Rome and Malta

Matt Gross, the intrepid back-roads traveler with the New York Times, is heading to the Eastern Mediterranean after stops in Rome and Malta. As usual, his visits are colourful.

For those who haven't seen Matt's work, he's on a tour of Europe on less than 100 euros a day, and he's blogging, photographing and videotaping the whole way.

His videos begin with this introduction, accompanied by the up-beat strumming of a guitar:

"I'm Matt Gross, the Frugal Travel with the New York Times. This summer I'm embarking on the grand tour of Europe. Over 12 weeks, I'll seek out ancient history and contemporary culture. I'll find cool hotels and memorable meals. And I'll stretch the U.S. dollar to the breaking point."

He's a very likeable guy and he tells his stories in a refreshing, down-to-earth way.

In Rome, he stayed with nuns and visited the city on foot, by tram, and on the back of a speeding moped.

In Malta, he explored the many cultures that give this island nation it's unique character and language.

The videos are fun. Add the blog and slide shows and you've got a great recipe for an engaging armchair travel experience.

You can follow Matt Gross on the Frugal Traveler site here.

A group of fans even set up a Facebook page.

For a related post in this blog, see "Summer Travel"

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Rome photo is courtesy of Kevin Stanson, who made it available on http://www.stock.xchng/