Your questions: How should I spend three weeks in Europe?
My mum and I are vision-impaired and after a trip to Germany, Austria and Italy's Ferrara last year, we would love to do another Europe trip in September. We are thinking of returning to Italy, and we wondered about Naples or southern Italy, otherwise Croatia/Adriatic coast or Belgium. What can you suggest for a three-week stay, potentially staying in three different locations?
H. Schedlich, Moonee Ponds, Vic
The cities of Ghent and Bruges in Belgium are world-class wonders, and you also have easy access to Amsterdam. Most travellers go to Croatia and the Adriatic for the beaches but since you've fallen under the spell of Italy, why not indulge yourselves?
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Appealing as it is, Ferrara and the rest of Emilia Romagna is only one part of the Italian mosaic. Southern Italy might as well be another country. You could start in Rome and take the fast train to Naples and spend at least five days there, visiting the archaeological museum, the churches, and don't miss San Gennaro, Pompeii, taking the ferry to Capri and Ischia and sampling pizza in the city that invented it. Also enjoy sfogliatella pastries and seafood dishes at the outdoor restaurants along Vico Lungo del Gelso. I've stayed at Foro Carolino right on Piazza Dante and it's a great choice.
Next, take the train to Ostuni, in Puglia. Capping a hilltop above gnarled olive trees on the plain below, Ostuni is the largest of the so-called 'white cities' of the Itria Valley, its knotted alleyways curling beneath wrought-iron balconies. From here you can take guided tours to experience Alberobello and the other white cities of the Valle d'Itria, the city of Lecce and sample the distinct cuisine of this charismatic corner of Italy.
Spend about five nights then take the bus to Bari Airport and fly to Catania in Sicily, Ryanair has daily non-stop flights. Take a bus or taxi south to Ortigia, the island at the southern end of Syracuse. Make it your base for the rest of the time you have available. From here you can make day trips to visit Noto, Ragusa, Modica and Taormina. Allow yourself time to relax in Ortigia, the Piazza del Duomo is one of the finest squares in all of Italy, ringed by baroque facades cast from the same bleached limestone. It feels like an opera set, best seen from Bar Condorelli, source of Italy's famous Condorelli torrone, but you're really here for minne di Sant'Agata, ricotta-filled pastries encased in marzipan and topped with a cherry.
We will be in South Africa next year and would like to do a road trip in another country afterwards. Can you suggest somewhere that's safe and well-suited to a family trip? We previously did something similar in Namibia and it was fantastic.
S. Bolitho, Brunswick, Vic
Botswana would be my No. 1 choice, and a camping road trip is a popular, rewarding way to experience the wilderness and wildlife of this incredible southern African country. It is also safe, provided you follow a few basic rules. Bear in mind that most campsites in Botswana's national parks and reserves are unfenced, allowing wildlife to wander through. Watch out for baboons, they're criminals. This style of trip is also cost-effective compared to a stay in Botswana's wilderness lodges, where even a basic tented room starts at around $US1000 a night for two.
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