rather than in museum but it all depends on your own preferences. Being the oldest building in Ravenna it is also one of the most beautiful mosaics in town. When you continue your walk towards Basilica di S. Apolinare Nuovo don’t miss the Tomb of Dante Alighieri (no surprises here: it is located on the via Alighieri). My favorite place in Ravenna is the Basilica di S. Apolinare Nuovo. Mainly because of its classical 3 naves construction and apse with a hemispherical semi-dome. This basilica is very harmonious and full of light, which I find beautiful. The two lines of saints with famous Three Kings at the front is stunning. Sitting there for hours, watching the figures of man and woman dressed in white and finding these tiny little differences is my idea for a perfect afternoon. The story continues here… …and a photo gallery from Umbria is right here. Have you ever thought about visiting Italy? Here is an alternative way on how to visit Italy and get really close to the Italian way of life. I created a project ‘I love Ferrara‘ so you could join me and experience how beautiful and tasty Ferrara is. If you wish to immerse in Italy book your holiday now!  

The post Why Ravenna Is Fascinating? appeared first on Null & Full.

I was lucky. I visited London many times but the trip made three years ago was the best I have ever had. I went to the TATE Gallery with my cousin (cheers buddy!)  to see an interesting exhibition of the Chinese artist Ai Weiwei. The exhibition was titled “Sunflower Seeds” and was placed in a Tate Modern Turbine Hall. If you missed information about it here is what was it about: the hall was filled with natural size sunflower seeds made of porcelain (one hundred million, to be precise). I know it sounds weird but have a look at the pictures and you might try to imagine it. When the exhibition was opened people were allowed to walk on it, lay, jump, throw, touch, and everything else you can come up with, except for take away the seeds out of the Hall. Later, out of healthy reasons, they forbade the walking part, constructed a little fence around and so by the time I visited the museum I could only watch and touch the close to the fence seeds (just like on this picture below). So, how was it? Modern art is often controversial and the majority of us does not understand the intentions of the author. When entering the Turbine Hall I was impressed instantly due to the quantity of these seeds. I knew some details before going to this exhibition and so I knew that each of the seeds was hand made. I think that the artist here did an amazing thing: he returned to the basics. Everybody understands basic concepts of quantity or even infinity, which was most striking while watching the seeds. In the case of this particular exhibition a short movie showed in a room nearby explained pretty much everything so nobody was left without the explanation what this modern work of art is about. All seeds were produced using the traditional technique of porcelain production. Each seed was taken in hand and painted. Watching millions of them is impressive enough. I think the the power of this exhibition lays in simplicity and universality. Each of us can understand what it means to watch million seeds and each of them is unique. There are no two exact copies of it. Just like humans: we are all unique. Watching people entering the Turbine Hall was fascinating. Each of them tried to do something with these seeds. I was impressed that each person- starting with small children up to the adults- got engaged with this exhibition. It was simple enough to get people involved and intriguing to catch their attention. I really enjoyed this exhibition very much. And I really hate these signs in museum saying: do-not-touch-works-of-art. Well, art in general is about touching. Good art should touch the core of human. Make us think and feel.  

The post London Jewel: TATE Gallery appeared first on Null & Full.

This might surprise you but even though I am a true fan of Italy my biggest travel disappointment met me in this country. My visit in famous Galleria Uffizi was a true failure. There are many reasons for this and if you have ever thought about visiting Uffizi read it carefully. This might save you from your biggest travel disappointment.  Most visited museum Galeria Uffizi is one of the most visited museums not only in Italy but also in the world. Every year thousands of people buy a ticket to admire the famous collection. Some of them buy a ticket online in order to avoid a huge queue while the others stay in a line for hours! And this line is nothing pleasant: especially if you need to stand in front of the museum for hours in unbearable heat. Even if you have your ticket bought online you need to wait for the precise time of your visit, marked on your ticket. The collection My high school teacher always said that Galleria Uffizi is the most beautiful museum in the world. It contains the most precious works of art and everybody should visit it at least once in a lifetime. Growing up with such opinion created in my mind a picture of royal outlook with exceptional objects inside. The most important element of the exhibition- I was told- is the unique opportunity to see the transformation from strictly sacral art towards secular one. And yes, you should see it in Uffizi…if the most important works of art are there. The problem is that Uffizi is so famous that some parts of the exhibition are temporary hosted elsewhere. You can be lucky and see the majority of the collection on site or you can be unlucky- as I was- and see only a fraction of the collection, even you paid full price for a ticket. So, the biggest disappointment was due to the absence of the most important pictures and sculptures. I cannot imagine your frustration if you travel the world to see what you have always dreamed about and you don’t. The works of art What you can see inside? (if you are lucky!) The most important paintings would be The Birth of Venus and Primavera by Sandro Botticelli, Annunciation by Leonardo da Vinci, The Venus of Urbino by Titian, Doni Tondo by Michelangelo Buonarotti, The Madonna of the Long Neck by Parmigianino, The Adolescent Bacchus by Caravaggio, and some others. If you are not an art enthousiast you are probably still familiar with Musical Cherub by Fiorentino as this is one of the most frequent reprinted picture. Out of date The other thing that drove me crazy about this gallery was its poor condition. For the number of visitors and the price of the ticket one could expect at least proper labels under the paintings. This is not the case! It happened more than once to see a picture with a wrong label. The most funny one was an old painting of Madonna labeled as Man with a beard. Hilarious! The tickets Lastly, I bought a ticket well in advance bearing in mind this was a Week of Culture in Florence. I paid a reasonable price but got totally astonished at arrival, discovering there was a free entrance to the exhibition that very day. I got informed that the money I paid was not paid to the museum at all. An agency that is selling the ticket took it. And this frustrates me. I think that the whole ticket business in this museum is really lousy. Any advice? Yes, one. If you go there just be prepare for a long queue, crowds in front of each famous picture, loudly speaking guides in Japanese, half of the exhibition out…and the rest should be fine! Have you ever thought about visiting Italy? Here is an alternative way on how to visit Italy and get really close to the Italian way of life. I created a project ‘I love Ferrara‘ so you could join me and experience how beautiful and tasty Ferrara is. If you wish to immerse in Italy book your holiday now!  

The post Warning: Galleria Uffizi Disappointment appeared first on Null & Full.