The quintessential Tuscan town of Montalcino begs to be wandered through, especially on a quiet morning, the air cool and still smelling of last night’s thunderstorm. On a whim we had followed one friend’s travel advice, rented a car for the first time in Italy thanks to another encouraging friend, and after a most pleasant…
Category: Travel
Picture Perfect Pottery
An artful and inviting shop window in the picturesque Tuscan town of Pienza.
Evening in Rome
A passeggiata at sunset, and Rome never disappoints….
Four Shades of Ponte Santa Trinita
“If you know just one bridge in Florence, know the Ponte Vecchio. If you know two bridges in Florence, make the second the Ponte Santa Trinita.” — Florence for Free May 3, 2018 Crossing the Ponte Vecchio, as most visitors to Florence will likely do at some point, one cannot escape the graceful majesty of its neighbor,…
Art History Appreciation
Art is much more powerful when it jumps from the pages of a book and you can enjoy it face to face. We found Masaccio’s masterpiece, The Holy Trinity, sitting quietly inside Florence’s Santa Maria Novella church, a peaceful and cool oasis from a crowded summer day in the city. This work is considered “one…
Variations on a Theme: Italian Storefronts and Shop Windows
Who can resist the artistry of a well-arranged, colorful, symmetrical or even crowded shop window? Most of these are from Italy (primarily Florence), but a couple are not (leave your guess in the comments section). Click on an image to enlarge. Settling on a subject was a little tricky, as I have quite a…
Street Art Then and Now
Modern street art in Florence Street (really floors) as art from ancient Rome in the Forum. More Snapshots from Italy found here.
Snapshots from Italy: Weathered
In my own country I might balk at mouldering structures with peeling paint and other blemishes, but in Italy they are proud and beautiful, standing for all to see as a testament of resilience. Today’s Weekly Photo Challenge is weathered, and I found quite a collection of favorites in honor of this theme. Below, the view…
Charming Certaldo
About one hour by car or train lies the picturesque little hamlet of Certaldo, home of Renaissance’s literary giant, Giovanni Boccaccio. The big cities in Italy were filled with visitors on this hot summer day, but in Certaldo it was fairly quiet and pleasantly breezy. We leisured through the cobbled streets, keeping ourselves busy capturing…
Leaving Love Notes in Florence
In the narrow cobbled streets just off via del Corso winding through Dante’s Florence, there is an unassuming stone church tucked neatly into the facade of ancient buildings. It is the Chiesa di Santa Margherita dei Cerchi, dating back to 1032 and named for the 12th century Cerchi Family. Although the plaque below identifies it as…
Prayers & Piazzas 