Advantages: Beautiful
Disadvantages: Can't think of any

...Yes, another Venice review...Probably my last one though... Okay...Saint Mark's Basilica (Basilica di San Marco) was built in 1071, and is in Venice, at St Mark's Square (Piazza San Marco). The square can be hard to find, or very easy, depending on how good you are at navigating the streets (needless to say, we had a bit of a struggle!) Even though the basilica is enormous, I couldn't see it at all until we stumbled straight onto St Mark's Square, where it suddenly leaps out on you, dominating the place. If ever you go to Venice I would strongly recommend a trip to St Marks Square, as this building is probably one of the most amazing you will ever see. The thing that struck me first of all was the sheer colossal size of it. It is toweringly tall, and extemely wide, I have never seen anything like it. I was expecting to see... Read review

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Advantages: Art, Sculptures
Disadvantages: Queue

...in the metroline on the day of our visit and Metroline A was closed. We had to look for an alternative. We anyway had enough details about bus routes. We then took Bus Route No.64 from Termini(main railstation) and got down near St.Peter's Basilica (worlds' largest Basilica). St.Peter's Basilica and Vatican Museum are not too far. It is easy to locate. It was 10 A.M by the time we reached St.Peters Basilica. There is an information centre just outside the basilica and on the way to Vatican Museums. QQQQQQQQQQQQQQQQQQUEUE ------------------------------------------------- We proceeded further in just 10 steps we joined the Queue. Oh God !!! I have never seen such a Queue. It ran for miles. It was a sunny day and we had a tough time standing in the queue. You will have to Queue up on the pavement of main road and no place to rest you feet. We... Read review

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Advantages: everything....beautiful scenery, gorgeous food + lovely people!
Disadvantages: not much...Assisi can get very busy especially during Easter and mid-july

...Umbria is the most beautiful and varied region of Italy and each town is crammed with treasures and historical backgrounds (eg. St Benedict and St. Francis). Hill-towns feature quite prominently in Umbria- pinky-stoned, fascinating Assisi, the dark medieval streets of Perugia and the steep, delightful towns of Gubbio, Spello and Urbino. The unspoilt, gentle, lush countryside of Umbria is part of its charm. For example, the Piano Grande - a vast upland plain stretching for 40sqkm! My review will be focused on the lovely medieval town of Assisi as this is my favourite Umbrian town and im constantly drawn back to it! Assisi: A series of earthquakes over the last few decades have severely damaged this medieval town and Assisi had to cope without its premiere sight - the Basilica di San Francesco! The Basilica's walls are covered... Read review

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Advantages: Free entry, Interesting, highlt ornate.
Disadvantages: Not central

...Montreal was the first city my wife and I visited on our tour of Eastern Canada. Our impression was of a large city with many very high rise office buildings, many, many shops and quite a lot of things to do. The evenings in Montreal can be spent looking around the hundreds of shops in the underground areas. There are many many miles of these shopping areas which can be explored. Another place to go is the Olympic Stadium which held the games of 1976. One of the most impressive buildings is the Notre Dame Basilica (a large church). From the outside it does not look as good. Once you step inside you become overwhelmed by its aura. There are plenty of gold artefacts. The stain-glass windows on one side of the building depict the history of Canada. Part of the building is known as the Wedding Chapel. This is reached by walking through... Read review

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Advantages: interesting more modern-styled church, less tourists so it feels a little more 'discovered'
Disadvantages: not in the central area of Rome, a bit underwhelming after St Peters and San Giovanni

...St Paolo fuori le Mura, means literally, St Pauls outside the walls, the walls in question being the city walls of Rome. That might imply it is a bit out of the way, and to be honest, it probably doesn't feature on the standard 'doing Rome in a long weekend' itinerary, but there is a handy Metro stop nearby, and it is one of the four 'basilicas' in Rome, much visited by pilgrims. My guidebook told me it would be the least impressive of the four, but I quite liked it. Probably because it was the least busy, and the most awkward to get to (although it is by no means hard to find.. the handy metro stop in question, being called 'St Paolo'!) It is certainly the least old of the Basilicas, at least in its present form, having been built in the 18th/19th century after a fire in the previous church. The courtyard which you enter through... Read review

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Advantages: A spiritual and uplifting place
Disadvantages: shops sell loads of plastic icons

