Posts Tagged ‘Europe’
The burial ground of genius : Florence’s Santa Croce Basilica
The Basilica of Santa Croce is a must-see destination when you are visiting Florence. Groundbreaking for this church began in 1295, and work was completed in 1385. The church is an artistic gem – with work by Cimabue and Giotto. But the real reason to visit this basilica is its fame as the burial ground…
Read MoreThe fried olives keep calling us back … to Ascoli Piceno
Can you blame us? Every time my younger son and I travel to Ancona, the regional capital of Italy’s Marche region, for his track & field races, we detour from the highway to visit the striking town of Marche’s Ascoli Piceno. While we greatly admire this picturesque town and its stunning architecture (you can see…
Read MoreVisiting Durham Cathedral, UK
The spectacular Durham Cathedral is a stunning monument that dominates the Durham cityscape on a rocky prominotory next to the castle high above the Derwent River. I’ve already written about the stunning views afforded by climbing those daunting 325 steps to enjoy tower views over all of Durham and the surrounding countryside. Today, Durham Cathedral…
Read MoreIn the steps of the Ancient Romans – enjoying the hot springs of Bagno Vignoni, Tuscany
Earlier this month, I enjoyed a fabulous weekend escape in Tuscany – in the small town of Bagno Vignoni. This town was known to the thermal-bath-loving Ancient Romans … and it continues as a spa location up until today. We stayed at the Le Terme Hotel, right at the edge of the town’s central piazza/thermal…
Read MoreThe Eternal City is ready for its holiday close-up
Rome is not the most spectacular city when it comes to Christmas decorations. BUT it does enjoy some amazing Christmas weather. I love walking around Rome over the holiday period and enjoying the Christmas decorations. Weather forecasts in Rome are looking pretty good for these next few weeks, so I’m looking forward to enjoying the…
Read MoreChristmas cheer in Montepulciano and Pienza, Tuscany
Earlier this month, I was in Tuscany for a weekend with my family, and we enjoyed seeing the cheery Christmas decorations. They were especially pretty in the towns of Montepulciano and Pienza – two gorgeous Tuscan hilltowns. Montepulciano is a steep medieval hilltown (bring good walking shoes), known for its long wine tradition. Montepulciano…
Read MoreIt’s beginning to look a lot like Christmas … in Verona
Fitting for a Saint Nicholas Day post that we start taking a look at Christmas decorations. This day (or 8 December – The Immaculate Conception) is when many Italian towns begin decorating their centers – although the date is constantly being pushed earlier. Luckily for us, the decorations were up at the start of December…
Read MorePalladian splendor in Vicenza, Italy
I adore the northern small city of Vicenza, in Italy’s Veneto region. I first came here many years ago, and had not been back in years. When my youngest son had a cross-country race nearby, I jumped on the change to get back and visit this jewelbox of a town. I was not disappointed to…
Read MoreAbruzzo’s WWI Memorial soldiers in In The Shadow of The Apennines
An important symbol in my newly released novel, In The Shadow of The Apennines, is the memorial soldier statue found at the high peak of the Italian mountain town that serves as the setting of my story. My novel’s protagonist, Samantha, is an American who moves to the tiny Abruzzo mountain town of Marsicano, hoping…
Read MoreEnjoying fall foliage on an Abruzzo getaway
I was in desperate need for a weekend get-away out in the mountains, and so was my son. The weather forecasts were perfect, and we decided to take a short get-away to our favorite mountain hamlet in Abruzzo – Ovindoli. It was exactly what we needed: fresh mountain air, long walks, fall foliage, and fantastic…
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