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Of gods and grandeur

"Beholding the spectacle of the valley of Greek temples, the ancient poet Pindar declared Akragas 'the most beautiful city of the mortals.' And as the Mediterranean sunlight plays upon the columns of the Temple of Concord, it's easy to visualize why the bard was so enthusiastic.

But this is not Greece.

Agrigento, as it's now called, is on the southern shore of Sicily and was founded by Greek colonists in 581BC, long before the Roman Empire existed."

This article explores some of the highlights of Sicily, from its magnificent ancient Greek ruins at Agrigento and Syracuse to the challenge of climbing Europe's tallest active volcano, Mount Etna.

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Islands of the wind

"In Homer's Odyssey Ulysses declared that 'Jove had made Aeolus captain over the winds, and he could stir or still each one of them according to his own pleasure.'

A friend to travelers, Aeolus entertained the legendary visitors for a month before mastering the winds to help with their journey homeward.

The Bronze Age kingdom of Aeolus was on Lipari and so these islands north of Sicily became known as the Aeolian Islands, and the legend was passed into Greek folklore."

This piece concentrates on two of the Aeolian Islands, Lipari, the largest one with its significant archaeological museum and medieval town, and Vulcano, where the highlight is the walk to the smoking crater of the volcano.

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The Eternal Movie Set

"Roaring across the Piazza Navona in his red roadster, Freddy Miles comes to a halt beside Bernini's monumental 17th century Fountain of the Four Rivers.

And Matt Damon who plays Tom, The Talented Mr Ripley, is not at all pleased at the reaction of his friend Dickie Greenleaf.

Setting out to re-create the world of Italy in the late fifties in his 1999 film, director Anthony Minghella became yet another in a long line of filmmakers drawn to Rome, the Eternal City."

Always in the movies, Rome has provided many real sets, and some not-so-real ones. This article looks at how films from the 1990's, including The Talented Mr Ripley and Portrait of a Lady, have used real Roman scenes, carrying on a tradition set by fifties films like Roman Holiday, while scenes from others like Gladiator are not as real as they seem.

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Risen from the ashes

"It was the morning of a summer day in August of 79AD, but the inhabitants of Pompeii could only gaze at an image of darkening horror.

'A cloud formed … the only way I can describe it is to say that its appearance and shape were similar to that of a cluster pine tree.'

Such was the account of Pliny the Younger, a Roman admiral who had sailed from Miseno to help evacuate the area.

But the eruption of Vesuvius buried the prosperous trading town under metres of lapilli (pumice stones) and volcanic ash, with most of its 10,000 inhabitants killed by the poisonous gases released from the stones."

The article examines the everyday life of ancient Pompeii, preserved for centuries under volcanic ash and stones. From mythological paintings and surprising grafitti to a sign saying beware of the dog. From public baths to private courtyards. The piece then traces the development of the new town and visits the Sanctuary of Our Lady of the Holy Rosary which draws so many modern-day pilgrims.