Welcome to Prayers & Piazzas
Prayers & Piazzas is a celebration of all things Italy: history, culture, travel, art and architecture, language. I’m so glad to have you here!
Part travel guide, part travel journal, Prayers & Piazzas was born from the need to profess my love of Italy, and to connect with others who feel the same way. My love of Italy took me completely by surprise. Growing up in Southern California in an Italian-American family, Italy was no big deal. But after losing my dad in 2009 and a healing trip to Italy the following year (which included meeting my dad’s cousins in Bari), I was smitten with Italy.
Here’s some of what you’ll find on the site:
- Snapshots from Italy: a quick glance or short photo essay from places all over the boot. For a closer look at different Italian towns and cities, head to the Travel tab.
- History: longer reads on Roman and Florentine history, particularly for travelers. I’m not officially a historian, but Italian history is one of my (self-taught) passions.
- UNESCO: highlighting some of Italy’s 55 UNESCO World Heritage Sites, with helpful articles featuring UNESCO sites within reach of popular travel destinations. Want to know which World Heritage Sites are closest to Rome? This post tells you!
These posts are consistently reader favorites:
Gone but Not Lost: The Bridges of Florence During World War II
12 Things You May Not Know About The Last Supper
Lake Como or Amalfi Coast? 10 Things (x2) to Consider
Cheers to All! Cin Cin a Tutti!
I especially love sharing a travel memoir with readers. Different from travel notes (city guides) the memoir pieces here are tiny love letters to a particular place or thing. Some of my favorites are: Always Have Your Passport Ready, In Grampa’s Piazza, and Finding Famiglia.
This is me, on my first day of Italian school in Florence. As a proud wife and mom of three, I finally got my study abroad experience in 2018 at age 49!
All work ©Stacy Pollard, Prayers & Piazzas. All photos are my own unless otherwise attributed.
Please feel free to share with credit to www.prayersandpiazzas.com.
Contact
prayersandpiazzas(at)gmail(dot)com or use the form below
Prayers & Piazzas 
I had to turn to my resources (word reference and google translate), and came up with something close but slightly different: from inside a porcelain cave (possibly describing the color — a porcelain white cave), sipping coffee, I watched from (through) the picture window the crowd grow/increase fast.
Caffe` degli specchi — caffe` of the mirrors
Not sure if I’ve gotten it right, but I’m so honored to be included in your beautiful post! Grazie, Paul!
Hi Stacy!
Lovely to ‘stumble’ across your blog. Really inspiring to think of other Inglese mother-tongues moving their lives over to Italy! I’ve come from London to Padua and absorbing all things in the Venetian lagoon.
Will be back here for sure!
Edie at La Finestrella
Hi Edie! Thanks for stopping by! How fortunate for you to be living in Italy. I’ll enjoy keeping up with your adventures.
Hi Stacy, thanks for following my blog! Yours sounds interesting, so I’ll be dropping in too 🙂
Hi Bea, and thanks for visiting!
Love the updates!
Thank you, and thanks for always encouraging me!! Xo
lovely pictures Stacy. Very beautifull
Thanks so much, and thank you for the follow! I look forward to keeping up with your site too.
Love Italy so I will be following to get more ideas for my next visit!
Thank you, and welcome! Happy to have you here.
Lovely to ‘meet’ you Stacy! 🙂 I look forward to reading more and getting to know you through your posts 🙂
Hi there, welcome and thanks for being here! I’ll look forward to checking out your site
My pleasure Stacy 🙂
This looks so interesting! Can’t wait to see more from you 🙂 and thanks for the follow!!
Thank you, Hannah, and welcome!
Sono contenta di aver trovato un blog dedicato a scoprire l’Italia! Amo viaggiare e vivo all’estero da due anni ormai ma ogni volta che torno a casa mi rendo conto di quanto in realta’ c’e’ di bello da scoprire nel mio paese! Seguiro’ il tuo blog con entusiasmo! 🙂
https://fromdreamtoplan.wordpress.com/
Ciao Lisa, sono molto contenta che ti piace il mio blog! benvenuta! Thank you for your very kind words, they mean so much to me! 🙂
I found your blog over at the community pool! I look forward to connecting.
Thank you for the follow! I’ll enjoy browsing your site!
Likewise! 😉
Grazie per il Mi piace Stacy.
Stacy-
I wanted to let you know how much I enjoyed your column “Musings on Life” in the recent Four EL San Diego magazine. I have been a high school and college coach (at UCSD) for over 20 years and much of what you have written has merit. I recently published a book “A High School Tennis Coach’s Handbook” (Let in the Light Publishing, 2013) which I think you would enjoy. I would be happy to comp you a free ibook.
Have a great day,
Roy Gessford
Roy — thank you so much for taking the time to share your thoughts. I appreciate the feedback and validation! Congratulations on your new book — I would love to read it — and best of luck to you as it hits the market. Thank you again!
Stacy-
I trust all continues to go well. Here is the code for your free ibook on coaching: EH9LYXFT7A7E
I have a new paperback version that is for parents, players, and coaches that will be ready for ibook soon, but this will get you started.
Blessings,
Roy Gessford
Author, A High School Tennis Coach’s Handbook, For Players, Parents, and Coaches
Thank you, Roy, what a nice message to receive. Good luck with upcoming ibook as well.
thank you for following my blog! happy that you like it 🙂 what an interesting blog you have ! for sure will be back here 🙂
Oh thank you, and thanks for visiting my blog! I love Siena and will look forward to your posts. Buona giornata!