HK Independent Traveller Blog

  Alberobello wins wows from everyone when seeing photo(s) of numerous trulli , white houses characterized by a conical stone roof. The whitewashed walls of the trulli are built directly onto limestone bedrock and constructed using a dry-stone wall technique (i.e., without use of mortar or cement). The roof structure sits directly on the walls using simple squinches (corner arches) allowing the transition from the rectangular wall structure to the circular or oval sections of the roofs. The roofs of buildings often bear mythological or religious markings in white ash and terminate in a decorative pinnacle whose purpose is to ward off evil influences or bad luck. Thousands of trulli are like fairy tale setup and felt mythical. They are unique in this world.   In the old days in Italy, there was a tax on the rooftops. One had to pay this tax on the number of rooftops one had got. People from Alberobello had contrived a trick. They started to build their own houses with this...

  Ostuni  is a small white-washed hill-crested city lies near the top of the ‘heel’ of Italy’s boot shape in southern  Puglia . Perched atop the olive-carpeted hills,  Ostuni  has long been one of the awe-inspiring sights in  Puglia . Known as " La Città Bianca " for its gleaming white buildings, Ostuni's history stretches back over millennia with settlements from ancient tribes. But what visitors can see today dates from between the 1400s and the 1700s. Visitors are impressed with labyrinthine streets, Gothic cathedral and panoramic views that sweep across the countryside to the Adriatic Sea.  We arrived at Ostuni by train and took a bus to Piazza della Libertá , the heart of the historic centre of Ostuni filled with interesting monuments. The pyramidal obelisk of St. Oronzo , the main protector of the town, stands at over 20 metres high with a figure of the saint at the top looking over the square.   Dominating the piazza is the  Pala...

  It is my second time to visit Varese . Unbelievably, the first visit was 14 years ago, covering Villa Panza , the Church of Saint Maximilian Kolbe and Sacro Monte . The sightseeing points this time are totally different: churches in the town centre, Palazzo Estense with a gorgeous park and Parco Lugli Zanzi . Varese is nicknamed ‘Garden City’. It is built on seven hills and embraced by beautiful lakes. Many gardens and green spaces dot throughout the city. Varese offers a wealth of walks and trails for jogging, cycling and walking.  Apart from the beautiful nature, Varese is also an enchanting old town with portico walkways, adorable villas and religious monuments. From the 17th century, nobles and the rich from Milan began to build second residences around Varese's historic centre. Palazzo Estense is among all a magnificent one.  The Duke of Modena and Governor of the Duchy of Milan, Francesco III D’Este , bought the territory with an existing building in 1765 a...