Category: quick read

Bellano, Lake Como

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Bellano, Lake Como

Bellano is a charming little town located on the eastern shore of Lake Como in the Lombardy region of northern Italy. Known for its beautiful scenery, historic landmarks, and lively cultural events, Bellano is a popular destination for travellers seeking an authentic Italian experience.


One of the town’s main attractions is the Orrido di Bellano, a natural gorge carved by the Pioverna river over centuries. Visitors can explore the gorge on a suspended walkway and admire the rushing waterfalls and towering cliffs.

Tickets are 5.00€ per person.


Another must-see attraction in Bellano is the Chiesa di Santa Maria, a beautiful 12th-century church with a stunning rose window and frescoes depicting scenes from the life of Christ. The church also offers spectacular views of Lake Como and the surrounding mountains.


For outdoor enthusiasts, Bellano offers plenty of opportunities for hiking, cycling, and water sports. The town’s waterfront promenade is perfect for a leisurely stroll or bike ride, while the lake provides a picturesque backdrop for kayaking, swimming, and windsurfing.



In the summer, Bellano hosts several cultural events, including music festivals, art exhibitions, and food and wine tastings. These events showcase the town’s rich history and traditions and provide a wonderful opportunity to experience Italian culture firsthand.



Bellano is a hidden gem that offers a unique blend of natural beauty, history, and culture. Whether you’re looking for adventure, relaxation, or cultural immersion, Bellano is definitely worth a visit.

Have a wonderful day!

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All things Nice

Published on by Amparo's travels & musings2 Comments

A weekend spent wandering around Nice

There’s a reason why artists such as Matisse, Chagall, Picasso, and Renoir fell in love with Nice.

We visited Nice last month and the weather was perfect. Of course, being February, the sea was absolutley freezing but that didn’t stop people from running and jumping in for a quick swim! And let’s not forget how amazing french boulangeries are. Is there anything better than the smell of freshly baked bread in the morning? Actually yes, croissants straight out of the oven… just the thought makes me want to get on a plane to France. Honestly, how can you not fall in love with this place!

View from Castle Hill (Colline du Chateau)

Is there anything better than breathing in the salty sea air and dipping your feet in the cold sea after a long walk around the city? If you walk along the Promenade des Anglais towards the #ILoveNice sign you’ll find yourself on the Rauba Capeu Sundial at the foot of Castle Hill (Colline du Chateau). This is a great place from which to start your trip.

Rauba Capeu Sundial

Take the stairs across the road from the #ILoveNice sign up to the Bellanda Tower and you’ll be able to enjoy beautiful views of the city and French Riviera coastline. At the very top, from Castle Hill, you’ll be able to see the old town, the port and beyond.

From Castle Hill you can also see the cours Saleya Market. Head over to the market and try their Pissaladiere (onion tart – really good) or you can try Socca which is a pancake made with chickpea flour. And when in France… eat all the bread, pastries and cakes because life is too short and they’re the best.

Cours Saleya Market
Cours Saleya Market

Time to wander around vieux Nice! I love how charming this part of the city is, I could get lost here for hours. If you’re looking for unique gifts there are so many beautiful boutiques around here. One of my favourite shops was; Le Palais d’Osier, which sells wicker baskets, bags, chairs…I wanted to buy everything! And the Parapluies shop which is just beautiful to look at.

Vieux Nice

There’s no shortage of beautiful buildings and streets in Nice. Make sure to visit the St Nicholas Russian Orthodox Cathedral, it is incredibly beautiful.

Basilique Notre-Dame de l’assomption
St Nicholas Russian Orthodox cathedral

And the most exciting part? The CARNIVAL! We were lucky enough to see some of the structures built for the carnival and even got a little sneak peek at some of the performances. The Nice Carnival is one of the world’s major carnival events, alongside the Brazilian Carnival, Venetian Carnival, and Mardi Gras in New Orleans. It’s held annually in February and sometimes early March in Nice. If you want to see more of the carnival, I’ll leave the link to the main website here.

I will defintely be visiting again, absolutely loved it.

If you are planning on travelling to Nice for more than a weekend, I recommend visiting Menton and Cannes which are quite easy to get to. Menton is 37 minutes on the train and Cannes is 30 minutes away.

Moving around Nice is really easy, you can reach all sites on foot which also means you get to really experience and fully immerse yourself in Nice life. If you feel tired, there is a little train that takes you on a tour of Vieux Nice. It’s called the mini-train tour and lasts around 30 minutes.

The mini-trains leave every 30 minutes from Promenade des Anglais (in front of Hotel Le Meridien). Make sure to take cash with you, it’s around 10 euros per person.

I hope you enjoyed this post, would love to know what you think. And if you have already been to Nice, would love to know what your favourite places were.

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Little moments of joy.

Published on by Amparo's travels & musings2 Comments

Milestones, learning to ride a bike.

old bicycle infront of a window.

Do you remember the first time you learnt to ride a bike without the help of those little wheels attached to the back wheel? 

I remember the moment I was given my “big girl” bike and feeling so excited to learn to ride it but failing over and over again. I almost gave up and threw the bike to the ground in frustration, running inside the house not wanting to see the damn thing again. A few words from my parents, a little breather and I gave it another go. When I finally got the hang of it, there was no stopping me. Pure happiness and so proud of myself. I remember thinking, HA! I did it! I can do anything now!

Today, I watched as a kid learnt to ride his bike for the first time. His mum encouraging him, pushing him along and letting go as he grew more confident. Camera in hand, not wanting to miss a single moment; her smile as big as anything. The little boys face said it all. Pure happiness. The best thing about all this? the neighbours that were watching him from their balconies; they cheered him on when they saw him wobble and applauded and congratulated him when he finally managed to pedal all the way round the patio without falling. What a brilliant thing to see. I hope he never forgets this moment.

Hope this made you smile.

I would love to hear about your first time riding a bike. Or is it something that you’re learning to do now or are yet to do? Scroll to the end to leave a comment.

Take a look at my previous posts if you enjoy my writing.

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Monday Musings

Published on by Amparo's travels & musings3 Comments

It’s a warm spring evening, just past golden hour and a light rain has started.

A light breeze plays with my hair; the humidity making it curl and stick up wildly. I love to sit out on the balcony and watch as the sun goes down. More than anything, I love the smell of the rain. A little feather lands on my notepad as I am scribbling away incoherent thoughts accompanied by thunder, church bells and the sudden crash of a crate falling somewhere nearby makes me jump.

Passers by start running for shelter as the rain gets heavier and heavier and I watch as my neighbours rush to put their laundry inside the house before it all gets ruined. I continue to sit and watch as the streets become empty and the rain turns into hail; all of this in the space of 10 minutes! two minutes later the skies clear.

Whenever it rains like this, I can’t help but smile because it reminds me of this one particular day, during a holiday visiting family in Colombia. I was around 8 I think; I remember it was raining so much! I remember tilting my head back and letting the rain fall down my face and thinking how odd it was that the rain felt so warm. It was the first time I had ever experienced tropical rain. I can’t remember whose house we were in, but I remember the small concrete tile patio surrounded by plants and feeling incredibly happy, there was so much excitement in the air. It is one of the happiest memories I have with my cousins. Playing in the rain barefoot; the endless laughter, splashing and silliness. Pure joy. I remember we had this little set of tin pots and plates which we filled with mud and mixed with rainwater that was by that point up to our ankles. We didn’t have a care in the world. All that mattered was that we were together, having the time of our lives.

Hope that my little ramblings bring a smile to your face and make you think of a time you felt as happy as I did that day in the rain. I would love to hear about it too if you don’t mind sharing 🙂