Travel does the heart good
Rapallo was never on my list. I never thought there could actually be something about this city. It lies on the Ligurian Sea coast, just between Cinque Terre and Genoa. As a girl from Croatia, I know it from the history books as the Treaty of Rapallo was signed there, in Villa Pagana, formerly known as Villa Spinola. A treaty…
The five Cinque Terre villages are situated in northern Italy on the Mediterranean Sea, just 3 hours by train from Milan, Pisa and Florence. I have arrived by car and totally enjoyed the national park that spreads across the five villages. La Spezia My journey started in La Spezia. This was the very first stop as I…
Tintine was slowly climbing up the hills of San Marino. Not much pressure should have been put on this car as she had enough of the shocks in the last year or two. The hills around us were rising and soon we found ourselves surrounded by an amazing view. It was San Marino surrounded by…
My Life in Sicily finished after a year spent on this island. It was time to turn on my Tintine (a beautiful red car), hop on a ferry and say goodbye. I was nostalgic as a was driving through Reggio Calabria. But soon I was in Puglia – the region with the best Italian cheeses.…
Ardennes are super fun to visit. They are cold but there is loads of trails to discover. Hence, after so many locations, Rochefort was on the route as well. Its ancient position at the crossroads where the route to Saint-Hubert crossed that from Liège to Bouillon required fortifying: the ruins of the old castle, which gave the place its name and…
Once upon a time, there was a little Ivana in Cuba trying to explain a poor restaurant holder that the pizza ragusa he is having on the menu is not some Italian name for some Italian city, but the city of Dubrovnik in Croatia. Stupid girl. Ragusa is a city on the southern side of the…
An Ionian seaside town, Avola is a mix of old and new. The town focuses heavily on the sea, with its history as a tuna fishing port. Today, the remains of the Vecchia Tonnara at the wharf are a stone backdrop to the sandy beaches. Avola dates back to a pre-Greek people called the Sicani.…
Located about 11 kilometres north of Catania, it is the perfect little commune to visit during the ottobrata – the local festivity that occurs every October here in Sicily, celebrating the fruits of the land: frutti di terra. The first encounter went wrong already 🙂 Approaching the booth with fruit, I have noticed quince – one…
If something is worth visiting in life, it is the Aeolian islands. Becasue it makes you think about winter in the south. It makes you think about simplicity of life. And it makes you realise how not to treat the tourists: just some bags of potatoes that need to be shipped from one island to…
I haven’t had a chance to spent a bit more time discovering this city. But just a glimpse and it made me think to re-visit and make it’s due. When the time will come, I promise to update with more photos. But for now, enjoy the story 🙂 Several civilizations settled in Milazzo and left…
I didn’t expect much from this harbour city, to be honest. I knew they have a great beer – Messina cristali di sale: a great Sicilian beer brewed since 1923 and one of the most loved Italian beers. It is the third largest city on the island of Sicily, and the 13th largest city in Italy.…
Senlis is a city in the northern French department of Oise, Hautes de France. Cute, medieval and charming. It offered us great peek into history: The monarchs of the early French dynasties lived in Senlis, attracted by the proximity of the Chantilly forest. Senlis is situated on the river Nonette. Senlis was known in early Roman imperial times as Augustomagus. During the 3rd century, a seven-meter…
Visiting Versailles is inevitable when you are visiting Paris. I took the 45 min train and decided to go for a one day trip. It all started as a humble […]
Visiting Versailles is inevitable when you are visiting Paris. I took the 45 min train and decided to go for a one day trip.
It all started as a humble hunting lodge in 1624 by Louis XIII, and then when king Louis XIV decided to move the residence from the center of Paris to build the Palace of Versailles.
The entrance looks pretty amaizing: the huge golden fence, the golden clock, the rich facade with many ornaments…
Versailles was the seat of political power in the Kingdom of France from 1682, many philosopher, poets, sculptors, gardeners and other artists were gathering there as well as many Dama’s were walking around showing the latest fashion together with King and Queen.
The center of political power as such existed until there was no more money to expand the castle or repair it’s parts. Walking inside, I was surprised how walls were thin but detailed with gold, ivory, porculain etc and how cold could it be during the winter times since the windows were this too.
Until the royal family was forced to return to the capital in October 1789 after the beginning of the French Revolution. Versailles is therefore famous not only as a building, but as well as a symbol of the system of absolute monarchy of the Ancien Régime.
The most impressive is of course the Hall of Mirrors (fra. Grande Galerie or Galerie des Glaces) – the central gallery of the Palace of Versailles.
The chandeliers are reflecting the mirrors giving this beautiful impression of shine and luxury.
The Grand appartement de la reine is the Queen’s grand apartment. It served as the residence of three queens of France — Marie-Thérèse d’Autriche, wife of Louis XIV; Marie Leszczyńska, wife of Louis XV; and Marie-Antoinette, wife of Louis XVI – the one that apparently said to the poor, hungry and furious mass ”If they don’t have bread, let them eat cakes.”
In the photo below there is Queen’s bedchamber. There is a barely discernible hidden door in the corner near the jewel cabinet through which Marie Antoinette escaped the night of 5/6 October 1789 when the Paris mob stormed Versailles.
That same night, as always, the dinner was served for both of the King and Queen.
Life at Versailles was determined by position, favour, and, above all, one’s birth. Wandering around, I looked through the window trying to imagine all the nobel’s of France strutting as real dandies if their times.
Behind the palace / castle are beautiful gardens filth with statues, fontaines, lakes, pavillons, farm etc.
The most famous one is Le Petit Trianon. It is the place where joyful and young Queen Marie Antoanette was playing around, writting her diary without being aware of the size of her new kingdom and the hungry mass around. She built there a farm, employed couple of local peasants and layed with pigs and chicken. She adored cards, so she used to play with others in the Salon of the Pavillons of Le Grand Trianone.
Yeah, I am a big fan of Marie – Antoanette and her diaries.
🙂
RED RIDING HOOD 
Versailles was really impressive, wasn’t it? I made the mistake of visiting during Easter. It was so crowded, I could hardly see anything. I need to come back. Thanks for reminding me of its glory.
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The pictures taken are so beautiful! 😍
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wow such a beautiful place. Loved your pictures
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This is such a breathtaking place! I´ve been there last year and I loved it. Your pictures look great!
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I love visiting castels and see how the royal people leaved in the pasts. I never been in France maybe some day in the future! 😀
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Such an impressive place! Did you see the movie “Marie Antoinette” with Kirsten Dunst? That’s exactly how I always imagined life in Versailles.
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I can’t wait to get there soon :))
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I am a mother and this helped me!
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This design is incredible! You certainly know how to keep a reader entertained. Between your wit and your videos, I was almost moved to start my own blog (well, almost…HaHa!) Great job. I really enjoyed what you had to say, and more than that, how you presented it. Too cool!
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Hello! Do you use Twitter? I’d like to follow you if that would be ok. I’m undoubtedly enjoying your blog and look forward to new updates.
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Amazing blog! Do you have any tips for aspiring writers? I’m planning to start my own site soon but I’m a little lost on everything. Would you suggest starting with a free platform like WordPress or go for a paid option? There are so many choices out there that I’m completely overwhelmed .. Any recommendations? Thanks!
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