...each year.. ~~o0o~~ Having settled in I was invited to join a group of English folk who were also visiting Lourdes with their Roman Catholic Priest, I gladly accepted and followed them in the evening to the Basilica for the torch light procession..... This is one of the sadest sights and yet at the same time one of the most uplifting sights I have ever witnessed, thousands of terminally ill and disabled folk from all over the World lined up in rows in front of the Basilica waiting for the Bishops blessing of the sick, hundreds of more people singing Ave Maria, carrying special candles processing around a pathway , which comes into the Basilica Square and eventually they stop in front of the Basilica but behind the lines of the sick and wait to be addressed by the Bishop before he gave a blessing, it was truly a beautiul and awe inspiring... Read review

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Advantages: One of the most beautiful and romantic places and cities in the world!
Disadvantages: The square can sometimes flood, back alley's with poor drainage can smell slightly but this does not affect main aress at all

...Basilica. On this from right to left, the story of St Mark is told in picture paintings. To your left is the main square (trapezoid) and is an impressive site! Surround on 3 sides by columns and the fourth being the front of the basilica, this is breathtaking no matter time of day, year or how busy. By night this is a magical place where live orchestra's play and couples of all ages dance in the low light. A real tear jerking moment in you are deeply in love! If you visit this square, don't miss the opportunity to go inside the Basilica. You may have to queue a little and you cannot take in rucksacks or large bags, but it is all well worth it! I have been in some impressive churches and cathedrals in my time but this takes your breath away. The architecture and art is the finest I have ever witnessed! Take a walk upstairs (they are quite... Read review

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Advantages: incredible history, perspective, free
Disadvantages: whopping great four-lane road built in the middle!

...of their lives.. 10 to train to do it, 10 to perform the tasks involved and then 10 years to train the new girls.. and the Temple where Julius Caesar was stabbed to death on the Ides of March. It is also possible to see the old Basilicas where the commerce was based in the old Roman days, and where the trade and transactions would have been undertaken. In the Basilica Julia and the Basilica Emilia on the other side. At each end of the Forum there is a triumphal Arch. At the 'Colosseum' end, there is Titus' Arch, which looks out onto the Forum and is close to the entrance to the Palatine Hill (which is great too, incidently!), and the other Arch is Septimus Severus' Arch which is the Capitoline Hill end. There are so many wonderful things to see, discover and explore in the Forum, and many water fountains, still using the Roman water systems from... Read review

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Advantages: Beautiful city
Disadvantages: Can be expensive

...bottle of water with you because that saves on the cost (bottle of water anywhere else 17C for 1.5L in Venice 0.5L is at least €2). Also unless you are on a high budget do not even think of sitting at any of the cafes on St. Marks Square where you can expect to pay at least €7 for a coffee. The gondolas are not that expensive if there are a few of you but many of the gondoliers expect you to haggle. The solution to the costs of eating is either to find the McDonlads or the Burger King which are in the region of the Rialto bridge or visit one of the takeout sandwich shops which usually sell pizza slices and other refreshments as well. The must sees of the main island are St Marks Square and Basilica (expect lots of people and pigeons and to join a long queue to enter the basilica), The Bridge of Sighs, The Rialto Bridge, The Grand Canal... Read review

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Advantages: unique city complete with canals, cheap water taxis, good food, great history!
Disadvantages: can get overcrowded with tourists, canals can be smelly in summer, St Marks Sq quite expensive!

...- this way you can brag that you have been in a Gondola!!!! Places to visit in Venice: Basilica di San Marco (St Marks Basilica) Ponte di Rialto (Rialto bridge) Palazzo Ducale (The Doge's Palace) - beautiful arcitechure! Ponte dei Sospiri (The Bridge of Sighs) Ghetto (The Jewish Quarters)- very moving! Also hop on a boat to the Islands of Burano and Murano. Burano is famous for its gorgeous Venetian-point lace, whereas Murano is dedicated to glass-blowing. Both Islands are fascinating and great for little souveniers at a great price! On the Rialto you can find a huge market place full to the brim of hand made glass, lace, jewellery....well almost anything! Its worth a nosy if you have an hour or 2 to spare! The Doge's Palace is the most beautiful Palace in Italy even though it dates from the 15th Century!!! Within the Palace you will find... Read review

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