John Henderson's Travel Adventures in Rome and Beyond

August 12, 2020

As Roma gets a new owner, and a new future, this fan remains skeptical

Life as a soccer fan in Italy has been practically back to normal for nearly two months. It’s odd watching games in empty stadiums but from a pub you rarely see the stands as a TV graphic. Besides, soccer announcers talk so much you can’t hear the players’ ubiquitous cursing over the TV anyway. Juventus won Serie A for the — yawn! — ninth straight […]

August 4, 2020

Fregene: Rome’s one-time glittery beach escape still a slice of paradise for us

FREGENE, Italy — The scene is always the same. We park Marina’s car on a quiet, narrow side street and walk down the short driveway to Il Capanno dei Pescatori, the little beach-side restaurant that sells us lanais chairs for only 7 euros. A young cabana boy plops them down on an empty beach, pulling up the little movable roofs in case the sun gets […]

July 28, 2020

Covid-19 and travel: Ten important safety tips during and after this pandemic ends

(Editor’s note: Covid-19 isn’t going away soon and even when it does, you should be careful while traveling. My guest blogger, Emma Willson, has written 10 important tips on how to be cautious in this coronavirus world. Emma is a Californian who has visited 16 countries in North America, South America and Europe and has been a freelance writer for four years.) By Emma Willson […]

July 21, 2020

Raphael exhibition a great tour of a grand artist as Italy opens back up to the world

Three things you probably didn’t know about Raffaello Sanzio, known outside Italy as Raphael and part of the trifecta of Italian Renaissance painters: He scored his first commission at 17 and one of his first was painting an altarpiece for a family funeral chapel that housed the bones of some of the 130 men slaughtered by the ruthless Baglioni family decades earlier in Perugia. He […]

July 15, 2020

Traveling in Italy: Trip to Puglia reminds me of why I live here but caution flags rise

Traveling in Italy is only a dream for Americans. For us living here, it’s a wonderful reality. However, a trip to Puglia shows caution from the coronavirus remains.

July 7, 2020

Italy restaurants: My 5 favorites after eight years living in this gastronomic paradise

Narrowing list of best restaurants in Italy to a top five is a difficult but tasty task. Here are mine.

June 30, 2020

Stay away, Americans! EU says you and your coronavirus are not wanted here in Europe

EU won’t allow the U.S. among its 14 countries permitted to visit.

June 22, 2020

What’s your idea of romance and Rome?

What’s your idea of romance and Rome? Colorado resident and former Rome resident Anne Streeter joins me in a conversation about the city’s beauty that tugs on our heartstrings.

June 17, 2020

Madain Saleh: Saudi Arabia’s 2,000-year-old UNESCO Heritage Site and sister city of Petra

Me in front of one of Madain Saleh's 131 tombs left over from the Nabataean Civilization 2,000 years ago.

Madain Saleh is the crown jewel of a Saudi Arabia that is trying to make its first inroads in mass tourism. It’s Petra’s sister city without the crowds.

June 9, 2020

Black Lives Matter movement hits Rome and African Americans here join the chorus

Black Lives Matter rally comes to Rome, shedding a light on problem that is not confined to the U.S.

June 3, 2020

Jeddah: Saudi Arabia’s Red Sea jewel opening its gate even wider for the world

Jeddah is Arabia’s cosmopolitan capital on the sea (This is the second of a three-part series on travels through Saudi Arabia.) JEDDAH, Saudi Arabia — The plane begins to fill and I wonder if this domestic Saudi airline has a dress code. I look around the Flyadeal jet and realize I’m about the only person not wearing what looks like large white beach towels over […]

May 29, 2020

Saudi Arabia: The kingdom finally opens its doors to tourists and I stepped through

Saudi Arabia is shining a light toward a bright future while trying darken its controversial past.

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