Staying in the heart of Rome this summer, just due passi (“two steps”) from the center of the old empire, one word comes to mind: ancient. Leading directly to the center of ancient Rome is the Via dei Fori Imperiali, which can be translated as the Road of the Imperial Courts. This road stretches from Piazza Venezia…
Author: Stacy Pollard
Prayers & Piazzas: part travel guide, part travel journal, celebrating all things Italy.
Marvelous Menaggio
Between the northern shores of Lake Como and the border of Switzerland is nestled lovely, marvelous Menaggio. On a cool and cloudy July day we hopped a ferry from Bellagio, just across the lake, in search of the golf club, Menaggio and Cadenabbia Golf Club, which we found at the top of a steep, curvy…
While Wandering Varenna
Varenna is a quiet little spot on the shores of Lake Como. We stayed in nearby Bellagio and took a quick ride on the traghetto (ferry) to wander and lunch in Varenna. Here’s some snapshots of what caught my attention during our passeggiata (stroll). I invite you to sign my guest book or join me on Facebook!
Discover the Park of Monsters with Tourist by Chance
A Guest Post by Valter Baldu I’m so happy to share today’s post by Valter of Tourist by Chance — Italian born, living in Rome and loving being a tourist in his own country. His blog is rich with Italian travel details and photos, and he often takes readers off the typical tourist path. Today…
A Visit to Rome’s Majestic Saint Paul Outside the Walls
Basilica di San Paolo Fuori Le Mura “And now abide faith, hope, love, these three; but the greatest of these is love.” – Paul the Apostle, 1 Corinthians 13:13. In the early first century Paul the Apostle Paul — one of the original followers of Jesus — was executed in Rome by order of Roman emperor Nero….
Keep Calm and Love Roma
If “all roads lead to Rome”, I’m guessing that this ancient path in front of the Colosseum is one of those roads. If it’s your first visit to this ancient city, the Colosseum cannot be missed. (Although truthfully, if I find myself in Rome, this is the first thing I want to see. For me,…
12 Things You May Not Know About The Last Supper
There were exactly two things I knew for sure about the Last Supper: 1. It was painted by Leonardo da Vinci. 2. It was somewhere in Milan. (Clearly, I’m not an art historian.) This capolavoro (masterpiece) had long been on my wish list of Things to See in Italy, but mostly just to check it off the…
Masterpieces abound in Milan
Recently I have been writing about my newfound love of The Last Supper by Leonardo da Vinci. But this iconic painting is not the only masterpiece in Milan. Everything seems to be an incredible work of art in this fashionable metropolis. Exhibit #1: The Duomo — The fourth largest church in Europe (fifth largest in the…
Earthquake in Italy: an update
It has been just under a week since a deadly 6.2 earthquake struck central Italy, in a region about 100 miles northeast of Rome. Suffering the worst damage are the towns of Amatrice, Accumoli, Pescara del Tronto and Arquata del Tronto. The death toll is now at 291, with hundreds more injured and thousands displaced…
Snapshots from Italy, Framed
Above and below: Beloved Florence, Italy, as framed from the inside of the Duomo, during a climb to the very top of the cupola. Above: The river Arno framed by the Ponte Vecchio’s architecture. Below: Beautiful Verona. Finding inspiration inside the Palazzo Vecchio, Florence Posted today in response to The Daily Post’s photo…
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