Posts Tagged ‘medieval architecture’
Spectacular views over medieval Orvieto, Umbria
Whenever I visit towns or cities, I seek out the highest point to enjoy birds’ eye views over it. Strangely, I’d never been to the Umbrian town of Orvieto’s highest point. So when I found myself exploring this picturesque medieval town earlier this month with my two sons, I set out to remedy this. My…
Read MoreMore than steel in Piombino, Tuscany
When my husband and I went to the Tuscan island of Elba a couple of years ago for a wedding (see my earlier post about Napoleon’s former Empire), we took the ferry over from the town of Piombino, a small town on the Tyrrhenian Sea of the Mediterranean. This area has been inhabited ever since…
Read MoreMedieval skylines & dramatic mountain views in Pacentro, Abruzzo
I was out in Abruzzo’s Majella National Park last weekend picking my older son up from his tennis camp – an idyllic, cooler environment to enjoy a week of tennis. On our drive back, we decided to stop off and explore the medieval town of Pacentro. I must admit, it’s the first time I’d ever…
Read MoreOvid’s birthplace: Sulmona, Abruzzo
Sulmona is a small town in the region of Abruzzo. It is located near one of Abruzzo’s three national parks: the National Park of the Majella. The town dates back to before the Roman Empire, but it was the era of the Roman Empire in which Sulmona boasted its most famous resident: Publio Ovidio Nasone,…
Read MoreMedieval architecture and beer in Freistadt, Austria
Freistadt is located in the Austrian Region of Upper Austria (Oberösterreich), the is the largest town of the Mühlviertel region. This used to be one of the last border fortresses on the route leading to Bohemia. Today, it’s just a few kilometers from the border of the Czech Republic. Freistadt has impressive medieval architecture, including…
Read MoreA spring day in seaside Sperlonga, Italy
During the Easter weekend, my kids and I had a perfect day in the beautiful beach town of Sperlonga, Italy. I’ve already written about this pretty little beach town on teh Tirrenian Sea, half-way between Rome and Naples. See my earlier post about the resort town once the favorite of Emperors. But my day-long escape…
Read MorePrague’s Old Town Square clock
Every hour on the hour in Prague’s historical center, Town Hall’s historic, astronomical clock chimes the hour as the crowds below watch. The astronomical clock, on Prague’s Old Town Square (Staromětske naměsti) stands at the base of the 14th century Town Hall. The clock itself was constructed in 1410, making it the third oldest astronomical…
Read MoreVisiting the idyllic Rožmberk nad Vltavou Castle, Czech Republic
The little town of Rožmberk nad Vltavou is a small down in southern Bohemia, close to the Austrian border and situated along the Vltava (Moldau) River. It is only a few kilometers of the pretty town of Český Krumlov, and looks like a miniature version of that town. The most famous monument in the town –…
Read MoreAutumn colors in Vitorchiano, Italy
I was staying outside this pretty medieval town in northern Lazio, north of Rome, for work for a week earlier this month. Unfortunately, we weren’t out of the conference structure much, but I did sneak out for an early morning jog each morning so that I could enjoy the town as it was waking up.…
Read MoreMore medieval Tuscany: Sarteano
Ah, more medieval Tuscany. I’ve already written to our visit to some of the small towns of Tuscany’s beuatiful Valdorcia. My son was at a track and field camp in pretty Abbadia di San Salvatore, which I’ve written about in an earlier post. But medieval towns are sprinkled all over this pretty region in the…
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