Posts Tagged ‘Tuscany’
Exploring Florence’s Boboli Gardens
I have been many times to Florence, but had never been to the Boboli Gardens of the Palazzo Pitti. I visited recently, and after spending almost five hours in the Uffizi, admiring (for the umpteenth time) many of the masterpieces of art, I went out into the beautiful day and decided it was perfect to…
Read MoreTuscan beaches
Discovering new beaches is always fun… This summer, we had my son’s national track championships up in Grosseto, Italy, and the heat led us to carving ina little beach time. Some of that we spent on the wide beaches of Marina di Grosseto, just a few kilometers from the medieval hilltown. The other beach was…
Read MoreArt, architecture and sport in Tuscany’s Grosseto
We had a great weekend at the end of July in the Tuscan town of Grosseto. It was my first time there, but I enjoyed the old town (even because, on a Saturday at around 2 pm, the hottest hour of the day), we had it almost to ourselves… Grosseto is a small city of…
Read MoreFlorence’s majestic Piazza della Signoria
Florence’s Piazza della Signoria has been the heart of Florence’s political and urban life for centuries, and any tourist should ensure their walk in the city takes them to this busltling square. Building on the Palazzo Vecchio, Florence’s Town Hall, was completed in 1332. The belltower used to warn Florentines of fires, invaders – or…
Read MoreFlorence’s picturesque Ponte Vecchio
I had a wonderful day visiting Florence when my older son was back home for the Christmas holidays. With the high speed train, it’s only a short journey from Rome, and we lucked out with a January day of bright blue skies and remarkably warm sun. We had a great day walking for miles and…
Read MoreThe 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 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 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 MoreA fellow author innamorata d’Italia: Author interview with Victoria Springfield
For those of you who follow my blog, Italy plays a big part in my writing. As a longtime resident of Italy, what an honor to be able to spotlight a fellow Italophile author this week … and, as I disovered during this interview, (even better) a fellow swimmer who also plots while swimming laps.…
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…
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