Posts Tagged ‘medieval architecture’
Christmas 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 MoreSpectacular views from the top of England’s Durham Cathedral
Earlier this month, I made my first visit to the northern town of Durham, England to atend the Historical Novel Society’s biannual conference. For each conference, they choose a historical city in the UK – so it was a great chance to explore a new destination I hadn’t yet seen. Durham is a beautiful, medieval…
Read MoreVisiting the world’s oldest republic: San Marino
For those who (like me) love Italy, you may be aware that, within its borders, Italy contains two independent countries. One – the Holy See or Vatican – requires little introduction. The second might be less known. San Marino, or, by its romantic sounding full Italian name Serenissima Repubblica di San Marino, is just under…
Read MoreAn imposing castle surrounded by olive trees in Nerola
Returning from a track race in the town of Rieti, about a 1.5 hour drive from Rome, my son and I decided to stop off an explore the little medieval hilltown of Nerola. Nerola sits on a hilltop 453 meters from sea level. Its name is believed to be derived from the ancient Sabine language…
Read MoreBack for more olive ascolane (& finally sunshine) in Ascoli Piceno
I’ve already written about the quest my son and I fulfilled, journeying to a deserted, rainy, lockdown-mode Ascoli Piceno in search of the local specialty: olive ascolane (stuffed olives). Luckily, a second race took us once again to the Marche, and this time we were able to stop by on a sunny day free from…
Read MoreIn search of olive ascolane in the Marche’s Ascoli-Piceno
In normal times, finding Ascoli-Piceno’s culinary specialty in its historic center is no real challenge. But these are not ordinary times. My son loves olive ascolane – olives stuffed with meat and deep fried. This is a common appetizer at restaurants throughout Italy, although, all too often, they are simply the frozen variety. In the…
Read MoreThe showstopping square in Italy’s Cittaducale
On a recent visit to Rieti with my younger son, we decided to explore the nearby town of Cittaducale. Just 8 km east of Rieti, Cittaducale is an impressive example of a late medieval fortress town. Perched on a strategic hilltop location and surrounded by mountains, this town is a pleasant place to wander. Although…
Read MoreWandering the silent, medieval streets of Toffia
I’ve driven by Toffia many times on my drives from Rome to Rieti, but never made time to visit. On a recent weekend trip to Rieti, my son and I decided to take a little detour from the Via Salaria to visit this picturesque, medieval town. We were in Toffia on a perfect summer day.…
Read MorePost-lockdown travel
As I come to grips with our post-pandemic life and beginning my travel blog once again, I’ve written in recent weeks about pre-lockdown travel and exploring Rome under the lockdown. This leads to the moment in June that (finally!) travel restrictions ended, and we could travel once again – first in our region, and then…
Read MoreMilan’s Renaissance castle – Castello Sforzesco
Smack dab in the middle of Milan is an imposing reminder of its past. As a tourist wandering Milan’s compact historic center, you’d be remiss to not notice its Castello Sforzesco, Milan’s most importnat Reniassance monument. Completely restored at the start of the 20th century, the Sforza Castle was once the headquarters of the noble…
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